Deck 12: Cash Flow Estimation and Risk Analysis

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Question
A firm that bases its capital budgeting decisions on either NPV or IRR will be more likely to accept a given project if it uses accelerated depreciation than if it uses straight-line depreciation, other things being equal.
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Question
Accelerated depreciation has an advantage for profitable firms in that it moves some cash flows forward, thus increasing their present value. On the other hand, using accelerated depreciation generally lowers the reported current year's profits because of the higher depreciation expenses. However, the reported profits problem can be solved by using different depreciation methods for tax and stockholder reporting purposes.
Question
The primary advantage to using accelerated rather than straight-line depreciation is that with accelerated depreciation the total amount of depreciation that can be taken, assuming the asset is used for its full tax life, is greater.
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The two cardinal rules that financial analysts should follow to avoid capital budgeting errors are: (1) in the NPV equation, the numerator should use income calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and (2) all incremental cash flows should be considered when making accept/reject decisions.
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Suppose a firm's CFO thinks that an externality is present in a project, but that it cannot be quantified with any precision--estimates of its effect would really just be guesses. In this case, the externality should be ignored--i.e., not considered at all--because if it were considered it would make the analysis appear more precise than it really is.
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If a firm's projects differ in risk, then one way of handling this problem is to evaluate each project with the appropriate risk-adjusted discount rate.
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If an investment project would make use of land which the firm currently owns, the project should be charged with the opportunity cost of the land.
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Although it is extremely difficult to make accurate forecasts of the revenues that a project will generate, projects' initial outlays and subsequent costs can be forecasted with great accuracy. This is especially true for large product development projects.
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The primary advantage to using accelerated rather than straight-line depreciation is that with accelerated depreciation the present value of the tax savings provided by depreciation will be higher, other things held constant.
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In cash flow estimation, the existence of externalities should be taken into account if those externalities have any effects on the firm's long-run cash flows.
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Superior analytical techniques, such as NPV, used in combination with risk-adjusted cost of capital estimates, can overcome the problem of poor cash flow estimation and lead to generally correct accept/reject decisions.
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It is extremely difficult to estimate the revenues and costs associated with large, complex projects that take several years to develop. This is why subjective judgment is often used for such projects along with discounted cash flow analysis.
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Typically, a project will have a higher NPV if the firm uses accelerated rather than straight-line depreciation. This is because the total cash flows over the project's life will be higher if accelerated depreciation is used, other things held constant.
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Any cash flows that can be classified as incremental to a particular project--i.e., results directly from the decision to undertake the project--should be reflected in the capital budgeting analysis.
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Since the focus of capital budgeting is on cash flows rather than on net income, changes in noncash balance sheet accounts such as inventory are not included in a capital budgeting analysis.
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Because of improvements in forecasting techniques, estimating the cash flows associated with a project has become the easiest step in the capital budgeting process.
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If debt is to be used to finance a project, then when cash flows for a project are estimated, interest payments should be included in the analysis.
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Changes in net working capital should not be reflected in a capital budgeting cash flow analysis because capital budgeting relates to fixed assets, not working capital.
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Estimating project cash flows is generally the most important, but also the most difficult, step in the capital budgeting process. Methodology, such as the use of NPV versus IRR, is important, but less so than obtaining a reasonably accurate estimate of projects' cash flows.
Question
We can identify the cash costs and cash inflows to a company that will result from a project. These could be called "direct inflows and outflows," and the net difference is the direct net cash flow. If there are other costs and benefits that do not flow from or to the firm, but to other parties, these are called externalities, and they need not be considered as a part of the capital budgeting analysis.
Question
The relative risk of a proposed project is best accounted for by which of the following procedures?

A) Adjusting the discount rate upward if the project is judged to have above-average risk.
B) Adjusting the discount rate downward if the project is judged to have above-average risk.
C) Reducing the NPV by 10% for risky projects.
D) Picking a risk factor equal to the average discount rate.
E) Ignoring risk because project risk cannot be measured accurately.
Question
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) Since depreciation is a cash expense, the faster an asset is depreciated, the lower the projected NPV from investing in the asset.
B) Under current laws and regulations, corporations must use straight-line depreciation for all assets whose lives are 5 years or longer.
C) Corporations must use the same depreciation method for both stockholder reporting and tax purposes.
D) Using accelerated depreciation rather than straight line normally has the effect of speeding up cash flows and thus increasing a project's forecasted NPV.
E) Using accelerated depreciation rather than straight line normally has the effect of slowing down cash flows and thus reducing a project's forecasted NPV.
Question
Although the replacement chain approach is appealing for dealing with mutually exclusive projects that have different lives, it is not used in practice because no projects meet the assumptions the method requires.
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Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) An example of a sunk cost is the cost associated with restoring the site of a strip mine once the ore has been depleted.
B) Sunk costs must be considered if the IRR method is used but not if the firm relies on the NPV method.
C) A good example of a sunk cost is a situation where a bank opens a new office, and that new office leads to a decline in deposits of the bank's other offices.
D) A good example of a sunk cost is money that a banking corporation spent last year to investigate the site for a new office, then expensed that cost for tax purposes, and now is deciding whether to go forward with the project.
E) If sunk costs are considered and reflected in a project's cash flows, then the project's calculated NPV will be higher than it otherwise would be.
Question
Suppose Tapley Inc. uses a WACC of 8% for below-average risk projects, 10% for average-risk projects, and 12% for above-average risk projects. Which of the following independent projects should Tapley accept, assuming that the company uses the NPV method when choosing projects?

A) Project A, which has average risk and an IRR = 9%.
B) Project B, which has below-average risk and an IRR = 8.5%.
C) Project C, which has above-average risk and an IRR = 11%.
D) Without information about the projects' NPVs we cannot determine which one or ones should be accepted.
E) All of these projects should be accepted.
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Opportunity costs include those cash inflows that could be generated from assets the firm already owns if those assets are not used for the project being evaluated.
Question
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) A sunk cost is any cost that must be expended in order to complete a project and bring it into operation.
B) A sunk cost is any cost that was expended in the past but can be recovered if the firm decides not to go forward with the project.
C) A sunk cost is a cost that was incurred and expensed in the past and cannot be recovered if the firm decides not to go forward with the project.
D) Sunk costs were formerly
E) A good example of a sunk cost is a situation where Home Depot opens a new store, and that leads to a decline in sales of one of the firm's existing stores.
Question
Sensitivity analysis measures a project's stand-alone risk by showing how much the project's NPV (or IRR) is affected by a small change in one of the input variables, say sales. Other things held constant, with the size of the independent variable graphed on the horizontal axis and the NPV on the vertical axis, the steeper the graph of the relationship line, the more risky the project, other things held constant.
Question
Extending the lives of projects with different lives out to a common life for comparison purposes, while theoretically appealing, is valid only if there is a reasonably high probability that the projects will actually be repeated out beyond their initial lives.
Question
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) Using accelerated depreciation rather than straight line would normally have no effect on a project's total projected cash flows but it would affect the timing of the cash flows and thus the NPV.
B) Under current laws and regulations, corporations must use straight-line depreciation for all assets whose lives are 5 years or longer.
C) Corporations must use the same depreciation method (e.g., straight line or accelerated) for stockholder reporting and tax purposes.
D) Since depreciation is not a cash expense, it has no effect on cash flows and thus no effect on capital budgeting decisions.
E) Under accelerated depreciation, higher depreciation charges occur in the early years, and this reduces the early cash flows and thus lowers a project's projected NPV.
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The two methods discussed in the text for dealing with unequal project lives are (1) the replacement chain approach and (2) the present value approach.
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The use of accelerated versus straight-line depreciation causes net income reported to stockholders to be lower, and cash flows higher, during eyear of a project's life, other things held constant.
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The two methods discussed in the text for dealing with unequal project lives are approach.
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Replacement chain or EAA analysis is required when analyzing projects that have different lives. This is true regardless of whether the projects are mutually exclusive or independent of one another.
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The change in net working capital associated with new projects is always positive, because new projects mean that more working capital will be required. This situation is especially true for replacement projects.
Question
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) If a firm is found guilty of cannibalization in a court of law, then it is judged to have taken unfair advantage of its competitors. Thus, cannibalization is dealt with by society through the antitrust laws.
B) If a firm is found guilty of cannibalization in a court of law, then it is judged to have taken unfair advantage of its customers. Thus, cannibalization is dealt with by society through the antitrust laws.
C) If cannibalization exists, then the cash flows associated with the project must be increased to offset these effects. Otherwise, the calculated NPV will be biased downward.
D) If cannibalization is determined to exist, then this means that the calculated NPV if cannibalization is considered will be higher than the NPV if this effect is not recognized.
E) Cannibalization, as described in the text, is a type of externality that is not against the law, and any harm it causes is done to the firm itself.
Question
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) Since depreciation is not a cash expense, and since cash flows and not accounting income are the relevant input, depreciation plays no role in capital budgeting.
B) Under current laws and regulations, corporations must use straight-line depreciation for all assets whose lives are 3 years or longer.
C) If they use accelerated depreciation, firms will write off assets slower than they would under straight-line depreciation, and as a result projects' forecasted NPVs are normally lower than they would be if straight-line depreciation were required for tax purposes.
D) If they use accelerated depreciation, firms can write off assets faster than they could under straight-line depreciation, and as a result projects' forecasted NPVs are normally lower than they would be if straight-line depreciation were required for tax purposes.
E) If they use accelerated depreciation, firms can write off assets faster than they could under straight-line depreciation, and as a result projects' forecasted NPVs are normally higher than they would be if straight-line depreciation were required for tax purposes.
Question
Suppose Walker Publishing Company is considering bringing out a new finance text whose projected revenues include some revenues that will be taken away from another of Walker's books. The lost sales on the older book are a sunk cost and as such should not be considered in the analysis for the new book.
Question
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) An externality is a situation where a project would have an adverse effect on some other part of the firm's overall operations. If the project would have a favorable effect on other operations, then this is not an externality.
B) An example of an externality is a situation where a bank opens a new office, and that new office causes deposits in the bank's other offices to decline.
C) The NPV method automatically deals correctly with externalities, even if the externalities are not specifically identified, but the IRR method does not. This is another reason to favor the NPV.
D) Both the NPV and IRR methods deal correctly with externalities, even if the externalities are not specifically identified. However, the payback method does not.
E) Identifying an externality can never lead to an increase in the calculated NPV.
Question
Which of the following is NOT a relevant cash flow and thus should not be reflected in the analysis of a capital budgeting project?

A) Changes in net working capital.
B) Shipping and installation costs.
C) Cannibalization effects.
D) Opportunity costs.
E) Sunk costs that have been expensed for tax purposes.
Question
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) Sensitivity analysis is a good way to measure market risk because it explicitly takes into account diversification effects.
B) One advantage of sensitivity analysis relative to scenario analysis is that it explicitly takes into account the probability of specific effects occurring, whereas scenario analysis cannot account for probabilities.
C) Well-diversified stockholders do not need to consider market risk when determining required rates of return.
D) Market risk is important, but it does not have a direct effect on stock prices because it only affects beta.
E) Simulation analysis is a computerized version of scenario analysis where input variables are selected randomly on the basis of their probability distributions.
Question
A firm is considering a new project whose risk is greater than the risk of the firm's average project, based on all methods for assessing risk. In evaluating this project, it would be reasonable for management to do which of the following?

A) Increase the estimated IRR of the project to reflect its greater risk.
B) Increase the estimated NPV of the project to reflect its greater risk.
C) Reject the project, since its acceptance would increase the firm's risk.
D) Ignore the risk differential if the project would amount to only a small fraction of the firm's total assets.
E) Increase the cost of capital used to evaluate the project to reflect its higher-than-average risk.
Question
Dalrymple Inc. is considering production of a new product. In evaluating whether to go ahead with the project, which of the following items should NOT be explicitly considered when cash flows are estimated?

A) The company will produce the new product in a vacant building that was used to produce another product until last year. The building could be sold, leased to another company, or used in the future to produce another of the firm's products.
B) The project will utilize some equipment the company currently owns but is not now using. A used equipment dealer has offered to buy the equipment.
C) The company has spent and expensed for tax purposes $3 million on research related to the new detergent. These funds cannot be recovered, but the research may benefit other projects that might be proposed in the future.
D) The new product will cut into sales of some of the firm's other products.
E) If the project is accepted, the company must invest $2 million in working capital. However, all of these funds will be recovered at the end of the project's life.
Question
A company is considering a proposed new plant that would increase productive capacity. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) In calculating the project's operating cash flows, the firm should not deduct financing costs such as interest expense, because financing costs are accounted for by discounting at the WACC. If interest were deducted when estimating cash flows, this would, in effect, "double count" it.
B) Since depreciation is a non-cash expense, the firm does not need to deal with depreciation when calculating the operating cash flows.
C) When estimating the project's operating cash flows, it is important to include both opportunity costs and sunk costs, but the firm should ignore the cash flow effects of externalities since they are accounted for in the discounting process.
D) Capital budgeting decisions should be based on before-tax cash flows.
E) The WACC used to discount cash flows in a capital budgeting analysis should be calculated on a before-tax basis.
Question
Rowell Company spent $3 million two years ago to build a plant for a new product. It then decided not to go forward with the project, so the building is available for sale or for a new product. Rowell owns the building free and clear--there is no mortgage on it. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) Since the building has been paid for, it can be used by another project with no additional cost. Therefore, it should not be reflected in the cash flows for any new project.
B) If the building could be sold, then the after-tax proceeds that would be generated by any such sale should be charged as a cost to any new project that would use it.
C) This is an example of an externality, because the existence of the building affects the cash flows for any new project that Rowell might consider.
D) Since the building was built in the past, its cost is a sunk cost and thus need not be considered when new projects are being evaluated, even if it would be used by those new projects.
E) If there is a mortgage loan on the building, then the interest on that loan would have to be charged to any new project that used the building.
Question
Which of the following rules is CORRECT for capital budgeting analysis?

A) The interest paid on funds borrowed to finance a project must be included in estimates of the project's cash flows.
B) Only incremental cash flows, which are the cash flows that would result if a project is accepted, are relevant when making accept/reject decisions.
C) Sunk costs are not included in the annual cash flows, but they must be deducted from the PV of the project's other costs when reaching the accept/reject decision.
D) A proposed project's estimated net income as determined by the firm's accountants, using generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), is discounted at the WACC, and if the PV of this income stream exceeds the project's cost, the project should be accepted.
E) If a product is competitive with some of the firm's other products, this fact should be incorporated into the estimate of the relevant cash flows. However, if the new product is complementary to some of the firm's other products, this fact need not be reflected in the analysis.
Question
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) In a capital budgeting analysis where part of the funds used to finance the project would be raised as debt, failure to include interest expense as a cost when determining the project's cash flows will lead to an upward bias in the NPV.
B) In a capital budgeting analysis where part of the funds used to finance the project would be raised as debt, failure to include interest expense as a cost when determining the project's cash flows will lead to a downward bias in the NPV.
C) The existence of any type of "externality" will reduce the calculated NPV versus the NPV that would exist without the externality.
D) If one of the assets to be used by a potential project is already owned by the firm, and if that asset could be sold or leased to another firm if the new project were not undertaken, then the net proceeds that could be obtained should be charged as a cost to the project under consideration.
E) If one of the assets to be used by a potential project is already owned by the firm but is not being used, then any costs associated with that asset is a sunk cost and should be ignored.
Question
A company is considering a new project. The CFO plans to calculate the project's NPV by estimating the relevant cash flows for each year of the project's life (i.e., the initial investment cost, the annual operating cash flows, and the terminal cash flow), then discounting those cash flows at the company's overall WACC. Which one of the following factors should the CFO be sure to INCLUDE in the cash flows when estimating the relevant cash flows?

A) All sunk costs that have been incurred relating to the project.
B) All interest expenses on debt used to help finance the project.
C) The investment in working capital required to operate the project, even if that investment will be recovered at the end of the project's life.
D) Sunk costs that have been incurred relating to the project, but only if those costs were incurred prior to the current year.
E) Effects of the project on other divisions of the firm, but only if those effects lower the project's own direct cash flows.
Question
When evaluating a new project, firms should include in the projected cash flows all of the following EXCEPT:

A) Changes in net working capital attributable to the project.
B) Previous expenditures associated with a market test to determine the feasibility of the project, provided those costs have been expensed for tax purposes.
C) The value of a building owned by the firm that will be used for this project.
D) A decline in the sales of an existing product, provided that decline is directly attributable to this project.
E) The salvage value of assets used for the project that will be recovered at the end of the project's life.
Question
Taussig Technologies is considering two potential projects, X and Y. In assessing the projects' risks, the company estimated the beta of each project versus both the company's other assets and the stock market, and it also conducted thorough scenario and simulation analyses. This research produced the following numbers: Project X Project Y
Expected NPV $350,000 $350,000
Standard deviation (sNPV)Project beta (vs. market)Correlation of the project cash flows with cash flows from currently existing projects. Cash flows are not correlated with the cash flows from existing projects. Cash flows are highly correlated with the cash flows from existing projects.
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) Project X has more stand-alone risk than Project Y.
B) Project X has more corporate (or within-firm) risk than Project Y.
C) Project X has more market risk than Project Y.
D) Project X has the same level of corporate risk as Project Y.
E) Project X has less market risk than Project Y.
Question
Which of the following procedures does the text say is used most frequently by businesses when they do capital budgeting analyses?

A) The firm's corporate, or overall, WACC is used to discount all project cash flows to find the projects' NPVs. Then, depending on how risky different projects are judged to be, the calculated NPVs are scaled up or down to adjust for differential risk.
B) Differential project risk cannot be accounted for by using "risk-adjusted discount rates" because it is highly subjective and difficult to justify. It is better to not risk adjust at all.
C) Other things held constant, if returns on a project are thought to be positively correlated with the returns on other firms in the economy, then the project's NPV will be found using a lower discount rate than would be appropriate if the project's returns were negatively correlated.
D) Monte Carlo simulation uses a computer to generate random sets of inputs, those inputs are then used to determine a trial NPV, and a number of trial NPVs are averaged to find the project's expected NPV. Sensitivity and scenario analyses, on the other hand, require much more information regarding the input variables, including probability distributions and correlations among those variables. This makes it easier to implement a simulation analysis than a scenario or sensitivity analysis, hence simulation is the most frequently used procedure.
E) DCF techniques were originally developed to value passive investments (stocks and bonds). However, capital budgeting projects are not passive investments--managers can often take positive actions after the investment has been made that alter the cash flow stream. Opportunities for such actions are called real options. Real options are valuable, but this value is not captured by conventional NPV analysis. Therefore, a project's real options must be considered separately.
Question
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) An externality is a situation where a project would have an adverse effect on some other part of the firm's overall operations. If the project would have a favorable effect on other operations, then this is not an externality.
B) An example of an externality is a situation where a bank opens a new office, and that new office causes deposits in the bank's other offices to increase.
C) The NPV method automatically deals correctly with externalities, even if the externalities are not specifically identified, but the IRR method does not. This is another reason to favor the NPV.
D) Both the NPV and IRR methods deal correctly with externalities, even if the externalities are not specifically identified. However, the payback method does not.
E) Identifying an externality can never lead to an increase in the calculated NPV.
Question
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) Sensitivity analysis as it is generally employed is incomplete in that it fails to consider the probability of occurrence of the key input variables.
B) In comparing two projects using sensitivity analysis, the one with the steeper lines would be considered less risky, because a small error in estimating a variable such as unit sales would produce only a small error in the project's NPV.
C) The primary advantage of simulation analysis over scenario analysis is that scenario analysis requires a relatively powerful computer, coupled with an efficient financial planning software package, whereas simulation analysis can be done efficiently using a PC with a spreadsheet program or even with just a calculator.
D) Sensitivity analysis is a type of risk analysis that considers both the sensitivity of NPV to changes in key input variables and the probability of occurrence of these variables' values.
E) As computer technology advances, simulation analysis becomes increasingly obsolete and thus less likely to be used than sensitivity analysis.
Question
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) If an asset is sold for less than its book value at the end of a project's life, it will generate a loss for the firm, hence its terminal cash flow will be negative.
B) Only incremental cash flows are relevant in project analysis, the proper incremental cash flows are the reported accounting profits, and thus reported accounting income should be used as the basis for investor and managerial decisions.
C) It is unrealistic to believe that any increases in net working capital required at the start of an expansion project can be recovered at the project's completion. Working capital like inventory is almost always used up in operations. Thus, cash flows associated with working capital should be included only at the start of a project's life.
D) If equipment is expected to be sold for more than its book value at the end of a project's life, this will result in a profit. In this case, despite taxes on the profit, the end-of-project cash flow will be greater than if the asset had been sold at book value, other things held constant.
E) Changes in net working capital refer to changes in current assets and current liabilities, not to changes in long-term assets and liabilities, hence they should not be considered in a capital budgeting analysis.
Question
Which of the following should be considered when a company estimates the cash flows used to analyze a proposed project?

A) The new project is expected to reduce sales of one of the company's existing products by 5%.
B) Since the firm's director of capital budgeting spent some of her time last year to evaluate the new project, a portion of her salary for that year should be charged to the project's initial cost.
C) The company has spent and expensed $1 million on R&D associated with the new project.
D) The company spent and expensed $10 million on a marketing study before its current analysis regarding whether to accept or reject the project.
E) The firm would borrow all the money used to finance the new project, and the interest on this debt would be $1.5 million per year.
Question
Langston Labs has an overall (composite)Which set of projects would maximize shareholder wealth?

A) A and B.
B) A, B, and C.
C) A, B, and D.
D) A, B, C, and D.
E) A, B, C, D, and E.
Question
Which one of the following would NOT result in incremental cash flows and thus should NOT be included in the capital budgeting analysis for a new product?

A) Using some of the firm's high-quality factory floor space that is currently unused to produce the proposed new product. This space could be used for other products if it is not used for the project under consideration.
B) Revenues from an existing product would be lost as a result of customers switching to the new product.
C) Shipping and installation costs associated with a machine that would be used to produce the new product.
D) The cost of a study relating to the market for the new product that was completed last year. The results of this research were positive, and they led to the tentative decision to go ahead with the new product. The cost of the research was incurred and expensed for tax purposes last year.
E) It is learned that land the company owns and would use for the new project, if it is accepted, could be sold to another firm.
Question
Currently, Powell Products has a beta of 1.0, and its sales and profits are positively correlated with the overall economy. The company estimates that a proposed new project would have a higher standard deviation and coefficient of variation than an average company project. Also, the new project's sales would be countercyclical in the sense that they would be high when the overall economy is down and low when the overall economy is strong. On the basis of this information, which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) The proposed new project would have more stand-alone risk than the firm's typical project.
B) The proposed new project would increase the firm's corporate risk.
C) The proposed new project would increase the firm's market risk.
D) The proposed new project would not affect the firm's risk at all.
E) The proposed new project would have less stand-alone risk than the firm's typical project.
Question
Which of the following factors should be included in the cash flows used to estimate a project's NPV?

A) All costs associated with the project that have been incurred prior to the time the analysis is being conducted.
B) Interest on funds borrowed to help finance the project.
C) The end-of-project recoof any working capital required to operate the project.
D) Cannibalization effects, but only if those effects increase the project's projected cash flows.
E) Expenditures to date on research and development related to the project, provided those costs have already been expensed for tax purposes.
Question
Which one of the following would NOT result in incremental cash flows and thus should NOT be included in the capital budgeting analysis for a new product?

A) A firm has a parcel of land that can be used for a new plant site or be sold, rented, or used for agricultural purposes.
B) A new product will generate new sales, but some of those new sales will be from customers who switch from one of the firm's current products.
C) A firm must obtain new equipment for the project, and $1 million is required for shipping and installing the new machinery.
D) A firm has spent $2 million on R&D associated with a new product. These costs have been expensed for tax purposes, and they cannot be recovered regardless of whether the new project is accepted or rejected.
E) A firm can produce a new product, and the existence of that product will stimulate sales of some of the firm's other products.
Question
Liberty Services is now at the end of the final year of a project. The equipment originally cost $22,500, of which 75% has been depreciated. The firm can sell the used equipment today for $6,000, and its tax rate is 40%. What is the equipment's after-tax salvage value for use in a capital budgeting analysis? Note that if the equipment's final market value is less than its book value, the firm will receive a tax credit as a result of the sale.

A) $5,558
B) $5,850
C) $6,143
D) $6,450
E) $6,772
Question
Marshall-Miller & Company is considering the purchase of a new machine for $50,000, installed. The machine has a tax life of 5 years, and it can be depreciated according to the following rates. The firm expects to operate the machine for 4 years and then to sell it for $12,500. If the marginal tax rate is 40%, what will the after-tax salvage value be when the machine is sold at the end of Year 4?

A) $8,878
B) $9,345
C) $9,837
D) $10,355
E) $10,900
Question
Wilson Co. is considering two mutually exclusive projects. Both require an initial investment of $10,000 at t = 0. Project X has an expected life of 2 years with after-tax cash inflows of $6,000 and $8,500 at the end of Years 1 and 2, respectively. Project Y has an expected life of 4 years with after-tax cash inflows of $4,600 at the end of each of the next 4 years. Each project has a WACC of 11%. What is the equivalent annual annuity of the most profitable project?

A) $1,345.50
B) $1,346.30
C) $1,361.52
D) $1,376.74
E) $1,411.15
Question
Temple Corp. is considering a new project whose data are shown below. The equipment that would be used has a 3-year tax life, would be depreciated by the straight-line method over its 3-year life, and would have a zero salvage value. No new working capital would be required. Revenues and other operating costs are expected to be constant over the project's 3-year life. What is the project's NPV?

A) $15,740
B) $16,569
C) $17,441
D) $18,359
E) $19,325
Question
Carlyle Inc. is considering two mutually exclusive projects. Both require an initial investment of $15,000 at t = 0. Project S has an expected life of 2 years with after-tax cash inflows of $7,000 and $12,000 at the end of Years 1 and 2, respectively. Project L has an expected life of 4 years with after-tax cash inflows of $5,200 at the end of each of the next 4 years. Each project has a WACC of 9.00%, and neither can be repeated. The controller prefers Project S, but the CFO prefers Project L. How much value will the firm gain or lose if Project L is selected over Project S, i.e., what is the value of NPVL - NPVS?

A) $262.74
B) $291.93
C) $324.37
D) $356.80
E) $392.48
Question
Clemson Software is considering a new project whose data are shown below. The required equipment has a 3-year tax life, after which it will be worthless, and it will be depreciated by the straight-line method over 3 years. Revenues and other operating costs are expected to be constant over the project's 3-year life. What is the project's Year 1 cash flow?

A) $28,115
B) $28,836
C) $29,575
D) $30,333
E) $31,092
Question
Your company, RMU Inc., is considering a new project whose data are shown below. What is the project's Year 1 cash flow?

A) $8,903
B) $9,179
C) $9,463
D) $9,746
E) $10,039
Question
As assistant to the CFO of Boulder Inc., you must estimate the Year 1 cash flow for a project with the following data. What is the Year 1 cash flow?

A) $5,950
B) $6,099
C) $6,251
D) $6,407
E) $6,568
Question
As a member of UA Corporation's financial staff, you must estimate the Year 1 cash flow for a proposed project with the following data. What is the Year 1 cash flow?

A) $16,351
B) $17,212
C) $18,118
D) $19,071
E) $20,075
Question
Fool Proof Software is considering a new project whose data are shown below. The equipment that would be used has a 3-year tax life, and the allowed depreciation rates for such property are 33%, 45%, 15%, and 7% for Years 1 through 4. Revenues and other operating costs are expected to be constant over the project's 10-year expected life. What is the Year 1 cash flow?

A) $30,258
B) $31,770
C) $33,359
D) $35,027
E) $36,778
Question
Mulroney Corp. is considering two mutually exclusive projects. Both require an initial investment of $10,000 at t = 0. Project X has an expected life of 2 years with after-tax cash inflows of $6,000 and $7,900 at the end of Years 1 and 2, respectively. Project Y has an expected life of 4 years with after-tax cash inflows of $4,300 at the end of each of the next 4 years. Each project has a WACC of 8%. Use the replacement chain approach to determine the NPV of the most profitable project.

A) $4,242
B) $4,246
C) $4,286
D) $4,325
E) $4,433
Question
You work for Whittenerg Inc., which is considering a new project whose data are shown below. What is the project's Year 1 cash flow?

A) $25,816
B) $27,175
C) $28,534
D) $29,960
E) $31,458
Question
Your company, CSUS Inc., is considering a new project whose data are shown below. The required equipment has a 3-year tax life, and the accelerated rates for such property are 33%, 45%, 15%, and 7% for Years 1 through 4. Revenues and other operating costs are expected to be constant over the project's 10-year expected operating life. What is the project's Year 4 cash flow?

A) $11,814
B) $12,436
C) $13,090
D) $13,745
E) $14,432
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Deck 12: Cash Flow Estimation and Risk Analysis
1
A firm that bases its capital budgeting decisions on either NPV or IRR will be more likely to accept a given project if it uses accelerated depreciation than if it uses straight-line depreciation, other things being equal.
True
2
Accelerated depreciation has an advantage for profitable firms in that it moves some cash flows forward, thus increasing their present value. On the other hand, using accelerated depreciation generally lowers the reported current year's profits because of the higher depreciation expenses. However, the reported profits problem can be solved by using different depreciation methods for tax and stockholder reporting purposes.
True
3
The primary advantage to using accelerated rather than straight-line depreciation is that with accelerated depreciation the total amount of depreciation that can be taken, assuming the asset is used for its full tax life, is greater.
False
4
The two cardinal rules that financial analysts should follow to avoid capital budgeting errors are: (1) in the NPV equation, the numerator should use income calculated in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and (2) all incremental cash flows should be considered when making accept/reject decisions.
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5
Suppose a firm's CFO thinks that an externality is present in a project, but that it cannot be quantified with any precision--estimates of its effect would really just be guesses. In this case, the externality should be ignored--i.e., not considered at all--because if it were considered it would make the analysis appear more precise than it really is.
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6
If a firm's projects differ in risk, then one way of handling this problem is to evaluate each project with the appropriate risk-adjusted discount rate.
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7
If an investment project would make use of land which the firm currently owns, the project should be charged with the opportunity cost of the land.
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8
Although it is extremely difficult to make accurate forecasts of the revenues that a project will generate, projects' initial outlays and subsequent costs can be forecasted with great accuracy. This is especially true for large product development projects.
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9
The primary advantage to using accelerated rather than straight-line depreciation is that with accelerated depreciation the present value of the tax savings provided by depreciation will be higher, other things held constant.
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10
In cash flow estimation, the existence of externalities should be taken into account if those externalities have any effects on the firm's long-run cash flows.
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11
Superior analytical techniques, such as NPV, used in combination with risk-adjusted cost of capital estimates, can overcome the problem of poor cash flow estimation and lead to generally correct accept/reject decisions.
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12
It is extremely difficult to estimate the revenues and costs associated with large, complex projects that take several years to develop. This is why subjective judgment is often used for such projects along with discounted cash flow analysis.
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13
Typically, a project will have a higher NPV if the firm uses accelerated rather than straight-line depreciation. This is because the total cash flows over the project's life will be higher if accelerated depreciation is used, other things held constant.
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14
Any cash flows that can be classified as incremental to a particular project--i.e., results directly from the decision to undertake the project--should be reflected in the capital budgeting analysis.
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15
Since the focus of capital budgeting is on cash flows rather than on net income, changes in noncash balance sheet accounts such as inventory are not included in a capital budgeting analysis.
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16
Because of improvements in forecasting techniques, estimating the cash flows associated with a project has become the easiest step in the capital budgeting process.
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17
If debt is to be used to finance a project, then when cash flows for a project are estimated, interest payments should be included in the analysis.
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18
Changes in net working capital should not be reflected in a capital budgeting cash flow analysis because capital budgeting relates to fixed assets, not working capital.
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19
Estimating project cash flows is generally the most important, but also the most difficult, step in the capital budgeting process. Methodology, such as the use of NPV versus IRR, is important, but less so than obtaining a reasonably accurate estimate of projects' cash flows.
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20
We can identify the cash costs and cash inflows to a company that will result from a project. These could be called "direct inflows and outflows," and the net difference is the direct net cash flow. If there are other costs and benefits that do not flow from or to the firm, but to other parties, these are called externalities, and they need not be considered as a part of the capital budgeting analysis.
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21
The relative risk of a proposed project is best accounted for by which of the following procedures?

A) Adjusting the discount rate upward if the project is judged to have above-average risk.
B) Adjusting the discount rate downward if the project is judged to have above-average risk.
C) Reducing the NPV by 10% for risky projects.
D) Picking a risk factor equal to the average discount rate.
E) Ignoring risk because project risk cannot be measured accurately.
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22
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) Since depreciation is a cash expense, the faster an asset is depreciated, the lower the projected NPV from investing in the asset.
B) Under current laws and regulations, corporations must use straight-line depreciation for all assets whose lives are 5 years or longer.
C) Corporations must use the same depreciation method for both stockholder reporting and tax purposes.
D) Using accelerated depreciation rather than straight line normally has the effect of speeding up cash flows and thus increasing a project's forecasted NPV.
E) Using accelerated depreciation rather than straight line normally has the effect of slowing down cash flows and thus reducing a project's forecasted NPV.
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23
Although the replacement chain approach is appealing for dealing with mutually exclusive projects that have different lives, it is not used in practice because no projects meet the assumptions the method requires.
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24
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) An example of a sunk cost is the cost associated with restoring the site of a strip mine once the ore has been depleted.
B) Sunk costs must be considered if the IRR method is used but not if the firm relies on the NPV method.
C) A good example of a sunk cost is a situation where a bank opens a new office, and that new office leads to a decline in deposits of the bank's other offices.
D) A good example of a sunk cost is money that a banking corporation spent last year to investigate the site for a new office, then expensed that cost for tax purposes, and now is deciding whether to go forward with the project.
E) If sunk costs are considered and reflected in a project's cash flows, then the project's calculated NPV will be higher than it otherwise would be.
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25
Suppose Tapley Inc. uses a WACC of 8% for below-average risk projects, 10% for average-risk projects, and 12% for above-average risk projects. Which of the following independent projects should Tapley accept, assuming that the company uses the NPV method when choosing projects?

A) Project A, which has average risk and an IRR = 9%.
B) Project B, which has below-average risk and an IRR = 8.5%.
C) Project C, which has above-average risk and an IRR = 11%.
D) Without information about the projects' NPVs we cannot determine which one or ones should be accepted.
E) All of these projects should be accepted.
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26
Opportunity costs include those cash inflows that could be generated from assets the firm already owns if those assets are not used for the project being evaluated.
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27
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) A sunk cost is any cost that must be expended in order to complete a project and bring it into operation.
B) A sunk cost is any cost that was expended in the past but can be recovered if the firm decides not to go forward with the project.
C) A sunk cost is a cost that was incurred and expensed in the past and cannot be recovered if the firm decides not to go forward with the project.
D) Sunk costs were formerly
E) A good example of a sunk cost is a situation where Home Depot opens a new store, and that leads to a decline in sales of one of the firm's existing stores.
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28
Sensitivity analysis measures a project's stand-alone risk by showing how much the project's NPV (or IRR) is affected by a small change in one of the input variables, say sales. Other things held constant, with the size of the independent variable graphed on the horizontal axis and the NPV on the vertical axis, the steeper the graph of the relationship line, the more risky the project, other things held constant.
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29
Extending the lives of projects with different lives out to a common life for comparison purposes, while theoretically appealing, is valid only if there is a reasonably high probability that the projects will actually be repeated out beyond their initial lives.
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30
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) Using accelerated depreciation rather than straight line would normally have no effect on a project's total projected cash flows but it would affect the timing of the cash flows and thus the NPV.
B) Under current laws and regulations, corporations must use straight-line depreciation for all assets whose lives are 5 years or longer.
C) Corporations must use the same depreciation method (e.g., straight line or accelerated) for stockholder reporting and tax purposes.
D) Since depreciation is not a cash expense, it has no effect on cash flows and thus no effect on capital budgeting decisions.
E) Under accelerated depreciation, higher depreciation charges occur in the early years, and this reduces the early cash flows and thus lowers a project's projected NPV.
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31
The two methods discussed in the text for dealing with unequal project lives are (1) the replacement chain approach and (2) the present value approach.
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32
The use of accelerated versus straight-line depreciation causes net income reported to stockholders to be lower, and cash flows higher, during eyear of a project's life, other things held constant.
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33
The two methods discussed in the text for dealing with unequal project lives are approach.
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34
Replacement chain or EAA analysis is required when analyzing projects that have different lives. This is true regardless of whether the projects are mutually exclusive or independent of one another.
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35
The change in net working capital associated with new projects is always positive, because new projects mean that more working capital will be required. This situation is especially true for replacement projects.
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36
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) If a firm is found guilty of cannibalization in a court of law, then it is judged to have taken unfair advantage of its competitors. Thus, cannibalization is dealt with by society through the antitrust laws.
B) If a firm is found guilty of cannibalization in a court of law, then it is judged to have taken unfair advantage of its customers. Thus, cannibalization is dealt with by society through the antitrust laws.
C) If cannibalization exists, then the cash flows associated with the project must be increased to offset these effects. Otherwise, the calculated NPV will be biased downward.
D) If cannibalization is determined to exist, then this means that the calculated NPV if cannibalization is considered will be higher than the NPV if this effect is not recognized.
E) Cannibalization, as described in the text, is a type of externality that is not against the law, and any harm it causes is done to the firm itself.
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37
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) Since depreciation is not a cash expense, and since cash flows and not accounting income are the relevant input, depreciation plays no role in capital budgeting.
B) Under current laws and regulations, corporations must use straight-line depreciation for all assets whose lives are 3 years or longer.
C) If they use accelerated depreciation, firms will write off assets slower than they would under straight-line depreciation, and as a result projects' forecasted NPVs are normally lower than they would be if straight-line depreciation were required for tax purposes.
D) If they use accelerated depreciation, firms can write off assets faster than they could under straight-line depreciation, and as a result projects' forecasted NPVs are normally lower than they would be if straight-line depreciation were required for tax purposes.
E) If they use accelerated depreciation, firms can write off assets faster than they could under straight-line depreciation, and as a result projects' forecasted NPVs are normally higher than they would be if straight-line depreciation were required for tax purposes.
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38
Suppose Walker Publishing Company is considering bringing out a new finance text whose projected revenues include some revenues that will be taken away from another of Walker's books. The lost sales on the older book are a sunk cost and as such should not be considered in the analysis for the new book.
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39
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) An externality is a situation where a project would have an adverse effect on some other part of the firm's overall operations. If the project would have a favorable effect on other operations, then this is not an externality.
B) An example of an externality is a situation where a bank opens a new office, and that new office causes deposits in the bank's other offices to decline.
C) The NPV method automatically deals correctly with externalities, even if the externalities are not specifically identified, but the IRR method does not. This is another reason to favor the NPV.
D) Both the NPV and IRR methods deal correctly with externalities, even if the externalities are not specifically identified. However, the payback method does not.
E) Identifying an externality can never lead to an increase in the calculated NPV.
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40
Which of the following is NOT a relevant cash flow and thus should not be reflected in the analysis of a capital budgeting project?

A) Changes in net working capital.
B) Shipping and installation costs.
C) Cannibalization effects.
D) Opportunity costs.
E) Sunk costs that have been expensed for tax purposes.
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41
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) Sensitivity analysis is a good way to measure market risk because it explicitly takes into account diversification effects.
B) One advantage of sensitivity analysis relative to scenario analysis is that it explicitly takes into account the probability of specific effects occurring, whereas scenario analysis cannot account for probabilities.
C) Well-diversified stockholders do not need to consider market risk when determining required rates of return.
D) Market risk is important, but it does not have a direct effect on stock prices because it only affects beta.
E) Simulation analysis is a computerized version of scenario analysis where input variables are selected randomly on the basis of their probability distributions.
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42
A firm is considering a new project whose risk is greater than the risk of the firm's average project, based on all methods for assessing risk. In evaluating this project, it would be reasonable for management to do which of the following?

A) Increase the estimated IRR of the project to reflect its greater risk.
B) Increase the estimated NPV of the project to reflect its greater risk.
C) Reject the project, since its acceptance would increase the firm's risk.
D) Ignore the risk differential if the project would amount to only a small fraction of the firm's total assets.
E) Increase the cost of capital used to evaluate the project to reflect its higher-than-average risk.
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43
Dalrymple Inc. is considering production of a new product. In evaluating whether to go ahead with the project, which of the following items should NOT be explicitly considered when cash flows are estimated?

A) The company will produce the new product in a vacant building that was used to produce another product until last year. The building could be sold, leased to another company, or used in the future to produce another of the firm's products.
B) The project will utilize some equipment the company currently owns but is not now using. A used equipment dealer has offered to buy the equipment.
C) The company has spent and expensed for tax purposes $3 million on research related to the new detergent. These funds cannot be recovered, but the research may benefit other projects that might be proposed in the future.
D) The new product will cut into sales of some of the firm's other products.
E) If the project is accepted, the company must invest $2 million in working capital. However, all of these funds will be recovered at the end of the project's life.
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44
A company is considering a proposed new plant that would increase productive capacity. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) In calculating the project's operating cash flows, the firm should not deduct financing costs such as interest expense, because financing costs are accounted for by discounting at the WACC. If interest were deducted when estimating cash flows, this would, in effect, "double count" it.
B) Since depreciation is a non-cash expense, the firm does not need to deal with depreciation when calculating the operating cash flows.
C) When estimating the project's operating cash flows, it is important to include both opportunity costs and sunk costs, but the firm should ignore the cash flow effects of externalities since they are accounted for in the discounting process.
D) Capital budgeting decisions should be based on before-tax cash flows.
E) The WACC used to discount cash flows in a capital budgeting analysis should be calculated on a before-tax basis.
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45
Rowell Company spent $3 million two years ago to build a plant for a new product. It then decided not to go forward with the project, so the building is available for sale or for a new product. Rowell owns the building free and clear--there is no mortgage on it. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) Since the building has been paid for, it can be used by another project with no additional cost. Therefore, it should not be reflected in the cash flows for any new project.
B) If the building could be sold, then the after-tax proceeds that would be generated by any such sale should be charged as a cost to any new project that would use it.
C) This is an example of an externality, because the existence of the building affects the cash flows for any new project that Rowell might consider.
D) Since the building was built in the past, its cost is a sunk cost and thus need not be considered when new projects are being evaluated, even if it would be used by those new projects.
E) If there is a mortgage loan on the building, then the interest on that loan would have to be charged to any new project that used the building.
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46
Which of the following rules is CORRECT for capital budgeting analysis?

A) The interest paid on funds borrowed to finance a project must be included in estimates of the project's cash flows.
B) Only incremental cash flows, which are the cash flows that would result if a project is accepted, are relevant when making accept/reject decisions.
C) Sunk costs are not included in the annual cash flows, but they must be deducted from the PV of the project's other costs when reaching the accept/reject decision.
D) A proposed project's estimated net income as determined by the firm's accountants, using generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), is discounted at the WACC, and if the PV of this income stream exceeds the project's cost, the project should be accepted.
E) If a product is competitive with some of the firm's other products, this fact should be incorporated into the estimate of the relevant cash flows. However, if the new product is complementary to some of the firm's other products, this fact need not be reflected in the analysis.
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47
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) In a capital budgeting analysis where part of the funds used to finance the project would be raised as debt, failure to include interest expense as a cost when determining the project's cash flows will lead to an upward bias in the NPV.
B) In a capital budgeting analysis where part of the funds used to finance the project would be raised as debt, failure to include interest expense as a cost when determining the project's cash flows will lead to a downward bias in the NPV.
C) The existence of any type of "externality" will reduce the calculated NPV versus the NPV that would exist without the externality.
D) If one of the assets to be used by a potential project is already owned by the firm, and if that asset could be sold or leased to another firm if the new project were not undertaken, then the net proceeds that could be obtained should be charged as a cost to the project under consideration.
E) If one of the assets to be used by a potential project is already owned by the firm but is not being used, then any costs associated with that asset is a sunk cost and should be ignored.
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48
A company is considering a new project. The CFO plans to calculate the project's NPV by estimating the relevant cash flows for each year of the project's life (i.e., the initial investment cost, the annual operating cash flows, and the terminal cash flow), then discounting those cash flows at the company's overall WACC. Which one of the following factors should the CFO be sure to INCLUDE in the cash flows when estimating the relevant cash flows?

A) All sunk costs that have been incurred relating to the project.
B) All interest expenses on debt used to help finance the project.
C) The investment in working capital required to operate the project, even if that investment will be recovered at the end of the project's life.
D) Sunk costs that have been incurred relating to the project, but only if those costs were incurred prior to the current year.
E) Effects of the project on other divisions of the firm, but only if those effects lower the project's own direct cash flows.
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49
When evaluating a new project, firms should include in the projected cash flows all of the following EXCEPT:

A) Changes in net working capital attributable to the project.
B) Previous expenditures associated with a market test to determine the feasibility of the project, provided those costs have been expensed for tax purposes.
C) The value of a building owned by the firm that will be used for this project.
D) A decline in the sales of an existing product, provided that decline is directly attributable to this project.
E) The salvage value of assets used for the project that will be recovered at the end of the project's life.
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50
Taussig Technologies is considering two potential projects, X and Y. In assessing the projects' risks, the company estimated the beta of each project versus both the company's other assets and the stock market, and it also conducted thorough scenario and simulation analyses. This research produced the following numbers: Project X Project Y
Expected NPV $350,000 $350,000
Standard deviation (sNPV)Project beta (vs. market)Correlation of the project cash flows with cash flows from currently existing projects. Cash flows are not correlated with the cash flows from existing projects. Cash flows are highly correlated with the cash flows from existing projects.
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) Project X has more stand-alone risk than Project Y.
B) Project X has more corporate (or within-firm) risk than Project Y.
C) Project X has more market risk than Project Y.
D) Project X has the same level of corporate risk as Project Y.
E) Project X has less market risk than Project Y.
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51
Which of the following procedures does the text say is used most frequently by businesses when they do capital budgeting analyses?

A) The firm's corporate, or overall, WACC is used to discount all project cash flows to find the projects' NPVs. Then, depending on how risky different projects are judged to be, the calculated NPVs are scaled up or down to adjust for differential risk.
B) Differential project risk cannot be accounted for by using "risk-adjusted discount rates" because it is highly subjective and difficult to justify. It is better to not risk adjust at all.
C) Other things held constant, if returns on a project are thought to be positively correlated with the returns on other firms in the economy, then the project's NPV will be found using a lower discount rate than would be appropriate if the project's returns were negatively correlated.
D) Monte Carlo simulation uses a computer to generate random sets of inputs, those inputs are then used to determine a trial NPV, and a number of trial NPVs are averaged to find the project's expected NPV. Sensitivity and scenario analyses, on the other hand, require much more information regarding the input variables, including probability distributions and correlations among those variables. This makes it easier to implement a simulation analysis than a scenario or sensitivity analysis, hence simulation is the most frequently used procedure.
E) DCF techniques were originally developed to value passive investments (stocks and bonds). However, capital budgeting projects are not passive investments--managers can often take positive actions after the investment has been made that alter the cash flow stream. Opportunities for such actions are called real options. Real options are valuable, but this value is not captured by conventional NPV analysis. Therefore, a project's real options must be considered separately.
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52
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) An externality is a situation where a project would have an adverse effect on some other part of the firm's overall operations. If the project would have a favorable effect on other operations, then this is not an externality.
B) An example of an externality is a situation where a bank opens a new office, and that new office causes deposits in the bank's other offices to increase.
C) The NPV method automatically deals correctly with externalities, even if the externalities are not specifically identified, but the IRR method does not. This is another reason to favor the NPV.
D) Both the NPV and IRR methods deal correctly with externalities, even if the externalities are not specifically identified. However, the payback method does not.
E) Identifying an externality can never lead to an increase in the calculated NPV.
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53
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) Sensitivity analysis as it is generally employed is incomplete in that it fails to consider the probability of occurrence of the key input variables.
B) In comparing two projects using sensitivity analysis, the one with the steeper lines would be considered less risky, because a small error in estimating a variable such as unit sales would produce only a small error in the project's NPV.
C) The primary advantage of simulation analysis over scenario analysis is that scenario analysis requires a relatively powerful computer, coupled with an efficient financial planning software package, whereas simulation analysis can be done efficiently using a PC with a spreadsheet program or even with just a calculator.
D) Sensitivity analysis is a type of risk analysis that considers both the sensitivity of NPV to changes in key input variables and the probability of occurrence of these variables' values.
E) As computer technology advances, simulation analysis becomes increasingly obsolete and thus less likely to be used than sensitivity analysis.
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54
Which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) If an asset is sold for less than its book value at the end of a project's life, it will generate a loss for the firm, hence its terminal cash flow will be negative.
B) Only incremental cash flows are relevant in project analysis, the proper incremental cash flows are the reported accounting profits, and thus reported accounting income should be used as the basis for investor and managerial decisions.
C) It is unrealistic to believe that any increases in net working capital required at the start of an expansion project can be recovered at the project's completion. Working capital like inventory is almost always used up in operations. Thus, cash flows associated with working capital should be included only at the start of a project's life.
D) If equipment is expected to be sold for more than its book value at the end of a project's life, this will result in a profit. In this case, despite taxes on the profit, the end-of-project cash flow will be greater than if the asset had been sold at book value, other things held constant.
E) Changes in net working capital refer to changes in current assets and current liabilities, not to changes in long-term assets and liabilities, hence they should not be considered in a capital budgeting analysis.
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55
Which of the following should be considered when a company estimates the cash flows used to analyze a proposed project?

A) The new project is expected to reduce sales of one of the company's existing products by 5%.
B) Since the firm's director of capital budgeting spent some of her time last year to evaluate the new project, a portion of her salary for that year should be charged to the project's initial cost.
C) The company has spent and expensed $1 million on R&D associated with the new project.
D) The company spent and expensed $10 million on a marketing study before its current analysis regarding whether to accept or reject the project.
E) The firm would borrow all the money used to finance the new project, and the interest on this debt would be $1.5 million per year.
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56
Langston Labs has an overall (composite)Which set of projects would maximize shareholder wealth?

A) A and B.
B) A, B, and C.
C) A, B, and D.
D) A, B, C, and D.
E) A, B, C, D, and E.
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57
Which one of the following would NOT result in incremental cash flows and thus should NOT be included in the capital budgeting analysis for a new product?

A) Using some of the firm's high-quality factory floor space that is currently unused to produce the proposed new product. This space could be used for other products if it is not used for the project under consideration.
B) Revenues from an existing product would be lost as a result of customers switching to the new product.
C) Shipping and installation costs associated with a machine that would be used to produce the new product.
D) The cost of a study relating to the market for the new product that was completed last year. The results of this research were positive, and they led to the tentative decision to go ahead with the new product. The cost of the research was incurred and expensed for tax purposes last year.
E) It is learned that land the company owns and would use for the new project, if it is accepted, could be sold to another firm.
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58
Currently, Powell Products has a beta of 1.0, and its sales and profits are positively correlated with the overall economy. The company estimates that a proposed new project would have a higher standard deviation and coefficient of variation than an average company project. Also, the new project's sales would be countercyclical in the sense that they would be high when the overall economy is down and low when the overall economy is strong. On the basis of this information, which of the following statements is CORRECT?

A) The proposed new project would have more stand-alone risk than the firm's typical project.
B) The proposed new project would increase the firm's corporate risk.
C) The proposed new project would increase the firm's market risk.
D) The proposed new project would not affect the firm's risk at all.
E) The proposed new project would have less stand-alone risk than the firm's typical project.
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59
Which of the following factors should be included in the cash flows used to estimate a project's NPV?

A) All costs associated with the project that have been incurred prior to the time the analysis is being conducted.
B) Interest on funds borrowed to help finance the project.
C) The end-of-project recoof any working capital required to operate the project.
D) Cannibalization effects, but only if those effects increase the project's projected cash flows.
E) Expenditures to date on research and development related to the project, provided those costs have already been expensed for tax purposes.
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60
Which one of the following would NOT result in incremental cash flows and thus should NOT be included in the capital budgeting analysis for a new product?

A) A firm has a parcel of land that can be used for a new plant site or be sold, rented, or used for agricultural purposes.
B) A new product will generate new sales, but some of those new sales will be from customers who switch from one of the firm's current products.
C) A firm must obtain new equipment for the project, and $1 million is required for shipping and installing the new machinery.
D) A firm has spent $2 million on R&D associated with a new product. These costs have been expensed for tax purposes, and they cannot be recovered regardless of whether the new project is accepted or rejected.
E) A firm can produce a new product, and the existence of that product will stimulate sales of some of the firm's other products.
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61
Liberty Services is now at the end of the final year of a project. The equipment originally cost $22,500, of which 75% has been depreciated. The firm can sell the used equipment today for $6,000, and its tax rate is 40%. What is the equipment's after-tax salvage value for use in a capital budgeting analysis? Note that if the equipment's final market value is less than its book value, the firm will receive a tax credit as a result of the sale.

A) $5,558
B) $5,850
C) $6,143
D) $6,450
E) $6,772
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62
Marshall-Miller & Company is considering the purchase of a new machine for $50,000, installed. The machine has a tax life of 5 years, and it can be depreciated according to the following rates. The firm expects to operate the machine for 4 years and then to sell it for $12,500. If the marginal tax rate is 40%, what will the after-tax salvage value be when the machine is sold at the end of Year 4?

A) $8,878
B) $9,345
C) $9,837
D) $10,355
E) $10,900
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63
Wilson Co. is considering two mutually exclusive projects. Both require an initial investment of $10,000 at t = 0. Project X has an expected life of 2 years with after-tax cash inflows of $6,000 and $8,500 at the end of Years 1 and 2, respectively. Project Y has an expected life of 4 years with after-tax cash inflows of $4,600 at the end of each of the next 4 years. Each project has a WACC of 11%. What is the equivalent annual annuity of the most profitable project?

A) $1,345.50
B) $1,346.30
C) $1,361.52
D) $1,376.74
E) $1,411.15
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64
Temple Corp. is considering a new project whose data are shown below. The equipment that would be used has a 3-year tax life, would be depreciated by the straight-line method over its 3-year life, and would have a zero salvage value. No new working capital would be required. Revenues and other operating costs are expected to be constant over the project's 3-year life. What is the project's NPV?

A) $15,740
B) $16,569
C) $17,441
D) $18,359
E) $19,325
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65
Carlyle Inc. is considering two mutually exclusive projects. Both require an initial investment of $15,000 at t = 0. Project S has an expected life of 2 years with after-tax cash inflows of $7,000 and $12,000 at the end of Years 1 and 2, respectively. Project L has an expected life of 4 years with after-tax cash inflows of $5,200 at the end of each of the next 4 years. Each project has a WACC of 9.00%, and neither can be repeated. The controller prefers Project S, but the CFO prefers Project L. How much value will the firm gain or lose if Project L is selected over Project S, i.e., what is the value of NPVL - NPVS?

A) $262.74
B) $291.93
C) $324.37
D) $356.80
E) $392.48
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66
Clemson Software is considering a new project whose data are shown below. The required equipment has a 3-year tax life, after which it will be worthless, and it will be depreciated by the straight-line method over 3 years. Revenues and other operating costs are expected to be constant over the project's 3-year life. What is the project's Year 1 cash flow?

A) $28,115
B) $28,836
C) $29,575
D) $30,333
E) $31,092
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67
Your company, RMU Inc., is considering a new project whose data are shown below. What is the project's Year 1 cash flow?

A) $8,903
B) $9,179
C) $9,463
D) $9,746
E) $10,039
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68
As assistant to the CFO of Boulder Inc., you must estimate the Year 1 cash flow for a project with the following data. What is the Year 1 cash flow?

A) $5,950
B) $6,099
C) $6,251
D) $6,407
E) $6,568
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69
As a member of UA Corporation's financial staff, you must estimate the Year 1 cash flow for a proposed project with the following data. What is the Year 1 cash flow?

A) $16,351
B) $17,212
C) $18,118
D) $19,071
E) $20,075
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70
Fool Proof Software is considering a new project whose data are shown below. The equipment that would be used has a 3-year tax life, and the allowed depreciation rates for such property are 33%, 45%, 15%, and 7% for Years 1 through 4. Revenues and other operating costs are expected to be constant over the project's 10-year expected life. What is the Year 1 cash flow?

A) $30,258
B) $31,770
C) $33,359
D) $35,027
E) $36,778
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71
Mulroney Corp. is considering two mutually exclusive projects. Both require an initial investment of $10,000 at t = 0. Project X has an expected life of 2 years with after-tax cash inflows of $6,000 and $7,900 at the end of Years 1 and 2, respectively. Project Y has an expected life of 4 years with after-tax cash inflows of $4,300 at the end of each of the next 4 years. Each project has a WACC of 8%. Use the replacement chain approach to determine the NPV of the most profitable project.

A) $4,242
B) $4,246
C) $4,286
D) $4,325
E) $4,433
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72
You work for Whittenerg Inc., which is considering a new project whose data are shown below. What is the project's Year 1 cash flow?

A) $25,816
B) $27,175
C) $28,534
D) $29,960
E) $31,458
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73
Your company, CSUS Inc., is considering a new project whose data are shown below. The required equipment has a 3-year tax life, and the accelerated rates for such property are 33%, 45%, 15%, and 7% for Years 1 through 4. Revenues and other operating costs are expected to be constant over the project's 10-year expected operating life. What is the project's Year 4 cash flow?

A) $11,814
B) $12,436
C) $13,090
D) $13,745
E) $14,432
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