The objective of this assignment is to encourage students to
use Excel spread sheets to aid in solving a capital budgeting problem.
Weight: 10% of total assessment.
You must contact your Lecturer directly and make alternative
arrangements should you not be able to submit your assignment in class.
Late submissions: Late assignments cannot be accepted unless
a time extension has been requested from, and approved by, the Unit Convenor.
Such requests must be made in writing via email.
Format: This assignment is a problem solving exercise, using
Excel spread sheets, with discussion of findings.
Details
A company is considering the replacement of one of its
machines, which it has purchased three years ago for $800,000. Although this
machine still has a remaining useful life of seven years, management believes
that it is out-dated, and inefficient when compared to new available
technologies. The existing machine has been depreciated using the straight-line
method at the rate of 10% per annum. If the existing machine is disposed of
now, it is expected to sell for $400,000 before taxes. However, if the company
decides to keep the existing machine for its remaining useful life of seven
years, and dispose of it at the end of its useful life, it is expected to be
worth $0
If the company decides to replace the existing machine, the
new one is expected to cost $1,200,000 with an additional $200,000 to install
it. The new machine is expected to have a useful life of 7 years, and it will
be depreciated over its useful life using the straight-line method. It is expected
that the new machine can be sold for $200,000 at the end of its useful life.
If the company decides to replace the existing machine, it
is expected that operating costs would drop from $450,000 per annum down to
$170,000 per annum. Moreover, there would be an initial investment of $40,000
in stock and debtors, offset by an increase of $20,000 in creditors.
The company uses a 10% discount rate for such projects, and
pays 30% tax per annum.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is hesitant about the decision
because of uncertainty in relation to some of the expected cash flows.
Accordingly, the CEO suggests conducting sensitivity analysis as follows: allow
for the predicted operating costs of $170,000 for the new machine to be higher
by 15% in each of the fifth, sixth and seventh years; also, allow for the
probability that operating costs of the new machine would be lower by 15% in
each of the fifth, sixth and seventh years.
Required
You are to prepare a spread sheet, to present to the CEO,
showing the various cash flows based on the different scenarios; assuming that
the company decides to replace the existing machine with a new one.
Use Excel to prepare a full analysis, evaluating whether or
not the existing machine should be replaced with a new one, taking into
consideration the various scenarios.
Show all formulae, adjacent to the corresponding calculated
amounts in the spread sheet.
Write a report of no more than 1,000 words, stating any
assumptions made, and explaining the bases for your recommendation as to
whether or not the company should replace its existing machine with a new one.
Marking
Marks will be awarded for:
• Setting up of spread sheet
i. Ease of reading spread sheet
ii. Use of formulae in spread sheet
iii. Correct application of theoretical model
• Writing of report
i. Statement of assumptions
ii. Correct recommendation based on analyses
iii. Coherence of arguments
iv. Presentation, grammatical structure, referencing, etc.
Refer to the corresponding marking rubric on the Black Board
site for this Unit.
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