accourding to this file to finish these questions.

(a) Based on the NPV rule, should TPM upgrade to the new technology or continue to operate using its current equipment?

(b) Conduct risk evaluations (using the sensitivity analysis) of adopting the new technology by considering the following factors: output using the new technology may be overestimated; the reduction in NWC may be overestimated; due to continuous development in the industry, the equipment may worth less than $15,000,000 in five years; the labour cost per tonne may be underestimated.

(c) What types of non-financial factors TPM must also consider when evaluating the new technology.

FIN 926 Advanced Managerial Finance Trimester 1 2016 Group Assignment Instructions You are the chief financial officer (CFO) of Tasman Pulp Mill Co. (TPM). Headquartered in Launceston, Tasmania, TPMis an ASX-listed company that employs more than 1200 people across its diversified business units in Tasmania, where the overall unemployment rate is above 7.5%. Mr. David Smith, the current deputy CFO of TPM, has just announced that he will retire in 6 months after 25 years at TPM.The chair of the recruitment committee of the board of directors at TPM asks you to help find the next deputy CFO who will be able to assist the chief executive officer (CEO)and you to continue the success and growth that TPM has seen over the last two decades or so. You indicate to the committee chair that, because TPM continues to expand its operations via either acquiring other businesses or upgrading current facilities, it is critically important the incoming deputy CFOhas thorough understanding of project analysis and capital budgeting.You also suggest that the best way to test the candidates' knowledge and practical skills is to ask the candidates to analyze a simulated case in addition to the usual formal interview. Part I (8 marks):The committee chair agrees with you and asksyou to come up with a mock case. The information listed below will be given to the candidates. (1) TPM has an after tax cost of capital of 12%; it will pay 9% on any new bank borrowing; the current tax rate is 30%. (2) A new manufacturing technology has just become available. Adopting this new technology requires TPM to upgrade its manufacturing equipment. Compared to the existing technology, the new technology is faster and requires fewer workers but at the same time is less environmentally friendly. (3) The current pulp mill equipment has an annual output of 500,000 air dried tonnes (ADt) of pulp which currently sells at $124 per tonne. In contrast, the new equipment will have an annual output of 600,000 ADt of pulp. (4) The current equipment was purchased three years ago for $49,000,000. It has a book value of $28,000,000 and another four years of life remaining with no salvage value. It can be sold on the secondary market today for $11,000,000. The new equipment costs $75,000,000 (will be funded by bank loans) and is expected to last five years with an estimated salvage value of $15,000,000. The new equipment will immediately reduce net working capital (NWC) by $12,000,000. (5) The current equipment requires annual fixed cash costs (including overhead and operating) of $41,500,000, while the new equipment requires $37,800,000. (6) Manufacturing pulp using the current equipment incurs the following costs (per tonne) in addition to the costs stated in (5): labour $33.5, material $36.5, variable overhead $14.25, and fixed overhead $16.5. The corresponding figures for the new equipment are $17.45, $30.20, $12.55, and $20.25, respectively. All candidates are required to answer the following questions. The committee chair asks you to prepare the correct solutions so the answers by the candidates can be checked. (a) Based on the NPV rule, should TPM upgrade to the new technology or continue to operate using its current equipment? (b) Conduct risk evaluations (using the sensitivity analysis) of adopting the new technology by considering the following factors: output using the new technology may be overestimated; the reduction in NWC may be overestimated; due to continuous development in the industry, the equipment may worth less than $15,000,000 in five years; the labour cost per tonne may be underestimated. Note: Your answers to this part will be different from those of other groups depending on what values you choose. Each group only needs to choose one particular value for each of these variables. (c) What types of non-financial factors TPM must also consider when evaluating the new technology. Part II (5 marks): The committee chair also asks you to prepare a list of questions which will be used in the formal interview to test the candidates' theoretical understanding of project analysis and capital budgeting. The Chair indicates that the number of questions should be nofewer than five but no more than ten. The Chair further indicates that the majority on the interview panel have no background in project analysis and capital budgeting; therefore they rely on the answers prepared by you to conduct the interview and select the most suitable candidate for the position of deputy CFO. Requirements: For Part I, a full report that consists of the calculation results and the associated analysis is required; a separate Excel spreadsheet showing the necessary calculations and risk analysis is required. In terms of style and format, the full assignment should be no more than 10 pages excluding references and appendices. You are required to use 12 point font size, 1.5 linesspacing with standard margins. The font size of the spreadsheet can be adjusted to fit the page. The spreadsheets CANNOT be placed in the appendices. Up to 2 marks will be deducted if the style and format requirements are not met. Submission: (1) Both a hard copy and a soft copy need to be submitted. Partial submission (i.e., submitting only a hard copy or a soft copy) will NOT be marked. (2) Only one full submission is required for each group. (3) Download and sign the assignment coversheet (each group member must sign the declaration on the coversheet). The coversheet is available on the subject Moodle site. (4) The soft copy needs to be submitted via Moodle site. A Turnitin submission link will be provided on Moodle in due course. Submission by direct email to the subject coordinator is NOT accepted and will NOT be marked. (5) The soft copy is due by 10pm Thursday March 31. (6) The hard copy needs to be submitted to Dr. Liangbo Ma during either the tutorial or lecture time in Week 8. (7) Penalty applies to late submissions. 20% of your mark will be deducted for each day late. For example, you submit the assignment one day after the due date and your mark before penalty is 12 (out of 15). Then your final mark for the assignment will be 9.6 (or 9.5 after rounding). Any Questions: If you have any enquiries regarding the group assignment, feel free to raise your questions during the tutorials or consultation time. You are also encouraged to publish your questions on the Assignment Discussion Forum (A specific link will be provided) on the subject Moodle site. However, you are not allowed to discuss your solutions with other groups