Billingham Packaging is considering expanding its production capacity by purchasing a new machine, the XC-750. The cost of the XC-750 is $ 2.81 million. Unfortunately, installing this machine will take several months and will partially disrupt production. The firm has just completed a $ 47,000 feasibility study to analyze the decision to buy the XC-750, resulting in the following estimates:

Marketing: Once the XC-750 is operational next year, the extra capacity is expected to generate $ 10.00 million per year in additional sales, which will continue for the 10-year life of the machine.

Operations: The disruption caused by the installation will decrease sales by $ 4.96 million this year. As with Billingham's existing products, the cost of goods for the products produced by the XC-750 is expected to be 73% of their sale price. The increased production will also require increased inventory on hand of $ 1.05 million during the life of the project, including year 0.

Human Resources: The expansion will require additional sales and administrative personnel at a cost of $ 1.91 million per year.

Accounting: The XC-750 will be depreciated via the straight-line method over the 10-year life of the machine. The firm expects receivables from the new sales to be 16 % of revenues and payables to be 10% of the cost of goods sold. Billingham's marginal corporate tax rate is 35%.

a. Determine the incremental earnings from the purchase of the XC-750.

b. Determine the free cash flow from the purchase of the XC-750.

c. If the appropriate cost of capital for the expansion is 9.5 %, compute the NPV of the purchase.

d. While the expected new sales will be $ 10.00 million per year from the expansion, estimates range from $ 7.90 million to$ 12.10 million. What is the NPV in the worst case? In the best case?

e. What is the break-even level of new sales from the expansion? What is the breakeven level for the cost of goods sold?

f. Billingham could instead purchase the XC-900, which offers even greater capacity. The cost of the XC-900 is $ 3.96 million. The extra capacity would not be useful in the first two years of operation, but would allow for additional sales in years 3 through 10. What level of additional sales (above the $ 10.00 million expected for the XC-750) per year in those years would justify purchasing the larger machine?