Capital Rationing Decision for a Service Company Involving Four Proposals

Renaissance Capital Group is considering allocating a limited amount of capital investment funds among four proposals. The amount of proposed investment, estimated income from operations, and net cash flow for each proposal are as follows:

	Investment	Year		Income from Operations		Net Cash Flow
Proposal A:	$680,000	1		$64,000		$200,000
		2		64,000		200,000
		3		64,000		200,000
		4		24,000		160,000
		5		24,000		160,000
				$240,000		$920,000
Proposal B:	$320,000	1		$26,000		$90,000
		2		26,000		90,000
		3		6,000		70,000
		4		6,000		70,000
		5		(44,000)		20,000
				$20,000		$340,000
Proposal C:	$108,000	1		$33,400		$55,000
		2		31,400		53,000
		3		28,400		50,000
		4		25,400		47,000
		5		23,400		45,000
				$142,000		$250,000
Proposal D:	$400,000	1		$100,000		$180,000
		2		100,000		180,000
		3		80,000		160,000
		4		20,000		100,000
		5		0		80,000
				$300,000		$700,000

The company's capital rationing policy requires a maximum cash payback period of three years. In addition, a minimum average rate of return of 12% is required on all projects. If the preceding standards are met, the net present value method and present value indexes are used to rank the remaining proposals.

Present Value of $1 at Compound Interest

Year

6%

10%

12%

15%

20%

1

0.943

0.909

0.893

0.870

0.833

2

0.890

0.826

0.797

0.756

0.694

3

0.840

0.751

0.712

0.658

0.579

4

0.792

0.683

0.636

0.572

0.482

5

0.747

0.621

0.567

0.497

0.402

6

0.705

0.564

0.507

0.432

0.335

7

0.665

0.513

0.452

0.376

0.279

8

0.627

0.467

0.404

0.327

0.233

9

0.592

0.424

0.361

0.284

0.194

10

0.558

0.386

0.322

0.247

0.162

5. Compute the present value index for each of the proposals in part (4). If required, round your answers to two decimal places.

Note: Select the proposals in alphabetic order.

Select proposal to compute Present value index.
Present value index (rounded)

6. Rank the proposals from most attractive to least attractive, based on the present values of net cash flows computed in part (4).

Rank 1st
Rank 2nd

7. Rank the proposals from most attractive to least attractive, based on the present value indexes computed in part (5).

Rank 1st
Rank 2nd

8. The present value indexes indicate that although Proposal has the larger net present value, it is not as attractive as Proposal in terms of the amount of present value per dollar invested. Proposal requires the larger investment. Thus, management should use investment resources for Proposal before investing in Proposal , absent any other qualitative considerations that may impact the decision.