Economic Life

The Scampini Supplies Company recently purchased a new delivery truck. The new truck cost $22,500, and it is expected to generate net after-tax operating cash flows, including depreciation, of $6,250 per year. The truck has a 5-year expected life. The expected salvage values after tax adjustments for the truck are given below. The company's cost of capital is 12%.

Year	Annual Operating Cash Flow		Salvage Value
0	-$22,500		$22,500
1	6,250		17,500
2	6,250		14,000
3	6,250		11,000
4	6,250		5,000
5	6,250		0

What is the optimal number of years to operate the truck?

Would the introduction of salvage values, in addition to operating cash flows, ever reduce the expected NPV and/or IRR of a project? I. Yes. Salvage possibilities could only lower NPV and IRR. II. Salvage possibilities would have no effect on NPV and IRR. III. No. Salvage possibilities could only raise NPV and IRR.