Matheson Electronics has just developed a new electronic device that it believes will have broad market appeal. The company has performed marketing and cost studies that revealed the following information:

New equipment would have to be acquired to produce the device. The equipment would cost $$258,000$ and have a six$-$year useful life. After six years, it would have a salvage value of about $$24,000.$

Sales in units over the next six years are projected to be as follows:

Year Sales in Units

$115,000$

$220,000$

$322,000$

$4624,000$

Production and sales of the device would require working capital of $$58,000$ to finance accounts receivable, inventories, and day$-$to$-$day cash needs. This working capital would be released at the end of the project$$s life.

The devices would sell for $$45$ each; variable costs for production, administration, and sales would be $$30$ per unit.

Fixed costs for salaries, maintenance, property taxes, insurance, and straight$-$line depreciation on the equipment would total $$147,000$ per year. $($Depreciation is based on cost less salvage value.$)$

To gain rapid entry into the market, the company would have to advertise heavily. The advertising costs would be:

Year Amount of Yearly Advertising

$12$ $ $128,000$

$3$ $ $67,000$

$46$ $ $57,000$

The company$$s required rate of return is $16\%.$

Click here to view Exhibit $14$B$-1$ and Exhibit $14$B$-2,$ to determine the appropriate discount factor$($s$)$ using tables.

Required:

$1.$ Compute the net cash inflow $($incremental contribution margin minus incremental fixed expenses$)$ anticipated from sale of the device for each year over the next six years.

$2-$a$.$ Using the data computed in $(1)$ above and other data provided in the problem, determine the net present value of the proposed investment.

$2-$b$.$ Would you recommend that Matheson accept the device as a new product?