New$-$Project Analysis

The president of your company, MorChuck Enterprises, has asked you to evaluate the proposed acquisition of a new chromatograph for the firm's R&D department. The equipment's basic price is

$$71,000,$ and it would cost another $$19,000$ to modify it for special use by your firm. The chromatograph, which falls into the MACRS $3-$year class, would be sold after $3$ years for $$29,800.$ The MACRS

rates for the first three years are $0\mathrm{.}3333,0\mathrm{.}4445$ and $0\mathrm{.}1481.($Ignore the half$-$year convention for the straight$-$line method.$)$ Use of the equipment would require an increase in net working capital

$($spare parts inventory$)$ of $$2,640.$ The machine would have no effect on revenues, but it is expected to save the firm $$24,650$ per year in before$-$tax operating costs, mainly labor. The firm's marginal

federal$-$plus$-$state tax rate is $25\%.$ Cash outflows and negative NPV value, if any, should be indicated by a minus sign. Do not round intermediate calculations. Round your answers to the nearest dollar.

a$.$ What is the Year$-0$ net cash flow?

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b$.$ What are the net operating cash flows in Years $1,2,$ and $3?($Note: Do not include recovery of NWC or salvage value in Year $3\text{'}$s calculation here.$)$

c$.$ What is the additional $($nonoperating$)$ cash flow in Year $3?$

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d$.$ If the project's cost of capital is $14\%,$ what is the NPV of the project?

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Should the chromatograph be purchased?