On August 1, Rantoul Stores Inc. is considering leasing a building and purchasing the necessary equipment to operate a retail store. Alternatively, the company could use the funds to invest in $1,000,000 of 4% U.S. Treasury bonds that mature in 15 years. The bonds could be purchased at face value. The following data have been assembled:

Cost of store equipment $1,000,000 Life of store equipment 15 years Estimated residual value of store equipment $50,000 Yearly costs to operate the store, excluding depreciation of store equipment $200,000 Yearly expected revenuesyears 16 $300,000 Yearly expected revenuesyears 715 $400,000

Required:

1. Prepare a differential analysis as of August 1 presenting the proposed operation of the store for the 15 years (Alternative 1) as compared with investing in U.S. Treasury bonds (Alternative 2). Refer to the lists of Labels and Amount Descriptions for the exact wording of the answer choices for text entries. For those boxes in which you must enter subtracted or negative numbers use a minus sign. If there is no amount or an amount is zero, enter "0". A colon (:) will automatically appear if required. 2. Based on the results disclosed by the differential analysis, should the proposal be accepted? 3. If the proposal is accepted, what would be the total estimated income from operations of the store for the 15 years?

Differential Analysis

1. Prepare a differential analysis as of August 1 presenting the proposed operation of the store for the 15 years (Alternative 1) as compared with investing in U.S. Treasury bonds (Alternative 2). Refer to the lists of Labels and Amount Descriptions for the exact wording of the answer choices for text entries. For those boxes in which you must enter subtracted or negative numbers use a minus sign. If there is no amount or an amount is zero, enter "0". A colon (:) will automatically appear if required.

Differential Analysis

Operate Retail Store (Alternative 1) or Invested in U.S. Treasury Bonds (Alternative 2)

August 1

1

Operate Retail Store

Invested in U.S. Treasury Bonds

Differential Effect on Income

2

(Alternative 1)

(Alternative 2)

(Alternative 2)

3

4

5

6

7

Final Questions

2. Based on the results disclosed by the differential analysis, should the proposal be accepted?

Yes

No

The company is indifferent since the result is the same regardless of which alternative is chosen.

3. If the proposal is accepted, what would be the total estimated income from operations of the store for the 15 years?