Pique Corporation wants to purchase a new machine for $303,000. Management predicts that the machine can produce sales of $216,000 each year for the next 5 years. Expenses are expected to include direct materials, direct labor, and factory overhead (excluding depreciation) totaling $71,000 per year. The firm uses straight-line depreciation with no residual value for all depreciable assets. Pique's combined income tax rate is 40%. Management requires a minimum after-tax rate of return of 10% on all investments.

What is the approximate internal rate of return (IRR) of the investment? (NOTE: To answer this question, students must have access to Table 2 from Appendix C, Chapter 12.) Assume that annual after-tax cash flows occur at year-end.

Somewhere between 17% and 19%.

Less than 17%.

Somewhere between 20% and 25%. Over 30%. Somewhere between 25% and 30%.