The net present value (NPV) rule is considered one of the most common and preferred criteria that generally lead to good investment decisions. Suppose Blue Hamster Manufacturing Inc. is evaluating a proposed capital budgeting project (project Alpha) that will require an initial investment of $500,000. The project is expected to generate the following net cash flows: Blue Hamster Manufacturing Inc.'s weighted average cost of capital is 9%, and project Alpha has the same risk as the firm's average project. Based on the cash flows, what is project Alpha's net present value (NPV)? Blue Hamster Manufacturing Inc.'s decision to accept or reject project Alpha is independent of its decisions on other projects. If the firm follows the NPV method, it should project Alpha. Which of the following statements best explains what it means when a project has an NPV of $0