The president of the company you work for 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 $108,455, and it would cost another $12,051 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 $43,382. The MACRS rates for the first three years are 0.3333, 0.4445, and 0.1481. Use of the equipment would require an increase in net working capital (spare parts inventory) of $6,377. The machine would have no effect on revenues, but it is expected to save the firm $46,891 per year in before-tax operating costs, mainly labor. The firm's marginal federal-plus-state tax rate is 21.0% and its cost of capital is 14.0%. How much is the year 1 operating cash flow for this project?

1. $46,072
2. $49,553
3. $42,895
4. $37,488
5. $45,478