The senior VP in charge has asked that you make a recommendation for the purchase of new equipment. Ideally, the company wants to limit its capital investment to $300,000. However, if an asset merits spending more, an investment exceeding this limit may be considered. You assemble a team to help you. Your goal is to determine which option will result in the best investment for the company. To encourage capital investments, the government has exempted taxes on profits from new investments. This legislation is to be in effect for the foreseeable future. The average reported operating income for the company is $830,500. The company uses an 11% discount rate in evaluating capital investments. Option 2: The asset cost is $424,000. The machine is expected to have an 8-year useful life with no salvage value. Straight-line depreciation is used. The net cash inflow is expected to be $120,000 each year for 8 years. This asset is the smallest and most efficient in its product line. The delivery time for this asset is 6 weeks. Management has expressed a preference for this option because it is believed that it will have a greater impact on productivity.