XYZ Electronics is a mid-sized electronics manufacturer located in Germany. The company president is Mark Johnson, who inherited the company. When it was founded, over 70 years ago, the company originally repaired radios and other household appliances. Over the years the company expanded into manufacturing, and is now a reputable manufacturer of various electronic items. Sam Smith, a recent MBA graduate, has been hired by the companys finance department.

One of the major revenue-producing items manufactured by XYZ is a personal digital assistant (PDA). XYZ currently has one PDA model on the market, and sales have been excellent. The PDA is a unique item in that it comes in a variety of tropical colours and is pre-programmed to play Billy Bragg music. However, as with any electronic item, technology changes rapidly, and the current PDA has limited features in comparison with newer models. XYZ spent 750,000 to develop a prototype for a new PDA that has all the features of the existing PDA but adds new features such as cell-phone capability. The company has spent a further 200,000 for a marketing study to determine the expected sales figures for the new PDA.

XYZ can manufacture the new PDA for 155 each in variable costs. Fixed costs for the operation are estimated to be 4.7 million per year. The estimated sales volumes are 74,000, 95,000, 125,000, 105,000 and 80,000 per year for the next five years, respectively. The unit price of the new PDA will be 360. The necessary equipment can be purchased for 21.5 million, and will be depreciated using the 20 per cent reducing-balance method. It is believed the value of the equipment in five years will be 4.1 million.

As previously stated, XYZ currently manufactures a PDA. Production of the existing model is expected to be terminated in two years. If XYZ does not introduce the new PDA, sales will be 80,000 units and 60,000 units for the next two years, respectively. The price of the existing PDA is 290 per unit, with variable costs of 120 each and fixed costs of 1,800,000 per year. If XYZ does introduce the new PDA, sales of the existing PDA will fall by 15,000 units per year, and the price of the existing units will have to be lowered to 255 each. Net working capital for the PDAs will be 20 per cent of sales, and will occur with the timing of the cash flows for the year: for example, there is no initial outlay for NWC, but changes in NWC will first occur in year 1 with the first years sales. XYZ has a 35 per cent corporate tax rate and a 12 per cent required return.

Mark has asked Sam to prepare a report that answers the following questions.

Questions

a) What is the payback period of the project?

b) What is the profitability index of the project?

c) What is the IRR of the project?

d) What is the NPV of the project?