You work for an Australian business located in Tasmania. Your organisation is considering investing in an environmentally friendly wood chipping project. The project will take six years to complete and require the purchase of a new woodchip furnace costing $6,000,000. The installation cost of the new furnace is expected to cost $100,000. Estimates prepared by the company show sales of 50,000 tonnes in year 1 and are expected to grow at the rate of 20% per annum thereafter. Expected selling price is $40 per tonne, and the variable costs are expected to remain constant at $15 per tonne. Fixed costs are expected to remain at $45,000 per annum. Revenue and expense forecasts for the project are presented below. The project will require the organisation to make an initial investment of $20,000 in working capital. Working capital is predicted to increase by 20% each year. The company can depreciate its woodchip furnace on a straight-line basis over six years. The project has an estimated salvage value at the end of six years of $50,000. The companys overall cost of capital is 12%, the annual inflation rate for the next six years is estimated at 2% and the company is subject to a 30% corporate income tax rate.

Required:

1. (i) Determine the initial cash outlay associated with the proposed investment decision. (5 marks)

2. (ii) Calculate the annual operating net cash inflows for years 1 to 6 associated with the proposed investment assuming working capital investment remains constant at $20,000. (10 marks)

3. (iii) Calculate the terminal cash flow associated with the proposed investment decision.

4. (iv) Calculate the total free cash flows for each year associated with the purchase.

5. (v) Discuss the likely risks associated with the acquisition of the furnace that you need to consider. Describe the steps you would take to evaluate and mitigate such risks.

6. (vi) Make recommendation to the management on whether to acquire the furnace. Would you recommend the company to undertake this project? Justify your decision. Discuss what other qualitative and quantitative factors should be taken into consideration.

7. (vii) Assuming the company is a proprietary limited company founded 20 years ago, suggest how best to finance this new project. Consider a few appropriate alternative sources of finance and compare and contrast them.