Reference no: EM131203821

Assessment item - Case Study: Valuation

Task

You've been offered a full time position as an assistant financial analyst at Bathurst Metal Works. Your latest assignment involves the analysis of several risky projects. Because this is your first assignment dealing with risk analysis, you have been asked not only to provide a recommendation on the project in question but also respond to a number of questions aimed at judging your understanding of risk analysis and capital budgeting. The memorandum you received outlining your assignment follows:

To: Assistant Financial Analyst

From: Chief Financial Officer

Re: Capital budgeting and risk analysis

You are required to conduct a risk analysis of the following new project, as outlined below. This new project involves purchase of a new laser cutting tool that can be used in Bathurst Metal Works' manufacturing division. The products manufactured using the new technology are expected to sell for an average price of $300 per unit, and the company analyst performing the analysis expects Bathurst Metal Works can sell 20,000 units per year at this price for a period of five years. To get started this business will require the purchase of a $2 million piece of equipment that has a residual or salvage value in five years of $200,000. In addition, Bathurst Metal Works expects to have to invest an additional $300,000 in working capital to support the new business. Other pertinent information concerning the business venture is as follows:

 Initial cost of the equipment                            $2,000,000

Project and equipment life                                5 years

Salvage value of equipment                             $200,000

Working capital required                                  $300,000

Depreciation method                                       Straight line

Depreciation expenses                                    $360,000

Discount rate or required rate of return            12%

Tax rate                                                        30%

In addition, estimates for unit sales, selling price, variable cost per unit and cash fixed cost for the base- case, worst-case and best-case scenario are as follows:

	Base-case	Worst-case	Best-case
Unit Sales	20,000	15,000	25,000
Price per unit	$300	$250	$330
Variable cost per unit	$200	$210	$180
Cash fixed cost per year	$500,000	$450,000	$350,000
Depreciation	$360,000	$360,000	$360,000

i. Estimate the cash flows for the investment under the listed base-case value assumptions. Calculate the project's NPV for these cash flows.

ii. Evaluate the NPV of the investment under the worst-case assumptions.

iii. Evaluate the NPV of the investment under the best-case assumptions.

iv. Explain how sensitivity and scenario analysis are useful for evaluating project risk?

v. How can break-even analysis be helpful in evaluating project risk?

Rationale- This assessment task covers topics 1 to 10 and has been designed to ensure that you are engaging with the subject content on a regular basis.

This will provide an opportunity to apply the concepts in an authentic scenario that you may encounter in the workplace and also:

• be able to evaluate and explain the congruence of accounting, finance and treasury functions.
• Be able to demonstrate specific technical competencies and skills in utilising quantitative techniques in financial analysis.