Reference no: EM132752445

Better Mousetraps has developed a new trap. It can go into production for an initial investment in equipment of $5.7 million. The equipment will be depreciated straight line over 6 years to a value of zero, but in fact it can be sold after 6 years for $518,000. The firm believes that working capital at each date must be maintained at a level of 10% of next year's forecast sales. The firm estimates production costs equal to $1.50 per trap and believes that the traps can be sold for $6 each. Sales forecasts are given in the following table. The project will come to an end in 6 years, when the trap becomes technologically obsolete. The firm's tax bracket is 35%, and the required rate of return on the project is 9%.

Use the MACRS depreciation schedule.

Year:                         0:      1:        2:        3:         4:         5:          6:         Thereafter
Sales (millions of traps) 0:      0.4:     0.5:     0.6:       0.6:      0.4:         0.2:            0

Problem a. What is project NPV? (Negative amount should be indicated by a minus sign. Do not round intermediate calculations. Enter your answer in millions rounded to 4 decimal places.)

Problem b. By how much would NPV increase if the firm depreciated its investment using the 5-year MACRS schedule? (Do not round intermediate calculations. Enter your answer in whole dollars not in millions.)