Business

A small factory is considering replacing its existing coining press with a newer, more efficient one. The existing press was purchased three years ago at a cost of $200000, and it is being depreciated according to a 7-year MACRS depreciation schedule. The factorys CFO estimates that the existing press has 6 years of useful life remaining. The purchase price for the new press is $280000. The installation of the new press would cost an additional $20000, and this installation cost would be added to the depreciable base. The new press (if purchased) would be depreciated using the 7-year MACRS depreciation schedule although, as noted below, it would be retired/sold after 6 years. Interest expenses associated with the purchase of the new press are estimated to be roughly $4000 per year for the next 6 years.The appeal of the new press is that it is estimated to produce a pre-tax operating cost savings of $81000 per year for the next 6 years. Also, if the new press is purchased, the old press can be sold for $30000 today. The CFO believes that the new press would be sold for $45000 at the end of its 6-year useful life. Assume that NWC would not be affected. The company has an average tax rate of 29% and a marginal tax rate of 34%. The cost of capital (i.e., the discount rate) for this project is 8.5%.Required:Develop the incremental cash flows for this replacement decision and use them to calculate NPV and IRR. Next, make a conclusion about whether or not the existing coining press should be replaced at this time.
Ken is 63 years old and unmarried. He retired at age 55 when he sold his business, Understock.com. Though Ken is retired, he is still very active. Ken reported the following financial information this year. Assume Ken files as a single taxpayer. Determine Kens gross income and complete page 1 of Form 1040 for Ken.a. Ken won $1,200 in an illegal game of poker (the game was played in Utah, where gambling is illegal).b. Ken sold 1,000 shares of stock for $32 a share. He inherited the stock two years ago. His tax basis (or investment) in the stock was $31 per share.c. Ken received $25,000 from an annuity he purchased eight years ago. He purchased the annuity, to be paid annually for 20 years, for $210,000.d. Ken received $13,000 in disability benefits for the year. He purchased the disability insurance policy last year.e. Ken resided in Ireland from July 1, 2011, through June 30, 2012, visiting relatives. While he was there he earned $35,000 working in his cousins pub. He was paid $17,000 for his services in 2011 and $18,000 for his services in 2012. Assume Ken elects to use the foreign-earned income exclusion to the extent he is eligible. f. Ken decided to go back to school to learn about European history. He received a $500 cash scholarship to attend. He used $300 to pay for his books and tuition, and he applied the rest toward his new car payment.g. Kens son, Mike, instructed his employer to make half of his final paycheck of the year payable to Ken. Ken received the check on December 30 in the amount of $1,100.h. Ken received a $610 refund of the $3,600 in state income taxes his employer withheld from his pay last year. Ken claimed $5,850 in itemized deductions last year (the standard deduction for a single filer was 5,800).i. Ken received $30,000 of interest from corporate bonds and money market accounts.
Understanding how shirking decreases team outputEleanor sells bottled water from a small stand by the beach. On the last day of summer vacation, many people are on the beach, and Eleanor realizes that she can make a lot more money this day if she hires someone to walk up and down the beach selling water. She finds a college student named Darnell and makes him the following offer: They'll each sell water all day and split their earnings (revenue minus the cost of water) equally at the end of the day. Eleanor knows that if they both work hard, Darnell will earn $110 on the beach and Eleanor will earn $240 at her stand, so they will each take home half of their total revenue: $110+$2402=$175$110+$2402=$175. If Darnell shirks, he'll generate only $60 in earnings. Eleanor does not know that Darnell estimates his personal cost (or disutility) of working hard as opposed to shirking at $30.Once out of Eleanor's sight, Darnell faces a dilemma: work hard (put in full effort) or shirk (put in low effort).In terms of Darnell's total utility, it is worse for him to_____ .Taking into account the loss in utility that working hard brings to Darnell, Eleanor and Darnell together _____ better off if Darnell shirks instead of working hard.Eleanor knows Darnell will shirk if unsupervised. She considers hiring her good friend Carrie to keep an eye on Darnell. The most Eleanor should be willing to pay Carrie to supervise Darnell, assuming supervision is sufficient to encourage Darnell to work hard, is _______ .It turns out that Eleanor's friend Carrue is unavilable that day, so Eleanor cannot find a reliable person to watch Darnell. Which of the following arrangements will ensure that Darnell works hard without making Eleanor any worse off than she is when Darnell shirks?A. Allow Darnell to keep 75% of the revenue from the bottles of water he sells instead of 50%B. Allow Darnell to keep 57% of the revenue from the bottles of water he sells instead of 50%C. Pay Darnell $70, regardless of how many bottles of water he sellsD. Make Darnell promise to work hard