NPC is considering either to invest in a project for a new product immediately or 1 year later. If NPC invests in the project today, there will be 75% chance of good market acceptance of the product and 25% chance of bad market acceptance of the product. If market reaction to the new product is good, a cash inflow of $500 will be realized each year for the next 7 years. If market reaction to the new product is bad, a cash inflow of $25 will be realized each year for the next 7 years. However, if NPC chooses to wait for 1 year to obtain more information about market tastes, the company would know definitely about the market reaction and would then either proceed with the project or not invest in it at all. The initial cost of the project is $1,500 (million).
Assuming that all cash flows are discounted at 10%, if NPC chooses to wait a year before proceeding, how much will this increase or decrease the project's expected NPV in today's dollars (i.e., at t = 0), relative to the NPV if it proceeds today?
Calculate the effect of waiting on the project's risk, using the same data. By how much will delaying reduce the project's coefficient of variation? (Hint: Use the expected NPV.)