Trasky Company is trying to decide whether it should purchase or lease a new automated machine to be used in the production of a new product. If purchase, the new machine, the new machine would cost $100,000 and would be used for 10 years. The salvage value at the end of ten years is estimated at $20,000. The machine would be depreciated using MACRS over a seven year period. The annual maintenance and operating costs would be $20,000. Annual revenues are estimated at $55,000.
If the machine is leased, the company would need to pay annual payments of $20,700. The first lease payment and a deposit of $5,000 are due immediately. The lease payment is paid at the beginning of year 10. The deposit is refundable at the end of the tenth year. In additional, under a normal contract, the company must pay for all maintenance and operating cost, although the leasing company does offer a service contract that will provide annual maintenance (on leased machines only). The contract must be paid up front and cost $30,000. Trasky estimates that the contract will reduce its annual maintenance and operating costs by $10,000. Trasky's cost of capital is 14%. The tax rate is 40%. The service contract's cost would be expensed over the 10 year period. Assume this is an operating lease.
a. Calculate the NPV for the purchase, lease without the service contract, and lease with the service contract.
b. Which is the best alternative?