Question: (Calculating free cash flows) At present, Solartech Skateboards is considering expanding its product line to include gas-powered skateboards; however, it is questionable how well they will be received by skateboarders. Although you feel there is a 60 percent chance you will sell 10,000 of these products per year for 10 years (after which time this project is expected to shut down because solar-powered skateboards will become more popular), you also recognize that there is a 20 percent chance that you will only sell 3,000 and also a 20 percent chance you will sell 13,000. The gas skateboards would sell for $100 each and have a variable cost of $40 each. Regardless of how many you sell, the annual fixed costs associated with production would be $160,000. In addition, there would be a $1 million initial expenditure associated with the purchase of new production equipment. It is assumed that this initial expenditure will be depreciated using the simplified straight-line method down to zero over 10 years. Because of the number of stores that will need inventory, the working-capital requirements are the same regardless of the level of sales This project will require a one-time initial investment of $50,000 in net working capital, and working-capital investment will be recovered when the project is shut down. Finally, assume that the firm's marginal tax rate is 34 percent.
a. What is the initial outlay associated with the project?
b. What are the annual free cash flows associated with the project for years 1 through 9 under each sales forecast? What are the expected annual free cash flows for years 1 through 9?
c. What is the terminal cash flow in year 10 (that is, what is the free cash flow in year 10 plus any additional cash flows associated with the termination of the project)?
d. Using the expected free cash flows, what is the project's NPV given a 10 percent required rate of return? What would the project's NPV be if 10,000 skateboards were sold?