Explain the difference between performing the capital budgeting analysis from the parent firm’s perspective as opposed to the project perspective.
The aim of the financial manager of the parent firm is to maximize its wealth of shareholders. A capital project of a subsidiary of the parent may comprise a positive NPV (or APV) from the subsidiary’s perspective yet comprise a negative NPV (or APV) from the parent’s perspective if fixed cash flows cannot be repatriated to the parent due to remittance restrictions by the host country, or if the home currency is supposed to appreciate substantially over the life of the project, yielding unattractive cash flows while converted into the home currency of the parent. In addition, a higher tax rate in the home country may cause the project to be unbeneficial from the parent’s perspective. Any of these causes could result in the project being unattractive to the parent and the parent’s stockholders.