Hoosier Camper, Inc. is a manufacturer of truck campers. Its current line of truck campers are selling excellently. However, in order to cope with the foreseeable competition with other similar truck campers, HC spent $950,000 to develop a new line of deluxe truck campers that are more spacious. In addition, the deluxe truck campers are much lighter with LED lighting, aerodynamic front nose-cap, a one-piece fiberglass wet bath, expansive storage in the cab and some other highend features. The company had also spent a further $250,000 to study the marketability of this new model. HC is able to produce the new model at a variable cost of $4,750 each. The total fixed costs for the operation are expected to be $2,850,000 per year. HC expects to sell 20,000 campers, 25,000 campers, 18,000 campus, 16,500 campers and 12,500 campers of the new deluxe model per year over the next five years respectively. They will be selling at a price of $18,000 each. To launch this new line of production, HC needs to invest $500,000,000 in equipment which will be depreciated on a seven-year MACRS schedule. The value of the used equipment is expected to be worth $1,250,000 as at the end of the 5 year project life. HC is planning to stop producing the existing model entirely in two years. Should HC not introduce the new deluxe model, sales per year of the existing model will be 12,000 campers and 10,000 campers for the next two years respectively. The existing model can be produced at variable costs of $3,260 each and total fixed costs of $1,450,000 per year. They are selling for $14,500 each. If HC produces the new deluxe model, sales of the existing model will be eroded by 5,000 campers for next year and 6,000 campers for the year after next. In addition, to promote sales of the existing model alongside with the new deluxe model, HC has to reduce the price of the existing model to $11,000 each. Net working capital for the new deluxe model will be 15 percent of sales and will vary with the occurrence of the cash flows. As such, there will be no initial NWC required. The first change in NWC is expected to occur in year 1 according to the sales of the year. HC is currently in the tax bracket of 35 percent and it requires a 14 percent returns on all of its projects. You have just been hired by HC as a financial consultant to advise them on this new deluxe truck camper project. You are expected to provide answers to the following questions to their management by their next meeting which is scheduled sometime next month.
1. What is/are the sunk cost(s) for this new deluxe truck camper project? Briefly explain. You have to tell what sunk cost is and the amount of the total sunk cost(s). In addition, you have to advise HC on how to handle such cost(s).