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General Motors (or Toyota) is thinking of investing in new production equipment,

ID: 2462062 • Letter: G

Question

General Motors (or Toyota) is thinking of investing in new production equipment, which will cost $200 million in year zero, and will generate cost savings of $120 million in year 1, $80 million in year 2, and $60 million in year 3. After 3 years, the salvage value is zero. The cost of capital (discount rate) is 25% for General Motors and 10% for Toyota. (Due to GM's recent bankruptcy, investors are scared to lend it money, so GM has to pay much higher interest rates to attract capital).  

Required:

a) What's the NPV of this project for General Motors?
NPV = $  million (If you get say $3.52 million, enter 3.52 not 3,520,000. If you get a negative number, enter it with a minus sign, i.e., -3.52 not (3.52))
Should GM invest, based on NPV? (1=yes, 2=no)  

b) What's the NPV of this project for Toyota?
NPV = $  million
Should Toyota invest, based on NPV? (1=yes, 2=no)  

c) If you computed (a) and (b) correctly, the decisions for GM and Toyota should be different. Briefly explain why they are different.

Explanation / Answer

Answer a

Year

GM

Dis factor @25%

Discounted cashflows

0

-200

1

-200

1

120

0.800

96

2

80

0.640

51.2

3

60

0.512

30.72

NPV

-22.08

Decision

Do not invest

Answer b

Answer C

Year

GM

Dis factor @25%

Discounted cashflows

0

-200

1

-200

1

120

0.800

96

2

80

0.640

51.2

3

60

0.512

30.72

NPV

-22.08

Decision

Do not invest