Answer to Question #6364 in Economics of Enterprise for lamarcus streeter

Question

3. Which of the following statements is CORRECT?
a. If an asset is sold for less than its book value at the end of a project’s life, it will generate a loss for the firm, hence its terminal cash flow will be negative.
b. Only incremental cash flows are relevant in project analysis, the proper incremental cash flows are the reported accounting profits, and thus reported accounting income should be used as the basis for investor and managerial decisions.
c. It is unrealistic to believe that any increases in net working capital required at the start of an expansion project can be recovered at the project’s completion. Working capital like inventory is almost always used up in operations. Thus, cash flows associated with working capital should be included only at the start of a project’s life.
d. If equipment is expected to be sold for more than its book value at the end of a project’s life, this will result in a profit. In this case, despite taxes on the profit, the end-of-project cash flow will be greater than if the asset had been sold at book value, other things held constant.
e. Changes in net working capital refer to changes in current assets and current liabilities, not to changes in long-term assets and liabilities. Therefore, changes in net working capital should not be considered in a capital budgeting analysis.

Answer 1

The statement D is CORRECT because book value is the value of an asset according
to its balance sheet account balance. For assets, the value is based on the
original cost of the asset less any depreciation, amortization or Impairment
costs made against the asset. If equipment is expected to be sold for more than
its book value at the end of a project’s life, this will increase a profit and
the end-of-project cash flow will be greater than if the asset had been sold at
book value.