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The mangers of United Medtronicss are evaluating the following four projects for

ID: 2715010 • Letter: T

Question

The mangers of United Medtronicss are evaluating the following four projects for the coming budget period. The firms corporate cost of capital is 14 percent.

Project

Cost

IRR

A

$15,000

17%

B

$15,000

16%

C

$12,000

15%

D

$20,000

13%

a. What is the firm's optimal capital budget?

b. Now, suppose Medtronic's managers want to consider differential risk in the capital budgeting process. Project A has average risk, B has below-average risk, C has above-average risk, and D has average risk. What is the firm's optimal capital budget when differential risk is considered? (Hint: The firm's managers lower the IRR of high-risk projects by 3 percentage points and raise the IRR of low-risk projects by the same amount.)

Project

Cost

IRR

A

$15,000

17%

B

$15,000

16%

C

$12,000

15%

D

$20,000

13%

a. What is the firm's optimal capital budget?

b. Now, suppose Medtronic's managers want to consider differential risk in the capital budgeting process. Project A has average risk, B has below-average risk, C has above-average risk, and D has average risk. What is the firm's optimal capital budget when differential risk is considered? (Hint: The firm's managers lower the IRR of high-risk projects by 3 percentage points and raise the IRR of low-risk projects by the same amount.)

Explanation / Answer

Part A)

In the given case, we can accept Project A, B and C as their IRR is higher than the firm's cost of capital. Project D is not acceptable as its IRR is less than the cost of capital.

If the projects are independent with no capital rationing in place, we can accept all the 3 projects and the optimal capital budget would be $42,000 (15,000 + 15,000 + 12,000).

If the projects are mutually exclusive, we can accept only Project A as it offers the highest IRR. In such a case, optimal capital budget would be $15,000.

________

Part B)

The revised IRR after adjustment for risk level would be:

If the projects are independent with no capital rationing in place, we can accept projects A and B (because of IRR's greater than cost of capital) and the optimal capital budget would be $30,000 (15,000 + 15,000).

If the projects are mutually exclusive, we can accept only Project B as it offers the highest IRR of 19%. In such a case, optimal capital budget would be $15,000.

Project Cost Risk Level Adjustment IRR A $15,000 Average - 17% B $15,000 Below Average 3% 19% (16%+3%) C $12,000 Above Average -3% 12% (15% - 3%) D $20,000 Average - 13%