CASE QUESTIONS: Victoria Chemicals plc (A): The Merseyside Project
1. Investment criteria: How does Victoria Chemicals evaluate its capital expenditure proposal? Why is it such a complicated scheme? What are the merits and drawbacks of using each of the four performance “hurdles” in the context of this project?
2. Discount rate: What does the analyst from the Treasury Staff mean by his comment about inflation? Do you agree with it? How do you make adjustments to the expected cash flow accordingly?
3. Incremental cash flow: How should Greystock modify his Discounted Cash Flow analysis related to overhead costs, preliminary engineering costs, and inventories?
4. Relevance: Why does the assistant plant manager offer his suggested change to include the EPC project in the Merseyside capital budgeting project? Does it have any merit? Do you need to make any adjustments to the expected cash flow? If so, how?
5. Cannibalization: What is the director of sales’ suggestion? Does it have any merit? Assume that there is a 60% chance that cannibalization would happen and if cannibalization did happen, projected sales would drop by 5%, how do you make adjustments to the expected cash flow accordingly?
6. Excess capacity: What is the Transport Division’s suggestion? Does it have any merit? Do you need to make any adjustments to the expected cash flow? If so, how?
7. Valuation: What is the Merseyside project worth to Victoria Chemicals? Modify the calculations in Exhibit 2 to reflect all your adjustments above and any other analyses that you see necessary. How should Greystock make his decision on whether the project should be accepted?
Victoria Chemicals evaluates capital expenditure proposals using four performance "hurdles." The first hurdle is the net present value (NPV) of the project. The second hurdle is the internal rate of return (IRR) of the project. The third hurdle is the payback period of the project. The fourth and final hurdle is the profitability index (PI) of the project.
The NPV of a project is the sum of all cash flows from the project, discounted at the company's cost of capital. The IRR is the discount rate that makes the NPV of a project equal to zero. The payback period is the length of time it takes for a project to generate enough cash flow to cover its initial investment. The PI is the ratio of the NPV to the initial investment.
The Merseyside Project is a complicated scheme because it involves two separate but interrelated investment opportunities: the construction of a new chemicals plant and the purchase of an existing chemical company. Victoria Chemicals must decide whether to proceed with both opportunities, one opportunity, or neither opportunity.
Each of the four performance hurdles has merits and drawbacks in the context of this project. The NPV takes into account the time value of money and therefore provides a more accurate picture of a project's true economic value. However, the NPV can be difficult to calculate accurately, and it does not take into account risk. The IRR takes into account risk by discounting cash flows at a higher rate for riskier projects. However, the IRR can be distorted by changes in the timing of cash flows, and it does not take into account the time value of money. The payback period is a simple and easy-to-calculate metric, but it does not take into account the time value of money or risk. The PI takes into account the time value of money and risk, but it can be difficult to calculate accurately.
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