Fluent Essays

ACC00152 Business FinanceAssignment 1: Memo to ManagementYou are working in the finance department of Space Sky Flight Ltd (SSF). The Company has spent $6.5million in research and development over the past 12 months developing a drone capable to fix satellitesto compete in the space industry. SSFs directors now need to choose between three options for bringingthis product to the market. These options are:Option A: Manufacturing the product in-house and selling directly to the market Option B: Licensing another company to manufacture and sell the product in return for a royalty Option C: Sell the patent rights outright to the company mentioned in option B Your taskYour boss, SSFs CFO Savanah Harley, has asked you to evaluate the three different options and draft amemo to the Board of Directors providing recommendations on the alternatives, along with supportinganalysis.Savanah has outlined the following three areas you need to cover in your memo:1. Analyse base case figures for the three options and using NPV as the investment decision rule;2. Provide recommendations based on the base-case analyses;3. Provide recommendations on further analyses and factors that should be considered prior to making afinal decision on the three options (Note. You do NOT have to undertake any further financial analyses).Further details for the various options are as follows:Option ATwo months ago, SSF paid an external consultant $950,000 for a production plan and demand analysis.The consultant recommended producing and selling the product for five years only as technologicalinnovation will likely render the market too competitive to be profitable enough after that time. Sales ofthe product are estimated as follows:In the first year, it is estimated that the product will be sold for $110,000 per unit. However, the price willdrop in the following three years to $70,000 per unit and fall again to $50,000 per unit in the final year ofthe project, reflecting the effects of anticipated competition and improving technology in the market.Variable production costs are estimated to be $35,000 per unit for the entire life of the project.Year Estimated salesvolume (000s of units)1 42 3.53 5.54 35 1.5Fixed production costs (excluding depreciation) are predicted to be $11.5 million per year and marketingcosts will be $9.5 million per year.Production will take place in factory space the company owns and currently rents to another business for$7.5 million per year. Equipment costing $275 million will have to be purchased. This equipment will bedepreciated for tax purposes using the prime cost method at a rate of 20\% per annum. At the end of theproject, the company expects to be able to sell the equipment for $55 million.Investment in net working capital will also be required. It is estimated that accounts receivable will be25\% of sales, while inventory and accounts payable will each be 20\% of variable and fixed productioncosts (excluding depreciation). This investment is required from the beginning of the project becausecredit sales, inventory stocks and purchases on trade credit will begin building up immediately. Allaccounts receivable will be collected, suppliers paid and inventories sold by the end of the project, thusthe investment in net working capital will be returned at that point.Option BAero Jett Inc., a multinational corporation, has expressed an interest in manufacturing and marketing theproduct under license for 5 years. For each unit sold, Aero Jett will pay $8,250 royalty fees per unit to SSFas part of its licensing agreement. Due to Aero Jetts international reach and strong distributionnetworks, it is estimated that they can sell 5\% more units each year than SSF.Option CAs an alternative to a licensing arrangement, Aero Jett Ltd has offered to buy the patent rights to theproduct design from SSF for $120 million. This amount would be paid in three equal annual instalments,with the first payable immediately.General Information Relevant to the AnalysisSSFs cost of capital is 16\% and the company is subject to a 30\% tax rate. Assume that royalties andpatent right payments are treated as assessable income for tax purposes and that tax is paid at the endof the year in which the income is received. The company is not eligible for any research anddevelopment tax deductions. During the project analysis period(s), SSF is expected to have other sourcesof taxable income.Marking CriteriaYour boss has asked that you structure your memo to begin with a (maximum) one page summary ofyour method, key findings and recommendations, supported by no more than three additional pagesshowing input assumptions, estimated cash flows and supplementary analysis detail and discussion.Table format for presenting numerical analyses is preferable. Ensure that readers will be able to easilyfollow what you have done. You may wish to use footnotes under tables that clarify calculations, detailsand/or assumptions where this is not clear from the table itself.This assignment has a 30\% weighting in your overall mark for this unit. It will be marked out of 30. Markswill be allocated as per rubric on following page based on:- Accurate analysis of base case figures (18 marks)- Sound recommendations on the alternatives founded on base case analyses (1.5 mark)- Insightful recommendations for further considerations prior to final decision (7.5 marks)- Memo format and professionalism of communication (3 marks).