Oklahoma Clinic is considering investing in new heart monitoring equipment. It has two options: Option A would have an initial lower cost but would require a significant expenditure for rebuilding after 4 years. Option B would require no rebuilding expenditure, but its maintenance costs would be higher. Since the option B machine is of initial higher quality, it is expected to have a salvage value at the end of its useful life. The following estimates were made of the cash flows.The company’s cost of capital is 8%.

Option A

Option B

Initial cost

$135,000

$203,000

Net annual cash flows

$31,000

$40,000

Cost to rebuild (end of year 4)

$50,000

$0

Salvage value

$0

$10,000

Estimated useful life

8 years

8 years

Instructions

(a) Compute the (1) net present value and (2) internal rate of return for each option. (Hint: To solve for internal rate of return, experiment with alternative discount rates to arrive at a net present value of zero.)

(b) Which option should be accepted?