Probelm: Kristin is evaluating a capital budgeting project that should last for 4 years. The project requires $800,000 of equipment. She is unsure what depreciation method to use in her analysis, straight-line or the 3-year MACRS accelerated method. Under that straight-line depreciation, the cost of the equipment would be depreciated over its 4-year life (ignore the half year convention for stright line method). The applicable MACRS depreciation rates are 33,45,15 and 7 percent. The company's WACC is 10% and its tax rate is40%.
1) What would be the depreciation expense be each year under each method?
2) Which depreciation method would produce the higher NPV, and how much higher would it be?