Wallace Company Sells $73 Million of Its Products to Retailers

question 28

Multiple Choice

Wallace Company sells $73 million of its products to retailers on credit terms of "net 30." Its average collection period is 55 days. To speed up the collection of receivables, the company is considering changing its credit terms to "2/10, net 30." The company expects 40% of its customers to take the cash discount and its average collection period to decline to 35 days. Wallace's required pretax rate of return on receivables investments is 15%. Determine the net effect on Wallace's pretax profits of the change in credit terms. (Assume 365 days per year in any calculations.)

• A) -$860,000
• B) $600,000
• C) $16,000
• D) $584,000

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Definitions:

Expected Value

The anticipated value of a variable, computed as the sum of all possible values each multiplied by the probability of its occurrence.

Fair Bet

A betting proposition where the expected gains or losses are theoretically equal, implying no advantage to either side.

Zero Sum Game

A situation in-game theory where one participant's gain or loss is exactly balanced by the losses or gains of the other participants.

Utility

The measure of satisfaction or value that an individual derives from consuming goods and services.