Steve Gentry,the Operations Manager of Baja Fabricators,wants to Purchase a New

question 22

Essay

Steve Gentry,the operations manager of Baja Fabricators,wants to purchase a new profiling machine (it cuts compound angles on the ends of large structural pipes used in the fabrication yard).However,because the price of crude oil is depressed,the market for such equipment is down.Steve believes that the market will improve in the near future and that the company should expand its capacity.The table below displays the three equipment options he is currently considering,and the profit he expects each one to yield over a two-year period.The consensus forecast at Baja is that there is about a 30% probability that the market will pick up "soon" (within 3 to 6 months)and a 70% probability that the improvement will come "later" (in 9 to 12 months,perhaps longer).
a.Calculate the expected monetary value of each decision alternative.
b.Which equipment option should Steve take?

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Definitions:

Ending Inventory

The total value of goods available for sale at the end of an accounting period, calculated as beginning inventory plus purchases minus cost of goods sold.

Stockholders' Equity

The portion of a company's capital that belongs to the shareholders, calculated as the total assets of a company minus its total liabilities.

Average Inventory

An accounting measure that calculates the average value of inventory over a certain period of time to help assess inventory levels.

Buying Habits

Patterns or tendencies consumers exhibit when purchasing goods or services, including frequency, timing, and preference.