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Jon, a recent mechanical engineering graduate of LIU University plans to start a composite metal fabrication business called Superior Composites Limited. He came on this idea through a product design competition while in his undergraduate degree program.

Jon plans to open the business in Toronto, Ontario, in an unused warehouse space found on the former Global Sticks property east of the city. He has already obtained orders for his composite metal product from across North America, but his most important client will be the local Bombardier light transit manufacturing facility.

Composite metals are steel alloys that use graphite and other materials like fiberglass to produce light, yet very strong products that are in high demand by auto, mass transit and aircraft manufacturers. They offer the potential to produce products that are strong, flexible, light but yet corrosion resistant.

Superior Composites product consist of sheets of the metal composite that are the size of a standard piece of plywood. Superior Composites contracts a manufacturer to produce these sheets and then uses stamping and other CNC-driven laser machines to cut out pieces customers require in their manufacturing business.

For sales estimating purposes Jon will assume a set selling price for each sheet of composite material regardless of the complexity of the cutout designs required by the customer. He makes this assumption since the CNC machine is simply programmed and cutting is done without much difference in time to complete each project. Jon assumes he will sell each sheet of metal composite for $5,250. Each sheet will require $625 worth of steel, $112 of other materials, and $210 in energy costs. Estimated direct labour costs per sheet are $215.

Superior Composites requires start up capital of $1,500,000. The startup capital will be used to purchase and install $1,000,000 in manufacturing equipment and $500,000 for working capital (cash and raw inventory). Jon has already raised $500,000 from himself, friends and family (sweat equity and love money) and has gone on-line through the LIU University Engineering Alumni Association and used crowd funding to raise a further $500,000 by selling shares in the company at $100 each. The remaining $500,000 will be borrowed in the form of a 10-year fixed rate commercial loan from TD Commercial at a stated annual rate of interest of 3.67% compounded annually with annual payments.

Superior Composites will not have to spend much in the form of advertising. Demand for the product has come primarily from personal sales calls, and because of the product features, it essentially sells itself.

Nevertheless, there are numerous other costs associated with running this business including monthly lease costs for the warehouse of $8,450, and monthly lease costs for office space provided by the Innovation Centre of $1,250.

The firm will have a full-time accountant, full-time sales manager, and Jon will work full-time in the business overseeing manufacturing, shipping and receiving. These salaried positions together with employment benefits will amount to $440,000 annually.

Other annual costs include:

External auditor costs $31,000

Communication costs (website, equipment, line charges) 27,500

Depreciation (CCA) in the first year of operations 200,000

Other fixed operating costs 370,000

Interest expense to be calculated on the fixed rate 10-year loan

Given the orders received for the product to date, Jon has made the following estimate for first year annual sales on a per unit basis as follows:

In five years time, Jon estimates that unit sales will eventually grow to, and stabilize at 1,000 units annually.

Superior Composites Limited will be incorporated in Ontario and will face a tax rate of 11.5% on active business income.

1. f. Using forecasts for total annual fixed costs and unit contribution margin for the first year, determine the annual breakeven point for this proposed operation in numbers of units produced and in sales dollars. (Demonstrate the formula and solution step by step)
2. g. What is the probably that the proposed venture as given, will break even in its first year of operation. Remember, once you have calculated the Z value you will use the Values of the Standard Normal Distribution Function to estimate the probability of breaking even. (You will use expected first year annual sales, standard deviation, and then determine the Z value given the sales breakeven point, to calculate the probability of breaking even.) (Demonstrate the formula and solution step by step)
3. h. A new venture like this is very risky, and Jon estimates that such a business would have a justified beta coefficient of 1.9. Assume the risk-free rate of return is 2% and the market premium for risk is 7%. What rate of return should a shareholder in Jons venture require, given the justified beta coefficient? (Demonstrate the formula and solution step by step)
4. i. Assume the firm is started and after five years, unit sales grow to 1,000 units annually as predicted. At 1,000 unit sales, forecast the firms annual profit and return on equity. (Prepare a forma income statement for the fifth year of operation to predict net profit and measure return on equity. Remember that loan payments are not an expense, only the interest portion of the loan payment is an expense.)
5. j. Compare the forecast Return on Equity for year five with the investors required rate of return assuming the risk-free rate remains at 2%; the market premium for risk at 6%; and the firms beta coefficient is 1.9. (Is the prospective profitability of this firm in year five, sufficient given the capital investment involved? Should Jon proceed to implement his business based on the forecasts he has used?) (Again, remember that when preparing pro forma income statements, only the interest portion of a loan payment is treated as an expense.)

Probability 20% 30% 30% 20% Unit Sales 350 450 550 650 Probability 20% 30% 30% 20% Unit Sales 350 450 550 650

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