Reference no: EM131114182

Merck International is a pharmaceutical company. It is not currently selling its product in India. However it is proposing t establish a manufacturing facility in India in near future.

The Company to be set up in India is to be a wholly owned affiliate of Merck International which will provide all funds needed to build the manufacturing facility. Total initial investment is estimated at Rs.50,000,000. Working capital requirements estimated at Rs. 5,000,000, would be provided by the local financial institution at 8 percent per annum, repayable in five equal installments beginning on 31^st December of the first year of operation. In the absence of this concessional facility, Merck would have financed these requirements by a loan from its bankers in United States at 15 percent per annum.

The cost of the entire manufacturing facility is to be depreciated over the five years period in straight line method basis. At the end of fifth year of its operation all remaining assets would be taken over by a public corporation to be designated by the government of India with no compensation.

Sales and selling price are presented in the table below:-

Year	Sales in Units	Unit Price(Rs)
1	2,00,000	1,000
2	2,25,000	1,500
3	2,50,000	1,800
4	2,75,000	2,000
5	3,00,000	2,200

Variable costs are Rs. 600 per unit in year 1 and are expected to rise by 15% each year.

Fixed Cost other than depreciation are Rs. 20 million in year 1 and is expected to rise by 10% per year.

Other Information:

All profit after tax realized by the affiliate are transferable to the parent company at the end of each year. Depreciation funds are to be blocked until the end of year 5. These funds may be invested in local money market instruments, fetching a tax-free return of 15%. When the operating assets are turned over a local corporation, the balance of these funds including interest may be repatriated.

The income tax rate in India is 48% but there are no with holding tax on transfer of dividends. Dividends received by Merck International in the United states would be subject to 50% tax.

Merck International uses a 20% weighted average cost of capital for evaluating domestic projects similar to the ones planned in India. For Foreign projects in developing countries a 6% political premium is added.

Calculate the NPV and IRR for the project from the standpoint of the parent company. What are your recommendations for the proposal?