Probability

3DP, a Luxembourg-based company plans to develop and sell highly specialized 3D printers. The cost of product development is estimated at EUR 50,000.-, irrespective of whether or not the product is finally marketed. The company owners put the odds of a successful product launch at 70%.

The market for such a sophisticated piece of equipment is rather limited: the number of orders is assumed to follow a binominal distribution. In the first quarter will definitely not exceed 20, and the probability of placing a single order is evaluated at 30%. The variable cost would amount to EUR 3,300.- and the final price tag would be set at EUR 15,500.-

As the company owners have secured the patent for their innovative technology, a viable alternative to launching the production is simply to sell the license. USAin3D, a U.S.-based company is a potential buyer offering USD 7,800.- (non-negotiable) and 3DP owners must take the final decision before three months.

By that time, of course, the EUR/USD exchange rate will surely change. A friend of 3DP owners, who happens to be a financial analyst, estimates that in three months' time the EUR/USD exchange rate will fall by not more than -10.504% with the probability of 2.5%. To make this estimate, he assumed that the percentage change of the EUR/USD exchange rate follows a normal distribution with (three-month) volatility of 5.9535%. The current (spot) EUR/USD exchange rate is equal 1.3684 (dollars per one euro).

Questions:

1. Estimate the Expected Monetary Value (EMV) of the two options: product launch and selling the license. What should be the decision by the 3DP owners based solely on financial considerations? Is it a strong decision from the business point of view?

2. How would the EUR/USD exchange rate need to change in order for the 3DP owners to change their mind? What is the probability associated with such a fx movement?

Calculate the answers and present them in a short powerpoint presentation