A company buys tracking software for its warehouse which, along with the computer system and ancillaries to run it, will cost $1.6 million. This purchase will be deducted over five years. It is expected that the software will reduce inventory by $10.7 million at the end of the first year after it is installed, though there will be an annual cost of $120,000 per year to run the system. If the company's marginal tax rate is 40%, how will the purchase of this item change the company's free cash flows in the first year

Garrett is an executive vice president at samm hardware. he researches a proposal by a larger company, maximum hardware, to combine the two companies. by analyzing past performance, conducting focus groups, and interviewing maximum employees, garrett concludes that maximum has poor profit margins, sells shoddy merchandise, and treats customers poorly. what actions should garrett and samm hardware take? a. turn down the acquisition offer and prepare to resist a hostile takeover. b. attempt a friendly merger and use managerial hubris to improve results at maximum. c. welcome the acquisition and use knowledge transfer to impart sam hardware's management practices. d. do nothing; the two companies cannot combine without samm hardware's explicit consent.