Cardinal Company is considering a five-year project that would require a $2,812,000 investment in equipment with a useful life of five years and no salvage value. The companys discount rate is 16%. The project would provide net operating income in each of five years as follows:

Sales			$	2,855,000
Variable expenses				1,010,000
Contribution margin				1,845,000
Fixed expenses:
Advertising, salaries, and other fixed out-of-pocket costs	$	798,000
Depreciation		562,400
Total fixed expenses				1,360,400
Net operating income			$	484,600

Click here to view Exhibit 12B-1 and Exhibit 12B-2, to determine the appropriate discount factor(s) using table.

9. If the companys discount rate was 18% instead of 16%, would you expect the project's net present value to be higher, lower, or the same?