Ace manufacturing is considering the purchase of testing equipment that will cost $500,000 which will replace old equipment. The new machinery will generate after-tax savings of $250,000 per year over the next four years.

What is the payback period?

a) 1.5 years

b) 3.5 years

c) 2.0 years

d) none of the above

Raw materials, work-in-process, and finished goods are valued at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Cost is determined using the weighted average cost method. The cost of work-in-process and finished goods inventories include the cost of raw materials and an applicable share of the cost of labour and fixed and variable production overhead costs, including the depreciation of property, plant and equipment used in the production of finished goods and design costs, and other costs incurred to bring the inventories to their present location and condition. The Company estimates net realizable value as the amount at which inventories are expected to be sold, taking into consideration fluctuations in selling prices due to seasonality, less estimated costs necessary to complete the sale. Inventories are written down to net realizable value when the cost of inventories is estimated to be unrecoverable due to obsolescence, damage, or declining selling prices. Inventory is adjusted to reflect estimated loss ("shrinkage") incurred since the last inventory count. Shrinkage is based on historical experience. When circumstances that previously caused inventories to be written down below cost no longer exist or when there is clear evidence of an increase in realizable value, the amount of the write-down previously recorded is reversed. Storage costs, indirect administrative overhead and certain selling costs related to inventories are expensed in the period that these costs are incurred. Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements March 29, 2020 (in millions of Canadian dollars, except share and per share data)