Question

A Delaware bank has offered to set up a lock-box arrangement to process Union Oil Company of California's (UNOCAL) credit card payments from customers in 8 mid-Atlantic states for an annual fee of $150,000 plus $0.05 per payment. Total collections from this area are $547.5 million annually -- consisting of an average of 10 payments per year from 1,100,000 credit card customers. Average mailing time for customers from this region would be reduced from 3.5 days currently to 2 days with the lock-box system. Check processing and clearing time also would be reduced from 5 days presently to 1.5 days with the lock-box arrangement. Establishment of the lock-box system would reduce annual payment processing costs at its Los Angeles headquarters by $250,000 and reduce the compensating balance at its Los Angeles bank by $500,000. The Delaware bank will not require UNOCAL to maintain a compensating balance if it establishes a lock-box system. Funds released by the lock-box arrangement can be invested elsewhere in the firm to earn 15% per annum pretax. Determine the net pretax benefits to UNOCAL of establishing the lock-box system with the Delaware bank. (Assume 365 days per year in the calculations.)
a. $675,000
b. $750,000
c. $500,000
d. $650,000

Answer

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