Ecofren Thermostats Co. sells equipment to residential and commercial customers. It is considering whether or not to develop a new line of smart thermostats. The discounted cash flows from smart thermostat sales are not likely to cover the development costs. However, the company has decided to pursue the project anyway. If the commercial technology is successful, it might be applied to a new line of very profitable residential thermostats. This is an example of the option to make follow-on investments.

Question

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The scenario presented describes the option to make follow-on investments, where a project with upfront costs may not have positive cash flows but could lead to future profitable opportunities.