To avoid a hostile takeover attempt, the board of directors of Wellco, Inc., a provider of life and health insurance, planned to take out large loans and use them to purchase a publishing company, a chocolate factory, and a nationwide chain of movie theaters. The directors anticipated that these purchase initially would plunge the corporation deep into debt, rendering it unattractive to those who wanted to take it over, but that steadily rising insurance rates would allow the company to pay off the debt within five years. Meanwhile, revenues from the three new businesses would enable the corporation as a whole to continue to meet its increased operating expenses. Ultimately, according o the directors’ plan, the diversification would strengthen the corporation by varying the sources and schedules of its annual revenues.
Which of the following, assuming that all are equally possible, would most enhance the chances of the plan’s success?
(A) A widespread drought decreases the availability of cacao beans, from which chocolate is manufacture, diving up chocolate prices worldwide.
(B) New government regulations require a 30 percent across-the-board rate rollback of all insurance companies, to begin immediately and to be completed within a five-year period.
(C) Congress enacts a statute, effective after six months, making it illegal for any parent not to carry health insurance coverage for his or her child.
(D) Large-screen televisions drop dramatically in price due to surprise alterations in trade barriers with Japan; movie theater attendance dwindles as a consequence.
(E) A new, inexpensive process is discovered for making paper pulp, and paper prices fall to 60 percent of their former level.


Why E is not correct? Since paper cost will decrease, the publishing business can make profit.Please present your thoughts.

C

I agree that A and E, even D(first I choose D) are really traps. When talking about profit, the common thought is that we talking about price. That is why A, E and D are very tricky. "There is no connection", I like this stuff
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I had selected E, before I reached the last line of your question.
Here is my analysis for the logic
Conclusion:The diversification would strengthen the corporation by varying the sources and schedules of its annual revenues.

Assumption:
i. The diversification (through the publishing house, chocolate factory and movie theatre) purchase initially would plunge the corporation deep into debt.
ii. It will make the company unattractive to those who wanted to take it over,
iii. steadily rising insurance rates would allow the company to pay off the debt within five years. iv. Revenues from the three new businesses would enable the corporation as a whole to continue to meet its increased operating expenses.

A: Affects point iv and hence would be able to bring about success
B: Governmnt roll back, would help the business if it were in deep debts. Such a situation is not evident from the problem
c: Makes the core business profitable, but might still not prevent the hostile bid take over (which is stated with the opening line "In order to avoid..." which is the root cause for diversification.
D: word negatively for point iv
E: Works positive for point iv and can be considered better option than C.

Can you provide the explaination for C as the answer.

Irrespective the answer remains c. What is the explanation?

In order for the plan to work the debt has to make the corporation unattractive to those who want to take it over. But the company still has to be able to survive and repay the debt. For this two things must happen.

1. "steadily rising insurance rates would allow the company to pay off the debt within five years."

2. "revenues from the three new businesses would enable the corporation as a whole to continue to meet its increased operating expenses."

So to enhance the plans success we need an answer that will prove one of those two things.

A. Chocolate prices does nothing to tell us about the revenues from the chocolate factory.
B. A government mandated rollback of insurance rates ensures that the "steadily rising insurance rates" will not happen and weakens the plans success.
C. More people being forced to buy insurance supports a climate for "steadily rising insurance rates."
D. A decrease in movie theater attendance would most likely decrease revenues weakening the plan.
E. Again paper prices does not address revenue of the publishing company.

Another note, if you look at the wording the company needs "steadily rising insurance rates" and "revenues from the three new business." The only answer that address either one of those completely is C. Even if we assume that E will increase publishing profits that's only part of the answer, what about the other companies.

In other words if you had to choose between guaranteed rising insurance rates or guranteed revenues from just the publishing company which would you assume would most enhance the plans succes.

Thank you for your participation.

The OA is C