Final answer:
Risk-neutral Sharon Smith would select Investment X for Barnett Corporation as it has the highest expected return of 14%, which is higher than the current investments with a 12% return.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sharon Smith, the financial manager for Barnett Corporation, is looking to evaluate three prospective investments: X, Y, and Z. Given that the company already has investments that offer a 12% expected return with a 6% standard deviation, and assuming Sharon is risk-neutral, she would evaluate the options purely on the basis of expected return without considering the associated risks.
Investment X has a 14% expected return, which is higher than the 12% return of the current investments, Investment Y has a 12% return, which is the same as the current investments, and Investment Z has a 10% return, which is lower. Since Sharon is risk-neutral, she would select Investment X because it has the highest expected return of 14%, surpassing the company's current investments.