Final answer:
Firms should never give up a positive NPV project to increase a dividend.
Step-by-step explanation:
The correct answer is: Firms should never give up a positive NPV project to increase a dividend.
Net Present Value (NPV) is a financial metric that calculates the difference between the present value of cash inflows and outflows of a project, taking into consideration the time value of money. A positive NPV indicates that a project is expected to generate more cash inflows than outflows, resulting in a profit.
However, firms should never give up a positive NPV project to increase a dividend because doing so would mean sacrificing long-term profitability for short-term gains. Dividends are payments made to shareholders out of a firm's profits, and while they can be important for attracting and retaining investors, they should not be prioritized over value-creating projects.