Answer: To estimate the company's sales in 2026, we need to find the average increase in sales per year and then use that to predict the sales for 2026.
The total increase in sales from 2017 to 2020 was $14.5 million - $9 million = $<<14.5-9=5.5>>5.5 million.
The number of years from 2017 to 2020 is 2020 - 2017 = <<2020-2017=3>>3 years.
Therefore, the average increase in sales per year was $5.5 million / 3 years = $<<5.5/3=1.83>>1.83 million/year.
Since the average increase in sales per year was $1.83 million/year, we can estimate the sales in 2026 by adding that amount to the sales for each year from 2020 to 2026. For example, the estimated sales for 2021 would be $14.5 million + $1.83 million = $16.33 million. Similarly, the estimated sales for 2022 would be $16.33 million + $1.83 million = $18.16 million, and so on.
Using this method, we can estimate that the sales for 2026 will be $26.73 million.