The major factor would be the sensitivity of the company’s operations to cyclical movements in the economy. Because the new equipment will increase the CM ratio, in years of strong economic activity, the company will be better off with the new equipment. However, in economic recession, the company will be worse off with the new equipment. The fixed costs of the new equipment will cause losses to be deeper and sustained more quickly than at present. Thus, management must decide whether the potential for greater profits in good years is worth the risk of deeper losses in bad years.