Payback Period Formula: Meaning, Example and Formula
Content
That’s because, as utility rates increase, you save more money by relying on your solar panels instead of drawing power from the grid. Since the capital projects involve investment decisions in long term assets, sound capital budgeting decisions become all the more important. Where P… represents the total project investment in ($) and PCF represents the periodic cash flow in ($/year). Payback period is defined as the number of years required to recover the original cash investment.
Payback period means the period of time that a project requires to recover the money invested in it. Cash flow is the inflow and outflow of cash or cash-equivalents of a project, an individual, an organization, or other entities. Positive cash flow that occurs during a period, such as revenue or accounts receivable means an increase in liquid assets. On the other hand, negative cash flow such as the payment for expenses, rent, and taxes indicate a decrease in liquid assets. Oftentimes, cash flow is conveyed as a net of the sum total of both positive and negative cash flows during a period, as is done for the calculator.
As the equation above shows, the payback period calculation is a simple one. It does not account for the time value of money, the effects of inflation, or the complexity of investments that may have unequal cash flow over time. The total cash flows over the five-year period are projected to be $2,000,000, which is an average of $400,000 per year.
In most cases, this is a pretty good payback period as experts say it can take as much as years for residential homeowners in the United States to break even on their investment. Obviously, the longer it takes an investment to recoup its original cost, the more risky the investment. In most cases, a longer payback period also means a less lucrative investment as well. A shorter period means they can get their cash back sooner and invest it into something else.
It can be used by homeowners and businesses to calculate the return on energy-efficient technologies such as solar panels and insulation, including maintenance and upgrades. People and corporations mainly invest their money to get paid back, which is why the payback period is so important. In essence, the shorter payback an investment has, the more attractive it becomes. Determining the payback period is useful for anyone and can be done by dividing the initial investment by the average cash flows. Solar panels can cost tens of thousands of dollars upfront or spread out in monthly payments. The breakeven point — or payback period — is the time it takes to recoup the cost from the initial investment.
When evaluating the payback period or determining the breakeven point in a business venture, it is crucial to consider the opportunity cost and the influence of the time value of money. Using the payback period to assess risk is a good starting point, but many investors prefer capital budgeting formulas like net present value (NPV) and internal rate of return (IRR). This is because they factor in the payback period equation time value of money, working opportunity cost into the formula for a more detailed and accurate assessment. Another option is to use the discounted payback period formula instead, which adds time value of money into the equation. Keep in mind that the cash payback period principle does not work with all types of investments like stocks and bonds equally as well as it does with capital investments.