Question

Colorado Cleaning has a 5-year maximum acceptable payback period. The firm is considering the purchase of a new washing machine and must choose between two alternative ones. The first machine requires an initial investment of $25,000 and generates annual after-tax cash inflows of $6,500 for each of the next 8 years. The second machine requires an initial investment of $75,000 and provides an annual cash inflow after taxes of $9,500 for 15 years.

Required:
a. Determine the payback period for each machine.
b. Comment on the acceptability of the machines, assuming that they are independent projects.
c. Which machine should the firm accept? Why?
d. Do the machines in this problem illustrate any of the weaknesses of using payback? Discuss.

Answer 1

Answer:

a) Payback period = period up to which cumulative cash flow is negative +

                                    (negative cumulative cash flow /cash flow succeeding    

                                       the above period)

Project A - Up to year 4 ,cash flow recovered = 3000 * 4 = 12,000

Payback period =14,000/3,000 = 4.67 years

Project B= Cash flow recovered up to year 5 = 4000 * 5 = 20000

Payback period = 21,000/4,000 =5.25 years

b) On the basis of the Payback period, Project A should be selected, as it has a lower payback period and is also within the maximum acceptable payback period. back period.(4.67 < 5)

Project B should not be selected as its payback recovery is not within the maximum acceptable payback period (5.25 >5 )

c) Machine A should be selected as it has a lower payback period. than machine B.

d)The payback period ignores the life present value of cash flow and also the life of the machine each project has.

so the decision on the basis of the payback period may not be accurate.