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Multiple Choice
Which of the following is a weakness of the payback method in capital budgeting?
A
It considers all cash flows over the project's entire life.
B
It ignores the time value of money.
C
It provides a measure of profitability based on net present value.
D
It requires complex calculations involving discount rates.
Verified step by step guidance
1
Understand the payback method: The payback method in capital budgeting calculates the time required to recover the initial investment from the cash inflows generated by the project. It is a simple and widely used method for evaluating investment projects.
Identify the key weakness: The payback method does not account for the time value of money, which is a fundamental concept in finance. The time value of money states that a dollar received today is worth more than a dollar received in the future due to its earning potential.
Analyze the options: Review each option provided in the question to determine which one correctly identifies a weakness of the payback method.
Eliminate incorrect options: For example, the payback method does not consider all cash flows over the project's entire life, as it focuses only on the period required to recover the initial investment. Additionally, it does not provide a measure of profitability based on net present value (NPV), nor does it require complex calculations involving discount rates.
Select the correct answer: The correct weakness of the payback method is that it ignores the time value of money, which makes it less accurate compared to methods like NPV or internal rate of return (IRR).