Question

Payback period computation; even cash flows LO P1
Compute the payback period for each of these two separate investments:
a. A new operating system for an existing machine is expected to cost $520,000 and have a useful life of six years. The system yields an incremental after-tax income of $150,000 each year after deducting its straight-line depreciation. The predicted salvage value of the system is $10,000.
b. A machine costs $380,000, has a $20,000 salvage value, is expected to last eight years, and will generate an after-tax income of $60,000 per year after straight-line depreciation.

Answer 1

Answer:

A. 2.2 years

B. 3.6 years

Explanation:

Payback period calculates the amount of the time it takes to recover the amount invested in a project from its cumulative cash flows.

Payback = amount invested / annual cash flows

Payback period is calculated using cash flows. So, the net income has to be changed to cash flows by adding back depreciation.

For the first machine

Straight line depreciation expense = (Cost of asset - salvage value) / number of years

( $520,000 - $10,000) / 6 = $85,000

Cash flow = $85,000 + $150,000 = $235,000

For the second machine, depreciation = ( $380,000 - $20,000) / 8 = $45,000

Cash flow = $45,000 + $60,000 = $105,000

Payback period for machine a = $520,000 / $235,000 = 2.2 years

Pay back period For machine b =

$380,000 / $105,000 = 3.6 years

I hope my answer helps you