Decision Criteria
Brigham and Daves Ch. 12
Christopher B. Alt CFA PhD
What Is Capital Budgeting?
Analysis of potential additions to fixed assets Long-term decisions typically involving large $ expenditures
Making the ‘right’ capital budgeting decisions is enormously important to a firm’s future
Should we build this plant? All rights reserved - Christopher B. Alt
2
Key Steps in Capital Budgeting
Estimate CFs (inflows & outflows)
Assess riskiness of CFs
Determine the appropriate cost of capital Find NPV and/or IRR
Accept if NPV > 0 and/or IRR >
WACC
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3
Independent vs. Mutually Exclusive
Projects
Independent projects: if the cash flows of one are unaffected by the acceptance of the other
Mutually exclusive projects: if the cash flows of one can be adversely impacted by the acceptance of the other All rights reserved - Christopher B. Alt
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Normal vs. Nonnormal Cash Flow
Streams
Normal cash flow stream: Usually, cost (negative CF) followed by a series of positive cash inflows. One change of signs.
Nonnormal cash flow stream: Two or more changes of signs. Most common:
Cost (negative CF), then string of positive CFs, then cost to close project.
Examples include nuclear power plant, strip mine, etc.
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5
Capital Budgeting Techniques
Net present value (NPV)
Internal rate of return (IRR)
Modified IRR (MIRR)
Payback
Discounted payback
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6
Net Present Value (NPV)
Sum of the PVs of all cash inflows and outflows of a project:
N
CFt
NPV t t 0 ( 1 r )
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7
Capital Budgeting Example
Choice between two projects:
Cash Flow
Year
L
S
CF
0
-100
-100
0
1
10
70
-60
2
60
50
10
3
80
20
60
CF is the difference between CFL and
CFS
All rights reserved - Christopher B. Alt
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What Is Project L’s NPV?
WACC = 10%
Year
0
1
2