Question 1

What is the payback period of an investment?

Accepted Answer

The payback period is the time it takes for an investment to generate enough cash flows to recover the initial amount invested. It is a key metric in investment project evaluation.

Question 2

What is the difference between simple and discounted payback period?

Accepted Answer

The simple payback does not consider the time value of money, it just sums cash flows directly. The discounted payback applies a discount rate to each future cash flow to reflect that money today is worth more than tomorrow.

Question 3

What is Net Present Value (NPV)?

Accepted Answer

NPV is the sum of all discounted cash flows minus the initial investment. If NPV is positive, the project creates value. If negative, it destroys value.

Question 4

What discount rate should I use?

Accepted Answer

The discount rate should reflect the opportunity cost of capital. It can be the weighted average cost of capital (WACC), loan interest rate, or the minimum acceptable return for the investor.

Question 5

Is a shorter or longer payback period better?

Accepted Answer

A shorter payback period is generally preferable because it reduces risk and allows faster capital recovery. However, it should be complemented with other indicators like NPV and IRR.

Question 6

What is the profitability index?

Accepted Answer

The profitability index is the ratio between the present value of cash flows and the initial investment. A value greater than 1 indicates the project is profitable.

Calculadora de Período de Recuperação