What is the Net Present Value?
Net Present Value (NPV) is a financial metric that’s particularly relevant when dealing with a series of cash flows that occur at different points in time. It hinges on the principle that the value of a cash flow is contingent on both the time elapsed between the present moment and the cash flow and the annual effective discount rate applied.
By considering the time value of money, NPV offers a structured approach for the appraisal and comparison of capital projects or financial products involving cash flows distributed over time. Whether you’re assessing the profitability of investments, evaluating loan options, or even examining the payout dynamics of insurance contracts, NPV serves as an indispensable tool to make informed financial decisions, accounting for the fluctuating worth of money over time.
Dictionary com
accounting an assessment of the long-term profitability of a project made by adding together all the revenue it can be expected to achieve over its whole life and deducting all the costs involved, discounting both future costs and revenue at an appropriate rate
Wikipedia
The net present value (NPV) or net present worth (NPW) applies to a series of cash flows occurring at different times. The present value of a cash flow depends on the interval of time between now and the cash flow. It also depends on the annual effective discount rate. NPV accounts for the time value of money. It provides a method for evaluating and comparing capital projects or financial products with cash flows spread over time, as in loans, investments, payouts from insurance contracts plus many other applications.
