Last updated on August 5th, 2025
In finance, the net present value (NPV) is a method used to evaluate investment projects. It calculates the present value of future cash flows relative to the initial investment cost. In this topic, we will learn the formula for net present value.
The net present value (NPV) formula is an essential calculation in finance for evaluating the profitability of an investment. Let’s learn the formula to calculate NPV.
The net present value (NPV) is the difference between the present value of cash inflows and the present value of cash outflows over a period of time.
The formula is: [ NPV = sum left( frac{C_t}{(1 + r)t} right) - C_0 ] where (C_t) is the cash inflow during the period t, (r) is the discount rate, (t) is the number of time periods, and (C_0) is the initial investment cost.
The net present value (NPV) formula is crucial in financial decision-making. It helps in determining the value of an investment in today's terms.
Here are some important aspects of NPV:
Understanding and memorizing the NPV formula can be challenging.
Here are some tips and tricks to help:
Net present value (NPV) plays a vital role in various financial decisions in real life.
Here are some applications of the NPV formula:
Individuals often make errors when calculating net present value (NPV). Here are some mistakes and ways to avoid them to master NPV calculations.
Calculate the NPV for a project with an initial investment of $10,000 and cash inflows of $3,000, $4,000, and $5,000 over three years at a discount rate of 5%.
The NPV is $1,157.35
Using the NPV formula: [ NPV = left( frac{3000}{(1+0.05)1} + frac{4000}{(1+0.05)2} + frac{5000}{(1+0.05)3} right) - 10000 ]
[ NPV = (2857.14 + 3628.57 + 4319.50) - 10000 ]
[ NPV = 10805.21 - 10000 = 805.21 ]
A company invests $20,000 in a project expecting returns of $7,000 annually for 4 years at a discount rate of 6%. What is the NPV?
The NPV is $2,650.35
Using the NPV formula: [ NPV = left( frac{7000}{(1+0.06)1} + frac{7000}{(1+0.06)2} + frac{7000}{(1+0.06)3} + frac{7000}{(1+0.06)4} \right) - 20000 ]
[ NPV = (6603.77 + 6227.14 + 5874.66 + 5542.13) - 20000 ]
[ NPV = 24247.7 - 20000 = 4247.7 ]
Jaskaran Singh Saluja is a math wizard with nearly three years of experience as a math teacher. His expertise is in algebra, so he can make algebra classes interesting by turning tricky equations into simple puzzles.
: He loves to play the quiz with kids through algebra to make kids love it.