Net present value (NPV) represents the difference between the present value of cash inflows and outflows over a set time period. Knowing how to calculate net present value can be useful when choosing ...

Net present value and the profitability index are helpful tools that allow investors and companies make decisions about where to allocate their money for the best return. Net present value tells us ...

When a company is making capital budgeting decisions -- whether it's something as small as buying a new copier vs. servicing an old one or as big as entering a new market -- it must weigh the expected ...

Present value is a useful mathematical formula designed to figure out if money received now is worth more than money received later. What Is Present Value? Terms Associated With the Present Value of ...

Small business owners frequently make decisions about how to invest money to increase profitability. Part of being a good business manager is the ability to analyze the income potential of long-term ...

Now I (sort of) understand why so many homeowners are in loan modification hell. This Dante's Housing Crisis Inferno has been fanned by the introduction of a simple calculation: the NPV. What's the ...

In corporate finance and valuation, experts and self-taught learners rely upon various guiding principles. One of those core principles is the time value of money. Whether you’re a professional in the ...

Julia Kagan is a financial/consumer journalist and former senior editor, personal finance, of Investopedia. Dr. Melody Bell is a personal finance expert, entrepreneur, educator, and researcher. Melody ...