A company is investing in a machine costing $365,000.The following table shows selected financial data for the company for the next five years:
Year Annual cash flows Annual net income
1        $50,000                $45,000
2         125,000               120,000
3         150,000               145,000
4           50,000                45,000
5           30,000                25,000
What is the payback period on this machine?
a.3.8 years.
b.4.0 years.
c.4.4 years.
d.5.0 years.
Answer:A
Choice “a” is correct. The requirement is to calculate the payback period. Answer (a) is correct because the payback period is equal to 3.8 years ($50,000 + $125,000 + $150,000 + (0.8 X$50,000)= $365,000). Answers (b), (c) and (d) are incorrect because the payback period is 3.8 years.