Suppose a Firm Relies Exclusively on the Payback Method When

question 59

Multiple Choice

Suppose a firm relies exclusively on the payback method when making capital budgeting decisions,and it sets a 4-year payback regardless of economic conditions.Other things held constant,which of the following statements is most likely to be true?

• A) It will accept too many short-term projects and reject too many long-term projects (as judged by the NPV).
• B) It will accept too many long-term projects and reject too many short-term projects (as judged by the NPV).
• C) The firm will accept too many projects in all economic states because a 4-year payback is too low.
• D) The firm will accept too few projects in all economic states because a 4-year payback is too high.
• E) If the 4-year payback results in accepting just the right set of projects under average economic conditions,then this payback will result in too few long-term projects when the economy is weak.

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Definitions:

Production Subsidies

Financial support given by the government to producers or manufacturers to help reduce the cost of producing goods or services.

External Costs

These are costs of a transaction that affect someone who did not choose to incur that cost, often not reflected in the market prices.

Adverse Selection

A situation in which one party in a transaction has more or better information than the other, often leading to an imbalance and inefficient market outcomes.

Home Insurance

A type of insurance policy that provides coverage for damages or losses to an individual’s residence and possessions.