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The use of Internal Rate of Return in business world

IRR, or Internal Rate of Return, is a financial metric used to calculate the profitability of an investment or project. It represents the rate at which the net present value (NPV) of all cash flows associated with an investment is equal to zero. In other words, it is the discount rate that makes the present value of future cash flows equal to the initial investment.

IRR is an important tool for financial management as it helps to determine whether an investment is worthwhile or not. It is commonly used to compare different investment opportunities and to make decisions about capital budgeting. A project or investment with a higher IRR is generally considered more profitable and attractive than one with a lower IRR.

For example, let's say that a company is considering investing in a new project that requires an initial investment of $100,000. The project is expected to generate cash flows of $30,000 in Year 1, $40,000 in Year 2, and $50,000 in Year 3. To calculate the IRR of this investment, we would first discount the cash flows to their present values using a discount rate. Let's assume a discount rate of 10%.

The present value of the cash flows would be:

Year 1: $30,000 / (1 + 0.10) ^ 1 = $27,273 Year 2: $40,000 / (1 + 0.10) ^ 2 = $33,057 Year 3: $50,000 / (1 + 0.10) ^ 3 = $38,139

The total present value of the cash flows would be $98,470. This is less than the initial investment of $100,000, indicating that the project may not be profitable. To find the IRR of the investment, we would adjust the discount rate until the present value of the cash flows equals the initial investment. In this case, the IRR would be approximately 9.5%.

If the company's required rate of return for projects like this one was, say, 12%, the IRR of 9.5% would indicate that the project is not profitable enough to warrant investment. However, if the required rate of return was only 8%, the IRR of 9.5% would suggest that the investment is profitable and should be pursued.

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