Elaborate on why the net present value (NPV) of a relatively long-term project

Elaborate on why the net present value (NPV) of a relatively long-term project is more sensitive to changes in the cost of capital than is the NPV of a short-term project.
Provide two examples of NPV calculations that support your position.

Full Answer Section

       

The Net Present Value (NPV) of a relatively long-term project is more sensitive to changes in the cost of capital than is the NPV of a short-term project primarily due to the compounding effect of discounting over extended periods.

Here's a breakdown of the reasoning:

Why Long-Term Projects' NPV is More Sensitive to Cost of Capital

The NPV formula is:

Where:

  • = Cash flow at time
  • = Discount rate (cost of capital)
  • = Time period
  • = Total number of periods (project life)

The core reason for the increased sensitivity lies in the exponent () in the denominator, .

  1. Exponential Impact of Discounting:

 

Sample Answer

       

The Net Present Value (NPV) of a relatively long-term project is more sensitive to changes in the cost of capital than is the NPV of a short-term project primarily due to the compounding effect of discounting over extended periods.

Here's a breakdown of the reasoning:

Why Long-Term Projects' NPV is More Sensitive to Cost of Capital

The NPV formula is:

Where:

  • = Cash flow at time
  • = Discount rate (cost of capital)
  • = Time period
  • = Total number of periods (project life)

The core reason for the increased sensitivity is the exponent in the denominator, .

  1. Exponential Impact of Discounting:

    • When (the cost of capital) changes, its effect is magnified by the exponent . For short-term projects, is small, so even a slight change in doesn't significantly alter the denominator.