Dictionary
Financial Glossary
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> "Internal rate of return" Definition |
 Internal rate of return
The interest rate which, when used as the discount rate for a series of cash flows, gives a net present value of zero.To understand this, remember the fundamental concept that £1 received in ten years is not worth as much as £1 received now, because £1 received now can be invested for ten years and compound into a higher amount.So if you are a project financier, and you are considering the viability of a project that requires up front capital expenditure, which will be recouped by net cash inflows in years 3, 4 and 5, you have to discount the earnings in those later years to establish their net present value. The discount you apply is the crucial thing, but the IRR gives you a starting point -it is the discount rate at which the project will break even.If you apply a discount rate to future cashflows that is higher than the IRR, the project will make a loss in real terms. If you apply a discount that is lower than the IRR, the project will be profitable.
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Glossary 
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Dictionary
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Internal rate of return - The interest rate which, when used as the discount rate for a series of cash flows, gives a net present value of zero.To understand this, remember the fundamental concept that £1 received in ten years is not worth as much as £1 received now, because £1 received now can be invested for ten years and compound into a higher amount.So if you are a project financier, and you are considering the viability of a project that requires up front capital expenditure, which will be recouped by net cash inflows in years 3, 4 and 5, you have to discount the earnings in those later years to establish their net present value. The discount you apply is the crucial thing, but the IRR gives you a starting point -it is the discount rate at which the project will break even.If you apply a discount rate to future cashflows that is higher than the IRR, the project will make a loss in real terms. If you apply a discount that is lower than the IRR, the project will be profitable.
Internal rate of return : the interest rate which, when used as the discount rate for a series of cash flows, gives a net present value of zero.to understand this, remember the fundamental concept that £1 received in ten years is not worth as much as £1 received now, because £1 received now can be invested for ten years and compound into a higher amount.so if you are a project financier, and you are considering the viability of a project that requires up front capital expenditure, which will be recouped by net cash inflows in years 3, 4 and 5, you have to discount the earnings in those later years to establish their net present value. the discount you apply is the crucial thing, but the irr gives you a starting point -it is the discount rate at which the project will break even.if you apply a discount rate to future cashflows that is higher than the irr, the project will make a loss in real terms. if you apply a discount that is lower than the irr, the project will be profitable.
