


Put the values you have into the formula and complete the calculation no marks will be lost. However, within an exam situation, if a candidate ends up with two positive or two negative NPVs, do not waste time calculating a third. So if a candidate chooses a discount factor and calculates the NPV of the project which turns out to be negative, a lower discount rate should be chosen for the next discounting so that there is a possibility of obtaining a positive NPV. The estimation is most accurate if one NPV used in the formula is positive and the other one is negative.
#Internal rate of return series
If the cash flows of a ‘normal’ (cash outflow followed by a series of cash inflows) project are taken and discounted at different discount rates, it will be possible to plot the following graph: To perform the calculation, we need to take the cash flows of a project and calculate the discount factor that would produce a NPV of zero. The IRR uses cash flows (not profits) and more specifically, relevant cash flows for a project. If the IRR is less than the target, the project is rejected.Ĭonsidering the definition leads us to the calculation. If the IRR is greater than a pre-set percentage target, the project is accepted. This discount rate can then be thought of as the forecast return for the project. The IRR can be defined as the discount rate which, when applied to the cash flows of a project, produces a net present value (NPV) of nil. When this topic is examined, candidates have historically not performed very well, showing a lack of understanding of how the calculation works and what the IRR is.

In short, IRR can be examined in both a written or calculation format, within either section A or section B of the exam. Not only do candidates need to be able to perform the calculation, they need to be able to explain the concept of IRR, how the IRR can be used for project appraisal, and to consider the merits and problems of this method of investment appraisal. Study guide references E3(g), (h) and (i) refer explicitly to the Internal Rate of Return (IRR).
#Internal rate of return professional
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