Asked by Lauren Danner on Jul 13, 2024

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Which of the following does NOT correctly complete this sentence: A project that just breaks even in an accounting sense ___________________.

A) Will lose money in a financial sense.
B) Will result in zero taxes paid.
C) Will not contribute to net income for the firm.
D) Will have a payback period less than the life of the project.
E) Will have operating cash flow equal to depreciation expense.

Accounting Sense

Pertains to the manner in which financial transactions are recorded and understood within the realm of accounting.

Financial Sense

Pertains to the practical and prudent management of money and financial resources to achieve set goals effectively.

Operating Cash Flow

Cash generated from the core business operations of a company, excluding financing and investing activities.

  • Clarify the fundamentals of break-even analysis and its distinct categories: accounting, cash, and financial.
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TL
Taylor LeichtJul 19, 2024
Final Answer :
D
Explanation :
A project that just breaks even in an accounting sense means it covers its costs but does not generate profit, thus it will not contribute to net income (C), will result in zero taxes paid (B), and will have operating cash flow equal to depreciation expense if all its income goes to cover expenses including depreciation (E). It will lose money in a financial sense when considering opportunity costs and the time value of money (A). However, stating it will have a payback period less than the life of the project (D) is incorrect because a break-even project in an accounting sense does not imply any specific relation to its payback period relative to its life; it merely indicates it covers its costs, not how quickly it recovers its initial investment.