Present value: Difference between revisions

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(Created page with "The value of something now. Of particular interest when that “something” is a financial obligation that falls due in the future. The present value of my promise to pay...")
 
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The value of something now. Of particular interest when that “something” is a financial obligation that falls due in the [[future]]. The present value of my promise to pay you £10 in a year’s time is something less than £10.  
The value of something now. Of particular interest when that “something” is a payment obligation that falls due in the [[future]]: for example, the repayment of a [[loan]]: The [[present value]] of my promise to pay you £10 in a year’s time is something less than £10.  


Why? For one thing, because you have to wait for a year without that money. If you wanted to replace that money, by borrowing it, you would have to pay interest on it. Call this the “funding cost”. For another, until I actually pony up the cash, you are my creditor, and if I go bust, you may not ever get that £100. Call this the “[[credit risk]]”.  
Why?  
*For one thing, because you have to wait a year for that money. If you wanted it now, you'd have to borrow it, and you would have to pay interest on it. Call this the “funding cost”. Deduct that funding cost from the value of the £10.
*For another, until I actually pony up the cash, you are my creditor, and if I go bust, you may not ever get that £100. Call this the “[[credit risk]]”.
*For a third, inflation.


Think of it another way: imagine you loaned me £10, for a year, without interest. You would never do that, right? This is why a [[zero-coupon bond]] issues at a discount. it doesn’t pay interest, so instead you buy at a discounted price which implies the interest rate you would be prepared to pay.
Think of it another way: imagine you loaned me £10, for a year, without interest. You would never do that, right? This is why a [[zero-coupon bond]] issues at a discount. it doesn’t pay interest, so instead you buy at a discounted price which implies the interest rate you would be prepared to pay.