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IBBusinessDPBusiness ManagementSLRevision Notes3. Finance & Accounts 3.7 Investment AppraisalAverage Rate of Return (ARR)

Average Rate of Return (ARR) (DP IB Business Management): Revision Note

Lisa Eades

Written by: Lisa Eades

Reviewed by: Steve Vorster

Updated on

DP Business Management: SLDP Business Management: HL

Average rate of return (ARR)

  • The Average Rate of Return compares the average  profit per year generated by an investment with the value of the initial capital cost 

  • The average rate of return is calculated using the formula and is expressed as a percentage

    • This makes it easy to compare different investment options

fraction numerator open parentheses total space returns space minus space capital space cost close parentheses space divided by space years space of space use over denominator capital space cost end fraction space space space space space space space cross times space space space space space space space space space 100 space space space space space space

Worked Example

Creative Frames, a small artwork framing business based in Bermuda, is considering an investment of $40,000 in new machinery. Megan, the business owner, believes that total returns over a 6-year period will be $76,000

Calculate the Average Rate of Return of the proposed investment.   [4 marks]

 Answer:

Step 1 - Deduct the capital cost from the total returns

$76,000 - $40,000   =   $36,000    [1 mark]


Step 2 - Divide the outcome by the number of years of use

$36,000 ÷ 6 years      =      $6,000     [1 mark]
 

Step 3 - Substitute the values into the formula

equals space fraction numerator 6 comma 000 over denominator 40 comma 000 end fraction space straight x space 100 equals space 0.15   [1 mark]

Step 4 - Multiply the outcome by 100 to find the percentage

    0.15 x 100      =      15%     [1 mark]

Evaluation of average rate of return (ARR)

Advantages

Disadvantages

  • ARR considers all of the net cash flows generated by an investment over time

  • ARR is easy to understand and compare the percentage returns with each other

  • As it depends on an average of cash flows it ignores the timing of those cash flows 

  • The opportunity cost of the investment is ignored as values are neither expressed in real terms nor adjusted for the impact of interest rates and time

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    Lisa Eades

    Author: Lisa Eades

    Expertise: Business Content Creator

    Lisa has taught A Level, GCSE, BTEC and IBDP Business for over 20 years and is a senior Examiner for Edexcel. Lisa has been a successful Head of Department in Kent and has offered private Business tuition to students across the UK. Lisa loves to create imaginative and accessible resources which engage learners and build their passion for the subject.

    Steve Vorster

    Reviewer: Steve Vorster

    Expertise: Economics & Business Subject Lead

    Steve has taught A Level, GCSE, IGCSE Business and Economics - as well as IBDP Economics and Business Management. He is an IBDP Examiner and IGCSE textbook author. His students regularly achieve 90-100% in their final exams. Steve has been the Assistant Head of Sixth Form for a school in Devon, and Head of Economics at the world's largest International school in Singapore. He loves to create resources which speed up student learning and are easily accessible by all.