Capitalising vs expensing (beginner question)

Hi,

I wonder how these scenarios will show in the statements.

Assumptions: €100 machine purchase, Depreciation of 10 years (straight line), no salvage value, corporate tax rate of 20%. Machine purchased in the beginning of the year and no dividends are paid out to equity holders.

Capitalising scenario:

PnL

Depreciation = 10€, so net income decreases by 10€ * (1-0,2) = -8€.

Cash Flows

Depreciation is added back in in CFO so we have 2€ from CFO. CapEx decreases CFI with 100

Balance Sheet

PP&E is now 90€ (after depreciation the first year) Cash is -98

Asset = -8€ Retained earnings = -8€

Balanced!

Now the question: how would this scenario look like if we would expense? Would we just have 100€ in PP&E and -100€ cash on the balance sheet? It feels wrong to skip the whole flow through the PnL and cash flow statements..

2 Comments
 
Most Helpful

If you expensed the machine, the entire EU100 impact would fall on the income statement, instead of EU10 of depreciation:

P&L Machine expense: -EU100 Net income: -EU100 * (1-0.2) = -EU80

CFS CFO = -EU80 Net cash flow = -EU80

B/S Cash = -EU80 Assets = -EU80

Retained earnings = -EU80

Because you expensed the machine, it doesn't show up as a capital asset (i.e. PP&E) on the balance sheet anymore, and therefore does not incur depreciation. It should be treated like any other cash expense.

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