Let me first explain the meaning of both the terms CapEx and OpEx Capital expenditure (in short CapEx) is basically incurred for Fixed assets like building, furniture, machinery, etc., or an intangible asset like Goodwill, patent, etc. This expenses are incurred in order to acquire a new asset or imRead more
Let me first explain the meaning of both the terms CapEx and OpEx
Capital expenditure (in short CapEx) is basically incurred for Fixed assets like building, furniture, machinery, etc., or an intangible asset like Goodwill, patent, etc. This expenses are incurred in order to acquire a new asset or improve an existing one or maintain the asset in use.
Capital expenditure is commonly found in the Cash flow statement under Investing activities as Investment in plant, machinery, equipment, etc.
Operating Expenditure (in short OpEx) are day-to-day expenses incurred by a firm in order to carry its normal business.
Expenses such as rent, advertisement, inventory costs, etc.
Operating Expenses are shown in the income statement of the company as expenses incurred during the period.
For Example: If a company purchases a printer, the printer would be a capital expenditure and the papers used for the printer would be operating expenditure.
Difference between CapEx and OpEx
Example 1: A company wants to lease machinery instead of buying it, in this case buying machinery would be capital expenditure, and leasing the machinery would be an Operating expense.
Example 2: Buying machinery would cost a company for 50000 and leasing the same would cost 35000. So in this case leasing will be more preferred by a company which means operating expenditure would be preferred instead of a capital expenditure.
From the point of view of tax treatment operating expenditure is more preferred over Capital expenditure because the expenses incurred during the year are deducted during the same year which reduces the tax levied on net income.
Some real Examples from the Company Amazon
This is the cash flow statement of Amazon, where the investing activities shows the capital expenditure incurred by the company during the years.
This is the income statement of Amazon, it shows the operating expenditure incurred by the company during the year.
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The installation expenses for a new machinery will be debited to the "Machinery A/c". Installation expenses are the expense incurred to bring an asset to a working condition where it can be used. For example, installation charges are incurred on machinery to make it operational. Installation chargesRead more
The installation expenses for a new machinery will be debited to the “Machinery A/c“. Installation expenses are the expense incurred to bring an asset to a working condition where it can be used. For example, installation charges are incurred on machinery to make it operational.
Installation charges will be capitalized along with the cost of machinery. It is so because this expense is concerning the machinery and any expense directly related to an asset should be capitalized, as an asset will be with the business for a longer period of time.
This charge will be incurred only once as a part of bringing the machinery to its working condition, and hence it should be capitalized and should be added to the cost of the machine. The whole amount will be shown in the balance sheet on the asset side as a Fixed Asset.
This charge will not be shown in Profit and Loss A/c as it reflects all the revenue expenditure incurred in the period.
Example:
Starbucks purchased a coffee blending machine for the business purpose for $1,00,000. The installation expense incurred on it to make it operational was $20,000. How will Starbucks record this in the Balance Sheet on 31 December?
In the Balance Sheet, Starbucks will add the installation expense incurred on the machine to the cost of the machine as it is the cost incurred to make the machine operational for further business use. Hence, the cost of $20,000 will be shown along with the cost of the coffee blending machine ($1,00,000+$20,000=$1,20,000)
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