Customer Lifetime Value is determined from the present value of the customer's expected future profit contribution , rather than simply multiplying annual sales by the number of years.
First calculate annual profit:
$55,000 × 15% = $8,250 per year.
The customer is expected to generate this contribution for 10 years. Because future profits are worth less than profits received today, the 10-year profit stream must be discounted at 15 percent.
Using the present-value factor for a 10-year ordinary annuity at 15 percent:
PV factor ≈ 5.0188
Therefore:
CLV = $8,250 × 5.0188 ≈ $41,405
Thus, option C is the closest answer.
The calculation demonstrates why lifetime value is superior to evaluating customers using annual revenue alone. A customer generating substantial revenue may be comparatively unattractive if margins are small, the relationship is short, or future cash flows are heavily discounted. Conversely, durable, profitable relationships can represent considerable economic value.
The source question bank independently confirms $41,405 as the answer for these exact inputs.
Reference Topic: Business Value and ROI of Supply Chain Excellence — Customer Lifetime Value and Discounted Cash Flow.
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