Another survey revealed that 78 percent of managers would reject an NPV (net present value)-positive project if it would lower quarterly earnings below consensus expectations, and 80 percent would focus on this short-term metric at the expense of building long-term shareholder value.

FORBES: Ending Quarterly Capitalism

One way to calculate the reduced burden due to delaying payments is to calculate the net present value (NPV) of the stream of payments.

FORBES: Ireland's Promissory Note Deal