Financial Analysis
Decision Making
Strategic Planning

Cost-Benefit Analysis with AI

Finyna
Finyna Strategy Team
September 18, 2025
21 min read

Learn how to conduct effective cost-benefit analyses with Finyna

Introduction to Cost-Benefit Analysis

Cost-benefit analysis (CBA) is a systematic approach to estimating the strengths and weaknesses of alternatives by determining the benefits and costs of decisions. It's used to determine options that provide the best approach to achieve benefits while preserving savings.

Finyna can help you build comprehensive cost-benefit analyses for various scenarios, including pricing strategies, expansion plans, investment projects, and more. With AI assistance, you can identify all relevant costs and benefits, quantify them accurately, and make optimal decisions based on sound financial reasoning.

How to Use Finyna for Cost-Benefit Analysis

Below are examples of effective prompts for different cost-benefit scenarios, along with sample responses from our AI assistant. These examples demonstrate how to structure your queries to get the most useful analysis and insights.

Pricing Strategy Analysis

We're considering three pricing strategies for our new SaaS product: (1) Low price, high volume at $29/month, (2) Mid-price at $49/month, or (3) Premium at $79/month with more features. Can you help me build a cost-benefit analysis in Excel to evaluate these options?

I'd be happy to help you build a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis for your SaaS pricing strategies. This type of analysis is crucial for maximizing both customer adoption and revenue.

Approach to SaaS Pricing Strategy Analysis

Let's create a structured analysis that considers all key factors in SaaS pricing decisions:

Step 1: Define Key Assumptions & Inputs

First, we need to establish base assumptions for each pricing strategy:

Input ParameterLow Price ($29)Mid-Price ($49)Premium ($79)
Monthly Price$29$49$79
Est. Customer Acquisition Cost$150$200$300
Est. Monthly Customers (Year 1)1,000700400
Annual Growth Rate20%15%10%
Churn Rate (Monthly)3.5%2.5%1.5%
Avg. Customer Lifetime (Months)28.640.066.7
Development Costs for Add'l Features$0$50,000$150,000
Monthly Support Cost per Customer$3$5$8
Infrastructure Cost per Customer$2$2$4

Step 2: Calculate Key Metrics for Each Strategy

Next, let's analyze the three-year performance of each pricing strategy:

Monthly Recurring Revenue (MRR) Growth

PeriodLow Price ($29)Mid-Price ($49)Premium ($79)
Year 1 - End$263,785$301,315$269,447
Year 2 - End$618,050$656,095$543,178
Year 3 - End$1,213,830$1,206,650$941,703
3-Year CAGR114.4%100.3%87.0%

Customer Metrics

MetricLow Price ($29)Mid-Price ($49)Premium ($79)
Customers (Year 3 End)41,85624,62611,920
CAC Payback Period (Months)6.34.54.0
Customer Lifetime Value (LTV)$685$1,761$4,477
LTV:CAC Ratio4.578.8014.92

Profitability Analysis

MetricLow Price ($29)Mid-Price ($49)Premium ($79)
3-Year Cumulative Revenue$22,417,355$23,432,855$18,913,595
3-Year Customer Acquisition Cost$6,375,000$4,900,000$3,900,000
3-Year Operating Costs$9,275,425$7,387,950$5,436,025
3-Year Net Profit$6,766,930$11,094,905$9,427,570
Profit Margin30.2%47.3%49.8%

Step 3: Excel Implementation

Here are the key formulas for your Excel model:

1. Customer Growth with Churn:

excel
=IF(previous_month=0, initial_customers, (previous_month*(1-churn_rate)+new_customers))

2. Monthly Recurring Revenue:

excel
=total_customers*monthly_price

3. Lifetime Value Calculation:

excel
=(monthly_price-monthly_costs)*(1/churn_rate)

4. Net Present Value of Each Strategy:

excel
=NPV(discount_rate, monthly_cash_flows) - initial_investment

5. ROI Calculation:

excel
=(3_year_revenue - total_costs) / total_costs

Step 4: Risk Analysis

Let's evaluate the key risks and advantages of each pricing strategy:

StrategyProsConsRisk Level
Low Price ($29)• Fastest customer growth
• Largest market share
• Highest total revenue by Year 3
• Lowest profit margin
• Higher churn rate
• Lower customer lifetime value
Medium-High
Mid-Price ($49)• Best balance of volume & margin
• Highest cumulative profit
• Strong LTV:CAC ratio
• May miss both budget & premium segments
• Medium competitive differentiation
Low
Premium ($79)• Highest profit margin
• Lowest churn rate
• Highest LTV:CAC ratio
• Slower growth
• Smaller addressable market
• Higher feature development costs
Medium

Step 5: Sensitivity Analysis

I've created a sensitivity analysis for the Mid-Price option, showing how net profit changes with different churn and conversion rates:

3-Year Net Profit ($M)Conversion Rate
Churn Rate-20%Base Case+20%
+2% (4.5%)$6.78$8.32$9.86
Base (2.5%)$9.03$11.09$13.16
-1% (1.5%)$11.70$14.51$17.32

Step 6: Recommendation

Based on the comprehensive analysis, the Mid-Price ($49) strategy appears optimal because:

  1. It provides the highest 3-year cumulative profit at $11.09M
  2. It offers a balanced approach with strong unit economics (LTV:CAC ratio of 8.8)
  3. It minimizes risk compared to other options
  4. It allows room for both upselling and occasional promotions

Implementation Considerations:

  • Consider a freemium tier to feed the acquisition funnel
  • Build in an upgrade path from the $49 tier to premium features
  • Create annual pricing options at a 15-20% discount to improve cash flow and reduce churn

Would you like me to expand on any aspect of this analysis, such as developing a more detailed monthly cash flow projection or exploring a hybrid pricing approach?

Facility Expansion Analysis

Our manufacturing facility is operating at capacity. We're considering either (A) expanding our current location for $5M or (B) building a new facility for $12M with more automation. Can you help me analyze which option provides better long-term value?

I'd be happy to help you analyze your facility expansion options. This is a significant capital decision that requires thorough cost-benefit analysis across multiple dimensions.

Manufacturing Facility Expansion Analysis

Let's create a comprehensive analysis comparing your two options:

Step 1: Establish Key Parameters

First, let's define the core parameters for both options:

ParameterOption A: Expand CurrentOption B: New Automated Facility
Initial Investment$5,000,000$12,000,000
Additional Annual Capacity500,000 units1,200,000 units
Expected Facility Lifespan15 years25 years
Construction Timeframe8 months18 months
Production Disruption15% for 3 monthsNone
Annual Labor Costs$2,200,000$1,400,000
Annual Maintenance$350,000$500,000
Energy EfficiencyCurrent standard30% improvement
Annual Energy Costs$600,000$525,000
Quality ImprovementMinimalEst. 20% defect reduction
Tax Incentives AvailableMinimal$1,500,000

Step 2: 10-Year Financial Projection

Let's analyze the 10-year financial performance of both options:

MetricOption A: Expand CurrentOption B: New Automated Facility
Initial Investment$5,000,000$12,000,000
Production Disruption Cost$825,000$0
10-Year Revenue Potential$48,750,000$105,300,000
10-Year Labor Costs$22,000,000$14,000,000
10-Year Maintenance$3,500,000$5,000,000
10-Year Energy Costs$6,000,000$5,250,000
10-Year Quality-Related Savings$0$4,200,000
Tax Benefits$750,000$1,500,000
Total 10-Year Cash Flow$12,175,000$69,750,000
Net Present Value (8% discount)$5,826,430$28,134,750
Internal Rate of Return (IRR)21.4%37.2%
Payback Period4.6 years3.3 years

Step 3: Excel Implementation

Here are the key formulas for your Excel model:

1. Net Present Value (NPV) Calculation:

excel
=NPV(discount_rate, cash_flow_range) + initial_investment

2. Internal Rate of Return (IRR):

excel
=IRR(values, [guess])

3. Payback Period Calculation:

excel
=MATCH(TRUE,cumulative_cash_flow>=0,0)/periods_per_year

4. Production Disruption Cost:

excel
=current_monthly_profit*disruption_percentage*disruption_months

5. Annual Cost Savings Comparison:

excel
=SUM(option_a_costs) - SUM(option_b_costs)

Step 4: Non-Financial Considerations

Beyond pure financial metrics, consider these factors:

ConsiderationOption A: Expand CurrentOption B: New Automated Facility
Future FlexibilityLimited additional expansion potentialDesigned for future growth
Workforce ImpactMaintains current workforce size35% reduction in labor needs
Environmental ImpactMinimal improvementSignificant efficiency gains
Supply Chain IntegrationUnchangedOpportunity to optimize
Competitive PositioningMaintains status quoPotential market advantage
Risk FactorsLower financial risk
Production disruption
Space constraints
Higher financial exposure
Technology implementation
Longer timeframe
Technological AdvantageMinimalSignificant automation benefits

Step 5: Sensitivity Analysis for Option B

I've created a sensitivity analysis showing how NPV changes with variations in key parameters:

NPV ($M)Capacity Utilization
Discount Rate70%80%90%
6%$26.4M$31.8M$37.2M
8%$21.5M$28.1M$33.8M
10%$17.6M$22.9M$28.2M

Step 6: Expansion Timeline Comparison

Timeline MilestoneOption A: Expand CurrentOption B: New Automated Facility
Planning & Permitting2-3 months4-6 months
Construction5-6 months12-14 months
Equipment Installation1-2 months3-4 months
Testing & Calibration2 weeks4-6 weeks
Staff TrainingMinimal2-3 months
Full OperationMonth 9Month 19

Step 7: Recommendations

Based on the comprehensive analysis, Option B: New Automated Facility provides superior long-term value despite the higher initial investment, because:

  1. Superior Financial Returns: Higher NPV by $22.3M, higher IRR (37.2% vs 21.4%), and faster payback period despite larger investment

  2. Strategic Advantages:

    • Significantly higher production capacity (+1.2M vs +0.5M units)
    • Labor cost savings of $800,000 annually
    • No production disruption during construction
    • Modern technology with quality improvements
    • Longer facility lifespan (25 vs 15 years)
  3. Risk Mitigation Strategy:

    • Phase construction to allow partial operation sooner
    • Secure fixed-price contracts with vendors to limit cost escalation
    • Implement gradual automation transition to minimize disruption
    • Design with modularity to allow staged investment

Implementation Considerations:

  • Negotiate additional government incentives for job training and environmental improvements
  • Consider financing options to optimize capital deployment
  • Develop a comprehensive transition plan for workforce adjustments
  • Explore potential sale or repurposing of the current facility

Would you like me to elaborate on any aspect of this analysis? For example, I could develop a more detailed monthly cash flow projection, explore financing options, or analyze different capacity utilization scenarios.

New Product Investment Analysis

We're evaluating whether to invest $2M in developing a new product line. Our market research suggests first-year sales of $800K growing to $3M by year 5, with 35% gross margins. How should I structure a cost-benefit analysis to determine if this is a good investment?

I'd be happy to help you structure a thorough cost-benefit analysis for your potential $2M product line investment. This type of capital allocation decision requires a comprehensive evaluation of both financial returns and strategic benefits.

New Product Investment Analysis Framework

Let's create a structured analysis to determine whether this investment meets your financial and strategic objectives:

Step 1: Establish Core Assumptions

First, let's organize all the key assumptions for the investment:

ParameterValueNotes
Initial Investment$2,000,000Upfront development cost
Project Timeline5+ yearsInitial analysis period
First Year Revenue$800,000From market research
Year 5 Revenue$3,000,000From market research
Annual Revenue Growth~39%Calculated CAGR based on targets
Gross Margin35%Across all years
R&D Timeline9 monthsEstimated development period
Operating Expenses15% of revenueSales, marketing, support
Tax Rate25%Corporate tax rate
Discount Rate12%Reflecting risk & opportunity cost
Terminal Value Multiple5xFor ongoing business valuation

Step 2: 5-Year Financial Projection

Let's create detailed year-by-year projections:

MetricYear 0Year 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5
Revenue$0$800,000$1,112,800$1,548,000$2,152,000$3,000,000
Growth Rate--39.1%39.1%39.0%39.4%
COGS$0$520,000$723,320$1,006,200$1,398,800$1,950,000
Gross Profit$0$280,000$389,480$541,800$753,200$1,050,000
Gross Margin-35.0%35.0%35.0%35.0%35.0%
Operating Expenses$0$120,000$166,920$232,200$322,800$450,000
EBITDA$0$160,000$222,560$309,600$430,400$600,000
EBITDA Margin-20.0%20.0%20.0%20.0%20.0%
Depreciation$0$400,000$400,000$400,000$400,000$400,000
EBIT$0($240,000)($177,440)($90,400)$30,400$200,000
Taxes$0$0$0$0$7,600$50,000
Net Income$0($240,000)($177,440)($90,400)$22,800$150,000
Initial Investment($2,000,000)-----
Cash Flow($2,000,000)$160,000$222,560$309,600$422,800$550,000
Cumulative Cash Flow($2,000,000)($1,840,000)($1,617,440)($1,307,840)($885,040)($335,040)
Discounted Cash Flow($2,000,000)$142,857$177,306$220,261$268,609$311,866

Terminal Value Calculation:

  • Year 5 EBITDA: $600,000
  • Terminal Multiple: 5x
  • Terminal Value: $3,000,000
  • Discounted Terminal Value: $1,701,991

Step 3: Investment Analysis Metrics

Financial MetricValueInterpretation
Net Present Value (NPV)$822,890Investment creates value
Internal Rate of Return (IRR)18.4%Above typical hurdle rate
Payback Period6.6 yearsIncluding terminal value
Profitability Index1.411.41returnper1.41 return per 1 invested
Return on Investment (5-yr)31.7%Total return over 5 years
Breakeven Annual Revenue$1,714,285Required for DCF positive

Step 4: Excel Implementation

Here are the key formulas for your investment analysis model:

1. Projected Revenue Growth:

excel
=B3*(1+growth_rate)

2. Net Present Value (NPV):

excel
=NPV(discount_rate, year1_cash_flow:year5_cash_flow) + terminal_value/(1+discount_rate)^5 + initial_investment

3. Internal Rate of Return (IRR):

excel
=IRR(initial_investment:year5_cf_plus_terminal)

4. EBITDA Calculation:

excel
=Revenue*(gross_margin-opex_percentage)

5. Terminal Value:

excel
=Year5_EBITDA*terminal_multiple

Step 5: Sensitivity Analysis

Let's analyze how key variables impact the NPV of the project:

NPV ($000s)Gross Margin
Growth Rate30%35%40%
30%($143)$458$1,058
39%$112$823$1,533
48%$432$1,269$2,105
NPV ($000s)Initial Investment
Discount Rate$1.8M$2.0M$2.2M
10%$1,388$1,188$988
12%$1,023$823$623
14%$715$515$315

Step 6: Risk Assessment

Risk FactorProbabilityImpactMitigation Strategy
Development delaysMediumSchedule slip, increased costsAgile methodology, contingency budget
Lower sales than projectedMediumReduced ROI, extended paybackPhased launch, market testing
Margin pressureMediumReduced profitabilityValue-based pricing, cost engineering
Competitive responseHighMarket share challengesDifferentiation, IP protection, rapid iteration
Regulatory changesLowCompliance costsRegulatory monitoring, flexible design

Step 7: Strategic Benefits Assessment

Beyond financial returns, consider these strategic benefits:

  1. Portfolio Expansion

    • Addresses new customer segments
    • Reduces dependency on existing product lines
    • Creates cross-selling opportunities
  2. Market Position

    • Strengthens competitive positioning
    • Builds brand reputation
    • Blocks competitor entry
  3. Organizational Capabilities

    • Develops new technical expertise
    • Creates platform for future innovations
    • Attracts new talent

Step 8: Recommendations

Based on the comprehensive analysis, this investment appears financially sound with positive strategic benefits:

  1. Proceed with the $2M investment because:

    • Positive NPV of $823K (41% return on investment)
    • IRR of 18.4% exceeds typical hurdle rates
    • Strategic benefits further enhance the value proposition
    • Sensitivity analysis shows resilience to reasonable variances
  2. Implementation strategy:

    • Set clear stage gates for continued funding
    • Implement quarterly performance reviews against projections
    • Establish contingency plans for different market outcomes
    • Consider a phased approach to limit initial exposure
  3. Key performance indicators to track:

    • Customer acquisition cost
    • Conversion rates
    • Customer lifetime value
    • Market share gain
    • Gross margin maintenance

Would you like me to elaborate on any specific aspect of this analysis, such as calculating the terminal value differently, exploring different growth scenarios, or developing a more detailed risk mitigation plan?

Product Discontinuation Analysis

We have a product line that's generating $1.2M in annual revenue but only 12% margins and requires significant support. How can I analyze whether we should discontinue it and reallocate resources to higher-margin offerings?

I'll help you create a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis for potentially discontinuing your product line. This is an important strategic decision that requires careful consideration of both financial and non-financial factors.

Product Discontinuation Analysis Framework

Let's build a structured approach to evaluate whether discontinuing this product line is the right strategic move:

Step 1: Current Product Performance Assessment

First, let's establish the full picture of the product's current performance:

MetricCurrent ValueIndustry Benchmark
Annual Revenue$1,200,000-
Gross Margin12% ($144,000)35-40%
Direct Costs$1,056,000-
Support Resources (FTE)3.5-
Support Costs$350,000-
Allocated Overhead$120,000-
Net Profit($326,000)-
Customer Count85-
Average Revenue per Customer$14,118-
Product Lifecycle StageMature/Declining-
Revenue Trend-5% annually+8% industry avg

Step 2: Discontinuation Impact Analysis

Now, let's analyze the impact of discontinuing the product:

Impact AreaImmediate EffectLong-term Effect
Financial Impacts
Lost Revenue-$1,200,000Declining at 5% annually
Cost Savings (Direct)+$1,056,000Increasing at 3% annually
Support Cost Savings+$350,000Increasing at 2% annually
Overhead Reallocation+$90,00075% of current allocation
Wind-down Costs-$175,000One-time expense
Net Financial Impact+$121,000Improving over time
Resource Reallocation
Staff Redeployment3.5 FTEs availablePotential $525K new revenue
Manufacturing Capacity15% capacity freedOpportunity for high-margin products
Capital Equipment$420K in assetsPotential reuse or $280K salvage
Customer Impact
Revenue at Risk (Cross-sell)$425,00020% of cross-sold products
Strategic Accounts Affected12 accounts$720K total relationship value

Step 3: Excel Implementation

Here are the key formulas for your Excel analysis model:

1. True Product Profitability:

excel
=Revenue*(Gross_Margin/100)-Support_Costs-Allocated_Overhead

2. 5-Year Projection (Status Quo):

excel
=NPV(discount_rate, CF_year1:CF_year5)

Where CF_yearX = Revenue*(1-annual_decline)^X * Gross_Margin - Support_Costs*(1+cost_inflation)^X

3. 5-Year Projection (Post-Discontinuation):

excel
=-Wind_down_costs+NPV(discount_rate, Reallocation_CF_year1:Reallocation_CF_year5)

4. Opportunity Cost Analysis:

excel
=Reallocated_Resources*Productivity_Factor*New_Product_Margin

5. Customer Retention Probability:

excel
=IF(Customer_Cross_sell_revenue>50000,0.7,IF(Customer_Cross_sell_revenue>10000,0.5,0.2))

Step 4: 5-Year Financial Projection

Let's compare keeping vs. discontinuing the product over a 5-year horizon:

ScenarioYear 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 55-Year Total
Keep Product
Revenue$1,140,000$1,083,000$1,028,850$977,408$928,537$5,157,795
Gross Profit$136,800$129,960$123,462$117,289$111,424$618,935
Support Costs$357,000$364,140$371,423$378,851$386,428$1,857,842
Overhead$122,400$124,848$127,345$129,892$132,490$636,975
Net Profit($342,600)($359,028)($375,306)($391,454)($407,494)($1,875,882)
Discontinue
Wind-down Costs($175,000)$0$0$0$0($175,000)
Cross-sell Retention$340,000$357,000$374,850$393,593$413,272$1,878,715
Reallocation Revenue$315,000$472,500$614,250$675,675$743,243$2,820,668
Reallocation Profit$110,250$165,375$214,988$236,486$260,135$987,234
Net Profit$275,250$522,375$589,838$630,079$673,407$2,690,949
Difference$617,850$881,403$965,144$1,021,533$1,080,901$4,566,831

Step 5: Customer Analysis

Customer SegmentCountRevenue at RiskStrategic ValueRetention Probability
Strategic Multi-product12$425,000High70%
Mid-tier Single-product38$670,000Medium20%
Small/Declining35$105,000Low10%

Step 6: Resource Reallocation Analysis

ResourceCurrent UsePotential ReallocationROI Improvement
Sales Team (1.5 FTE)$1.2M revenue$1.8M potential revenue50%
Support Team (2.0 FTE)Cost center$1.2M revenue supportProfit center
Manufacturing SpaceLow-margin goodsHigh-margin alternatives3x margin
Management FocusProblem resolutionGrowth opportunitiesQualitative

Step 7: Recommendations

Based on the comprehensive analysis, discontinuing the product line appears to be the optimal decision because:

  1. Financial Improvement:

    • Current product is losing $326,000 annually with declining trajectory
    • Discontinuation provides $4.57M positive impact over 5 years
    • Even with conservative assumptions about resource reallocation, the company benefits significantly
  2. Resource Optimization:

    • 3.5 FTEs can be reallocated to higher-value activities
    • Manufacturing capacity can be repurposed for higher-margin products
    • Management focus shifts from problem-solving to growth opportunities
  3. Risk Mitigation Strategy:

    • Develop migration path for strategic customers to alternative solutions
    • Create retention program for multi-product customers
    • Consider phased discontinuation (12-18 months) instead of immediate shutdown
    • Establish account management protocol for affected strategic relationships

Implementation Plan:

  1. Phase 1 (1-3 months): Internal preparation

    • Develop customer communication plan
    • Create inventory runoff strategy
    • Prepare sales team with transition offers
    • Design resource reallocation plan
  2. Phase 2 (3-6 months): Strategic customer communication

    • One-on-one meetings with top 12 accounts
    • Develop customized transition plans
    • Introduce alternative solutions
  3. Phase 3 (6-12 months): General discontinuation

    • Announce to all customers with 6-month notice
    • Begin resource transition
    • Implement cross-sell initiatives
    • Monitor customer retention metrics

Would you like me to elaborate on any specific aspect of this analysis? For example, I could provide more detail on customer retention strategies, develop a detailed transition timeline, or create additional financial scenarios.

Best Practices for Cost-Benefit Analysis

When using Finyna for cost-benefit analysis, keep these best practices in mind:

  1. Be comprehensive with costs and benefits: Include all direct and indirect costs, tangible and intangible benefits.

  2. Use appropriate time horizons: Consider the full lifecycle of the decision, not just immediate impacts.

  3. Account for opportunity costs: Always evaluate what could be done with the same resources allocated differently.

  4. Quantify intangible factors when possible: Attempt to assign monetary values to qualitative benefits for better comparison.

  5. Conduct sensitivity analysis: Test how changes in key assumptions affect outcomes to understand the robustness of your conclusion.

  6. Consider multiple scenarios: Evaluate best-case, worst-case, and most likely scenarios.

  7. Include risk assessment: Identify potential risks and their likelihood to make more informed decisions.

  8. Look beyond financial returns: Consider strategic alignment, organizational capabilities, and competitive positioning.

Finyna can help you implement these best practices and create sophisticated cost-benefit analyses that provide a solid foundation for sound business decisions.

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Finyna Strategy Team

Financial analysis and AI expert at Finyna. Specializing in creating AI-powered tools for financial professionals.

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