With reference to the expenditure made by an organisation or a company

With reference to the expenditure made by an organisation or a company, which of the following statements is/are correct?

  • 1. Acquiring new technology is capital expenditure.
  • 2. Debt financing is considered capital expenditure, while equity financing is considered revenue expenditure.

Select the correct answer using the code given below:

1 only
2 only
Both 1 and 2
Neither 1 nor 2
This question was previously asked in
UPSC IAS – 2022
Option A is correct.
Capital expenditure (Capex) is an investment in assets that will provide long-term benefits to an organization, typically for more than one accounting period. Revenue expenditure provides benefits only in the current period.
Statement 1 is correct. Acquiring new technology, such as purchasing machinery, software, or investing in R&D that leads to patents or processes, is considered capital expenditure because it creates a long-term asset or enhances future productivity and efficiency for the organization beyond the current financial year.
Statement 2 is incorrect. Debt financing (taking loans) and equity financing (issuing shares) are methods of raising funds for a company. They are balance sheet transactions (affecting liabilities and equity). The funds raised might be used for either capital expenditure (buying assets) or revenue expenditure (paying salaries, rent, etc.). The financing method itself (debt or equity) is not classified as capital or revenue *expenditure*.