Lease vs Loan

Person in white blazer shakes hands with a person in blue shirt, likely a business agreement.

Leasing can provide advantages to companies in certain situations:

  1. Provides lower monthly payment than loan (due to residual at end of lease)
  2. Improves cash flow (lower monthly payment)
  3. True operating lease can be classified as off-balance sheet
  4. Typically requires less initial investment at closing than a loan (i.e 1st payment or 1st and last payment) 
  5. Fixed cost for budgeting purposes (i.e. fixed low payment for 48-mos)
  6. Equipment tends to be newer because you are on a fixed trading cycle at end of term (replace old for new)
  7. Short term lease keeps equipment under original warranty (lower maintenance)
  8. Reduces taxable income since lease is an expense item
  9. Interest rates are lower to customer (Lessor takes depreciation benefits and passes savings to customer in lower rate)
  10. Sales tax can be billed monthly in some states versus paid up front