How do various regulatory and legal guidelines and standards impact the lease vs. buy decision?

Answer 1

Only indirectly.

For example, assume real estate or capital equipment is needed for operations. The outright purchase will immediately reduce the liquid assets and may impact the ability to borrow money for expansion, etc.

The lease of real estate or capital equipment will generally slow a lower monthly commitment, thereby maintaining more cash for expansion, salaries, discretionary spending.

A few industries, such as banks, are required to maintain specific liquidity levels to ensure solvency.

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