Tangible Assets are assets with long-term physical existence generally acquired for use in company operations
Tangible Assets are balance sheet items such as machinery and land that are used to evaluate a company's overall net worth. They are subjected to depreciation over a life time. However, some tangible assets such as cash do not depreciate in value. Tangible assets may also be liquidated in order to satisfy debts or financial obligations.
The opposite of tangible assets are Intangible assets such as patents, trademarks, and goodwill.
Example
- A company's laptop purchased for $1,000 in 2004 is considered a $1,000 tangible asset and has a five year life value. By 2006, the same laptop would still be considered a tangible asset, but the value of the five year old machine will drop to $600 due to straight-line depreciation of 2 years. (Calculation: $1,000 - ($1000 x 2/5) = 600)