BARGAIN PURCHASE OPTION

An option within a lease agreement which permits the lessee to buy the leased asset at the termination of the lease period at a value much lower than its fair market value. Bargain to purchase option belongs to one of the four criteria, any of which, once satisfied, would oblige the lease to be classified as a financing or capital lease which must be disclosed on the balance sheet of the lessee. The reason of this classification is to bar "off-balance sheet" financing of a lessee.