Current USDA linear selection indexes such as Lifetime Net Merit (NM) estimate lifetime profit given a combination of 13 traits. In these indexes, every animal gets credit for 2.78 lactations of the traits expressed per lactation, independent of its productive life (PL). Selection among animals with different PL is an example of investment in mutually exclusive projects that have unequal duration. Such projects are best compared with the annualized net present value (ANPV) technique. The objective of this study was to compare the ranking and value differences between NM and ANPV for the top 1,539 Holstein sires for NM available in the December 2017 genetic evaluation from the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding. To calculate the ANPV, economic weights from USDA estimates were multiplied by the PTA of single event traits. Heifer conception rate was recognized at first calving and livability at the end of life. The economic weight of PL was converted from a marginal value of $21 per lactating month depreciated over the standard length of 2.78 lactations, to a replacement cost (−$1500) at the beginning and a salvage value ($800) at the end of life. All other traits were considered lactation dependent, and the economic weights were multiplied by the number of expected lactations (2.78 + PTA PL/10). The values for all 13 traits were discounted and converted to ANPV to compare animals with different investment horizons on the same common horizon. Correlation and rank correlation between NM and ANPV was 0.993 for the group of 1,539 bulls. However, 32% of bulls with the same ANPV had NM deviations greater than $9.90 from the expected NM. Within the highest 300 NM bulls, correlation and rank correlation between NM and ANPV was 0.964 and 0.943, respectively, and the largest changes in ANPV rank from NM rank were −96 and +117. Bulls with a combination of low lactation traits and high PL resulted in the greatest decrease of ANPV rank compared with NM rank. In conclusion, the re-ranking of bulls based on 2 different measures of profitability suggests that further discussion is warranted about construction of selection indexes for genetic selection.