What is EBITDA?

Investors focus on different financial metrics while evaluating a stock. The net income shows your company's profitability, but there is more to it beyond the income. Operational efficiency directly impacts profitability but certain costs are involved. To understand how well the core of the business is performing, you should focus on different factors that contribute to the operational performance. Although not recognised according to traditional financial standards, EBITDA is an important measure that provides insights into a company's operational profitability. This blog explains what is EBITDA and how it serves as a tool to identify the financial health of a company.

What is EBITDA in the Share Market?

EBITDA full form is Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, And Amortization. Everyone knows that the net income shows the profitability of a company. EBITDA is another measure of profitability that excludes depreciation, amortization, taxes, and debt payment costs. It provides a clear overview of the actual cash profit generated by a company's operations.

Remember, EBITDA is not a matrix recognised by the Generally Accepted Accounting Principle (GAAP). However, many publicly listed companies report EBITDA in their quarterly result to give a clear overview of operational efficiency.

Some reviewers feel that an EBITDA overstates the profitability of a company. Nevertheless, investors and several companies emphasise the importance of EBITDA figures to show the income generated from operations.

Interest expenses are the money the company has to pay for borrowed funding. It changes based on the company's capital structure. Thus, it is not the right indicator of a company's financial performance. As interest payments are tax-deductible, several organizations use this benefit as a corporate tax shield.

Taxes change based on the region where it is operating. The taxation does not show the management team's performance because it is based on the tax of the jurisdiction.

Depreciation expense is incurred by the tangible physical assets of the company that deteriorate over time. Amortization expenses are incurred by intangible assets such as patents, which have a limited useful light before expiration. Depreciation and amortization expenses are the company's historical investments. They are not a reflection of the current operating performance. When invested in long-term fixed assets like vehicles or buildings, a company loses value due to the regular wear and tear.

EBITDA Meaning

Why do investors need to know about EBITDA when it is not a recognised metric? Because this matric is a variation of operating income without including non-cash expenses. Net income and net profitability are influenced by various factors such as capital structure, debt financing, depreciation methods, and taxes. Investors can understand the actual financial performance regardless of the company's capital structure through EBITDA.

It should not be considered the only metric to compute a company's profitability. For companies with a large number of depreciable assets, the maintenance and sustenance costs of the capital assets will not be included in EBITDA. Making investment decisions solely based on EBITDA can steer you in the wrong direction. At the same time, knowing the EBITDA of a company can shed light on how well the company executes its operations.

How to Calculate EBITDA?

EBITDA formula is

EBITDA = Net Income + Interest + Taxes + Depreciation + Amortization

Another way to calculate is

EBITDA = Operating Profit + Depreciation + Amortization

EBITDA is a proxy for cash flow. It gives a quick estimate of the company's value. Another reason investors use EBITDA is that you can arrive at the valuation range by multiplying it with a valuation multiple. The equity research report, industry transactions,  M&A transactions, and publicly traded peers can be used to calculate this variation multiple.

Sometimes, companies may not be able to make a net profit due to the expenses. In such cases, EBITDA is useful to evaluate operational performance. More commonly, private equity firms use it to compare companies in the same industry.

For example, let's calculate EBITDA based on the Infosys income statement for the year ending in March 2024. From this statement, we can get the following figures:

• Net Income: 26,248 crore
• Interest: 470 crore
• Taxes: 8,390 crore
• Depreciation and Amortisation: 4,678 crore

EBITDA = 26,248 + 470 + 8,390 + 4,678 = 40,786 crore.

What is the EBITDA Margin?

EBITDA Margin is the relationship between the aggregate earnings and a company's total revenue. It indicates how much cash profit the company can generate in a year. It is helpful to compare the performance of one company with competitors in the same sector.

You cannot find this metric directly in a company's financial statement. So you must calculate this on your own using the formula,

EBITDA Margin =(EBITDA / Aggregate Revenue) * 100

From the Infosys statement above, aggregate revenue is Rs. 153,670 crore.

Now, EBITDA margin = (40,786 / 153,670) * 100 ≈ 26.55%

What is a good EBITDA?

You may want to know what is a good EBITDA to identify stock with value quickly. However, there is no universal number that you can call for a good EBITDA. It changes with industries and is also largely based on the specific circumstance of the company; generally, the higher the EBITDA,  the better the operational performance. Below chart shows EBITDA growth of our example company, Infosys:

You can compare competitors within a particular sector based on EBITDA margin to evaluate the company's performance.

Advantages of EBITDA

The major advantages of learning the EBITDA of a company are:

• Reliable overview of business growth
• Indicates operation effectiveness
• Reduces risk of variables that can affect finance
• Shows the actual value of the cash flow through active operations
• Only includes expenses necessary for company operations
• Useful to compare a company with its competitors
• A company with a higher EBITDA is good for a leveraged buyout.

Disadvantages of EBITDA

Some of the drawbacks of EBITDA are:

• May mislead company’s profitability
• Does not show actual earnings or all liquid assets
• Can mask financial shortcomings
• Does not consider depreciation and amortization, which are also crucial for evaluating the financial performance of a company

Conclusion

EBITDA offers a clear snapshot of a company's operational profitability, excluding taxes, interest, and depreciation. It's a useful metric, especially for comparing companies within the same industry. However, relying solely on EBITDA can be misleading due to its exclusion of vital financial factors. Investors should balance it with other metrics for a more accurate financial assessment.
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