What Is EBITA?
Earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization (EBITA) is a measure of company profitability used by investors. It is helpful for comparing one company to another in the same line of business. In some cases, it can also provide a more accurate view of a business's value.
Another similar measure adds depreciation to this list of factors. This is earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA). Some analysts use EBITA and EBITDA as ways to gauge a company's value, earning power, and efficiency.
Key Takeaways
- Earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization (EBITA) removes the taxes owed, the interest on company debt, and the effects of amortization, which is the accounting practice of writing off the cost of an intangible asset over a period of years, from the earnings equation.
- This measure can provide a more accurate view of a company’s value.
- EBITA may also allow for easier comparison of one company to another in the same industry.
- EBITA can be misleading as a valuation method because it excludes certain expenses from earnings.
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Understanding EBITA
EBITA is a metric taken from the financial data collected and reported by a company for a reporting period.
Some analysts and investors consider a company’s EBITA to be a more accurate representation of its actual earnings. This is because it removes the taxes owed, the interest on company debt, and the effects of amortization—the accounting practice of writing off the cost of an intangible asset over a period of years—from the equation.
It also is viewed by some as an indicator of the efficiency of a company’s operations.
EBITA vs. EBITDA
EBITA is not used as commonly as EBITDA, which adds depreciation to the calculation. Depreciation, in company accounting, is the recording of the reduced value of the company’s tangible assets over time. It’s a way of accounting for the wear and tear on assets such as equipment and facilities. Some companies, such as those in the utilities, manufacturing, and telecommunications industries, require significant expenditures on equipment and infrastructure, which are reflected in their books.
Both EBITA and EBITDA are used by some analysts for gauging a company’s operating profitability. Profitability is earnings generated throughout the ordinary course of doing business. The company’s profitability may be more apparent if capital expenditures and financing costs are subtracted from the official earnings total.
Some analysts consider both EBITA and EBITDA to be reliable indicators of a company’s cash flow. However, you should consider these metrics carefully, because they tend to overstate a business's cash flow.
However, some industries require significant investments in fixed assets. Therefore, using EBITA to evaluate companies in asset-heavy industries may distort a company’s profitability by ignoring the depreciation of those assets. In that case, EBITDA is deemed a more appropriate measure of operating profitability.
In other words, the EBITA measurement may be used instead of EBITDA for companies that do not have substantial capital expenditures that may skew the numbers.
EBITA vs. GAAP Earnings
Generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) earnings are, as their name suggests, a common set of standards accepted and used by companies and their accounting departments. The use of GAAP earnings standardizes the financial reporting of publicly traded companies.
Many companies report GAAP earnings as well as non-GAAP earnings, which exclude one-time transactions. The rationale for reporting non-GAAP earnings is that substantial one-off costs, such as organizational restructuring, can distort the true picture of a company’s financial performance. Therefore, some do not consider them normal operational costs. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT), EBITA, and EBITDA are examples of commonly used non-GAAP financial measures.
You should be careful to consider GAAP earnings when making investment decisions, because non-GAAP earnings are somewhat misleading.
Calculating EBITA
To calculate a company’s EBITA, you must first determine the company’s earnings before tax (EBT). This figure appears in the company’s income statements and other investor relations materials, and you add any interest and amortization costs. So the formula is:
EBITA = EBT + Interest Expense + Amortization Expense
What Is the Difference Between EBITA and EBITDA?
Each of these is a measure of profitability used by analysts: earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization (EBITA) and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA). Both are used to gauge a company’s profitability, efficiency, or value. EBITDA is the more commonly used measure because it adds depreciation—the accounting practice of recording the reduced value of a company’s tangible assets over time—to the list of factors.
Where Can You Find a Company’s EBITA?
If a company doesn’t provide this metric (there’s no legal requirement to do so), you find it by looking at the firm’s financial statements. Look for the earnings, tax, and interest figures on the income statement; the amortization is usually found in the notes to operating profit or on the cash flow statement. A shortcut to calculating EBITA is to start with operating profit, also calledearnings before interest and taxes (EBIT), then add back amortization.
How Is EBITA Useful?
EBITA is considered by some to be a reliable indicator of how efficient a company’s operations are. Some analysts use it to gauge profitability, although doing so can be misleading because of the excluded expenses.
The Bottom Line
Earnings before interest, taxes, and amortization (EBITA) is one way analysts measure a company's efficiency, profitability, and value. While it can be a useful tool, it isn't always an accurate reflection of a business's financial situation.
Most companies use earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), which is a more accurate financial picture—but it also has the same limitations in that it hides true profitability by excluding these expenses.
