What is EBITDA?

EBITDA is an acronym for Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization. It is a financial metric used to assess the operating performance and profitability of a company. EBITDA provides a snapshot of a company’s earnings from its core operations, excluding certain financial factors that are not directly related to its operational performance.

The components that are excluded from EBITDA are:

Interest: EBITDA excludes interest expenses, which are the costs associated with borrowing money.

Taxes: EBITDA does not take into account income taxes, which can vary based on tax laws and deductions.

Depreciation: EBITDA does not include depreciation, which represents the allocation of the cost of tangible assets (like machinery, buildings, etc.) over their useful lives.

Amortization: EBITDA also excludes amortization, which is the allocation of the cost of intangible assets (like patents, copyrights, etc.) over their useful lives.

By excluding these factors, EBITDA aims to provide a clearer view of a company’s operational performance without the influence of financing decisions, tax policies, or non-cash accounting adjustments. It is often used as a measure to compare the operating performance of different companies within the same industry, as it provides a standardized view of earnings.

However, it’s important to note that while EBITDA can be a useful tool for assessing operational efficiency, it has limitations. It doesn’t account for important cash requirements like capital expenditures or changes in working capital, and it may not accurately reflect a company’s true financial health. Therefore, EBITDA is often used in conjunction with other financial metrics and analysis to provide a more comprehensive picture of a company’s financial performance.

Read more about EBITDA in our full EBITDA Guide.