The three most important valuation techniques - EV/EBITDA

10 important questions on The three most important valuation techniques - EV/EBITDA

What is probably the most important valuation multiple in corporate finance?

EV/EBITDA

What is the formula of EV/EBITDA?

entreprise value / earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation & amortisation

How to calculate EBITDA when it is not shown on the income statement?

EBIT + D&A
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What does EBITDA measure?

It measures the profitability of efficient purchasing and in-house value-add (gross profit) minus the costs of running the own organisation (personnel, SG&A), but with no preference for older and written-off asset bases nor very long-term depreciation periods.

What is enterprise value (EV)?

The value of all company operations irrespective of how these are financed, i.e. Without considering who owns which part of the business.

At first, this is solely the money needed to start the business. Later, equity capital and debt may also be needed. Essentially all funds together are your EV.

How is fair equity value calculated when I start from the enterprise value?

entreprise value minus net financial debt minus other financial obligations (e.g. Pension funding gap) minus buyout value of minority interests minus other company-specific liabilities (e.g. Specific provisions)

What does EV/EBITDA express?

The number of years which is needed to repay all enterprise financiers with the company's operating earnings.

What are the four advantages of EV/EBITDA?

  1. Still quite simple
  2. Implicitly takes the financial structure of the company into account by reducing the value that is attributed to third parties
  3. EBITDA is a cash-near profitability figure
  4. EBITDA is more difficult to influence by accounting tricks than net earnings

What are the three disadvantages of EV/EBITDA?

  1. In practice and on a company-by-company basis, the enterprise value is often subject to what to add to it and what not
  2. Usually looks 2-3 years ahead and therefore does not fully value cyclical swings
  3. Needs complex adjustments when taking into account off-balance sheet liabilities

What does the right EV/EBITDA multiple dependent on?

  • On actual and expected growth rate of underlying value drivers.
  • Cash conversion (expressed indirectly as FCF/EBIT, ROCE, asset intensity)

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