Define EBITDA With Examples

EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) is a measure of a company's operating profitability. It is calculated by subtracting the costs of goods sold, operating expenses, depreciation, and amortisation from a company's revenue. EBITDA is often used as a measure of a company's financial performance because it excludes non-operating items such as interest expense, taxes, and non-cash charges.

The EBITDA-to-Interest Coverage Ratio is a financial ratio that compares a company's EBITDA to its interest expense. This ratio is used to measure a company's ability to meet its interest payments with its operating income. The higher the ratio, the more capable a company is of covering its interest expense with its operating income.

A company with an EBITDA-to-Interest Coverage Ratio of 3 or higher is generally considered to have a healthy financial position, as it indicates that the company is generating enough operating income to cover its interest expense three times over. A ratio of less than 1, on the other hand, indicates that a company is not generating enough operating income to cover its interest expense, which could be a sign of financial distress.

For example, let's say a company has an EBITDA of $10 million and an interest expense of $3 million. The company's EBITDA-to-Interest Coverage Ratio would be 3.33 ($10 million/$3 million), which is considered healthy.

Alternatively, let's say another company has an EBITDA of $5 million and an interest expense of $8 million. The company's EBITDA-to-Interest Coverage Ratio would be 0.625 ($5 million/$8 million), which is considered not healthy.

It's important to note that this ratio should not be used in isolation to evaluate a company's financial performance. It should be considered in conjunction with other financial ratios, such as the debt-to-equity ratio, to get a comprehensive understanding of a company's financial position.

It's also worth noting that EBITDA is a non-GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles) measure, meaning that it's not regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), so companies can calculate EBITDA differently. This can make it difficult to compare EBITDA figures across different companies.

Overall, the EBITDA-to-Interest Coverage Ratio is a useful metric for evaluating a company's ability to meet its interest payments with its operating income. A ratio of 3 or higher is generally considered healthy, but it should be considered in conjunction with other financial ratios to get a comprehensive understanding of a company's financial position. Additionally, it's important to be aware that EBITDA is a non-GAAP measure and companies may calculate it differently.