EBITDA Margin (2024)

Earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortizationdivided by revenue

Written byCFI Team

Updated November 11, 2022

What is EBITDA Margin?

EBITDA margin is a profitability ratio that measures how much in earnings a company is generating before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, as a percentage of revenue. EBITDA Margin = EBITDA / Revenue.

The earnings are calculated by taking sales revenue and deducting operating expenses, such as the cost of goods sold (COGS), selling, general, & administrative expenses (SG&A), but excluding depreciation and amortization.

The margin does not include the impact of the company’s capital structure, non-cash expenses, and income taxes. This ratio may be used in conjunction with other leverage and profitability ratios to evaluate a company. To learn more, launch CFI’s online finance courses now!

EBITDA Margin (1)

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What is the Formula for EBITDA Margin?

The first step to calculate EBITDA is to get the earnings before interest and tax (EBIT) from the income statement. The next step is to add back the depreciation and amortization expenses (to learn more, compare EBIT vs EBITDA).

EBITDA = Operating Income (EBIT) + Depreciation + Amortization

To compute the EBITDA ratio the following formula is used:

See Also
EBITDA

EBITDA Margin = EBITDA / Net Sales

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Example Calculation

LMN company declared a net profit, before taxes and interest, of $3M for year-end 2015. Net sales reported in the income statement shows an amount of $5M. Depreciation and amortization total $100,000.

Given the figures, the EBITDA margin is calculated as 62%, implying that the remaining 38% of sales revenue accounts for the operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization).

The higher the EBITDA margin, the smaller a company’s operating expenses in relation to total revenue, increasing its bottom line and leading to a more profitable operation.

What are the Benefits of Using EBITDA Margin in Determining Business Profitability?

EBITDA margin is considered to be the cash operating profit margin of a business before capital expenditures, taxes, and capital structure are taken into account. It eliminates the effects of non-cash expenses such as depreciation and amortization. Investors and owners can get a sense of how much cash is generated for every dollar of revenue earned and use the margin as a benchmark in comparing various companies.

EBITDA is widely used in mergers and acquisitions of small businesses, the middle market, and large public companies. It is not unusual for adjustments to be made to EBITDA to normalize the measurement, allowing buyers to compare the performance of one business to another.

A low EBITDA margin indicates that a business has profitability problems as well as issues with cash flow. On the other hand, a relatively high EBITDAmargin means that the business earnings are stable.

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What are the Drawbacks of EBITDA Margin?

Since EBITDA excludes interest on debt, non-cash expenses, capital expenditures, and taxes, it does not necessarily provide a clear estimate of what cash flow generation for the business is. As an alternative, investors should look at cash flow from operations on the cash flow statement, or calculate Free Cash Flow (learn more in CFI’s Ultimate Cash Flow Guide).

For companies with high debt capitalization, the EBITDA margin should not be applied, because the larger mix of debt over equity increases interest payments, and this should be included in the ratio analysis for this kind of business.

A positive EBITDA does not necessarily mean a business is generating cash. This is because EBITDA ignores changes in working capital, which is usually needed in growing a business. Additionally, it does not take into account capital expenditures that are needed to replace assets on the balance sheet.

Lastly, EBITDA margin is not recognized in generally accepted accounting principles – GAAP.

Famous investor Warren Buffet has expressedhis disinterest in the use of EBITDA as a valuation method.

Video Explanation of the EBITDA Margin

Watch this short video to quickly understand the main concepts covered in this guide, including the definition of EBITDA, the formula for EBITDA, and an example of EBTIDA calculation.

More Resources

Thank you for reading this guide to EBITDA margin. The additional CFI resources will be helpful in your journey as a financial analyst:

EBITDA Margin (2024)

FAQs

What is good EBITDA margin? ›

EBITDA margin = EBITDA / Total Revenue

The margin can then be compared with another similar business in the same industry. An EBITDA margin of 10% or more is considered good.

How is EBITDA margin calculated? ›

What is the EBITDA margin? EBITDA margin indicates the company's overall health and denotes its profitability. The formula for EBITDA margin is = EBITDA/total revenue (R) x 100.

Is a 30% EBITDA margin good? ›

A “good” EBITDA margin varies by industry, but a 60% margin in most industries would be a good sign. If those margins were, say, 10%, it would indicate that the startups had profitability as well as cash flow problems.

Is EBITDA same as margin? ›

The difference between the EBITDA profit margin and standard profit margins is simply a matter of its exclusion from the GAAP principles. The EBITDA is still a profit margin, but prudent corporate and stock valuation includes analysis of this metric in addition to the GAAP margins rather than instead of them.

Is a 40% EBITDA good? ›

It takes into consideration growth and profit. In terms of interpreting the rule, 40% is the baseline figure where the company is deemed healthy and in good shape. If the percentage exceeds 40%, then the company is likely in a very favorable position for long-term growth and profitability.

Is a 10% EBITDA good? ›

An EBITDA margin of 10% or more is typically considered good, as S&P-500-listed companies have EBITDA margins between 11% and 14% for the most part. You can, of course, review EBITDA statements from your competitors if they're available — be they a full EBITDA figure or an EBITDA margin percentage.

Is a high EBITDA margin good? ›

The EBITDA margin shows how much operating expenses are eating into a company's gross profit. In the end, the higher the EBITDA margin, the less risky a company is considered financially.

Is a low EBITDA margin good? ›

A low EBITDA margin indicates that a business has profitability problems as well as issues with cash flow. On the other hand, a relatively high EBITDA margin means that the business earnings are stable.

What is 4 wall EBITDA margin? ›

“4 Wall EBITDA” represents the EBITDA within the four walls of an individual store, as opposed to the entire company's EBITDA. Steady EBITDA at the store level is the most critical aspect of understanding the profitability.

Is a 33% profit margin good? ›

What is a Good Profit Margin? You may be asking yourself, “what is a good profit margin?” A good margin will vary considerably by industry, but as a general rule of thumb, a 10% net profit margin is considered average, a 20% margin is considered high (or “good”), and a 5% margin is low.

Is 60% a good margin? ›

What is a good gross profit margin ratio? On the face of it, a gross profit margin ratio of 50 to 70% would be considered healthy, and it would be for many types of businesses, like retailers, restaurants, manufacturers and other producers of goods.

Is it better to have a low or high EBITDA? ›

Higher EBITDA indicated better company performance. Therefore, business owners can take measures to improve the company's EBITDA to make the company more attractive to potential buyers and investors.

Is EBITDA just profit? ›

Gross profit appears on a company's income statement and is the profit a company makes after subtracting the costs associated with making its products or providing its services. EBITDA is a measure of a company's profitability that shows earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization.

Why is EBITDA margin important? ›

The EBITDA margin is considered to be a good indicator of a company's financial condition because it evaluates a company's performance without needing to take into account financial decisions, accounting decisions or various tax environments.

Can you have an EBITDA margin of over 100%? ›

Since these expenses cannot be negative amounts, it's impossible to have an EM greater than 100%. If you calculate an EM greater than 100%, you've probably miscalculated. You can view EM as a liquidity metric, as it shows remaining cash income after paying operating costs.

Is 5x EBITDA good? ›

The very basic and rough rule of thumb valuation for a company with around a million or more in earnings is a value of 5 times EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization).

What is a rule of 50 company? ›

Stated simply, the Rule of 50 is governed by the principle that if the percentage of annual revenue growth plus earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) as a percentage of revenue are equal to 50 or greater, the company is performing at an elite level; if it falls below this metric, some ...

How many times EBITDA is a business worth? ›

Generally, the multiple used is about four to six times EBITDA. However, prospective buyers and investors will push for a lower valuation — for instance, by using an average of the company's EBITDA over the past few years as a base number.

Does Warren Buffett use EBITDA? ›

Warren Buffett is well known for disliking EBITDA multiples to value a business's financial performance.

What is Apple's EBITDA? ›

Apple EBITDA for the twelve months ending September 30, 2022 was $130.541B, a 8.57% increase year-over-year. Apple 2022 annual EBITDA was $130.541B, a 8.57% increase from 2021.
...
Compare AAPL With Other Stocks.
Apple Annual EBITDA (Millions of US $)
2021$120,233
2020$77,344
2019$76,477
2018$81,801
10 more rows

Is an 80% profit margin good? ›

It's a big reason why a company with $10 million in revenue might be worth more than a company with $20 million in revenue. Most VCs and SaaS experts suggest SaaS companies aim for a gross margin of around 80%.

Are 20% margins good? ›

An NYU report on U.S. margins revealed the average net profit margin is 7.71% across different industries. But that doesn't mean your ideal profit margin will align with this number. As a rule of thumb, 5% is a low margin, 10% is a healthy margin, and 20% is a high margin.

What is EBITDA in simple terms? ›

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) is a widely used measure of core corporate profitability. EBITDA is calculated by adding interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization expenses to net income.

How do I increase my EBITDA margin? ›

Five hacks for boosting EBITDA margin
  1. Better match work with skills. ...
  2. Reduce bench time. ...
  3. Spot project under-performance early. ...
  4. Automate tedious administration with AI. ...
  5. Your people come first.

What is the rule of 40 EBITDA? ›

The Rule of 40 is a principle that states a software company's combined revenue growth rate and profit margin should equal or exceed 40%. SaaS companies above 40% are generating profit at a rate that's sustainable, whereas companies below 40% may face cash flow or liquidity issues.

Is 70% a good profit margin? ›

But in general, a healthy profit margin for a small business tends to range anywhere between 7% to 10%. Keep in mind, though, that certain businesses may see lower margins, such as retail or food-related companies. That's because they tend to have higher overhead costs.

Is 4% a good profit margin? ›

Net profit margins vary by industry but according to the Corporate Finance Institute, 20% is considered good, 10% average or standard, and 5% is considered low or poor. Good profit margins allow companies to cover their costs and generate a return on their investment.

Is 100% a good profit margin? ›

Josh Kaufman Explains 'Profit Margin'

The higher the price and the lower the cost, the higher the Profit Margin. In any case, your Profit Margin can never exceed 100 percent, which only happens if you're able to sell something that cost you nothing.

What is a healthy margin? ›

As a rule of thumb, 5% is a low margin, 10% is a healthy margin, and 20% is a high margin. But a one-size-fits-all approach isn't the best way to set goals for your business profitability. First, some companies are inherently high-margin or low-margin ventures. For instance, grocery stores and retailers are low-margin.

What is a healthy margin level? ›

A good way of knowing whether your account is healthy or not is by making sure that your Margin Level is always above 100%.

When margin is 20% mark up will be? ›

To arrive at a 20% margin, the markup percentage is 25.0%

Why is EBITDA more important than profit? ›

EBITDA is a more accurate measure of profitability because it strips out the effects of a company's capital structure and tax situation. Additionally, EBITDA is more conservative because it is calculated before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization.

Does positive EBITDA mean profitable? ›

A positive EBITDA means that the company is profitable at an operating level: it sells its products higher than they cost to make. At the opposite, a negative EBITDA means that the company is facing some operational difficulties or that it is poorly managed.

What causes low EBITDA margin? ›

The most prominent factors that influence the EBITDA margin are inflation or deflation in the economy, changes in laws and regulation, competitive pressures from rivals, movements in market prices of goods and services, and changes in consumer preferences.

What is a good EBITDA by industry? ›

One of the most common metrics for business valuation is EBITDA multiples.
...
EBITDA Multiples By Industry.
IndustryEBITDA Average Multiple
Retail, general14.70
Retail, food8.89
Utilities, excluding water12.74
Homebuilding10.52
10 more rows
9 Sept 2021

What is an attractive EBITDA? ›

Typically, when evaluating a company, an EV/EBITDA value below 10 is seen as healthy. It's best to use the EV/EBITDA metric when comparing companies within the same industry or sector.

Why is high EBITDA margin good? ›

Calculating a company's EBITDA margin is helpful when gauging the effectiveness of a company's cost-cutting efforts. The higher a company's EBITDA margin is, the lower its operating expenses are in relation to total revenue.

How many times EBITDA is a company worth? ›

Earnings are key to valuation

The multiples vary by industry and could be in the range of three to six times EBITDA for a small to medium sized business, depending on market conditions. Many other factors can influence which multiple is used, including goodwill, intellectual property and the company's location.

Is a 21% profit margin good? ›

You may be asking yourself, “what is a good profit margin?” A good margin will vary considerably by industry, but as a general rule of thumb, a 10% net profit margin is considered average, a 20% margin is considered high (or “good”), and a 5% margin is low.

Is negative EBITDA good? ›

A positive EBITDA means that the company is profitable at an operating level: it sells its products higher than they cost to make. At the opposite, a negative EBITDA means that the company is facing some operational difficulties or that it is poorly managed.

Why is EBITDA so important? ›

As discussed earlier, EBITDA helps you analyze and compare profitability between companies and industries, as it eliminates the effects of financing, government or accounting decisions. This provides a rawer, clearer indication of your earnings.

How do you analyze EBITDA? ›

Here is the formula for calculating EBITDA:
  1. EBITDA = Net Income + Interest + Taxes + Depreciation + Amortization.
  2. EBITDA = Operating Profit + Depreciation + Amortization.
  3. Company ABC: Company XYZ:
  4. EBITDA = Net Income + Tax Expense + Interest Expense + Depreciation & Amortization Expense.
26 Nov 2022

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