Understanding EBITDA – Definition, Formula & Calculation

EBITDA stands for Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization, and is a core financial metric used to measure a company’s operating performance. It strips out the effects of financing decisions, tax environments, and non-cash expenses to provide a clearer view of profitability from core operations.
While widely used across industries for evaluating company health and comparing performance, EBITDA is often misunderstood or incorrectly applied. Many professionals see it as a quick shorthand for cash flow or earnings, without understanding how it’s built or what it excludes. That can lead to poor forecasting, incorrect valuations, and miscommunication with investors or leadership.
This session is designed to teach the basics of EBITDA, including its definition, purpose, components, and how to accurately calculate it. It’s an essential foundation for anyone working in finance, accounting, management, or business analysis.

You can’t rely on a number you don’t fully understand. If you’re working with financial reports, evaluating business performance, or involved in budgeting and forecasting, understanding EBITDA is critical. Misinterpreting it could mean overestimating profitability or missing signs of financial stress.
This session breaks down EBITDA in simple, clear terms. You’ll learn how to define it, calculate it from a company’s income statement, and apply it appropriately. Whether you’re new to finance or brushing up on the basics, this session will give you the confidence to use EBITDA accurately in reports, presentations, and decision-making.
 

• What EBITDA stands for and what each component means
• Why EBITDA is used and what insights it provides
• EBITDA vs. Net Income vs. Operating Income vs. Cash Flow
• How to calculate EBITDA step-by-step using an income statement
• Top-down and bottom-up approaches to EBITDA calculation
• Example walkthroughs: calculating EBITDA from real-world figures
• Introduction to Adjusted EBITDA and common adjustments
• Risks and limitations of relying solely on EBITDA
• When EBITDA is most useful (valuation, comparisons, performance reviews)
• How to communicate EBITDA accurately in reports and presentations
• Key questions to ask when reviewing EBITDA in financial analysis

• All levels

Justin brings over 20 years of wide-ranging experience in compliance, training, and regulation in the financial services sector. Most recently, he served as Head of Compliance Training at Bank of China, where he led the compliance training function and created and monitored the annual training plan through a thorough training needs analysis. Previously, he served as Macquarie Group’s Head of Americas Compliance Training and J.P. Morgan Chase’s compliance training manager. He also worked for FINRA, a US regulator, where he created Examiner University to train examiners on how to perform their function.