EBITDA = GROSS OPERATING RESULT
- Definition: operating result before charges for fixed asset depreciation and amortisation.
- Reconciliation: the Company presents the calculation of EBITDA in the Consolidated P&L (see Consolidated P&L in section 1.3. of the Management Report and the Financial Statements included in the Consolidated Financial Statements) as: Gross Operating Profit = Total Operating Revenues – Total Operating Expenses (excluding those relative to fixed assets depreciation and amortisation which are reported in a separate line).
- Explanation of use: EBITDA provides an analysis of the operating results, excluding depreciation and amortisation, as they are non-cash variables which can vary substantially from company to company depending on accounting policies and the accounting value of the assets. EBITDA is the best approximation to pre-tax operating cash flow and reflects cash generation before working capital variation. Therefore we use EBITDA as a starting point to calculate cash flow, adding the variation in working capital. Finally, it is an APM indicator which is widely used by investors when evaluating businesses (multiples valuation), as well as by rating agencies and creditors to evaluate the level of debt, by comparing EBITDA with net debt.
- Comparisons: the Company presents comparative figures for previous years.
- Coherence: the criteria used to calculate EBITDA is the same as the previous year.