EV/EBITDA and EV/EBIT: When to Use Each

Why Enterprise Value Multiples Matter (The Core Logic)

P/E looks at equity only. But companies have different capital structures—some carry heavy debt, others have net cash. Enterprise value multiples neutralize these differences by valuing the entire business.

Enterprise Value = Market Cap + Total Debt - Cash + Preferred Stock + Minority Interest

EV represents what you would pay to acquire the entire business—both the equity and the obligation to service (or benefit from paying off) the debt.

The point is: EV/EBITDA and EV/EBIT let you compare companies with wildly different leverage on equal footing. A company with 5x debt/equity and one with zero debt become comparable.

EV/EBITDA (When Depreciation Clouds Comparison)

EV/EBITDA = Enterprise Value / Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization

EBITDA adds back depreciation and amortization to operating earnings. This removes the effect of:

• Different depreciation policies (straight-line vs accelerated)
• Different asset ages (older assets fully depreciated vs new assets)
• Different capitalization choices (buying vs leasing)

When to Use EV/EBITDA

1. Capital-intensive industries where depreciation is a major expense (manufacturing, telecom, utilities)
2. Cross-border comparisons where tax regimes differ substantially
3. Companies with different depreciation policies that obscure underlying profitability
4. M&A valuation where buyers care about cash generation before reinvestment

The durable lesson: EBITDA approximates operating cash flow before reinvestment. It answers: how much cash does this business generate from operations, ignoring how assets were financed and depreciated?

EV/EBIT (When Depreciation Reflects Reality)

EV/EBIT = Enterprise Value / Earnings Before Interest and Taxes

EBIT keeps depreciation in the calculation. This matters when depreciation represents actual economic wear on assets that must be replaced.

When to Use EV/EBIT

1. Asset-light businesses where depreciation is minimal anyway (software, consulting)
2. Companies where depreciation reflects true economic consumption (heavy equipment that wears out)
3. Comparing firms with similar capital intensity where D&A differences are meaningful
4. When replacement CapEx roughly equals depreciation

The point is: If a trucking company must replace its fleet, depreciation approximates that cost. EBITDA overstates true profitability. EBIT captures the reality.

Industry Multiple Ranges (Know Your Sector)

Highest EV/EBITDA Multiples

Why: High growth, recurring revenue, asset-light models, scalability

Moderate EV/EBITDA Multiples

Why: Moderate growth, established competitive positions, steady cash flows

Lowest EV/EBITDA Multiples

Why: Commodity exposure, cyclicality, capital intensity, low growth expectations

The durable lesson: An oil company at 8x is not necessarily cheap. A software company at 20x is not necessarily expensive. Compare within industries, adjust for growth, and understand why multiples differ.

Worked Example: Calculating and Comparing

Company A (Software)

EV = $10B + $0.5B - $1.5B = $9 billion

EV/EBITDA = $9B / $0.4B = 22.5x

EV/EBIT = $9B / $0.35B = 25.7x

Company B (Manufacturing)

EV = $5B + $2B - $0.3B = $6.7 billion

EV/EBITDA = $6.7B / $0.8B = 8.4x

EV/EBIT = $6.7B / $0.5B = 13.4x

Interpretation

Company A trades at 22.5x EBITDA; Company B at 8.4x. Does this mean B is cheaper?

Not necessarily. The software company has:

• Higher growth expectations
• Lower capital requirements (D&A is only 12.5% of EBITDA vs 37.5%)
• Recurring revenue model

The manufacturer:

• Must replace equipment (depreciation is real)
• Has lower growth expectations
• Operates in competitive, commoditized markets

The point is: The multiple gap reflects fundamental differences. EV/EBIT narrows the gap (25.7x vs 13.4x) because it penalizes the manufacturer's heavy depreciation, which represents real costs.

When NOT to Use EV/EBITDA

Financial Institutions

Banks do not have traditional EBITDA. Interest income and expense are core business, not financing activities. Use:

• P/B (Price to Book) for banks
• P/E for insurers
• Never EV/EBITDA

Companies with Massive CapEx Requirements

EBITDA ignores that some businesses must reinvest heavily just to maintain operations. A telecom spending 80% of EBITDA on network upgrades has much less free cash than EBITDA suggests.

Rule: When CapEx consistently exceeds depreciation, EV/EBITDA overstates value. Look at EV/FCF instead.

Negative EBITDA Companies

If EBITDA is negative, the multiple is meaningless. Use EV/Revenue for growth companies burning cash.

Common Errors in EV Multiple Analysis

Error 1: Ignoring Capital Intensity Differences

Two companies at 10x EBITDA look equivalent. But if one requires 2x the CapEx to maintain operations, the high-CapEx company is actually more expensive on a free cash flow basis.

The chain of logic:

High CapEx requirement -> Less FCF per dollar of EBITDA -> Lower true value -> Should trade at lower EBITDA multiple

Error 2: Using EV/EBITDA for Banks

EBITDA is not meaningful for financial institutions. Their operating model is fundamentally different—interest is revenue and cost, not financing.

Error 3: Not Adjusting for Operating Leases

Companies that lease rather than buy have artificially high EBITDA (no depreciation on leased assets). Under current accounting standards, leases are capitalized, but historical comparisons may need adjustment.

Error 4: Comparing Different Fiscal Years

EBITDA from TTM (trailing twelve months) should match across comparisons. Mixing fiscal year-end data with calendar data creates artificial differences.

The EV/EBITDA to EV/EBIT Spread

The spread between EV/EBITDA and EV/EBIT reveals capital intensity:

• Narrow spread (< 20% difference): Asset-light business; depreciation is small
• Wide spread (> 50% difference): Asset-heavy business; depreciation is substantial

Why this matters: The spread tells you how much of "earnings" goes to asset replacement. Wide spreads mean EBITDA overstates sustainable cash flow.

Decision Framework: Which Multiple to Use

Choose EV/EBITDA when:

• Comparing across different depreciation policies
• Valuing capital-intensive businesses for M&A
• Analyzing companies in different tax jurisdictions
• Depreciation does not reflect true asset consumption

Choose EV/EBIT when:

• Depreciation approximates real replacement costs
• Comparing asset-light businesses
• CapEx consistently matches or exceeds depreciation
• You want a more conservative (lower) multiple

The durable lesson: Neither multiple is inherently superior. Match the metric to what you are trying to measure. For acquisition analysis, EBITDA often wins. For long-term investment analysis where cash matters, EBIT or FCF may be more honest.

Next Step

Calculate both EV/EBITDA and EV/EBIT for three companies in a single industry. Note the spread between the two multiples for each. Identify which company has the widest spread and investigate why—check CapEx relative to depreciation, asset ages, and growth investments. The company with the widest spread may look cheapest on EV/EBITDA but prove most expensive on a true cash flow basis.