Anders Liu-Lindberg on LinkedIn: #finance #cashflow #cfo #careers #financemaster | 45 comments (2024)

Anders Liu-Lindberg

Anders Liu-Lindberg is an Influencer

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EBITDA vs. FCF. Is there a more polarizing debate to have on LinkedIn?Let's try to get some facts on the table though before we decide which metric is most worthwhile to track and improve...----------EBITDA = Earnings Before Interest Taxes Depreciation & AmortizationEBITDA is a measure of a company's operating performance and profitability before considering non-operating expenses such as interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization.It is calculated by adding back these expenses to the net income.Benefits of EBITDA1. Simplicity: EBITDA is a straightforward metric that provides a quick snapshot of performance2. Comparability: EBITDA allows for easier comparison of the operating performance of different companies3. Focus on cash generation: EBITDA is often used to assess a company's ability to generate cash from its core operationsDrawbacks of EBITDA1. Ignores non-operating expenses: EBITDA does not account for important expenses such as interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization2. Lack of cash flow information: EBITDA doesn't provide insight into a company's actual cash flows3. Susceptible to manipulation: EBITDA can be manipulated by adjusting accounting practices, making it less reliable----------FCF = Free Cash FlowFCF represents the cash a company generates from its operations after deducting capital expenditures (CAPEX).It measures the amount of cash available to the company for reinvestment, debt reduction, dividends, or other uses.Benefits of FCF1. Cash flow focus: FCF provides a direct measure of the cash generated by a company's operations2. Long-term sustainability: FCF is a valuable indicator of a company's ability to generate sustainable cash flows over time3. Flexibility: Use FCF to evaluate various aspects of performance, like reinvestment potential and debt-paying abilityDrawbacks of FCF1. Complexity: Calculating FCF can be time-consuming and prone to errors as it requires a lot of analysis2. Volatility: FCF is subject to fluctuations due to changes in working capital requirements or capital expenditures3. Limited comparability: Comparing FCF across industries is challenging due to differences in accounting practices and capital structures----------My opinion is if you have a stable and mature going concern company you look at EBITDA or another operating profit measure.If you have a start-up or where going concern is in question you use FCF.If you had to choose one which metric would you prefer?#finance #cashflow #cfo #careers #financemaster

  • Anders Liu-Lindberg on LinkedIn: #finance #cashflow #cfo #careers #financemaster | 45 comments (2)

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Anders Liu-Lindberg

Leading advisor to senior Finance and FP&A leaders on how to succeed with business partnering

5mo

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If you want more inspiration for KPIs to measure the financial health of a company you can check out "The CFO's FP&A KPI Factsheet" here: https://liulindberg.gumroad.com/l/lghteh

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Muzammil Goundi 💎

Business Controller | Finance Business Partner | Corporate Finance | FP&A | Financial Reporting | Helping drive the global organisation's BU Performance through Data-led Insights and FP&A

5mo

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Holistic Perspective: It's important to recognize that EBITDA and FCF serve different purposes in financial analysis. EBITDA provides a snapshot of a company's operational efficiency and profitability. On the other hand, FCF takes into account capital expenditures and provides insight into the actual cash available for various uses.Risk and Growth: It's worth noting that EBITDA can sometimes mask underlying financial risks, especially when a company carries a substantial amount of debt. FCF, with its focus on cash availability, provides a clearer picture of a company's ability to service debt, invest in growth. Therefore, the choice between EBITDA and FCF can also be influenced by the risk profile and growth aspirations of the company.In summary, the debate between EBITDA and FCF is not about one being definitively better than the other, but rather about understanding their unique strengths and weaknesses and using them in a way that aligns with the specific goals of your financial analysis. Both metrics offer valuable insights, and the best choice depends on the circ*mstances and objectives at hand.

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Greg Pierce

Associate Teaching Professor of Finance at Penn State University

5mo

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Isn't Free Cash Flow (FCF) = CFFA = OCF-NCS-CNWC? Whereas EBITDA is not even OCF? Don't I need to also look at Net Capital Spending and Change in New Working Capital to get a complete understanding of Free Cash Flow? Help me to understand.

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Aleksandar Stojanović, MSc.

Scaling Tech Startups & SME’s with ARR $1M-$50M | $300K+ in Client Savings | Keynote Speaker | 1:1 Coaching | Fractional CFO

5mo

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Anders, a fantastic breakdown of two vital metrics in the financial sphere. As a fractional FP&A/CFO working closely with startups and scaleups in the SaaS sector, I can attest to the nuanced role both EBITDA and FCF play in shaping strategic financial decisions.In the dynamic landscape of SaaS startups, the initial focus tends to gravitate towards growth and scaling, where cash flow management becomes a crucial aspect.In such cases, monitoring FCF becomes a priority.It gives a transparent picture of the cash position and helps in understanding the real-time financial health of the company, especially when the business is in the phase of heavy investment and expansion.However, as the company progresses to a mature stage with established operations and steady revenue streams, shifting the focus towards EBITDA can provide valuable insights into the operational efficiency and core profitability of the business.EBITDA can act as a reliable tool to gauge the intrinsic value and to compare the performance with peers in the industry.It's essential to maintain a balanced approach where both metrics are utilized in conjunction, offering a holistic view of the financial standing.

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Laurent Letestu

Chief Financial Officer | CFO | M&A | Integration & Synergy | Global Business Management | Intercultural Management | Business Strategy | Strategic Financial Planning | International | Automotive

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Eternal debate. In the end I would add that when you consider Capital Intensive businesses it is definitely needed to get to the FCF (with a Pit stop at EBIT). Another consideration is also to have a good look on the amortization (not depreciation), especially in the case of business that has been successively purchased / repurchased hence carrying a lot of amortization of intangibles, because it is part of the story as well😁 Anders Liu-Lindberg Thanks for the headsup #VentureCapital #Project #Finance 🏄

Brian Feroldi

I demystify the stock market | Author, Speaker, Creator | 100,000+ investors read my free newsletter (see link)

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I vastly prefer FCF over EBITDA.Here's a visual that puts it in perspective:

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Nicolas Boucher

I teach Finance Teams how to use AI - Keynote speaker on AI for Finance & FP&A

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It’s good to know the difference between the two and be skeptical when you see a good EBITDA… but no good FCF!

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Francisco Coelho

Negotiation | Business | Corporate Finance

5mo

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EBITA+FCF (both combined), but, due to # 3 of both drawbacks, I really suggest a complementary usage of a complete Treasury Cash Flow (long backward + long foward), divided into operating and non operating and a stress test scenario of 3x average default rate revenue.Cash 💰 is king 👑.

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Piyush Kumar

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EBITDA is a non GAAP metric & it is crucial for investors to understand that its's just a proxy & not the actual FCFF

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