Why is EBIT used over net income for valuation purposes?

EBIT, or Earnings Before Interest and Taxes, is a key financial metric used in valuation because it focuses on a company's operational performance without the influence of its capital structure. By excluding interest and taxes, EBIT allows analysts to assess the core profitability of a business strictly based on its operations, providing a clearer representation of operational efficiency.

Using EBIT eliminates the variability and impacts that can arise from different financing arrangements between companies, such as varying levels of debt and associated interest expense. This makes EBIT a more consistent metric for comparisons among companies within the same industry or sector, enabling a more accurate evaluation of their performance based solely on their operating activities.

In contrast, net income is impacted by interest payments and tax obligations, which can differ significantly between companies due to their capital choices and tax strategies. As a result, relying on EBIT can provide stakeholders—including investors and analysts—a clearer understanding of how well a company generates profit from its core business functions, independent of financial engineering or external factors related to financing.