Abstract
This study explores the controversy between the business and academic perspectives regarding earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA). Some authors argue that EBITDA is not useful as an indicator, except for comparing companies within the same sector (Assaf Neto, 2003, McClure, 2006, Stumpp, 2000). On the other hand, the business world strongly uses this type of indicator as a tool to support its decisions (Schmalensee, 1985, Moraes, 2005). This difference in opinions has aroused interest in understanding the reasons for its use and has raised questions regarding the usefulness of EBITDA for comparing companies from both the same and different sectors. By applying Hierarchical Linear Modeling (HLM), the main goal of this research is to observe EBITDA behavior across companies selling goods in Brazil, comparing them within the same sector and across different sectors over time. This research allows for the analysis of the reasons why EBITDA patterns occasionally occur. The results show significant variation in EBITDA among companies across the same sector and across companies from different sectors. On the other hand, our results have shown, nevertheless, that the variability among companies from the same sector was the highest one, raising questions on the actual usefulness of this indicator to compare companies from the same sector.
© 2018, Facultad de Contaduría y Administración, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. All rights reserved. Publication of the article implies full assignment of property rights (copyright) in Journal of Contaduría y Administración. The publication mreserves the right to total or partial reproduction of the work in other print, electronic or any other alternative means, but always recognizing its responsibility.
License for Published Content
Unless otherwise stated, all contents of the electronic edition of the journal are distributed under a license and distribution "Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 International" (CC-by). You can see from here the version of the license information. This circumstance must be expressly stated in this way when necessary.
Metadata License
The metadata of papers published by Contaduría y Administración are in the public domain, through the publisher's waiver of all rights to the work under copyright law worldwide, including all rights and related rights, to the extent permitted by law. You may copy, modify, and distribute the metadata, even for commercial purposes, without requesting permission.
