EBITDA margin in brazilian companies. Variance decomposition and hierarchical effects

Alcalde Adriano (), Luiz Paulo Fávero () and Turola Takamatsu Renata ()
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Alcalde Adriano: University of Sao Paulo
Turola Takamatsu Renata: University of Sao Paulo

Contaduría y Administración, 2013, vol. 58, issue 2, 197-220

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 occasinally 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.

Keywords: EBITDA; hierarchical effects; Brazil (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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