Definition
EBIT is an abbreviation for the financial accounting term earnings before interest and taxes. Found in the company's income statement, EBIT is a measure of a company's ability to generate profits on an ongoing basis.
Calculation
EBIT = Revenue - Operating Expenses + Non-Operating Income
Explanation
As the name implies, income taxes and interest payments are excluded in this calculation of profitability. The measure also excludes income and expenses that are considered extraordinary, "unusual," one-time events, or costs and profits from discontinued operations.
Creditors are interested in metrics such as EBIT, since it's an indicator of the company's ability to generate enough cash to repay loans.
Example
Company A's income statement indicates revenues of $29,611,000, costs of goods sold of $15,693,000 and other operating expenses of $7,740,000. Company A did not have any discontinued operations, non-recurring events, or extraordinary items. The earnings before interest and taxes are:
= $29,611,000 - $15,693,000 - $7,740,000, or $6,178,000