Economic Value Added (EVA)
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Economic value added or economic profit is the difference between revenues and costs,where costs include not only expenses, but also cost of capital.
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- Analysis of Solvency Ratios
- Analysis of Long-term (Investment) Activity Ratios
- DuPont Analysis: Disaggregation of ROE, ROA, and Net Profit Margin
- Price to FCFE (P/FCFE)
- Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM)
- Present Value of Free Cash Flow to Equity (FCFE)
- Net Profit Margin since 2008
- Operating Profit Margin since 2008
- Return on Equity (ROE) since 2008
- Price to Earnings (P/E) since 2008
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Economic Profit
Activision Blizzard Inc., economic profit calculation
US$ in millions
| 12 months ended: | Dec 31, 2022 | Dec 31, 2021 | Dec 31, 2020 | Dec 31, 2019 | Dec 31, 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net operating profit after taxes (NOPAT)1 | ||||||
| Cost of capital2 | ||||||
| Invested capital3 | ||||||
| Economic profit4 | ||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31).
1 NOPAT. See details »
2 Cost of capital. See details »
3 Invested capital. See details »
4 2022 Calculation
Economic profit = NOPAT – Cost of capital × Invested capital
= – × =
The analysis of economic profit from 2018 to 2022 indicates a period of volatility in value creation, characterized by alternating cycles of economic loss and gain. While the company struggled to consistently exceed its cost of capital, a positive trend in value generation emerged toward the end of the period.
- Net Operating Profit After Taxes (NOPAT)
- NOPAT exhibited significant variance, decreasing in 2019 before experiencing a substantial increase in 2020 to 2,485 million USD. This figure remained elevated in 2021 and 2022, suggesting an improved operational capacity to generate profits after tax compared to the 2018-2019 baseline.
- Invested Capital and Cost of Capital
- Invested capital increased progressively from 16,084 million USD in 2018 to a peak of 22,243 million USD in 2021, followed by a reduction to 19,837 million USD in 2022. During this same period, the cost of capital remained highly stable, maintaining a tight range between 9.64% and 9.89%, indicating a consistent risk profile and cost of financing.
- Economic Profit and Value Creation
- Economic profit remained negative in 2018, 2019, and 2021, signifying that the returns on invested capital were insufficient to cover the cost of capital. A notable peak in value creation occurred in 2020 with an economic profit of 480 million USD. The return to a positive economic profit of 245 million USD in 2022, coinciding with a reduction in invested capital, indicates an improved efficiency in capital utilization and a regained ability to create shareholder value.
Net Operating Profit after Taxes (NOPAT)
Activision Blizzard Inc., NOPAT calculation
US$ in millions
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31).
1 Elimination of deferred tax expense. See details »
2 Addition of increase (decrease) in allowances for sales returns and price protection and other allowances.
3 Addition of increase (decrease) in deferred revenues.
4 Addition of increase (decrease) in accrued restructuring and related costs.
5 Addition of increase (decrease) in equity equivalents to net income.
6 2022 Calculation
Interest expense on capitalized operating leases = Operating lease liability × Discount rate
= × =
7 2022 Calculation
Tax benefit of interest expense from debt = Adjusted interest expense from debt × Statutory income tax rate
= × 21.00% =
8 Addition of after taxes interest expense to net income.
9 2022 Calculation
Tax expense (benefit) of investment income = Investment income, before tax × Statutory income tax rate
= × 21.00% =
10 Elimination of after taxes investment income.
- Net Income
- The net income exhibited volatility over the five-year period. Starting at 1,813 million US dollars in 2018, it declined to 1,503 million in 2019. This was followed by a substantial increase in 2020, reaching 2,197 million. The upward trend continued in 2021, culminating in a peak of 2,699 million. However, in 2022, net income dropped sharply to 1,513 million, almost reverting to the 2019 level.
- Net Operating Profit After Taxes (NOPAT)
- NOPAT demonstrated an inconsistent trend throughout the timeline. It started at 1,379 million US dollars in 2018, decreased substantially to 980 million in 2019, then sharply increased to 2,485 million in 2020. Unlike net income, NOPAT decreased in 2021, reaching 2,162 million, but showed a slight rebound in 2022 to 2,208 million. Despite fluctuations, the overall level of NOPAT in the latter years remained higher than the initial years.
- Comparative Insights
- While both net income and NOPAT fluctuated, their trends did not move entirely in tandem, especially notable in 2021 and 2022. Net income reached its highest point in 2021, but saw a steep decline the following year, whereas NOPAT remained relatively stable in those two years. The divergence suggests variations in operational efficiency and the impact of other financial factors such as non-operating income or expenses.
- Overall Interpretation
- The data reflects a period of considerable financial fluctuation with some years of strong profitability followed by significant declines. The volatility might imply external market impacts, changing operational conditions, or other elements influencing profitability both at the operational and net levels. Further investigation into the underlying causes of these trends would be necessary for comprehensive understanding and strategic decision-making.
Cash Operating Taxes
Activision Blizzard Inc., cash operating taxes calculation
US$ in millions
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31).
The financial data reveals notable fluctuations in both income tax expenses and cash operating taxes over the five-year period from 2018 to 2022.
- Income Tax Expense
- The income tax expense demonstrates a significant upward trend from 2018 to 2021, increasing from $64 million in 2018 to a peak of $465 million in 2021. This represents a more than sevenfold increase over the four-year span. However, in 2022, income tax expense dropped sharply to $231 million, approximately half of the 2021 level, indicating a substantial reduction.
- Cash Operating Taxes
- The cash operating taxes present a different pattern, with a steep increase observed between 2018 and 2019, from $54 million to $478 million. This level remained relatively stable in 2020 and 2021, with values of $535 million and $473 million respectively. In 2022, there was a noticeable decrease to $384 million, indicating a downward adjustment following the previous high-pressure tax years.
Overall, the data suggests a period of escalating tax-related expenses through 2019 to 2021, with both income tax expense and cash operating taxes reaching their highest points during this time. The subsequent decline in 2022 could imply changes in profitability, tax planning strategies, or external tax regulations impacting the company's tax liabilities. The divergence in the scale and timing of changes between income tax expenses and cash operating taxes highlights different components that contribute to the company’s overall tax burden.
Invested Capital
Activision Blizzard Inc., invested capital calculation (financing approach)
US$ in millions
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31).
1 Addition of capitalized operating leases.
2 Elimination of deferred taxes from assets and liabilities. See details »
3 Addition of allowance for doubtful accounts receivable.
4 Addition of deferred revenues.
5 Addition of accrued restructuring and related costs.
6 Addition of equity equivalents to shareholders’ equity.
7 Removal of accumulated other comprehensive income.
8 Subtraction of u.S. treasuries, government agency securities, and equity securities.
- Total reported debt & leases
- The reported debt and leases remained relatively stable from 2018 to 2019, with a slight decrease from 2,984 million USD to 2,948 million USD. However, there was a notable increase in 2020, rising to 3,895 million USD. The debt level then plateaued in 2021 at 3,897 million USD and marginally decreased to 3,856 million USD in 2022. Overall, debt showed moderate growth peaking in 2020 and 2021 before slightly declining.
- Shareholders’ equity
- Shareholders’ equity demonstrated a consistent upward trend throughout the period analyzed. It increased steadily from 11,357 million USD in 2018 to 12,805 million USD in 2019, then to 15,037 million USD in 2020. This growth continued into 2021 with equity reaching 17,599 million USD and further expanded to 19,243 million USD in 2022. The rising equity suggests strengthening of the company's net asset base over time.
- Invested capital
- Invested capital showed an overall increasing trend from 16,084 million USD in 2018 to a peak of 22,243 million USD in 2021. Notably, invested capital grew each year from 2018 through 2021. However, in 2022, there was a decline to 19,837 million USD, indicating a reduction in total capital invested in the business after several years of growth.
- Summary Insights
- Between 2018 and 2021, the company exhibited growth in both shareholders’ equity and invested capital, reflecting expansion and possibly reinvestment into the business. The relatively stable but elevated debt levels from 2020 onwards may indicate increased borrowing or lease obligations supporting this expansion. The decline in invested capital in 2022 despite continued growth in equity could signal asset disposals, capital restructuring, or efficiency improvements. Meanwhile, the slight reduction in debt in 2022 suggests cautious management of financial leverage following the prior increase.
Cost of Capital
Activision Blizzard Inc., cost of capital calculations
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | ÷ | = | × | = | |||||||||
| Long-term debt3 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Operating lease liability4 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Total: | |||||||||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31).
1 US$ in millions
2 Equity. See details »
3 Long-term debt. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | ÷ | = | × | = | |||||||||
| Long-term debt3 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Operating lease liability4 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Total: | |||||||||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31).
1 US$ in millions
2 Equity. See details »
3 Long-term debt. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | ÷ | = | × | = | |||||||||
| Long-term debt3 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Operating lease liability4 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Total: | |||||||||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31).
1 US$ in millions
2 Equity. See details »
3 Long-term debt. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | ÷ | = | × | = | |||||||||
| Long-term debt3 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Operating lease liability4 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Total: | |||||||||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31).
1 US$ in millions
2 Equity. See details »
3 Long-term debt. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | ÷ | = | × | = | |||||||||
| Long-term debt3 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Operating lease liability4 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Total: | |||||||||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31).
1 US$ in millions
2 Equity. See details »
3 Long-term debt. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
Economic Spread Ratio
Activision Blizzard Inc., economic spread ratio calculation, comparison to benchmarks
| Dec 31, 2022 | Dec 31, 2021 | Dec 31, 2020 | Dec 31, 2019 | Dec 31, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | ||||||
| Economic profit1 | ||||||
| Invested capital2 | ||||||
| Performance Ratio | ||||||
| Economic spread ratio3 | ||||||
| Benchmarks | ||||||
| Economic Spread Ratio, Competitors4 | ||||||
| Alphabet Inc. | ||||||
| Comcast Corp. | ||||||
| Meta Platforms Inc. | ||||||
| Netflix Inc. | ||||||
| Trade Desk Inc. | ||||||
| Walt Disney Co. | ||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31).
1 Economic profit. See details »
2 Invested capital. See details »
3 2022 Calculation
Economic spread ratio = 100 × Economic profit ÷ Invested capital
= 100 × ÷ =
4 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The analysis of economic value added from 2018 to 2022 reveals a volatile pattern of value creation and destruction. The company experienced inconsistent performance regarding its ability to generate returns in excess of its cost of capital, characterized by alternating periods of negative and positive economic profit.
- Economic Spread Ratio Trends
- The economic spread ratio demonstrated significant fluctuations over the five-year period. A notable decline occurred in 2019, reaching a low of -4.04%, indicating that the cost of capital significantly exceeded the returns on invested capital. This was followed by a sharp recovery in 2020 to 2.36%, the highest point in the observed period. A subsequent contraction to -0.10% in 2021 suggests a return to a near-break-even state before recovering to 1.24% in 2022.
- Invested Capital Movements
- Invested capital showed a consistent upward trajectory from 2018 to 2021, rising from 16,084 million US$ to a peak of 22,243 million US$. This expansion indicates a period of increased asset deployment or capital investment. However, a reversal occurred in 2022, where invested capital decreased to 19,837 million US$, reflecting a contraction in the capital base.
- Economic Profit Correlation
- Economic profit mirrored the movements of the spread ratio, alternating between deficits and surpluses. The most substantial value destruction occurred in 2019 with an economic loss of 688 million US$. This was followed by a strong pivot in 2020, which marked the most significant period of value creation with a profit of 480 million US$. The instability continued into 2021 with a marginal loss of 23 million US$, eventually returning to a positive state in 2022 with an economic profit of 245 million US$.
Economic Profit Margin
Activision Blizzard Inc., economic profit margin calculation, comparison to benchmarks
| Dec 31, 2022 | Dec 31, 2021 | Dec 31, 2020 | Dec 31, 2019 | Dec 31, 2018 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | ||||||
| Economic profit1 | ||||||
| Net revenues | ||||||
| Add: Increase (decrease) in deferred revenues | ||||||
| Adjusted net revenues | ||||||
| Performance Ratio | ||||||
| Economic profit margin2 | ||||||
| Benchmarks | ||||||
| Economic Profit Margin, Competitors3 | ||||||
| Alphabet Inc. | ||||||
| Comcast Corp. | ||||||
| Meta Platforms Inc. | ||||||
| Netflix Inc. | ||||||
| Trade Desk Inc. | ||||||
| Walt Disney Co. | ||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2019-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2018-12-31).
1 Economic profit. See details »
2 2022 Calculation
Economic profit margin = 100 × Economic profit ÷ Adjusted net revenues
= 100 × ÷ =
3 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The analysis of economic value creation between 2018 and 2022 reveals a period of significant volatility, characterized by alternating cycles of value destruction and value creation. While adjusted net revenues generally trended upward over the five-year period, the ability to generate economic profit remained inconsistent, indicating that revenue growth did not consistently translate into returns exceeding the cost of capital.
- Economic Profit Trends
- Economic profit exhibited substantial fluctuations, recording a significant deficit of -688 million USD in 2019. This was followed by a sharp reversal in 2020, reaching a peak positive value of 480 million USD. The trend shifted again in 2021 with a slight deficit of -23 million USD, before returning to a positive position of 245 million USD in 2022. This pattern suggests an unstable trajectory in the company's ability to create economic value.
- Adjusted Net Revenue Performance
- Adjusted net revenues demonstrated an overall growth trajectory, rising from 7,064 million USD in 2018 to 8,498 million USD in 2022. A notable contraction occurred in 2019, where revenues fell to 6,371 million USD, followed by a substantial surge to 8,400 million USD in 2020. Revenues remained relatively stable through 2021 and 2022, maintaining a level above 8.2 billion USD.
- Economic Profit Margin Analysis
- The economic profit margin mirrored the volatility observed in absolute economic profit. The margin deteriorated from -2.43% in 2018 to a low of -10.80% in 2019. A significant recovery occurred in 2020, with the margin reaching 5.72%, the highest point in the analyzed period. Subsequent years showed a return to a slightly negative margin of -0.28% in 2021 and a moderate recovery to 2.88% in 2022. The lack of a steady upward trend in the margin indicates that the company faced periodic difficulties in optimizing its capital efficiency relative to its revenue scale.