Economic Value Added (EVA)
EVA is registered trademark of Stern Stewart.
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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- Cash Flow Statement
- Common-Size Balance Sheet: Liabilities and Stockholders’ Equity
- Analysis of Solvency Ratios
- Analysis of Long-term (Investment) Activity Ratios
- Analysis of Geographic Areas
- Net Profit Margin since 2005
- Operating Profit Margin since 2005
- Return on Assets (ROA) since 2005
- Current Ratio since 2005
- Debt to Equity since 2005
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Economic Profit
Comcast Corp., economic profit calculation
US$ in millions
| 12 months ended: | Dec 31, 2024 | Dec 31, 2023 | Dec 31, 2022 | Dec 31, 2021 | Dec 31, 2020 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Net operating profit after taxes (NOPAT)1 | ||||||
| Cost of capital2 | ||||||
| Invested capital3 | ||||||
| Economic profit4 | ||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31).
1 NOPAT. See details »
2 Cost of capital. See details »
3 Invested capital. See details »
4 2024 Calculation
Economic profit = NOPAT – Cost of capital × Invested capital
= – × =
The period under review demonstrates fluctuating financial performance as measured by economic profit. Net operating profit after taxes (NOPAT) exhibited volatility, initially increasing from 2020 to 2021, then declining significantly in 2022, before recovering in both 2023 and 2024. Invested capital also showed some fluctuation, decreasing in 2022 and 2023, then increasing slightly in 2024. The cost of capital remained relatively stable, with a slight decrease observed in the most recent year.
- Economic Profit Trend
- Economic profit consistently remained negative throughout the analyzed period. The largest negative economic profit occurred in 2022, at US$16,538 million. While negative economic profit lessened in 2023 and 2024, reaching US$6,945 million and US$2,970 million respectively, the company did not generate economic profit during any of these years. This indicates that the returns generated by the invested capital were insufficient to cover the cost of that capital.
- NOPAT and Economic Profit Relationship
- The decline in NOPAT in 2022 directly correlated with the most substantial negative economic profit for that year. The subsequent recovery in NOPAT during 2023 and 2024 coincided with a reduction in the magnitude of the negative economic profit, suggesting a strong relationship between operational profitability and economic value creation. However, even with increased NOPAT, the cost of capital remained a significant factor preventing positive economic profit.
- Cost of Capital Impact
- The cost of capital remained above 10% throughout the period. While a slight decrease was observed in 2024 to 10.12%, it remained a substantial hurdle for generating positive economic profit. The relatively stable cost of capital suggests that market conditions and risk perceptions did not significantly change over the period, but the company’s ability to generate returns exceeding this cost was inconsistent.
- Invested Capital Considerations
- The fluctuations in invested capital may reflect strategic decisions regarding asset allocation and capital expenditure. The decrease in invested capital in 2022 and 2023 could be attributed to asset sales or reduced investment, while the slight increase in 2024 may indicate renewed investment activity. However, these changes in invested capital did not translate into consistent improvements in economic profit.
In summary, the analysis reveals a pattern of negative economic profit despite fluctuations in NOPAT and invested capital. The cost of capital consistently exceeded the returns generated, hindering value creation. While improvements were observed in the most recent year, sustained positive economic profit requires either increased operational efficiency to boost NOPAT or a reduction in the cost of capital.
Net Operating Profit after Taxes (NOPAT)
Comcast Corp., NOPAT calculation
US$ in millions
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31).
1 Elimination of deferred tax expense. See details »
2 Addition of increase (decrease) in allowance for credit losses.
3 Addition of increase (decrease) in deferred revenue.
4 Addition of increase (decrease) in equity equivalents to net income attributable to Comcast Corporation.
5 2024 Calculation
Interest expense on capitalized operating leases = Operating lease liability × Discount rate
= × =
6 2024 Calculation
Tax benefit of interest expense = Adjusted interest expense × Statutory income tax rate
= × 21.00% =
7 Addition of after taxes interest expense to net income attributable to Comcast Corporation.
The financial data reveals notable fluctuations and a generally positive trend in profitability over the five-year period.
- Net Income Attributable to Comcast Corporation
- The net income increased significantly from 10,534 million US dollars in 2020 to 14,159 million US dollars in 2021, indicating a strong growth phase. However, there was a sharp decline in 2022 to 5,370 million US dollars, representing a substantial decrease from the previous year. This drop was followed by a robust recovery in 2023, with net income rising to 15,388 million US dollars, surpassing earlier levels. The upward trend continued in 2024 with net income further increasing to 16,192 million US dollars, reaching the highest point in the five-year span.
- Net Operating Profit After Taxes (NOPAT)
- NOPAT exhibited a similar pattern to net income. It increased from 14,617 million US dollars in 2020 to 19,205 million US dollars in 2021, reflecting improved operational profitability. In 2022, NOPAT dropped sharply to 6,839 million US dollars, mirroring the decline seen in net income. Following the decline, NOPAT rose again to 16,517 million US dollars in 2023, nearly returning to its previous peak. This increase continued into 2024, reaching 18,803 million US dollars, indicating strengthened operational efficiency and profitability.
Overall, the data shows a period of growth through 2021, followed by a significant contraction in 2022. The company demonstrated resilience with a strong recovery in 2023 and further improvement in 2024. Both net income and NOPAT followed consistent trends, suggesting that the fluctuations in net income were largely driven by changes in operational performance. The recovery and subsequent growth imply effective management responses to the downturn experienced in 2022.
Cash Operating Taxes
Comcast Corp., cash operating taxes calculation
US$ in millions
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31).
The financial data over the five-year period reveals fluctuations in both income tax expense and cash operating taxes. Income tax expense exhibited a rising trend from 2020 through 2021, increasing significantly from 3,364 million USD to 5,259 million USD. In 2022, there was a decline to 4,359 million USD, followed by a rebound to 5,371 million USD in 2023. The most recent figure for 2024 shows a pronounced reduction to 2,796 million USD, representing the lowest value in the five-year span.
Cash operating taxes present a less consistent pattern. There was an initial decrease from 4,911 million USD in 2020 to 4,326 million USD in 2021. However, this was followed by a sharp increase in 2022 to 6,068 million USD, and a further substantial rise in 2023, reaching 9,025 million USD. In 2024, cash operating taxes dropped significantly to 4,622 million USD, nearing the levels observed at the start of the period.
- Income Tax Expense Trends
- Overall, income tax expenses experienced volatility with peaks in 2021 and 2023, and a notable trough in 2024, indicating possible changes in taxable income, tax rates, or deductions impacting the tax burden.
- Cash Operating Taxes Trends
- The pattern suggests variability with a dip in 2021, followed by two consecutive years of sharp increases and a steep decline in 2024. This could reflect fluctuations in operating profits, changes in tax regulations, or timing differences in tax payments.
- Comparative Insights
- Both tax-related measures show significant increases in 2023 followed by reductions in 2024, possibly indicating strategic tax planning or extraordinary items affecting tax calculations in those years. The divergence in 2022 and 2023, where cash operating taxes increased sharply yet income tax expense moved relatively moderately, might point to differences between tax liability and cash tax payments during the periods.
Invested Capital
Comcast Corp., invested capital calculation (financing approach)
US$ in millions
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31).
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 revenue.
5 Addition of equity equivalents to total Comcast Corporation shareholders’ equity.
6 Removal of accumulated other comprehensive income.
7 Subtraction of construction in process.
8 Subtraction of marketable equity securities.
The financial data presents trends across a five-year period from 2020 to 2024 for key balance sheet items related to debt, equity, and invested capital.
- Total reported debt & leases
- The total reported debt and leases showed a decreasing trend from 2020 to 2022, falling from 108,218 million US dollars to 101,593 million US dollars. However, from 2022 onwards, there was a gradual increase, reaching 105,413 million US dollars by the end of 2024. This indicates some degree of deleveraging followed by a moderate uptrend in debt levels, suggesting a cautious approach to leverage after a period of reduction.
- Total Comcast Corporation shareholders’ equity
- Shareholders’ equity increased from 90,323 million US dollars in 2020 to a peak of 96,092 million US dollars in 2021. Following this peak, there was a sharp decline to 80,943 million US dollars in 2022. Equity subsequently experienced a mild recovery, increasing to 85,560 million US dollars by 2024. This pattern suggests significant changes in retained earnings or other comprehensive income components during 2022, possibly reflecting impactful operational results or adjustments, with partial restoration of equity in later years.
- Invested capital
- Invested capital increased slightly from 224,149 million US dollars in 2020 to 229,233 million US dollars in 2021, then declined steadily to 213,605 million US dollars in 2022 and further to 211,709 million US dollars in 2023. A slight recovery was observed in 2024, with invested capital increasing to 215,148 million US dollars. The overall trend points to a cautious reduction in invested capital post-2021, with a minor resurgence in the most recent year.
In summary, the period is characterized by an initial improvement in equity and invested capital until 2021, followed by a notable decrease in equity and invested capital in 2022, coinciding with the lowest debt level in the analyzed timeframe. The subsequent years show moderate recovery in equity and invested capital alongside a gradual increase in debt levels, indicating strategic adjustments in financial structure after a phase of deleveraging and equity decline.
Cost of Capital
Comcast Corp., cost of capital calculations
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | ÷ | = | × | = | |||||||||
| Debt3 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Operating lease liability4 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Total: | |||||||||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31).
1 US$ in millions
2 Equity. See details »
3 Debt. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | ÷ | = | × | = | |||||||||
| Debt3 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Operating lease liability4 | ÷ | = | × | × (1 – 21.00%) | = | ||||||||
| Total: | |||||||||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31).
1 US$ in millions
2 Equity. See details »
3 Debt. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | ÷ | = | × | = | |||||||||
| 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 Debt. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | ÷ | = | × | = | |||||||||
| 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 Debt. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | ÷ | = | × | = | |||||||||
| 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 Debt. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
Economic Spread Ratio
Comcast Corp., economic spread ratio calculation, comparison to benchmarks
| Dec 31, 2024 | Dec 31, 2023 | Dec 31, 2022 | Dec 31, 2021 | Dec 31, 2020 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | ||||||
| Economic profit1 | ||||||
| Invested capital2 | ||||||
| Performance Ratio | ||||||
| Economic spread ratio3 | ||||||
| Benchmarks | ||||||
| Economic Spread Ratio, Competitors4 | ||||||
| Alphabet Inc. | ||||||
| Meta Platforms Inc. | ||||||
| Netflix Inc. | ||||||
| Trade Desk Inc. | ||||||
| Walt Disney Co. | ||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31).
1 Economic profit. See details »
2 Invested capital. See details »
3 2024 Calculation
Economic spread ratio = 100 × Economic profit ÷ Invested capital
= 100 × ÷ =
4 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The period under review demonstrates fluctuating financial performance as measured by economic value added metrics. Economic profit exhibits considerable volatility, moving from a negative US$9.810 billion in 2020 to a negative US$6.283 billion in 2021, then significantly declining to a negative US$16.538 billion in 2022. A partial recovery is seen in 2023 with economic profit at a negative US$6.945 billion, followed by a further improvement to a negative US$2.970 billion in 2024. Invested capital shows a more stable pattern, initially increasing from US$224.149 billion in 2020 to US$229.233 billion in 2021, before decreasing to US$213.605 billion in 2022 and US$211.709 billion in 2023. A slight increase to US$215.148 billion is observed in 2024.
- Economic Spread Ratio
- The economic spread ratio mirrors the trend in economic profit, displaying substantial variation. It begins at -4.38% in 2020, improves to -2.74% in 2021, then deteriorates sharply to -7.74% in 2022. A recovery is evident in 2023, with the ratio reaching -3.28%, and this positive trend continues into 2024, with the ratio improving to -1.38%. This indicates that the difference between the return on invested capital and the cost of capital is becoming less negative over time, suggesting improved capital allocation efficiency, although it remains negative throughout the period.
The most significant shift occurs between 2021 and 2022, where both economic profit and the economic spread ratio experience substantial declines. While 2023 and 2024 show improvements, the economic spread ratio remains in negative territory, indicating that the company is not generating returns exceeding its cost of capital. The relative stability of invested capital suggests that changes in economic profit are primarily driven by operational performance rather than significant shifts in the capital base.
Economic Profit Margin
Comcast Corp., economic profit margin calculation, comparison to benchmarks
| Dec 31, 2024 | Dec 31, 2023 | Dec 31, 2022 | Dec 31, 2021 | Dec 31, 2020 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | ||||||
| Economic profit1 | ||||||
| Revenue | ||||||
| Add: Increase (decrease) in deferred revenue | ||||||
| Adjusted revenue | ||||||
| Performance Ratio | ||||||
| Economic profit margin2 | ||||||
| Benchmarks | ||||||
| Economic Profit Margin, Competitors3 | ||||||
| Alphabet Inc. | ||||||
| Meta Platforms Inc. | ||||||
| Netflix Inc. | ||||||
| Trade Desk Inc. | ||||||
| Walt Disney Co. | ||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31), 10-K (reporting date: 2020-12-31).
1 Economic profit. See details »
2 2024 Calculation
Economic profit margin = 100 × Economic profit ÷ Adjusted revenue
= 100 × ÷ =
3 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The economic profit margin exhibited considerable fluctuation between 2020 and 2024. Initially negative, the margin improved through 2021, then deteriorated significantly in 2022 before showing signs of recovery in the subsequent two years.
- Economic Profit Margin Trend
- In 2020, the economic profit margin stood at -9.44%. A notable improvement was observed in 2021, with the margin increasing to -5.40%. However, 2022 witnessed a substantial decline, reaching -13.69%, representing the lowest point within the observed period. The margin then began to recover, moving to -5.68% in 2023 and further improving to -2.39% in 2024. This indicates a decreasing negative impact from economic profit on revenue over the latter part of the period.
The economic profit itself mirrored this trend. While remaining negative throughout the five-year period, the absolute value of the economic profit decreased from US$9,810 million in 2020 to US$2,970 million in 2024. This reduction in the magnitude of the economic loss aligns with the improving economic profit margin.
- Revenue and Economic Profit Relationship
- Adjusted revenue demonstrated consistent growth over the five-year period, increasing from US$103,891 million in 2020 to US$124,043 million in 2024. Despite this revenue growth, the economic profit remained negative, suggesting that the cost of capital consistently exceeded the returns generated from the revenue. The narrowing gap between revenue growth and economic profit, as evidenced by the improving margin, indicates increasing efficiency in capital utilization or potentially a decrease in the cost of capital.
The most significant shift occurred between 2021 and 2022, where the economic profit margin nearly doubled in negativity, despite a continued increase in adjusted revenue. This suggests a substantial increase in the cost of capital or a significant decline in operational profitability during 2022. The subsequent recovery in 2023 and 2024 suggests corrective actions were taken or external factors shifted favorably.