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.
Economic Profit
Meta Platforms Inc., economic profit calculation
US$ in millions
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 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).
1 NOPAT. See details »
2 Cost of capital. See details »
3 Invested capital. See details »
4 2025 Calculation
Economic profit = NOPAT – Cost of capital × Invested capital
= 79,619 – 20.26% × 216,060 = 35,848
The financial performance from 2021 to 2025 is characterized by an initial period of volatility followed by a strong expansion in value creation. While there was a significant contraction in profitability and economic profit in 2022, the subsequent years demonstrate a robust recovery and an acceleration in the generation of economic surplus.
- Net Operating Profit After Taxes (NOPAT)
- A sharp decline is observed in 2022, where NOPAT fell to US$ 20,828 million from US$ 40,147 million in 2021. Following this trough, a consistent and aggressive growth trajectory was established, with NOPAT rising to US$ 38,290 million in 2023, US$ 56,844 million in 2024, and peaking at US$ 79,619 million by the end of 2025.
- Invested Capital and Cost of Capital
- Invested capital exhibits a steady upward trend throughout the period, increasing from US$ 92,809 million in 2021 to US$ 216,060 million in 2025. This indicates a continuous expansion of the capital base. Concurrently, the cost of capital remained highly stable, fluctuating within a narrow range between 20.06% and 20.57%, suggesting a consistent risk profile and financing cost over the five-year duration.
- Economic Profit Trends
- Economic profit experienced a severe contraction in 2022, dropping to US$ 410 million, which indicates that the operating returns barely exceeded the required cost of capital. However, the period from 2023 to 2025 marks a phase of significant value creation. Economic profit rebounded to US$ 9,398 million in 2023 and surged to US$ 35,848 million by 2025. The growth in economic profit in the latter years outpaced the increase in invested capital, signaling improved operational efficiency and a higher return on invested capital relative to the cost of capital.
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Net Operating Profit after Taxes (NOPAT)
Meta Platforms Inc., NOPAT calculation
US$ in millions
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 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).
1 Elimination of deferred tax expense. See details »
2 Addition of increase (decrease) in deferred revenue.
3 Addition of increase (decrease) in accrued severance and other personnel liabilities.
4 Addition of increase (decrease) in equity equivalents to net income.
5 2025 Calculation
Interest expense on capitalized operating leases = Operating lease liability × Discount rate
= 25,153 × 4.30% = 1,082
6 2025 Calculation
Tax benefit of interest expense = Adjusted interest expense × Statutory income tax rate
= 2,247 × 21.00% = 472
7 Addition of after taxes interest expense to net income.
8 2025 Calculation
Tax expense (benefit) of investment income = Investment income, before tax × Statutory income tax rate
= 2,123 × 21.00% = 446
9 Elimination of after taxes investment income.
Net operating profit after taxes (NOPAT) exhibited considerable fluctuation over the five-year period. While net income experienced its own volatility, the NOPAT figures demonstrate a distinct pattern of decline followed by substantial recovery and growth.
- Overall Trend
- NOPAT decreased significantly from 2021 to 2022, then demonstrated a recovery in 2023. This recovery accelerated through 2024 and 2025, culminating in a substantial increase by the end of the period. The 2025 NOPAT value is nearly double that of 2021.
- 2021 to 2022
- A marked decrease in NOPAT is observed between 2021 and 2022, falling from US$40,147 million to US$20,828 million. This represents a substantial contraction, indicating a significant change in operational profitability after accounting for taxes. This decline outpaced the decrease in net income during the same period.
- 2022 to 2023
- The period from 2022 to 2023 shows a recovery in NOPAT, increasing to US$38,290 million. While not fully restoring the 2021 level, this represents a considerable improvement and suggests a stabilization of operational performance.
- 2023 to 2025
- Continued growth in NOPAT is evident from 2023 to 2025. NOPAT increased to US$56,844 million in 2024 and further to US$79,619 million in 2025. This sustained upward trend suggests improving operational efficiency and/or increased revenue generation, exceeding the growth rate observed in net income.
- Relationship to Net Income
- While both net income and NOPAT fluctuate, NOPAT appears to be a more sensitive indicator of core operational performance. The larger percentage decline in NOPAT from 2021 to 2022, compared to net income, suggests that factors beyond net income, such as changes in operating expenses or tax impacts, significantly influenced profitability. The accelerated growth in NOPAT from 2023 to 2025, exceeding the growth in net income, indicates a strengthening of core operational profitability.
In summary, the NOPAT figures reveal a period of initial decline followed by a robust recovery and substantial growth, indicating a positive trajectory in underlying operational profitability.
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Cash Operating Taxes
Meta Platforms Inc., cash operating taxes calculation
US$ in millions
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 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).
The provision for income taxes and cash operating taxes exhibited distinct patterns over the five-year period. While the provision for income taxes generally increased, the cash operating taxes demonstrated more volatility.
- Provision for Income Taxes
- The provision for income taxes decreased from US$7,914 million in 2021 to US$5,619 million in 2022, representing a substantial decline. It then increased to US$8,330 million in 2023 and remained relatively stable at US$8,303 million in 2024. A significant surge is observed in 2025, reaching US$25,474 million. This final year increase is markedly higher than any prior value in the observed period.
- Cash Operating Taxes
- Cash operating taxes increased from US$7,290 million in 2021 to US$8,950 million in 2022. A slight decrease occurred in 2023, with the value falling to US$8,095 million. The year 2024 saw a considerable increase to US$12,827 million. However, in 2025, cash operating taxes decreased significantly to US$6,745 million.
A notable divergence between the provision for income taxes and cash operating taxes is apparent, particularly in 2025. While the provision for income taxes experienced a large increase, cash operating taxes decreased. This suggests a potential shift in the timing of tax payments or the utilization of tax credits or loss carryforwards. The increase in provision for income taxes in 2025, coupled with the decrease in cash operating taxes, warrants further investigation to understand the underlying reasons for this discrepancy.
The volatility in cash operating taxes, especially the fluctuations between 2023, 2024, and 2025, indicates potential impacts from changes in tax laws, accounting adjustments, or strategic tax planning initiatives. The overall trend in the provision for income taxes suggests a growing tax burden, although the 2022 decrease and the 2025 spike require further scrutiny.
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Invested Capital
Meta Platforms Inc., invested capital calculation (financing approach)
US$ in millions
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 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).
1 Addition of capitalized operating leases.
2 Elimination of deferred taxes from assets and liabilities. See details »
3 Addition of deferred revenue.
4 Addition of accrued severance and other personnel liabilities.
5 Addition of equity equivalents to stockholders’ equity.
6 Removal of accumulated other comprehensive income.
7 Subtraction of construction in progress.
8 Subtraction of marketable securities.
The reported invested capital demonstrates a consistent upward trend over the five-year period. Simultaneously, both total reported debt & leases and stockholders’ equity have increased, contributing to the growth in invested capital.
- Invested Capital Trend
- Invested capital increased from US$92,809 million in 2021 to US$216,060 million in 2025. This represents a cumulative increase of 132.8% over the period. The rate of increase appears to be accelerating, with larger absolute increases observed in later years.
- Debt & Leases
- Total reported debt & leases exhibited substantial growth, rising from US$14,454 million in 2021 to US$85,081 million in 2025. This signifies a significant reliance on debt financing, with the most substantial increase occurring between 2023 and 2025. The growth rate of debt & leases consistently outpaced that of stockholders’ equity.
- Stockholders’ Equity
- Stockholders’ equity also increased, moving from US$124,879 million in 2021 to US$217,243 million in 2025. While positive, the growth in equity was less pronounced than the growth in debt. The increase was relatively steady year-over-year, though the absolute increase was larger between 2022 and 2023, and again between 2023 and 2024.
- Relationship between Components and Invested Capital
- The increase in invested capital is directly attributable to the combined growth of both debt & leases and stockholders’ equity. The increasing proportion of debt within the capital structure suggests a shift towards greater financial leverage. The consistent growth in invested capital, coupled with the increasing reliance on debt, warrants further investigation into the company’s capital allocation efficiency and its ability to generate returns exceeding the cost of capital.
The observed trends suggest a company actively investing in its operations and growth, funded by a combination of equity and, increasingly, debt. Continued monitoring of these figures is recommended to assess the sustainability of this growth strategy and the associated financial risks.
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Cost of Capital
Meta Platforms Inc., cost of capital calculations
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | 1,867,596) | 1,867,596) | ÷ | 1,951,153) | = | 0.96 | 0.96 | × | 20.98% | = | 20.08% | ||
| Long-term debt and finance lease liabilities3 | 58,404) | 58,404) | ÷ | 1,951,153) | = | 0.03 | 0.03 | × | 5.53% × (1 – 21.00%) | = | 0.13% | ||
| Operating lease liability4 | 25,153) | 25,153) | ÷ | 1,951,153) | = | 0.01 | 0.01 | × | 4.30% × (1 – 21.00%) | = | 0.04% | ||
| Total: | 1,951,153) | 1.00 | 20.26% | ||||||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31).
1 US$ in millions
2 Equity. See details »
3 Long-term debt and finance lease liabilities. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | 1,740,624) | 1,740,624) | ÷ | 1,789,397) | = | 0.97 | 0.97 | × | 20.98% | = | 20.41% | ||
| Long-term debt and finance lease liabilities3 | 28,539) | 28,539) | ÷ | 1,789,397) | = | 0.02 | 0.02 | × | 5.31% × (1 – 21.00%) | = | 0.07% | ||
| Operating lease liability4 | 20,234) | 20,234) | ÷ | 1,789,397) | = | 0.01 | 0.01 | × | 3.90% × (1 – 21.00%) | = | 0.03% | ||
| Total: | 1,789,397) | 1.00 | 20.51% | ||||||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2024-12-31).
1 US$ in millions
2 Equity. See details »
3 Long-term debt and finance lease liabilities. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | 1,210,942) | 1,210,942) | ÷ | 1,248,961) | = | 0.97 | 0.97 | × | 20.98% | = | 20.34% | ||
| Long-term debt and finance lease liabilities3 | 19,170) | 19,170) | ÷ | 1,248,961) | = | 0.02 | 0.02 | × | 4.61% × (1 – 21.00%) | = | 0.06% | ||
| Operating lease liability4 | 18,849) | 18,849) | ÷ | 1,248,961) | = | 0.02 | 0.02 | × | 3.70% × (1 – 21.00%) | = | 0.04% | ||
| Total: | 1,248,961) | 1.00 | 20.44% | ||||||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2023-12-31).
1 US$ in millions
2 Equity. See details »
3 Long-term debt and finance lease liabilities. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | 489,413) | 489,413) | ÷ | 515,398) | = | 0.95 | 0.95 | × | 20.98% | = | 19.92% | ||
| Long-term debt and finance lease liabilities3 | 9,317) | 9,317) | ÷ | 515,398) | = | 0.02 | 0.02 | × | 4.06% × (1 – 21.00%) | = | 0.06% | ||
| Operating lease liability4 | 16,668) | 16,668) | ÷ | 515,398) | = | 0.03 | 0.03 | × | 3.20% × (1 – 21.00%) | = | 0.08% | ||
| Total: | 515,398) | 1.00 | 20.06% | ||||||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2022-12-31).
1 US$ in millions
2 Equity. See details »
3 Long-term debt and finance lease liabilities. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
| Capital (fair value)1 | Weights | Cost of capital | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Equity2 | 647,169) | 647,169) | ÷ | 661,623) | = | 0.98 | 0.98 | × | 20.98% | = | 20.52% | ||
| Long-term debt and finance lease liabilities3 | 581) | 581) | ÷ | 661,623) | = | 0.00 | 0.00 | × | 2.70% × (1 – 21.00%) | = | 0.00% | ||
| Operating lease liability4 | 13,873) | 13,873) | ÷ | 661,623) | = | 0.02 | 0.02 | × | 2.80% × (1 – 21.00%) | = | 0.05% | ||
| Total: | 661,623) | 1.00 | 20.57% | ||||||||||
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2021-12-31).
1 US$ in millions
2 Equity. See details »
3 Long-term debt and finance lease liabilities. See details »
4 Operating lease liability. See details »
Economic Spread Ratio
Meta Platforms Inc., economic spread ratio calculation, comparison to benchmarks
| Dec 31, 2025 | Dec 31, 2024 | Dec 31, 2023 | Dec 31, 2022 | Dec 31, 2021 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | ||||||
| Economic profit1 | 35,848) | 22,800) | 9,398) | 410) | 21,054) | |
| Invested capital2 | 216,060) | 165,969) | 141,324) | 101,764) | 92,809) | |
| Performance Ratio | ||||||
| Economic spread ratio3 | 16.59% | 13.74% | 6.65% | 0.40% | 22.68% | |
| Benchmarks | ||||||
| Economic Spread Ratio, Competitors4 | ||||||
| Alphabet Inc. | 26.49% | 22.36% | 15.73% | 7.34% | 26.63% | |
| Comcast Corp. | 1.87% | -1.33% | -3.22% | -7.69% | -2.69% | |
| Netflix Inc. | 0.71% | -3.98% | -10.24% | -10.76% | -6.16% | |
| Walt Disney Co. | -12.58% | -15.99% | -17.50% | -15.31% | -18.30% | |
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 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).
1 Economic profit. See details »
2 Invested capital. See details »
3 2025 Calculation
Economic spread ratio = 100 × Economic profit ÷ Invested capital
= 100 × 35,848 ÷ 216,060 = 16.59%
4 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The financial trajectory between 2021 and 2025 is characterized by a significant contraction in value creation during 2022, followed by a consistent and accelerating recovery phase. While the company experienced a near-total erosion of economic profit in 2022, the subsequent years demonstrate a strong rebound in both absolute economic profit and the efficiency of capital utilization.
- Economic Profit
- A sharp decline is observed from 2021 to 2022, where economic profit fell from US$ 21,054 million to US$ 410 million. This trend reversed starting in 2023, with figures climbing to US$ 9,398 million and reaching a projected peak of US$ 35,848 million by 2025, representing a substantial increase in value created above the cost of capital.
- Invested Capital
- There is a consistent upward trend in invested capital over the five-year period. The capital base grew from US$ 92,809 million in 2021 to US$ 216,060 million in 2025. The most significant acceleration in capital deployment occurred between 2022 and 2023, indicating an aggressive expansion of the asset base during the recovery period.
- Economic Spread Ratio
- The economic spread ratio mirrors the volatility of economic profit, dropping precipitously from 22.68% in 2021 to a low of 0.40% in 2022. Following this trough, the ratio exhibits a steady upward trajectory, improving to 6.65% in 2023, 13.74% in 2024, and reaching 16.59% in 2025. This progression indicates an increasing capacity to generate returns that exceed the cost of capital, even as the total amount of invested capital continues to rise.
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Economic Profit Margin
Meta Platforms Inc., economic profit margin calculation, comparison to benchmarks
| Dec 31, 2025 | Dec 31, 2024 | Dec 31, 2023 | Dec 31, 2022 | Dec 31, 2021 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Selected Financial Data (US$ in millions) | ||||||
| Economic profit1 | 35,848) | 22,800) | 9,398) | 410) | 21,054) | |
| Revenue | 200,966) | 164,501) | 134,902) | 116,609) | 117,929) | |
| Add: Increase (decrease) in deferred revenue | 308) | 97) | 149) | (70) | 225) | |
| Adjusted revenue | 201,274) | 164,598) | 135,051) | 116,539) | 118,154) | |
| Performance Ratio | ||||||
| Economic profit margin2 | 17.81% | 13.85% | 6.96% | 0.35% | 17.82% | |
| Benchmarks | ||||||
| Economic Profit Margin, Competitors3 | ||||||
| Alphabet Inc. | 20.30% | 14.53% | 9.69% | 5.24% | 17.66% | |
| Comcast Corp. | 3.51% | -2.31% | -5.56% | -13.57% | -5.30% | |
| Netflix Inc. | 0.68% | -4.15% | -11.45% | -12.84% | -7.19% | |
| Walt Disney Co. | -22.02% | -29.09% | -34.18% | -31.50% | -46.63% | |
Based on: 10-K (reporting date: 2025-12-31), 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).
1 Economic profit. See details »
2 2025 Calculation
Economic profit margin = 100 × Economic profit ÷ Adjusted revenue
= 100 × 35,848 ÷ 201,274 = 17.81%
3 Click competitor name to see calculations.
The financial performance between 2021 and 2025 is characterized by a significant volatility event in 2022, followed by a robust and sustained recovery. While economic value generation nearly ceased in 2022, the subsequent years demonstrate an acceleration in both revenue growth and the restoration of profit margins to their historical benchmarks.
- Economic Profit
- A severe contraction is observed in 2022, where economic profit plummeted from US$ 21,054 million to US$ 410 million. Following this nadir, a strong upward trajectory was established, with values climbing to US$ 9,398 million in 2023, US$ 22,800 million in 2024, and peaking at US$ 35,848 million by the end of 2025. This represents a substantial recovery that exceeds the 2021 baseline.
- Adjusted Revenue
- Revenue patterns remained relatively stable compared to profit metrics, experiencing a slight decline from US$ 118,154 million in 2021 to US$ 116,539 million in 2022. From 2023 onward, a consistent growth phase is evident, with revenue increasing to US$ 135,051 million, then US$ 164,598 million, and reaching US$ 201,274 million by 2025, indicating a steady expansion of the top-line scale.
- Economic Profit Margin
- The economic profit margin mirrors the volatility of the absolute profit figures, crashing from 17.82% in 2021 to a near-zero level of 0.35% in 2022. The subsequent recovery phase shows a progressive improvement in capital efficiency, rising to 6.96% in 2023 and 13.85% in 2024. By December 31, 2025, the margin returned to 17.81%, effectively restoring the company to its 2021 level of economic efficiency despite the significantly larger revenue base.
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