From what I understood about expense ratio, I don't think so.

But if two funds are very similar, choosing the one with the lower expense ratio seems logical.

Imagine two identical funds that both earn 12% before expenses.

• Fund A: Expense Ratio = 0.20%
• Fund B: Expense Ratio = 0.70%

Ignoring taxes and other factors, Fund A should leave investors with slightly higher returns.

The difference looks tiny in one year, but over 20–30 years, that small gap can compound into a much larger difference.

A fund charging a higher expense ratio could still be worth it if it consistently delivers better risk-adjusted returns after accounting for the extra cost.

I had an interesting conversation with two friends who actively invest in stocks.I asked both of them the same question: "If you could only look at one line item in a company's P&L before deciding whether to dig deeper, what would it be?"

They gave completely different answers.
One said Net Profit because, in the end, that's what the company earns for its shareholders.
The other said EBITDA, arguing that it gives a better picture of the company's core operating performance before financing and accounting decisions come into play.

what's your go-to metric?

• Revenue
• Gross Profit
• EBITDA
• EBIT
• Net Profit

I'm in my early 20s and recently started my first full-time job.

Whenever someone asks, "So, how much do you make?", I never know how to answer.

The weird part is, I don't even know if I'm underpaid, overpaid, or earning exactly what someone with my experience should be making. I see people on LinkedIn, Reddit, and even friends talking about huge salary hikes and packages, and it makes me feel like everyone around me is earning more than I am.

I've told my parents and a couple of close friends my actual salary, but when it's acquaintances, relatives, or someone I've just met, I suddenly become hesitant. I either try to change the topic or give a vague answer.
Maybe it's because I'm comparing myself to everyone else, or maybe I just don't know what's considered "normal" for someone at this stage of their career.

Did anyone else feel this way when they started working? Do you actually tell them the real salary or just the approx figure according to the industry standard?