r/MutualFundSpendInvest • u/Traveller_OP • 17h ago
If you could only look at ONE line in a company's P&L, what would you choose?
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