Financial Metrics Guide
Comprehensive guide to financial metrics, ratios, and indicators used in stock analysis. Learn how to calculate, interpret, and use 70+ key metrics.
Price & Performance
Stock Price
ContextualThe price of one share right now, set by buyers and sellers trading the stock. It reflects what the market thinks the company is worth.
Performance vs S&P 500
Higher is BetterCompares the stock’s price change with the S&P 500 (500 large U.S. companies) over the same period. Above the S&P line means the stock did better than the market.
Performance %
Higher is BetterHow much the stock price has gone up or down since the start of the selected period. The starting point is always 0%.
$10K Invested
Higher is BetterWhat $10,000 put into the stock at the start of the selected period would be worth now, based on price changes alone.
YTD Performance
ContextualHow much the stock price has gone up or down since the start of this calendar year.
Beta
ContextualHow much the stock has historically moved compared with the overall market. Above 1 means bigger swings than the market; below 1, smaller.
Drawdown from 52W High
ContextualHow far the stock price is below its highest price of the past year. For example, -20% means it’s trading 20% under that peak.
% from 52-Week Low
ContextualHow far the stock price is above its lowest price of the past year. For example, +30% means it’s trading 30% over that low.
Revenue & Growth
Revenue
Higher is BetterAll the money a company brings in from sales, before any costs are taken out. Often called the “top line.”
Revenue YoY Growth
Higher is BetterHow much sales grew or shrank compared with the same period a year earlier.
Revenue QoQ Growth
Higher is BetterHow much sales grew or shrank compared with the previous quarter. Shows recent momentum, but can swing with the seasons.
Forward Revenue Growth (FY)
Higher is BetterThe sales growth analysts expect from this fiscal year to the next.
Forward Revenue Growth (NTM)
Higher is BetterThe sales growth analysts expect over the next 12 months compared with the last 12 months.
Revenue Index (Base 100)
Higher is BetterRevenue shown as an index that starts at 100. A reading of 150 means revenue is 50% higher than at the start of the range.
Gross Profit
Higher is BetterSales minus the direct cost of making the products or services. What’s left to pay for everything else.
Operating Income
Higher is BetterProfit from the company’s main business after day-to-day running costs, but before interest and taxes.
Operating Income (Loss)
Higher is BetterProfit or loss from the company’s main business, before interest and taxes.
Operating Income YoY Growth
Higher is BetterHow much profit from the core business grew or shrank versus a year earlier. Growing faster than sales usually means margins are widening.
Operating Income Index (Base 100)
Higher is BetterOperating profit shown as an index that starts at 100. Paired with the Revenue Index, it shows whether profit is growing faster than sales.
EBITDA
Higher is BetterProfit from operations before interest, taxes, and the gradual write-down of assets (depreciation and amortization). A rough measure of earning power.
EBIT
Higher is BetterEarnings before interest and taxes: profit from the business before borrowing costs and taxes. Usually very close to operating income.
Free Cash Flow
Higher is BetterCash left over after running the business and paying for investments like equipment and buildings. It can fund dividends, buybacks, debt repayment, or growth.
SBC-Adjusted Free Cash Flow
Higher is BetterFree cash flow minus the value of stock given to employees as pay. A stricter view, since that stock pay dilutes shareholders.
Operating Cash Flow
Higher is BetterCash the business brings in from day-to-day operations, before spending on equipment and other investments.
Net Income
Higher is BetterThe final profit after every cost, interest payment, and tax. Often called the “bottom line.”
Income (Loss) from Continuing Operations Before Tax
Higher is BetterProfit or loss before taxes from the businesses the company is keeping (excludes units being sold or closed).
Profitability & Margins
Gross Margin
Higher is BetterThe percentage of each sale left after paying the direct cost of making the product. Higher means more room to cover other costs.
Operating Margin
Higher is BetterThe percentage of each sale kept as profit after day-to-day running costs. Shows how efficiently the core business makes money.
Incremental Operating Margin
Higher is BetterHow much of each extra dollar of sales becomes extra operating profit. A high number means profit is growing faster than sales.
EBITDA Margin
Higher is BetterEBITDA as a percentage of sales. A rough view of how much operating profit each dollar of sales produces.
Net Income Margin
Higher is BetterThe percentage of each sale that ends up as final profit after all costs, interest, and taxes.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ContextualThe share of profit paid to shareholders as dividends. 40% means 40 cents of every dollar of profit was paid out.
Operating Cash Flow Margin
Higher is BetterOperating cash flow as a percentage of sales. Shows how much real cash each dollar of sales brings in.
Free Cash Flow Margin
Higher is BetterFree cash flow as a percentage of sales. Shows how much cash is left from each dollar of sales after investing in the business.
S&M as % of Revenue
ContextualSales and marketing spending as a percentage of sales. Shows how much the company spends to win customers.
SG&A as % of Revenue
ContextualSales, marketing, and overhead costs (SG&A) as a percentage of sales. A falling number often means the business is getting leaner.
R&D as % of Revenue
ContextualResearch and development spending as a percentage of sales. Shows how much the company invests in new products and technology.
G&A as % of Revenue
ContextualOverhead costs like management, legal, and accounting as a percentage of sales. Lower usually means leaner operations.
Cost of Revenue as % of Revenue
ContextualThe direct cost of making products or services as a percentage of sales. Equal to 100% minus gross margin.
Diluted EPS (GAAP)
Higher is BetterProfit per share under official accounting (GAAP) rules, counting shares that could be created later, like from employee stock options.
Basic EPS (GAAP)
Higher is BetterProfit per share, using the current share count only. Slightly higher than diluted EPS, which also counts shares that could be created later.
Basic Earnings Per Share
Higher is BetterProfit per share using the current share count, without adding shares that could be created later.
Diluted EPS YoY Growth (GAAP)
Higher is BetterHow much profit per share (EPS) grew or shrank versus a year earlier, using official accounting (GAAP) figures.
Diluted EPS (Non-GAAP)
Higher is BetterProfit per share as the company reports it after removing one-off costs, like restructuring. Often called “adjusted EPS.”
Analyst-expected Diluted EPS (Non-GAAP)
Higher is BetterThe average adjusted profit per share analysts expected just before the company reported its quarterly results.
EPS Surprise vs. Consensus (%)
ContextualHow much reported profit per share beat or missed what analysts expected, as a percentage. Positive means a beat.
Expenses & Costs
Cost of Revenue
Lower is BetterThe direct cost of making the products or services sold, like materials and labor. Also called COGS.
Operating Expenses
Lower is BetterCosts of running the business beyond making the product, like sales, admin, and research.
Other Operating Expenses
ContextualOperating costs that don’t fit other categories, such as restructuring or legal charges.
Depreciation & Amortization
ContextualAn accounting cost that spreads the price of buildings, equipment, and other assets over the years they’re used. No cash leaves the business.
Income Taxes Paid
ContextualCash actually paid in income taxes during the period. Can differ from the tax expense on the income statement.
SG&A Expenses
Lower is BetterSelling, general, and administrative costs: sales, marketing, office salaries, rent, and other overhead.
Sales & Marketing (S&M)
ContextualSpending on advertising, promotions, and sales teams to win new customers.
Valuation Multiples
Market Cap
ContextualThe total value of all the company’s shares: share price times the number of shares.
Enterprise Value
ContextualThe value of the whole business: market cap plus debt, minus cash. Roughly what an acquirer would pay for the entire company.
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E)
ContextualShare price divided by profit per share over the last 12 months. Shows how many dollars investors pay for each $1 of yearly profit.
PEG Ratio (Price/Earnings to Growth)
Lower is BetterThe P/E ratio divided by how fast profit per share is growing. Helps judge whether a P/E looks high or low given the company’s growth.
Forward P/E
ContextualShare price divided by the profit per share analysts expect over the next 12 months.
Forward P/E (Current FY)
ContextualShare price divided by the profit per share analysts expect for the current fiscal year.
Forward P/E (Next FY)
ContextualShare price divided by the profit per share analysts expect for the following fiscal year.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S)
ContextualMarket cap divided by sales over the last 12 months. Useful for companies that aren’t profitable yet.
Enterprise Value to Sales (EV/Sales)
ContextualEnterprise value divided by sales over the last 12 months. Like P/S, but also accounts for the company’s debt and cash.
EV/EBITDA
ContextualEnterprise value divided by EBITDA over the last 12 months. A common way to compare companies with different amounts of debt.
Forward EV/Adj. EBITDA
ContextualEnterprise value divided by the adjusted EBITDA analysts expect next year.
Enterprise Value to EBIT (EV/EBIT)
ContextualEnterprise value divided by EBIT over the last 12 months. Stricter than EV/EBITDA because it counts the cost of assets wearing out.
Enterprise Value to Free Cash Flow (EV/FCF)
ContextualEnterprise value divided by free cash flow over the last 12 months. Values the whole business on the cash it generates.
Enterprise Value to SBC-Adjusted Free Cash Flow (EV/(FCF-SBC))
ContextualEnterprise value divided by free cash flow after subtracting stock pay to employees. A stricter version of EV/FCF.
Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B)
ContextualMarket cap divided by book value: roughly what shareholders would keep if all assets were sold and all debts paid.
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF)
ContextualMarket cap divided by free cash flow over the last 12 months. Shows how many dollars investors pay for each $1 of yearly cash.
Price to SBC-Adjusted Free Cash Flow (P/(FCF-SBC))
ContextualMarket cap divided by free cash flow after subtracting stock pay to employees. A stricter version of P/FCF.
Free Cash Flow Yield
Higher is BetterFree cash flow over the last 12 months as a percentage of market cap. Higher means more cash per dollar of market value.
Earnings Yield
Higher is BetterYearly profit as a percentage of the share price, the flip side of P/E. A P/E of 20 equals a 5% earnings yield.
Dividend Yield
ContextualThe yearly dividend as a percentage of the share price. A 3% yield means $3 a year for every $100 of stock.
Free Cash Flow Yield (Enterprise Value)
Higher is BetterFree cash flow as a percentage of enterprise value. Like FCF yield, but also accounts for the company’s debt and cash.
FCF Yield (FCF-SBC)
Higher is BetterFree cash flow after stock pay to employees, as a percentage of market cap. A stricter version of FCF yield.
FCF Yield (EV-SBC)
Higher is BetterFree cash flow after stock pay to employees, as a percentage of enterprise value. A stricter version of EV-based FCF yield.
OCF Yield
Higher is BetterOperating cash flow over the last 12 months as a percentage of market cap. Higher means more cash per dollar of market value.
OCF Yield (EV)
Higher is BetterOperating cash flow as a percentage of enterprise value. Like OCF yield, but also accounts for the company’s debt and cash.
P/OCF
Lower is BetterMarket cap divided by operating cash flow over the last 12 months. Shows what investors pay for each $1 of cash from operations.
EV/OCF
Lower is BetterEnterprise value divided by operating cash flow over the last 12 months. Like P/OCF, but also accounts for debt and cash.
Financial Health & Leverage
Net Debt
Lower is BetterTotal debt minus cash and short-term investments. Negative means the company has more cash than debt.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
ContextualTotal debt divided by shareholders’ equity. Higher means the company relies more on borrowed money.
Interest Coverage
Higher is BetterOperating profit divided by interest costs. Shows how many times over the company can pay its interest bills.
Net Debt to EBITDA
Lower is BetterNet debt divided by yearly EBITDA. Roughly how many years of operating profit it would take to pay off debt.
Current Ratio
Higher is BetterShort-term assets divided by bills due within a year. Above 1 means the company has more than enough to cover them.
Quick Ratio
Higher is BetterLike the current ratio, but leaves out inventory. Tests whether bills due within a year can be covered without relying on unsold goods.
Working Capital
Higher is BetterShort-term assets minus bills due within a year. The cushion available to run day-to-day operations.
Change in Working Capital
ContextualCash tied up in, or freed from, items like unpaid customer bills, inventory, and supplier bills. It raises or lowers operating cash flow.
Total Assets
ContextualEverything the company owns, from cash and inventory to buildings, equipment, and brands.
Current Assets
ContextualAssets expected to turn into cash within a year, like cash, money owed by customers, and inventory.
Total Liabilities
Lower is BetterEverything the company owes, including unpaid bills, loans, and bonds.
Current Liabilities
ContextualBills and debts due within a year, like supplier bills, short-term loans, and wages owed.
Noncurrent Liabilities
ContextualObligations due more than a year from now, like long-term debt and deferred taxes.
Total Equity
Higher is BetterWhat’s left for shareholders after subtracting everything the company owes from everything it owns. Also called book value.
Additional Paid-in Capital
ContextualMoney shareholders paid for shares above their small official face value (par value). Grows when the company issues new shares.
Long-Term Debt
Lower is BetterBorrowed money, like bonds and loans, that isn’t due for more than a year.
Net Cash Position
Higher is BetterCash and investments minus total debt. Positive means more cash than debt; negative means more debt than cash.
Efficiency & Returns
Return on Equity (ROE)
Higher is BetterProfit as a percentage of shareholders’ equity. Shows how much profit the company makes with the money owners have put in.
Return on Assets (ROA)
Higher is BetterProfit as a percentage of total assets. Shows how much profit the company makes from everything it owns.
Return on Capital Employed (ROCE)
Higher is BetterOperating profit as a percentage of the long-term money used to run the business. Higher means that money is being used more efficiently.
Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)
Higher is BetterAfter-tax operating profit as a percentage of the money shareholders and lenders have put into the business. Higher means each dollar earns more.
Asset Turnover
Higher is BetterSales divided by total assets. Shows how many dollars of sales each $1 of assets produces.
Revenue per Employee
Higher is BetterYearly sales divided by the number of employees. A simple measure of how productive the workforce is.
Operating Profit per Employee
Higher is BetterOperating profit divided by the number of employees. How much profit each employee generates on average.
Capital Management & Per Share
Shares Outstanding
Lower is BetterThe average number of company shares held by investors during the period. A falling count means each share owns more of the company.
Shares Outstanding (Diluted)
Lower is BetterShares held by investors plus shares that could be created later, such as from employee stock options.
Share Dilution & Issuance
ContextualNew shares created versus shares repurchased. Creating more shares than are repurchased shrinks each shareholder’s slice of the company.
FCF per Share
Higher is BetterFree cash flow divided by the number of shares. The cash each share generates after investments.
OCF per Share
Higher is BetterOperating cash flow divided by the number of shares. The cash each share generates from day-to-day operations.
SBC-Adjusted FCF per Share
Higher is BetterFree cash flow minus stock pay to employees, divided by the number of shares. A stricter view of cash per share.
Revenue per Share
Higher is BetterTotal sales divided by the number of shares. Rising figures mean each share is backed by more sales.
Stock-Based Compensation
Lower is BetterThe value of stock given to employees as pay. No cash leaves the business, but new shares dilute existing shareholders.
Assets & Balance Sheet Items
Cash & Cash Equivalents
Higher is BetterCash on hand plus very safe investments that turn into cash within about three months.
Cash & Short Term Investments
Higher is BetterCash plus short-term investments: the money the company can get to quickly.
Long Term Investments
ContextualInvestments the company plans to keep for more than a year, like bonds or stakes in other companies.
Cash & Investments
Higher is BetterAll the cash and investments the company has, both short-term and long-term.
Accounts Receivable
ContextualMoney customers owe the company for sales already made but not yet paid for.
Other Receivables
ContextualMoney owed to the company from sources other than customers, like tax refunds.
Inventory
ContextualProducts and materials the company has on hand but hasn’t sold yet, from raw materials to finished goods.
Fixed Assets
ContextualBuildings, equipment, and other physical assets used to run the business, minus wear and tear (depreciation).
Goodwill
ContextualThe extra amount paid for acquired companies above the value of their assets. It can be written down if an acquisition disappoints.
Intangible Assets
ContextualNon-physical assets like patents, brands, customer relationships, and software.
Goodwill & Intangible Assets
ContextualGoodwill plus other non-physical assets like brands, patents, and technology.
Total Payables
ContextualMoney the company owes suppliers and others for goods and services already received.
Accounts Payable
ContextualMoney the company owes suppliers for goods and services it has received but not yet paid for.
Accrued Expenses
ContextualCosts the company has already run up but not yet paid, like wages, interest, and taxes.
Other Current Liabilities
ContextualShort-term obligations that don’t fit other categories, like taxes or bonuses owed.
Retained Earnings
Higher is BetterAll the profit kept in the business over the years instead of being paid out as dividends.
Deferred Revenue
ContextualMoney customers have paid upfront for products or services not yet delivered. Common in subscription businesses.
Other Current Assets
ContextualShort-term assets that aren’t cash, customer payments due, or inventory, such as prepaid expenses.
Cash Flow Activities
Capital Expenditures (CAPEX)
ContextualCash spent on long-term assets like buildings, equipment, and machinery, whether new or upgraded.
Investments in Property, Plant & Equipment
ContextualCash spent on property, plant, and equipment (PP&E), like factories, offices, and machinery.
Net Cash Flow from Operating Activities
Higher is BetterCash generated or used by the company’s day-to-day operations, as reported on the cash flow statement.
Net Cash Flow from Investing Activities
ContextualNet cash spent on or received from investments, like equipment, acquisitions, and securities. Usually negative for growing companies.
Purchases of Investments
ContextualCash spent purchasing investments, such as bonds and other securities.
Sales/Maturities of Investments
Higher is BetterCash received when investments are sold or reach their end date.
Other Investing Activities
ContextualInvesting cash flows that aren’t equipment spending, acquisitions, or investment purchases and sales.
Acquisitions (Net)
ContextualCash spent acquiring other businesses, minus any cash those businesses already had.
Net Cash Flow from Financing Activities
ContextualNet cash from borrowing, repaying debt, issuing shares, paying dividends, and share buybacks.
Net Debt Issuance
ContextualNew borrowing minus debt repaid. Positive means the company borrowed more than it paid back.
Other Financing Activities
ContextualFinancing cash flows that aren’t borrowing, share issuance, buybacks, or dividends.
Deferred Income Tax
ContextualTaxes recorded as an expense but not yet paid in cash, or the reverse. A timing adjustment on the cash flow statement.
Understand the numbers behind the charts
Use this library to quickly understand the ratios and terms that appear across Chartloom stock pages, dashboards, and research workflows.
Apply metrics to real companies
Move from definitions to live company work by opening the AI summary library and checking how valuation, growth, and profitability measures behave across tickers.
Browse AI summariesCompare tools and workflows
Comparison pages and public dashboards make it easier to connect individual metrics with broader platform choices and sector trends.
Apply These Metrics in Your Research
Chartloom provides 100+ interactive charts with all these metrics. AI-powered SEC summaries, Scenario Lab, and a customisable dashboard.
Start 14-Day Free Trial
No credit card required
Sector dashboards
Compare performance, valuation, and quality metrics for curated baskets. No account required.
Mag 7 Dashboard
A real-time dashboard tracking the U.S. technology stocks that dominate the market. Explore live prices, performance, valuation, and growth…
Open dashboardFAANG Stocks
Track the FAANG stocks — Meta (META, formerly Facebook — the F in FAANG), Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), Netflix (NFLX), and Alphabet (GOOGL)…
Open dashboardSaaS Stocks
Track leading SaaS stocks — Salesforce (CRM), ServiceNow (NOW), Adobe (ADBE), Intuit (INTU), Snowflake (SNOW), Datadog (DDOG), Palantir…
Open dashboardSemiconductors & AI
Follow a focused basket of chip and AI infrastructure stocks — including Nvidia (NVDA), TSMC (TSM), AMD, Broadcom (AVGO), and ASML — with…
Open dashboardCybersecurity Stocks
Compare major cybersecurity stocks — including Palo Alto Networks (PANW), CrowdStrike (CRWD), Fortinet (FTNT), and Zscaler (ZS) — on…
Open dashboardSpace Stocks List
A free dashboard for nine public space-economy stocks — including SpaceX (SPCX), which began trading on Nasdaq in June 2026 — alongside…
Open dashboard