Economic Value Added (EVA)
Definition
A measure of a company's financial performance that calculates the value created above the required return of investors, defined as net operating profit after tax minus the cost of capital employed. EVA highlights whether a firm's intangible and tangible assets are generating returns that exceed their cost of capital.
Complementary Terms
Concepts that frequently appear alongside Economic Value Added (EVA) in practice.
The measure of the value of goods and services produced, calculated as revenue minus the cost of purchased inputs (services, energy, and materials). GVA captures the value a company creates through its own activities and is a core productivity metric in the Opagio framework.
The intangible premium that a business commands above the fair value of its net tangible assets, reflecting factors such as brand strength, regulatory licences, customer loyalty, and market position. Franchise value is a critical concept in financial services and regulated industries where the right to operate carries significant economic worth.
The net asset value of a company as recorded on its balance sheet, calculated as total assets minus total liabilities. Book value often significantly understates the true worth of intangible-rich businesses because many intangible assets are not recognised under accounting standards.
The total value of a company's or fund's assets minus its liabilities. For investment funds, NAV represents the per-share or per-unit value.
A private equity and venture capital performance metric combining both realised returns (distributions) and unrealised value (remaining portfolio value) relative to total capital contributed. TVPI equals DPI plus RVPI and provides the most complete picture of a fund's overall performance.
The additional value created when two businesses combine that neither could achieve independently. Synergy value arises from cost savings, revenue enhancements, or operational efficiencies post-merger, and is a key driver of acquisition premiums.
A hierarchical diagram that breaks down a company's enterprise value into its component financial and operational drivers, mapping how inputs such as customer acquisition, pricing, retention, and productivity combine to produce revenue, profit, and cash flow. Value driver trees are essential for identifying where intangible asset investments create the greatest impact.
A structured strategy developed by private equity firms or management teams to systematically increase the value of a business over a defined holding period. Value creation plans typically address revenue growth, margin improvement, operational efficiency, and intangible asset development.
Put this knowledge to work
Use Opagio's free tools to measure and grow the intangible assets that drive your business value.