Earnings Per Share Formulae and Examples
EPS formulas help investors calculate earnings available to common shareholders. Different formulas support basic EPS, diluted EPS, and growth analysis. Basic EPS Formula: Basic EPS measures company profit earned for each common share. Investors use this formula for quick profitability analysis and stock comparison. Example: A company reports **2,000,000∗∗innetincome,pays∗∗200,000 in preferred dividends, and has **900,000 weighted average shares outstanding. The company earns $2 per common share. Diluted EPS Formula: Diluted EPS includes dilutive securities such as stock options, warrants, and convertible bonds. This formula provides a more conservative earnings estimate. Example A company reports $3,000,000 in earnings with 1,000,000 shares outstanding and 200,000 dilutive shares from stock options. The diluted EPS equals $2.50 after considering share dilution. Weighted Average Shares Formula: Companies use weighted average shares because share counts often change during the year. This method improves EPS accuracy. EPS Growth Formula: EPS growth measures changes in company profitability over time. Investors use growth rates to evaluate long-term business performance. Example A company increases EPS from **4∗∗to∗∗5** over one year. The company achieves 25% earnings growth.
Basic EPS vs Diluted EPS
Basic EPS and Diluted EPS both measure earnings per share, but they use different share counts. Investors compare both metrics to evaluate current profitability and the potential impact of future share dilution.
Metric | Basic EPS | Diluted EPS |
|---|
Shares Used | Current outstanding shares only | Includes potential future shares |
Dilution Impact | Ignores dilution | Accounts for dilution |
EPS Value | Usually higher | Usually lower |
Complexity | Simple calculation | More comprehensive calculation |
Best Use | Current profitability analysis | Conservative profitability analysis |
Includes Options & Convertibles | No | Yes |
Investor Perspective | Present earnings per share | Potential future earnings per share |
Note: Net income, share buybacks, new share issuances, stock splits, and preferred dividends directly affect EPS. Companies increase EPS by growing profits or reducing share counts, while dilution and lower earnings can reduce earnings per share.