What is economic value creation framework?

What Is Economic Value Added (EVA)?

Economic value added (EVA) is a measure of a company's financial performance based on the residual wealth calculated by deducting its cost of capital from its operating profit, adjusted for taxes on a cash basis. EVA can also be referred to as economic profit, as it attempts to capture the true economic profit of a company. This measure was devised by management consulting firm Stern Value Management, originally incorporated as Stern Stewart & Co.

Key Takeaways

  • Economic value added (EVA), also known as economic profit, aims to calculate the true economic profit of a company.
  • EVA is used to measure the value a company generates from funds invested in it.
  • However, EVA relies heavily on invested capital and is best used for asset-rich companies, where companies with intangible assets, such as technology businesses, may not be good candidates.

Understanding Economic Value Added (EVA)

EVA is the incremental difference in the rate of return (RoR) over a company's cost of capital. Essentially, it is used to measure the value a company generates from funds invested in it. If a company's EVA is negative, it means the company is not generating value from the funds invested into the business. Conversely, a positive EVA shows a company is producing value from the funds invested in it.

The formula for calculating EVA is:

EVA = NOPAT - (Invested Capital * WACC)

Where:

  • NOPAT = Net operating profit after taxes
  • Invested capital = Debt + capital leases + shareholders' equity
  • WACC = Weighted average cost of capital

Special Considerations

The equation for EVA shows that there are three key components to a company's EVA—NOPAT, the amount of capital invested, and the WACC. NOPAT can be calculated manually but is normally listed in a public company's financials.

Capital invested is the amount of money used to fund a company or a specific project. WACC is the average rate of return a company expects to pay its investors; the weights are derived as a fraction of each financial source in a company's capital structure. WACC can also be calculated but is normally provided.

The equation used for invested capital in EVA is usually total assets minus current liabilities—two figures easily found on a firm's balance sheet. In this case, the modified formula for EVA is NOPAT - (total assets - current liabilities) * WACC.

As noted by Stern Value Management, in 1983 the management team developed EVA, "a new model for maximizing the value created that can also be used to provide incentives at all levels of the firm." The goal of EVA is to quantify the cost of investing capital into a certain project or firm and then assess whether it generates enough cash to be considered a good investment. A positive EVA shows a project is generating returns in excess of the required minimum return.

Advantages and Disadvantages of EVA

EVA assesses the performance of a company and its management through the idea that a business is only profitable when it creates wealth and returns for shareholders, thus requiring performance above a company's cost of capital.

EVA as a performance indicator is very useful. The calculation shows how and where a company created wealth, through the inclusion of balance sheet items. This forces managers to be aware of assets and expenses when making managerial decisions.

However, the EVA calculation relies heavily on the amount of invested capital and is best used for asset-rich companies that are stable or mature. Companies with intangible assets, such as technology businesses, may not be good candidates for an EVA evaluation.

The purpose of the corporation must be redefined as creating shared value, not just profit per se. This will drive the next wave of innovation and productivity growth in the global economy. It will also reshape capitalism and its relationship to society, and legitimize business again as a powerful force for positive change.

There are numerous ways in which addressing societal concerns can yield productivity benefits to a firm. Consider, for example, what happens when a firm invests in a wellness program. Society benefits because employee and their families become healthier, and the firm minimizes employee absences and lost productivity. The graphic depicts some areas where connections are strongest.

Social Needs & Economic Value Creation

What is economic value creation framework?
 

Our ambition and objectives

Economic performance is part of how DNV views sustainability. Through strong financial performance, we are able to deliver our strategic ambitions in line with our purpose, develop our people by building their skills and competence, and invest in research and innovation to ensure that we remain relevant to our customers. By creating opportunities for direct and indirect employment, investing in upskilling and lifelong learning, and by paying tax where we operate, we contribute to local communities. 

We have always focused on maintaining a strong financial foundation so that our company can stay resilient, remain independent and take a long-term view on delivering on our purpose “to safeguard life, property and the environment”. This was never more evident as during the ongoing pandemic. By working hard to deliver a profit, we generate value for society. 

We also add value by advancing safety and contributing to research and development in strategic areas such as the energy transition, digital assurance, and ocean industries. We support our globally-funded research by reinvesting five percent of our global revenue in research, development and innovation.

Activity in 2020

Financial performance

Revenue for the year was NOK 21,464 million (2020: NOK 20,911 million) with an operating profit of NOK 2,646 million (2020: NOK 2,406 million). EBITDA was NOK 3,673 million (2020: 3,481). 

We continue to commit five percent of our annual revenues to research and innovation programmes, which helps us fulfil our purpose to safeguard life, property and the environment. See our Financial performance section for more details.

Looking ahead

We launched our new five-year Group strategy at the start of 2021. The strategy runs until 2025 and sets out our goal for customer-centric growth and an ambition to shape the future of assurance within our core industries. For more information on the new strategy, see the How we make an impact section.

Approach

We are solely owned by Stiftelsen Det Norske Veritas, an independent Norwegian foundation with the long-standing purpose to safeguard life, property and the environment. This purpose is realized mainly through the 100% ownership of DNV Group AS. 

Our owner requires DNV to run profitable operations so that society at large benefits from the employment, taxes and other economic activity we create. In addition, our stakeholders, including employees, suppliers and subcontractors, and customers, rely on DNV to remain financially robust. 

Robust financial performance is a central tenet of our success. All business areas are expected to meet or exceed their annual revenue targets, but growth must not take place at the expense of sustainability, profitability, quality or the integrity of our operations. 

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Performance

What is value creation framework?

Value-creation frameworks and strategies rely on combining the resources and capabilities of a firm. These resources and capabilities are considered to be valuable, rare, inimitable, and non-substitutable because they provide a sustainable competitive advantage for a firm (Landroguez et al., 2011).

What is value creation economics?

Value creation is the process of turning resources into something valuable with work. In economics, it is a broad term that includes the production of tangible goods and services. It also includes investment in capital goods and intellectual property products.

What is the meaning of economic value?

What Is Economic Value? Economic value is the value that person places on an economic good based on the benefit that they derive from the good. It is often estimated based on the person's willingness to pay for the good, typically measured in units of currency.

What are the 4 economic values?

Key Takeaways Four key economic concepts—scarcity, supply and demand, costs and benefits, and incentives—can help explain many decisions that humans make.