
To calculate the earnings per share, or EPS, you have to use the common shares outstanding from the balance sheet and the net income and preferred stock dividends from the income statement, not the balance sheet. EPS measures the amount of profit the company has for the year for each share.
What is the formula for basic earnings per share?
- Net Earnings of Starbucks in 2017 = $2,817.7 million
- Weighted average common shares 2017 = 1,471.6 million
- Basic EPS = $2,817.7/1,471.6 = $1.91
Which factors increase earnings per share?
- doing a better job at running their company - the best way!
- buying other companies - not always a good idea as many acquisitions do not achieve what they set out to achieve
- undertaking a share buyback to reduce the number of shares on issue - a great idea providing the shares are selling at below what they are worth when they are ...
What earnings per share (EPS) tells investors?
- In which direction is EPS moving? ...
- How much is EPS expected to move over the next year or two?
- How much investment was required by the company to generate the earnings?
- Is the company doing anything to change the calculation, such as increasing shares (perhaps through stock and options grants to executives)?
How do you calculate earnings per share?
- 25,000 shares * 12/12 = 25,000 outstanding entire year
- + 5,000 shares * 6/12 = 2,500 outstanding last 6 months
- Weighted average common shares: 25,000 + 2,500 = 27,500

How do you find the earnings per share of stock?
Key TakeawaysEarnings per share (EPS) is the portion of a company's profit allocated to each outstanding share of common stock.EPS (for a company with preferred and common stock) = (net income - preferred dividends) ÷ average outstanding common shares.More items...
Where is earnings per share on the balance sheet?
Earnings per share must appear on the face of the income statement if the corporation's stock is publicly traded. The earnings per share calculation is the after-tax net income (earnings) available for the common stockholders divided by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during that period.
Where can I find EPS for a company?
A company reports its EPS in Consolidated Statements of Operations (income statements) in both annual (10-K) and quarterly (10-Q) SEC filings.
How do you calculate basic earnings per common share?
Basic EPS = (Net income - preferred dividends) ÷ weighted average of common shares outstanding during the period.
How is EPS presented in financial statements?
An entity must present basic EPS and diluted EPS with equal prominence in the statement of comprehensive income. In consolidated financial statements, EPS measures are based on the consolidated profit or loss attributable to ordinary equity holders of the parent.
How do you find earnings per share without preferred dividends?
To calculate the EPS for common shares, subtract the preferred dividends from the corporation's net income and then divide the result by the number of common stock outstanding. You cannot calculate the EPS unless you know the number of preferred shares and the annual dividend payable to each preferred share.
What is EPS in share market with example?
Earnings per share (EPS) is a company's net profit divided by the number of common shares it has outstanding. 1. EPS indicates how much money a company makes for each share of its stock and is a widely used metric for estimating corporate value.
Is EPS same as dividend?
Dividend is the distribution by a company to its shareholders, of part or all of its profits. EPS is the net profit earned by the company, per outstanding equity share.
How do you calculate earnings per share quizlet?
Earnings per share is: (net income - preferred dividends)/common shares outstanding. Preferred stock dividends are $100 × 10% × 20,000 shares = $200,000. Earnings per share is (2,000,000-200,000)/200,000=$9 per share.
Why do investors compare EPS?
Investors typically compare the EPS of two companies within the same industry to get a sense of how the company is performing relative to its peers. Investors may also pay attention to trends in EPS growth in order to get a better idea of how profitable a company has been in the past and to get a sense of its future prospects.
What is EPS in stock?
Earnings per share (EPS) is the portion of a company's profit allocated to each outstanding share of common stock. EPS (for a company with preferred and common stock) = (net income - preferred dividends) ÷ average outstanding common shares. EPS is sometimes known as the bottom line — the final statement, both literally and figuratively, ...
Why use average EPS?
Typically, an average is used, since companies may issue or buy back stock throughout the year making the true EPS difficult to pin down . Since the number of shares can frequently change, using an average of outstanding shares gives a more accurate picture of the earnings for the company.
What is EPS in accounting?
EPS is one measure that can serve as a proxy of a company's financial health. If all of a company's profits were paid out to its shareholders, EPS is the portion of a company's net income that would be allocated to each outstanding share.
What is forward EPS?
Forward EPS. Forward EPS is based on future numbers. This measurement includes projections for some period of time in the future (usually the coming four quarters). Forward EPS estimates can be made by analysts, or by the company itself.
Does Bank of America increase EPS?
In fact, Bank of America actually did this in 2017. 3 In doing so, a company can improve its EPS (because there are fewer shares outstanding) without actually improving its net income. In other words, the net income gets divided up by a fewer number of shares, thus increasing the EPS.
Is EPS a reliable investment?
A company with a steadily increasing EPS is considered to be a more reliable investment than one whose EPS is on the decline or varies substantially. EPS is also an important variable in determining a stock's value. This measurement figures into the earnings portion of the price- earnings (P/E) valuation ratio.
What is the weighted average of common shares?
The weighted average number of common shares is the number of shares outstanding during the year weighted by the portion of the year they were outstanding.
How often are earnings reported?
Earnings are reported four times a year by the publicly listed companies, and we note that research analysts and investors closely follow this earnings season. Growing earnings or EPS is a measure of a company’s great performance and, in a way, a measure of returns for the investor.
What is a stock split?
As a result of 2013, Stock Split#N#Stock Split Stock split, also known as share split, is the process by which companies divide their existing outstanding shares into multiple shares, such as 3 shares for every 1 owned, 2 shares for every 1 held, and so on. The company's market capitalization remains unchanged during a stock split because, while the number of shares grows, the price per share decreases correspondingly. read more#N#all historical per share data and numbers of shares outstanding were retroactively adjusted. In 2012, the shares outstanding were 476.1 million, and they almost doubled up to 930.8 million due to the two-for-one stock split.
How much was Hit Technology's preferred dividend in 2017?
The preferred dividends paid in 2017 – $30,000. At the beginning of the year 2017, the common shares outstanding were 50,000 shares. In the middle of the year, Hit Technology Inc. issued another 40,000 common shares.
What is EPS in finance?
What is Earnings Per Share (EPS)? Earnings Per Share (EPS) is a financial metric that is calculated by dividing the the Net income by the total number of common outstanding shares. Investors use EPS to assess a company’s performance and profitability prior to investing. Higher EPS means the company is more profitable.
Do dividends change in units of measurement?
In calculating the weighted average number of shares, stock dividends, and stock splits are only changed in the units of measurement, not changes in the ownership of earnings. A stock dividend or split shareholders).
Do we know the weighted average of common shares outstanding?
That means we know all the information needed for the numerator. However, we don’t know the weighted average of common shares outstanding; because we need to calculate that from the data given.
Why is it more accurate to use a weighted average number of common shares over the reporting term?
It is more accurate to use a weighted average number of common shares over the reporting term because the number of shares can change over time. Any stock dividends or splits that occur must be reflected in the calculation of the weighted average number of shares outstanding.
How to calculate EPS?
To calculate a company's EPS, the balance sheet and income statement are used to find the period-end number of common shares, dividends paid on preferred stock (if any), and the net income or earnings.
Why is EPS higher?
A higher EPS indicates greater value because investors will pay more for a company's shares if they think the company has higher profits relative to its share price. EPS can be arrived at in several forms, such as excluding extraordinary items or discontinued operations, or on a diluted basis. 1:10.
How can a company game its EPS?
For instance, a company can game its EPS by buying back stock, reducing the number of shares outstanding, and inflating the EPS number given the same level of earnings. Changes to accounting policy for reporting earnings can also change EPS.
What is EPS adjusted for?
It is common for a company to report EPS that is adjusted for extraordinary items and potential share dilution. The higher a company's EPS, the more profitable it is considered to be.
Can earnings per share be distorted?
Earnings per share can be distorted, both intentionally and unintentionally by several factors. Analysts use variations of the basic EPS formula to avoid the most common ways that EPS may be inflated.
Is EPS a dividend?
EPS and Dividends. Although EPS is widely used as a way to track a company’s performance, shareholders do not have direct access to those profits. A portion of the earnings may be distributed as a dividend, but all or a portion of the EPS can be retained by the company.
How to calculate dividends on preferred stock?
Here's how to calculate it: Determine the company's dividends on preferred stocks. Subtract the company's dividends from its annual net income. Divide the difference by the average amount of outstanding shares. 1. Determine the company's dividends on preferred stocks.
Why is weighted earnings per share more accurate?
Weighted earnings per share is a more accurate calculation of EPS because it considers the dividends, also known as preferred stocks, that a company issues to its shareholders. A dividend is the amount of money a company pays out to its shareholders from its profit, usually on a quarterly basis.
Why do stocks use trailing EPS?
Most stock market values use trailing EPS because it uses actual figures. However, investors may not look much at trailing EPS since it does not project future EPS figures.
What is EPS in accounting?
Earnings per share (EPS) is the portion of a company's net income, that would be earned per share if all profits were paid out to shareholders. EPS tells you a lot about a company, including a company's current and future profitability. EPS is easily calculated from basic financial information you can find online.
How to calculate EPS?
1. Determine the company's net income from the previous year. Using a company's net income or earnings for the primary number is the most basic way to determine EPS. This information is normally found on their website or a financial webpage. Be careful not to mistake quarterly net income for annual. 2.
What is EPS based on?
Current EPS is based on numbers from the current year, which include projections. This calculation uses figures from the four quarters of the current fiscal year. Some quarters already passed, providing actual figures, while some quarters remain projections.
What does higher EPS mean?
A higher EPS means a higher payout. A bigger EPS number means a company is more profitable and able to pay out more money to you as a shareholder. It's important to note, however, that no specific fixed number indicates you should buy shares or sell your shares.
Where is preferred dividends listed on a company's income statement?
This information is generally listed on the bottom of the income statement, right after the net income. Once you subtract the preferred dividends from the company's net income, you'll have the net income available for common stockholders.
How to evaluate a potential investment?
One of the best ways to evaluate a potential investment is by its profitability, which is also known as the earnings available to common stockholders. Basically, this is the company's profits after all expenses have been paid, including dividends to preferred stockholders. Ideally, a company's available earnings will be steadily increasing ...
How much was Wells Fargo's net income in 2015?
To illustrate this point, let's look at Wells Fargo 's ( NYSE:WFC) income statement from the 2015 fiscal year. During the year, the bank brought in $90.0 billion in revenue and had a total of $67.1 billion in expenses, including general and administrative costs, interest expense, income taxes, and other expenses. When subtracting the expenses from the revenue, this translates to net income of $23.02 billion. After subtracting the roughly $1.42 billion in preferred stock dividends the company paid, the net income (earnings) available for common shareholders was $21.6 billion.
Can you find earnings on a company's income statement?
For publicly traded companies, you can generally find the necessary information to calculate available earnings on a company's income statement . However, it can be helpful to know how to do the calculation the long way to understand where all the numbers on the income statement came from.
What is EPS in accounting?
EPS measures the amount of profit the company has for the year for each share. The higher the EPS for a company, the more profit it brings in for every outstanding common share. Find the company's net profit, dividends paid to the preferred shareholders and outstanding number of common shares on the income statement.
What is the difference between a balance sheet and an income statement?
A balance sheet summarizes the financial assets and liabilities of a company, while the company's income statement shows the company's income and expenditures. To calculate the earnings per share, or EPS, you have to use the common shares outstanding from the balance sheet and the net income and preferred stock dividends from the income statement, ...

The Significance of Earnings Per Share
Calculating Earnings Per Share
- EPS is calculated as follows: EPS=net income−preferred dividendsaverage outstanding common shares\text{EPS}=\frac{\te…
The Bottom Line
- EPS becomes especially meaningful when investors look at both historical and future EPS figures for the same company, or when they compare EPS for companies within the same industry. Bank of America, for example, is in the financial services sector. As a result, investors should compare the EPS of Bank of America with other stocks in the financial services field, such as JP…
What Is Earnings Per Share (EPS)?
Formula and Calculation For EPS
- Earnings per share value is calculated as net income (also known as profits or earnings) divided by available shares. A more refined calculation adjusts the numerator and denominator for shares that could be created through options, convertible debt, or warrants. The numerator of the equation is also more relevant if it is adjusted for continuing operations.1 To calculate a compa…
How Is EPS used?
- Earnings per share is one of the most important metrics employed when determining a firm's profitability on an absolute basis. It is also a major component of calculating the price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio, where the E in P/E refers to EPS. By dividing a company's share price by its earnings per share, an investor can see the value of a stock in terms of how much the market is willing to …
Basic EPS vs. Diluted EPS
- The formula in the table above calculates the basic EPSof each of these select companies. Basic EPS does not factor in the dilutive effect of shares that could be issued by the company. When the capital structure of a company includes items such as stock options, warrants, or restricted stock units (RSU), these investments—if exercised—could increase the total number of shares outstan…
EPS Excluding Extraordinary Items
- Earnings per share can be distorted, both intentionally and unintentionally, by several factors. Analysts use variations of the basic EPS formula to avoid the most common ways that EPS may be inflated. Imagine a company that owns two factories that make cellphone screens. The land on which one of the factories sits has become very valuable as new developments have surrounde…
EPS from Continuing Operations
- A company started the year with 500 stores and had an EPS of $5.00. However, assume that this company closed 100 stores over that period and ended the year with 400 stores. An analyst will want to know what the EPS was for just the 400 stores the company plans to continue with into the next period. In this example, that could increase the EPS because the 100 closed stores wer…
EPS and Capital
- An important aspect of EPS that is often ignored is the capital that is required to generate the earnings (net income) in the calculation. Two companies could generate the same EPS, but one could do so with fewer net assets; that company would be more efficient at using its capital to generate income and, all other things being equal, would be a "better" company in terms of effici…
EPS and Dividends
- Although EPS is widely used as a way to track a company’s performance, shareholders do not have direct access to those profits. A portion of the earnings may be distributed as a dividend, but all or a portion of the EPS can be retained by the company. Shareholders, through their representatives on the board of directors, would have to change the portion of EPS that is distrib…
EPS and Price-To-Earnings
- Making a comparison of the P/E ratio within an industry group can be helpful, though in unexpected ways. Although it seems like a stock that costs more relative to its EPS when compared to peers might be “overvalued,” the opposite tends to be the rule. Regardless of its historical EPS, investors are willing to pay more for a stock if it is expected to grow or outperfor…