Request from a talented associate

Question, how do you react when you get a ridiculous request (that is wrong) from an Associate? What is the best way to go about it?

My associate told me to amend a model to reflect the following:

Adjusted EBITDA
Add: Adjustments
EBITDA
Less: D&A
EBIT

My first question was how can the EBITDA be adjusted before you apply adjustments to it?

It is clearly wrong as Adjusted EBITDA is obtained only after you apply adjustments to normal EBITDA, which is the status quo.

7 Comments
 
Best Response

@batman1000" You remove the adjustments out of the corresponding lines above in revenue/cogs/operating expenses (wherever they need to come out of). This way, you are showing these P&L line items on an adjusted basis so they are more meaningful.

So, your associate isn't wrong. Plenty of people show it this way (you just need to know where the adjustments fall in the P&L). Does this make sense? Hard to explain over a message board. But for example, say you had gross profit of 10, opex of 5, d&a of 2 and adjustments of +1 (which is an adjustment from opex). Would look like:

Gross profit: 10 Opex: 4 (to adjust for the +1 of adjustments) Ask ebitda: 6 Less adjustments: 1 Unadjusted ebitda: 5 Less d&a: 2 Unadjusted EBIT: 3

Also, don't listen to @LExtraordinaire" - he is wrong

Also, don't assume your associate is wrong just because you don't understand something. Not saying he is correct 100% of the time, but don't discount his experience.

 
"WSO1212"

@batman1000
You remove the adjustments out of the corresponding lines above in revenue/cogs/operating expenses (wherever they need to come out of). This way, you are showing these P&L line items on an adjusted basis so they are more meaningful.

So, your associate isn't wrong. Plenty of people show it this way (you just need to know where the adjustments fall in the P&L). Does this make sense? Hard to explain over a message board. But for example, say you had gross profit of 10, opex of 5, d&a of 2 and adjustments of +1 (which is an adjustment from opex). Would look like:

Gross profit: 10
Opex: 4 (to adjust for the +1 of adjustments)
Ask ebitda: 6
Less adjustments: 1
Unadjusted ebitda: 5
Less d&a: 2
Unadjusted EBIT: 3

Also, don't listen to @LExtraordinaire - he is wrong

Also, don't assume your associate is wrong just because you don't understand something. Not saying he is correct 100% of the time, but don't discount his experience.

This
 
batman1000

Question, how do you react when you get a ridiculous request (that is wrong) from an Associate? What is the best way to go about it?

My associate told me to amend a model to reflect the following:

Adjusted EBITDA
Add: Adjustments
EBITDA
Less: D&A
EBIT

My first question was how can the EBITDA be adjusted before you apply adjustments to it?

It is clearly wrong as Adjusted EBITDA is obtained only after you apply adjustments to normal EBITDA, which is the status quo.

advice

Are you too scared to ask your co-worker something in person when you don't understand???

 

Excepturi ipsam eligendi libero. Aliquid numquam perferendis quae dolore hic. Dolores omnis est corrupti quaerat non architecto. Autem nostrum nesciunt laborum perspiciatis quo. Id rem quia labore est magni quia praesentium.

Non modi esse qui neque tempora. Quis voluptatem aut nostrum rerum. Incidunt labore eum molestiae dolorem eos fugit. Et eveniet fugit perspiciatis enim.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.2%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.2%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.2%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (23) $182
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (82) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
3
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
7
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
8
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
9
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”