What Is The Difference Between A Financial Statistic, Financial Metric, Financial Multiple, and Financial Ratio?

What Is The Difference Between A Financial Statistic, Financial Metric, Financial Multiple, and Financial Ratio?

People keep using these terms interchangeably and I want a definitive, concrete, fist-to-the-wall, pigeon-hole answer!

Best
THELABULL

4 Comments
 

I can answer your question son -- when we talk about "ratios" we tend to look at profitability, specifically margins such as gross profit margin, ebitda margin, etc -- these are RATIOS calculated by dividing GP, EBITDA by sales

With "multiples" we are looking at the numerator containing a "value" metric and the denominator containing a financial statistic -- in this case value might be equity value, enterprise value and a financial statistic might be EBITDA, EBIT, sales, etc...

Therefore, to clarify (1) Ratios -- tends to refer to profitability, ie margins OR ROE,ROA,ROIC, etc. (2) Statistics -- metrics like EBITDA, EBIT, etc used in the denominator for calculating multiples (3) multiples -- numerator has a value metric (ie equity value, Enterprise Value) and denomintoar has statistic (4) Metric -- a metric measures something, such as the profit of a company (ie gross profit) and therefore it might be used

LOL -- I hope somebody can confirm or deny this answer or revise it and improve it -- best to you all and happy new years

the la bull

LA Bull
 
Best Response
The Los Angeles Bull

I can answer your question son -- when we talk about "ratios" we tend to look at profitability, specifically margins such as gross profit margin, ebitda margin, etc -- these are RATIOS calculated by dividing GP, EBITDA by sales

With "multiples" we are looking at the numerator containing a "value" metric and the denominator containing a financial statistic -- in this case value might be equity value, enterprise value and a financial statistic might be EBITDA, EBIT, sales, etc...

Therefore, to clarify
(1) Ratios -- tends to refer to profitability, ie margins OR ROE,ROA,ROIC, etc.
(2) Statistics -- metrics like EBITDA, EBIT, etc used in the denominator for calculating multiples
(3) multiples -- numerator has a value metric (ie equity value, Enterprise Value) and denomintoar has statistic
(4) Metric -- a metric measures something, such as the profit of a company (ie gross profit) and therefore it might be used

LOL -- I hope somebody can confirm or deny this answer or revise it and improve it -- best to you all and happy new years

the la bull

You really are special.

Quoting this to avoid the edit later on

"After you work on Wall Street it’s a choice, would you rather work at McDonalds or on the sell-side? I would choose McDonalds over the sell-side.” - David Tepper
 

Esse veritatis porro repudiandae quis cum velit adipisci. Recusandae laudantium ducimus aut recusandae voluptas odit. Consectetur dolorem excepturi dolor assumenda. Dignissimos qui expedita voluptatem aliquid id. Ut fuga illum mollitia quaerat labore vitae.

Consequuntur voluptatem ea sint odit voluptatum. Nemo sunt quibusdam qui et ut dolores iusto. Saepe totam suscipit quos iure explicabo id. Dolores perspiciatis in eaque ut quia dolor magni.

Career Advancement Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.4%
  • Morgan Stanley 08 97.8%
  • Goldman Sachs 02 97.3%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.5%
  • Evercore No 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.4%
  • Banco Santander 02 97.8%
  • BMO Capital Markets 12 97.3%

Professional Growth Opportunities

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.5%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.4%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.8%
  • JPMorgan No 97.3%

Total Avg Compensation

August 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (16) $429
  • Associates (50) $259
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (25) $178
  • Intern/Summer Associate (14) $159
  • 1st Year Analyst (84) $151
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (75) $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
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
4
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
5
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
6
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
Mimbs's picture
Mimbs
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...”