Formula: Growth_t = S&M_t − Avg(S&M_{t−2}..t). The recurring portion (3-yr avg) is treated as economic amortization of brand asset; the incremental spend is reclassified to investment and added back to NOPAT.
R&D Capitalization — Intellectual Asset
Capitalization Status—
Useful Life (years)—
Growth Expense (Add-back)—
Unamortized Asset—
R&D is capitalized only when (i) it represents recurring product/technology investment and (ii) revenue durability is dependent on the cumulative knowledge stock. Useful life calibrated to product cycle (typically 3–5 years for consumer hardware, 7–10 for capital goods).
Normalization & Tax Treatment
Non-Recurring Items (Pre-Tax)—
Type—
Normalized Tax Rate—
5-yr ETR Median—
NOPAT Final (EPV Input)—
Non-recurring items (impairments, restructuring, litigation) are added back pre-tax. Tax rate normalized to the 5-yr historical median to dampen one-time distortions (TCJA, deferred reversals, regional mix).
S&M Cohort Matrix — Vintage Amortization View
Each cohort year's marketing spend is depreciated 1/L per period across L = — years. Column totals reproduce the economic amortization charge embedded in adjusted operating income. Source: build-up implicit in the Columbia model.
NOPAT Build-up — Historical Series
GAAP Operating Income vs. Adjusted NOPAT — Economic Earnings Gap
Reported OI vs. Adjusted NOPAT (USD M)
Effective Tax Rate History (%)
Sensitivity Panel — Adjusted NOPAT Drivers
S&M Useful Life3 yrs
3 yrs7 yrs
Longer life → smaller add-back → lower NOPAT
R&D Useful Life— yrs
off10 yrs
Set 0 to disable R&D capitalization
Normalized Tax Rate28%
15%40%
Default = 5-yr ETR median
Live Recalculation
GAAP OI (LTM)
—
Pre-Tax Adjusted OI
—
Recalculated NOPAT
—
Δ vs published: —
Methodology — Columbia / Greenwald Framework
1. From accounting earnings to economic earnings. GAAP operating income understates true profitability for businesses that fund growth through expensed line items (S&M, R&D, customer acquisition). The DCE adjustment isolates the maintenance portion of these expenses — which should remain in opex — from the growth portion, which is reclassified as investment.
2. Greenwald rolling-average method. The 3-year (or L-year) rolling average of marketing/R&D spend approximates the recurring expense required to maintain existing revenue and brand equity. Any spend above this baseline is treated as growth capex and added back pre-tax.
3. Cohort-based asset reconstruction. Each year's spend creates an intangible asset that depreciates linearly over L years. The unamortized stock at any point in time equals the sum of remaining book value across active cohorts and is added to the EPV asset base.
4. Non-recurring normalization. Items unlikely to repeat (impairments, restructuring, litigation settlements, gains on dispositions) are removed pre-tax. The threshold for inclusion is materiality (>1% of revenue) and infrequency (not in the prior 3 years).
5. Tax normalization. The applied rate is the 5-yr historical median ETR, which smooths one-off effects from TCJA timing, deferred tax reversals, audit settlements, and geographic mix changes. Reference: Greenwald, Kahn, Sonkin & van Biema (2001), Value Investing: From Graham to Buffett and Beyond; Damodaran (2009), Research and Development Expenses: Implications for Profitability.
Reproduction Value — Estimated Cost to Replicate Assets From Scratch
Tangible Assets
Intangible Assets (Reconstructed)
Other Assets
Liabilities — Reproduction Adjustment (default 100% at par; adjust where applicable)
Reproduction Value Build-up — From Assets to Per-Share Value
Step
Book Value
Reproduction Cost
Total Assets
—
—
(−) Total Liabilities
—
—
= Equity Value ($M)
—
—
÷ Diluted Shares Outstanding
—
—
= Value per Share
—
—
Earnings Power Value — Sustainable Earnings Power
EPV Operations ($M)
—
NOPAT ÷ WACC
EPV Equity ($M)
—
Post financial bridge
EPV / Share
—
— diluted shares
Price / EPV
—
—
EPV Assumptions — Edit in Real Time
Normalized NOPAT ($M)—
——
—
WACC—
——
—
Effective Tax Rate—
——
—
No growth assumed — EPV is pure steady-state value
Bridge EPV — EBIT → Equity
EPV Build ($M)
EPV bridge. Starts from normalised EBIT, taxes it at the long-run effective rate, and capitalises NOPAT at WACC. Bridge to equity adjusts for cash, non-operating assets, debt and lease liabilities. No growth assumed.
WACC — Components
Risk-Free Rate (Rf)—
Beta (β)—
Equity Risk Premium—
→ Ke = Rf + β·ERP—
Ke (CAPM)—
Kd after-tax—
Debt Weight D/(D+E)—
Equity Weight E/(D+E)—
WACC Final—
WACC Validation — Cross-Check
DCE WACC (CAPM)—
Damodaran Sector Implied—
Peer Avg (top 3 comps)—
Implied Cost (price = EPV)—
Item EPV. EPV assumes current earnings persist indefinitely with no growth — it is the valuation floor for a moated business. A Price > EPV implies the market is pricing in future growth (franchise value).
Sensitivity Table — P/EPV by NOPAT × WACC
ROIC & Invested Capital
ROIC —
—
—
ROIC 3yr Avg —
—
—
WACC
—
—
ROIC − WACC Spread
—
Creates economic value ✓
Adjusted ROIC vs WACC — History (%)
Invested Capital — Latest FY Composition ($M)
Marginal ROIC — Reinvestment Returns
Marginal ROIC (1yr Δ)
—
—
Acc. Growth CapEx 2yr
—
Accumulated growth investment
Acc. Growth CapEx 3yr
—
Accumulated growth investment
Selected ROIC (IRR Input)
—
3yr avg for reinvestment growth
Note: Marginal ROIC complements accounting ROIC. When accounting ROIC is distorted by buybacks (negative equity) or aggressive amortisation, Marginal ROIC Accumulated 2yr is the cleaner proxy for real reinvestment returns.
Invested Capital — Historical Build-up ($M)
Implied IRR — Total Shareholder Return
Total Equity Return
—
Recalculado en tiempo real
Margin of Safety
—
vs. Hurdle Rate —
EV / NOPAT Actual
—
—
Assumptions — Edit & See Impact in Real Time
Selected ROIC (Reinvestment)—
——
—
Organic Growth—
——
—
Exit Multiple (EV/NOPAT)—
——
—
Sustainable Buybacks ($M)—
——
—
Horizon (years)—
——
Investment horizon
DCE Hurdle Rate—
——
Minimum return required
Base assumptions correspond to the latest CIO-approved model.