Glossary E
Early-stage companies
Companies in the early stages of development, typically before they have generated significant revenue.
Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (EBITDA) multiple
A financial metric used to evaluate a company’s profitability.
Earn-out agreement
A contract that outlines the terms of an earn-out provision.
Earn-out clause
A provision in a contract that allows for additional payments to be made based on future performance.
Earnout provisions
Contractual agreements that allow for additional payments to be made to a seller based on future performance of a business.
Economic indicators
Statistics that provide insight into the health of the economy.
Electronic Communication Networks (ECNs)
Electronic systems that facilitate trading of securities outside of traditional exchanges.
Employee retention plan
Strategies and programs designed to retain valuable employees within a company.
Endowments
Funds or assets donated to a non-profit organization or institution to support its mission.
Enterprise Value (EV)
The total value of a company, including debt and equity.
Enterprise Value-to-Sales Ratio
A financial metric used to evaluate a company’s overall value relative to its revenue.
Environmental impact assessment
Evaluation of the potential environmental effects of a proposed project or development.
Equity financing
Raising capital by selling shares of ownership in a company.
Equity indices
Benchmarks that track the performance of a group of stocks.
Equity Research
Analysis of a company’s financial performance and prospects to determine its investment potential.
Equity Value
The value of a company’s assets minus its liabilities, divided by the number of outstanding shares.
Estate planning
The process of arranging for the transfer of an individual’s assets after their death.
Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)
Investment funds that trade on stock exchanges and track the performance of a specific index or asset class.
Execution
The process of carrying out a plan or strategy.
Executive summary
A brief overview of a business plan or investment proposal.
Exit Strategy
A plan for how an investor will exit an investment.