Yes, John Malone is widely credited with developing the concept of EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) in the 1970s. As the CEO of Tele-Communications Inc. (TCI), Malone created this metric to showcase the cash-generating power of his heavily leveraged, capital-intensive cable business, which often showed low net income due to high depreciation.
EBITDA is often criticized as an imperfect measure of earnings to use broadly in comparing the profitability of companies across industries. But the concept wasn't developed for this purpose. It was invented by billionaire investor John Malone.
History. The original concept of EBITDA was pioneered in the 1970s by billionaire investor John Malone.
According to Buffett, EBITDA is not reflective of a company's true financial performance due to neglecting capital expenditures (Capex) and changes in working capital, among various other issues.
Although EBITDA is widely used, it is not necessarily a legitimate measure of a company's success, and is often used as an initial guideline prior to deeper analysis. Warren Buffett has famously called EBITDA “utter nonsense”.
EBITDA can misleadingly present unprofitable firms as financially healthy by omitting certain expenses. Critics argue that EBITDA can be manipulated, making companies appear stronger than they are. Unlike operating cash flow, EBITDA excludes changes in working capital, potentially hiding financial troubles.
Warren Buffett's 8+8+8 Rule is a concept for a balanced life, suggesting dividing your day into three equal 8-hour segments: 8 hours for work, 8 hours for sleep, and 8 hours for yourself (personal growth, family, health). While it emphasizes smart work and rest for productivity, critics note real-life factors like commuting and chores can make perfect balance challenging, but the core idea promotes intentional time management for well-being and success.
A 2019 study by Harvard Business Review found either Vanguard, BlackRock or State Street is the largest listed owner of 88% of S&P 500 companies. There is a perception that a few select companies own a vast majority of the stock market.
Malone's political beliefs have been described as libertarian. He is on the board of directors for the Cato Institute. He donated US$250,000 to Donald Trump.
Coca-Cola's ebitda for fiscal years ending December 2020 to 2024 averaged 13.553 billion. Coca-Cola's operated at median ebitda of 13.601 billion from fiscal years ending December 2020 to 2024. Looking back at the last 5 years, Coca-Cola's ebitda peaked in September 2025 at 16.307 billion.
Malone hasn't just been content with dominating the cable television industry. He's also taken control of vast plots of terrain. Inspired by a summer spent on a family farm in Pennsylvania, he decided to invest his multibillion dollar profits into land.
Luca Pacioli, often referred to as the 'Father of Accounting,' was an Italian mathematician, Franciscan friar and seminal figure in the history of modern accounting.
The "24-year-old trader making $8 million" refers primarily to Jack Kellogg, a successful day trader who reported over $8 million in gains from trading in 2020 and 2021, starting with just $7,500 and leveraging key indicators like VWAP, support/resistance, volume, and linear regression for simple, adaptable strategies. His story highlights achieving significant returns by weathering different market conditions, learning from losses, and sticking to core principles rather than overcomplicating things.
U.S. Wealth Distribution is Top Heavy
The rich half own about $156 trillion (or about 98% of it). The poorer half only own about $4 trillion. Breaking down that top half even further, the top 1% (1.3 million families) owns about $49 trillion (or about one-third of the total share) by themselves.
The Rule of 69 is a simple calculation to estimate the time needed for an investment to double if you know the interest rate and if the interest is compounded. For example, if a real estate investor earns twenty percent on an investment, they divide 69 by the 20 percent return and add 0.35 to the result.
Warren Buffett's #1 rule of investing is famously simple and stark: "Rule No. 1: Never lose money. Rule No. 2: Never forget Rule No. 1.". This principle emphasizes capital preservation and avoiding significant losses, suggesting that protecting your principal is more crucial for long-term wealth building than chasing high, risky returns. It means focusing on buying good businesses at fair prices, understanding what you invest in, and being disciplined to prevent large, permanent losses, even if it means missing out on some fast gains.
When it comes to analyzing the performance of a company on its own merits, some analysts see free cash flow as a better metric than EBITDA. This is because it provides a better idea of the level of earnings that is really available to a firm after it covers its interest, taxes, and other commitments.
EBITDA (Earnings before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization) is a popular measure of cash flow, but it is not accurate, and bankers and investors who rely on it as a reliable indicator of repayment ability will be deeply disappointed.