The goal of all companies is to create value for the shareholder. But how is value measured? Wouldn't it be nice if there were a simple formula to figure out whether a company is creating wealth?

A growing number of analysts and consultants think there is an answer. Like many economic formulas, the measure - economic value added (EVA) - is both intriguingly clever and maddeningly deceptive. Does EVA simplify the task of finding value-generating companies or does it just muddy the waters?

What Is EVA?
EVA is a performance metric that calculates the creation of shareholder value, but it distinguishes itself from traditional financial performance metrics such as net profit and earnings per share (EPS). EVA is the calculation of what profits remain after the costs of a company's capital - both debt and equity - are deducted from operating profit. The idea is simple but rigorous: true profit should account for the cost of capital.

To understand the difference between EVA and its older cousin, net income, let's use an example based on a hypothetical company, Ray's House of Crockery. Ray's earned $100,000 on a capital base of $1 million thanks to big sales of stew pots. Traditional accounting metrics suggest that Ray is doing a good job. His company offers a return on capital of 10%. However, Ray's has only been operating for a year, and the market for stew pots still carries significant uncertainty and risk. Debt obligations plus the required return that investors demand for having their money locked up in an early-stage venture add up to an investment cost of capital of 13%. That means that, although Ray's is enjoying accounting profits, the company lost 3% last year for its shareholders.

Conversely , if Ray's capital is $100 million - including debt and shareholder equity - and the cost of using that capital (interest on debt and the cost of underwriting the