When Fleetwood Enterprises, Inc., a large producer of recreational vehicles and manufactured housing, warned that it might not be able to generate enough cash to satisfy debt requirements and could be in default of a loan agreement, its cash flow, defined in the financial press as “EBITDA” (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization), was a negative $2.7 million. The company would have had to generate $17.7 million in the next accounting period to comply with the loan terms.
To what section of the statement of cash flows does EBITDA most closely relate?
Is EBITDA a good approximation for this section of the statement of cash flows?
Explain your answer, which should include an identification of the major differences between EBITDA and the section of the statement of cash flows you chose.