Diluted Normalized Earnings Per Share

A company's profit less one-time earnings, divided by both outstanding common stock and stock owed if convertible securities were to be exercised. Diluted normalized EPS is different than regular earnings per share (EPS) because it takes into account options, dividing normalized profit by more shares. Diluted normalized EPS is more likely to be lower than regular EPS. The closer it is to regular EPS, the more stable a company's ongoing operations are. The greater the difference, the greater the risk of share dilution and unsustainable ongoing operations. Normalized earnings are earnings that have been adjusted by a company to omit irregular expenses against earnings.

Investors pay attention to diluted normalized EPS because it gives a clearer picture of the health of a company's ongoing operations. Because it uses normalized earnings, the sale of a division is discounted and can't temporarily inflate profitability. Diluted normalized EPS also pinpoints a company with a large number of convertible securities, as these options can potentially reduce EPS and dividend payouts by increasing the number of shares on the market.