Trailing EPS

Trailing EPS

A company's earnings per share over a previous period of time. Commonly, one examines a company's earnings per share over the most recently completed fiscal year; these may be considered trailing EPS. However, the term "trailing" often implies a value calculated on a rolling basis. That is, trailing EPS may describe the most recent 12 month period. These earnings per share will change each month as the nearest month is added to the calculation and the most distant month is dropped. See also: Trailing 12 month.