Operating earnings play an important role in financial reporting and analysis for investors, creditors, and managers. This measure of financial performance excludes non-operating income or expenses that are often excluded from the calculation of net income or profit. Operating earnings is often referred to as EBIT (or earnings before interest and taxes), which tracks pre-tax income only from operations rather than the full range of activities of a company.

Operating earnings can provide a better picture of the operating performance of a company as it excludes interest payments as well as taxes, which can be affected by tax laws, corporate strategies, and accounting decisions. Investors are most interested in operating earnings since it is an indicator of a company’s operational strength and is usually not easily manipulated by the company’s executives to meet certain financial targets. It is also regularly used by analysts for comparison between companies, industries and sectors.

One key aspect of operating earnings is its measurement. Generally, operating income reflects the amount of revenue from company operations that remain after subtracting costs of goods sold, direct labor, and general and administrative expenses. This is necessary to calculate the company's operating income, which is a crucial input in the calculation of its operating margin.

Another important factor of operating earnings is the sustainability of the primary products and services offered by the company. Investors and analysts examine operating earnings to determine whether a business’s primary operations are generating enough returns to support its dividend payments, debt repayment and capital expenditures. Generally, businesses with strong operating earnings can more effectively address the aforementioned objectives, making them more attractive investments.

Operating earnings are arguably the most important measure of a company’s financial performance and it should be monitored closely. This measure offers insights into a company’s competitive advantages, core business activities and competitive forces affecting industry results. Furthermore, monitoring and understanding operating earnings can give investors and creditors insights into the health and future of a business.