Operating Expenses (Historical) Formula in Excel

In this guide, you will learn how to use the Operating Expenses (Historical) formula in Excel with MarketXLS. This powerful function helps you retrieve historical operating expenses for stocks, indices, options, or crypto symbols over specified periods, including annual, quarterly, and trailing twelve months (TTM) data.

Understanding Operating Expenses (Historical)

Operating Expenses (Historical) represent the costs a company incurs during its normal business activities. By analyzing historical operating expenses, you can:

• Evaluate cost trends over different quarters and years.
• Compare operating costs for multiple companies or securities.
• Assess how effectively a company manages its operational spending.

? Pro Tip: Use this formula alongside other fundamental metrics (e.g., revenue, cost of revenue) to gain deeper insights into a company’s performance.

Syntax and Parameters

Below is the syntax for the formula in Excel:

=hf_Operating_Expenses(Symbol, year, [quarter], [TTM])

Return Value:
• Returns the historical operating expenses (numeric value).
• Returns "NA" if the symbol is not valid or if an error occurs.
• Returns "Not supported on your plan, please upgrade." if your MarketXLS subscription does not include this data.

?? Note: Make sure your MarketXLS license is valid for fundamental data. If the license is invalid, the formula returns an error message.

Examples and Usage

1. Retrieve annual operating expenses for a specific year:

   =hf_Operating_Expenses("MSFT", "2022")

2. Retrieve quarterly data for Q2 of a specific year:

   =hf_Operating_Expenses("MSFT", "2022", 2)

3. Retrieve trailing twelve months data from Q3 of a given year:

   =hf_Operating_Expenses("MSFT", "2022", 3, "TTM")

4. Use relative references for last quarter or last year:

   =hf_Operating_Expenses("MSFT", "lq")
   =hf_Operating_Expenses("MSFT", "ly")

5. Combine relative references, e.g., last quarter minus one:

   =hf_Operating_Expenses("MSFT", "lq-1")

6. Reference cells for parameters (for dynamic sheets):

   =hf_Operating_Expenses(A1, B1)

   Where A1 contains the symbol (e.g., "MSFT") and B1 contains the year or relative keyword (e.g., "2022").

? Pro Tip: When using many formulas, consider consolidating results in fewer cells or using caching features in MarketXLS to reduce repeated API calls and improve performance.

Common Questions

1. What if my symbol is invalid or not supported?

If you use an invalid symbol or a symbol not supported by your plan, the formula returns "NA" or "Not supported on your plan, please upgrade."

2. Can I use custom date formats for the year?

This function primarily accepts a year, relative keywords, or TTM. If you need a specific date range, consider using complementary MarketXLS functions that parse date inputs or text strings.

3. Why do I get “NA” when I use TTM?

Ensure the quarter parameter is valid (e.g., "1", "2", "3", or "4") and that trailing twelve months data is available for the specified symbol and year.

4. How often is the data updated?

Fundamental data is typically updated when official filings become available. Check MarketXLS documentation or your subscription plan for data refresh details.

5. Are there any performance considerations?

Every call to hf_Operating_Expenses queries MarketXLS’s data source. Using it across very large spreadsheets can slow down performance. For best results:

• Use cell references.
• Consolidate queries where possible.
• Use caching features if available.

?? Note: Repeated calls can impact spreadsheet calculation speed. Optimize usage with references and aggregated calculations.

With these guidelines, you can confidently use the Operating Expenses (Historical) formula in Excel to analyze historical operating expenses for any security supported by MarketXLS. Combine it with other fundamental metrics to create a comprehensive financial analysis toolkit right inside your Excel worksheets.