Summary
This article posits that using the arithmetic mean to average multiples is mathematically inferior. A multiple is an inverted ratio with price in the numerator. The harmonic mean is a statistically sound method for averaging inverted ratios. It should be used as a measure of central tendency for multiples, along with the median. Empirically, the harmonic mean and the median of a set of multiples are usually similar. Because the harmonic mean can be overly affected by abnormally low multiples, the valuator must use judgment to exclude outliers.
When Averaging Multiples, the Arithmetic Mean Is Inferior to the Harmonic Mean
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