Nøkkeltallene

Nøkkeltallene, or the key figures, is a term used in Norwegian corporate and public reporting to describe a concise set of quantitative indicators that summarize an organization’s performance. They are selected to give stakeholders a quick, standardized snapshot and are commonly disclosed in annual reports, budgets, and dashboards.

The purpose of nøkkeltallene is to provide a clear basis for evaluative conversations about profitability, liquidity, solvency, efficiency, and growth. Because the exact set of indicators varies by sector and company, they typically include a mix of financial metrics—such as revenue, operating profit, net income, and cash flow—and performance measures like return on equity or invested capital, current ratio, debt-to-equity, asset turnover, and inventory turnover. In addition, operational metrics (for example production volume or customer retention) may be included when relevant. Each indicator is defined and calculated using transparent methods to enable comparability over time and against targets or peers.

Nøkkeltallene are usually presented with the latest figures, historical trends, and, where appropriate, target values or benchmarks. They serve as a tool for management to monitor performance and for investors or other stakeholders to assess financial health and efficiency. It is important to interpret nøkkeltallene in context, recognizing that they can be influenced by accounting choices, seasonality, or one-off events and should be complemented by narrative explanations.