Operating expenditure: the ongoing costs of running a business.
Operating expenditure covers the continuing costs involved in running business activities. Finance teams plan these costs, update forecasts and compare actual spending with the budget to understand changes. The useful distinction from capital expenditure concerns what the spending supports: ongoing operations or an asset intended to serve beyond the current period. A department can have both kinds of spending, so its total budget does not automatically represent OPEX. Clear cost categories help managers discuss resource use and explain why spending has moved above or below expectations.
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De Beers’s Finance Analyst role in London involved improving visibility of operating expenditure alongside sales, margins and capital investments. The analyst was expected to own performance reporting and profitability analysis, helping stakeholders understand business drivers, risks and opportunities when making financial decisions. Search local jobs for “finance”.
