To supplement HP's consolidated condensed financial statements presented on a GAAP basis, HP provides non-GAAP operating profit, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net earnings, non-GAAP diluted earnings per share, gross cash, free cash flow, net debt and operating company net debt. HP also provides forecasts of non-GAAP diluted earnings per share. These non-GAAP financial measures are not in accordance with, or an alternative for, generally accepted accounting principles in the United States. The GAAP measure most directly comparable to non-GAAP operating profit is earnings from operations. The GAAP measure most directly comparable to non-GAAP operating margin is operating margin. The GAAP measure most directly comparable to non-GAAP net earnings is net earnings. The GAAP measure most directly comparable to non-GAAP diluted earnings per share is diluted net earnings per share. The GAAP measure most directly comparable to gross cash is cash and cash equivalents. The GAAP measure most directly comparable to free cash flow is cash flow from operations. The GAAP measure most directly comparable to net debt and operating company net debt is total company debt. Reconciliations of each of these non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP information are included in the tables above or elsewhere in the materials accompanying this news release.
Use and Economic Substance of Non-GAAP Financial Measures Used by HP
Non-GAAP operating profit and non-GAAP operating margin are defined to exclude the effects of any restructuring charges, charges relating to the impairment of goodwill and purchased intangible assets, charges relating to the amortization of purchased intangible assets, and acquisition-related charges recorded during the relevant period. Non-GAAP net earnings and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share consist of net earnings or diluted net earnings per share excluding those same charges. In addition, non-GAAP net earnings and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share are adjusted by the amount of additional taxes or tax benefit associated with each non-GAAP item. HP's management uses these non-GAAP financial measures for purposes of evaluating HP's historical and prospective financial performance, as well as HP's performance relative to its competitors. HP's management also uses these non-GAAP measures to further its own understanding of HP's segment operating performance. HP believes that excluding those items mentioned above from these non-GAAP financial measures allows HP management to better understand HP's consolidated financial performance in relationship to the operating results of HP's segments, as management does not believe that the excluded items are reflective of ongoing operating results. More specifically, HP's management excludes each of those items mentioned above for the following reasons:
- In the third quarter of fiscal 2012, HP decided to wind down certain retail publishing business activities. Non-GAAP operating profit reported in the third quarter of fiscal 2012 reflects the elimination of certain contract-related charges, including inventory write-downs, in connection with the wind down of that business. Because the winding down of HP businesses is inconsistent in amount and frequency, HP believes that eliminating these amounts for purposes of calculating non-GAAP operating profit facilitates a more meaningful evaluation of HP's current operating performance and comparisons to HP's past and future operating performance.
- Goodwill is the excess of the purchase price of acquired companies over the estimated fair value of the tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed. Purchased intangible assets consist primarily of customer contracts, customer lists, distribution agreements, technology patents, and products, trademarks and trade names purchased in connection with acquisitions. In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, HP recorded a non-cash charge for the impairment of goodwill and intangible assets associated with the acquisition of Autonomy Corporation plc. In the third quarter of fiscal 2012, HP recorded an impairment charge for the goodwill associated with its Services segment following an impairment review. In addition, in that same quarter, HP recorded an impairment charge related to the intangible asset associated with the "Compaq" trade name acquired in 2002 in conjunction with a change in branding strategy. HP excludes these charges for purposes of calculating these non-GAAP measures to facilitate a more meaningful evaluation of HP's current operating performance and comparisons to HP's past and future operating performance.
- HP incurs charges relating to the amortization of purchased intangibles. HP also incurs charges relating to the amortization of amounts assigned to intangible assets to be used in research and development projects. All of those charges are included in HP's GAAP presentation of earnings from operations, operating margin, net earnings and net earnings per share. Such charges are inconsistent in amount and frequency and are significantly impacted by the timing and magnitude of HP's acquisitions. Consequently, HP excludes these charges for purposes of calculating these non-GAAP measures to facilitate a more meaningful evaluation of HP's current operating performance and comparisons to HP's past and future operating performance.
- Restructuring charges consist of costs associated with a formal restructuring plan and are primarily related to (i) employee termination costs and benefits, and (ii) costs to vacate duplicative facilities. HP excludes these restructuring costs (and any reversals of charges recorded in prior periods) for purposes of calculating these non-GAAP measures because it believes that these historical costs do not reflect expected future operating expenses and do not contribute to a meaningful evaluation of HP's current operating performance or comparisons to HP's past and future operating performance.
- HP incurs costs related to its acquisitions, most of which are treated as non-capitalized expenses. Because non-capitalized, acquisition-related expenses are inconsistent in amount and frequency and are significantly impacted by the timing and nature of HP's acquisitions, HP believes that eliminating the non-capitalized expenses for purposes of calculating these non-GAAP measures facilitates a more meaningful evaluation of HP's current operating performance and comparisons to HP's past and future operating performance.
Gross cash is a non-GAAP measure that is defined as cash and cash equivalents plus short-term investments and certain long-term investments that may be liquidated within 90 days pursuant to the terms of existing put options or similar rights. Free cash flow is defined as cash flow from operations less net capital expenditures. HP's management uses gross cash and free cash flow for the purpose of determining the amount of cash available for investment in HP's businesses, funding strategic acquisitions, repurchasing stock and other purposes. HP's management also uses gross cash and free cash flow for the purposes of evaluating HP's historical and prospective liquidity, as well as to further its own understanding of HP's segment operating results. Because gross cash includes liquid assets that are not included in GAAP cash and cash equivalents, HP believes that gross cash provides a more accurate and complete assessment of HP's liquidity and segment operating results. Because free cash flow includes the effect of capital expenditures that are not reflected in GAAP cash flow from operations, HP believes that free cash flow provides a more accurate and complete assessment of HP's liquidity and capital resources.
Operating company net debt is a non-GAAP measure that is defined as total company net debt less HP Financial Services ("HPFS") net debt. Total company net debt consists of total debt (including the effect of hedging) less gross cash, which includes cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, and certain liquid long-term investments. HPFS net debt consists of HPFS debt, which includes primarily intercompany equity that is treated as debt for segment reporting purposes, intercompany debt and debt issued directly by HPFS, less HPFS cash. Total company net debt provides useful information to management about the state of HP's consolidated balance sheet. Operating company net debt provides additional useful information to management about the state of HP's consolidated balance sheet by providing more transparency into the financial components of the operating company separate from HP's financing business, which has different capital structure requirements and requires much greater leverage to run effectively.
Material Limitations Associated with Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures
These non-GAAP financial measures may have limitations as analytical tools, and these measures should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of HP's results as reported under GAAP. Some of the limitations in relying on these non-GAAP financial measures are:
- Items such as amortization of purchased intangible assets, though not directly affecting HP's cash position, represent the loss in value of intangible assets over time. The expense associated with this loss in value is not included in non-GAAP operating profit, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net earnings and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share and therefore does not reflect the full economic effect of the loss in value of those intangible assets.
- Items such as restructuring charges that are excluded from non-GAAP operating profit, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net earnings and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share can have a material impact on cash flows and earnings per share.
- HP may not be able to liquidate immediately the long-term investments included in gross cash, which may limit the usefulness of gross cash as a liquidity measure.
- Other companies may calculate non-GAAP operating profit, non-GAAP operating margin, non-GAAP net earnings, non-GAAP diluted earnings per share, gross cash, free cash flow, net debt and operating company net debt differently than HP does, limiting the usefulness of those measures for comparative purposes.
