To supplement HP's historical and forecasted financial results presented on a GAAP basis, HP provides non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share. Non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share is defined to exclude the effects of any restructuring charges, charges relating to the amortization of intangible assets and certain other acquisition-related charges recorded or expected to be recorded during the relevant period. In addition, non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share are adjusted by the amount of additional taxes or tax benefit associated with each non-GAAP item. Fiscal 2014 non-GAAP diluted net EPS estimates exclude after-tax costs of approximately $1.10 per share, related primarily to restructuring charges and amortization of intangible assets. Fiscal 2015 non-GAAP diluted net EPS estimates exclude after-tax costs of approximately $0.60 per share, related primarily to amortization of intangible assets and restructuring charges.
HP's management uses non-GAAP financial measures, including HP's non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share, to evaluate and forecast HP's performance before gains, losses or other charges that are considered by HP's management to be outside of HP's core business segment operating results. 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. For example, items such as the amortization of 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 HP's non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share and therefore does not reflect the full economic effect of the loss in value of those intangible assets. In addition, items such as restructuring charges that are excluded from HP's non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share can have a material impact on HP's GAAP diluted net earnings per share. Other companies may calculate non-GAAP diluted net earnings per share differently than HP does, which limits the usefulness of that measure for comparative purposes.
Compensation for limitations associated with use of non-GAAP financial measures
HP compensates for the limitations on its use of non-GAAP financial measures by relying primarily on its GAAP results and using non-GAAP financial measures only supplementally. HP also provides robust and detailed reconciliations of each non-GAAP financial measure to its most directly comparable GAAP measure within this news release and in other written materials available at
www.hp.com/investor/2014OctAnnouncement/ that include these non-GAAP financial measures, and HP encourages investors to review carefully those reconciliations.
Usefulness of non-GAAP financial measures to investors
HP believes that providing non-GAAP financial measures to investors in addition to the related GAAP financial measures provides investors with greater transparency to the information used by HP's management in its financial and operational decision making and allows investors to see HP's results "through the eyes" of management. HP further believes that providing this information better enables HP's investors to understand HP's operating performance and to evaluate the efficacy of the methodology and information used by HP's management to evaluate and measure such performance. Disclosure of non-GAAP financial measures also facilitates comparisons of HP's operating performance with the performance of other companies in HP's industry that supplement their GAAP results with non-GAAP financial measures that may be calculated in a similar manner.
Forward-looking statements
This news release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If the risks or uncertainties ever materialize or the assumptions prove incorrect, the results of HP may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements and assumptions. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including but not limited to any statements of the plans, strategies and objectives of HP for future operations, including the separation transaction; the future performance of Hewlett-Packard Enterprise and HP Inc. if the separation is completed; the execution of restructuring plans and any resulting cost savings or revenue or profitability improvements; any projections of revenue, margins, expenses, HP's effective tax rate, net earnings, net earnings per share, cash flows, benefit plan funding, share repurchases, currency exchange rates or other financial items; any projections of the amount, timing or impact of cost savings or restructuring charges; any statements concerning the expected development, performance, market share or competitive performance relating to products or services; any statements regarding current or future macroeconomic trends or events and the impact of those trends and events on HP and its financial performance; any statements regarding pending investigations, claims or disputes; any statements of expectation or belief; and any statements of assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. Risks, uncertainties and assumptions include the need to address the many challenges facing HP's businesses; the competitive pressures faced by HP's businesses; risks associated with executing HP's strategy, including the planned separation transaction; the impact of macroeconomic and geopolitical trends and events; the need to manage third-party suppliers and the distribution of HP's products and services effectively; the protection of HP's intellectual property assets, including intellectual property licensed from third parties; risks associated with HP's international operations; the development and transition of new products and services and the enhancement of existing products and services to meet customer needs and respond to emerging technological trends; the execution and performance of contracts by HP and its suppliers, customers and partners; the hiring and retention of key employees; integration and other risks associated with business combination and investment transactions; the execution, timing and results of the separation transaction or restructuring plans, including estimates and assumptions related to the cost (including any possible disruption of HP's business) and the anticipated benefits of implementing the separation transaction and restructuring plans; the resolution of pending investigations, claims and disputes; and other risks that are described in HP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2013, and HP's other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including HP's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2014. As in prior periods, the financial information set forth in this release, including tax-related items, reflects estimates based on information available at this time. While HP believes these estimates to be reasonable, these amounts could differ materially from actual reported amounts in HP's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2014. HP assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements.
Editorial contacts Sarah Pompei +1 650 518 9896 sarah.pompei@hp.com www.hpannouncement.com www.hp.com/go/newsroom
