In this press release, we refer to EBITDA, which is not defined by U.S. GAAP. We define EBITDA as net income before interest expense, income tax expense and depreciation and amortization. We believe EBITDA to be relevant and useful information to our investors because it provides additional information in assessing our financial operating results. Our management uses EBITDA in evaluating our operating performance, and our ability to service debt, and our ability to fund capital expenditures and pay dividends. However, EBITDA has certain limitations in that it does not reflect the impact of certain expenses on our consolidated statements of income, including interest expense, which is a necessary element of our costs because we have borrowed money in order to finance our operations, income tax expense, which is a necessary element of our costs because taxes are imposed by law, and depreciation and amortization, which is a necessary element of our costs because we use capital assets to generate income. EBITDA should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, or superior to, operating income, net income or other measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Furthermore, our definition of EBITDA may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. Below is our reconciliation of EBITDA to U.S. GAAP net income.

In this press release, we refer to free cash flow, which is not defined by U.S. GAAP. We define free cash flow as net cash provided by operating activities less payments for property, plant and equipment, plus proceeds from the sale of, insurance recovery for and grants for property, plant and equipment, if applicable. We believe free cash flow to be relevant and useful information to our investors because it provides them with additional information in assessing our liquidity, capital resources and financial operating results. Our management uses free cash flow in evaluating our liquidity, and our ability to service debt, and our ability to fund capital expenditures and pay dividends. However, free cash flow has certain limitations, including that it does not represent the residual cash flow available for discretionary expenditures since other, non-discretionary expenditures, such as mandatory debt service, are not deducted from the measure. The amount of mandatory versus discretionary expenditures can vary significantly between periods. This measure should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for, or superior to, other measures of liquidity or financial performance prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP, such as net cash provided by operating activities. Furthermore, our definition of free cash flow may not be comparable to similarly titled measures reported by other companies. Below is our reconciliation of free cash flow to U.S. GAAP net cash provided by operating activities.