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 and gross cash. 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. Reconciliations of each of these non-GAAP financial measures to GAAP information are included in the tables above.
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 amortization of purchased intangible assets, pension curtailment and settlement gains and losses, and in-process research and development 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:
- Restructuring charges consist of costs primarily related to severance and benefits for employees terminated pursuant to a formal restructuring plan, including strategic reallocations or workforce reductions and early retirement programs. 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 operating performance.
- 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. HP incurs charges relating to the amortization of these intangibles, and those charges are included in HP’s GAAP presentation of earnings from operations, operating margin, net earnings and net earnings per share. Amortization charges for HP’s purchased intangible assets 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 operating performance.
- In the first quarter of fiscal 2007, HP recognized a net curtailment gain for its non-U.S. pension plans. The net gain primarily reflects a plan design change in Mexico where HP ceased pension accruals for current employees who did not meet defined criteria based on age and years of service (calculated as of December 31, 2006). In the second quarter of fiscal 2007, HP recorded a pension curtailment gain primarily resulting from the decision to cease pension accruals under its U.S. defined benefit pension plan for all employees who were still accruing benefits under that plan. The curtailment gain was partially offset primarily by a settlement expense associated with the distribution and subsequent transfer of accrued pension benefits from HP’s U.S. Excess Benefit Plan to HP’s U.S. Executive Deferred Compensation Plan for the terminated vested plan participants. Because pension curtailment gains and pension settlement losses are inconsistent in amount and frequency, HP believes that eliminating these gains and losses 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 operating performance.
- In-process research and development charges relate to amounts assigned to tangible and intangible assets to be used in research and development projects that have no alternative future use and therefore are charged to expense at the acquisition date. Charges for in-process research and development in connection with HP ’ s acquisitions are reflected in HP ’ s GAAP presentation of earnings from operations, operating margin, net earnings and net earnings per share. In-process research and development expenses are not indicative of HP ’ s ongoing operating costs and are generally unpredictable. Accordingly, HP believes that eliminating these expenses for purposes of calculating these non-GAAP measures contributes to a meaningful evaluation of HP ’ s current operating performance and comparisons to HP ’ s past operating performance.
