Note AboutNon-GAAP Financial Measures
Total segment gross margin, operating margin, Adjusted EBITDA and distributable cash flow are performance measures that arenon-GAAP financial measures. Each has important limitations as an analytical tool because they exclude some, but not all, items that affect the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures. Management compensates for the limitations of thesenon-GAAP measures as analytical tools by reviewing the comparable GAAP measures, understanding the differences between the measures and incorporating these data points into management’s decision-making process.
You should not consider total segment gross margin, operating margin, Adjusted EBITDA or distributable cash flow in isolation or as a substitute for, or more meaningful than analysis of, our results as reported under GAAP. Total segment gross margin, operating margin, Adjusted EBITDA or distributable cash flow may be defined differently by other companies in our industry. Our definitions of thesenon-GAAP financial measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies, thereby diminishing their utility.
Adjusted EBITDA is a supplementalnon-GAAP financial measure used by our management and external users of our financial statements, such as investors, commercial banks, research analysts and others, to assess: the financial performance of our assets without regard to financing methods, capital structure or historical cost basis; the ability of our assets to generate cash flow to make cash distributions to our unitholders and our General Partner; our operating performance and return on capital as compared to those of other companies in the midstream energy sector, without regard to financing or capital structure; and the attractiveness of capital projects and acquisitions and the overall rates of return on alternative investment opportunities.
We define Adjusted EBITDA as net income (loss) attributable to the Partnership, plus depreciation, amortization and accretion expense (“DAA”) excludingnon-controlling interest share of DAA, interest expense, net of capitalized interest excluding , debt issuance costs paid during the period, unrealized gains (losses) on commodity derivatives,non-cash charges such asnon-cash equity compensation expense, charges that are unusual such as transaction expenses primarily associated with our acquisitions, income tax expense, distributions from unconsolidated affiliates and General Partner’s contribution, less earnings in unconsolidated affiliates, discontinued operations, gains (losses) that are unusual, such as gain on revaluation of equity interest and gain (loss) on sale of assets, net, and othernon-recurring items that impact our business, such as construction and operating management agreement income (“COMA”) and other post-employment benefits plan net periodic benefit. The GAAP measure most directly comparable to our performance measure Adjusted EBITDA is Net income (loss) attributable to the Partnership.
DCF is a significant performance metric used by us and by external users of the Partnership’s financial statements, such as investors, commercial banks and research analysts, to compare basic cash flows generated by us to the cash distributions we expect to pay the Partnership’s unitholders. Using this metric, management and external users of the Partnership’s financial statements can quickly compute the coverage ratio of estimated cash flows to planned cash distributions. DCF is also an important financial measure for the Partnership’s unitholders since it serves as an indicator of the Partnership’s success in providing a cash return on investment. Specifically, this financial measure may indicate to investors whether we are generating cash flow at a level that can sustain or support an increase in the Partnership’s quarterly distribution rates. DCF is also a quantitative standard used throughout the investment community with respect to publicly traded partnerships and limited liability companies because the value of a unit of such an entity is generally determined by the unit’s yield (which in turn is based on the amount of cash distributions the entity pays to a unitholder). DCF will not reflect changes in working capital balances.
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