Adjusted Fully-Converted Net Income (Loss) and Adjusted Fully-Converted Net Income (Loss) Excluding Special Items
PBF Energy utilizes results presented on an Adjusted Fully-Converted basis that reflects an assumed exchange of all PBF LLC Series A Units for shares of PBF Energy Class A common stock. In addition, we present results on an Adjusted Fully-Converted basis excluding special items as described above. We believe that these Adjusted Fully-Converted measures, when presented in conjunction with comparable GAAP measures, are useful to investors to compare PBF Energy results across different periods and to facilitate an understanding of our operating results. Neither Adjusted Fully-Converted Net Income (Loss) nor Adjusted Fully-Converted Net Income (Loss) excluding special items should be considered an alternative to net income presented in accordance with GAAP. Adjusted Fully-Converted Net Income (Loss) and Adjusted Fully-Converted Net Income (Loss) excluding special items presented by other companies may not be comparable to our presentation, since each company may define these terms differently.
EBITDA, EBITDA Excluding Special Items and Adjusted EBITDA
Our management uses EBITDA (earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization), EBITDA excluding special items and Adjusted EBITDA as measures of operating performance to assist in comparing performance from period to period on a consistent basis and to readily view operating trends, as a measure for planning and forecasting overall expectations and for evaluating actual results against such expectations, and in communications with our board of directors, creditors, analysts and investors concerning our financial performance. Our outstanding indebtedness for borrowed money and other contractual obligations also include similar measures as a basis for certain covenants under those agreements which may differ from the Adjusted EBITDA definition described below.
EBITDA, EBITDA excluding special items and Adjusted EBITDA are not presentations made in accordance with GAAP and our computation of EBITDA, EBITDA excluding special items and Adjusted EBITDA may vary from others in our industry. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA contains some, but not all, adjustments that are taken into account in the calculation of the components of various covenants in the agreements governing our senior notes and other credit facilities. EBITDA, EBITDA excluding special items and Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as alternatives to income from operations or net income as measures of operating performance. In addition, EBITDA, EBITDA excluding special items and Adjusted EBITDA are not presented as, and should not be considered, an alternative to cash flows from operations as a measure of liquidity. Adjusted EBITDA is defined as EBITDA before adjustments for items such as stock-based compensation expense, thenon-cash change in the fair value of catalyst obligations, the write down of inventory to the LCM, changes in the liability for Tax Receivable Agreement due to factors out of PBF Energy’s control such as changes in tax rates, debt extinguishment costs related to refinancing activities, change in the fair value of contingent consideration and certain othernon-cash items. Other companies, including other companies in our industry, may calculate EBITDA, EBITDA excluding special items and Adjusted EBITDA differently than we do, limiting their usefulness as comparative measures. EBITDA, EBITDA excluding special items and Adjusted EBITDA also have limitations as analytical tools and should not be considered in isolation, or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP.