Footnote to Selected Year-Over-Year Financial Data
1 We use Manufacturing Cash Flow Before Pension Contributions as our measure of free cash flow. This measure is not a financial measure under generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and should be used in conjunction with GAAP cash measures provided in our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. Free cash flow is a measure generally used by investors, analysts and management to gauge a company’s ability to generate cash from operations in excess of that necessary to be reinvested to sustain and grow the business and fund its obligations.
Our definition of Manufacturing Cash Flow Before Pension Contributions adjusts net cash from operating activities of continuing operations for the Manufacturing group for dividends received from TFC, capital contributions provided under the Support Agreement and debt agreements, capital expenditures, proceeds from the sale of property, plant and equipment and contributions to our pension plans. We believe that our calculation provides a relevant measure of liquidity and is a useful basis for assessing our ability to fund operations and obligations. This measure may not be comparable with similarly titled measures reported by other companies, as there is no definitive accounting standard on how the measure should be calculated. A reconciliation of net cash from operating activities of continuing operations for the Manufacturing group as presented in our Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows to Manufacturing Cash Flow Before Pension Contributions is provided below:
(In Millions) |
2015 |
2014 |
|
|
|
Net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations for the Manufacturing group-GAAP |
$1,038 |
$1,097 |
Less: Capital expenditures |
(420) |
(429) |
Dividends received from TFC |
(63) |
- |
Plus: Total pension contributions |
68 |
76 |
Proceeds from the sale of property, plant and equipment |
8 |
9 |
Manufacturing Cash Flow Before Pension Cotributions—Non-GAAP |
$ 631 |
$ 753 |