Flextronics Reports Fourth Quarter And Fiscal 2015 Results

FLEXTRONICS INTERNATIONAL LTD. AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO SCHEDULES I, II, & III

(1)

To supplement Flextronics's unaudited selected financial data presented on a basis consistent with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP"), the Company discloses certain non-GAAP financial measures that exclude certain charges, including non-GAAP gross profit, non-GAAP selling, general and administrative expenses, non-GAAP operating income, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per diluted share.  These supplemental measures exclude stock-based compensation expense, restructuring charges, intangible amortization, other discrete events as applicable and the related tax effects. These non-GAAP measures are not in accordance with or an alternative for GAAP, and may be different from non-GAAP measures used by other companies.  We believe that these non-GAAP measures have limitations in that they do not reflect all of the amounts associated with Flextronics's results of operations as determined in accordance with GAAP and that these measures should only be used to evaluate Flextronics's results of operations in conjunction with the corresponding GAAP measures.  The presentation of this additional information is not meant to be considered in isolation or as a substitute for the most directly comparable GAAP measures.  We compensate for the limitations of non-GAAP financial measures by relying upon GAAP results to gain a complete picture of the Company's performance. 

In calculating non-GAAP financial measures, we exclude certain items to facilitate a review of the comparability of the Company's operating performance on a period-to-period basis because such items are not, in our view, related to the Company's ongoing operational performance.  We use non-GAAP measures to evaluate the operating performance of our business, for comparison with forecasts and strategic plans, for calculating return on investment, and for benchmarking performance externally against competitors.  In addition, management's incentive compensation is determined using certain non-GAAP measures.  Also, when evaluating potential acquisitions, we exclude certain of the items described below from consideration of the target's performance and valuation.  Since we find these measures to be useful, we believe that investors benefit from seeing results "through the eyes" of management in addition to seeing GAAP results.  We believe that these non-GAAP measures, when read in conjunction with the Company's GAAP financials, provide useful information to investors by offering:

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the ability to make more meaningful period-to-period comparisons of the Company's on-going operating results;

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the ability to better identify trends in the Company's underlying business and perform related trend analyses;

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a better understanding of how management plans and measures the Company's underlying business; and

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an easier way to compare the Company's operating results against analyst financial models and operating results of competitors that supplement their GAAP results with non-GAAP financial measures.

The following are explanations of each of the adjustments that we incorporate into non-GAAP measures, as well as the reasons for excluding each of these individual items in the reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures:

Stock-based compensation expense consists of non-cash charges for the estimated fair value of stock options and unvested restricted share unit awards granted to employees and assumed in business acquisitions.  The Company believes that the exclusion of these charges provides for more accurate comparisons of its operating results to peer companies due to the varying available valuation methodologies, subjective assumptions and the variety of award types.  In addition, the Company believes it is useful to investors to understand the specific impact stock-based compensation expense has on its operating results.

Intangible amortization consists primarily of non-cash charges that can be impacted by, among other things, the timing and magnitude of acquisitions.  The Company considers its operating results without these charges when evaluating its ongoing performance and forecasting its earnings trends, and therefore excludes such charges when presenting non-GAAP financial measures.  The Company believes that the assessment of its operations excluding these costs is relevant to its assessment of internal operations and comparisons to the performance of its competitors.

Restructuring charges include severance, asset impairment, lease termination, contract and product exit costs and other charges primarily related to the closures and consolidations of various manufacturing facilities. These costs may vary in size based on the Company's restructuring activities, and are not directly related to ongoing or core business results, and do not reflect expected future operating expenses. These costs are excluded by the Company's management in assessing current operating performance and forecasting its earnings trends, and are therefore excluded by the Company from its non-GAAP measures.

Adjustment for taxes relates to the tax effects of the various adjustments that we incorporate into non-GAAP measures in order to provide a more meaningful measure on non-GAAP net income and certain adjustments related to non-recurring settlements of tax contingencies.

For the twelve-month period ended March 31, 2015, Free Cash Flow was $554 million consisting of GAAP net cash flows from operating activities of $794 million less purchases of property and equipment net of proceeds from dispositions of $240 million. We believe Free Cash Flow is an important liquidity metric because it measures, during a given period, the amount of cash generated that is available to repay debt obligations, make investments, fund acquisitions and for certain other activities. Since Free Cash Flow includes investments in operating assets, we believe this non-GAAP liquidity measure is useful in addition to the most directly comparable GAAP measure – "net cash flows provided by operating activities."

(2)

In accordance with a manufacturing agreement, the Company recognized a $55.0 million charge for a contractual obligation during the quarter ended March 31, 2014. During the first quarter of fiscal 2015, an amendment was executed which included the removal of the $55.0 million obligation. Accordingly, the Company reversed this charge with a corresponding credit to other income, included in other (income) charges, net with no impact to cash.

(3)

During the first quarter of fiscal 2015, the Company recognized a loss of $11.0 million in connection with the disposition of a certain European manufacturing facility, which is included in other (income) charges, net.