Flex Reports Fourth Quarter And Fiscal 2018 Results

FLEX AND SUBSIDIARIES

NOTES TO SCHEDULES I, II, III, & IV

(1)

To supplement Flex's unaudited selected financial data presented 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 operating income, non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP net income per diluted share.  These supplemental measures exclude restructuring charges, stock-based compensation expense, 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 Flex's results of operations as determined in accordance with GAAP and that these measures should only be used to evaluate Flex'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.

Distressed customers asset impairments consist primarily of non-cash inventory impairments of certain inventory on hand to net realizable value as well as additional provisions for doubtful accounts receivable for customers that are experiencing significant financial difficulties. 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. See additional description related to the specific period charge as applicable below.

Contingencies and other consists primarily of charges in connection with certain legal matters of which loss contingencies are believed to be probable and estimable. It also includes non-cash impairment of certain assets and damages incurred from natural disasters which are not directly related to ongoing or core business results, and do not reflect expected future operating expense. 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.

Restructuring charges include severance for rationalization at existing sites and corporate SG&A functions as well as asset impairment, lease termination, and other charges relate to the closures and consolidations of certain operating sites. These costs may vary in size based on the Company's initiatives, 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 or other non-recurring tax charges, when applicable.

Investment and other, net consists of various other types of items that are not directly related to ongoing or core business results, such as the gain or loss from certain divestitures and impairment charges associated with non-core investments.  We exclude these items because they are not related to the Company's ongoing operating performance or do not affect core operations.  Excluding these amounts provide investors with a basis to compare Company performance against the performance of other companies without this variability.

For the twelve-month period ended March 31, 2018, Free Cash Flow was $236 million consisting of GAAP net cash flows from operating activities of approximately $754 million less purchases of property and equipment net of proceeds from dispositions of $518 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)

Basic shares were used in calculating diluted GAAP EPS for the quarter ended March 31, 2018 due to the net loss recognized during the period. Diluted shares for Q4 fiscal 2018 were 535,234 thousand which were used in calculating diluted Non-GAAP EPS for the quarter.

(3)

Distressed customers asset impairments for fiscal year 2018 relate to additional provision for doubtful accounts receivable for certain customers experiencing significant financial difficulties or contract disengagements.

During the second quarter of fiscal year 2017, prices for solar panel modules declined significantly. The Company determined that certain solar panel inventory on hand as of September 30, 2016, was not fully recoverable and recorded a charge of $60 million to reduce the carrying costs to market in the twelve-month period ended March 31, 2017. The Company also recognized a $16 million impairment charge for solar module equipment and $16.9 million primarily related to negative margin sales and other associated solar panel direct costs. The total charge of $92.9 million is included in cost of sales for the twelve-month period ended March 31, 2017.

(4)

Contingencies and other during fiscal year 2018 consists of charges in connection with certain legal matters of which loss contingencies are believed to be probable and estimable. The Company incurred various other charges predominantly related to damages incurred from a typhoon that impacted one of its China facilities. Additionally, certain asset impairments were recorded during both fiscal year 2017 and 2018.

(5)

During the second quarter of fiscal year 2018, the Company and other minority shareholders of Elementum amended certain agreements and as a result, the Company concluded it no longer had majority control and accordingly, deconsolidated the entity. As part of the deconsolidation, the Company recognized a gain of approximately $151.6 million with no related tax impact, which is included in other charges (income), net for fiscal year 2018.    

(6)

The company sold its Wink business during first quarter of fiscal year 2018 to an unrelated third-party venture backed company in exchange for contingent consideration fair valued at $59 million and recognized a gain on sale of $38.7 million, which is recorded in other charges (income), net for fiscal year 2018.

In addition, the Company recorded $4.1 million and $21.9 million in the three-month and twelve-month periods ended March 31, 2018, respectively, for impairment of certain non-core investments.

The twelve-month period ended March 31, 2017 includes a $7.4 million loss attributable to a non-strategic facility sold during the second quarter of fiscal year 2017.

(7)

Recognition of a non-recurring, non-cash, valuation allowance against deferred tax assets in a foreign operating subsidiary offset by the recognition of an associated income tax receivable for prior years.