The Company uses Adjusted EBITDA on a consolidated basis as a liquidity measure. The Company believes this financial measure on a consolidated basis is important in analyzing its liquidity because it is the key component of certain material covenants contained within the Company’s credit agreement, which is discussed in more detail in Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, “Liquidity and Capital Resources,” and Note 10, Long-term Debt, to the consolidated financial statements included in its Annual Report on Form 10‑K for the year ended December 31, 2023 (the “2023 Form 10‑K”). These covenants are material terms of the credit agreement. Noncompliance with these financial covenants under the credit agreement—its interest coverage ratio and its leverage ratio—could result in the Company’s lenders requiring the Company to immediately repay all amounts borrowed. If the Company anticipated a potential covenant violation, it would seek relief from its lenders, which would have some cost to the Company, and such relief might be on terms less favorable to those in the Company’s existing credit agreement. In addition, if the Company cannot satisfy these financial covenants, it would be prohibited under the credit agreement from engaging in certain activities, such as incurring additional indebtedness, paying common stock dividends, making certain payments, and acquiring and disposing of assets. Consequently, Adjusted EBITDA is critical to the Company’s assessment of its liquidity.
In general terms, the credit agreement definition of Adjusted EBITDA, therein referred to as “Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA,” allows the Company to add back to consolidated net income interest expense, income taxes, and depreciation and amortization and then add back to consolidated net income (1) all unusual or nonrecurring items reducing consolidated net income (of which only up to $10 million in a year may be cash expenditures), (2) any losses from discontinued operations, (3) non-ordinary course fees, costs and expenses incurred with respect to any litigation or settlement, (4) share-based compensation expense, (5) costs and expenses associated with changes in the fair value of marketable securities, (6) costs and expenses associated with the issuance or prepayment of debt and acquisitions, and (7) any restructuring charges and certain pro-forma cost savings and synergies related to transactions and initiatives, which in the aggregate are not in excess of 25% of Adjusted Consolidated EBITDA. The Company also subtracts from consolidated net income all unusual or nonrecurring items to the extent they increase consolidated net income.
The calculation of Adjusted EBITDA under the credit agreement does not require us to deduct net income attributable to noncontrolling interests or gains on fair value adjustments of hedging and equity instruments, disposal of assets, and development activities. It also does not allow us to add back losses on fair value adjustments of hedging instruments or unusual or nonrecurring cash expenditures in excess of $10 million. These items and amounts, in addition to the items falling within the credit agreement’s “unusual or nonrecurring” classification, may occur in future periods, but can vary significantly from period to period and may not directly relate to, or be indicative of, the Company's ongoing liquidity or operating performance. Accordingly, the Adjusted EBITDA calculation presented here includes adjustments for them.
Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure of financial performance under GAAP, and the items excluded from Adjusted EBITDA are significant components in understanding and assessing financial performance. Therefore, Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered a substitute for net income or cash flows from operating, investing, or financing activities. Because Adjusted EBITDA is not a measurement determined in accordance with GAAP and is thus susceptible to varying calculations, Adjusted EBITDA, as presented, may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. Revenues and expenses are measured in accordance with the policies and procedures described in Note 1, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, to the consolidated financial statements accompanying the 2023 Form 10‑K.
The Company also uses adjusted free cash flow as an analytical indicator to assess its performance. Management believes the presentation of adjusted free cash flow provides investors an efficient means by which they can evaluate the Company’s capacity to reduce debt, pursue development activities, and return capital to its common stockholders. The calculation of adjusted free cash flow and a reconciliation of net cash provided by operating activities to adjusted free cash flow are included in the press release attached as Exhibit 99.1 and the supplemental information attached as Exhibit 99.2. This measure is not a defined measure of financial performance under GAAP and should not be considered as an alternative to net cash provided by operating activities. The Company's definition of adjusted free cash flow is net cash provided by operating activities of continuing operations minus capital expenditures for maintenance, distributions to noncontrolling interests, and certain items deemed to be non-indicative of ongoing operating performance. Common stock dividends are not included in the calculation of adjusted free cash flow. The Company’s definition of adjusted free cash flow is limited and does not represent residual cash flows available for discretionary spending. Because this measure is not determined in accordance with GAAP and is susceptible to varying calculations, it may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures presented by other companies. See the consolidated statements of cash flows included in the 2023 Form 10‑K, the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows included in the Company's quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 2024 (the "September 2024 Form 10-Q"), when filed, and in the press release attached as Exhibit 99.1 for the GAAP measures of cash flows from operating, investing, and financing activities.
Forward-Looking Statements
The information contained in the press release and supplemental information includes certain estimates, projections, and other forward-looking statements that involve known and unknown risks and relate to, among other things, future events, the business model, strategy, outlook and guidance, growth targets, labor cost trends, financial plans, dividend strategies or payments, effective income tax rates, plans to repurchase its debt or equity securities, future financial performance, projected business results, ability to return value to its shareholders, projected capital expenditures and development plans, leverage ratio, guidance considerations, and the impact of future legislation or regulation. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “targets,” “potential,” or “continue” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These estimates, projections, and other forward-looking statements are based on assumptions the Company believes, as of the date hereof, are reasonable. Inevitably, there will be differences between such estimates and actual results, and those differences may be material.
There can be no assurance that any estimates, projections, or forward-looking statements will be realized.
All such estimates, projections, and forward-looking statements speak only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no duty to publicly update or revise that information.
You are cautioned not to place undue reliance on the estimates, projections, and other forward-looking statements in this report, the press release, and supplemental information as they are based on current expectations and general assumptions and are subject to various risks, uncertainties, and other factors, including those set forth in the attached press release and in the 2023 Form 10‑K, the September 2024 Form 10-Q when filed, and in other documents the Company previously filed with the SEC, many of which are beyond the Company’s control. These factors may cause actual results to differ materially from the views, beliefs, and estimates expressed herein.
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SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Registrant has duly caused this Report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
ENCOMPASS HEALTH CORPORATION
By:
/S/ DOUGLAS E. COLTHARP
Name:
Douglas E. Coltharp
Title:
Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer