First Data 2011 Annual Report Download - page 112

• Segment earnings before net interest expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") includes equity
earnings in affiliates and excludes depreciation and amortization expense, net income attributable to noncontrolling
interests, other operating expenses and other income (expense). Retail and Alliance Services segment EBITDA does not
include equity earnings because it is reported using proportionate consolidation as described below. Additionally, segment
EBITDA is adjusted for items similar to certain of those used in calculating the Company's compliance with debt
covenants. The additional items that are adjusted to determine segment EBITDA are:
• stock based compensation and related expense is excluded;
• official check and money order businesses' EBITDA are excluded;
• cost of data center technology and savings initiatives are excluded and represent implementation costs
associated with initiatives to reduce operating expenses including items such as platform and data center
consolidation initiatives in the International segment, expenses related to the reorganization of global
application development resources (applicable to 2010 and 2009), expenses associated with domestic data
center consolidation initiatives and planned workforce reduction expenses (applicable to 2010 and 2009),
certain platform development and other costs directly associated with the termination of the Chase
Paymentech Solutions alliance, and expenses related to the conversion of certain BAMS alliance merchant
clients onto the Company's platforms in 2011, 2010 and 2009 all of which are considered nonrecurring
projects (excludes costs accrued in purchase accounting). Effective October 1, 2011, First Data and Bank of
America N.A. ("the Bank") jointly decided to have First Data operate the Bank's legacy settlement platform.
Transition costs associated with the revised strategy are also excluded from segment EBITDA.
• debt issuance costs are excluded and represent costs associated with issuing debt and modifying the
Company's debt structure;
• KKR related items include annual sponsor and other fees for management, consulting, financial and other
advisory services.
• Retail and Alliance Services segment revenue and EBITDA are reflected based on the Company's proportionate share of
the results of its investments in businesses accounted for under the equity method and consolidated subsidiaries with
noncontrolling ownership interests. In addition, Retail and Alliance Services segment measures reflect commission
payments to certain ISO's, which are treated as an expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations, as contra
revenue to be consistent with revenue share arrangements with other ISO's that are recorded as contra revenue.
• Corporate operations include administrative and shared service functions such as the executive group, legal, tax, treasury,
internal audit, accounting, human resources, information technology and procurement. Costs incurred by Corporate that
are directly attributable to a segment are allocated to the respective segment. Administrative, shared service and certain
information technology costs are retained by Corporate.
110