v2.4.0.8
Segment Information
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2014
Segment Reporting [Abstract]  
Segment Information

14. Segment Information

Our reportable segments are based upon: our internal organizational structure; the manner in which our operations are managed; the criteria used by our Chief Executive Officer, who is our Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”), to evaluate segment performance; the availability of separate financial information; and overall materiality considerations.

Our business has three reportable segments: Travel Network, Airline and Hospitality Solutions, and Travelocity. Airline and Hospitality Solutions aggregates the Airline Solutions and Hospitality Solutions operating segments as these operating segments have similar economic characteristics, generate revenues on transaction-based fees, incur the same types of expenses and use our SaaS based and hosted applications and platforms to market to the travel industry.

Our CODM utilizes Adjusted Gross Margin and Adjusted EBITDA as the measures of profitability to evaluate performance of our segments and allocate resources. Segment results do not include unallocated expenses or interest expenses which are centrally managed costs. Benefits expense, including pension expense, postretirement benefits, medical insurance and workers’ compensation are allocated to the segments based on headcount. Depreciation expense on the corporate headquarters building and related facilities costs are allocated to the segments through a facility fee based on headcount. Corporate includes certain shared expenses such as accounting, human resources, legal, corporate systems, and other shared technology costs. Corporate also includes all amortization of intangible assets and any related impairments that originate from purchase accounting, as well as stock based compensation expense, restructuring charges, legal reserves, occupancy taxes and other items not identifiable with one of our segments.

We account for significant intersegment transactions as if the transactions were with third parties, that is, at estimated current market prices. The majority of the intersegment revenues and cost of revenues are between Travelocity and Travel Network, consisting mainly of incentive consideration provided, net of data processing fees incurred, by Travel Network to Travelocity for transactions processed through the Sabre GDS, transaction fees paid by Travelocity to Travel Network for transactions facilitated through the Sabre GDS in which the travel supplier pays Travelocity directly, and fees paid by Travel Network to Travelocity for corporate trips booked through the Travelocity online booking technology. In addition, Airline and Hospitality Solutions pay fees to Travelocity for airline trips booked through the Travelocity online booking technology.

Our CODM does not review total assets by segment as operating evaluations and resource allocation decisions are not made on the basis of total assets by segment.

The performance of our segments is evaluated primarily on Adjusted Revenue, Adjusted Gross Margin and Adjusted EBITDA which are not recognized terms under GAAP. Our uses of Adjusted Revenue, Adjusted Gross Margin and Adjusted EBITDA have limitations as analytical tools, and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP. We define Adjusted Revenue as revenue adjusted for the amortization of Expedia SMA incentive payments, which are recorded as a reduction to revenue and are being amortized over the non-cancellable term of the Expedia SMA (see Note 3, Restructuring Charges). We define Adjusted Gross Margin as operating income (loss) adjusted for selling, general and administrative expenses, impairments, restructuring and other costs, litigation and taxes, including penalties, stock-based compensation, amortization of Expedia SMA incentive payments, amortization of upfront incentive consideration and depreciation and amortization. The definition of Adjusted Gross Margin has been revised in the current period to adjust for restructuring and other costs, litigation and taxes, including penalties and stock-based compensation included in cost of revenue which differs from Adjusted Gross Margin presented in our prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act on April 17, 2014. Adjusted Gross Margin for the prior year period has been recast to conform to our revised definition. We define Adjusted EBITDA as income (loss) from continuing operations adjusted for impairment, acquisition related amortization expense, gain (loss) on sale of business and assets, gain (loss) on extinguishment of debt, other, net, restructuring and other costs, litigation and taxes including penalties, stock-based compensation, management fees, amortization of Expedia SMA incentive payments, depreciation of fixed assets, non-acquisition related amortization, amortization of upfront incentive consideration, interest expense, and income taxes.

 

Segment information for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 is as follows (in thousands):

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
             2014                     2013          

Adjusted Revenue

    

Travel Network

   $ 491,726      $ 475,305   

Airline and Hospitality Solutions

     176,717        162,448   

Travelocity

     96,102        142,771   

Eliminations

     (7,260     (21,180
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total Adjusted Revenue

     757,285        759,344   

Amortization of Expedia SMA incentive payments

     (1,875     —     
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total revenue

   $ 755,410      $ 759,344   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted Gross Margin (a)

    

Travel Network

   $ 236,648      $ 230,657   

Airline and Hospitality Solutions

     65,540        54,953   

Travelocity

     55,516        77,892   

Eliminations

     (109     (213

Corporate

     (14,873     (10,724
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

   $ 342,722      $ 352,565   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA (b)

    

Travel Network

   $ 214,843      $ 210,303   

Airline and Hospitality Solutions

     53,460        40,870   

Travelocity

     (25,196     (8,945
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total segments

     243,107        242,228   

Corporate

     (59,390     (49,725
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

   $ 183,717      $ 192,503   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Depreciation and amortization

    

Travel Network

   $ 16,037      $ 12,258   

Airline and Hospitality Solutions

     26,998        18,215   

Travelocity

     1,492        6,968   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total segments

     44,527        37,441   

Corporate

     40,867        41,938   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

   $ 85,394      $ 79,379   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted capital expenditures (c)

    

Travel Network

   $ 15,313      $ 15,270   

Airline and Hospitality Solutions

     38,400        49,030   

Travelocity

     1,981        5,155   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total segments

     55,694        69,455   

Corporate

     3,598        5,275   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total

   $ 59,292      $ 74,730   
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(a)

The following tables set forth the reconciliation of Adjusted Gross Margin to operating income in our statement of operations (in thousands):

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
           2014                  2013        

Adjusted Gross Margin

   $ 342,722       $ 352,565   

Less Adjustments:

     

Selling, general and administrative

     198,877         199,829   

Cost of revenue adjustments:

     

Depreciation and amortization(1)

     60,807         52,512   

Amortization of upfront incentive consideration(2)

     11,047         9,599   

Restructuring and other costs (4)

     1,216         591   

Litigation and taxes, including penalties(5)

     606         11,848   

Stock-based compensation

     1,506         458   

Amortization of Expedia SMA incentive payments

     1,875         —     
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Operating income

   $ 66,788       $ 77,728   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

(b)

The following tables set forth the reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA to loss from continuing operations in our statement of operations (in thousands):

 

    Three Months Ended March 31,  
          2014                 2013        

Adjusted EBITDA

  $ 183,717      $ 192,503   

Less Adjustments:

   

Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment(1a)

    41,581        33,347   

Amortization of capitalized implementation costs(1b)

    9,136        10,881   

Amortization of upfront incentive payments(2)

    11,047        9,599   

Interest expense, net

    63,944        82,530   

Acquisition related amortization(1c)

    35,478        35,952   

Loss on extinguishment of debt

    2,980        12,181   

Other, net (3)

    887        (5,126

Restructuring and other costs (4)

    2,708        2,166   

Litigation and taxes, including penalties(5)

    5,152        14,638   

Stock-based compensation

    5,579        2,724   

Management fees(6)

    1,932        2,722   

Amortization of Expedia SMA incentive payments

    1,875        —     

Provision (benefit) for income taxes

    2,417        (4,948
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

Loss from continuing operations

  $ (999   $ (4,163
 

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

  (1)

Depreciation and amortization expenses:

 

  a.

Depreciation and amortization of property and equipment represents depreciation of property and equipment, including software developed for internal use.

 

  b.

Amortization of capitalized implementation costs represents amortization of upfront costs to implement new customer contracts under our SaaS and hosted revenue model.

 

  c.

Acquisition related amortization represents amortization of intangible assets from the take-private transaction in 2007 as well as intangibles associated with acquisitions since that date and amortization of the excess basis in our underlying equity in joint ventures.

 

  (2)

Our Travel Network business at times makes upfront cash payments or other consideration to travel agency subscribers at inception or modification of a service contract which are capitalized and amortized over an average expected life of the service contract to cost of revenue, generally over three to five years. Such payments are made with the objective of increasing the number of clients, or to ensure or improve customer loyalty. Such service contract terms are established such that the supplier and other fees generated over the life of the contract will exceed the cost of the incentive consideration provided up front. Such service contracts with travel agency subscribers require that the customer commit to achieving certain economic objectives and generally have terms requiring repayment of the upfront payments if those objectives are not met.

  (3)

Other, net primarily represents foreign exchange gains and losses related to the remeasurement of foreign currency denominated balances included in our consolidated balance sheets into the relevant functional currency.

  (4)

Restructuring and other costs represents charges associated with business restructuring and associated changes implemented which resulted in severance benefits related to employee terminations, integration and facility opening or closing costs and other business reorganization costs.

  (5)

Litigation and taxes, including penalties represents charges or settlements associated with airline antitrust litigation as well as payments or reserves taken in relation to certain retroactive hotel occupancy and excise tax disputes (see Note 13, Contingencies).

  (6)

We have been paying an annual management fee to TPG Global, LLC (“TPG”) and Silver Lake Management Company, LLC (“Silver Lake”) in an amount equal to the lesser of (i) 1% of our Adjusted EBITDA, as defined by the management services agreement, and (ii) $7 million. This also includes reimbursement of certain costs incurred by TPG and Silver Lake. The management services agreement was terminated in connection with our initial public offering.

 

(c)

Includes capital expenditures and capitalized implementation costs as summarized below (in thousands):

 

     Three Months Ended March 31,  
             2014                      2013          

Additions to property and equipment

   $ 51,639       $ 52,701   

Capitalized implementation costs

     7,653         22,029   
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Adjusted capital expenditures

   $ 59,292       $ 74,730