Forward-Looking Statements
This document may contain forward-looking information and statements about ArcelorMittal and its subsidiaries. These statements include financial projections and estimates and their underlying assumptions, statements regarding plans, objectives and expectations with respect to future operations, products and services, and statements regarding future performance. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the words “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “target” or similar expressions. Although ArcelorMittal’s management believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, investors and holders of ArcelorMittal’s securities are cautioned that forward-looking information and statements are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and generally beyond the control of ArcelorMittal, that could cause actual results and developments to differ materially and adversely from those expressed in, or implied or projected by, the forward-looking information and statements. These risks and uncertainties include those discussed or identified in the filings with the Luxembourg Stock Market Authority for the Financial Markets (Commission de Surveillance du Secteur Financier) and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) made or to be made by ArcelorMittal, including ArcelorMittal’s latest Annual Report on Form 20-F on file with the SEC. ArcelorMittal undertakes no obligation to publicly update its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Footnotes
[1] The financial information in this press release has been prepared consistently with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) as issued by the International Accounting Standards Board (“IASB”) and as adopted by the European Union. The interim financial information included in this announcement has also been also prepared in accordance with IFRS applicable to interim periods, however this announcement does not contain sufficient information to constitute an interim financial report as defined in International Accounting Standard 34, “Interim Financial Reporting”. The numbers in this press release have not been audited. The financial information and certain other information presented in a number of tables in this press release have been rounded to the nearest whole number or the nearest decimal. Therefore, the sum of the numbers in a column may not conform exactly to the total figure given for that column. In addition, certain percentages presented in the tables in this press release reflect calculations based upon the underlying information prior to rounding and, accordingly, may not conform exactly to the percentages that would be derived if the relevant calculations were based upon the rounded numbers. This press release also includes certain non-GAAP financial/alternative performance measures. ArcelorMittal presents EBITDA, and EBITDA/tonne, which are non-GAAP financial/alternative performance measures and calculated as shown in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations, as additional measures to enhance the understanding of operating performance. ArcelorMittal believes such indicators are relevant to describe trends relating to cash generating activity and provides management and investors with additional information for comparison of the Company’s operating results to the operating results of other companies. ArcelorMittal also presents net debt and change in working capital as additional measures to enhance the understanding of its financial position, changes to its capital structure and its credit assessment. ArcelorMittal also presents free cash flow (FCF), which is a non-GAAP financial/alternative performance measure calculated as shown in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash flows, because it believes it is a useful supplemental measure for evaluating the strength of its cash generating capacity. The Company also presents the ratio of net debt to EBITDA for the twelve months ended December 31, 2018 which investors may find useful in understanding the company's ability to service its debt. Non-GAAP financial/alternative performance measures should be read in conjunction with, and not as an alternative for, ArcelorMittal's financial information prepared in accordance with IFRS. Such non-GAAP/alternative performance measures may not be comparable to similarly titled measures applied by other companies.
[2] Health and safety performance inclusive of ArcelorMittal Italia and related facilities (“ArcelorMittal Italia”) (consolidated as from November 1, 2018) was 1.14x for 1Q 2019 and 0.91 for 4Q 2018. Health and safety figures excluding ArcelorMittal Italia were 0.66x for 1Q 2019 as compared to 0.70x for 4Q 2018. Previously published 4Q 2018 health and safety performance figures for ArcelorMittal (inclusive of ArcelorMittal Italia) and ArcelorMittal Italia have not been shown in the table for comparative purposes. From 1Q 2019 onwards, the methodology and metrics used to calculate health and safety figures for ArcelorMittal Italia have been harmonized with those of ArcelorMittal.
[3] ArcelorMittal has applied IFRS 16 Leases as of January 1, 2019. Due to the transition option selected, the prior-period data has not been restated. IFRS 16 Leases provides a single lessee accounting model requiring lessees to recognize right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for all non-cancellable leases except for short-term leases and low value assets. The right-of-use assets are recognized as property, plant and equipment and measured on January 1, 2019 at an amount equal to the lease liability recognized as debt (short term $0.3 billion and long term $0.9 billion impact as of January 1, 2019) and measured on the basis of the net present value of remaining lease payments. Net debt increased accordingly by $1.2 billion in 1Q 2019. The recognition of the lease expense in EBITDA for leases previously accounted for as operating leases is replaced by a depreciation expense related to the right-of-use assets and an interest expense reflecting the amortization of the lease liability. IFRS 16 contributed to a positive EBITDA impact of $56 million (majority in segment others) in 1Q 2019. In addition, cash payments relating to the repayment of the principal amount of the lease liability are presented in the consolidated statements of cash flows as outflows from financing activities while lease payments for operating leases were previously recognized as outflows from operating activities.