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Companion Policy to NI 52-112 Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures Disclosure

Proximity, composition and usefulness

Companion Policy to NI 52-112 Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures Disclosure
Proximity, composition and usefulness
Re ss. 6(1)(e), 7(2)(d), 8(c), 9(c), 10(1)(b), 11(b)

Proximity to the first instance

To prevent duplicative disclosure, an issuer may include the information required by paragraphs 6(1)(e), 7(2)(d), 8(c), 9(c), 10(1)(b), 11(b) of the Instrument in one section of the document, unless incorporation by reference is permitted under section 5 of the Instrument. To satisfy these requirements, when the specified financial measure first appears in the document an issuer may reference, either through a footnote or in another manner, a separate section within the same document that contains the disclosure required by these paragraphs.

There may be types of documents where it is not clear when the specified financial measure first occurs or appears, for example, websites and social media. In these instances, the “first instance” disclosure requirements may be satisfied by providing a website hyperlink to where the disclosures required by paragraphs 6(1)(e), 7(2)(d), 8(c), 9(c), 10(1)(b), 11(b) of the Instrument are found (e.g., on another section of the website) with minimal to no scrolling or navigation. Hyperlinking may only be provided within a website or within a document.

Companion Policy to NI 52-112 Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures Disclosure
Proximity, composition and usefulness
Re ss. 6(1)(e)(ii)(A), 8(c)(iii)(A), 10(1)(b)(ii)(A), 11(b)

Explain the composition

The composition explanation should include a clear description of how the specified financial measure is calculated. For example, we would expect an issuer to describe the type of adjustments made, such as those for “non-cash” items or the basis being used to determine the type of adjustments.

In most instances, this requirement would not be satisfied just by listing all adjustments made in calculating the measure.

It is important to consider whether any new adjustment made in the calculation of a specified financial measure might constitute a change in composition or whether the adjustment is consistent with the stated usefulness of the measure.

Companion Policy to NI 52-112 Non-GAAP and Other Financial Measures Disclosure
Proximity, composition and usefulness
Re ss. 6(1)(e)(ii)(B), 8(c)(iii)(B), 10(1)(b)(ii)(B)

Usefulness of a specified financial measure

The Instrument does not define the term “useful”. The term “useful” is intended to reflect how management believes that presentation of the non-GAAP financial measure provides incremental information to investors regarding the issuer’s financial position, financial performance or cash flows. The term “useful” should be considered in the context of what a person making an investment decision would consider useful.

A statement made to satisfy the requirement of clauses 6(1)(e)(ii)(B), 8(c)(iii)(B) and 10(1)(b)(ii)(B) of the Instrument should

Issuers should avoid making inappropriate or potentially misleading statements about the usefulness of a measure. The Instrument does not explicitly prohibit certain adjustments. However, if adjustments are not consistent with the usefulness explanation provided to address clauses 6(1)(e)(ii)(B), 8(c)(iii)(B) and 10(1)(b)(ii)(B) of the Instrument, this may result in a specified financial measure that is inappropriate or misleading.

A specified financial measure may be misleading if it

  • Includes positive components of the most directly comparable financial measure but omits negative components (e.g., presenting a specified financial measure that excludes unrealized losses on financial instruments but includes unrealized gains); or
  • Excludes from an operating performance measure those operating expenses necessary to operate an issuer’s business.