What is United Online Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization?
United Online's depreciation, depletion and amortization for the
three
months ended in Mar. 2016 was
$0.8 Mil. Its depreciation, depletion and amortization for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2016 was $6.8 Mil.
United Online Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization Historical Data
The historical data trend for United Online's Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
* Premium members only.
United Online Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization Chart
United Online Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization Calculation
Depreciation is a present expense that accounts for the past cost of an asset that is now providing benefits.
Depletion and amortization are synonyms for depreciation.
Generally:
The term depreciation is used when discussing man made tangible assets
The term depletion is used when discussing natural tangible assets
The term amortization is used when discussing intangible assets
Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2016 adds up the quarterly data reported by the company within the most recent 12 months, which was $6.8 Mil.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
United Online (NAS:UNTD) Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization Explanation
One of the key tenets of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) is the matching principle. The matching principle states that companies should report associated costs and benefits at the same time.
For example:
If a company buys a $300 million cruise ship in 1982 and then sells tickets to passengers for the next 30 years, the company should not report a $300 million expense in 1982 and then ticket sales for 1982 through 2012. Instead, the company should spread the purchase price of the ship (the cost) over the same time period it sells tickets (the benefit).
To create income statements that meet the matching principle, accountants use an expense called depreciation.
So, instead of reporting a $300 million purchase expense in 1982, the company might:
Report a $30 million depreciation expense in 1982, 1983, 1984...and every year after that for the 30 years the company expects to sell tickets to passengers on this cruise ship.
To calculate depreciation, a company must make estimates and choices such as:
The cost of the asset
The useful life of the asset
The salvage value of the asset at the end of its useful life
And a way of spreading the cost of the asset to match the time when the asset provides benefits
The range of different ways of spreading the cost under GAAP accounting is too long to list. However, public companies in the United States explain their depreciation choices to shareholders in a note to their financial statements. It is critical that investors read this note. Investors can find this note in the company's 10-K.
Past depreciation expenses accumulate on the balance sheet. Most public companies choose not to show this contra asset account on the balance sheet they present to shareholders. Instead, they simply show a single item. This single asset item may be marked Net. Such as Property, Plant, and Equipment - Net. It is actually the asset account netted against the contra asset account.
A contra asset account is an account that offsets an asset account. So, for example a company might have:
Property, Plant, and Equipment - Gross: $150 million
Accumulated Depreciation: $120 million
Property, Plant, and Equipment - Net: $30 million
In this case, the only item likely to be shown on the balance sheet is Property, Plant, and Equipment - Net. This is the cost of the company's property, plant, and equipment (asset account) minus the accumulated depreciation (the contra asset account). It means the company's assets cost $150 million, the company has reported $120 million in depreciation expense over the years, and the company is now reporting the assets have a book value of $30 million.
It is possible for a company to have fully depreciated assets on its balance sheet. This means the company's estimate of the useful life of the asset was shorter than the asset's actual useful life. As a result, the asset - although it is still being used - is carried on the balance sheet at its salvage value.
This is a reminder that depreciation involves estimates and choices. It is not an infallible process.
Companies do not have cash layout for depreciation. Therefore, depreciation is added back in the cash flow statement.
Although depreciation is not a cash cost, it is a real business cost because the company has to pay for the fixed assets when it purchases them. Both Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger hate the idea of EDITDA because depreciation is not included as an expense. Warren Buffett even jokingly said We prefer earnings before everything when criticizing the abuse of EDITDA.
Be Aware
Depreciation estimates make the calculation of net income susceptible to management's accounting choices. These choices can be either overly aggressive or overly conservative.
United Online Depreciation, Depletion and Amortization Related Terms
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United Online (United Online) Business Description
United Online Inc is a Delaware corporation that commenced operations in 2001 following the merger of dial-up Internet access providers NetZero, Inc. (NetZero) and Juno Online Services, Inc. The Company provides consumer services and products over the Internet under a number of brands, including StayFriends, Trombi, MyPoints, NetZero, and Juno. The Company operates in two segments, namely Content & Media and Communications. The Content & Media segment provides social networking services and products under the StayFriends, and Trombi brands. It operates its social networking services as a platform to enable users to locate and interact with acquaintances from their past, with high school affiliations as the primary focus. Its domestic and international social networking services comprise a large and diverse population of users. It also provides advertising opportunities to marketers with both brand and direct response objectives through a full suite of display, search, email, and text-link opportunities across its various properties. Its social networking products primarily consist of yearbook reprints. Its principal Communications pay service is dial-up Internet access, offered under the NetZero and Juno brands. It also offers mobile broadband, DSL, email, Internet security, web hosting services, and other services. Each of its services, including social networking services, loyalty marketing service, and Internet access services operates on a separate and distinct technology platform. The Company has international operations in India and Germany. Its operations in India primarily handle software development and operations, quality assurance and email customer support. Its operations in Germany provide social networking services in Germany, Sweden, France, Austria, and Switzerland. It competes with major social networking platforms such as Facebook, as well as Internet search engines such as Google, other online loyalty marketing programs, such as Ebates, as well as offline loyalty marketing programs that have a significant online presence, such as those operated by credit card, airline and hotel companies, members from online providers of discounted offerings and coupons, such as Groupon and LivingSocial, as well as AT&T, Verizon, Sprint and T-Mobile. The Company is subject to a number of international, federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including, without limitation, those relating to taxation, bulk email or "spam," advertising, user privacy and data protection, consumer protection, antitrust, export, and unclaimed property.
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