(11)   Information About Qurate Retail's Operating Segments

Qurate Retail, through its ownership interests in subsidiaries and other companies, is primarily engaged in the video and online commerce industries. Qurate Retail identifies its reportable segments as (A) those operating segments that represent 10% or more of its consolidated annual revenue, annual Adjusted OIBDA or total assets and (B) those equity method affiliates whose share of earnings represent 10% or more of Qurate Retail's annual pre-tax earnings.

Qurate Retail evaluates performance and makes decisions about allocating resources to its operating segments based on financial measures such as revenue, Adjusted OIBDA, gross margin, average sales price per unit and revenue or sales per customer equivalent. In addition, Qurate Retail reviews nonfinancial measures such as unique website visitors, number of units shipped, conversion rates and active customers, as appropriate.

Qurate Retail defines Adjusted OIBDA as revenue less cost of sales, operating expenses, and selling, general and administrative expenses excluding all stock-based compensation. Qurate Retail believes this measure is an important indicator of the operational strength and performance of its businesses, including each business's ability to service debt and fund capital expenditures. In addition, this measure allows management to view operating results and perform analytical comparisons and benchmarking between businesses and identify strategies to improve performance. This measure of performance excludes depreciation and amortization, stock-based compensation, certain purchase accounting adjustments, separately reported litigation settlements, transaction related costs (including restructuring, integration, and advisory fees), and impairment charges that are included in the measurement of operating income pursuant to GAAP. Accordingly, Adjusted OIBDA should be considered in addition to, but not as a substitute for, operating income, net income, cash flow provided by operating activities and other measures of financial performance prepared in accordance with GAAP. Qurate Retail generally accounts for intersegment sales and transfers as if the sales or transfers were to third parties, that is, at current prices.

During the second quarter of 2018 the Company changed its reportable segments to include QVC U.S. and QVC International, and presented prior period information to conform with this change. Previously, QVC was considered one reportable segment.  As a result of the GCI Liberty Split-Off, and the related management transitions, a new Chief Operating Decision Maker (“CODM”) was identified, and the information that the new CODM reviews is aggregated differently than it was prior to the Transactions. 

For the nine months ended September 30, 2018, Qurate Retail has identified the following operating segments as its reportable segments:

Qurate Retail's operating segments are strategic business units that offer different products and services. They are managed separately because each segment requires different technologies, distribution channels and marketing strategies.  The accounting policies of the segments are the same as those described in the Company's Summary of Significant Accounting Policies in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.

Performance Measures

Other Information

The following table provides a reconciliation of Consolidated segment Adjusted OIBDA to Operating income (loss) and Earnings (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes: