Earnings or Loss per Share

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Earnings Per Share [Abstract]

Earnings or Loss per Share

Earnings or Loss per Share

Basic earnings or loss per share (EPS) is computed by dividing net earnings or loss by the weighted average number of shares outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS presents the dilutive effect, if any, on a per share basis of potential shares (e.g., options, SARs, RSUs, PSARs and PSUs) as if they had been exercised, vested or converted at the beginning of the periods presented.

The details of the calculations of our basic and diluted EPS are set forth below:

	Three months ended
	March 31,
	2020			2019
	in millions
Numerator:
Earnings (loss) from continuing operations	$	1,017.7		$	(306.9	)
Net earnings from continuing operations attributable to noncontrolling interests	(67.9		)	(8.7		)
Net earnings (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Liberty Global shareholders (basic and diluted EPS computation)	$	949.8		$	(315.6	)
Denominator:
Weighted average ordinary shares outstanding (basic EPS computation)	630,472,769			742,090,960
Incremental shares attributable to the assumed exercise of outstanding options and SARs and the release of RSUs and PSUs upon vesting (treasury stock method)	1,305,793			—
Weighted average ordinary shares outstanding (diluted EPS computation)	631,778,562			742,090,960

A total of 59.7 million options, SARs and RSUs and 22.2 million PSARs and PSUs were excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share during the three months ended March 31, 2020 because their effect would have been anti-dilutive or, in the case of the PSARs and PSUs, because such awards had not yet met the applicable performance criteria.

We reported a loss from continuing operations attributable to Liberty Global shareholders for the three months ended March 31, 2019. Therefore, the potentially dilutive effect at March 31, 2019 of the following items was not included in the computation of diluted loss from continuing operations attributable to Liberty Global shareholders per share for such period because their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive to the computation or, in the case of certain PSARs and PSUs, because such awards had not yet met the applicable performance criteria: (i) the aggregate number of shares issuable pursuant to outstanding options, SARs and RSUs of 57.6 million and (ii) the aggregate number of shares issuable pursuant to PSARs and PSUs of 25.4 million.