Incentive Distribution Rights (IDR)

Incentive Distribution Rights (IDRs) are used in master limited partnerships (MLPs), which combine the tax benefits of a partnership with the liquidity of a public company. The IDR is a schedule of distribution increases to the limited partners as the company grows.

For instance, an IDR will include adjustment times, how much will get distributed to limited partners based on quarterly growth, and incremental cash flow.

Sounds simple, but IDRs can actually be really complicated and aren’t too common, so watch out for them. While the intention is to incentivize limited partners to drive growth, IDR schedules can be written to give disproportionate payouts to the general partner in a not-so-obvious way.

Related or Semi-related Video

Finance: What is Distribution?14 Views

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finance a la shmoop. what is distribution? alright ,you've made this awesome movie

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guaranteed to make audiences laugh and cry and vomit yep in the same scene too. [woman turns green]

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sorry it's hard to do Steven Spielberg to do that but well anyway you know all

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the things teenagers want when they go to the movies, aside from you know making

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out in the back row just below the projection, that's where nobody can see.

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so you knock on the door of AMC ,10th century then sci-fi or the sci-fi

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channel then Fox then Hulu theater. you know that. one with a combo of arrogance

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and ignorance and a whole lot of bravado you then show that in your film, and they [woman in top hat pitches film]

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all agree it's wonderful. then they smile and they tell you to

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leave and then no they don't validate parking.

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you can't believe it. why wouldn't they want your movie? this makes no sense

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whose fault it is you don't know but it's definitely not yours that your

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movie didn't just make bank so you sheepishly ask why, they say why?

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distribution. huh well Disney for example Disney has a stream of 40 big movies a

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year ,and most are gently some are good. Disney has distribution. they have a team [Disney blockbusters pictured]

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of salespeople who relentlessly give out Lakers tickets to the theater managers

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and owners, and unlike you Disney has the muscle the threatened to hold back the

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next Star Wars sequel if the theater manager doesn't book boss baby 4: the

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bloodletting, for 12 weeks with minimum. money guarantees got it ?so Disney has

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distribution and you don't. that's distribution .power. power to book films

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into theaters so Disney's films get paid for made and seen by millions while

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yours well they never leave the cutting room floor , ie your parents basement.

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well maybe next life, go to law school. [girl smiles from parent's basement]

Find other enlightening terms in Shmoop Finance Genius Bar(f)