DEPRECIA TION AND AMORTIZATION AND NET FINANCIAL COSTS SHARE  OF AN ASSOCIATE'S EARNINGS INCOME  TAXES NET  EARNINGS ADJUSTED NET  EARNINGS (4) Net  earnings adjustments CASH  POSITION  Operating  activities Investing  activities Financing  activities $^{(1)}$ See table on "Operating income before depreciation and amortization and associate's earnings adjustments"  $^{(2)}$ See table on "Net earnings from continuing operations adjustments" $^{(3)}$ See section on "Forward-looking information" $^{(4)}$ See section on "IFRS and non-IFRS measurements"  $^{(5)}$ See table on "Net earnings adjustments" -  28 - In  the fourthquarter of 2014, financing activities generated cash flows of $35.3 million versus outflows of $123.1 million  required in the same quarter of 2013 . This  change is largely attributable to the lower redemption of shares in 2014 ,  in  the amount of $ 68.0 million  versus $ 98.3 million  for the same quarter of 2013 ,  and also to a $ 128.9 million  increase in  our  debt in the fourthquarter of 2014versus a $0.7 million  increase in  the  fourth  quarter  of  2013. Investing activities required outflows of $ 162.1 million  in the fourth quarter of 2014 versus $ 44.1 million  in the same  quarter of  2013. This  increase  is mainly  due to  business  acquisitions. Operating activities generated cash flows of $ 128.5 million  in the fourth quarter of 2014 compared to $ 159.6 million  in  the same quarter of 2013 .  The fourth quarter decrease is attributable mainly to changes in non-cash working capital  items.  Excluding the 2013 fourth quarter $ 29.4 million  after-tax restructuring costs for the reorganization of our Ontario store  network,  net earningsof $115.6 million were up 6.2% in the fourth quarter of 2014. Fourth quarter fully diluted net earnings  per  share in  2014  were up 14.8%  on  an adjusted  basis. Net  earnings for the fourthquarter of 2014were $115.6 million, an increase of 45.4% over net earnings of $79.5 million  for  the  same  quarter  of  2013. Fully diluted net earnings  per  share rose 59.0% to $1.32from $0.83last year.  2014 fourth quarter income tax expense of $ 37.2 million  represented an ef fective  tax rate of 24.3 %  compared with  $ 27.4 million  and 25.6 % for the corresponding  quarter  of 2013.  Our  share of earnings in Alimentation Couche-Tard was $16.6 million for the fourthquarter of 2014versus $15.0million  for  the  corresponding  quarter  of  2013.  T otal  depreciation and amortization expense for the fourth quarter amounted to $ 40.1 million  versus $ 41.3 million  in  2013 . Net financial costs for the fourth quarter of 2014 totalled $ 12.1 million compared to $ 10.5 million for the  corresponding quarter  last year.  12 weeks 2014  2013 Change (%) (Millions  of dollars) Fully diluted  EPS (Dollars) (Millions  of dollars) Fully diluted  EPS  (Dollars) Net  earnings Fully  diluted  EPS Net earnings  115.6 1.32 79.5 0.83 45.4 59.0 Restructuring charges after taxes —  —  29.4 0.32 Adjusted net earnings (4)  115.6 1.32 108.9 1.15 6.2 14.8