Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation Policy

Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation

The consolidated financial statements presented herein include the accounts of Genesee & Wyoming Inc. and its subsidiaries. The consolidated financial statements are presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (U.S. GAAP) as codified in the FASB Accounting Standards Codification. All significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation.

Revenue Recognition Policy

Revenue Recognition

On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which supersedes previous revenue guidance. The standard requires that the Company recognize revenue when it transfers the promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. The Company adopted ASU 2014-09 and all related amendments using the modified retrospective approach. Under the standard, the Company continues to recognize freight revenue proportionally as a shipment moves from origin to destination. The adoption did not affect the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

The Company recognizes revenue when obligations under the terms of a contract with a customer are satisfied. Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for providing services. Certain of the countries in which the Company operates have a tax assessed by a governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with a specific revenue-producing transaction between a seller and a customer. The Company records these taxes on a net basis.

The Company disaggregates its operating revenues into the following three categories: freight revenues, freight-related revenues and all other revenues. The Company further disaggregates its freight revenues into 14 commodity groups. Refer to Note 18, Segment and Geographic Area Information, for the disaggregation of the Company's operating revenues by reportable segments for years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016.

The Company generates freight revenues from the haulage of freight by rail based on a per car, per container or per ton basis. Freight revenues are recognized over time as shipments move from origin to destination as the customer simultaneously receives and consumes the benefit. Related expenses are recognized as incurred.

The Company generates freight-related revenues from port terminal railroad operations and industrial switching (where the Company operates trains on a contract basis in facilities it does not own), as well as demurrage, storage, car hire, trucking haulage services, track access rights, transloading, crewing services, traction service (or hook and pull service that requires the Company to provide locomotives and drivers to move a customer's train between specified origin and destination points), and other ancillary revenues related to the movement of freight. Freight-related revenues are recognized as services are performed or as contractual obligations are fulfilled.

The Company generates all other revenues from third-party railcar and locomotive repairs, container sales, property rentals and other ancillary revenues not directly related to the movement of freight. All other revenues are recognized as services are performed or as contractual obligations are fulfilled.

A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to the customer. The Company’s contracts may have a single performance obligation or multiple performance obligations. Contracts with multiple obligations are evaluated to define the specific performance obligations to the customer. The Company typically allocates the standalone selling price adjusted for any applicable variable consideration to each performance obligation to determine the transaction price.

For interline traffic, one railroad typically invoices a customer on behalf of all railroads participating in the route directed by the customer. The invoicing railroad then pays the other railroads their portion of the total amount invoiced on a monthly basis. The Company records revenue related to interline traffic for transportation service segments provided by carriers along railroads that are not owned or controlled by the Company on a net basis.

The timing of revenue recognition, billings and cash collections result in trade accounts receivable, contract assets and contract liabilities. The Company’s contract assets and liabilities are typically short-term in nature, with terms settled within a 12-month period. The Company had no material contract assets or contract liabilities recorded on the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2018.

Cash and Cash Equivalents Policy

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid instruments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents.

Materials and Supplies Policy

Materials and Supplies

Materials and supplies consist primarily of purchased items for improvement and maintenance of road property and equipment and are stated at the lower of average cost or market, as well as purchased containers from the Company's Pentalver Transport Limited (Pentalver) business in the U.K. Materials and supplies are removed from inventory using the average cost method.

Business Combinations Policy

Business Combinations

The Company accounts for businesses it acquires using the acquisition method of accounting. Under this method, all acquisition-related costs are expensed as incurred. The Company records the underlying net assets at their respective acquisition-date fair values. As part of this process, the Company identifies and attributes values and estimated lives to property and equipment and intangible assets acquired. These determinations involve significant estimates and assumptions, including those with respect to future cash flows, discount rates and asset lives, and therefore require considerable judgment. These determinations affect the amount of depreciation and amortization expense recognized in future periods. The results of operations of acquired businesses are included in the consolidated statements of operations beginning on the respective business's acquisition date.

Property and Equipment Policy

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are recorded at cost. Major renewals or improvements to property and equipment are capitalized, while routine maintenance and repairs are expensed when incurred. The Company incurs maintenance and repair expenses to keep its operations safe and fit for existing purpose. Major renewals or improvements to property and equipment, however, are undertaken to extend the useful life or increase the functionality of the asset, or both. Other than a de minimis threshold under which costs are expensed as incurred, the Company does not apply pre-defined capitalization thresholds when assessing spending for classification among capital or expense.

Unlike the Class I railroads that operate over extensive contiguous rail networks, the Company's short line and regional railroads are generally geographically dispersed businesses that transport freight over relatively short distances. The Company's largest category of capital expenditures is for track line upgrades, expansion and replacement, where the Company utilizes both employees and professional contractors in completing these capital projects. Costs that are directly attributable to self-constructed assets (including overhead costs) are capitalized. Direct costs that are capitalized as part of self-constructed assets include materials, labor and equipment. Indirect costs are capitalized if they clearly relate to the construction of the asset. In addition, the Company generally does not incur significant rail grinding or ballast cleaning expenses. However, if and when such costs are incurred, they are expensed.

The Company reviews its long-lived tangible assets for impairment whenever events and circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts of such assets may not be recoverable. When factors indicate that an asset or asset group may not be recoverable, the Company uses an estimate of the related undiscounted future cash flows over the remaining life of such asset or asset group in measuring whether or not impairment has occurred. If impairment is identified, a loss would be reported to the extent that the carrying value of the related assets exceeds the fair value less the cost to sell those assets as determined by valuation techniques applicable in the circumstances. Losses from impairment of assets are charged to net (gain)/loss on sale and impairment of assets within operating expenses.

Gains or losses on sales, including sales of assets removed during track and equipment upgrade projects, or losses incurred through other dispositions, such as unanticipated retirement or destruction, are credited or charged to net (gain)/loss on sale and impairment of assets within operating expenses. Gains are recorded when realized if the sale value exceeds the remaining carrying value of the respective property and equipment. If the estimated salvage value is less than the remaining carrying value, the Company records the loss incurred equal to the respective asset's carrying value less salvage value.

Grants From Outside Parties Policy

Grants from Outside Parties

Grants from outside parties are recorded as deferred revenue within deferred items - grants from outside parties, and are amortized as a reduction to depreciation expense over the same period during which the associated assets are depreciated.

Goodwill Policy

Goodwill

The Company reviews the carrying value of goodwill at least annually to assess impairment since these assets are not amortized. The Company performs its annual impairment assessment as of November 30 of each year. Additionally, the Company reviews the carrying value of a reporting unit's goodwill whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable.

Where appropriate, the Company may decide to assess qualitative factors for a reporting unit to determine whether it is necessary to perform the two-step quantitative impairment test. This quantitative test is required only if the Company concludes that it is more likely than not that a reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying amount.

The determination of fair value involves significant management judgment including assumptions about operating results, business plans, income projections, anticipated future cash flows and market data. Impairment losses are expensed when incurred and are charged to net (gain)/loss on sale and impairment of assets within operating expenses.

Amortizable Intangible Assets Policy

Amortizable Intangible Assets

The Company performs an impairment test on amortizable intangible assets when specific impairment indicators are present. The Company has amortizable intangible assets valued primarily as operational network rights, customer contracts and relationships and track access agreements. These intangible assets are generally amortized on a straight-line basis over the expected economic longevity of the facility served, the customer relationship or the length of the contract or agreement, including expected renewals.

Derailment And Property Damages, Personal Injuries And Third-Party Claims Policy

Derailment and Property Damages, Personal Injuries and Third-Party Claims

The Company maintains global liability and property insurance coverage to mitigate the financial risk of providing rail and rail-related services. The Company's liability policies cover railroad employee injuries, personal injuries associated with grade crossing accidents and accidents involving passengers and other third-party claims associated with the Company's operations. Damages associated with sudden releases of hazardous materials, including hazardous commodities transported by rail, and expenses related to evacuation as a result of a railroad accident are also covered under the liability policies. The Company's liability policies currently have self-insured retentions of up to $2.5 million per occurrence, which vary based on the type and location of the incident. The Company's property policies currently have various self-insured retentions, which vary based on the type and location of the incident, that are currently up to $2.5 million per occurrence. The property policies also provide business interruption insurance arising from covered events. The self-insured retentions under the policies may change with each annual insurance renewal depending on the Company's loss history, the size and make-up of the Company and general insurance market conditions.

The Company also maintains ancillary insurance coverage for other risks associated with rail and rail-related services, including insurance for employment practices, directors' and officers' liability, workers' compensation, pollution, auto claims, crime and road haulage liability, among others.

Accruals for claims are recorded in the period when a loss from such claims is determined to be probable and estimable. These estimates are updated in future periods as information develops.

Defined Benefit Policy [Policy Text Block]

Defined Benefit Plans

The Company sponsors certain defined benefit plans covering eligible employees. The Company engages independent actuaries to compute amounts of liabilities and expenses related to these plans subject to the assumptions that the Company determines are appropriate based on historical trends, current market rates and future projections. These assumptions include, but are not limited to, the selection of a discount rate, expected long-term rate of return on plan assets, rate of future compensation increases, inflation volatility and mortality. See Note 11, U.K. Pension Plan, and Note 12, Other Employee Benefit Programs, for additional information regarding these plans.

Income Taxes Policy

Income Taxes

The Company files a consolidated United States federal income tax return, which includes all of its United States subsidiaries. Each of the Company's foreign subsidiaries files appropriate income tax returns in each of its respective countries. The provision for, or benefit from, income taxes includes deferred taxes resulting from temporary differences using a balance sheet approach. Such temporary differences result primarily from differences in the carrying value of assets and liabilities for financial reporting and tax purposes. Future realization of deferred income tax assets is dependent upon the Company's ability to generate sufficient taxable income. The Company evaluates on a quarterly basis whether, based on all available evidence, the deferred income tax assets will be realizable. Valuation allowances are established when it is estimated that it is more likely than not that the tax benefit of a deferred tax asset will not be realized.

Stock-Based Compensation Policy

Stock-Based Compensation

The Compensation Committee of the Company's Board of Directors (Compensation Committee) has discretion to determine grantees, grant dates, amounts of grants, vesting and expiration dates for stock-based compensation awarded to the Company's employees under the Company's Fourth Amended and Restated 2004 Omnibus Incentive Plan (the Omnibus Plan). The Omnibus Plan permits the issuance of stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, deferred stock units and any other form of award established by the Compensation Committee, in each case consistent with the Omnibus Plan's purpose. Under the terms of the awards, equity grants for employees generally vest over three years, and equity grants for directors vest over their respective remaining terms as directors.

The grant date fair value of non-vested shares is recorded to compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the vesting period. The fair value of each option grant is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes pricing model and compensation expense is recorded over the requisite service period on a straight-line basis. Two assumptions in the Black-Scholes pricing model require management judgment: the life of the option and the volatility of the stock price over the life of the option. The assumption for the life of the option is based on historical experience and is estimated for each grant. The assumption for the volatility of the stock is based on a combination of historical and implied volatility. The fair value of the Company's restricted stock, restricted stock units and the performance-based restricted stock units is based on the closing market price of the Company's Class A Common Stock on the date of grant. The Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments Policy

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company applies the following three-level hierarchy of valuation inputs for measuring fair value:

• Level 1 – Quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date.

• Level 2 – Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs are observable market data.

• Level 3 – Valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs are unobservable.

Foreign Currency Policy

Foreign Currency

The financial statements of the Company's foreign subsidiaries are prepared in the local currency of the respective subsidiary and translated into United States dollars based on the exchange rate at the end of the period for balance sheet items and, for the statement of operations, at the average rate for the period. Currency translation adjustments are reflected within the equity section of the balance sheet and are included in other comprehensive income/(loss). Upon complete or substantially complete liquidation of the underlying investment in the foreign subsidiary, cumulative translation adjustments are recognized in the consolidated statements of operations

Management Estimates Policy

Management Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to use judgment and to make estimates and assumptions that affect business combinations, reported assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Significant estimates using management judgment are made in the areas of recoverability and useful life of assets, as well as liabilities for casualty claims and income taxes. Actual results could differ from those estimates

Risks and Uncertainties Policy

Risks and Uncertainties

Slower growth, an economic recession, significant changes in commodity prices or regulation that affects the countries where the Company operates or their imports and exports could negatively impact the Company's business. The Company is required to assess for potential impairment of non-current assets whenever events or changes in circumstances, including economic circumstances, indicate that the respective asset's carrying amount may not be recoverable. A decline in current macroeconomic or financial conditions could have a material adverse effect on the Company's results of operations, financial condition and liquidity

Derivatives Policy

On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815), Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities, which expands and refines the hedge accounting for both nonfinancial and financial risk components and aligns the recognition and presentation of the effects of the hedging instrument and the hedged item in the financial statements. The amendment also includes certain improvements to ease the application of current guidance related to the assessment of hedge effectiveness. The adoption of this guidance amended the Company's accounting for cross-currency swaps whereby interest expense accruals previously presented in an interest expense line item are presented as a gain/(loss) on currency conversion within other (loss)/income, net in the non-operating section of the consolidated statement of operations. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

The Company actively monitors its exposure to interest rate and foreign currency exchange rate risks and uses derivative financial instruments to manage the impact of these risks. The Company uses derivatives only for purposes of managing risk associated with underlying exposures. The Company does not trade or use derivative instruments with the objective of earning financial gains on the interest rate or exchange rate fluctuations alone, nor does the Company use derivative instruments where it does not have underlying exposures. Complex instruments involving leverage or multipliers are not used. The Company manages its hedging position and monitors the credit ratings of counterparties and does not anticipate losses due to counterparty nonperformance. Management believes its use of derivative instruments to manage risk is in the Company's best interest. However, the Company's use of derivative financial instruments may result in short-term gains or losses and increased earnings volatility. The Company's financial instruments are recorded in the consolidated balance sheets at fair value in prepaid expenses and other, other assets, accrued expenses or other long-term liabilities.

The Company may designate derivatives as a hedge of a forecasted transaction or a hedge of the variability of the cash flows to be received or paid in the future related to a recognized asset or liability (cash flow hedge). The portion of the changes in the fair value of the derivative used as a cash flow hedge that is offset by changes in the expected cash flows related to a recognized asset or liability is recorded in other comprehensive income. As the hedged item is realized, the gain or loss included in accumulated other comprehensive income/(loss) is reported in the consolidated statements of operations on the same line item as the hedged item.

The Company matches the hedge instrument to the underlying hedged item (assets, liabilities, firm commitments or forecasted transactions). At inception of the hedge and at least quarterly thereafter, the Company assesses whether the derivatives used to hedge transactions are highly effective in offsetting changes in either the fair value or cash flows of the hedged item. When it is determined that a derivative ceases to be a highly effective hedge, the Company discontinues hedge accounting, and any gains or losses on the derivative instrument thereafter are recognized in earnings during the period in which it no longer qualifies for hedge accounting.

From time to time, the Company may enter into certain derivative instruments that may not be designated as hedges for accounting purposes. For example, to mitigate currency exposures related to intercompany debt, cross-currency swap contracts may be entered into for periods consistent with the underlying debt. The Company believes such instruments are closely correlated with the underlying exposure, thus reducing the associated risk. The gains or losses from the changes in the fair value of derivative instruments not accounted for using hedge accounting are recognized in current period earnings within other income/(loss), net. Derivative instruments entered into in conjunction with contemplated acquisitions also do not qualify as hedges for accounting purposes.

Interest Rate Risk Management

The Company uses interest rate swap agreements to manage its exposure to the changes in interest rates on the Company's variable rate debt. These swap agreements are recorded in the consolidated balance sheets at fair value. Changes in the fair value of the swap agreements are recorded in net income or other comprehensive income, based on whether the agreements are designated as part of a hedge transaction and whether the agreements are effective in offsetting the change in the value of the future interest payments attributable to the underlying portion of the Company's variable rate debt. Interest payments accrued each reporting period for these interest rate swaps are recognized in interest expense. The Company formally documents its hedge relationships, including identifying the hedge instruments and hedged items, as well as its risk management objectives and strategies for entering into the hedge transaction.

Receivables Policy

Accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount and generally do not bear interest. The allowance for doubtful accounts is the Company's best estimate of the amount of probable credit losses on existing accounts receivable. Management determines the allowance based on historical write-off experience within each of the Company's regions. Management reviews material past due balances on a monthly basis. Account balances are charged off against the allowance when management determines it is probable that the receivable will not be recovered.

Fair Value Measurement, Policy [Policy Text Block]

The Company applies the following three-level hierarchy of valuation inputs for measuring fair value:

• Level 1 - Quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date.

• Level 2 - Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs are observable market data.

• Level 3 - Valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs are unobservable.

The following methods and assumptions were used to estimate the fair value of each class of financial instrument held by the Company:

Financial Instruments Carried at Fair Value: Derivative instruments are recorded on the consolidated balance sheets as either assets or liabilities measured at fair value. During the reporting period, the Company's derivative financial instruments consisted of interest rate swap agreements, foreign currency forward contracts and cross-currency swap agreements. The Company estimated the fair value of its interest rate swap agreements based on Level 2 valuation inputs, including fixed interest rates, LIBOR and BBR implied forward interest rates and the remaining time to maturity. The Company estimated the fair value of its British pound forward contracts based on Level 2 valuation inputs, including LIBOR implied forward interest rates, British pound LIBOR implied forward interest rates and the remaining time to maturity. The Company estimated the fair value of its cross-currency swap agreements based on Level 2 valuation inputs, including EURIBOR implied forward interest rates, BBR implied forward interest rates and the remaining time to maturity.

The Company's recurring fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) relate solely to the Company's deferred consideration from the HOG acquisition in 2017. The fair value of the deferred consideration liability were estimated by discounting, to present value, contingent payments expected to be made.

Financial Instruments Carried at Historical Cost: Since the Company's long-term debt is not actively traded, fair value was estimated using a discounted cash flow analysis based on Level 2 valuation inputs, including borrowing rates the Company believes are currently available to it for loans with similar terms and maturities.