Note 3 - Recent Accounting Pronouncements	3 Months Ended
Nov. 30, 2015
Notes to Financial Statements
New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Text Block]	3 . RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS As of the beginning of fiscal 2016, FactSet implemented all applicable new accounting standards and updates issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) that were in effect. There were no new standards or updates adopted during the first three months of fiscal 2016 that had a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. Revenue Recognition In May 2014, the FASB issued an accounting standard update which provides clarified principles for recognizing revenue arising from contracts with clients and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The core principle of the revenue model is that an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to clients in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. In applying the revenue model to contracts within its scope, an entity will identify the contract with a client, identify the performance obligations in the contract, determine the transaction price, allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract and recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. This accounting standard update will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2019, with early adoption in fiscal 2018 permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this accounting standard update on its consolidated financial statements. Going Concern In August 2014, the FASB issued an accounting standard update that requires management to evaluate and disclose whether there are conditions and events that raise substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after financial statements are issued. The evaluation and disclosure will be required to be made for both annual and interim reporting periods, if applicable, along with an evaluation as to whether management’s plans alleviate that doubt. This accounting standard update will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. The Company does not believe this new accounting standard update will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. Income Statement Presentation – Extraordinary and Unusual Items In January 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standard update that eliminates from GAAP the concept of extraordinary items. This accounting standard update will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. The standard primarily involves presentation and disclosure and, therefore, is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or its cash flows. Simplification Guidance on Debt Issuance Costs In April 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standard update which changes the presentation of debt issuance costs in the applicable financial statements. Under the accounting standard update, an entity should present such costs in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the related debt liability rather than as an asset. Amortization of the costs is reported as interest expense. This accounting standard update will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. The Company does not believe this new accounting standard update will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. In August 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standard update to amend the previous guidance issued in April 2015 and address debt issuance costs related to line-of-credit arrangements. The accounting standard update allows an entity to present debt issuance costs related to a line-of-credit as an asset and subsequently amortize the deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the arrangement. This accounting standard update did not impact the effective date of the previously issued guidance and the Company does not believe it will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. Customers’ Accounting for Cloud Computing Costs In April 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standard update to provide guidance on a customer’s accounting for cloud computing costs. Under the accounting standard update, a customer must determine whether a cloud computing arrangement contains a software license. If so, the customer would account for the fees related to the software license element in a manner consistent with how the accounting for software licenses is accounted for under previously issued guidance. If the arrangement does not contain a software license, the customer would account for the arrangement as a service contract. This guidance will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. The Company does not believe this new accounting standard update will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. Simplification of the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments In September 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standard update to simplify the accounting for measurement-period adjustments related to a business combination. Under the accounting standard update, an acquirer must recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. The accounting standard update also requires acquirers to present separately on the face of the income statement, or disclose in the notes, the portion of the amount recorded in current-period earnings by line item that would have been recorded in previous reporting periods if the adjustment to the provisional amounts had been recognized as of the acquisition date. This guidance will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. The Company does not believe this new accounting standard update will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements . Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes In November 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standard update to simplify the presentation of deferred taxes on the balance sheet. The accounting standard update will require an entity to present all deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities as non-current on the balance sheet. Under the current guidance, entities are required to separately present deferred taxes as current or non-current. Netting deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities by tax jurisdiction will still be required under the new guidance. This guidance will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2018, with early adoption in fiscal 2017 permitted. The Company does not believe this new accounting standard update will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements. No other new accounting pronouncements issued or effective as of November 30, 2015 have had or are expected to have an impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

As of the beginning of fiscal 2016, FactSet implemented all applicable new accounting standards and updates issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) that were in effect. There were no new standards or updates adopted during the first three months of fiscal 2016 that had a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

Revenue Recognition

In May 2014, the FASB issued an accounting standard update which provides clarified principles for recognizing revenue arising from contracts with clients and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The core principle of the revenue model is that an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to clients in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. In applying the revenue model to contracts within its scope, an entity will identify the contract with a client, identify the performance obligations in the contract, determine the transaction price, allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract and recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. This accounting standard update will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2019, with early adoption in fiscal 2018 permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this accounting standard update on its consolidated financial statements.

Going Concern

In August 2014, the FASB issued an accounting standard update that requires management to evaluate and disclose whether there are conditions and events that raise substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after financial statements are issued. The evaluation and disclosure will be required to be made for both annual and interim reporting periods, if applicable, along with an evaluation as to whether management’s plans alleviate that doubt. This accounting standard update will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. The Company does not believe this new accounting standard update will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

Income Statement Presentation – Extraordinary and Unusual Items

In January 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standard update that eliminates from GAAP the concept of extraordinary items. This accounting standard update will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. The standard primarily involves presentation and disclosure and, therefore, is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or its cash flows.

Simplification Guidance on Debt Issuance Costs

In April 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standard update which changes the presentation of debt issuance costs in the applicable financial statements. Under the accounting standard update, an entity should present such costs in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the related debt liability rather than as an asset. Amortization of the costs is reported as interest expense. This accounting standard update will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. The Company does not believe this new accounting standard update will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standard update to amend the previous guidance issued in April 2015 and address debt issuance costs related to line-of-credit arrangements. The accounting standard update allows an entity to present debt issuance costs related to a line-of-credit as an asset and subsequently amortize the deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the arrangement. This accounting standard update did not impact the effective date of the previously issued guidance and the Company does not believe it will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

Customers’ Accounting for Cloud Computing Costs

In April 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standard update to provide guidance on a customer’s accounting for cloud computing costs. Under the accounting standard update, a customer must determine whether a cloud computing arrangement contains a software license. If so, the customer would account for the fees related to the software license element in a manner consistent with how the accounting for software licenses is accounted for under previously issued guidance. If the arrangement does not contain a software license, the customer would account for the arrangement as a service contract. This guidance will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. The Company does not believe this new accounting standard update will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

Simplification of the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments

In September 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standard update to simplify the accounting for measurement-period adjustments related to a business combination. Under the accounting standard update, an acquirer must recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. The accounting standard update also requires acquirers to present separately on the face of the income statement, or disclose in the notes, the portion of the amount recorded in current-period earnings by line item that would have been recorded in previous reporting periods if the adjustment to the provisional amounts had been recognized as of the acquisition date. This guidance will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. The Company does not believe this new accounting standard update will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements

Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes

In November 2015, the FASB issued an accounting standard update to simplify the presentation of deferred taxes on the balance sheet. The accounting standard update will require an entity to present all deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities as non-current on the balance sheet. Under the current guidance, entities are required to separately present deferred taxes as current or non-current. Netting deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities by tax jurisdiction will still be required under the new guidance. This guidance will be effective for FactSet beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2018, with early adoption in fiscal 2017 permitted. The Company does not believe this new accounting standard update will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

No other new accounting pronouncements issued or effective as of November 30, 2015 have had or are expected to have an impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.