Basis of Presentation (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

New Accounting Standards

New Accounting Standards Adopted

Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-13 - “Financial Instruments-Credit Losses” (Topic 326).

ASU 2016-13 requires the use of an impairment methodology that reflects an estimate of expected credit losses, measured over the contractual life of an instrument, based on information about past events, current conditions, and forecasts of future economic conditions. We adopted ASU 2016-13 in the 2020 first quarter using the modified retrospective transition method. Upon adoption, we increased our allowance for credit losses in the “Accounts and notes receivable, net” caption of our Balance Sheets by $19 million, from $82 million at December 31, 2019 to $101 million at January 1, 2020. We also recorded a $4 million decrease in the “Deferred tax liabilities” caption of our Balance Sheets and a $15 million cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings on our Balance Sheets.

Additionally, we recorded a provision for credit losses of $122 million in the 2020 first three quarters, primarily due to the negative economic impact caused by COVID-19 and our estimate of future economic conditions. The allowance for credit losses was $199 million at September 30, 2020.