Organization, Basis of Presentation And Recent Accounting Pronouncements (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2018

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation – The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with: (i) generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (GAAP) for interim financial information; (ii) the instructions to Form 10-Q; and (iii) the guidance of Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, for financial statements required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). They include the assets, liabilities, results of operations and cash flows of the Company, including its domestic and foreign subsidiaries that are more than 50% owned or otherwise controlled by the Company. As permitted under such rules, certain notes and other financial information normally required by GAAP have been condensed or omitted. Management believes the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all normal and recurring adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the Company’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows as of and for the periods presented herein. The Company’s results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 may not be indicative of the Company’s future results. These condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017.

The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP.

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

Use of Estimates in the Preparation of the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements – The preparation of the condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the amounts reported herein. Management bases its estimates and assumptions on historical experience and on various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Due to the inherent uncertainty involved in making estimates, actual results reported in future periods may be affected by changes in those estimates.

Recently Adopted and Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted and Issued Accounting Pronouncements – In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued comprehensive new guidance that supersedes all existing revenue recognition guidance. In August 2015, the FASB issued an amendment to the guidance that defers the effective date by one year. The new guidance requires revenue to be recognized when the Company transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The new guidance also significantly expands the disclosure requirements for revenue recognition. The guidance is effective for interim and fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. The standard permits two implementation approaches, full retrospective, requiring retrospective application of the new guidance with a restatement of prior years, or modified retrospective, requiring prospective application of the new guidance with disclosure of results under the old guidance in the first year of adoption. The Company adopted the new guidance on January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective approach for contracts not completed as of the adoption date.

Upon adoption of the new guidance, the Company recorded a net increase to the opening balance of retained earnings of $7.4 million. This adjustment was driven by changes in the timing of recognition of both revenues and expenses. A change in revenue recognition at a manufacturing business resulted in the acceleration of revenue and associated expenses as revenue is now recognized over time versus at a point in time. A change in the contract term at an education business resulted in a different revenue recognition pattern from previous recognition. Finally, the Company’s treatment of certain commissions paid to employees and agents at its education division changed. The Company previously expensed such commissions as incurred. Upon adoption of the new guidance, the Company capitalizes certain commission costs as an incremental cost of obtaining a contract and subsequently amortizes the cost as the tuition services are delivered to students.

The cumulative effect of the changes to the Company's Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as a result of adopting the new guidance was as follows:

(in thousands)	Balance as of December 31, 2017		Adjustments			Balance as of January 1, 2018
Assets
Accounts receivable, net	$	620,319	$	2,142		$	622,461
Inventories and contracts in progress	60,612		903			61,515
Other current assets	66,253		6,343			72,596
Liabilities
Accounts payable and accrued liabilities	$	526,323	$	88		$	526,411
Deferred revenue	339,454		(346		)	339,108
Deferred income taxes	362,701		2,197			364,898
Equity
Retained earnings	$	5,791,724	$	7,449		$	5,799,173

Under the modified retrospective method of adoption, the Company is required to disclose the impact the adoption of the revenue guidance had on its Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations. If the company continued to follow its accounting policies under the previous guidance, revenue recognized would be $1.3 million lower and expenses would be $3.0 million higher. This is primarily due to the net impact of the change in the timing of the recognition of revenue and costs to obtain a contract.

In January 2016, the FASB issued new guidance that substantially revises the recognition, measurement and presentation of financial assets and financial liabilities. The new guidance, among other things, requires, (i) equity investments (except those accounted for under the equity method of accounting or those that result in consolidation of the investee) to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income, with some exceptions, (ii) simplifies the impairment assessment of equity investments without readily determinable fair values by requiring a qualitative assessment to identify impairment, (iii) requires public business entities to use the exit price notion when measuring the fair value of financial instruments for disclosure purposes, (iv) requires separate presentation of financial assets and financial liabilities by measurement category and form of financial asset on the balance sheet or the accompanying notes to the financial statements, and (v) clarifies that an entity should evaluate the need for a valuation allowance on a deferred tax asset related to available-for-sale securities in combination with the entity’s other deferred tax assets. The guidance is effective for interim and fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017.

The Company adopted this guidance in the first quarter of 2018 and recorded a cumulative adjustment of $194.9 million to retained earnings on its Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet related to unrealized gains of available-for-sale securities, net of tax, previously classified within accumulated other comprehensive income. Results for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2018 are presented under this new guidance, with any changes in fair value recognized in net income. In addition, the Company elected the measurement alternative to measure cost method investments that do not have a readily determinable fair value at cost less impairment, adjusted by observable price changes with any fair value changes recognized in net income.

In February 2016, the FASB issued new guidance that requires, among other things, a lessee to recognize a right-of-use asset representing an entity’s right to use the underlying asset for the lease term and a liability for lease payments on its balance sheet, regardless of classification of a lease as operating or financing. For leases with a term of twelve months or less, a lessee is permitted to make an accounting policy election by class of underlying asset not to recognize lease assets and liabilities and account for the lease similar to existing guidance for operating leases today. This new guidance supersedes all prior guidance. The guidance is effective for interim and fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. The standard requires lessees and lessors to recognize and measure leases at the beginning of the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of this new guidance on its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements; however, the recognition of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities is expected to have a material effect on its Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet.

In March 2017, the FASB issued new guidance that changes the presentation of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost for defined benefit plans. The guidance requires an issuer to disaggregate the service cost component of net periodic pension and postretirement benefit cost from other components. Under the new guidance, service cost will be included in the same line item(s) as other compensation costs arising from services rendered by employees during the period, while the other components will be recognized after income from operations. The guidance is effective for interim and fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. The guidance must be applied retrospectively; however, a practical expedient is available which permits an employer to use amounts previously disclosed in its pension and postretirement plans footnote for the prior comparative periods.

The Company adopted the new standard in the first quarter of 2018. In combination with the presentation change to net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost, the Company allocated its costs associated with fringe benefits between operating expenses and selling, general and administrative expenses. Previously, costs related to fringe benefits were generally classified as selling, general and administrative expenses. The amounts in the previously issued financial statements have been reclassified to conform with the presentation in the condensed consolidated financial statements for the first quarter of 2018. The effect of these changes to the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations for the first quarter of 2017 is as follows:

	As Previously Reported		Adjustment			Upon Adoption
(in thousands)
Three Months Ended March 31, 2017
Operating expenses	$	300,666	$	25,021		$	325,687
Selling, general and administrative expenses	231,509		(6,220		)	225,289
Income from Operations	29,054		(18,801		)	10,253
Non-operating pension and postretirement benefit income, net	—		18,801			18,801
Income Before Income Taxes	23,786		—			23,786