Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2019

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation: The condensed consolidated financial statements included in this report are unaudited and have been prepared in accordance with United States (“U.S.”) generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial reporting and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) regulations. The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed or omitted. In the opinion of management, these financial statements include all adjustments, which are of a normal recurring nature, necessary for a fair statement of the financial position, results of operations, cash flows and the change in equity for the periods presented. The condensed consolidated financial statements for the three months endedMarch 31, 2019 should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto of West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. and its majority-owned subsidiaries (which may be referred to as “West”, the “Company”, “we”, “us” or “our”) appearing in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018 (the “2018 Annual Report”). The results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year.

As of April 1, 2017, our consolidated financial statements exclude the results of our Venezuelan subsidiary. Please refer to Note 15, Other Expense, to the consolidated financial statements in our 2018 Annual Report for further discussion.

New Accounting Standards

Recently Adopted Standards

In August 2018, the SEC adopted a final release which would eliminate or modify certain disclosure requirements that are redundant, outdated, or duplicative of U.S. GAAP or other regulatory requirements. Among other changes, the amendments provide that disclosure requirements related to the analysis of shareholders’ equity are expanded for interim purposes. An analysis of the changes in each caption of shareholders’ equity presented in the balance sheet must be provided in a note or separate statement, as well as the amount of dividends per share for each class of shares. We provided this disclosure beginning in the first quarter of 2019. Please refer to Note 12, Shareholders’ Equity.

In June 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance which expands the scope of accounting for share-based payment arrangements to include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from nonemployees. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption was permitted. We adopted this guidance as of January 1, 2019, on a prospective basis. The adoption did not have a material impact on our financial statements.

In February 2018, the FASB issued guidance to address a specific consequence of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts (the “2017 Tax Act”) by allowing a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the 2017 Tax Act’s reduction of the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption was permitted. We adopted this guidance as of January 1, 2019, on a prospective basis, but elected to not reclassify from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) to retained earnings the stranded tax effects resulting from the 2017 Tax Act’s reduction of the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate.

In August 2017, the FASB issued guidance which expands and refines 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. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption was permitted. We adopted this guidance as of January 1, 2019, on a prospective basis. The adoption did not have a material impact on our financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued guidance on the accounting for leases, Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 842 (“ASC 842”). This guidance requires lessees to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and to expand disclosures about leasing arrangements, both qualitative and quantitative. In terms of transition, the guidance requires adoption based upon a modified retrospective approach. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption was permitted. We adopted this guidance as of January 1, 2019, using the modified retrospective approach that allows companies to apply ASC 842 as of the effective date and on a prospective basis. Please refer to Note 6, Leases, for additional information.

Standards Issued Not Yet Adopted

In August 2018, the FASB issued guidance to align the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software (and hosting arrangements that include an internal-use software license). The accounting for the service element of a hosting arrangement that is a service contract is not affected by this update. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in any interim period. We are currently evaluating our adoption timing and the impact that this guidance may have on our financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued guidance which modifies the disclosure requirements for defined benefit pension plans and other postretirement plans. The guidance removes disclosures that no longer are considered cost beneficial, clarifies the specific requirements of disclosures, and adds disclosure requirements identified as relevant. This guidance is effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating our adoption timing and the impact that this guidance may have on our financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued guidance which modifies the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements by removing, modifying, or adding certain disclosures. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating our adoption timing and the impact that this guidance may have on our financial statements.