Recent Accounting Standards

9 Months Ended

Jan. 31, 2020

Recent Accounting Standards [Abstract]

Recent Accounting Standards

Note 2 — Recent Accounting Standards

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02 “Income Statement—Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income,” which allows a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. We adopted ASU 2018-02 on May 1, 2019. We did not elect to reclassify the income tax effects from comprehensive income to retained earnings for the stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Our policy for releasing the income tax effects from accumulated other comprehensive income is when the corresponding pretax accumulated other comprehensive income items are reclassified to earnings.

Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, “Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities,” to simplify and improve the application and financial reporting of hedge accounting. Subsequently, in November 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-16, “Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Inclusion of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) Overnight Index Swap (OIS) Rate as a Benchmark Interest Rate for Hedge Accounting Purposes”. ASU 2017-12 eases the requirements for measuring and reporting hedge ineffectiveness and clarifies that changes in the fair value of hedging instruments for cash flow, net investment, and fair value hedges should be reflected in the same income statement line item as the earnings effect of the hedged item. The guidance also permits entities to designate specific components in cash flow and interest rate hedges as the hedged risk, instead of using total cash flows. ASU 2018-16 allows the use of the OIS rate based on the SOFR as a U.S. benchmark interest rate for hedge accounting purposes. We adopted ASU 2017-12, 2018-06 and 2019-04, for those portions related to ASU 2017-02, on May 1, 2019 and there was no impact to our consolidated financial statements at the date of adoption. The future impact will depend on any future hedging activities we may enter into.

Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, "Leases (Topic 842)”. Subsequently, the FASB issued in March 2019, ASU 2019-01, “Leases (Topic 842): Codification Improvements”, in December 2018 ASU 2018-20, “Leases (Topic 842): Narrow Scope Improvements for Lessors”, and in July 2018 the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements” and ASU 2018-10, “Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases”.  ASU 2016-02 requires an entity to recognize a right-of-use asset (“ROU”) and lease liability for all leases with terms of more than 12 months and provide enhanced disclosures. Recognition, measurement, and presentation of expenses depends on classification as a finance or operating lease. Similar modifications have been made to lessor accounting in-line with revenue recognition guidance.

The new standard provides a number of optional practical expedients in transition. We elected the practical expedients to forgo a reassessment of (1) whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases, (2) the lease classification for any expired or existing leases, and (3) initial direct costs.  We did not elect the practical expedient allowing the use-of-hindsight which would have required us to reassess the lease term of our leases based on all facts and circumstances through the effective date.  In addition, we did not elect the practical expedient pertaining to land easements.

In addition, the new standard provides as a practical expedient, certain policy elections for ongoing lease accounting which we elected at the date of adoption and included the following, (i) to not separate nonlease components from the associated lease component if certain conditions are met, and (ii) to not recognize ROU assets and lease liabilities for leases that qualify as short-term.

A modified retrospective transition approach was required, applying the standard to all leases existing at the date of initial application. A company could choose to use either (1) its effective date or (2) the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements as of its date of initial application. We adopted the new standard on May 1, 2019 and used the effective date as the date of initial application. Accordingly, previously reported financial information was not updated, and the disclosures required under the new standard will not be provided for dates and periods before May 1, 2019. 

At adoption, we recognized operating lease liabilities of $178 million based on the present value of the remaining minimum rental payments for existing operating leases and ROU assets of $142 million on our Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Financial Position. The difference between the ROU assets and operating lease liabilities represents the existing deferred rent liabilities, prepaid rent balances, and applicable restructuring liabilities, which were reclassified upon adoption to reduce the measurement of the ROU assets. The adoption of the standard did not have an impact on our Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statement of Shareholders’ Equity, Condensed Consolidated Statement of Income or Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flow. See Note 5, “Operating Leases”, for further details on our operating leases.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes.”  This ASU is intended to simplify various aspects related to accounting for income taxes, eliminates certain exceptions within Topic 740, “Income Taxes” and clarifies certain aspects of the current guidance to promote consistent application.  The standard is effective for us on May 1, 2021, and early adoption is permitted in any interim period for which financial statements have not yet been issued.  We are currently assessing the impact the new guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.

Intangibles-Goodwill and Other-Internal-Use Software: Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That is a Service Contract

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, “Intangibles-Goodwill and Other-Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That is a Service Contract.” ASU 2018-15 aligns 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. The standard is effective for us on May 1, 2020, and interim periods within that fiscal year, with early adoption permitted. We are currently assessing the impact the new guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.

Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14, “Compensation-Retirement Benefits-Defined Benefit Plans-General (Subtopic 715-20): Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans.” ASU 2018-14 removes certain disclosures that are not considered cost beneficial, clarifies certain required disclosures and added additional disclosures. The standard is effective for us on May 1, 2021, with early adoption permitted. The amendments in ASU 2018-14 would need to be applied on a retrospective basis.  We are currently assessing the impact the new guidance will have on our disclosures.

Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement.” ASU 2018-13 removes, modifies and added disclosures. The standard is effective for us on May 1, 2020, with early adoption permitted. Certain disclosures in ASU 2018-13 would need to be applied on a retrospective basis and others on a prospective basis. We are currently assessing the impact the new guidance will have on our disclosures.

Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, “Intangibles–Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): “Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment”, which simplifies the measurement of a potential goodwill impairment charge by eliminating the requirement to calculate an implied fair value of the goodwill based on the fair value of a reporting unit’s other assets and liabilities. The new guidance eliminates the implied fair value method and instead measures a potential impairment charge based on the excess of a reporting unit’s carrying value compared to its fair value. The impairment charge cannot exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. The standard is effective for us on May 1, 2020, with early adoption permitted. Based on our most recent annual goodwill impairment test completed in the year ended April 30, 2019, we expect no impact upon adoption.

Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326), Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” Subsequently, in May 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-05 - "Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Targeted Transition Relief”, in April 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-04, “Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments,” in November 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-19, “Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses,” in November 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-11, “Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses,” and in February 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-02, “Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326) and Leases (Topic 842)—Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 119 and Update to SEC Section on Effective Date Related to Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842)  (SEC Update)”. ASU 2016-13 requires entities to measure all expected credit losses for most financial assets held at the reporting date based on an expected loss model which includes historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Entities will now use forward-looking information to better form their credit loss estimates. ASU 2016-13 also requires enhanced disclosures to help financial statement users better understand significant estimates and judgments used in estimating credit losses, as well as the credit quality and underwriting standards of an entity’s portfolio. ASU 2016-13, ASU 2019-05, ASU 2019-04, ASU 2018-19, ASU 2019-11 and ASU 2020-02 are effective for us on May 1, 2020, including interim periods within those fiscal periods, with early adoption permitted. We are currently assessing the impact the new guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.