New Accounting Standards

9 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2021

New Accounting Pronouncements And Changes In Accounting Principles [Abstract]

New Accounting Standards

Note 2.  New accounting standards

From time to time, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) or other standards setting bodies issue new accounting pronouncements.  Updates to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) are communicated through issuance of an Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”).

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, “Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting.”  The purpose of ASU 2020-04 is to provide optional guidance for a limited time to ease the potential burden in accounting for, or recognizing the effects of, reference rate reform on financial reporting.  In response to concerns about structural risks of interbank offered rates, and, in particular, the risk of cessation of the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), reference rate reform refers to a global initiative to identify alternative reference rates that are more observable or transaction-based and less susceptible to manipulation.  

ASU 2020-04 is effective for all entities reporting as of March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022.  An entity may elect to apply the amendments in ASU 2020-04 for contract modifications by topic or industry subtopic as of any date from the beginning of an interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020, or prospectively from a date within an interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020, up to the date that the financial statements are available to be issued.  Once elected for a topic or an industry subtopic, the amendments in ASU 2020-04 must be applied prospectively for all eligible contract modifications for that topic or industry subtopic.  Woodward is currently assessing the accounting and financial impact of reference rate reform, particularly the impact it may have on its hedging relationships, and will consider applying the optional guidance of ASU 2020-04 accordingly.