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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Consolidation Consolidation
Our policy is to consolidate all entities that we control by ownership of a majority of the outstanding voting stock. In addition, we consolidate entities that meet the definition of a variable interest entity (“VIE”) for which we are the primary beneficiary. The primary beneficiary is the party who has the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and who has an obligation to absorb losses of the entity or a right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the entity. For consolidated entities that are less than wholly owned, the third-party’s holding of equity interest is presented as Noncontrolling interests in our Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition and Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity. The portion of net earnings attributable to the noncontrolling interests is presented as Net earnings to noncontrolling interests in our Consolidated Statements of Earnings.
In situations in which we have significant influence, but not control, of an entity that does not qualify as a VIE, we apply either the equity method of accounting or fair value accounting pursuant to the fair value option election under U.S. GAAP, with our portion of net earnings or gains and losses recorded within Other revenues or Principal transaction revenues, respectively. We also have formed nonconsolidated investment vehicles with third-party investors that are typically organized as partnerships or limited liability companies and are carried at fair value. We act as general partner or managing member for these investment vehicles and have generally provided the third-party investors with termination or “kick-out” rights.
Intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation.
Principal Transactions Revenues Principal Transactions RevenuesFinancial instruments owned and Financial instruments sold, but not yet purchased (all of which are recorded on a trade-date basis) are carried at fair value with gains and losses reflected in Principal transaction revenues in our Consolidated Statements of Earnings, except for derivatives accounted for as hedges (see “Hedge Accounting” section herein and Note 5, Derivative Financial Instruments). Fees received on loans carried at fair value are also recorded within Principal transaction revenues.
Hedge Accounting Hedge Accounting
Hedge accounting is applied using interest rate swaps designated as fair value hedges of changes in the benchmark interest rate of fixed rate senior long-term debt. The interest rate swaps are included as derivative contracts in Financial instruments owned and Financial instruments sold, not yet purchased in our Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. We use regression analysis to perform ongoing prospective and retrospective assessments of the effectiveness of these hedging relationships. A hedging relationship is deemed effective if the change in fair value of the interest rate swap and the change in the fair value of the long-term debt due to changes in the benchmark interest rate offset within a range of 80% - 125%. The impact of valuation adjustments related to our own credit spreads and counterparty credit spreads are included in the assessment of effectiveness.
For qualifying fair value hedges of benchmark interest rates, the change in the fair value of the derivative and the change in fair value of the long-term debt provide offset of one another, and together with any resulting ineffectiveness, are recorded in Interest expense.
Share-based Compensation Share-based CompensationShare-based awards are measured based on the grant-date fair value of the award and recognized over the period from the service inception date through the date the employee is no longer required to provide service to earn the award. Effective upon our adoption of ASU 2016-09, we account for forfeitures as they occur. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2016-09, expected forfeitures were included in determining share-based compensation expense.
Accounting Standards to be Adopted in Future Periods and Adopted Accounting Standards Accounting Standards to be Adopted in Future Periods
Derivatives and Hedging. In July 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging: Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. The objective of the guidance is to improve the financial reporting of hedging relationships to better portray the economic results of an entity’s risk management activities in its financial statements. The guidance is effective in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on our consolidated financial statements.
Stock Compensation. In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, Compensation—Stock Compensation: Scope of Modification Accounting. The guidance provides clarity and reduces diversity in practice and cost and complexity when accounting for a change to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award. The guidance is effective in the first quarter of fiscal 2019 and early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on our consolidated financial statements.
Retirement Benefits. In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-07, Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost. The guidance impacts the presentation of net periodic pension costs in the statement of income. The update also allows the service cost to be eligible for capitalization, when applicable. The guidance is effective in the first quarter of fiscal 2019 and early adoption is permitted. We plan to adopt this guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2018. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on our Consolidated Statements of Earnings.
Goodwill. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which simplifies goodwill impairment testing. The guidance is effective in the first quarter of fiscal 2021 and early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on our consolidated financial statements.
Statement of Cash Flows. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. The guidance adds or clarifies guidance on the classification of certain cash receipts and payments in the statement of cash flows. We plan to adopt this guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2018. In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Restricted Cash. The guidance requires that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. We plan to adopt this guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2018. We are currently evaluating the impact of these new ASUs on our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
Financial Instruments-Credit Losses. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. The guidance provides for estimating credit losses on certain types of financial instruments by introducing an approach based on expected losses. The guidance is effective in the first quarter of fiscal 2021 and early adoption is permitted in the first quarter of fiscal 2020. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on our consolidated financial statements.
Leases. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases. The guidance affects the accounting for leases and provides for a lessee model that brings substantially all leases onto the balance sheet. The guidance is effective in the first quarter of fiscal 2019 and early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on our consolidated financial statements.
Financial Instruments. In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments-Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. The guidance affects the accounting for equity investments, financial liabilities under the fair value option and the presentation and disclosure requirements of financial instruments. The guidance is effective in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance related to equity investments and the presentation and disclosure requirements of financial instruments on our consolidated financial statements. Early adoption is permitted for the accounting guidance on financial liabilities under the fair value option and we adopted this guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2016. The adoption of this accounting guidance did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements.
Revenue Recognition. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The accounting guidance defines how companies report revenues from contracts with customers, and also requires enhanced disclosures. We intend to adopt the new guidance on December 1, 2017 with a cumulative-effect adjustment to opening member’s equity. Because the guidance does not apply to revenue associated with financial instruments, including loans and securities that are accounted for under other U.S. GAAP, we do not expect the guidance to have a material impact on the elements of our Consolidated Statements of Earnings most closely associated with financial instruments, including Principal transaction revenues, Interest income and Interest expense. Our implementation efforts include the identification of revenue streams within the scope of the guidance, the evaluation of certain revenue contracts, education and discussions with our control functions, and periodic discussions with our Audit Committee. Our evaluation of the impact of the new guidance on our consolidated financial statements is ongoing. We continue to evaluate the timing of recognition for each revenue stream within scope, which includes investment banking and asset management fees which may be accelerated or deferred depending on the features of the client arrangements, and the timing and presentation of certain related investment banking expenses (whether presented gross or offset against revenues).
Adopted Accounting Standards
Employee Share-Based Payments. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, which simplifies various aspects related to how share-based payments are accounted for and presented in the consolidated financial statements. The amendments include the recognition of all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies as income tax expense or benefit in our Consolidated Statement of Earnings and changes to the timing of recognition of excess tax benefits, the accounting for forfeitures, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities and classification on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. We early adopted this standard on December 1, 2016 and the adoption did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements. We elected to account for forfeitures as they occur, which results in dividends and dividend equivalents originally charged against retained earnings for forfeited shares to be reclassified to compensation cost in the period in which the forfeiture occurs. In addition, the current period’s excess tax benefit related to stock-based compensation is presented as an operating activity rather than a financing activity in our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows on a retrospective basis.