Significant Accounting Policies and Pronouncements (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2016

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation, Policy

Basis of Presentation

As a result of the Class B Repurchase and resulting elimination of the separation of the Financial Services Businesses and the Closed Block Business, these Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements refer to the divisions and segments of the Company that formerly comprised the Financial Services Businesses as “PFI excluding Closed Block division” and refer to the operations that were formerly included in the Closed Block Business as the “Closed Block division,” except as otherwise noted. Closed Block Business results were associated with the Company’s Class B Stock for periods prior to January 1, 2015.

The Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Prudential Financial, entities over which the Company exercises control, including majority-owned subsidiaries and variable interest entities (“VIEs”) in which the Company is considered the primary beneficiary. See Note 5 for more information on the Company’s consolidated variable interest entities. The Unaudited Interim Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) on a basis consistent with reporting interim financial information in accordance with instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the financial position and results of operations have been made. All such adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015.

The Company’s Gibraltar Life Insurance Company, Ltd. (“Gibraltar Life”) consolidated operations use a November 30 fiscal year end for purposes of inclusion in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. The unaudited interim consolidated balance sheet data as of June 30, 2016, include the assets and liabilities of Gibraltar Life as of May 31, 2016. The unaudited interim consolidated income statement data include Gibraltar Life’s results of operations for the three and six months ended May 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Use of Estimates, Policy

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

The most significant estimates include those used in determining deferred policy acquisition costs (“DAC”) and related amortization; value of business acquired (“VOBA”) and its amortization; amortization of deferred sales inducements (“DSI”); measurement of goodwill and any related impairment; valuation of investments including derivatives and the recognition of other-than-temporary impairments (“OTTI”); future policy benefits including guarantees; pension and other postretirement benefits; provision for income taxes and valuation of deferred tax assets; and accruals for contingent liabilities, including estimates for losses in connection with unresolved legal matters.

Reclassifications, Policy

Reclassifications

Certain amounts in prior periods have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.

Adoption of New Accounting Pronouncements

Adoption of New Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance (Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”)2015-07, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosures for Investments in Certain Entities That Calculate Net Asset Value per Share (or Its Equivalent)) to remove the requirement to categorize within the fair value hierarchy all investments for which fair value is measured using the net asset value per share practical expedient. The new guidance became effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods that began after December 15, 2015, and was applied retrospectively. Adoption of the guidance did not have a significant effect on the Company’s financial statement disclosures, see Note 13.

In April 2015, the FASB issued updated guidance (ASU 2015-03, Interest—Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs) that simplifies the presentation of debt issuance costs. The pronouncement requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. The Company adopted the guidance effective January 1, 2016. Prior period financial information presented in these financial statements has been adjusted to reflect the retrospective adoption of the amended guidance. “Other assets” and “Long-term debt” as previously reported on the Company’s consolidated statements of financial position as of December 31, 2015 were both reduced by $133 million as a result of this retrospective adoption.

In February 2015, the FASB issued updated guidance (ASU 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to Consolidation Analysis) that modifies the rules regarding consolidation. The pronouncement eliminates specialized guidance for limited partnerships and similar legal entities, and removes the indefinite deferral for certain investment funds. The new guidance is effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted the updated guidance effective January 1, 2016 and applied the modified retrospective method of adoption, primarily resulting in the deconsolidation of certain of its previously consolidated collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”), as its fee arrangements are no longer deemed variable interests in these entities. The Company continues to consolidate CLOs where it retains other economic interests which absorb more than an insignificant amount of the CLOs expected variability. The Company also deconsolidated certain investment structures where it is no longer deemed to be the primary beneficiary as the Company, through its equity ownership, no longer has the obligation to absorb losses of the VIE that could be significant to the VIE or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. The impact to the Company’s consolidated statements of financial position upon adoption of the updated guidance is a reduction of $5.5 billion of “Total assets” (including $5.1 billion of “Total investments”) and $5.5 billion of “Total liabilities” (including $5.1 billion of “Notes issued by consolidated variable interest entities”), with a $30 million decrease in “Noncontrolling interests” and a $7 million increase to “Total Prudential Financial, Inc. equity.”

In August 2014, the FASB issued updated guidance (ASU 2014-14, Receivables—Troubled Debt Restructurings by Creditors (Subtopic 310-40): Classification of Certain Government-Guaranteed Mortgage Loans upon Foreclosure) requiring that mortgage loans be derecognized and that a separate other receivable be recognized upon foreclosure if certain conditions are met. Upon foreclosure, the separate other receivable should be measured based on the amount of the loan balance (principal and interest) expected to be recovered from the guarantor. The new guidance became effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods that began after December 15, 2014, and was applied prospectively. Adoption of the guidance did not have a significant effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or financial statement disclosures.

In August 2014, the FASB issued updated guidance (ASU 2014-13, Consolidation (Topic 810): Measuring the Financial Assets and the Financial Liabilities of a Consolidated Collateralized Financing Entity) for measuring the financial assets and the financial liabilities of a consolidated collateralized financing entity. Under the guidance, an entity within scope is permitted to measure both the financial assets and financial liabilities of a consolidated collateralized financing entity based on either the fair value of the financial assets or the financial liabilities, whichever is more observable. If adopted, the guidance eliminates the measurement difference that exists when both are measured at fair value. The Company adopted the updated guidance effective January 1, 2016, and applied the modified retrospective method of adoption. The impact to the Company’s consolidated statements of financial position upon adoption of the updated guidance was a $4 million reduction in “Total liabilities” and a $4 million increase to “Total Prudential Financial, Inc. equity.”

In June 2014, the FASB issued updated guidance (ASU 2014-11, Transfers and Servicing (Topic 860): Repurchase-to-Maturity Transactions, Repurchase Financings, and Disclosures) that requires repurchase-to-maturity transactions to be accounted for as secured borrowings and eliminates existing guidance for repurchase financings. The guidance also requires new disclosures for certain transactions accounted for as secured borrowings and for transfers accounted for as sales when the transferor also retains substantially all of the exposure to the economic return on the transferred financial assets. Accounting changes and new disclosures for transfers accounted for as sales under the new guidance were effective for the first interim or annual period beginning after December 15, 2014, and did not have a significant effect on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations or financial statement disclosures. Disclosures for certain transactions accounted for as secured borrowings were effective for interim periods beginning after March 15, 2015, and are included in Note 4. The Company applied the modified retrospective method of adoption.

In April 2014, the FASB issued updated guidance (ASU 2014-08, Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205) and Property, Plant, and Equipment (Topic 360): Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity) that changes the criteria for reporting discontinued operations and introduces new disclosures. The new guidance became effective for new disposals and new classifications of disposal groups as held for sale that occur within annual periods that began on or after December 15, 2014, and interim periods within those annual periods, and was applied prospectively. Adoption of the guidance did not have a significant effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or financial statement disclosures.

In January 2014, the FASB issued updated guidance (ASU 2014-04, Receivables—Troubled Debt Restructuring by Creditors (Subtopic 310-40): Reclassification of Residential Real Estate Collateralized Consumer Mortgage Loans upon Foreclosure) for troubled debt restructurings clarifying when an in-substance repossession or foreclosure occurs, and when a creditor is considered to have received physical possession of residential real estate property collateralizing a consumer mortgage loan. The new guidance became effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods that began after December 15, 2014, and was applied prospectively. Adoption of the guidance did not have a significant effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or financial statement disclosures.

In January 2014, the FASB issued updated guidance (ASU 2014-01, Investments—Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Accounting for Investments in Qualified Affordable Housing Projects) regarding investments in flow-through limited liability entities that manage or invest in affordable housing projects that qualify for the low-income housing tax credit. Under the guidance, an entity is permitted to make an accounting policy election to amortize the initial cost of its investment in proportion to the tax credits and other tax benefits received and recognize the net investment performance in the statement of operations as a component of income tax expense (benefit) if certain conditions are met. The new guidance became effective for annual periods and interim reporting periods within those annual periods that began after December 15, 2014. The Company did not elect the proportional amortization method under this guidance.

As discussed in Note 2, the Company adopted ASU 2015-07, effective January 1, 2016, which resulted in the exclusion of certain Other long-term investments from the fair value hierarchy. The guidance was required to be applied retrospectively, and therefore, prior period amounts have been conformed to the current period presentation. At June 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, the fair values of these investments, which include certain hedge funds, private equity funds and other funds were $1,396 million and $1,413 million, respectively, of which $82 million and $1,331 million had been previously classified in Level 2 and Level 3, respectively, at December 31, 2015.

As discussed in Note 2, the Company adopted ASU 2015-07, effective January 1, 2016, which resulted in the exclusion of certain separate account investments from the fair value hierarchy. The guidance was required to be applied retrospectively, and therefore, prior period amounts have been conformed to the current period presentation. At June 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, the fair values of Separate Account Assets excluded from the fair value hierarchy, which include investments in real estate and other invested assets, were $25,739 million and $25,661 million, respectively, which had been previously classified in Level 3 at December 31, 2015.

Future Adoption of New Accounting Pronouncements

Future Adoption of New Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued updated guidance (ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)) on accounting for revenue recognition. The guidance is based on the core principle that revenue is recognized to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods and services. The guidance also requires additional disclosures about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from cost incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. Revenue recognition for insurance contracts is explicitly scoped out of the guidance. In August 2015, the FASB issued an update to defer the original effective date of this guidance. As a result of the deferral, the new guidance is effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2017, and must be applied using one of two retrospective application methods. Early adoption is permitted only for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the guidance on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations and financial statement disclosures.

In May 2015, the FASB issued final guidance (ASU 2015-09, Financial Services—Insurance (Topic 944): Disclosures about Short-Duration Contracts) that aims to enhance disclosures about insurance contracts classified as short-duration. The new disclosure requirements focus on providing users of financial statements with more transparent information about an insurance entity’s initial claim estimates and subsequent adjustments to those estimates, methodologies and judgments in estimating claims, and timing, frequency and severity of claims as they relate to short-duration insurance contracts. The new guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and is to be applied retrospectively. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the guidance on the Company’s financial statement disclosures but has concluded that this guidance will not impact the Company’s consolidated financial position or results of operations.

In January 2016, the FASB issued updated guidance (ASU 2016-01, Financial Instruments—Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities) on the recognition and measurement of financial assets and financial liabilities. The guidance revises an entity’s accounting related to the classification and measurement of certain equity investments and the presentation of certain fair value changes for financial liabilities measured at fair value. The guidance also amends certain disclosure requirements associated with the fair value of financial instruments. The new guidance is effective for annual periods and interim reporting periods within those annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is not permitted except for the provisions related to the presentation of certain fair value changes for financial liabilities measured at fair value. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the guidance on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations and financial statement disclosures.

In February 2016, the FASB issued guidance (ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842)) that ensures assets and liabilities from all outstanding lease contracts are recognized on balance sheet (with limited exception). The guidance substantially changes a Lessee’s accounting for leases and requires the recording on balance sheet of a “right-of-use” asset and liability to make lease payments for most leases. A Lessee will continue to recognize expense in its income statement in a manner similar to the requirements under the current lease accounting guidance. For Lessors, the guidance modifies classification criteria and accounting for sales-type and direct financing leases and requires a Lessor to derecognize the carrying value of the leased asset that is considered to have been transferred to a Lessee and record a lease receivable and residual asset (“receivable and residual” approach). The guidance also eliminates the real estate specific provisions of the current guidance (i.e., sale-leaseback). The new guidance is effective for financial statements issued for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, and for interim periods within those annual periods, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the guidance on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations and financial statement disclosures.

In March 2016, the FASB issued guidance (ASU 2016-07, Investments—Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Simplifying the Transition to the Equity Method of Accounting) to simplify the transition to equity method when an investment qualifies for use of the equity method as a result of an increase in the level of ownership or degree of influence. The amendments require that the equity method investor add the cost of acquiring the additional interest in the investee to the current basis of the investor’s previously held interest and adopt the equity method of accounting as of the date the investment becomes qualified for equity method accounting. The new guidance is effective for financial statements issued for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and for interim periods within those annual periods. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the guidance on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations and financial statement disclosures.

In March 2016, the FASB issued guidance (ASU 2016-09, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payments Accounting) to simplify and improve employee share-based payment accounting. The areas updated include income tax consequences, a policy election related to forfeitures, classification of awards as either equity or liability, and classification of operating and financing activity on the statement of cash flows. The new guidance is effective for financial statements issued for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and for interim periods within those annual periods, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the guidance on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations and financial statement disclosures.