Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of FLEETCOR Technologies, Inc. and all of its wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

The Company’s fiscal year ends on December 31. In certain of the Company’s U.K. businesses, the Company records the operating results using a 4-4-5 week accounting cycle with the fiscal year ending on the Friday on or immediately preceding December 31. Fiscal years 2018, 2017 and 2016 include 52 weeks for the businesses reporting using a 4-4-5 accounting cycle.

Credit Risk and Reserve for Losses on Receivables

The Company controls credit risk by performing periodic credit evaluations of its customers. Payments from customers are generally due within 14 days or less of billing. The Company routinely reviews its accounts receivable balances and makes provisions from the customer probable doubtful accounts based primarily on the aging of those balances. Accounts receivable are deemed uncollectible from the customer once they age past 90 days. The Company also provides an allowance for receivables aged less than 90 days that it expects will be uncollectible based on historical collections experience including accounts that have filed for bankruptcy. At December 31, 2018 and 2017, approximately 99% and 96%, respectively, of outstanding accounts receivable were current. Accounts receivable deemed uncollectible are removed from accounts receivable and the allowance for doubtful accounts when internal collection efforts have been exhausted and accounts have been turned over to a third-party collection agency. Recoveries from the third-party collection agency are not significant.

Business Combinations

Business combinations completed by the Company have been accounted for under the acquisition method of accounting. The acquisition method requires that the acquired assets and liabilities, including contingencies, be recorded at fair value determined as of the acquisition date. For significant acquisitions, the Company obtains independent third-party valuation studies for certain of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed to assist the Company in determining fair value. Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair values of the tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed. The results of the acquired businesses are included in the Company’s results of operations beginning from the completion date of the applicable transaction.

Estimates of fair value are revised during an allocation period as necessary when, and if, information becomes available to further define and quantify the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. Provisional estimates of the fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed involves a number of estimates and assumptions that could differ materially from the final amounts recorded. The allocation period does not exceed one year from the date of the acquisition. To the extent additional information to refine the original allocation becomes available during the allocation period, the allocation of the purchase price is adjusted. Should information become available after the allocation period, those items are adjusted through operating results. The direct costs of the acquisition are recorded as operating expenses. Certain acquisitions include contingent consideration related to the performance of the acquired operations following the acquisition. Contingent consideration is recorded at estimated fair value at the date of the acquisition, and is remeasured each reporting period, with any changes in fair value recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Income. The Company estimates the fair value of the acquisition-related contingent consideration using various valuation approaches, as well as significant unobservable inputs, reflecting the Company’s assessment of the assumptions market participants would use to value these liabilities.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Goodwill, Intangibles and Equity Method Investment

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Goodwill, Intangibles and Investments

The Company regularly evaluates whether events and circumstances have occurred that indicate the carrying amount of property and equipment and finite-life intangible assets may not be recoverable. When factors indicate that these long-lived assets should be evaluated for possible impairment, the Company assesses the potential impairment by determining whether the carrying amount of such long-lived assets will be recovered through the future undiscounted cash flows expected from use of the asset and its eventual disposition. If the carrying amount of the asset is determined not to be recoverable, a write-down to fair value is recorded. Fair values are determined based on quoted market prices or discounted cash flow analysis as applicable. The Company regularly evaluates whether events and circumstances have occurred that indicate the useful lives of property and equipment and finite-life intangible assets may warrant revision.

The Company completes an impairment test of goodwill at least annually or more frequently if facts or circumstances indicate that goodwill might be impaired. Goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level. The Company first performs a qualitative assessment of certain of its reporting units. Factors considered in the qualitative assessment include general macroeconomic conditions, industry and market conditions, cost factors, overall financial performance of our reporting units, events or changes affecting the composition or carrying amount of the net assets of our reporting units, sustained decrease in our share price, and other relevant entity-specific events. If the Company elects to bypass the qualitative assessment or if it determines, on the basis of qualitative factors, that the fair value of the reporting unit is more likely than not less than the carrying amount, a quantitative test would be required. The Company then performs the goodwill impairment test for each reporting unit by comparing the reporting unit’s carrying amount, including goodwill, is compared to its fair value which is measured based upon, among other factors, a discounted cash flow analysis, as well as market multiples for comparable companies. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit is greater than its fair value, goodwill is considered impaired.

Based on the goodwill asset impairment analysis performed quantitatively on October 1, 2018, the Company determined that the fair value of each of its reporting units was in excess of the carrying value. No events or changes in circumstances have occurred since the date of this most recent annual impairment test that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount.

The Company also evaluates indefinite-lived intangible assets (primarily trademarks and trade names) for impairment annually. The Company also tests for impairment if events and circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that the fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset is below its carrying amount. Estimates critical to the Company’s evaluation of indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment include the discount rate, royalty rates used in its evaluation of trade names, projected average revenue growth and projected long-term growth rates in the determination of terminal values. An impairment charge is recorded if the carrying amount of an indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds the estimated fair value on the measurement date.

The Company regularly evaluates the carrying value of its investments, which are not carried at fair value, for impairment. The company has elected to measure certain equity investments that do not have readily determinable fair values at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes for similar investments of the issuer.

Property, Plant and Equipment and Definite-Lived Intangible Assets

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost and depreciated on the straight-line basis. Definite-lived intangible assets, consisting primarily of customer relationships, are stated at fair value upon acquisition and are amortized over their estimated useful lives. Customer and merchant relationship useful lives are estimated using historical attrition rates.

The Company develops software that is used in providing processing and information management services to customers. A significant portion of the Company’s capital expenditures are devoted to the development of such internal-use computer software. Software development costs are capitalized once technological feasibility of the software has been established. Costs incurred prior to establishing technological feasibility are expensed as incurred. Technological feasibility is established when the Company has completed all planning, designing, coding and testing activities that are necessary to determine that the software can be produced to meet its design specifications, including functions, features and technical performance requirements. Capitalization of costs ceases when the software is ready for its intended use. Software development costs are amortized using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the software.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in the period that includes the enactment date.

The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which the associated temporary differences become deductible. The Company evaluates on a quarterly basis whether it is more likely than not that its deferred tax assets will be realized in the future and concludes whether a valuation allowance must be established.

Current accounting guidance clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in an entity’s financial statements and prescribes threshold and measurement attributes for financial statement disclosure of tax positions taken or expected to be taken on a tax return. Under the relevant authoritative literature, the impact of an uncertain income tax position on the income tax return must be recognized at the largest amount that is more likely than not to be sustained upon audit by the relevant taxing authority. An uncertain income tax position will not be recognized if it has less than a 50 percent likelihood of being sustained. The Company includes any estimated interest and penalties on tax related matters in income tax expense.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

Cash, Cash Equivalents, and Restricted Cash

Cash equivalents consist of cash on hand and highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less. Restricted cash represents customer deposits repayable on demand.

Foreign Currency Translation

Assets and liabilities of foreign subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars at the rates of exchange in effect at period-end. The related translation adjustments are recorded to accumulated other comprehensive income. Income and expenses are translated at the average monthly rates of exchange in effect during the year. Gains and losses from foreign currency transactions of these subsidiaries are included in net income.

Derivatives

The Company uses derivatives to facilitate cross-currency corporate payments by writing derivatives to customers.

At Cambridge Global Payments ("Cambridge"), the Company uses derivatives to facilitate cross-currency corporate payments by writing derivatives to customers, which are not designated as hedging instruments. The majority of Cambridge's revenue is from exchanges of currency at spot rates, which enable customers to make cross-currency payments. In addition, Cambridge also writes foreign currency forward and option contracts for its customers to facilitate future payments. The duration of these derivative contracts at inception is generally less than one year. The Company aggregates its foreign exchange exposures arising from customer contracts, including forwards, options and spot exchanges of currency, and hedges (economic hedge) the resulting net currency risks by entering into offsetting contracts with established financial institution counterparties. The changes in fair value related to these contracts are recorded in revenues, net in the Consolidated Statements of Income.

The Company recognizes all derivatives in "prepaid expenses and other current assets" and "other current liabilities" in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets at their fair value. All cash flows associated with derivatives are included in cash flows from operating activities in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for employee stock options and restricted stock in accordance with relevant authoritative literature. Stock options are granted with an exercise price equal to the fair market value on the date of grant as authorized by the Company’s board of directors. Options granted have vesting provisions ranging from one to five years and vesting of the options is generally based on the passage of time or performance. Stock option grants are subject to forfeiture if employment terminates prior to vesting. The Company has selected the Black-Scholes option pricing model for estimating the grant date fair value of stock option awards. The Company has considered the retirement and forfeiture provisions of the options and utilized its historical experience to estimate the expected life of the options. Option forfeitures are accounted for upon occurrence. The Company bases the risk-free interest rate on the yield of a zero coupon U.S. Treasury security with a maturity equal to the expected life of the option from the date of the grant. Stock-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the value of the award and is recognized as expense over the requisite service period based on the number of years over which the requisite service is expected to be rendered.

Awards of restricted stock and restricted stock units are independent of stock option grants and are subject to forfeiture if employment terminates prior to vesting. The vesting of shares granted is generally based on the passage of time, performance conditions, or a combination of these. Shares vesting based on the passage of time have vesting provisions of one to three years. The fair value of restricted stock where the shares vest based on the passage of time or performance is based on the grant date fair value of the Company’s stock.

For performance-based restricted stock awards and performance based stock option awards, the Company must also make assumptions regarding the likelihood of achieving performance goals. If actual results differ significantly from these estimates, stock-based compensation expense and the Company’s results of operations could be materially affected.

Deferred Financing Costs/Debt Discounts

Costs incurred to obtain financing are amortized over the term of the related debt, using the effective interest method and are included within interest expense. The Company capitalized additional debt issuance costs of $4.9 million associated with refinancing its Credit Facility and Securitization Facilities in 2018 and $12.9 million with refinancing its Credit Facility in 2017. At December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company had net deferred financing costs of $10.4 million and $16.3 million, respectively, related to the revolver under the Credit Facility and the Securitization Facility, each recorded within prepaid and other assets, respectively, on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. At December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company had deferred financing costs of $10.9 million and 11.8 million, respectively, related to the term notes under the Credit Facility, recorded as a discount to the term debt outstanding within the current portion of notes payable and lines of credit and notes payable and other obligations, less current portion, respectively, in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Comprehensive income (loss) is defined as the total of net income and all other changes in equity that result from transactions and other economic events of a reporting period other than transactions with owners.

Accounts Receivable

The Company maintains a $1.2 billion revolving trade accounts receivable Securitization Facility. Accounts receivable collateralized within our Securitization Facility relate to trade receivables resulting from charge card activity in the U.S. Pursuant to the terms of the Securitization Facility, the Company transfers certain of its domestic receivables, on a revolving basis, to FLEETCOR Funding LLC (Funding), a wholly-owned bankruptcy remote subsidiary. In turn, Funding transfers, without recourse, on a revolving basis, an undivided ownership interest in this pool of accounts receivable to a multi-seller, asset-backed commercial paper conduit (Conduit). Funding maintains a subordinated interest, in the form of over-collateralization, in a portion of the receivables sold to the Conduit. Purchases by the Conduit are financed with the sale of highly-rated commercial paper.

The Company utilizes proceeds from the transferred assets as an alternative to other forms of financing to reduce its overall borrowing costs. The Company has agreed to continue servicing the sold receivables for the financial institution at market rates, which approximates the Company’s cost of servicing. The Company retains a residual interest in the transferred asset as a form of credit enhancement. The residual interest’s fair value approximates carrying value due to its short-term nature. Funding determines the level of funding achieved by the sale of trade accounts receivable, subject to a maximum amount.

The Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets and Statements of Income reflect the activity related to securitized accounts receivable and the corresponding securitized debt, including interest income, fees generated from late payments, provision for losses on accounts receivable and interest expense. The cash flows from borrowings and repayments, associated with the securitized debt, are presented as cash flows from financing activities.

On August 30, 2018, the Company increased the amount of the Securitization facility to $1.2 billion. The maturity date for the Company's Securitization Facility is November 14, 2020.

The Company’s accounts receivable and securitized accounts receivable include the following at December 31 (in thousands):



	2018			2017
Gross domestic unsecuritized accounts receivables	$	668,154		$	661,677
Gross domestic securitized accounts receivable	886,000			811,000
Gross foreign receivables	817,624			804,365
Total gross receivables	2,371,778			2,277,042
Less allowance for doubtful accounts	(59,963		)	(46,031		)
Net accounts and securitized accounts receivable	$	2,311,815		$	2,231,011

A rollforward of the Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts related to accounts receivable for the years ended December 31 is as follows (in thousands):



	2018			2017			2016
Allowance for doubtful accounts beginning of year	$	46,031		$	32,506		$	21,903
Provision for bad debts	64,377			44,857			35,885
Write-offs	(50,445		)	(31,332		)	(25,282		)
Allowance for doubtful accounts end of year	$	59,963		$	46,031		$	32,506

Advertising

The Company expenses advertising costs as incurred.

Earnings Per Share

The Company reports basic and diluted earnings per share. Basic earnings per share is calculated using the weighted average of common stock and non-vested, non-forfeitable restricted shares outstanding, unadjusted for dilution, and net income attributable to common shareholders.

Diluted earnings per share is calculated using the weighted average shares outstanding and contingently issuable shares less weighted average shares recognized during the period. The net outstanding shares have been adjusted for the dilutive effect of common stock equivalents, which consist of outstanding stock options and unvested forfeitable restricted stock units.

Impact of Adoption of ASC 606

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASC 606)", which replaces numerous requirements in U.S. GAAP, including industry-specific requirements, and provides companies with a single revenue recognition model for recognizing revenue from contracts with customers. The core principle of ASU 2014-09 is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The two permitted transition methods under the standard are the full retrospective method, in which case the standard would be applied to each prior reporting period presented and the cumulative effect of applying the standard would be recognized at the earliest period shown, or the modified retrospective method, in which case the cumulative effect of applying the standard would be recognized at the date of initial application. ASU 2014-09, as amended by ASU 2015-14, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date", is effective for years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods, with early adoption permitted for years beginning after December 15, 2016. Since the issuance of ASU 2014-09, the FASB has issued additional interpretive guidance, including new accounting standard updates ans ASC Subtopic 340-40: Other Assets and Deferred Costs - Contracts with Customers, which clarifies certain points of the standard and modifies certain requirements.

Effective January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASC 606 using the modified retrospective method, for contracts that were not completed as of the date of initial application, resulting in a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings on January 1, 2018. For contracts that were modified before January 1, 2018, the Company has not retrospectively restated contracts for those modifications but instead reflected the aggregate effect of these modifications when identifying the satisfied and unsatisfied performance obligations, as allowed within the transition practical expedients. The cumulative impact to retained earnings at January 1, 2018 was $30.2 million, due to the capitalization of costs to acquire contracts under the new standard, with a corresponding increase to prepaid expense and other current assets of $10.2 million, other assets of $30.3 million and deferred income taxes (liabilities) of $10.3 million over the respective implied period of benefit. Additionally, under the new standard certain costs (e.g., merchant commissions and fees paid to credit card associations) will be presented net in revenues as the amounts represent payments to our customers that are not considered in exchange for a distinct good or service that the customer transfers to the Company.

The impact to the Company's revenue, operating expenses, income from continuing operations after taxes, net income and basic and diluted earnings per share (EPS) for the year ended December 31, 2018 was as follows:



	For the Year Ended December 31
	2018 As Reported			Impact of ASC 606			2018 Prior to Adoption
Revenues, net	$	2,433,492		$	111,957		$	2,545,449
Expenses:
Merchant commissions	—			126,849			126,849
Processing	487,695			(12,963		)	474,732
Selling	182,593			5,319			187,912
General and administrative	389,172			—			389,172
Depreciation and amortization	274,609			—			274,609
Other operating, net	8,725			—			8,725
Operating income	1,090,698			(7,248		)	1,083,450
Total other income	(4,427		)	—			(4,427		)
Income before income taxes	1,095,125			(7,248		)	1,087,877
Provision for income taxes	283,642			(2,043		)	281,599
Net income	$	811,483		$	(5,205	)	$	806,278
Basic earnings per share	$	9.14					$	9.08
Diluted earnings per share	$	8.81					$	8.75

The adoption of ASC 606 did not impact the Company's accounting for revenues derived from late fees, finance charges, and certain other charge card fees or certain of its foreign currency contracts, which continue to be accounted for under existing authoritative guidance, as discussed further in footnote 3.

The Company provides payment solutions to our business, merchant, consumer and payment network customers. Our payment solutions are primarily focused on specific commercial spend categories, including fuel, lodging, tolls, and general corporate payments, as well as gift card solutions (stored value cards). The Company provides products that help businesses of all sizes control, simplify and secure payment of various domestic and cross-border payables using specialized payment products. The Company also provides other payment solutions for fleet maintenance, employee benefits and long haul transportation-related services.

Payment Services

The Company’s primary performance obligation for the majority of its payment solution products (fuel, lodging, corporate payments, among others) is to stand-ready to provide authorization and processing services ("payment services") for an unknown or unspecified quantity of transactions and the consideration received is contingent upon the customer’s use (e.g., number of transactions submitted and processed) of the related payment services. Accordingly, the total transaction price is variable. Payment services involve a series of distinct daily services that are substantially the same, with the same pattern of transfer to the customer. As a result, the Company allocates and recognizes variable consideration in the period it has the contractual right to invoice the customer. For the tolls payment solution, the Company's primary performance obligation is to stand-ready each month to provide access to the toll network and process toll transactions. Each period of access is determined to be distinct and substantially the same as the customer benefits over the period of access.

The Company records revenue for its payment services net of (i) the cost of the underlying products and services; (ii) assessments and other fees charged by the credit and debit payment networks (along with any rebates provided by them); (iii) customer rebates and other discounts; and (iv) taxes assessed (e.g. VAT and VAT-like taxes) by a government, imposed concurrent with, a revenue producing transaction.

The majority of the transaction price the Company receives for fulfilling the Payment Services performance obligation are comprised of one or a combination of the following: 1) interchange fees earned from the payment networks; 2) discount fees earned from merchants; 3) fees calculated based on a number of transactions processed; 4) fees calculated based upon a percentage of the transaction value for the underlying goods or services (i.e. fuel, food, toll and transportation cards and vouchers); and 5) monthly access fees.

The Company recognizes revenue when the underlying transactions are complete and its performance obligations are satisfied. Transactions are considered complete depending upon the related payment solution but generally when the Company has authorized the transaction, validated that the transaction has no errors and accepted and posted the data to the Company’s records.

The Company's performance obligation for its foreign exchange payment services is providing a foreign currency payment to a customer’s designated recipient and therefore, the Company recognizes revenue on foreign exchange payment services when the underlying payment is made. Revenues from foreign exchange payment services are primarily comprised of the difference between the exchange rate set by the Company to the customer and the rate available in the wholesale foreign exchange market.

Gift Card Products and Services

The Company’s Gift product line delivers both stored value cards and card-based services primarily in the form of gift cards to retailers. These activities each represent performance obligations that are separate and distinct. Revenue for stored valued cards are recognized (gross of the underlying cost of the related card, recorded within processing expense within the Consolidated Statements of Income) at the point in time when control passes to the Company's customer, which is generally upon shipment.

Card-based services consist of transaction processing and reporting of gift card transactions where the Company recognizes revenue based on an output measure of elapsed time for an unknown or unspecified quantity of transactions. As a result, the Company allocates and recognizes variable consideration over the estimated period of time over which the performance obligation is satisfied.

Other

The Company accounts for revenue from late fees and finance charges, in jurisdictions where permitted under local regulations, primarily in the U.S. and Canada in accordance with ASC 310, "Receivables". Such fees are recognized net of a provision for estimated uncollectible amounts, at the time the fees and finance charges are assessed and services are provided. The Company ceases billing and accruing for late fees and finance charges approximately 30 - 40 days after the customer’s balance becomes delinquent.

The Company also writes foreign currency forward and option contracts for its customers to facilitate future payments in foreign currencies, and recognizes revenue in accordance with authoritative fair value and derivative accounting (ASC 815, "Derivatives").

Revenue is also derived from the sale of equipment in certain of the Company’s businesses, which is recognized at the time the device is sold and control has passed to the customer. This revenue is recognized gross of the cost of sales related to the equipment in "revenues, net" within the Consolidated Statements of Income. The related cost of sales for the equipment is recorded within "processing expenses" in the Consolidated Statements of Income.

Revenues from contracts with customers, within the scope of Topic 606, represents approximately 80% of total consolidated revenues, net, for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Disaggregation of Revenues

The Company provides its services to customers across different payment solutions and geographies. Revenue by product (in millions) as of and for the years ended December 31 (in thousands):



	Year Ended December 31,
	2018		2017		2016
Revenue by Product Category	Revenues, net		Revenues, net		Revenues, net
Fuel	$	1,096,611	$	1,096,153	$	997,398
Corporate payments	415,856		261,822		179,557
Tolls	338,644		326,977		102,740
Lodging	175,505		126,657		100,664
Gift	186,645		194,099		184,743
Other	220,231		243,830		266,444
Consolidated revenues, net	$	2,433,492	$	2,249,538	$	1,831,546

The table below presents the Company's revenues, net from its primary product categories as of and for the years ended December 31 (in thousands).



	2018		2017		2016
Revenues, net by location:
United States (country of domicile)	$	1,481,785	$	1,400,801	$	1,278,828
Brazil	400,111		394,550		167,769
United Kingdom	257,651		236,550		229,125
Other	293,945		217,637		155,824
Consolidated Revenues, net	$	2,433,492	$	2,249,538	$	1,831,546

Contract Liabilities

Deferred revenue contract liabilities for customers subject to ASC 606 were $30.6 million and $30.2 million as of December 31, 2018 and January 1, 2018, respectively. The Company expects to recognize substantially all of these amounts in revenues within approximately 12 months. Revenue recognized for the year ended December 31, 2018, that was included in the deferred revenue contract liability as of January 1, 2018 was approximately $26.6 million.

Costs to Obtain or Fulfill a Contract

With the adoption of ASC 606, the Company began capitalizing the incremental costs of obtaining a contract with a customer if the Company expects to recover those costs. The incremental costs of obtaining a contract are those that the Company incurs to obtain a contract with a customer that it would not have incurred if the contract had not been obtained (for example, a sales commission).

Costs incurred to fulfill a contract are capitalized if those costs meet all of the following criteria:


a.	The costs relate directly to a contract or to an anticipated contract that the Company can specifically identify.


b.	The costs generate or enhance resources of the Company that will be used in satisfying (or in continuing to satisfy) performance obligations in the future.


c.	The costs are expected to be recovered.

In order to determine the appropriate amortization period for contract costs, the Company considered a combination of factors, including customer attrition rates, estimated terms of customer relationships, the useful lives of technology used by the Company to provide products and services to its customers, whether further contract renewals are expected and if there is any incremental commission to be paid on a contract renewal. Contract acquisition and fulfillment costs are amortized using the straight-line method over the expected period of benefit (ranging from five to ten years). Costs to obtain a contract with an expected period of benefit of one year or less are recognized as an expense when incurred. The amortization of contract acquisition costs associated with sales commissions that qualify for capitalization will be recorded as selling expense in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income. The amortization of contract acquisition costs associated with cash payments for client incentives is included as a reduction of revenues in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income. For the year ended December 31, 2018, amortization of capitalized contract costs recorded in selling expense was $12 million.

Costs to obtain or fulfill a contract are classified as contract cost assets within "prepaid expenses and other current assets" and "other assets" in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of December 31, 2018, the Company had capitalized costs to obtain a contract of $12.7 million within prepaid expenses and $34.5 million within "other assets" in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets, respectively.

The Company has recorded $83.9 million, $96.9 million and $91.6 million of expenses related to sales of equipment within the processing expenses line of the Consolidated Statements of Income for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Practical Expedients

ASC 606 requires disclosure of the aggregate amount of the transaction price allocated to unsatisfied performance obligations; however, as allowed by ASC 606, the Company has elected to exclude this disclosure for any contracts with an original duration of one year or less and any variable consideration that meets specified criteria. As described above, the Company's most significant performance obligations consist of variable consideration under a stand-ready series of distinct days of service. Such variable consideration meets the specified criteria for the disclosure exclusion; therefore, the majority of the aggregate amount of transaction price that is allocated to performance obligations that have not yet been satisfied is variable consideration that is not required for this disclosure. The aggregate fixed consideration portion of customer contracts with an initial contract duration greater than one year is not material.

The Company has elected to exclude all sales taxes and other similar taxes from the transaction price. Accordingly, the Company presents all collections from customers for these taxes on a net basis, rather than having to assess whether the Company is acting as an agent or a principal in each taxing jurisdiction.

In certain arrangements with customers, the Company has determined that certain promised services and products are immaterial in the context of the contract, both quantitatively and qualitatively.

As a practical expedient, the Company is not required to adjust the promised amount of consideration for the effects of a significant financing component if the Company expects, at contract inception, that the period between when the Company transfers a promised service or product to a customer and when the customer pays for the service or product will be one year or less. As of December 31, 2018, the Company’s contracts with customers did not contain a significant financing component.

The Company adopted Topic 606 as of January 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective method for all contracts not completed as of the date of adoption. For contracts that were modified before the effective date, the Company utilized a practical expedient to consider the aggregate effect of all modifications when identifying performance obligations and allocating transaction price.

Pending Adoption of Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Adoption of Recently Issued Accounting Standards

From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB or other standards setting bodies that are adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise discussed, the Company’s management believes that the impact of recently issued standards that are not yet effective will not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements upon adoption.

Accounting for Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases”, which requires lessees to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet for leases. This ASU also requires disclosures to provide additional information about the amounts recorded in the financial statements. This ASU is effective for the Company for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018 and interim periods therein. On July 31, 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements”, which provides (1) an optional transition method that entities can use when adopting ASC 842 and (2) a practical expedient that permits lessors to not separate nonlease components from the associated lease component if certain conditions are met. Under this new transition method, an entity initially applies the new leases standard at the adoption date and recognizes a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. The Company will elect this transition method at the adoption date of January 1, 2019 and will not restate comparative periods. Prior comparative periods will be reported under ASC 840. The Company has elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within the new standard, which among other things, allows it to carryforward the historical lease classification. The Company expects to elect an accounting policy to use the short term lease exception and will not record a right-of-use-asset and lease liability on the balance sheet for leases with an initial term of 12 months or less. The Company will recognize those lease payments in the Consolidated Statements of Operations on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company has analyzed its lease portfolio, as well as its accounting policies and internal controls that will be impacted by the new guidance. The Company has also implemented lease accounting software to support the new reporting requirements. While certain adoption procedures are ongoing, including the discount rate determination and validating our completeness of the lease population, the Company does not believe the new standard will have a material impact on its consolidated statements of income or liquidity. The standard will have no impact on the Company's debt-covenant compliance under its current agreements. The Company is still in the process of finalizing the impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Accounting for Derivative Financial Instruments

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, "Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities", which amends the hedge accounting recognition and presentation requirements in ASC 815. The FASB issued accounting guidance to better align hedge accounting with a company’s risk management activities, simplify the application of hedge accounting and improve the disclosures of hedging arrangements. The guidance is effective for the Company for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted. The Company's adoption of this ASU is not expected to have a material impact on the results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows. The ASU should, however, simplify the Company's accounting for interest rate swap hedges.

In October 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-16, which amends ASC 2018-16, "Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Inclusion of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate, Overnight Index Swap Rate as a Benchmark Interest Rate for Hedge Accounting Purposes," which amends the hedge accounting to add overnight index swap rates based on the secured overnight financing rate as a fifth U.S. benchmark interest rate. The guidance is effective for the Company for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted. The Company's adoption of this ASU is not expected to have a material impact on the results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows.

Comprehensive Income Classification

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", that gives entities the option to reclassify to retained earnings tax effects related to items that have been stranded in accumulated other comprehensive income as a result of the Tax Act. An entity that elects to reclassify these amounts must reclassify stranded tax effects related to the Tax Act’s change in U.S. federal tax rate for all items accounted for in other comprehensive income. These entities can also elect to reclassify other stranded effects that relate to the Tax Act but do not directly relate to the change in the federal rate. For all entities, the guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted for periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued or made available for issuance. Entities can choose whether to apply the amendments retrospectively to each period in which the effect of the Tax Act is recognized or to apply the amendments in the period of adoption. The Company's adoption of this ASU is not expected to have a material impact on the results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows.

Non-Employee Share-Based Payments

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07, "Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Non-employee Share-Based Payment Accounting", that supersedes ASC 505-50 and expands the scope of ASC 718 to include all share-based payment arrangements related to the acquisition of goods and services from both non-employees and employees. Under the new guidance, the existing employee guidance will apply to non-employee share-based transactions (as long as the transaction is not effectively a form of financing), with the exception of specific guidance related to the attribution of compensation cost. The cost of non-employee awards will continue to be recorded as if the grantor had paid cash for the goods or services. In addition, the contractual term will be able to be used in lieu of an expected term in the option-pricing model for non-employee awards. The guidance is effective for the Company for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within that fiscal year. Early adoption is permitted, including in interim periods, but no earlier than an entity’s adoption of ASC 606. The Company's adoption of this ASU is not expected to have a material impact on the results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows.

Cloud Computing Arrangements

On August 29, 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", that provides guidance on implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement (CCA) that is a service contract. The ASU, which was released in response to a consensus reached by the EITF at its June 2018 meeting, aligns the accounting for such costs with the guidance on capitalizing costs associated with developing or obtaining internal-use software. Specifically, the ASU amends ASC 350 to include in its scope implementation costs of a CCA that is a service contract and clarifies that a customer should apply ASC 350-40 to determine which implementation costs should be capitalized in such a CCA. The guidance is effective for the Company for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, including in interim periods. The guidance should be applied either retrospectively or prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. The Company's adoption of this ASU is not expected to have a material impact on the results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows.

Fair Value Measurement

On August 28, 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, "Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement", which removes, modifies, and adds certain disclosure requirements related to fair value measurements in ASC 820. The guidance is effective for the Company for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. The guidance on changes in unrealized gains and losses, the range and weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to develop Level 3 fair value measurements, and the narrative description of measurement uncertainty should be applied prospectively for only the most recent interim or annual period presented in the initial fiscal year of adoption. All other guidance should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented upon their effective date. The Company is permitted to early adopt any removed or modified disclosures upon issuance of this guidance and delay adoption of the additional disclosures until their effective date. The Company's adoption of this ASU is not expected to have a material impact on its disclosures.

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", which changes how companies measure and recognize credit impairment for many financial assets. The new expected credit loss model will require companies to immediately recognize an estimate of credit losses expected to occur over the remaining life of the financial assets (including trade receivables) that are in the scope of the update. The update also made amendments to the current impairment model for held-to-maturity and available-for-sale debt securities and certain guarantees. The ASU is effective for the Company on January 1, 2020. Early adoption is permitted for periods beginning on or after January 1, 2019. The Company is evaluating the effect of ASU 2016-13 on its consolidated financial statements.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

Accounting for Breakage

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-04, “Liabilities-Extinguishments of Liabilities: Recognition of Breakage for Certain Prepaid Stored-Value Products”, which requires entities that sell prepaid stored value products redeemable for goods, services or cash at third-party merchants to derecognize liabilities related to those products for breakage. This ASU is effective for the Company for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The ASU must be adopted using either a modified retrospective approach with a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption or a full retrospective approach. The Company adopted this guidance on January 1, 2018, which did not have a material impact on the Company's results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows.

Cash Flow Classification

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, "Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments", which amends the guidance in ASC 230, Statement of Cash Flows. This amended guidance reduces the diversity in practice that has resulted from the lack of consistent principles related to the classification of certain cash receipts and payments in the statement of cash flows. This ASU is effective for the Company for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Entities must apply the guidance retrospectively to all periods presented but may apply it prospectively from the earliest date practicable if retrospective application would be impracticable. The Company adopted this new guidance on January 1, 2018. The adoption of this new guidance did not have a material impact on the results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, "Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash", which amends the guidance in ASC 230, Statement of Cash Flows, on the classification and presentation of restricted cash in the statement of cash flows. This ASU is effective for the Company for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and changes due to adoption are applied using a retrospective transition method to each period presented. The Company adopted this new guidance on January 1, 2018, and applied retrospectively to results for 2017. The adoption of Topic 230 resulted in the statement of cash flows presenting the changes in the total of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash.

Intangibles - Goodwill and Other Impairment

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, "Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment", which eliminates the requirement to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill (i.e., Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test) to measure a goodwill impairment charge. Instead, entities will record an impairment charge based on the excess of a reporting unit’s carrying amount over its fair value (i.e., measure the charge based on Step 1). The standard has tiered effective dates, starting in 2020 for calendar-year public business entities that meet the definition of an SEC filer. Early adoption is permitted for interim and annual goodwill impairment testing dates after January 1, 2017. The adoption of this ASU on January 1, 2018 did not have a material impact on the results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows.

Definition of a Business

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, "Clarifying the Definition of a Business", which amends the definition of a business to assist entities with evaluating when a set of transferred assets and activities is a business. The guidance requires an entity to evaluate if substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets. If so, the set of transferred assets and activities is not a business. The guidance also requires a business to include at least one substantive process and narrows the definition of outputs. The guidance is effective for the Company for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those years. The Company adopted this new guidance on January 1, 2018. The adoption of this new guidance did not have a material impact on the results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows.

Accounting for Modifications to Stock-Based Compensation

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, "Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting", which amends the scope of modification accounting for share-based payment arrangements. The ASU provides guidance on the types of changes to the terms or conditions of share-based payment awards to which an entity would be required to apply modification accounting under ASC 718. Specifically, an entity would not apply modification accounting if the fair value, vesting conditions and classification of the awards are the same immediately before and after the modification. The guidance is effective for the Company for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those years. The Company adopted this new guidance on January 1, 2018. The adoption of this new guidance did not have a material impact on the results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows.