BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements were prepared by the Company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and, in the opinion of management, include all normal and recurring adjustments necessary to present fairly the results of the interim periods shown. Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such SEC rules and regulations. Management believes that the disclosures made are adequate to make the information presented not misleading. As described below, as a result of the application of fresh start accounting and the effects of the implementation of the Company's Plan of Reorganization (as defined below), the consolidated financial statements after the Effective Date (as defined below), are not comparable with the consolidated financial statements on or before that date. Refer to Note 3, Fresh Start Accounting, for additional information. The financial statements contained herein should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s 2018 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. Also included in the consolidated financial statements are entities for which the Company has a controlling financial interest or is the primary beneficiary. Investments in companies in which the Company owns 20% to 50% of the voting common stock or otherwise exercises significant influence over operating and financial policies of the company are accounted for under the equity method. All significant intercompany transactions are eliminated in the consolidation process.

New Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted

New Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted

Leases

The Company adopted ASU No. 2016-02, which created ASC 842, Leases, and all subsequent ASUs relating to this Topic, as of January 1, 2019 (collectively, "ASC 842"). This new lease accounting standard, which supersedes previous lease accounting guidance under U.S. GAAP, results in significant changes to the balance sheets of lessees, most significantly by requiring the recognition of a right-of-use ("ROU") asset and lease liability by lessees for those leases classified as operating leases. Lessor accounting is also updated to align with certain changes in the lessee model and the revenue recognition standard ("ASC Topic 606"), which was adopted in 2018.

The Company applied the transition provisions of this standard at January 1, 2019 following the optional transition method provided by ASU No. 2018-11; consequently, the consolidated financial statements and notes to the consolidated financial statements for periods before the date of adoption continue to be presented in accordance with ASC Topic 840. In addition, the Company elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within the new standard, which allowed us to not reassess whether expired or existing contracts are or contain leases and to carry forward the historical lease classification for those leases that commenced prior to the date of adoption.

Upon adoption of ASC 842, prepaid and deferred rent balances, which were historically presented separately, were combined and presented net within the ROU asset. Additionally, deferred gains related to previous transactions that were historically accounted for as sale and operating leasebacks in accordance with ASC Topic 840 were eliminated and recognized as a cumulative-effect adjustment to equity, resulting in an increase to equity, net of tax, of $128.9 million. Under ASC Topic 840, such gains were recognized ratably over the lease term as a credit to operating lease expense, and operating lease expense for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 included credits of $1.3 million and $3.9 million, respectively, for the amortization of these gains, which were not recognized in any period after January 1, 2019.

Adoption of the new standard had a material impact on our consolidated balance sheets, but it did not have a material impact on our other consolidated financial statements. Additionally, the standard requires disclosures to meet the objective of enabling users of the financial statements to assess the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. Refer to Note 5, Revenue, and Note 6, Leases, for more information.

Intangible Assets and Goodwill

During the first quarter of 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350). This update eliminated the requirement to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill to measure a goodwill impairment charge. Entities are required to record an impairment charge based on the excess of a reporting unit's carrying amount over its fair value. The standard is effective for annual and any interim impairment tests performed for periods beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company early adopted the proposed guidance under ASU 2017-04 beginning on January 1, 2019 on a prospective basis. The implementation of ASU 2017-04 did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

During the third quarter of 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. This update requires that a customer in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract follow the internal use software guidance in Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 350-402 to determine which implementation costs to capitalize as assets. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company early adopted the proposed guidance under ASU 2018-15 beginning on January 1, 2019 on a prospective basis. The implementation of ASU 2018-15 did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.