Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Apr. 30, 2013

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Principles of consolidation

Principles of consolidation.  Our consolidated financial statements include the accounts of all subsidiaries in which we have a controlling financial interest. We use the equity method to account for investments in affiliates over which we can exercise significant influence (but not control). We carry all other investments in affiliates at cost. We eliminate all intercompany transactions.

Cash equivalents

Cash equivalents.  Cash equivalents include bank demand deposits and all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less.

Allowance for doubtful accounts

Allowance for doubtful accounts.  We evaluate the collectability of accounts receivable based on a combination of factors. When we are aware of circumstances that may impair a specific customer’s ability to meet its financial obligations, we record a specific allowance to reduce the net recognized receivable to the amount we believe will be collected. We write off the uncollectable amount against the allowance when we have exhausted our collection efforts.

Inventories

Inventories.  We state inventories at the lower of cost or market, with approximately 58% of consolidated inventories being valued using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method. We value the remainder primarily using the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. FIFO cost approximates current replacement cost. If we had used the FIFO method for all inventories, they would have been $213 and $209 higher than reported at April 30, 2012 and 2013, respectively.

Because we age most of our whiskeys in barrels for three to six years, we bottle and sell only a portion of our whiskey inventory each year. Following industry practice, we classify all barreled whiskey as a current asset. We include warehousing, insurance, ad valorem taxes, and other carrying charges applicable to barreled whiskey in inventory costs.

We classify bulk wine and agave inventories as work in process.

Property, plant, and equipment

Property, plant, and equipment.  We state property, plant, and equipment at cost less accumulated depreciation. We calculate depreciation on a straight-line basis using our estimates of useful life, which are 20–40 years for buildings and improvements; 3–10 years for machinery, equipment, vehicles, furniture, and fixtures; and 3–7 years for capitalized software.

We assess our property, plant, and equipment for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of those assets may not be recoverable. When we do not expect to recover the carrying value of an asset (or asset group) through undiscounted future cash flows, we write it down to its estimated fair value. We determine fair value using discounted estimated future cash flows, considering market values for similar assets when available.

When we retire or dispose of property, plant, and equipment, we remove its cost and accumulated depreciation from our balance sheet and reflect any gain or loss in operating income. We expense the costs of repairing and maintaining our property, plant, and equipment as we incur them.

Goodwill and other intangible assets

Goodwill and other intangible assets.  We have obtained most of our brands by acquiring other companies. Upon acquisition, the purchase price is first allocated to identifiable assets and liabilities, including intangible brand names and trademarks (“brand names”), based on estimated fair value, with any remaining purchase price recorded as goodwill. We do not amortize goodwill or intangible assets with indefinite lives. We consider all of our brand names to have indefinite lives.

We assess our goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment at least annually. If the fair value of an asset is less than its book value, we write it down to its estimated fair value. We evaluate goodwill for impairment if the book value of its reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value. We estimate the fair value of a reporting unit using discounted estimated future cash flows. We typically estimate the fair value of a brand name using the “relief from royalty” method. We also consider market values for similar assets when available. Considerable management judgment is necessary to estimate fair value, including the selection of assumptions about future cash flows, discount rates, and royalty rates.

Foreign currency translation

Foreign currency translation.  The U.S. dollar is the functional currency for most of our consolidated operations. For those operations, we report all gains and losses from foreign currency transactions in current income. The local currency is the functional currency for some foreign operations. For those investments, we report cumulative translation effects as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), a component of stockholders’ equity.

Revenue recognition

Revenue recognition.  We recognize revenue when title and risk of loss pass to the customer, typically when the product is shipped. Some sales contracts contain customer acceptance provisions that grant a right of return on the basis of either subjective or objective criteria. We record revenue net of estimated sales returns, allowances, and discounts.

Excise taxes

Excise taxes.  Our sales are subject to excise taxes, which we collect from our customers and remit to governmental authorities. We present these taxes on a gross basis (included in net sales and costs before gross profit) in the consolidated statement of operations.

Cost of sales

Cost of sales.  Cost of sales includes the costs of receiving, producing, inspecting, warehousing, insuring, and shipping goods sold during the period.

Shipping and handling fees and costs

Shipping and handling fees and costs.  We report the amounts we bill to our customers for shipping and handling as net sales, and we report the costs we incur for shipping and handling as cost of sales.

Advertising costs

Advertising costs.  We expense the costs of advertising during the year when the advertisements first take place.

Selling, general, and administrative expenses

Selling, general, and administrative expenses.  Selling, general, and administrative expenses include the costs associated with our sales force, administrative staff and facilities, and other expenses related to our non-manufacturing functions.

Income taxes

Income taxes.  We base our annual provision for income taxes on the pre-tax income reflected in our consolidated statement of operations. We establish deferred tax liabilities or assets for temporary differences between financial and tax reporting bases and subsequently adjust them to reflect changes in tax rates expected to be in effect when the temporary differences reverse. We record a valuation allowance as necessary to reduce a deferred tax to the amount that we believe is more likely than not to be realized. We do not provide deferred income taxes on undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries that we expect to permanently reinvest.

We assess our uncertain income tax positions using a two-step process. First, we evaluate whether the tax position will more likely than not, based on its technical merits, be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation. For a tax position that does not meet this first criterion, we recognize no tax benefit. For a tax position that does meet the first criterion, we recognize a tax benefit in an amount equal to the largest amount of benefit that we believe has more than a 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate resolution.

Earnings per share

Earnings per share.  We calculate basic earnings per share by dividing net income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share further includes the dilutive effect of stock-based compensation awards, including stock options, stock-settled stock appreciation rights, restricted stock units, deferred stock units, and shares of restricted stock. We calculate that dilutive effect using the “treasury stock method” (as defined by GAAP).

Some of the stock-based awards have non-forfeitable rights to dividends declared on common stock. As a result, those awards are considered participating securities in the calculation of earnings per share.

The following table presents information concerning basic and diluted earnings per share:

	2011			2012		2013
Basic and diluted net income	$	572		$	513	$	591
Income allocated to participating securities	(1		)	—		—
Net income available to common stockholders	$	571		$	513	$	591
Share data (in thousands):
Basic average common shares outstanding	218,405			214,529		213,369
Dilutive effect of stock-based awards	1,365			1,554		1,617
Diluted average common shares outstanding	219,770			216,083		214,986
Basic earnings per share	$	2.61		$	2.39	$	2.77
Diluted earnings per share	$	2.60		$	2.37	$	2.75

We excluded common stock-based awards for approximately 595,000 shares, 436,000 shares, and 398,000 shares from the calculation of diluted earnings per share for 2011, 2012, and 2013, respectively, because they were not dilutive for those periods under the treasury stock method.

We try to limit the source of shares for stock-based compensation awards to treasury shares that we purchase from time to time on the open market (at times in connection with a publicly announced share repurchase program), in private transactions, or otherwise. If we determine that the timing of such purchases may unduly affect the market price of the shares, the purchases may be spread over a period of time sufficient to minimize such effect. We may use newly-issued shares to cover exercises or redemptions of awards, and then purchase an equal number of shares on the open market or otherwise as quickly as is reasonably practicable thereafter. This practice minimizes long-term dilution to our stockholders.

Estimates

Estimates.  To prepare financial statements that conform with GAAP, our management must make informed estimates that affect how we report revenues, expenses, assets, and liabilities, including contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results could (and probably will) differ from these estimates.

Recent accounting pronouncements

Recent accounting pronouncements.  During fiscal 2013, we adopted new accounting guidance for the presentation of comprehensive income and for testing goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment. Our adoption of the new accounting guidance had no material impact on our financial statements.

New guidance for disclosures about offsetting assets and liabilities and for reporting amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income will become effective for us during fiscal 2014. We do not expect our adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on our financial statements.