Basis of Presentation

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for Quad/Graphics, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company” or “Quad”) have been prepared by the Company pursuant to the rules and regulations for interim financial information of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) have been omitted pursuant to such SEC rules and regulations. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated annual financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018, and notes thereto included in the Company’s latest Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 20, 2019.

The Company is subject to seasonality in its quarterly results as net sales and operating income are higher in the third and fourth quarters of the calendar year as compared to the first and second quarters. The fourth quarter is typically the highest seasonal quarter for cash flows from operating activities due to the reduction of working capital requirements that reach peak levels during the third quarter. Seasonality is driven by increased magazine advertising page counts, retail inserts and catalogs primarily due to back-to-school and holiday-related advertising and promotions. The Company expects this seasonality impact to continue in future years.

The financial information contained herein reflects all adjustments, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the Company’s results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018. All of these adjustments are of a normal recurring nature, except as otherwise noted. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include estimates and assumptions of management that affect the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Discontinued Operations

The results of operations of the Company’s United States Book business (“Book business”) have been reported as discontinued operations for all periods presented, in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 205-20 — Discontinued Operations. The corresponding current and long-term assets and liabilities of the Book business have been classified as held for sale in the condensed consolidated balance sheets in accordance with ASC 205-20 as of September 30, 2019, and December 31, 2018. The financial information pertaining to discontinued operations has been excluded from all relevant notes to the condensed consolidated financial statements, unless otherwise noted. See all required disclosures and further information in Note 4, “Discontinued Operations” for information about the Company’s intent to sell its Book business.

Leases

On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” (“ASU 2016-02”), which establishes a right-of-use model requiring a lessee to record a right-of-use asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than twelve months. Leases are classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition. The Company adopted ASU 2016-02 using the modified retrospective approach and applied the new guidance under Accounting Standards Codification 842 — Leases (“ASC 842”) to those contracts existing at, or entered into after, January 1, 2019. See Note 11, “Leases,” for additional accounting policy and transition disclosures.