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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include Zillow Group, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”).

For financial reporting and accounting purposes, Zillow was the acquirer of Trulia. The results presented in the consolidated financial statements and the notes to consolidated financial statements reflect those of Zillow prior to the completion of the acquisition of Trulia on February 17, 2015, and Trulia’s results of operations have been included prospectively after February 17, 2015.

On August 14, 2015, Zillow Group completed a stock dividend in the form of two shares of Class C capital stock for each share of Class A common stock and Class B common stock outstanding as of July 31, 2015. The stock dividend had the effect of a 3-for-1 stock split. All references made to share or per share amounts in the accompanying consolidated financial statements and applicable disclosures have been retroactively adjusted to reflect the stock split. See Note 12, Note 14 and Note 15 for additional information about the stock split effected in the form of a stock dividend.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates, judgments and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the related disclosures at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the periods presented. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those related to revenue recognition, website development costs, recoverability of long-lived assets and intangible assets with definite lives, share-based compensation, income taxes, business combinations, goodwill, and restructuring, among others. To the extent there are material differences between these estimates, judgments, or assumptions and actual results, our financial statements will be affected.

Reclassifications

Certain immaterial reclassifications have been made in the consolidated statements of operations and statements of cash flows to conform data for prior periods to the current format.

Concentrations of Credit Risk

Financial instruments, which potentially subject us to concentrations of credit risk, consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, investments and accounts receivable. We place cash and cash equivalents and investments with major financial institutions, which management assesses to be of high credit quality, in order to limit exposure of our investments.

 

Credit risk with respect to accounts receivable is dispersed due to the large number of customers. Further, our credit risk on accounts receivable is mitigated by the relatively short payment terms that we offer. Collateral is not required for accounts receivable. We maintain an allowance for doubtful accounts such that receivables are stated at net realizable value.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash includes demand deposits with banks or financial institutions. Cash equivalents include short-term, highly liquid investments that are both readily convertible to known amounts of cash, and so near their maturity that they present minimal risk of changes in value because of changes in interest rates. Our cash equivalents include only investments with original maturities of three months or less. We regularly maintain cash in excess of federally insured limits at financial institutions.

Restricted Cash

Restricted cash consists of certificates of deposit held as collateral in our name at a financial institution related to certain of our operating leases.

Investments

Our investments consist of fixed income securities, which include U.S. and foreign government agency securities, corporate notes and bonds, municipal securities, commercial paper and certificates of deposit, and are classified as available-for-sale securities beginning on January 1, 2015. As the investments are available to support current operations, our available-for-sale securities are classified as short-term investments. Available-for-sale securities are carried at fair value with unrealized gains and losses reported as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss in shareholders’ equity, while realized gains and losses and other-than-temporary impairments are reported as a component of net loss based on specific identification. An impairment charge is recorded in the consolidated statements of operations for declines in fair value below the cost of an individual investment that are deemed to be other than temporary. We assess whether a decline in value is temporary based on the length of time that the fair market value has been below cost, the severity of the decline and the intent and ability to hold or sell the investment. We did not identify any investments as other-than-temporarily impaired as of December 31, 2015 or December 31, 2014.

Prior to January 1, 2015 our investments were classified as held-to-maturity and were recorded at amortized cost (see Note 4).

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Accounts receivable are generally due within 30 days and are recorded net of the allowance for doubtful accounts. We consider accounts outstanding longer than the contractual terms past due. We review accounts receivable on a regular basis and estimate an amount of losses for uncollectible accounts based on our historical collections experience, age of the receivable, knowledge of the customer and the condition of the general economy and industry as a whole. We record changes in our estimate to the allowance for doubtful accounts through bad debt expense and relieve the allowance when accounts are ultimately determined to be uncollectible. Bad debt expense is included in general and administrative expenses.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment is recorded at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the related assets. The useful lives are as follows:

 

Computer equipment

   3 years

Purchased software

   3 years

Office equipment, furniture and fixtures

   5 to 7 years

Leasehold improvements

   Shorter of expected useful life or lease term

 

Maintenance and repair costs are charged to expense as incurred. Major improvements, which extend the useful life of the related asset, are capitalized. Upon disposal of a fixed asset, we record a gain or loss based on the differences between the proceeds received and the net book value of the disposed asset.

Website and Software Development Costs

The costs incurred in the preliminary stages of development are expensed as incurred. Once an application has reached the development stage, internal and external costs, if direct and incremental and deemed by management to be significant, are capitalized in property and equipment and amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives. Maintenance and enhancement costs, including those costs in the post-implementation stages, are typically expensed as incurred, unless such costs relate to substantial upgrades and enhancements to the website or software that result in added functionality, in which case the costs are capitalized and amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives. Amortization expense related to capitalized website and software development costs is included in technology and development expense.

Capitalized development activities placed in service are amortized over the expected useful lives of those releases, currently estimated at one year. The estimated useful lives of website and software development activities are reviewed frequently and adjusted as appropriate to reflect upcoming development activities that may include significant upgrades and/or enhancements to the existing functionality.

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of an acquired business over the fair value of the assets acquired at the date of acquisition. We assess the impairment of goodwill on an annual basis, in our fourth quarter, or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that goodwill may be impaired.

We assess goodwill for possible impairment by first performing a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of our reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If we determine that it is not more likely than not that the fair value of our reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, then the first and second steps of the goodwill impairment test are unnecessary. If we determine that it is more likely than not that the fair value of our reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, we perform the two-step goodwill impairment test. The first step of the goodwill impairment test identifies if there is potential goodwill impairment. If step one indicates that an impairment may exist, a second step is performed to measure the amount of the goodwill impairment, if any. Goodwill impairment exists when the estimated fair value of goodwill is less than its carrying value. If impairment exists, the carrying value of the goodwill is reduced to fair value through an impairment charge recorded in our statements of operations.

Intangible Assets

We purchase and license data content from multiple data providers. This data content consists of U.S. county data about home details (e.g., the number of bedrooms, bathrooms, square footage) and other information relating to the purchase price of homes, both current and historical, as well as imagery, mapping and parcel data that is displayed on our mobile applications and websites. Our home details data not only provides information about a home and its related transactions which is displayed on our mobile applications and websites, but is also used in our proprietary valuation algorithms to produce Zestimates, Rent Zestimates and Zillow Home Value Indexes. License agreement terms vary by vendor. In some instances, we retain perpetual rights to this information after the contract ends; in other instances, the information and data are licensed only during the fixed term of the agreement. Additionally, certain data license agreements provide for uneven payment amounts throughout the life of the contract term.

We capitalize payments made to third parties for data licenses that we expect to provide future economic benefit through the recovery of the costs of these arrangements via the generation of our revenue and margins. For data license contracts that include uneven payment amounts, we capitalize the payments as they are made as an intangible asset and amortize the total contract value over the estimated useful life. For contracts in which we have perpetual rights to the data, the total contract value is amortized on a straight-line basis over the life of the contract plus two years, which is equivalent to the estimated useful life of the asset. For contracts in which we do not have access to the data beyond the contractual term, the total contract value is amortized on a straight line basis over the term of the contract. We evaluate data content contracts for potential capitalization at the inception of the arrangement as well as each time periodic payments to third parties are made.

The amortization period for the capitalized purchased content is based on our best estimate of the useful life of the asset, which ranges from two to nine years. The determination of the useful life includes consideration of a variety of factors including, but not limited to, our assessment of the expected use of the asset and contractual provisions that may limit the useful life, as well as an assessment of when the data is expected to become obsolete based on our estimates of the diminishing value of the data over time. We evaluate the useful life of the capitalized purchased data content each reporting period to determine whether events and circumstances warrant a revision to the remaining useful life. If we determine the estimate of the asset’s useful life requires modification, the carrying amount of the asset is amortized prospectively over the revised useful life. The capitalized purchased data content is amortized on a straight-line basis as the pattern of delivery of the economic benefits of the data cannot reliably be determined because we do not have the ability to reliably predict future traffic to our websites and mobile applications.

Under certain other data agreements, the underlying data is obtained on a subscription basis with consistent monthly or quarterly recurring payment terms over the contractual period. Upon the expiration of such arrangements, we no longer have the right to access the related data, and therefore, the costs incurred under such contracts are not capitalized and are expensed as payments are made. We would immediately lose rights to data under these arrangements if we were to cancel the subscription and/or cease making payments under the subscription arrangements.

We also have intangible assets for developed technology, customer relationships, trade names and trademarks, advertising relationships and MLS home data feeds which we recorded in connection with acquisitions. Purchased intangible assets with a determinable economic life are carried at cost, less accumulated amortization. These intangible assets are amortized over the estimated useful life of the asset on a straight-line basis.

Recoverability of Intangible Assets with Definite Lives and Other Long-Lived Assets

We evaluate intangible assets and other long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that they may not be recoverable. Recoverability is measured by comparing the carrying amount of an asset group to future undiscounted net cash flows expected to be generated. We group assets for purposes of such review at the lowest level for which identifiable cash flows of the asset group are largely independent of the cash flows of the other groups of assets and liabilities. If this comparison indicates impairment, the amount of impairment to be recognized is calculated as the difference between the carrying value and the fair value of the asset group.

Deferred Revenue

Deferred revenue consists of prepaid advertising fees received or billed in advance of the delivery or completion of the services, prepaid but unrecognized subscription revenue, and for amounts received in instances when revenue recognition criteria have not been met. Deferred revenue is recognized when the services are provided and all revenue recognition criteria have been met.

Deferred Rent

For our operating leases, we recognize rent expense on a straight-line basis over the terms of the leases and, accordingly, we record the difference between cash rent payments and the recognition of rent expense as a deferred rent liability. For office space under an operating lease that is subleased to a third party for which we intend to reoccupy the space at a future date, rent expense is recognized net of sublease income. Landlord-funded leasehold improvements are also recorded as deferred rent liabilities and are amortized as a reduction of rent expense over the non-cancelable term of the related operating lease.

 

Restructuring

The main components of our restructuring plan related to the February 2015 acquisition of Trulia relate to workforce reduction and contract termination costs. Workforce reduction charges are accrued when it is probable that the employees are entitled to the severance payments and the amounts can be reasonably estimated. One-time involuntary termination benefits are accrued when the plan of termination has been communicated to the employees and certain other criteria are met. Share-based compensation expense related to acceleration of share-based awards assumed in connection with the acquisition of Trulia is recognized over the remaining requisite service period. Contract termination costs are recognized as a liability when a contract is terminated in accordance with its terms or at the cease-use date. The cumulative effect of a change resulting from a revision to either the timing or the amount of estimated cash flows is recognized as an adjustment to the liability in the period of the change. If the amounts and timing of cash flows from restructuring activities are significantly different from what we have estimated, the actual amount of restructuring and other related charges could be materially different than those we have recorded. Further details on the restructuring are presented in Note 18 of these consolidated financial statements.

Business Combinations

We recognize identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed at their acquisition date fair values. Goodwill as of the acquisition date is measured as the excess of consideration transferred over the net of the acquisition date fair values of the assets acquired and the liabilities assumed. While we use our best estimates and assumptions for the purchase price allocation process to value assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the acquisition date, our estimates are inherently uncertain and subject to refinement. As a result, during the measurement period, which may be up to one year from the acquisition date, we record adjustments to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed, with the corresponding offset to goodwill to the extent that we identify adjustments to the preliminary purchase price allocation. Upon the conclusion of the measurement period or final determination of the values of assets acquired or liabilities assumed, whichever comes first, any subsequent adjustments are recorded to our consolidated statements of operations. We recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. Further details on the February 2015 acquisition of Trulia and the August 2015 acquisition of DotLoop, Inc. are presented in Note 7 of these consolidated financial statements.

Revenue Recognition

In general, we recognize revenue when (i) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, (ii) delivery has occurred or services have been rendered to the customer, (iii) the fee is fixed or determinable, and (iv) collectability is reasonably assured. We consider a signed agreement, a binding insertion order or other similar documentation reflecting the terms and conditions under which products or services will be provided to be persuasive evidence of an arrangement. Collectability is assessed based on a number of factors, including payment history and the creditworthiness of a customer. If it is determined that collection is not reasonably assured, revenue is not recognized until collection becomes reasonably assured, which is generally upon receipt of cash.

We generate revenue from the sale of advertising services and our suite of tools to businesses and professionals primarily associated with the real estate and mortgage industries. These professionals include local real estate professionals, mortgage professionals and brand advertisers. Our two revenue categories are marketplace revenue and display revenue. Incremental direct costs incurred related to the acquisition or origination of a customer contract in a transaction that results in the deferral of revenue are expensed as incurred.

Marketplace Revenue. Marketplace revenue consists of real estate, mortgages, and Market Leader revenue. Market Leader revenue is included in our results of operations from February 17, 2015 through the date of divestiture of September 30, 2015 (see Note 8).

 

Real estate revenue primarily includes revenue from advertising and a suite of tools sold to real estate professionals, as well as revenue generated by Zillow Group Rentals, which includes our rentals marketplace and suite of tools for rental professionals.

In August 2015, Zillow Group completed the integration of certain Zillow and Trulia agent advertising products, effectively eliminating the Trulia Local Ads and Trulia Mobile Ads products. As a result of the integration, Agent Advertisers can manage their advertising across both Zillow and Trulia mobile and Web through the combined Premier Agent platform.

Our Zillow Premier Agent program, which is included in real estate revenue, offers a suite of marketing and business technology solutions to help real estate agents grow their businesses and personal brands. The Premier Agent program allows agents to select products and services that they can tailor to meet their business and advertising needs. The program has three tiers of participation including Premier Platinum, our flagship product, as well as Premier Gold and Premier Silver, to meet different marketing and business needs of a broad range of agents. All tiers of Premier Agents receive access to a dashboard portal on our website that provides individualized program performance analytics, as well as our personalized website service, and our free customer relationship management, or CRM, tool that captures detailed information about each contact made with a Premier Agent through our mobile and web platforms. Our Premier Gold product also includes featured listings whereby the agent’s listings will appear at the top of search results on our mobile and web platforms. Our Premier Platinum product includes the dashboard portal on our website, our personalized website service, our CRM tool, featured listings, and inclusion on our buyer’s agent list, whereby the agent appears as the agent to contact for listings in the purchased zip code. We charge for our Platinum Premier Agent product based on the number of impressions delivered on our buyer’s agent list in zip codes purchased and a contracted maximum cost per impression. Our Platinum Premier Agent product includes multiple deliverables which are accounted for as a single unit of accounting, as the delivery or performance of the undelivered elements is based on traffic to our mobile applications and websites. We recognize revenue related to our impression-based Platinum Premier Agent product based on the lesser of (i) the actual number of impressions delivered on our buyer’s agent list during the period multiplied by the contracted maximum cost per impression, or (ii) the contractual maximum spend on a straight-line basis during the contractual period over which the services are delivered, typically over a period of six months or twelve months and then month-to-month thereafter. We charge a fixed subscription fee for Zillow’s Premier Gold and Premier Silver subscription products. Subscription advertising revenue for our Premier Gold and Premier Silver subscription products is recognized on a straight-line basis during the contractual period over which the services are delivered, typically over a period of six months and then month-to-month thereafter.

Our Trulia real estate products included in real estate revenue are primarily sold on a fixed fee subscription basis, and include Trulia Local Ads, Trulia Mobile Ads, Trulia Pro with featured listings and Trulia Seller Ads. Prior to the August 2015 integration of certain of Zillow’s and Trulia’s advertising products, Trulia Local Ads and Trulia Mobile Ads enabled real estate professionals to promote themselves on Trulia’s search results pages and property details pages for a local market area. Real estate professionals purchased subscriptions to these products based upon their specified market share for a city or zip code, at a fixed monthly price, for periods ranging from one month to one year, with pricing depending on demand, location, and the percentage of market share purchased. Following the August 2015 agent advertising product integration, Trulia Local Ads and Trulia Mobile Ads products are no longer sold by Zillow Group. Trulia’s featured listings product allows real estate professionals to receive prominent placement of their listings in Trulia’s search results. Real estate professionals sign up for new subscriptions to this product at a fixed monthly price for periods that generally range from six months to 12 months. Trulia Seller Ads enable real estate professionals to generate leads from consumers interested in selling their homes. Subscription advertising revenue for Trulia’s real estate products included in real estate revenue is recognized on a straight-line basis during the contractual period over which the services are delivered.

Rentals revenue, which is included in real estate revenue, primarily includes advertising sold to property managers and other rental professionals on a cost per lead and cost per lease generated basis. We recognize revenue as leads are delivered to rental professionals or as qualified leases are confirmed.

 

Mortgages revenue primarily includes advertising sold to mortgage lenders and other mortgage professionals on a cost per lead basis, as well as revenue generated by Mortech, which provides subscription-based mortgage software solutions, including a product and pricing engine and lead management platform, for which we recognize revenue on a straight-line basis during the contractual period over which the services are delivered. For our cost per lead mortgage advertising products, participating qualified mortgage professionals make a prepayment to gain access to consumers interested in connecting with mortgage professionals. Consumers who request rates for mortgage loans are presented with personalized quotes from participating mortgage professionals. We only charge mortgage professionals a fee when users contact mortgage professionals for more information regarding a mortgage loan quote. Mortgage professionals who exhaust their initial prepayment can then prepay additional funds to continue to participate in the marketplace. We recognize revenue when a user contacts a mortgage professional through Zillow Group’s mortgages platform.

Market Leader revenue primarily includes revenue from the sale of a comprehensive premium software-as-a-service based marketing product typically sold to real estate professionals as a bundle of products under a fixed fee subscription. Market Leader revenue is included in our results of operations from February 17, 2015 through the date of divestiture of September 30, 2015 (see Note 8).

Display Revenue. Display revenue primarily consists of graphical mobile and web advertising sold on a cost per thousand impressions (“CPM”) or cost-per-click (“CPC”) basis to advertisers promoting their brands on our mobile applications and websites and our partner websites, primarily in the real estate industry, including real estate brokerages, home builders, mortgage professionals and home services providers. Our advertising customers also include telecommunications, automotive, insurance and consumer products companies. Impressions are the number of times an advertisement is loaded on a web page and clicks are the number of times users click on an advertisement. Pricing is primarily based on advertisement size and position on our mobile applications and websites, and fees are generally billed monthly. We recognize display revenue as clicks occur or as impressions are delivered to users interacting with our mobile applications or websites.

There were no customers that generated 10% or more of our total revenue in the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 or 2013.

Cost of Revenue

Our cost of revenue consists of expenses related to operating our mobile applications and websites, including associated headcount expenses, such as salaries and benefits and share-based compensation expense and bonuses, as well as credit card fees, ad serving costs paid to third parties, revenue-sharing costs related to our commercial business relationships, costs to generate leads for customers, multiple listing services fees and costs associated with the operation of our data center and customer websites.

Technology and Development

Research and development costs are expensed as incurred and are recorded in technology and development expenses. These costs consist primarily of technology and development headcount related expenses including salaries, bonuses, benefits and share-based compensation expense primarily associated with developing new technologies. For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, expenses attributable to research and development for our business totaled $163.8 million, $72.9 million and $41.7 million, respectively. Technology and development expenses also include amortization of intangible assets, including acquired intangible assets, purchased content and capitalized website development costs, and other data content expense.

Share-Based Compensation

We measure compensation expense for all share-based awards at fair value on the date of grant and recognize compensation expense over the service period on a straight-line basis for awards expected to vest.

 

We use the Black-Scholes-Merton option-pricing model to determine the fair value for option awards. In valuing our option awards, we make assumptions about risk-free interest rates, dividend yields, volatility, and weighted-average expected lives, including estimated forfeiture rates. Risk-free interest rates are derived from U.S. Treasury securities as of the option award grant date. Expected dividend yield is based on our historical cash dividend payments, which have been zero to date. The expected volatility for our Class A common stock and Class C capital stock is estimated using a combination of our historical volatility and the published historical volatilities of industry peers in the online publishing market representing the verticals in which we operate. Through June 30, 2015, we estimated the weighted-average expected life of the option awards as the average of the option vesting schedule and the term of the award, since we did not have sufficient historical exercise data to provide a reasonable basis upon which to estimate expected term due to the limited period of time share-based awards had been exercisable. Beginning July 1, 2015, we estimate the weighted-average expected life of the option awards based on our historical exercise data. Forfeiture rates are estimated using historical actual forfeiture trends as well as our judgment of future forfeitures. These rates are evaluated at least quarterly and any change in compensation expense is recognized in the period of the change. The estimation of option awards that will ultimately vest requires judgment, and to the extent actual results or updated estimates differ from our current estimates, such amounts will be recorded as a cumulative adjustment in the period the estimates are revised. We consider many factors when estimating expected forfeitures, including employee class and historical experience. Actual results, and future changes in estimates, may differ substantially from management’s current estimates.

For issuances of restricted stock awards, restricted stock units and restricted units, we determine the fair value of the award based on the market value of our Class A common stock or Class C capital stock at the date of grant.

Advertising Costs

Advertising costs are expensed as incurred. For the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, expenses attributable to advertising totaled $103.4 million, $73.1 million and $38.7 million, respectively. Advertising costs are recorded in sales and marketing expenses.

Income Taxes

We use the asset and liability approach for accounting and reporting income taxes, which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities at the applicable enacted tax rates. A valuation allowance against deferred tax assets would be established if, based on the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not (a likelihood of more than 50%) that some or all of the deferred tax assets are not expected to be realized.

We establish reserves for tax-related uncertainties based on estimates of whether, and the extent to which, additional taxes will be due. We adjust these reserves in light of changing facts and circumstances, such as the closing of a tax audit, new tax legislation or the change of an estimate. To the extent that the final tax outcome of these matters is different than the amounts recorded, such differences will affect the provision for income taxes in the period in which such determination is made. Interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits are recorded as income tax expense.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In November 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance on the balance sheet classification of deferred taxes. This standard requires that deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position. This guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and early adoption is permitted. We adopted this guidance for the year ended December 31, 2015 on a retrospective basis. The adoption of this guidance has not had a material impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows, and did not have any effect on prior periods due to the full valuation allowance against our net deferred tax assets.

In September 2015, the FASB issued guidance on simplifying the accounting for measurement-period adjustments in business combinations. This standard requires that an acquirer recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. This guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and early adoption is permitted. We adopted this guidance for the year ended December 31, 2015. The adoption of this guidance has not had a material impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In April 2015, the FASB issued guidance related to a customer’s accounting for fees paid in a cloud computing arrangement. This standard provides guidance to customers about whether a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license. If a cloud computing arrangement includes a software license, then the customer should account for the software license element of the arrangement consistent with the acquisition of other software licenses. If a cloud computing arrangement does not include a software license, the customer should account for the arrangement as a service contract. This guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015, and early adoption is permitted. We adopted this guidance on January 1, 2016. The adoption of this guidance has not had a material impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In August 2014, the FASB issued guidance on the disclosure of uncertainties about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern. This standard provides guidance about management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods ending after December 15, 2016, and early adoption is permitted. We expect to adopt this guidance on January 1, 2017. We do not expect the adoption of this guidance to have any impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In May 2014, the FASB issued guidance on revenue recognition. This guidance provides that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised 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 or services. This guidance also requires more detailed disclosures to enable users of financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. The original effective date of this guidance was for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, early adoption is not permitted, and the guidance must be applied retrospectively or modified retrospectively. In July 2015, the FASB approved an optional one-year deferral of the effective date. As a result, we expect to adopt this guidance on January 1, 2018. We have not yet determined our approach to adoption or the impact the adoption of this guidance will have on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows, if any.

In April 2014, the FASB issued guidance on reporting discontinued operations and disclosures of disposals of components of an entity. This standard raises the threshold for a disposal to qualify as a discontinued operation and requires new disclosures of both discontinued operations and certain other disposals that do not meet the definition of a discontinued operation. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods ending after December 15, 2014. Early adoption is permitted but only for disposals that have not been reported in financial statements previously issued. We adopted this guidance on January 1, 2015. The adoption of this guidance has not had a material impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.