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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Revenue Recognition and Deferred Revenue

The Company generates substantially all of its revenue from the sale of subscriptions to its survey software products including subscriptions to its purpose-built solutions. The revenue the Company generates from one purpose-built solution that is delivered and recognized at a point in time is not significant. The Company normally sells each of these products in separate contracts to its customers and each product, including purpose-built solutions, is distinct. The Company’s policy is to exclude sales and other indirect taxes when measuring the transaction price of its subscription agreements. The Company accounts for revenue contracts with customers through the following steps:

 

Identification of the contract, or contracts, with a customer;

 

Identification of the performance obligations in the contract;

 

Determination of the transaction price;

 

Allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; and

 

Recognition of revenue when, or as, the Company satisfies a performance obligation.

For subscription products, the Company provides customers the option of monthly, annual or multi-year contractual terms. In general, the Company’s customers elect contractual terms of one year or less. Subscription revenue is recognized on a daily basis ratably over the related subscription term beginning on the date the Company provides access to its survey product. Access to the Company’s subscription product is an obligation representing a series of distinct services (and which comprise a single performance obligation) that the Company provides to its end customer over the subscription term. The Company recognizes the majority of its revenue ratably because the customer benefits from access to the Company’s subscription products throughout the subscription term.

The Company generally invoices its customers at the beginning of the term on a monthly or annual basis. The Company's contracts are generally non-cancellable and do not contain refund-type provisions. The Company’s contracts do not contain a significant amount of variable consideration as the price of its subscription offerings are generally fixed at contract inception. Based on the invoicing structure and related subscription term, the Company determined its contracts do not contain a financing component. The Company applied the practical expedient provided by ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, (“ASC 606”) and did not evaluate contracts of one year or less for the existence of a significant financing component. Amounts that have been invoiced are recorded in accounts receivable and in deferred revenue or revenue, depending on whether transfer of control to customers has occurred.

The Company records contract liabilities to deferred revenue when cash payments are received or due. Deferred revenue consists of the unearned portion of customer billings.

The Company recognized into revenue $101.1 million, $83.3 million and $76.4 million during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, that was included in the deferred revenue balances at the beginning of each respective period.

As of December 31, 2019, future estimated revenue related to performance obligations that are unsatisfied or partially unsatisfied at the end of the reporting period was $160.7 million. The substantial majority of the unsatisfied performance obligations are non-cancelable and will be satisfied over the next twelve months.

Deferred Commissions

Certain commissions earned by the Company’s salesforce are considered to be incremental and recoverable costs of obtaining a contract with a customer. Such costs are deferred and amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated period of benefit which is generally estimated as four years. The period of benefit was estimated by considering factors such as historical customer attrition rates, the useful life of the Company’s technology, and the impact of competition in its industry. Amortization of deferred commissions, included in sales and marketing expense line within the statements of operations was $2.7 million, $1.6 million and $1.0 million during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017 respectively. There was no impairment loss in relation to the deferred commissions for any period presented.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company recognizes stock-based compensation expense for all share-based payments to employees based on the grant-date fair value of the Company’s common stock estimated in accordance with the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation‑Stock Compensation. For time-based equity awards, stock-based compensation expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the award’s requisite service period, which is generally four years for new hires and generally three years for subsequent grants to existing employees. For shares issuable under the Company’s 2018 employee stock purchase plan, as amended (“the ESPP”), stock-based compensation expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the award’s requisite service period, which is an offering period. The Company recognizes excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation expense in earnings, which are substantially offset by a valuation allowance. The Company made a policy election to account for forfeitures as they occur. The Company determines the fair value of equity awards as follows:

Stock Options and ESPP: The Company estimates the fair values of its stock options and shares issuable under the ESPP using the Black-Scholes-Merton option-pricing model for stock options granted at-the-money and ESPP shares issuable and Lattice-Binomial option valuation model for out-of-the-money stock option grants. The aforementioned valuation models require the input of the following key assumptions:

 

Expected Term: As the Company does not have sufficient historical information to develop reasonable expectations about future exercise patterns and post-vesting employment termination behavior, the Company determines the expected term based on the average period the stock options or shares issuable under the ESPP are expected to remain outstanding. For awards granted at the money, the expected term for stock options is generally calculated as the midpoint of the applicable vesting term and contractual expiration. For awards granted out-of-the-money, the expected term was the midpoint of the stock options vesting term and contractual expiration adjusted to also consider the estimated period for those options to become in-the-money. For shares issuable under the ESPP, the expected term is the applicable purchase periods within an offering period.

 

Expected Volatility: As the Company does not have sufficient trading history of its common stock, stock price volatility is estimated at the applicable grant date by taking the weighted-average historical volatility of a group of comparable publicly-traded companies over a period equal to the expected life of the options.

 

Expected Dividend Rate: The Company has not paid and does not anticipate paying cash dividends on its shares of common stock in the foreseeable future; therefore, the expected dividend yield is assumed to be zero.

 

Risk-Free Interest Rate: The Company determined the risk-free interest rate by using a weighted average assumption equivalent to the expected term based on the U.S. Treasury constant maturity rate as of the date of grant.

On September 28, 2018, the Company completed its IPO. Due to the absence of an active market for the Company’s common stock prior to its IPO, the Company obtained third-party valuations (prepared contemporaneously in connection with grants of share-based payments made prior to the Company’s IPO) to estimate the fair value of its common stock for purposes of measuring stock-based compensation expense to be recognized. The third-party valuations were prepared using methodologies, approaches, and assumptions consistent with the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (“AICPA”) Accounting & Valuation Guide, Valuation of Privately-Held-Company Equity Securities Issued as Compensation.

For valuations subsequent to the Company’s IPO, its board of directors determines the fair value of each share of underlying common stock based on the closing price of the Company’s common stock as reported on the date of the grant.

Restricted Stock Units and Restricted Stock Awards: The fair value of the restricted stock units (including those that are performance-based) and restricted stock awards was determined based on the fair value of the Company’s common stock on the grant date.

Beginning in the second quarter of 2015, the Company granted performance-based restricted stock units (“Performance RSUs”) that vest upon the satisfaction of both a service condition and a Performance Vesting Condition. The Performance Vesting Condition occurred upon the effectiveness of the registration statement for the Company's IPO, which was September 25, 2018. As a result, the Company recognized the cumulative amount of unrecognized stock-based compensation expense of $89.9 million for services already rendered using the accelerated attribution method. As of December 31, 2019, the remaining unamortized stock-based compensation related to these awards was $6.2 million, which the Company expects to recognize on an accelerated basis over the remaining weighted-average requisite service periods of 1.1 years (see Note 7 for additional discussion).

Business Combinations

When the Company acquires a business, the purchase consideration is allocated to the tangible assets acquired, liabilities assumed, and intangible assets acquired based on their estimated respective fair values. The excess of the fair value of purchase consideration over the fair values of these identifiable assets and liabilities is recorded as goodwill. Such valuations require the Company to make significant estimates and assumptions, especially with respect to intangible assets. Significant estimates in valuing certain intangible assets include, but are not limited to, future expected cash flows from acquired users including related attrition rates, acquired developed technology including the estimated obsolescence of the technology, and trade names from a market participant perspective, future expected cash flows for operating expenses, useful lives and discount rates. The Company’s estimates of fair value are based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable, but which are inherently uncertain and unpredictable and, as a result, actual results may differ from estimates. During the measurement period, which is one year from the acquisition date, the Company may record adjustments to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed, with the corresponding offset to goodwill. Upon the conclusion of the measurement period, any subsequent adjustments are recorded to non-operating (income) expense in the consolidated statements of operations.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Long-lived assets with finite lives include property and equipment, capitalized internal-use software and acquisition intangible assets. Long-lived assets are depreciated or amortized over their estimated useful lives which are as follows:

 

Building

 

40 years

Computer equipment

 

2 to 5 years

Furniture, fixtures, and other assets

 

5 years

Leasehold improvements

 

Shorter of remaining lease term or 5 years

Purchased software

 

3 years

Capitalized internal-use software

 

3 years

Acquisition intangible assets: customer relationships

 

3 to 7 years

Acquisition intangible assets: trade name

 

5 to 10 years

Acquisition intangible assets: developed technology

 

3 to 8 years

 

The Company continually evaluates whether events and circumstances have occurred that indicate the remaining estimated useful life of depreciable or amortizable long-lived assets may warrant revision or that the remaining balance may not be recoverable. When factors indicate that long-lived assets should be evaluated for possible impairment, the Company uses an estimate of the related undiscounted future cash flows over the remaining life of the long-lived assets in measuring whether they are recoverable. If the estimated undiscounted future cash flows do not exceed the carrying value of the asset, a loss is recorded as the excess of the asset’s carrying value over its fair value. The Company did not recognize any impairment of long-lived assets during the years ended December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2017. As further discussed in Note 14 below, during the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company impaired $2.8 million of leasehold improvements. The Company believes that the carrying values of long-lived assets as of December 31, 2019 are recoverable.

Goodwill is not amortized but rather tested for impairment at least annually, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that goodwill may be impaired. Goodwill impairment is recognized when the carrying value of goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of the Company. The Company did not recognize any impairment of goodwill during each of the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017.

Foreign Currencies

Where the functional currency of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries is the U.S. dollar, monetary assets and liabilities are remeasured using foreign currency exchange rates at the end of the period, and non-monetary assets are remeasured based on historical exchange rates. Gains and losses due to foreign currency are the result of either the remeasurement of subsidiary balances or transactions denominated in currencies other than the foreign subsidiaries’ functional currency and are included in other non-operating (income) expense, net in the statements of operations.

Where the functional currency of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries is the local currency, the assets and liabilities of those foreign subsidiaries are translated from their respective functional currencies into U.S. dollars at the rates in effect at the balance sheet date and revenue and expense amounts are translated at a rate approximating the average exchange rate for the period. Foreign currency translation gains and losses are recorded to accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).

Concentration of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash, cash equivalents and accounts receivable. The Company places its cash and cash equivalents in banks, primarily in checking accounts and such amounts may at times exceed the federally insured limits. Cash equivalents consist of short-term money market funds (for which the Company had none in any of the periods presented), which are managed by reputable financial institutions. For purposes of its customer concentration disclosure, the Company defines a customer as an organization. An organization may consist of an individual paying user, multiple paying users within an organization or the organization itself. No single customer accounted for more than 10% of revenue during each of the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017. No customers accounted for more than 10% of accounts receivable, net as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company applies the provisions of ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement, to assets and liabilities that are required to be measured at fair value, which include investments in marketable debt and equity securities and derivative financial instruments.

Securities are classified as available for sale and are carried at fair value, with the change in unrealized gains and losses, net of tax, reported as a separate component on the consolidated statements of comprehensive income until realized.

See Note 4 for additional disclosures regarding fair value measurements.

Private Company Investments

The Company accounts for private company investments, without readily determinable fair values, either under the equity or the cost method. Investments through which the Company exercises significant influence but does not have control over the investee are accounted for under the equity method. Investments through which the Company is not able to exercise significant influence over the investee are measured and accounted for using an alternative measurement basis of a) the carrying value of a security at cost, b) less any impairment and c) plus or minus any qualifying observable price changes (with a same or similar security from the same issuer). These securities were previously accounted for using the cost method of accounting, measured at cost less other-than-temporary impairment. If an observable price change or impairment is recognized on the Company’s private company investments, such investments would then be classified as a Level 3 financial instrument within the fair value hierarchy based on the nature of the fair value inputs. The Company classifies private company investments as other assets on the consolidated balance sheets as those investments do not have stated contractual maturity dates. Any adjustments to the carrying value are recognized in other non-operating (income) expense, net in the consolidated statements of operations. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, the carrying value of the Company’s private company investment at cost was $3.6 million. There were no impairments or observable price changes for the Company’s private company investment during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Impairment of Investments

The Company periodically reviews its investments for impairment. If the Company concludes that any of these investments are impaired, the Company determines whether such impairment is other-than-temporary. Factors considered to make such determination include the duration and severity of the impairment, the reason for the decline in value and the potential recovery period and the Company’s intent to sell. For debt securities, the Company also considers whether (1) it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis, and (2) the amortized cost basis cannot be recovered as a result of credit losses. If the investment is considered to be other-than-temporarily impaired, the Company will record the investment at fair value by recognizing an impairment within other non-operating (income) expense in the consolidated statements of operations and establishing a new carrying value for the investment.

Derivative Financial Instruments

From time to time, the Company may use derivative financial instruments consisting of interest rate swaps to manage cash flow exposure under its credit facilities and accounts for such derivative financial instruments in accordance with ASC 815, Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities. The Company recognizes its derivative financial instruments as an asset or liability in the consolidated balance sheets at fair value, if material. The Company did not have any material amount of derivative financial instruments during each of the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents primarily consist of cash on deposit with banks and investments in money market funds (for which the Company had none in any of the periods presented) with maturities of 90 days or less from the date of purchase. The Company also classifies amounts in transit from payment processors for customer credit card and debit card transactions as cash equivalents, because such amounts generally convert to cash within five days with little or no default risk.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable are customer obligations that arise due to the time taken to settle transactions through direct customer payments. The Company bills in advance for monthly contracts and generally bills annually in advance for contracts with terms of one year or longer when it has an unconditional contractual right to consideration. The Company also recognizes an immaterial amount of contract assets, or unbilled receivables, primarily relating to rights to consideration for services completed but not billed at the reporting date. Unbilled receivables are classified as receivables when the Company has the right to invoice the customer.

The Company records an allowance for doubtful accounts based upon its assessment of various factors including the Company’s historical experience, the age of a customers’ accounts receivable balance, a customers’ credit quality, current economic conditions, historical bad debt expense trends and other factors that may affect a customers’ ability to pay to determine the level of allowance required. Amounts deemed uncollectible are recorded to the allowance for doubtful accounts with an offsetting charge in the statements of operations.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment, excluding buildings capitalized under build-to-suit lease arrangements which are discussed below, are recorded at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Expenditures that improve an asset or extend its estimated useful life are capitalized. Costs of maintenance and repairs that do not improve or extend the lives of the respective assets are expensed as incurred.

Capitalized Internal-Use Software and Website Development Costs

The Company incurs development costs relating to its online survey platform as well as other software solely for internal-use. Costs relating to the planning and post‑implementation phases of development are expensed as incurred. Costs incurred in the development phase are capitalized and included in capitalized internal-use software, net and amortized over their estimated useful life, generally three years. Maintenance and training costs are expensed as incurred.

Leases

At contract inception, the Company performs an evaluation to determine if it is conveyed the right to control the use of identified property, plant or equipment. To the extent such rights of control are conveyed, the Company further makes an assessment as to the applicable lease classification. The Company leases facilities, datacenters and equipment, which are generally accounted for as operating leases (as further described in Note 8).

Lease accounting subsequent to the adoption of ASC 842

Operating leases are included in operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets, operating lease liabilities, current, and operating lease liabilities, non-current, in the consolidated balance sheet. ROU assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the Company’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating ROU assets and lease liabilities are recognized at the lease

inception date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term discounted based on the more readily determinable of (i) the rate implicit in the lease or (ii) the Company’s incremental borrowing rate (which is the estimated rate the Company would be required to pay for a collateralized borrowing equal to the total lease payments over the term of the lease). Because the Company’s operating leases generally do not provide an implicit rate, an analysis of publicly traded debt securities of companies with credit and financial profiles similar to the Company’s is used to estimate the incremental borrowing rate. The Company’s operating lease terms have generally ranged between 1 year to 12 years and may include options to extend the lease term, generally at market rates. The Company’s ROU assets are measured based on the corresponding operating lease liability adjusted for (i) payments made to the lessor at or before the commencement date, (ii) initial direct costs incurred and (iii) tenant incentives under the lease. The Company does not assume renewals or early terminations unless it is reasonably certain to exercise these options at commencement. The Company does not allocate consideration between lease and non-lease components. Lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

For short-term leases, the Company records lease expense in its consolidated statements of operations on a straight-line basis over the lease term and records variable lease payments as incurred.

Lease accounting prior to the adoption of ASC 842

Except for the Company’s San Mateo building lease which was accounted for as a build-to-suit lease, the Company leased facilities, datacenters, and equipment which were accounted for as operating leases. Rent escalations and concession provisions were considered in determining the total estimated lease expense to be incurred and which was recognized over the lease term on a straight-line basis. The Company recorded the difference between the rent paid and the straight-line rent as a deferred rent liability in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. As of December 31, 2018, the deferred rent balance was $7.5 million ($0.3 million included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities and $7.2 million in other non-current liabilities).

For certain build-to-suit lease arrangements, including the San Mateo building lease, the Company was deemed to be the building owner during the construction period for accounting purposes. As a result, the Company recorded an asset and liability for estimated construction costs incurred under a build-to-suit lease arrangement where the Company was involved in the construction of structural improvements or took construction risk prior to commencement of the lease.

Subleases

The Company additionally had entered into subleases for unoccupied leased office space. To the extent there were losses associated with the sublease, they were recognized in the period the sublease is executed. Gains are recognized over the sublease term. Any sublease payments received in excess of the straight-line rent payments for the sublease were recorded in other non-operating (income) expense. The Company’s sublease agreements do not contain any variable payments, material residual value guarantees or material restrictive covenants.

Legal and Other Contingencies

The Company accrues a liability for either claims arising in the ordinary course of business, assessments resulting from non-income-based audits or litigation when it is probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount is reasonably estimable, the determination of which requires significant judgment. See Note 9 for additional information pertaining to legal and other contingencies.

Liability for Sabbatical Leave

The Company provides a sabbatical leave program to its employees whereby the Company’s full-time employees are eligible for four weeks of paid time-off after four years of continuous service. The Company accounts for sabbatical leaves in accordance with ASC 710, Compensated Absences. As of December 31, 2019, the accrued balance was $3.8 million ($1.7 million included in accrued compensation and $2.1 million in other non-current liabilities). As of December 31, 2018, the accrued balance was $4.4 million ($2.3 million included in accrued compensation and $2.1 million in other non-current liabilities).

Advertising and Promotion Costs

Expenses related to advertising, marketing and promotion of the Company’s product offerings are expensed as incurred. These costs mainly consist of search engine marketing related costs. The Company incurred $30.3 million, $25.7 million and $19.4 million during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, which are included in sales and marketing expenses in the consolidated statements of operations.

Cost of Revenue

Cost of revenue consists primarily of expenses associated with the delivery and distribution of the Company’s platform for users of the Company’s online survey platform. Cost of revenue generally consist of infrastructure costs, personnel costs and other related costs. Infrastructure costs generally include expenses related to the operation of the Company’s data centers, such as data center equipment depreciation and facility costs (such as co-location rentals), website hosting costs, credit card processing fees, amortization of capitalized software, charity donations and external sample costs. Personnel costs include salaries and bonuses, stock-based compensation expense, other employee benefits and travel-related expenses for employees whose primary responsibilities relate to supporting the Company’s infrastructure and delivering user support. Other related costs include amortization of acquired developed technology intangible assets and allocated overhead.

Research and Development

Research and development costs primarily include personnel costs (including salaries, bonuses, stock-based compensation expense, other employee benefits and travel-related expenses), costs for third-party consultants, depreciation of equipment used in research and development activities and allocated overhead. Except for costs associated with the development of internal-use software that fall into the application development stage, research and development costs are expensed as incurred.

Sales and Marketing

Sales and marketing expenses relate to both self-serve and outbound sales activities. Sales and marketing expenses generally are comprised of personnel costs (including salaries, sales commissions and amortization of deferred sales commissions, stock-based compensation expense, other employee benefits and travel-related expenses), costs related to brand campaign fees, lead generation fees, amortization of acquired trade name and customer relationship intangible assets and allocated overhead.

General and Administrative

General and administrative expenses consist primarily of employee-related costs (including salaries, bonuses, stock-based compensation expense, other employee benefits and travel-related expenses) for legal, finance, human resources, and other administrative functions, as well as certain executives. In addition, general and administrative expenses include outside legal, accounting and other professional fees, non-income-based taxes and allocated overhead.

Restructuring

From time to time, the Company may implement a management-approved restructuring plan to improve efficiencies across the organization, reduce its cost structure, and/or better align its resources with the Company’s product strategy. Restructuring charges can include severance costs to eliminate a specified number of employees, infrastructure charges to vacate facilities and consolidate operations, contract cancellation costs and other related costs.

In connection with such plans, the Company may incur restructuring costs comprised of employee severance and associated termination costs related to the reduction of its workforce, losses on its non-cancelable lease contracts, and other contract termination costs. Costs associated with a restructuring plan are recognized and measured at fair value in the consolidated statements of operations in the period in which the liability is incurred. These restructuring initiatives may require the Company to make estimates in several areas including: (i) expenses for employee severance and other separation costs; (ii) realizable values of assets made redundant, obsolete, or excessive; and (iii) the ability to generate sublease income and to terminate lease obligations at the estimated amounts.

Other Non-Operating (Income) Expense

Other non-operating (income) expense, net consists primarily of interest income, net foreign currency exchange (gains) losses, gain on sale of private company investments, net realized gains and losses related to investments, and other. The components of other non-operating (income) expense recognized in the consolidated financial statements is as follows:

 

 

 

Year Ended December 31,

 

(in thousands)

 

2019

 

 

2018

 

 

2017

 

Interest Income

 

$

(3,030

)

 

$

(1,161

)

 

$

(59

)

Foreign currency (gains) losses, net

 

 

399

 

 

 

1,460

 

 

 

(85

)

Gain on sale of a private company investment

 

 

(1,001

)

 

 

(999

)

 

 

(6,750

)

Loss on debt modification / extinguishment

 

 

 

 

 

941

 

 

 

194

 

Other (income) expense, net

 

 

(330

)

 

 

57

 

 

 

(910

)

Other non-operating (income) expense, net

 

$

(3,962

)

 

$

298

 

 

$

(7,610

)

 

In January 2017, the Company sold a private company investment of approximately $5.0 million that was accounted for using the cost method of accounting for consideration of $11.7 million. The Company recognized an initial gain upon sale of $6.8 million during the year ended December 31, 2017. Additionally, the Company is entitled to receive contingent consideration to be received over three years following the close of the transaction, subject to the private company meeting certain employee retention and financial targets. Subsequent earn-out amounts collected will be recorded as a gain when cash is received. In each of the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company received its share of the first and second installments of the earn-out payments of $1.0 million, which was recognized as a gain on sale of a private company investment. In January 2020, the Company received its share of the final installment of the earn-out payment of $1.0 million.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability method. ASC 740, Accounting for Income Taxes, requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities based upon the temporary differences between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and using enacted rates in effect for the years in which the differences are expected to reverse.

Valuation allowances are established when necessary to reduce the deferred tax assets when it is more likely than not that a portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

ASC 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken on a tax return and provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure and transition. The Company records uncertain tax positions on the basis of a two-step process in which: (1) the Company determines whether it is more likely than not that the tax positions will be sustained on the basis of technical merits of the position, and (2) for those tax positions that meet the more likely than not recognition threshold, the Company recognizes the tax benefit as the largest amount that is cumulatively more than 50% likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement with the related tax authority.

From time to time, the Company engages in certain intercompany transactions and legal entity restructurings. The Company considers many factors when evaluating these transactions, including the alignment of their corporate structure with their organizational objectives and the operational and tax efficiency of their corporate structure, as well as the long-term cash flows and cash needs of its business. These transactions may impact the Company’s overall tax rate and/or result in additional cash tax payments. The impact in any period may be significant. These transactions may be complex and the impact of such transactions on future periods may be difficult to estimate.

 

 

Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted

Leases: In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). ASU 2016-02, as modified through other ASUs issued subsequent to ASU 2016-02, supersedes the guidance in ASC 840, Leases, and generally requires companies to recognize operating and financing lease liabilities and corresponding ROU assets on the balance sheet. ASC 842 was effective for public companies with fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 on a modified retrospective basis and early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted the requirements of ASC 842 as of January 1, 2019 including use of the modified retrospective transition method which allows for recognition of the cumulative-effect adjustments at the beginning of the adoption period and the election to use certain practical expedients and, therefore, did not reassess: (i) whether contractual arrangements that expired prior to the adoption date are, or contain leases, (ii) the classification of leases that expired prior to or existed as of the adoption date, or (iii) initial direct costs for leases that existed as of the adoption date. As such, the Company’s consolidated financial statements are presented pursuant to ASC 842 subsequent to January 1, 2019 and presented pursuant to ASC 840 prior to January 1, 2019. The adoption of ASC 842 resulted in the recognition of ROU assets of $63.1 million and operating lease liabilities of $92.8 million at the adoption date. The ROU asset and operating lease liabilities also include amounts related to the Company’s San Mateo building as the amounts previously recorded in its consolidated financial statements were derecognized on the ASC 842 adoption date. Additionally, lease payments related to the Company’s San Mateo building lease will be accounted for on a prospective basis as lease expense in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations. For periods prior to the adoption of ASC 842, periodic lease payments for the Company’s San Mateo building lease were primarily classified as interest expense in the consolidated statements of operations.

Internal-Use Software: In August 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 ("ASU 2018-15"). ASU 2018-15 amends current guidance to align the accounting for costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing costs associated with developing or obtaining internal-use software. Capitalized implementation costs must be expensed over the term of the hosting arrangement and presented in the same line item in the statement of income as the fees associated with the hosting element (service) of the arrangement. ASU 2018-15 is effective for public companies with fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted ASU 2018-15 as of January 1, 2019 on a prospective basis with no material impact upon adoption.

Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

Credit Losses: In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses ("ASU 2016-13"). ASU 2016-13 replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology in the current GAAP with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. For trade receivables and other financial instruments, the Company will be required to use a forward-looking expected loss model rather than the incurred loss model for recognizing credit losses which reflects losses that are probable. ASU 2016-13 is effective for public companies with fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. Application of the amendments is through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the effective date. The Company currently does not expect the adoption of ASU 2016-13 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

Income Taxes: In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes ("ASU 2019-12"). ASU 2019-12 simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740. ASU 2019-12 also improves consistent application and simplifies other areas of Topic 740 by clarifying and amending existing guidance. Early adoption is permitted, provided that the Company reflects any adjustments as of the beginning of the annual period that includes the interim period for which such early adoption occurs. Additionally, the Company must adopt all the amendments in the same period if early adoption is elected. ASU 2019-12 is effective for public companies with fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, unless early adopted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this new standard on its consolidated financial statements.