Note 1 - Significant Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

1.      Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

In these notes, the terms “Corning,” “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our” mean Corning Incorporated and subsidiary companies.

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and in accordance with U.S. GAAP for interim financial information.  Certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been omitted or condensed.  These interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with Corning’s consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 (“2013 Form 10-K”).

The unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments which, in the opinion of management, are necessary for a fair statement of the results of operations, financial position and cash flows for the interim periods presented.  All such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature.  The results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results which may be expected for any other interim period or for the full year.

Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. (“Samsung Corning Precision Materials”)

As further discussed in Note 10 (Acquisition), on January 15, 2014, Corning completed a series of strategic and financial agreements to acquire the common shares of Samsung Corning Precision Materials (“Acquisition”) previously held by Samsung Display Co., Ltd. (“Samsung Display”).  As a result of these transactions, Corning is now the owner of 100% of the common shares of Samsung Corning Precision Materials, which we have consolidated into our results beginning in the first quarter of 2014.  Operating under the name of Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. (“Corning Precision Materials”), the former Samsung Corning Precision Materials organization and operations were integrated into the Display Technologies segment in the first quarter of 2014.

Other Income (Expense), Net

“Other income (expense), net” in Corning’s consolidated statements of income includes the following (in millions):

	Three months ended September 30,				Nine months ended September 30,
	2014		2013		2014		2013
Royalty income from Samsung Corning Precision Materials			$	14			$	43
Foreign currency exchange and hedge gain (loss), net	$	744		(33)	$	596		248
Net (gain) loss attributable to noncontrolling interests		(2)						1
Other, net		(22)		18		(7)		37
Total	$	720	$	(1)	$	589	$	329

Beginning in the first quarter of 2014, due to the Acquisition and consolidation of Samsung Corning Precision Materials (now Corning Precision Materials), royalty income from Corning Precision Materials is no longer recognized in Corning’s consolidated statements of income.

Included in the line item Foreign currency exchange and hedge gain (loss), net, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014 and 2013 is the impact of purchased collars and average forward contracts which hedge our exposure to movements in the Japanese yen and its impact on our net earnings.  In the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014, we recorded net pre-tax gains on our yen-denominated hedging programs in the amounts of $764 million and $621 million, respectively.  These gains were driven by the mark-to-market of the purchased collars and average forward contracts, and occurred due to the significant weakening of the Japanese yen in the third quarter of 2014.  We recorded a net loss in the amount of $46 million in the third quarter of 2013 and a net gain in the amount of $206 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2013.  The gross notional value outstanding for purchase collars and average rate forwards which hedge our exposure to the Japanese yen at September 30, 2014 and December 31, 2013 was $11 billion and $6.8 billion, respectively.

In the second quarter of 2014, following the Acquisition, we entered into a portfolio of zero cost collars to hedge our exposure to movements in the Korean won and its impact on our net earnings.  These zero cost collars have a gross notional value outstanding at September 30, 2014 of $3 billion, and began settling quarterly in the third quarter of 2014 and will conclude at the end of 2015.  The loss on the mark-to-market of these zero cost collars, which is also included in the line item Foreign currency exchange and hedge (loss) gain, net, was $25 million and $21 million, respectively, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2014.

New Accounting Standards

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update No. (ASU) 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, as a new Topic, Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 606.  The new revenue recognition standard provides a five-step analysis of transactions to determine when and how revenue is recognized.  The core principle is that a company 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 ASU is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period, and shall be applied retrospectively to each period presented or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption.  Early adoption is not permitted.  We are currently assessing the potential impact of adopting this ASU on our financial statements and related disclosures.