Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Basis of Presentation

In these notes, the terms “Corning,” “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our” mean Corning Incorporated and its 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. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information.  Certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with 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, 2015 (“2015 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.

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current-year presentation.  These reclassifications had no impact on our results of operations, financial position, or changes in shareholders’ equity.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

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 originally was effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period.  This ASU shall be applied retrospectively to each period presented or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption.

In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), deferring the effective date of ASU 2014-09 by one year.  We can elect to adopt the provisions of ASU 2014-09 for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period.  The FASB also agreed to allow entities to choose to adopt the standard as of the original effective date.  We are currently assessing the adoption date and potential impact of adopting ASU 2014-09 on our financial statements and related disclosures.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which supersedes all existing guidance on accounting for leases in ASC Topic 840.  ASU 2016-02 is intended to provide enhanced transparency and comparability by requiring lessees to record right-of-use assets and corresponding lease liabilities on the balance sheet.  ASU 2016-02 will continue to classify leases as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the statement of income.  ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years.  Early adoption is permitted.  ASU 2016-02 is required to be applied with a modified retrospective approach to each prior reporting period presented with various optional practical expedients.  We are currently assessing the adoption date and the potential impact of adopting ASU 2016-02 on our financial statements and related disclosures.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting.  ASU 2016-09 changes how companies account for certain aspects of share-based payment awards to employees, including the accounting for income taxes, forfeitures and statutory tax withholding requirements, as well as classification in the statement of cash flows.  ASU 2016-09 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those annual periods.  If an entity early adopts in an interim period, any adjustments should be reflected as of the beginning of the fiscal year that includes that interim period and the entity must adopt all of the amendments from ASU 2016-09 in the same period.  We are currently assessing the potential impact of adopting ASU 2016-09 on our financial statements and related disclosures.  Corning does not expect adoption of this standard to have a material impact on its consolidated results of operations and financial condition.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments.  ASU 2016-15 refines how companies classify certain aspects of the cash flow statement in regards to debt prepayment, settlement of debt instruments, contingent consideration payments, proceeds from insurance claims and life insurance policies, distribution from equity method investees, beneficial interests in securitization transactions and separately identifiable cash flows.  ASU 2016-15 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and for interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018.  Early adoption is permitted.  We are currently assessing the adoption date and the potential impact of adopting ASU 2016-15 on our financial statements and related disclosures.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory, which reduces the complexity in the accounting standards by allowing the recognition of current and deferred income taxes for an intra-entity asset transfer, other than inventory, when the transfer occurs. Historically, recognition of the income tax consequence was not recognized until the asset was sold to an outside party.  This amendment should be applied on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment directly to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption.  ASU 2016-16 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods within those annual reporting periods.  Early adoption is permitted for all entities as of the beginning of an annual reporting period for which financial statements (interim or annual) have not been issued or made available for issuance.  We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2016-16 on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.