Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

In the opinion of management, the accompanying consolidated financial statements contain all normal, recurring adjustments necessary to fairly present the following:


•	Consolidated income statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and September 23, 2016;


•	Consolidated comprehensive income statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and September 23, 2016;


•	Consolidated balance sheets at September 30, 2017 and December 30, 2016; and


•	Consolidated cash flow statements for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and September 23, 2016.

Pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), certain information and disclosures normally included in the notes to the annual financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) have been omitted from these interim financial statements. CSX suggests that these financial statements be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and the notes included in CSX's most recent annual report on Form 10-K and any subsequently filed current reports on Form 8-K.

Fiscal Year

Through the second quarter 2017, CSX followed a 52/53 week fiscal reporting calendar with the last day of each reporting period ending on a Friday. On July 7, 2017 the Board of Directors of CSX approved a change in the fiscal reporting calendar from a 52/53 week year ending on the last Friday of December to a calendar year ending on December 31 each year, effective beginning with fiscal third quarter 2017. Related to the change in the fiscal calendar:


•	Fiscal year 2017 commenced on December 31, 2016, as the fiscal year 2016 ended on December 30, 2016 under the 52/53 week fiscal calendar.


•	The third quarter 2017 commenced on July 1, 2017, as the second quarter 2017 ended on June 30, 2017 under the 52/53 week fiscal calendar, and ended on September 30, 2017. Third quarter 2017 includes one more day of business results than third quarter 2016.


•	The fourth quarter 2017 will commence on October 1, 2017 and end on December 31, 2017. Fourth quarter 2017 will include six fewer days of business results than fourth quarter 2016, which contained an extra week under the 52/53 week fiscal calendar.


•	Fiscal year 2017 will include 366 days of activity, five fewer days than fiscal year 2016, which was a 53 week fiscal year that began on December 26, 2015 and ended December 30, 2016.

The Company does not expect that this change will materially impact comparability of the Company’s financial results for fiscal year 2016 and fiscal year 2017. Accordingly, the change to a calendar fiscal year will be made on a prospective basis and operating results for prior periods will not be adjusted. The Company will not be required to file a transition report because this change is not deemed a change in fiscal year for purposes of reporting subject to Rule 13a-10 or Rule 15d-10 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 as the new fiscal year commences with the end of the prior fiscal year end and within seven days of the prior fiscal year end.

Except as otherwise specified, references to “third quarter(s)” or “nine months” indicate CSX's fiscal periods ending September 30, 2017 and September 23, 2016, and references to "year-end" indicate the fiscal year ended December 30, 2016.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts on uncollectible amounts related to freight receivables, government reimbursement receivables, claims for damages and other various receivables. The allowance is based upon the creditworthiness of customers, historical experience, the age of the receivable and current market and economic conditions. Uncollectible amounts are charged against the allowance account.

New Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") Compensation - Stock Compensation: Scope of Modification Accounting, which provides clarity on what changes to share-based awards are considered substantive and require modification accounting to be applied. This update is required beginning with first quarter 2018 and should be applied prospectively to award modifications after the effective date. The Company early adopted this standard update in second quarter 2017 and will apply it prospectively to any award modifications after the adoption date. The Company does not regularly modify the terms and conditions of share-based awards and does not believe this standard update will have a material effect on its financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost, which requires that only the service cost component of net periodic benefit costs be recorded as compensation cost in the operating expense section of the income statement. All other components of net periodic benefit cost (interest cost, expected return on plan assets and amortization of net loss) will be presented in other income - net. This standard update is effective beginning with the first quarter 2018 and must be applied retrospectively. The Company does not believe this standard update will have a material effect on its financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which eliminates step two, the calculation of the implied fair value of goodwill, from the goodwill impairment test. Impairment will be quantified in step one of the test as the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair value. This standard update is effective beginning first quarter 2020 and must be applied prospectively. The Company does not believe this standard update will have a material effect on its financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which supersedes previous revenue recognition guidance. The new standard requires that a company recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration the company expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. Companies will need to use more judgment and estimates than under the guidance currently in effect, including estimating the amount of variable revenue to recognize over each identified performance obligation. Additional disclosures will be required to help users of financial statements understand the nature, amount and timing of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts. CSX will adopt this standard update in first quarter 2018 and plans to use a modified retrospective method of adoption.

The FASB has also issued several amendments to the revenue standard, including clarification on accounting for principal versus agent considerations (i.e., reporting gross versus net), licenses of intellectual property and identifying performance obligations. These amendments do not change the core principle of the standard, but provide clarity and implementation guidance.

NOTE 1. Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies, continued

The Company is currently finalizing its review of the impact of adopting this new guidance and has developed a comprehensive implementation plan. In-depth reviews of commercial contracts have been completed and changes to processes and internal controls to meet the standard’s reporting and disclosure requirements have been identified and are being implemented. At this time, the Company does not believe this standard update will have a material effect on its financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. Freight revenue will continue to be recognized ratably over transit time. Additionally, the disaggregated revenue information required to be disclosed under this standard update is similar to the information currently included in the Results of Operations section of Item 2, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU, Leases, which will require lessees to recognize most leases on their balance sheets as a right-of-use asset with a corresponding lease liability, and lessors to recognize a net lease investment. Additional qualitative and quantitative disclosures will also be required. This standard update is effective for CSX beginning with the first quarter 2019 and will be adopted using a modified retrospective method. Changes to processes and internal controls to meet the standard’s reporting and disclosure requirements have been identified and are being implemented. Software has been implemented that will assist in the recognition of additional assets and liabilities to be included on the balance sheet related to leases currently classified as operating leases with durations greater than twelve months, with certain allowable exceptions. The Company continues to evaluate the expected impact of this standard update on disclosures, but does not anticipate any material changes to operating results or liquidity.