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Business And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Business Description and Basis of Presentation
Business—Danaher Corporation (“Danaher” or the “Company”) designs, manufactures and markets professional, medical, industrial and commercial products and services, which are typically characterized by strong brand names, innovative technology and major market positions. As of December 31, 2019, the Company operates in three business segments: Life Sciences; Diagnostics; and Environmental & Applied Solutions.
The Company’s Life Sciences segment offers a broad range of research tools that scientists use to study the basic building blocks of life, including genes, proteins, metabolites and cells, in order to understand the causes of disease, identify new therapies and test new drugs and vaccines.  The segment is also a leading provider of filtration, separation and purification technologies to the biopharmaceutical, food and beverage, medical, aerospace, microelectronics and general industrial sectors.
The Company’s Diagnostics segment offers analytical instruments, reagents, consumables, software and services that hospitals, physicians’ offices, reference laboratories and other critical care settings use to diagnose disease and make treatment decisions.
The Company’s Environmental & Applied Solutions segment offers products and services that help protect important resources and keep global food and water supplies safe. The Company’s water quality business provides instrumentation, consumables, software, services and disinfection systems to help analyze, treat and manage the quality of ultra-pure, potable, industrial, waste, ground, source and ocean water in residential, commercial, municipal, industrial and natural resource applications. The Company’s product identification business provides equipment, software, services and consumables for various color and appearance management, packaging design and quality management, packaging converting, printing, marking, coding and traceability applications for consumer, pharmaceutical and industrial products.
Refer to Notes 3 and 4 for a discussion of significant acquisitions and discontinued operations, including the disposal of the Company’s former Dental segment through the initial public offering (“IPO”) and split-off of Envista Holdings Corporation during 2019.
Accounting Principles
Accounting Principles—The accompanying financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated upon consolidation. The Consolidated Financial Statements also reflect the impact of noncontrolling interests. Noncontrolling interests do not have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated results of continuing operations, therefore earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests for continuing operations are not presented separately in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Earnings. Earnings attributable to noncontrolling interests have been reflected in selling, general and administrative expenses and were insignificant in all periods presented. Reclassifications of certain prior year amounts have been made to conform to the current year presentation.
Use of Estimates
Use of Estimates—The preparation of these financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. The Company bases these estimates on historical experience, the current economic environment and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. However, uncertainties associated with these estimates exist and actual results may differ materially from these estimates.
Cash and Equivalents
Cash and Equivalents—The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents.
Accounts Receivable and Allowances for Doubtful Accounts
Accounts Receivable and Allowances for Doubtful Accounts—All trade accounts, contract and finance receivables are reported on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets adjusted for any write-offs and net of allowances for doubtful accounts. The allowances for doubtful accounts represent management’s best estimate of the credit losses expected from the Company’s trade accounts, contract and finance receivable portfolios. Determination of the allowances requires management to exercise judgment about the timing, frequency and severity of credit losses that could materially affect the provision for credit losses and, therefore, net earnings. The Company regularly performs detailed reviews of its portfolios to determine if an impairment has occurred and evaluates the collectability of receivables based on a combination of various financial and qualitative factors that may affect customers’ ability to pay, including customers’ financial condition, collateral, debt-servicing ability, past payment experience and credit bureau information. In circumstances where the Company is aware of a specific customer’s inability to meet its financial obligations, a specific reserve is recorded against amounts due to reduce the recognized receivable to the amount reasonably expected to be collected. Additions to the allowances for doubtful accounts are charged to current
period earnings, amounts determined to be uncollectible are charged directly against the allowances, while amounts recovered on previously written-off accounts increase the allowances. If the financial condition of the Company’s customers were to deteriorate, resulting in an impairment of their ability to make payments, additional reserves would be required. The Company does not believe that trade accounts receivable represent significant concentrations of credit risk because of the diversified portfolio of individual customers and geographical areas. The Company recorded $30 million, $31 million and $27 million of expense associated with doubtful accounts for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.
Included in the Company’s trade accounts receivable and other long-term assets as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 are $244 million and $217 million of net aggregate financing receivables, respectively. All financing receivables are evaluated for impairment based on individual customer credit profiles.
Inventory Valuation
Inventory Valuation—Inventories include the costs of material, labor and overhead. Domestic inventories are stated at the lower of cost and net realizable value primarily using the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method with certain businesses applying the last-in, first-out method (“LIFO”) to value inventory. Inventories held outside the United States are stated at the lower of cost or market primarily using the FIFO method.
Property, Plant and Equipment
Property, Plant and Equipment—Property, plant and equipment are carried at cost. The provision for depreciation has been computed principally by the straight-line method based on the estimated useful lives of the depreciable assets as follows:
Category
 
Useful Life
Buildings
 
30 years
Leased assets and leasehold improvements
 
Amortized over the lesser of the economic life of the asset or
the term of the lease
Machinery and equipment
 
3 – 10 years
Customer-leased instruments
 
5 – 7 years

Estimated useful lives are periodically reviewed and, when appropriate, changes to estimates are made prospectively.
Investments
Investments—Investments over which the Company has a significant influence but not a controlling interest, are accounted for using the equity method of accounting which requires the Company to record its initial investment at cost and adjust the balance each period for the Company’s share of the investee’s income or loss and dividends paid. The Company also invests in start-up companies where the Company has neither control of nor significant influence over the investee. Beginning in 2018 with the adoption of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments—Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, the Company measures these non-marketable equity securities at fair value and recognizes changes in fair value in net earnings. For securities without readily available fair values, the Company has elected the measurement alternative to record these investments at cost and to adjust for impairments and observable price changes with a same or similar security from the same issuer within net earnings (the “Fair Value Alternative”). Additionally, the Company is a limited partner in a partnership that invests in start-up companies. While the partnership records these investments at fair value, the Company’s investment in the partnership is accounted for under the equity method of accounting. The Company made minority investments in non-marketable equity securities and equity method investments totaling $241 million in 2019 and $146 million in 2018, including investments in a partnership of $189 million in 2019 and $86 million in 2018. No significant realized or unrealized gains or losses were recorded in either 2019 or 2018 with respect to these investments.
Other Assets
Other Assets—Other assets principally include noncurrent financing receivables, noncurrent deferred tax assets and other investments.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
Fair Value of Financial Instruments—The Company’s financial instruments consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, trade accounts receivable, investments in equity securities, available-for-sale debt securities and cross-currency swaps, nonqualified deferred compensation plans, obligations under trade accounts payable and short and related long-term debt. Due to their short-term nature, the carrying values for cash and cash equivalents, trade accounts receivable and trade accounts payable approximate fair value. Refer to Note 9 for the fair values of the Company’s investments in equity securities, available-for-sale debt securities and cross-currency swaps and other obligations.
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets—Goodwill and other intangible assets result from the Company’s acquisition of existing businesses. In accordance with accounting standards related to business combinations, goodwill is not amortized; however, certain finite-lived identifiable intangible assets, primarily customer relationships and acquired technology, are amortized over their estimated useful lives. Intangible assets with indefinite lives are not amortized. In-process research and development (“IPR&D”) is initially capitalized at fair value and when the IPR&D project is complete, the asset is considered a finite-lived
intangible asset and amortized over its estimated useful life. If an IPR&D project is abandoned, an impairment loss equal to the value of the intangible asset is recorded in the period of abandonment. The Company reviews identified intangible assets and goodwill for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the related carrying amounts may not be recoverable. The Company also tests intangible assets with indefinite lives and goodwill for impairment at least annually. Refer to Notes 3 and 8 for additional information about the Company’s goodwill and other intangible assets.
Revenue Recognition
Revenue Recognition—On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, using the modified retrospective method for all contracts. Results for reporting periods beginning January 1, 2018 are presented under ASC 606, while prior period amounts were not adjusted and continue to be reported in accordance with the Company’s historic accounting under ASC 605, Revenue Recognition.
The Company recorded a net increase to beginning retained earnings of $3 million (including the impact attributable to discontinued operations) as of January 1, 2018 due to the cumulative impact of adopting ASC 606. The impact to beginning retained earnings was primarily driven by the capitalization of certain costs to obtain a contract, primarily sales-related commissions, partially offset by the deferral of revenue for unfulfilled performance obligations. The adoption of ASC 606 did not have a significant impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018 and, as a result, comparisons of revenues and operating profit performance between periods are not affected by the adoption of this standard. Refer to Note 2 for additional disclosures required by ASC 606.
The Company derives revenues primarily from the sale of Life Sciences, Diagnostics and Environmental & Applied Solutions products and services. Revenue is recognized when control of the promised products or services is transferred to the Company’s customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those products or services (the transaction price). A performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct product or service to a customer and is the unit of account under ASC 606. For equipment, consumables and most software licenses sold by the Company, control transfers to the customer at a point in time. To indicate the transfer of control, the Company must have a present right to payment, legal title must have passed to the customer, the customer must have the significant risks and rewards of ownership, and where acceptance is not a formality, the customer must have accepted the product or service. The Company’s principal terms of sale are FOB Shipping Point, or equivalent, and, as such, the Company primarily transfers control and records revenue for product sales upon shipment. Sales arrangements with delivery terms that are not FOB Shipping Point are not recognized upon shipment and the transfer of control for revenue recognition is evaluated based on the associated shipping terms and customer obligations. If a performance obligation to the customer with respect to a sales transaction remains to be fulfilled following shipment (typically installation or acceptance by the customer), revenue recognition for that performance obligation is deferred until such commitments have been fulfilled. Returns for products sold are estimated and recorded as a reduction of revenue at the time of sale. Customer allowances and rebates, consisting primarily of volume discounts and other short-term incentive programs, are recorded as a reduction of revenue at the time of sale because these allowances reflect a reduction in the transaction price. Product returns, customer allowances and rebates are estimated based on historical experience and known trends. For extended warranty, service, post contract support (“PCS”), software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) and other long-term contracts, control transfers to the customer over the term of the arrangement. Revenue for extended warranty, service, PCS, SaaS and certain software licenses is recognized based upon the period of time elapsed under the arrangement. Revenue for other long-term contracts is generally recognized based upon the cost-to-cost measure of progress, provided that the Company meets the criteria associated with transferring control of the good or service over time.
Certain of the Company’s revenues relate to operating-type lease (“OTL”) arrangements. Leases are outside the scope of ASC 606 and are therefore accounted for in accordance with ASC 842, Leases (or ASC 840, Leases (“ASC 840”) prior to January 1, 2019). Equipment lease revenue for OTL agreements is recognized on a straight-line basis over the life of the lease, and the cost of customer-leased equipment is recorded within property, plant and equipment in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets and depreciated over the equipment’s estimated useful life. Depreciation expense associated with the leased equipment under OTL arrangements is reflected in cost of sales in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Earnings. The OTLs are generally not cancellable until after an initial term and may or may not require the customer to purchase a minimum number of consumables or tests throughout the contract term. The Company also enters into sales-type lease (“STL”) arrangements with customers which result in earlier recognition of equipment lease revenue as compared to an OTL.
For a contract with multiple performance obligations, the Company allocates the contract’s transaction price to each performance obligation on a relative standalone selling price basis using the Company’s best estimate of the standalone selling price of each distinct product or service in the contract. The primary method used to estimate standalone selling price is the price observed in standalone sales to customers; however, when prices in standalone sales are not available the Company may use third-party pricing for similar products or services or estimate the standalone selling price. Allocation of the transaction price is determined at the contracts’ inception.
Shipping and Handling
Shipping and Handling—Shipping and handling costs are included as a component of cost of sales. Revenue derived from shipping and handling costs billed to customers is included in sales.
Advertising
Advertising—Advertising costs are expensed as incurred.
Research and Development
Research and Development—The Company conducts research and development activities for the purpose of developing new products, enhancing the functionality, effectiveness, ease of use and reliability of the Company’s existing products and expanding the applications for which uses of the Company’s products are appropriate. Research and development costs are expensed as incurred.
Income Taxes
Income Taxes—The Company’s income tax expense represents the tax liability for the current year, the tax benefit or expense for the net change in deferred tax liabilities and assets during the year, as well as reserves for unrecognized tax benefits and return to provision adjustments. Deferred tax liabilities and assets are determined based on the difference between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted rates expected to be in effect during the year in which the differences reverse. Deferred tax assets generally represent items that can be used as a tax deduction or credit in the Company’s tax return in future years for which the tax benefit has already been reflected on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Earnings. The Company establishes valuation allowances for its deferred tax assets if it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax asset will not be realized. Deferred tax liabilities generally represent items that have already been taken as a deduction on the Company’s tax return but have not yet been recognized as an expense in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Earnings. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities due to a change in tax rates is recognized in income tax expense in the period that includes the enactment date. The Company provides for unrecognized tax benefits when, based upon the technical merits, it is “more likely than not” that an uncertain tax position will not be sustained upon examination.  Judgment is required in evaluating tax positions and determining income tax provisions.  The Company re-evaluates the technical merits of its tax positions and may recognize an uncertain tax benefit in certain circumstances, including when: (1) a tax audit is completed; (2) applicable tax laws change, including a tax case ruling or legislative guidance; or (3) the applicable statute of limitations expires. The Company recognizes potential accrued interest and penalties associated with unrecognized tax positions in income tax expense. Refer to Note 15 for additional information and discussion of the impact of the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“TCJA”) in the United States.
Productivity Improvement and Restructuring
Productivity Improvement and Restructuring—The Company periodically initiates productivity improvement and restructuring activities to appropriately position the Company’s cost base relative to prevailing economic conditions and associated customer demand as well as in connection with certain acquisitions. Costs associated with productivity improvement and restructuring actions can include one-time termination benefits and related charges in addition to facility closure, contract termination and other related activities. The Company records the cost of the productivity improvement and restructuring activities when the associated liability is incurred.
Foreign Currency Translation
Foreign Currency Translation—Exchange rate adjustments resulting from foreign currency transactions are recognized in net earnings, whereas effects resulting from the translation of financial statements are reflected as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) within stockholders’ equity. Assets and liabilities of subsidiaries operating outside the United States with a functional currency other than U.S. dollars are translated into U.S. dollars using year end exchange rates and income statement accounts are translated at weighted average rates. Net foreign currency transaction gains or losses were not material in any of the years presented. The Company uses its foreign currency-denominated debt and cross-currency swap arrangements whereby existing U.S. dollar-denominated borrowings are effectively converted to foreign currency borrowings to partially hedge its net investments in foreign operations against adverse movements in exchange rates.
Derivative Financial Instruments
Derivative Financial Instruments—The Company is neither a dealer nor a trader in derivative instruments. The Company has generally accepted the exposure to transactional exchange rate movements without using derivative instruments to manage this risk, although the Company from time to time partially hedges its net investments in foreign operations against adverse movements in exchange rates through foreign currency-denominated debt and cross-currency swaps. The Company will periodically enter into foreign currency forward contracts to mitigate a portion of its foreign currency exchange risk and forward starting swaps to mitigate interest rate risk related to the Company’s debt. The Company also uses cross-currency swap derivative contracts to hedge long-term debt issuances in a foreign currency other than the functional currency of the borrower. When utilized, the derivative instruments are recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as either an asset or liability measured at fair value. To the extent the derivative instrument qualifies as an effective hedge, changes in fair value are recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in stockholders’ equity. Changes in the value of the foreign currency denominated debt and cross-currency swaps designated as hedges of the Company’s net investment in foreign operations based on spot rates are recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in stockholders’ equity and offset changes in the value of the Company’s foreign currency denominated operations. In January 2019, the Company entered into approximately $1.9 billion of cross-currency swap derivative contracts on its U.S. dollar-denominated bonds to effectively convert the Company’s U.S. dollar-denominated bonds to obligations denominated in Danish kroner, Japanese yen, euro and
Swiss franc. In June 2019, the Company entered into interest rate swap agreements with a notional amount of $850 million. These contracts effectively fixed the interest rate for a portion of the Company’s U.S. dollar-denominated debt ultimately issued in November 2019 equal to the notional amount of the swaps to the rate specified in the interest rate swap agreements. In November 2019, the Company entered into cross-currency swap derivative contracts to effectively convert the approximately $4.0 billion of U.S. dollar-denominated bonds into euro-denominated bonds. The Company’s use of foreign currency forward contracts and forward starting swaps during 2018 and 2017 and as of the years then ended was not significant. All of these cross-currency swap derivative contracts remain outstanding as of December 31, 2019. Refer to Note 12 for additional information.
Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation
Accounting for Stock-Based Compensation—The Company accounts for stock-based compensation by measuring the cost of employee services received in exchange for all equity awards granted, including stock options, restricted stock units (“RSUs”) and performance stock units (“PSUs”), based on the fair value of the award as of the grant date. Equity-based compensation expense is recognized net of an estimated forfeiture rate on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the award, except that in the case of RSUs, compensation expense is recognized using an accelerated attribution method. Refer to Note 19 for additional information on the stock-based compensation plans in which certain employees of the Company participate.
Pension and Postretirement Benefit Plans
Pension and Postretirement Benefit Plans—The Company measures its pension and postretirement plans’ assets and its obligations that determine the respective plan’s funded status as of the end of the Company’s fiscal year, and recognizes an asset for a plan’s overfunded status or a liability for a plan’s underfunded status in its balance sheet. Changes in the funded status of the plans are recognized in the year in which the changes occur and reported in comprehensive income (loss). Refer to Notes 13 and 14 for additional information on the Company’s pension and postretirement plans including a discussion of the actuarial assumptions, the Company’s policy for recognizing the associated gains and losses and the method used to estimate service and interest cost components.
Accounting Standards Recently Adopted
Accounting Standards Recently Adopted—In July 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2018-09, Codification Improvements. ASU 2018-09 amends an illustrative example of a fair value hierarchy disclosure to indicate that a certain type of investment should not always be considered to be eligible to use the net asset value per share practical expedient. Also, it further clarifies that an entity should evaluate whether a readily determinable fair value exists or whether its investments qualify for the net asset value per share practical expedient in accordance with ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement. ASU 2018-09 was adopted by the Company on January 1, 2019 and resulted in the reclassification of assets previously identified as common collective trusts in the fair value hierarchy. Refer to Note 13 for further information.
In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities, which expands and refines hedge accounting for both financial and non-financial risk components, aligns the recognition and presentation of the effects of hedging instruments and hedge items in the financial statements and includes certain targeted improvements to ease the application of current guidance related to the assessment of hedge effectiveness. The ASU was effective for public entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. In January 2019, the Company entered into approximately $1.9 billion of cross-currency swap derivative contracts to hedge its net investment in foreign operations against adverse changes in the exchange rates between the U.S. dollar and the Danish kroner, Japanese yen, euro and Swiss franc. In June 2019, the Company entered into interest rate swap agreements with a notional amount of $850 million which represents a portion of the amount of U.S. dollar-denominated bonds (with terms ranging from 10 to 30 years) the Company ultimately issued to finance a portion of the acquisition of the Biopharma Business of General Electric Company (“GE”) Life Sciences (the “GE Biopharma Business” or “GE Biopharma”). These contracts effectively fixed the interest rate for a portion of the Company’s U.S. dollar-denominated debt ultimately issued in November 2019 equal to the notional amount of the swaps to the rate specified in the interest rate swap agreements. In November 2019, the Company entered into cross-currency swap derivative contracts to effectively convert the approximately $4.0 billion of U.S. dollar-denominated bonds into euro-denominated bonds. Refer to Note 11 for additional disclosures about the Company’s debt issuances related to the pending GE Biopharma acquisition and Note 12 for additional disclosures about the Company’s hedging activities.
In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting, which provided clarity on which changes to the terms or conditions of share-based payment awards require an entity to apply the modification accounting provisions required in Topic 718. The adoption of this ASU on January 1, 2019 did not have a significant impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which requires lessees to recognize a right-of-use (“ROU”) asset and a lease liability for all leases with terms greater than 12 months and also requires disclosures by lessees and lessors about the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The accounting applied by a lessor is largely unchanged from that applied under the prior standard. Subsequent to the issuance of Topic 842, the FASB clarified the guidance through several ASUs; hereinafter the collection of lease guidance is referred to as “ASC 842”.
On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASC 842 using the modified retrospective method for all lease arrangements at the beginning of the period of adoption. Results for reporting periods beginning January 1, 2019 are presented under ASC 842, while prior period amounts were not adjusted and continue to be reported in accordance with the Company’s historic accounting under ASC 840. The standard had a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet but did not have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated net earnings and cash flows. The most significant impact was the recognition of ROU assets and lease liabilities for operating leases, while the accounting for finance leases remained substantially unchanged. For leases that commenced before the effective date of ASC 842, the Company elected the permitted practical expedients to not reassess the following: (i) whether any expired or existing contracts contain leases; (ii) the lease
classification for any expired or existing leases; and (iii) initial direct costs for any existing leases. The Company also elected to include leases with a term of 12 months or less in the recognized ROU assets and lease liabilities.
As a result of the cumulative impact of adopting ASC 842, the Company recorded operating lease ROU assets of $806 million and operating lease liabilities of $838 million related to continuing operations as of January 1, 2019, primarily related to real estate and automobile leases, based on the present value of the future lease payments on the date of adoption. Refer to Note 5 for the additional disclosures required by ASC 842.
The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception. For leases where the Company is the lessee, ROU assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent an obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. ROU assets and lease liabilities are recognized at the lease commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. As most of the Company’s leases do not provide an implicit interest rate, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. The ROU asset also consists of any prepaid lease payments, lease incentives received, costs which will be incurred in exiting a lease and the amount of any asset or liability recognized on business combinations relating to favorable or unfavorable lease terms. The lease terms used to calculate the ROU asset and related lease liability include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise that option. Lease expense for operating leases is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term as an operating expense while the expense for finance leases is recognized as depreciation expense and interest expense using the accelerated interest method of recognition. The Company has lease agreements which require payments for lease and non-lease components and has elected to account for these as a single lease component.
The Company leases Life Sciences, Diagnostics, and Environmental & Applied Solutions equipment to customers, which requires the Company to determine whether the arrangements are OTL or STL arrangements. Equipment lease revenue for OTL agreements is recognized on a straight-line basis over the life of the lease, and the costs of customer-leased equipment are recorded within property, plant and equipment, net in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets and depreciated over the equipment’s estimated useful life. Depreciation expense associated with the leased equipment under OTL arrangements is reflected in cost of sales in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Earnings. The OTLs are generally not cancellable until after an initial term and may or may not require the customer to purchase a minimum number of consumables or tests throughout the contract term. An STL results in earlier recognition of equipment revenue as compared to an OTL. Some of the Company’s leases include a purchase option for the customer to purchase the leased asset at the end of the lease arrangement for a purchase price equal to the asset’s fair market value at the time of the purchase. The Company manages its risk on the unguaranteed residual asset for leased equipment through the pricing and term of the leases. In certain geographies, equipment coming off OTL and STL arrangements after the initial lease term may be leased to other customers or used for spare parts.
For lease arrangements with lease and non-lease components where the Company is the lessor, the Company allocates the contract’s transaction price to the lease and non-lease components on a relative standalone selling price basis using the Company’s best estimate of the standalone selling price of each distinct product or service in the contract. The primary method used to estimate standalone selling price is the price observed in standalone sales to customers; however, when prices in standalone sales are not available the Company may use third-party pricing for similar products or services or estimate the standalone selling price. Allocation of the transaction price is determined at the inception of the lease arrangement. The Company’s leases primarily consist of leases with fixed lease payments. For those leases with variable lease payments, the variable lease payment is typically based upon use of the leased equipment or the purchase of consumables used with the leased equipment.
Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted—In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-14, Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans, which amends ASC 715, Compensation—Retirement Benefits, to add, remove and clarify disclosure requirements related to defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans. The ASU is effective for public entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. Management has not yet completed its assessment of the impact of the new standard on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820), which modifies the disclosures on fair value measurements by removing the requirement to disclose the amount and reasons for transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 of the fair value hierarchy and the policy for timing of such transfers. The ASU expands the disclosure requirements for Level 3 fair value measurements, primarily focused on changes in unrealized gains and losses included in other comprehensive income (loss). The ASU is effective for public entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. Management has not yet completed its assessment of the impact of the new standard on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which amends the impairment model by requiring entities to use a forward-looking approach based on expected losses rather than incurred losses to estimate credit losses on certain types of financial instruments, including trade receivables. This may result in the earlier recognition of allowances for losses. The ASU is effective for public entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. In November 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-19, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses, which provided additional implementation guidance on the previously issued ASU. On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted the ASU using the modified retrospective transition method. The Company recorded a net decrease to beginning retained earnings of $8 million as of January 1, 2020 due to the cumulative impact of adopting ASC 326. The impact to retained earnings was primarily the result of an increase in the Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts as a result of ASC 326’s requirement to use a forward-looking approach based on expected losses rather than incurred losses to estimate credit losses on certain types of financial instruments, including trade receivables.