Recent accounting pronouncements - HECO

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Recent accounting pronouncements

Recent accounting pronouncements

Obligations resulting from joint and several liability.  In February 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2013-04, “Liabilities (Topic 405): Obligations Resulting from Joint and Several Liability Arrangements for Which the Total Amount of the Obligation Is Fixed at the Reporting Date,” which provides guidance for the recognition, measurement and disclosure of obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount of the obligation is fixed at the reporting date. The guidance requires entities to measure these obligations as the sum of the amount the entity has agreed with co-obligors to pay and any additional amount it expects to pay on behalf of its co-obligors. The guidance also requires an entity to disclose the nature and amount of the obligation as well as other information. This guidance is effective for all fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 31, 2013.

The Company will retrospectively adopt ASU No. 2013-04 in the first quarter of 2014 and does not expect it to have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition or liquidity.

Unrecognized tax benefit.  In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-11, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists,” which clarifies that a liability for an unrecognized tax benefit should be presented as a reduction of a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss tax benefit carryforward (or other tax benefit carrying forward), if the uncertain tax position could result in the reduction of such net operating loss (or other tax benefit) carryforward giving rise to the deferred tax asset. ASU No. 2013-11 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013.

The Company will prospectively adopt ASU No. 2013-11 in the first quarter of 2014 and does not expect it to have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition or liquidity.

Hawaiian Electric Company, Inc. and Subsidiaries

Recent accounting pronouncements

Recent accounting pronouncements

Obligations resulting from joint and several liability.  In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-04, “Liabilities (Topic 405): Obligations Resulting from Joint and Several Liability Arrangements for Which the Total Amount of the Obligation Is Fixed at the Reporting Date,” which provides guidance for the recognition, measurement and disclosure of obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount of the obligation is fixed at the reporting date. The guidance requires entities to measure these obligations as the sum of the amount the entity has agreed with co-obligors to pay and any additional amount it expects to pay on behalf of its co-obligors. The guidance also requires an entity to disclose the nature and amount of the obligation as well as other information. This guidance is effective for all fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 31, 2013.

Hawaiian Electric and its subsidiaries will retrospectively adopt ASU No. 2013-04 in the first quarter of 2014 and does not expect it to have a material impact on Hawaiian Electric and its subsidiaries’ results of operations, financial condition or liquidity.

Unrecognized tax benefit.  In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-11, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists,” which clarifies that a liability for an unrecognized tax benefit should be presented as a reduction of a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss tax benefit carryforward (or other tax benefit carrying forward), if the uncertain tax position could result in the reduction of such net operating loss (or other tax benefit) carryforward giving rise to the deferred tax asset. ASU No. 2013-11 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013.

Hawaiian Electric and its subsidiaries will prospectively adopt ASU No. 2013-11 in the first quarter of 2014 and do not expect it to have a material impact on the Utilities’ results of operations, financial condition or liquidity.