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Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Description of Business: CA, Inc. and subsidiaries (the Company) develops, markets, delivers and licenses software products and services.

Presentation of Financial Statements

Presentation of Financial Statements: The accompanying audited Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP), as defined in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 205. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Although these estimates are based on management’s knowledge of current events and actions it may undertake in the future, these estimates may ultimately differ from actual results. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include: (i) the useful lives and expected future cash flows of long-lived assets, including capitalized software costs and other intangibles, (ii) allowances for doubtful accounts, (iii) the valuation of derivatives, deferred tax assets and assets acquired in business combinations, (iv) share-based compensation, (v) reserves for employee severance benefit obligations, (vi) income tax uncertainties, (vii) legal contingencies and (viii) the fair value of the Company’s reporting units.

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation: The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and its majority-owned and controlled subsidiaries. Investments in affiliates owned 50% or less are accounted for by the equity method. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Companies acquired during each reporting period are reflected in the results of the Company effective from their respective dates of acquisition through the end of the reporting period.

Divestitures

Divestitures: In the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2014, the Company entered into a definitive agreement to divest its CA ERwin Data Modeling solution assets. The results of operations associated with the sale of this business have been presented as discontinued operations in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations and Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for fiscal years 2014, 2013 and 2012. The effects of the discontinued operations were immaterial to the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheet at March 31, 2014.

In the first quarter of fiscal year 2012, the Company sold its Internet Security business. The results of operations associated with the sale of this business have been presented as discontinued operations in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations and Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for fiscal year 2012.

See Note 3, “Divestitures,” for additional information.

Foreign Currencies

Foreign Currencies: Assets and liabilities of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries are translated using the exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date. Results of operations are translated using average exchange rates. Adjustments arising from the translation of the foreign currency financial statements of the Company’s subsidiaries into U.S. dollars are reported as currency translation adjustments in “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Foreign currency transaction losses were approximately $17 million, $12 million and $4 million in fiscal years 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively, and are included in “Other (gains) expenses, net” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations in the period in which they occurred. For fiscal year 2014, other (gains) expenses, net included a foreign currency loss of approximately $6 million relating to the remeasurement of monetary assets and liabilities of our Venezuelan subsidiary. This loss arose from our use of exchange rates from the Venezuelan government’s most recent auction-based exchange rate program, the Complementary System for Foreign Currency Administration rate.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition: The Company begins to recognize revenue from software licensing and maintenance when all of the following criteria are met: (1) the Company has evidence of an arrangement with a customer; (2) the Company delivers the specified products; (3) license agreement terms are fixed or determinable and free of contingencies or uncertainties that may alter the agreement such that it may not be complete and final; and (4) collection is probable. Revenue is recorded net of applicable sales taxes.

The Company’s software licenses generally do not include acceptance provisions. An acceptance provision allows a customer to test the software for a defined period of time before committing to license the software. If a license agreement includes an acceptance provision, the Company does not recognize revenue until the earlier of the receipt of a written customer acceptance or when the acceptance right lapses. The Company’s standard licensing agreements include a product warranty provision for all products. The likelihood that the Company will be required to make refunds to customers under such provisions is considered remote.

Subscription and Maintenance Revenue: Software licenses that include the right to receive unspecified future software products are considered subscription arrangements under GAAP and are recognized ratably over the term of the license agreement. Subscription and maintenance revenue is the amount of revenue recognized ratably during the reporting period from either: (i) software usage fees and product sales that include subscription agreements and also generally include maintenance; (ii) maintenance agreements associated with providing customer technical support and access to software fixes and upgrades which are separately identifiable from software usage fees or product sales; or (iii) software license agreements bundled with elements (i.e., maintenance or service) for which vendor specific objective evidence (VSOE) has not been established for maintenance. Revenue for these arrangements is recognized ratably over the term of the subscription or maintenance term.

Professional Services: Revenue from professional service arrangements is generally recognized as the services are performed. Revenue and costs from committed professional services that are sold as part of a subscription license agreement are deferred and recognized on a ratable basis over the term of the related software license. VSOE of professional services is established based on daily rates when sold on a stand-alone basis. If it is not probable that a project will be completed or the payment will be received, revenue recognition is deferred until the uncertainty is removed.

Software Fees and Other: Software fees and other revenue primarily consists of revenue from the sale of perpetual software licenses that do not include the right to unspecified software products (i.e., a subscription agreement), on a stand-alone basis or in a bundled arrangement where VSOE exists for any undelivered elements and revenue from Software-as-a-Service. For bundled arrangements that include either maintenance or both maintenance and professional services, the Company uses the residual method to determine the amount of license revenue to be recognized. Under the residual method, consideration is allocated to undelivered elements based upon VSOE of those elements, with the residual of the arrangement fee allocated to and recognized as license revenue. The Company determines VSOE of maintenance, depending on the product, from either contractually stated renewal rates or the bell-shaped curve method.

In the event that agreements with the Company’s customers are executed in close proximity of the other license agreements with the same customer, the Company evaluates whether the separate arrangements are linked, and, if so, the agreements are considered a single multi-element arrangement for which revenue is recognized ratably as subscription and maintenance revenue or, in the case of a professional services arrangement that is linked to a subscription-based software license, as professional services revenue for that respective portion, in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Sales Commissions

Sales Commissions: Sales commissions are recognized in the period the commissions are earned by employees, which is typically upon signing of the contract. Under the Company’s sales commissions policy, the amount of sales commissions expense attributable to the license agreements signed in the period is recognized fully, but the revenue from the license agreements may be recognized ratably over the subscription and maintenance term.

Accounting for Share-Based Compensation

Accounting for Share-Based Compensation: Share-based awards exchanged for employee services are accounted for under the fair value method. Accordingly, share-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award. The expense for awards expected to vest is recognized over the employee’s requisite service period (generally the vesting period of the award). Awards expected to vest are estimated based on a combination of historical experience and future expectations.

The Company has elected to treat awards with only service conditions and with graded vesting as one award. Consequently, the total compensation expense is recognized straight-line over the entire vesting period, so long as the compensation cost recognized at any date at least equals the portion of the grant date fair value of the award that is vested at that date.

The Company uses the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to compute the estimated fair value of share-based awards in the form of options. The Black-Scholes model includes assumptions regarding dividend yields, expected volatility, expected term of the option and risk-free interest rates.

In addition to stock options and restricted share awards (RSAs) with time-based vesting, the Company issues performance share units (PSUs). Compensation costs for the PSUs are amortized over the requisite service periods based on the expected level of achievement of the performance targets. At the conclusion of the performance periods, the applicable number of shares of RSAs, restricted stock units (RSUs) or unrestricted shares granted may vary based on the level of achievement of the performance targets. Additionally, the grants are subject to the approval of the Company’s Compensation and Human Resources Committee of the Board of Directors (the Compensation Committee), which has discretion to reduce any award for any reason. The value of the PSU awards is remeasured each reporting period until the Compensation Committee approves attainment of the specified performance targets, at which time a grant date is deemed to have been achieved for accounting purposes, the value of the award is fixed and any remaining unrecognized compensation expense is recognized over the remaining time-based vesting period. See Note 14, “Stock Plans,” for additional information.

Net Income Per Common Share

Net Income Per Common Share: Unvested share-based payment awards that contain non-forfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents (whether paid or unpaid) are participating securities and are included in the computation of net income per share under the two-class method. Under the two-class method, net income is reduced by the amount of dividends declared in the period for each class of common stock and participating securities. The remaining undistributed income is then allocated to common stock and participating securities as if all of the net income for the period had been distributed. Basic net income per common share excludes dilution and is calculated by dividing net income allocable to common shares by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted net income per common share is calculated by dividing net income allocable to common shares by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding at the balance sheet date, as adjusted for the potential dilutive effect of non-participating share-based awards. See Note 13, “Income from Continuing Operations Per Common Share,” for additional information.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Concentration of Credit Risk: Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, investments, derivatives and accounts receivable. The Company historically has not experienced any material losses in its cash and cash equivalent or investment portfolios.

Amounts included in accounts receivable expected to be collected from customers, as disclosed in Note 5, “Trade Accounts Receivable,” have limited exposure to concentration of credit risk due to the diverse customer base and geographic areas covered by operations.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents: All financial instruments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less at the time of purchase are considered cash equivalents. The Company’s cash and cash equivalents are held by its subsidiaries throughout the world, frequently in each subsidiary’s respective functional currency which may not be the U.S. dollar. Approximately 61% and 62% of cash and cash equivalents were maintained outside the United States at March 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

Total interest income, which primarily relates to the Company’s cash and cash equivalent balances and investments, for fiscal years 2014, 2013 and 2012 was approximately $21 million, $20 million and $30 million, respectively, and is included in “Interest expense, net” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Investments

Investments: Short-term investments consist of time deposits held by foreign subsidiaries that are denominated in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. These investments have maturities greater than three months, but less than one year.

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements: Fair value is the price that would be received for an asset or the amount paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. The Company is required to classify certain assets and liabilities based on the following fair value hierarchy:


•	Level 1: Quoted prices in active markets that are unadjusted and accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities;


•	Level 2: Quoted prices for identical assets and liabilities in markets that are not active, quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets or financial instruments for which significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly; and


•	Level 3: Prices or valuations that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable.

See Note 10, “Fair Value Measurements,” for additional information.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Excluding Goodwill and Other Intangibles

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Excluding Goodwill and Other Intangibles: Long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. If circumstances require a long-lived asset or asset group be tested for possible impairment, the Company first compares undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by that asset or asset group to its carrying value. If the carrying value of the long-lived asset or asset group is not recoverable on an undiscounted cash flow basis, an impairment is recognized to the extent that the carrying value exceeds its fair value. Fair value is determined through various valuation techniques including discounted cash flow models or, when available, quoted market values and third-party appraisals.

Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment: Property and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation and amortization expense is calculated based on the estimated useful lives of the assets, and is recognized by using the straight-line method. Building and improvements are estimated to have 5 to 40 year lives, and the remaining property and equipment are estimated to have 3 to 7 year lives.

Capitalized Development Costs

Capitalized Development Costs: Capitalized development costs include costs associated with the development of computer software to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed. Software development costs associated with new products and significant enhancements to existing software products are expensed as incurred until technological feasibility, as defined in FASB ASC Topic 985-20, has been established. Costs incurred thereafter are capitalized until the product is made generally available. The stage during the Company's development process for a new product or new release at which technological feasibility requirements are established affects the amount of costs capitalized.

Annual amortization of capitalized software costs is the greater of the amount computed using the ratio that current gross revenues for a product bear to the total of current and anticipated future gross revenues for that product or the straight-line method over the remaining estimated economic life of the software product, generally estimated to be 5 years from the date the product became available for general release to customers. The Company generally recognizes amortization expense for capitalized software costs using the straight-line method.

Purchased Software Products

Purchased Software Products: Purchased software products primarily include the cost of software technology acquired in business combinations. The cost of such products is equal to the fair value of the acquired software technology at the acquisition date. The Company amortizes purchased software costs using a straight-line method over their remaining economic lives, estimated to be between 3 and 10 years from the date of acquisition. Purchased software products are reviewed for impairment quarterly and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable.

Other Intangible Assets

Other Intangible Assets: Other intangible assets include customer relationships and trademarks/trade names. The Company amortizes all other intangible assets using a straight-line method over their remaining economic lives, estimated to be between 2 and 12 years from the date of acquisition. Other intangible assets subject to amortization are reviewed for impairment quarterly and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable.

Goodwill

Goodwill: Goodwill represents the excess of the aggregate purchase price over the fair value of the net tangible and intangible assets, including in-process research and development, acquired by the Company in a purchase business combination. Goodwill is not amortized into results of operations but instead is evaluated for impairment.

Goodwill is evaluated for impairment at least annually in the fourth quarter of each fiscal year. The Company first performs a qualitative assessment of whether it is more likely than not that a reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying amount, and, if so, the Company then applies the two-step impairment test. The two-step impairment test first compares the fair value of the Company’s reporting units, which are the same as its operating segments, to their carrying amount (i.e., book value). If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, goodwill is not impaired and the Company is not required to perform further testing. If the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the Company determines the implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill and if the carrying amount of the reporting unit’s goodwill exceeds its implied fair value, then the Company records an impairment loss equal to the difference.

The Company determines the fair value of its reporting units based on use of income and market approaches. Under the income approach, the Company calculates the fair value of a reporting unit based on the present value of estimated future cash flows. Determining the fair value of a reporting unit involves the use of significant estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions include the revenue growth rates and operating profit margins that are used to project future cash flows, discount rates, future economic and market conditions and determination of appropriate market comparables. The Company bases its fair value estimates on assumptions that are consistent with information used for business planning purposes which it believes to be reasonable and consistent with market participant assumptions, however, actual future results may differ from those estimates. Changes in judgments on any of these factors could materially affect the value of the reporting unit.

See Note 6, “Long-Lived Assets,” for additional information.

Restricted Cash

Restricted Cash: The total amount of restricted cash at March 31, 2014 and 2013 was approximately $2 million and $52 million, respectively, and is included in “Other noncurrent assets, net” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. During the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2014, the Company was granted approval to reduce the minimum restricted cash balance of its insurance subsidiary from $50 million to $250,000. As result, the Company reclassified approximately $50 million from “Other noncurrent assets, net” to “Cash and cash equivalents” in the Consolidated Balance Sheet at March 31, 2014. The reduction in the restricted cash balance was a source of investing cash inflows in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows for the year ended March 31, 2014. In addition to this restricted cash balance, the Company has other restricted cash balances, including cash collateral for letters of credit.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes: Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities from a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.

The Company recognizes the effect of income tax positions only if those positions are more likely than not to be sustained. Changes in recognition or measurement are reflected in the period in which the change in judgment occurs. The Company records interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense. See Note 15, “Income Taxes,” for additional information.

Deferred Revenue (Billed or Collected)

Deferred Revenue (Billed or Collected): The Company accounts for unearned revenue on billed amounts due from customers on a gross basis. Unearned revenue on billed installments (collected or uncollected) is reported as deferred revenue in the liabilities section of the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Deferred revenue (billed or collected) excludes contractual commitments executed under license and maintenance agreements that will be billed in future periods. See Note 7, “Deferred Revenue,” for additional information.

Advertising

Advertising: Advertising costs are expensed as incurred. Advertising expense was approximately $38 million, $10 million and $13 million for fiscal years 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Litigation

Litigation: The Company records a provision with respect to a claim, suit, investigation or proceeding when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. Claims and proceedings are reviewed at least quarterly and provisions are taken or adjusted to reflect the impact and status of settlements, rulings, advice of counsel and other information pertinent to a particular matter. See Note 11, “Commitments and Contingencies,” for additional information.

Other Matters

Other Matters: In the first quarter of fiscal 2013, the Company closed a transaction that assigned the rights to certain of the Company’s intellectual property assets to a large technology company for $35 million. The entire contract amount is included in the “Other (gains) expenses, net” line of the Company’s Consolidated Statement of Operations for the year ended March 31, 2013.

New Accounting Pronouncements

New Accounting Pronouncements: In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-02, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (ASU 2013-02), requiring an entity to present information about reclassification adjustments from accumulated other comprehensive income in their financial statements or footnotes. The Company adopted ASU 2013-02 in the first quarter of fiscal year 2014 and the current and prior periods have been presented in accordance with ASU 2013-02.

FASB ASC Topic 815

The Company has entered into interest rate swaps to convert $500 million of its 6.125% Senior Notes due December 2014 (6.125% Notes) into floating interest rate payments through December 1, 2014. The 6.125% Notes are subordinated to any future secured indebtedness to the extent of the assets securing such future indebtedness and structurally subordinated to any indebtedness of the Company’s subsidiaries. The 6.125% Notes are redeemable by the Company at any time, subject to a premium of 20 basis points. Under the terms of the swaps, the Company will pay quarterly interest at an average rate of 2.88% plus the three-month London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), and will receive payment at 5.625%. The LIBOR based rate is set quarterly three months prior to the date of the interest payment. The Company designated these swaps as fair value hedges and accounts for them in accordance with the shortcut method of FASB ASC Topic 815. The carrying value of the 6.125% Notes has been adjusted by an amount that is equal and offsetting to the fair value of the swaps.

FASB ASC Topic 280

In accordance with FASB ASC Topic 280, “Segment Reporting,” the Company disaggregates its operations into Mainframe Solutions, Enterprise Solutions and Services segments, which is utilized by the Company's Chief Executive Officer for evaluating segment performance and allocating resources.