Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2018

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation: The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements (“Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements”) of CA, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of and for the period ended June 30, 2018 reflect the adoption of Topic 606 (as defined below) on April 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective method. The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of March 31, 2018 and the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations, Comprehensive Income and Cash Flows for the period ended June 30, 2017 have not been revised for the effects of Topic 606 and are therefore not comparable to the June 30, 2018 period.

The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), as defined in Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 270, for interim financial information and in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Securities and Exchange Commission Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by GAAP for complete financial statements and therefore should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2018 (“2018 Form 10-K”). In the opinion of management, all adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. All such adjustments are of a normal, recurring nature.

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.

Operating results for the three months ended June 30, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2019.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash: The Company’s cash and cash equivalents are held in numerous locations throughout the world, with approximately 48% being held by the Company’s foreign subsidiaries outside the United States at June 30, 2018.

At June 30, 2018 and March 31, 2018, the total amount of restricted cash included in “Other noncurrent assets, net” in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets was approximately $1 million and $2 million, respectively. Restricted cash was included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period amounts shown in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the three months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017.

New Accounting Pronouncements

New Accounting Pronouncements:

New Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted

In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, with amendments in 2015, 2016 and 2017, creating new ASC Topic 606 (“Topic 606”) that replaces most existing revenue recognition guidance in GAAP. Topic 606 was adopted by the Company effective April 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective method. Reporting periods prior to the adoption of Topic 606 were presented in accordance with ASC Topic 605 (“Topic 605”). As a result of adopting Topic 606, the Company now recognizes revenue for the license component of all its on-premise software arrangements at the point-in-time control of the software license is transferred to the customer, rather than ratably over the term of the contract. The Company reflected the impact of the changes at transition with a cumulative increase of approximately $2,104 million to the opening balance of retained earnings. Refer to Note 2, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers,” and Note 3, “Impact of Adopting Topic 606,” for a discussion of the changes in the Company’s policies for revenue recognition and commissions, and the required disclosures related to the impact of adopting Topic 606. Refer to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for policies in accordance with Topic 605.

In October 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-16 (“ASU 2016-16”), Intra-Equity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory (Topic 740), which is intended to eliminate diversity in practice and provide a more accurate depiction of the tax consequences on intercompany asset transfers (excluding inventory). ASU 2016-16 requires entities to immediately recognize the tax consequences on intercompany asset transfers (excluding inventory) at the transaction date, rather than deferring the tax consequences under current GAAP. ASU 2016-16 was adopted by the Company when effective in first quarter of fiscal year 2019 using the modified retrospective method of adoption. The adoption of this standard did not have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

New Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02 (“ASU 2016-02”), Leases (Topic 842), with amendments in 2018, requiring a lessee to recognize assets and liabilities on its consolidated balance sheet for leases with accounting lease terms of more than 12 months. ASU 2016-02 will replace most existing lease accounting guidance in GAAP when it becomes effective. The new standard states that a lessee will recognize a lease liability for the obligation to make lease payments and a right-of-use asset for the right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the consolidated statements of operations. ASU 2016-02 will be effective for the Company’s first quarter of fiscal year 2020 and requires the modified retrospective method of adoption, with an option to recognize the cumulative effect of applying the new standard as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings. Early adoption is permitted. The Company will adopt ASU 2016-02 when effective in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020. Although the Company is currently evaluating the effect that ASU 2016-02 will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures, the Company currently expects that most of its operating lease commitments will be subject to the new standard and recognized as operating lease liabilities and right-of-use assets upon adoption.

In January 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2017-04 (“ASU 2017-04”), Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment (Topic 350), which is intended to simplify the subsequent measurement of goodwill. ASU 2017-04 eliminates Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test requiring the assessment of fair value of individual assets and liabilities of a reporting unit to measure goodwill impairments. Upon adoption of this new standard, goodwill impairments will be the amount by which a reporting unit's carrying value exceeds its fair value. ASU 2017-04 will be effective for the Company’s first quarter of fiscal year 2021 and requires a prospective method of adoption. Early adoption is permitted. Although the Company is currently evaluating the timing of adoption of ASU 2017-04, it does not currently expect the adoption to have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In August 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2017-12 (“ASU 2017-12”), Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities (Topic 815), which is intended to improve the financial reporting of hedging relationships to better portray the economic results of risk management activities in financial statements. ASU 2017-12 makes certain targeted improvements to simplify the application of the hedge accounting guidance in current GAAP. ASU 2017-12 will be effective for the Company’s first quarter of fiscal year 2020 and requires a prospective method of adoption for the amended presentation and disclosure guidance. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the timing of adoption and the effect that ASU 2017-12 will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In February 2018, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2018-02 (“ASU 2018-02”), Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Topic 220), which allows stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act enacted on December 22, 2017 (the “Tax Act”) to be reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings. Since ASU 2018-02 only relates to the income tax effects from the Tax Act, the underlying guidance that requires the effects from changes in tax laws or rates be included in income from continuing operations is not affected. ASU 2018-02 will be effective for the Company’s first quarter of fiscal year 2020. Early adoption is permitted. Although the Company is currently evaluating the timing of adoption of ASU 2018-02, it does not currently expect the adoption to have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Reclassifications

Reclassifications: As a result of the adoption of Topic 606 on a modified retrospective basis, the Company’s presentation of prior year revenue in its Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations has been revised to combine the previously reported revenue line items “Subscription and maintenance” and “Software fees and other” into the revenue line item “Software licenses and maintenance” in the current year presentation. This reclassification had no effect on total revenue as previously reported for the three months ended June 30, 2017. Refer to Note 3, “Impact of Adopting Topic 606,” for the transitional disclosures required by Topic 606.