Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

15 Months Ended

Jan. 31, 2012

Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of presentation

Basis of Presentation

The information furnished herein reflects all adjustments which are, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the consolidated balance sheets as of January 31, 2012 and October 31, 2011 and the consolidated statements of operations and cash flows for the three-month periods ending January 31, 2012 and 2011 of Greif, Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company”). The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Greif, Inc., all wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries and investments in limited liability companies, partnerships and joint ventures in which it has controlling influence. Non-majority owned entities include investments in limited liability companies, partnerships and joint ventures in which the Company does not have controlling influence.

The unaudited consolidated financial statements included in the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (this “Form 10-Q”) should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended October 31, 2011 (the “2011 Form 10-K”). Note 1 of the “Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements” from the 2011 Form 10-K is specifically incorporated in this Form 10-Q by reference. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for fair presentation of the consolidated financial statements have been included and are of a normal and recurring nature.

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) instructions to Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and include all of the information and disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial reporting. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual amounts could differ from those estimates.

The Company’s fiscal year begins on November 1 and ends on October 31 of the following year. Any references to the year 2012 or 2011, or to any quarter of those years, relates to the fiscal year or quarter, as the case may be, ending in that year.

Certain and appropriate prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2012 presentation.

Transfers and Servicing

The structure of the transactions provide for a legal true sale, on a revolving basis, of the receivables transferred from the various Greif, Inc. subsidiaries to the respective banks. The bank funds an initial purchase price of a certain percentage of eligible receivables based on a formula with the initial purchase price approximating 75 percent to 90 percent of eligible receivables. The remaining deferred purchase price is settled upon collection of the receivables. At the balance sheet reporting dates, the Company removes from accounts receivable the amount of proceeds received from the initial purchase price since they meet the applicable criteria of ASC 860, “Transfers and Servicing”, and continues to recognize the deferred purchase price in its accounts receivable. At the time the receivables are initially sold, the difference between the carrying amount and the fair value of the assets sold are included as a loss on sale in the consolidated statements of operations. The receivables are sold on a non-recourse basis with the total funds in the servicing collection accounts pledged to the banks between settlement dates.

Earnings Per Share

The Company has two classes of common stock and, as such, applies the “two-class method” of computing earnings per share (“EPS”) as prescribed in ASC 260, “Earnings Per Share”. In accordance with this guidance, earnings are allocated first to Class A and Class B Common Stock to the extent that dividends are actually paid and the remainder allocated assuming all of the earnings for the period have been distributed in the form of dividends.

The Company calculates Class A EPS as follows: (i) multiply 40 percent times the average Class A shares outstanding, then divide that amount by the product of 40 percent of the average Class A shares outstanding plus 60 percent of the average Class B shares outstanding to get a percentage, (ii) divide undistributed net income attributable to Greif, Inc. by the average Class A shares outstanding, then (iii) multiply item (i) by item (ii), and finally (iv) add item (iii) to the Class A cash dividend per share. Diluted shares are factored into the Class A calculation.

The Company calculates Class B EPS as follows: (i) multiply 60 percent times the average Class B shares outstanding, then divide that amount by the product of 40 percent of the average Class A shares outstanding plus 60 percent of the average Class B shares outstanding to get a percentage, (ii) divide undistributed net income attributable to Greif, Inc. by the average Class B shares outstanding, then (iii) multiply item (i) by item (ii), and finally (iv) add item (iii) to the Class B cash dividend per share. Class B diluted EPS is identical to Class B basic EPS.

Compensation Stock Compensation

Stock-based compensation is accounted for in accordance with ASC 718, “Compensation – Stock Compensation”, which requires companies to estimate the fair value of share-based awards on the date of grant using an option-pricing model. The value of the portion of the award that is ultimately expected to vest is recognized as an expense in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations over the requisite service periods. The Company uses the straight-line single option method of expensing stock options to recognize compensation expense in its consolidated statements of operations for all share-based awards. Because share-based compensation expense is based on awards that are ultimately expected to vest, share-based compensation expense will be reduced to account for estimated forfeitures. ASC 718 requires forfeitures to be estimated at the time of grant and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates. No stock options were granted in 2012 or 2011. For any options granted in the future, compensation expense will be based on the grant date fair value estimated in accordance with the provisions of ASC 718.

Business Combinations

In December 2010, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2010-29 “Business Combinations: Disclosure of supplementary pro forma information for business combinations”. The amendment to Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805 “Business Combinations” requires a public entity to disclose pro forma information for business combinations that occurred in the current reporting period. The disclosures include pro forma revenue and earnings of the combined entity for the current reporting period as though the acquisition date for all business combinations that occurred during the year had been as of the beginning of the annual reporting period. If comparative financial statements are presented, the pro forma revenue and earnings of the combined entity for the comparable prior reporting period should be reported as though the acquisition date for all business combinations that occurred during the current year had been as of the beginning of the comparable prior annual reporting period. The Company adopted the new guidance beginning November 1, 2011, and the adoption of the new guidance did not impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows, other than the related disclosures.

Comprehensive Income

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-05 “Comprehensive Income: Presentation of comprehensive income.” The amendment to ASC 220 “Comprehensive Income” requires that all non-owner changes in stockholders’ equity be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. In the two-statement approach, the first statement should present total net income and its components followed consecutively by a second statement that should present total other comprehensive income, the components of other comprehensive income, and the total of comprehensive income. In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-12 “Comprehensive Income: Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05.” This amendment to ASC 220 “Comprehensive Income” will defer the adoption of ASU 2011-05. The Company is expected to adopt the new guidance beginning November 1, 2012, and the adoption of the new guidance is not expected to impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows, other than the related disclosures.

Newly adopted accounting standards

Newly Adopted Accounting Standards

In December 2010, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2010-29 “Business Combinations: Disclosure of supplementary pro forma information for business combinations”. The amendment to Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805 “Business Combinations” requires a public entity to disclose pro forma information for business combinations that occurred in the current reporting period. The disclosures include pro forma revenue and earnings of the combined entity for the current reporting period as though the acquisition date for all business combinations that occurred during the year had been as of the beginning of the annual reporting period. If comparative financial statements are presented, the pro forma revenue and earnings of the combined entity for the comparable prior reporting period should be reported as though the acquisition date for all business combinations that occurred during the current year had been as of the beginning of the comparable prior annual reporting period. The Company adopted the new guidance beginning November 1, 2011, and the adoption of the new guidance did not impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows, other than the related disclosures.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Effective July 1, 2009, changes to the ASC are communicated through an ASU. As of January 31, 2012, the FASB has issued ASU’s 2009-01 through 2011-12. The Company has reviewed each ASU and the adoption of each ASU is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows, other than the related disclosures.

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-05 “Comprehensive Income: Presentation of comprehensive income.” The amendment to ASC 220 “Comprehensive Income” requires that all non-owner changes in stockholders’ equity be presented either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. In the two-statement approach, the first statement should present total net income and its components followed consecutively by a second statement that should present total other comprehensive income, the components of other comprehensive income, and the total of comprehensive income. In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-12 “Comprehensive Income: Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05.” This amendment to ASC 220 “Comprehensive Income” will defer the adoption of ASU 2011-05. The Company is expected to adopt the new guidance beginning November 1, 2012, and the adoption of the new guidance is not expected to impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows, other than the related disclosures.

In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-08 “Intangibles—Goodwill and Other: Testing Goodwill for Impairment” which provides an entity the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the current two-step test for goodwill impairment. If an entity believes, as a result of its qualitative assessment, that it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, the quantitative impairment test is required. Otherwise, no further testing is required. The revised standard is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. However, an entity can choose to early adopt even if its annual test date is before the issuance of the final standard, provided that the entity has not yet performed its 2011 annual impairment test or issued its financial statements. The Company is expected to adopt the new guidance beginning November 1, 2012, and the adoption of the new guidance is not expected to impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows, other than related disclosures.

In December 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-11 “Balance Sheet: Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities.” The differences in the offsetting requirements in U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”) account for a significant difference in the amounts presented in statements of financial position prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP and in the amounts presented in those statements prepared in accordance with IFRS for certain institutions. This difference reduces the comparability of statements of financial position. The FASB and IASB are issuing joint requirements that will enhance current disclosures. Entities are required to disclose both gross information and net information about both instruments and transactions eligible for offset in the statement of financial position and instruments and transactions subject to an agreement similar to a master netting arrangement. The Company is expected to adopt the new guidance beginning on November 1, 2014, and the adoption of the new guidance is not expected to impact the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows, other than the related disclosures.

Financial Instruments

Financial Instruments

The Company uses derivatives from time to time to partially mitigate the effect of exposure to interest rate movements, exposure to currency fluctuations, and energy cost fluctuations. Under ASC 815, “Derivatives and Hedging”, all derivatives are to be recognized as assets or liabilities on the balance sheet and measured at fair value. Changes in the fair value of derivatives are recognized in either net income or in other comprehensive income, depending on the designated purpose of the derivative.

While the Company may be exposed to credit losses in the event of nonperformance by the counterparties to its derivative financial instrument contracts, its counterparties are established banks and financial institutions with high credit ratings. The Company has no reason to believe that such counterparties will not be able to fully satisfy their obligations under these contracts.

During the next nine months, the Company expects to reclassify into earnings a net loss from accumulated other comprehensive loss of approximately $1.2 million after tax at the time the underlying hedge transactions are realized.

Fair Value

ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures” defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in GAAP and expands disclosures about fair value measurements for financial and non-financial assets and liabilities. Additionally, this guidance established a three-level fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. This hierarchy requires entities to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs.

The three levels of inputs used to measure fair values are as follows:

• Level 1 – Observable inputs such as unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities.

• Level 2 – Observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities.

• Level 3 – Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets and liabilities.

Income Tax

The Company has estimated the reasonably possible expected net change in unrecognized tax benefits through January 31, 2012 based on expected settlements or payments of uncertain tax positions, and lapses of the applicable statutes of limitations of unrecognized tax benefits under ASC 740, “Income Taxes.” The estimated net decrease in unrecognized tax benefits for the next 12 months ranges from $0 to $48.5 million. Actual results may differ materially from this estimate.