Accounting Policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2016

Accounting Changes and Error Corrections [Abstract]

Fiscal Period, Policy

The Company’s fiscal quarters end on the Sunday closest to the last day of each calendar quarter. For convenience, the fiscal quarters of each year are referred to as ending on March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31. The first fiscal quarter of 2016 began on January 4, 2016 and ended on April 3, 2016; the second fiscal quarter of 2016 ended on July 3, 2016. The first fiscal quarter of 2015 began on December 29, 2014 and ended on March 29, 2015; the second fiscal quarter of 2015 ended on June 28, 2015.

Accounting Standards Adopted in the Current Fiscal Year and Not Yet Adopted

Accounting Standards Adopted in the Current Fiscal Year

Various updates to accounting guidance became effective in the Company's first fiscal quarter of 2016. The majority of these updates either did not apply to the Company's operations or will only apply if the activity addressed in the guidance takes place in the future. Adoption of updates that did apply to the Company's operations did not have a material effect on the Company's financial statements.

Newly Issued Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued new guidance on the measurement of credit losses on financial instruments. The new guidance will replace the incurred loss methodology of recognizing credit losses on financial instruments that is currently required with a methodology that estimates the expected credit loss on financial instruments and reflects the net amount expected to be collected on the financial instrument. Application of the new guidance may result in the earlier recognition of credit losses as the new methodology will require entities to consider forward-looking information in addition to historical and current information used in assessing incurred losses. The Company will be required to adopt the new guidance on a modified retrospective basis beginning with its first fiscal quarter of 2020, with early adoption permitted in its first fiscal quarter of 2019. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures and whether early adoption will be elected.

In March 2016, the FASB issued new guidance that addresses accounting for certain aspects of share-based payments, including excess tax benefits or deficiencies, forfeiture estimates, statutory tax withholding and cash flow classification of certain share-based payment activity. The Company will be required to adopt the new guidance beginning with its first fiscal quarter of 2017. Early adoption is permitted as long as all amendments addressed in the new guidance are adopted in the same period. The method of adoption varies based on each individual amendment.

The Company believes one impact of the new guidance on its financial statements will be the recording of excess tax benefits or deficiencies in its provision for income taxes upon adoption of the new guidance instead of the current recording in additional paid-in capital (“APIC”). The Company is currently evaluating the impact of other aspects of the new guidance on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

In February 2016, the FASB issued new guidance with respect to the accounting for leases. The new guidance will require lessees to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for virtually all leases, other than leases with a term of 12 months or less, and to provide additional disclosures about leasing arrangements. Accounting by lessors is largely unchanged from existing accounting guidance. The Company will be required to adopt the new guidance on a modified retrospective basis beginning with its first fiscal quarter of 2019. Early adoption is permitted.

While the Company is still in the process of evaluating the impact of the new guidance on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures, the Company expects adoption of the new guidance will have a material impact on its Consolidated Balance Sheets due to recognition of the right-of-use asset and lease liability related to its operating leases. While the new guidance will also impact the measurement and presentation of elements of expenses and cash flows related to leasing arrangements, the Company does not presently believe there will be a material impact on its Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income or Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

In May 2014, the FASB issued new accounting guidance on revenue recognition, which provides for a single, five-step model to be applied to all revenue contracts with customers. The new standard also requires additional financial statement disclosures that will enable users to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows relating to customer contracts. Companies have an option to use either a retrospective approach or cumulative effect adjustment approach to implement the standard. In August 2015, the FASB deferred the effective date of the new revenue guidance by one year such that the Company will be required to adopt the new guidance beginning with its first fiscal quarter of 2018.

This new guidance supersedes nearly all of the existing general revenue recognition guidance under U.S. GAAP as well as most industry-specific revenue recognition guidance, including guidance with respect to revenue recognition by franchisors. The Company believes the recognition of the majority of its revenues, including franchise royalty revenues, sales of IHOP pancake and waffle dry mix and retail sales at company-operated restaurants, will not be affected by the new guidance. Additionally, lease rental revenues are not within the scope of the new revenue guidance. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures and which method of adoption will be used.

The Company reviewed all other newly issued accounting pronouncements and concluded that they either are not applicable to the Company or are not expected to have a material effect on the Company's consolidated financial statements as a result of future adoption.