Principles of Consolidation and Other Matters (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2015

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Accounting

The consolidated financial statements included herein have been prepared by the Company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. While certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations for interim filings, the Company believes that the information and disclosures presented are adequate to make such information and disclosures not misleading.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents primarily consist of certificates of deposit and time deposits, with original maturities of three months or less, and money market funds. The estimated fair value of the Company's cash and cash equivalents approximates their carrying value.

Income Taxes

The Company's effective tax rate in the second quarter of 2015 was 27.9% compared with 27.6% in the second quarter of 2014. The effective tax rate for the first six months of 2015 and 2014 was 28.6%. These rates reflect non-U.S. income taxed at rates below the U.S. statutory rate, including the effect of repatriation, as well as the impact of discrete tax matters such as tax legislation, changes in valuation allowances, the resolution of tax examinations and expirations of statutes of limitations.

The Company is routinely examined by tax authorities in the jurisdictions in which it has significant operations. The Company regularly considers the likelihood of assessments in each of the taxing jurisdictions resulting from examinations. When evaluating the potential imposition of penalties, the Company considers a number of relevant factors under penalty statutes, including appropriate disclosure of the tax return position, the existence of legal authority supporting the Company's position, and reliance on the opinion of professional tax advisors.

During the second quarter of 2015, the Company settled a U.S. federal tax audit with the IRS for the year 2013 and in the second quarter of 2014, settled a U.S. federal tax audit with the IRS for the year 2012.

The Company reports a liability for unrecognized tax benefits resulting from uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in tax returns.

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Hierarchy

The Company has categorized its assets and liabilities that are valued at fair value on a recurring basis into a three-level fair value hierarchy as defined by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB"). The fair value hierarchy gives the highest priority to quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities (Level 1) and lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). In some cases, the inputs used to measure fair value might fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In such cases, the level in the fair value hierarchy, for disclosure purposes, is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Assets and liabilities recorded in the consolidated balance sheets at fair value are categorized based on the inputs in the valuation techniques as follows:

Level 1. Assets and liabilities whose values are based on unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in an active market (examples include active exchange-traded equity securities and money market mutual funds).

Assets and liabilities utilizing Level 1 inputs include exchange-traded mutual funds and money market funds.

Level 2. Assets and liabilities whose values are based on the following:

a) Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets;

b) Quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in non-active markets (examples include corporate and municipal bonds, which trade infrequently);

c) Pricing models whose inputs are observable for substantially the full term of the asset or liability (examples include most over-the-counter derivatives, including interest rate and currency swaps); and

d) Pricing models whose inputs are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data through correlation or other means for substantially the full asset or liability (for example, certain mortgage loans).

The Company does not have any assets or liabilities that utilize Level 2 inputs.

Level 3. Assets and liabilities whose values are based on prices, or valuation techniques that require inputs that are both unobservable and significant to the overall fair value measurement. These inputs reflect management’s own assumptions about the assumptions a market participant would use in pricing the asset or liability (examples include private equity investments, certain commercial mortgage whole loans, and long-dated or complex derivatives including certain foreign exchange options and long-dated options on gas and power).

Liabilities utilizing Level 3 inputs include liabilities for contingent purchase consideration.

Valuation Techniques

Equity Securities and Mutual Funds – Level 1

Investments for which market quotations are readily available are valued at the sale price on their principal exchange, or official closing bid price for certain markets.

Contingent Consideration Liability – Level 3

Purchase consideration for some acquisitions made by the Company includes contingent consideration arrangements. Contingent consideration arrangements are primarily based on meeting EBITDA and revenue targets over periods from two to four years. The fair value of contingent consideration is estimated as the present value of future cash flows resulting from the projected revenue and earnings of the acquired entities.