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ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Principles of Consolidation. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Masco Corporation and all majority-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated. We consolidate the assets, liabilities and results of operations of variable interest entities, for which we are the primary beneficiary.

Use of Estimates and Assumptions in the Preparation of Financial Statements

Use of Estimates and Assumptions in the Preparation of Financial Statements. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires us to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of any contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results may differ from these estimates and assumptions.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition. We recognize revenue as title to products and risk of loss is transferred to customers or when services are rendered, net of applicable provisions for discounts, returns and allowances. We record revenue for unbilled services performed based upon material and labor incurred in the Installation and Other Services segment; such amounts are recorded in receivables. Amounts billed for shipping and handling are included in net sales, while costs incurred for shipping and handling are included in cost of sales.

Customer Promotion Costs

Customer Promotion Costs. We record estimated reductions to revenue for customer programs and incentive offerings, including special pricing and co-operative advertising arrangements, promotions and other volume-based incentives. In-store displays that are owned by us and used to market our products are included in other assets in the consolidated balance sheets and are amortized using the straight-line method over the expected useful life of three to five years; related amortization expense is classified as a selling expense in the consolidated statements of operations.

Foreign Currency

Foreign Currency. The financial statements of our foreign subsidiaries are measured using the local currency as the functional currency. Assets and liabilities of these subsidiaries are translated at exchange rates as of the balance sheet date. Revenues and expenses are translated at average exchange rates in effect during the year. The resulting cumulative translation adjustments have been recorded in the accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income component of shareholders' equity. Realized foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in the consolidated statements of operations in other income (expense), net.

Cash and Cash Investments

Cash and Cash Investments. We consider all highly liquid investments with an initial maturity of three months or less to be cash and cash investments.

Short-Term Bank Deposits

Short-Term Bank Deposits. We invest a portion of our foreign excess cash in short-term bank deposits. These highly liquid investments have original maturities between three and twelve months and are valued at cost, which approximates fair value at December 31, 2014 and 2013. These short-term bank deposits are classified in the current assets section of our consolidated balance sheets, and interest income related to short-term bank deposits is recorded in our consolidated statements of operations in other income (expense), net.

Receivables

Receivables. We do significant business with a number of customers, including certain home centers and homebuilders. We monitor our exposure for credit losses on our customer receivable balances and the credit worthiness of our customers on an on-going basis and record related allowances for doubtful accounts. Allowances are estimated based upon specific customer balances, where a risk of default has been identified, and also include a provision for non-customer specific defaults based upon historical collection, return and write-off activity. During downturns in our markets, declines in the financial condition and creditworthiness of customers impacts the credit risk of the receivables involved and we have incurred additional bad debt expense related to customer defaults. A separate allowance is recorded for customer incentive rebates and is generally based upon sales activity. Receivables are presented net of certain allowances (including allowances for doubtful accounts) of $48 million and $57 million at December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. Receivables include unbilled revenue related to the Installation and Other Services segment of $24 million at both December 31, 2014 and 2013.

Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment. Property and equipment, including significant betterments to existing facilities, are recorded at cost. Upon retirement or disposal, the cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any gain or loss is included in the consolidated statements of operations. Maintenance and repair costs are charged against earnings as incurred.

We review our property and equipment as an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of the property and equipment below the carrying amount. If the carrying amount of property and equipment is not recoverable from its undiscounted cash flows, then we would recognize an impairment loss for the difference between the carrying amount and the current fair value. Further, we evaluate the remaining useful lives of property and equipment at each reporting period to determine whether events and circumstances warrant a revision to the remaining depreciation periods.

Depreciation

Depreciation. Depreciation expense is computed principally using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Annual depreciation rates are as follows: buildings and land improvements, 2 to 10 percent, and machinery and equipment, 5 to 33 percent. Depreciation expense was $157 million, $175 million and $192 million in 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Such depreciation expense included accelerated depreciation of $1 million (in the Cabinets and Related Products segment), $13 million (primarily in the Cabinets and Related Products and Plumbing Products segments) and $28 million (primarily in the Cabinets and Related Products and Plumbing Products segment) in 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets. We perform our annual impairment testing of goodwill in the fourth quarter of each year, or as events occur or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount. We have defined our reporting units and completed the impairment testing of goodwill at the operating segment level. Our operating segments are reporting units that engage in business activities, for which discrete financial information, including five-year forecasts, are available. We compare the fair value of the reporting units to the carrying value of the reporting units for goodwill impairment testing. Fair value is determined using a discounted cash flow method, which includes significant unobservable inputs (Level 3 inputs).

Determining market values using a discounted cash flow method requires us to make significant estimates and assumptions, including long-term projections of cash flows, market conditions and appropriate discount rates. Our judgments are based upon historical experience, current market trends, consultations with external valuation specialists and other information. In estimating future cash flows, we rely on internally generated five-year forecasts for sales and operating profits, including capital expenditures, and generally a one to three percent long-term assumed annual growth rate of cash flows for periods after the five-year forecast. We utilize our weighted average cost of capital of approximately 9 percent as the basis to determine the discount rate to apply to the estimated future cash flows. Our weighted average cost of capital decreased in 2014 due to lower bond rates. In 2014, based upon our assessment of the risks impacting each of our businesses, we applied a risk premium to increase the discount rate to a range of 11.0 percent to 14.0 percent for our reporting units.

If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, we measure the possible goodwill impairment based upon an allocation of the estimate of fair value of the reporting unit to all of the underlying assets and liabilities of the reporting unit, including any previously unrecognized intangible assets (Step Two Analysis). The excess of the fair value of a reporting unit over the amounts assigned to its assets and liabilities is the implied fair value of goodwill. An impairment loss is recognized to the extent that a reporting unit's recorded goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of goodwill.

We review our other indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment annually in the fourth quarter of each year, or as events occur or circumstances change that indicate the assets may be impaired without regard to the business unit. We consider the implications of both external (e.g., market growth, competition and local economic conditions) and internal (e.g., product sales and expected product growth) factors and their potential impact on cash flows related to the intangible asset in both the near- and long-term.

Intangible assets with finite useful lives are amortized using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives. We evaluate the remaining useful lives of amortizable intangible assets at each reporting period to determine whether events and circumstances warrant a revision to the remaining periods of amortization. See Note H for additional information regarding Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets.

Fair Value Accounting

Fair Value Accounting. We follow accounting guidance for our financial investments and liabilities which defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value and prescribes disclosures about fair value measurements. We also follow this guidance for our non-financial investments and liabilities.

The fair value of financial investments and liabilities is determined at each balance sheet date and future declines in market conditions, the future performance of the underlying investments or new information could affect the recorded values of our investments in marketable securities, private equity funds and other private investments.

We use derivative financial instruments to manage certain exposure to fluctuations in earnings and cash flows resulting from changes in foreign currency exchange rates, commodity costs and interest rate exposures. Derivative financial instruments are recorded in the consolidated balance sheets as either an asset or liability measured at fair value, netted by counterparty, where the right of offset exists. For derivative instruments not designated as hedging instruments, the gain or loss is recognized in determining current earnings during the period of the change in fair value.

Warranty

Warranty. At the time of sale, we accrue a warranty liability for the estimated cost to provide products, parts or services to repair or replace products in satisfaction of warranty obligations. Our estimate of costs to service our warranty obligations is based upon the information available and includes a number of factors such as the warranty coverage, the warranty period, historical experience specific to the nature, frequency and average cost to service the claim, along with product manufacturing metrics and industry and demographic trends.

Certain factors and related assumptions in determining our warranty liability involve judgments and estimates and are sensitive to changes in the aforementioned factors. We believe that the warranty accrual is appropriate; however, actual claims incurred could differ from the original estimates thereby requiring adjustments to previously established accruals.

A majority of our business is at the consumer retail level through home centers and major retailers. A consumer may return a product to a retail outlet that is a warranty return. However, certain retail outlets do not distinguish between warranty and other types of returns when they claim a return deduction from us. Our revenue recognition policy takes into account this type of return when recognizing revenue, and deductions are recorded at the time of sale.

Insurance Reserves

Insurance Reserves. We provide for expenses associated with workers' compensation and product liability obligations when such amounts are probable and can be reasonably estimated. The accruals are adjusted as new information develops or circumstances change that would affect the estimated liability.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation. We measure compensation expense for stock awards at the market price of our common stock at the grant date. Such expense is recognized ratably over the shorter of the vesting period of the stock awards, typically 5 to 10 years, or the length of time until the grantee becomes retirement-eligible at age 65.

We measure compensation expense for stock options using a Black-Scholes option pricing model. Such expense is recognized ratably over the shorter of the vesting period of the stock options, typically five years, or the length of time until the grantee becomes retirement-eligible at age 65. We utilize the shortcut method to determine the tax windfall pool associated with stock options.

Noncontrolling Interest

Noncontrolling Interest. We own 68 percent of Hansgrohe SE at both December 31, 2014 and 2013. The aggregate noncontrolling interest, net of dividends, at December 31, 2014 and 2013 has been recorded as a component of equity on our consolidated balance sheets.

Interest and Penalties on Uncertain Tax Positions

Interest and Penalties on Uncertain Tax Positions. We record interest and penalties on our uncertain tax positions in income tax expense.

Reclassifications

Reclassifications. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2014 presentation in the consolidated financial statements. In our consolidated statements of cash flows, the cash flows from discontinued operations are not separately classified.

Revision of Previously Issued Financial Statements

Revision of Previously Issued Financial Statements. During the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2014, we identified an error related to the classification of our insurance reserves. We have revised previously reported balances on our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2013 to correct for claims not expected to be settled within the next year. Accrued liabilities decreased from the amounts previously reported by $96 million. Other liabilities increased from the amounts previously reported by $96 million. This revision had no effect on our consolidated statements of operations or consolidated statements of cash flows. This error is not considered material to any prior period financial statement.

During the quarter ended March 31, 2014, we identified an error in the accounting for certain of our investments in private equity limited partnership funds. The investments were inappropriately accounted for under the cost basis versus the equity method. The impact of the error was to under report the investment value (included in other assets on the consolidated balance sheets) and to over (under) state equity investment earnings (loss) (included in other income (expense), net in the consolidated statements of operations). We have revised our December 31, 2013 and 2012 consolidated statement of operations and consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2013 in these financial statements to reflect the investment accounted for as an equity investment. Retained earnings and other comprehensive income were adjusted for the changes in net income. This error is not considered material to any prior period financial statement.

This revision has no net effect on our consolidated statement of cash flows.

The following table presents the impact of the revisions on our previously issued full-year consolidated statements of operations (in millions):

	2013			2012
Other income (expense), net
As reported	$	(239	)	$	(229	)
Correction		16			—

As revised	$	(223	)	$	(229	)


Income (loss) from continuing operations, before income taxes
As reported	$	434		$	73
Correction		16			—

As revised	$	450		$	73


Income (loss) from continuing operations
As reported	$	323		$	(18	)
Correction		16			—

As revised	$	339		$	(18	)


Net income (loss)
As reported	$	313		$	(79	)
Correction		16			—

As revised	$	329		$	(79	)

The following table presents the impact of the revisions on our previously issued consolidated balance sheet (in millions):

	At December 31, 2013
Other assets
As reported	$	161
Correction		24

As revised	$	185


Total assets
As reported	$	6,933
Correction		24

As revised	$	6,957

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements. In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued a new standard for revenue recognition, Accounting Standards Codification 606 (ASC 606). The purpose of ASC 606 is to provide a single, comprehensive revenue recognition model for all contracts with customers to improve comparability across industries. ASC 606 is effective for us for annual periods beginning January 1, 2017. We are currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this new standard will have on our results of operations.

In April 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2014-8 (ASU 2014-8), "Reporting of Discontinued Operations and Disclosure of Disposals of Components of an Entity," which changes the criteria for determining which disposals can be presented as discontinued operations and modifies the related disclosure requirements. ASU 2014-8 is effective for us beginning January 1, 2015. We do not expect that the adoption will have a significant impact on our financial position or results of operations.