Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation

The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its majority-owned subsidiaries and variable interest entities (“VIEs”) for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. All material intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

The Company continually evaluates its investments to determine if they represent variable interests in a VIE. If the Company determines that it has a variable interest in a VIE, the Company then evaluates if it is the primary beneficiary of the VIE. The evaluation is a qualitative assessment as to whether the Company has the ability to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance. The Company consolidates a VIE if it is considered to be the primary beneficiary.

Assets and liabilities of VIEs for which the Company is the primary beneficiary were not significant to the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements. VIE creditors do not have recourse against the general credit of the Company.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company utilizes the three-level valuation hierarchy for the recognition and disclosure of fair value measurements. The categorization of assets and liabilities within this hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the measurement of fair value. The three levels of the hierarchy consist of the following:

· Level 1 – Inputs to the valuation methodology are unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date.

· Level 2 – Inputs to the valuation methodology are quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, quoted prices in markets that are not active or inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the instrument.

· Level 3 – Inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable inputs based upon management’s best estimate of inputs market participants could use in pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date, including assumptions about risk.

As of September 30, 2017, the carrying value of cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and the contingent consideration liability included in accrued expenses approximated their fair value due to the nature of these financial instruments. The Company invests in money market funds, commercial paper and time deposits that are classified as cash and cash equivalents within the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets, as these funds are highly liquid and readily convertible to known amounts of cash. These investments are classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy because they are valued using quoted market prices. The Company’s short-term investments of $75 million at September 30, 2017 consist of certificates of deposit with initial maturities of greater than three months when purchased that mature within one year from the balance sheet date. These investments, which are classified within Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy, are carried at fair value, which approximated historical cost at September 30, 2017. The carrying amount and estimated fair value of the Company’s total long-term debt was $25.7 billion and $27.0 billion, respectively, as of September 30, 2017. The fair value of the Company’s long-term debt was estimated based on quoted prices currently offered in active markets for the Company’s debt, which is considered Level 1 of the fair value hierarchy.

Related Party Transactions

Related Party Transactions

The Company has an equity method investment in SureScripts, LLC (“SureScripts”), which operates a clinical health information network. The Pharmacy Services and Retail/LTC segments utilize this clinical health information network in providing services to its client plan members and retail customers. The Company expensed fees for the use of this network of approximately $5 million and $7 million in the three months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and expensed fees for the use of this network of approximately $29 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016. The Company’s investment in and equity in earnings of SureScripts for all periods presented is immaterial.

The Company has an equity method investment in Heartland Healthcare Services (“Heartland”). Heartland operates several long-term care pharmacies in four states. Heartland paid the Company approximately $36 million and $46 million for pharmaceutical inventory purchases during the three months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively, and approximately $106 million and $116 million for pharmaceutical inventory purchases during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016. Additionally, the Company performs certain collection functions for Heartland and then passes those customer cash collections back to Heartland. The Company’s investment and equity in earnings of Heartland for all periods presented is immaterial.

Discontinued Operations

Discontinued Operations

In connection with certain business dispositions completed between 1991 and 1997, the Company retained guarantees on store lease obligations for a number of former subsidiaries, including Bob’s Stores and Linens ‘n Things, both of which subsequently filed for bankruptcy. See “Note 12 – Commitments and Contingencies” to the condensed consolidated financial statements. The Company’s discontinued operations include lease-related costs which the Company believes it will likely be required to satisfy pursuant to its lease guarantees.

New Accounting Pronouncements

New Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted

In July 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2015-11, Inventory, which amends Accounting Standard Codification (“ASC”) Topic 330. This ASU simplifies current accounting treatments by requiring entities to measure most inventories at “the lower of cost and net realizable value” rather than using lower of cost or market. This guidance does not apply to inventories measured using the last-in, first-out method or the retail inventory method. The Company adopted this standard effective January 1, 2017. The adoption of this new guidance did not have any impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which amends the accounting for certain aspects of shared-based payments to employees in ASC Topic 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation. The new guidance eliminates the accounting for any excess tax benefits and deficiencies through equity, and requires all excess tax benefits and deficiencies related to employee share-based compensation arrangements to be recorded in the income statement. This aspect of the guidance is required to be applied prospectively. The guidance also requires the presentation of excess tax benefits on the statement of cash flows as an operating activity rather than a financing activity, a change which may be applied prospectively or retrospectively. The guidance further provides an accounting policy election to account for forfeitures as they occur rather than utilizing the estimated amount of forfeitures at the time of issuance. The Company adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2017. The primary impact of adopting this guidance was the recognition of excess tax benefits in the income statement instead of recognizing them in equity. This income statement guidance was adopted on a prospective basis. As a result, a discrete tax benefit of $18 million and $51 million was recognized in the income tax provision in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017, respectively.

The Company elected to retrospectively adopt the guidance on the presentation of excess tax benefits in the statement of cash flows. The following is a reconciliation of the effect of the resulting reclassification of the excess tax benefits on the Company’s condensed consolidated statement of cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2016:

	As Previously
In millions	Reported		Adjustments		As Revised
Cash paid to other suppliers and employees	$	(11,092)	$	72	$	(11,020)
Net cash provided by operating activities		7,948		72		8,020
Excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation		72		(72)		—
Net cash used in financing activities		(6,568)		(72)		(6,640)
Reconciliation of net income to net cash provided by operating activities:
Accrued expenses		2,077		72		2,149

The Company elected to continue to estimate forfeitures expected to occur to determine the amount of compensation cost to be recognized in each period. None of the other provisions in this guidance had a material impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements.

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-07, Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost, which amends ASC Topic 715, Compensation – Retirement Benefits. ASU 2017-17 requires entities to disaggregate the current service cost component from the other components of net benefit cost and present it with other current compensation costs for related employees in the income statement and present the other components of net benefit cost elsewhere in the income statement and outside of operating income. Only the service cost component of net benefit cost is eligible for capitalization. The guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted as of the beginning of any annual periods for which an entity’s financial statements have not been issued. Entities are required to retrospectively apply the requirement for a separate presentation in the income statement of service costs and other components of net benefit cost and prospectively adopt the requirement to limit the capitalization of benefit costs to the service component. The Company adopted the income statement presentation aspects of this new guidance on a retrospective basis effective January 1, 2017. Nearly all of the Company’s net benefit costs for the Company’s defined benefit pension and postretirement plans do not contain a service cost component as most of these defined benefit plans have been frozen for an extended period of time. The following is a reconciliation of the effect of the reclassification of the net benefit cost from operating expenses to other expense in the Company’s condensed consolidated statements of income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016:

	As Previously
In millions	Reported		Adjustments		As Revised
Three Months Ended September 30, 2016
Operating expenses	$	4,675	$	(7)	$	4,668
Operating profit		2,817		7		2,824
Other expense		—		7		7
Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016
Operating expenses		13,908		(23)		13,885
Operating profit		7,343		23		7,366
Other expense		—		23		23

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which amends ASC Topic 350, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other. This ASU requires the Company to perform its annual, or applicable interim, goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of each reporting unit with its carrying amount. An impairment charge must be recognized at the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair value of the reporting unit; however, the charge recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. Income tax effects resulting from any tax deductible goodwill should be considered when measuring a goodwill impairment charge, if applicable. The guidance in ASU 2017-04 is effective for annual or interim goodwill impairment tests in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company elected to early adopt this standard as of January 1, 2017. At the date of adoption of this new guidance, the guidance did not have any impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows.

New Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). ASU 2014-09 outlines a single comprehensive model for companies to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-08, “Principal Versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross Versus Net),” which amends the principal-versus-agent implementation guidance and in April 2016 the FASB issued ASU 2016-10, “Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing,” which amends the guidance in those areas in the new revenue recognition standard. Both ASUs were issued in response to feedback received from the FASB-International Accounting Standards Board joint revenue recognition transition resource group. The new revenue standard is effective for annual reporting periods (including interim reporting periods within those periods) beginning January 1, 2018. The Company chose not to early adopt the new standard. Companies have the option of using either a full retrospective or a modified retrospective approach to adopt the standard. The Company intends to adopt the new standard on a modified retrospective basis. The Company formed a project team to assess and implement the new revenue standard and is substantially complete in documenting its accounting policies applying the new revenue guidance. The Company does not expect that the implementation of the new standard will have a material effect on the Company's consolidated results of operations, cash flows or financial position. The new standard will however require more extensive revenue-related disclosures. The Company has identified one difference in its Retail/LTC Segment related to the accounting for its ExtraBucks Rewards customer loyalty program, which is currently accounted for under a cost deferral method. Under the new standard, this program will be accounted for under a revenue deferral method; however, the difference is not expected to be material.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). Lessees will be required to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for virtually all of their leases (other than leases that meet the definition of a short-term lease). The liability will be equal to the present value of lease payments. The asset will be based on the liability, subject to adjustment, such as for initial direct costs. For income statement purposes, a dual model was retained, requiring leases to be classified as either operating or finance leases. Operating leases will result in straight-line expense (similar to current operating leases) while finance leases will result in a front-loaded expense pattern (similar to current capital leases). Lessor accounting is similar to the current model, but updated to align with certain changes to the lessee model (e.g., certain definitions, such as initial direct costs, have been updated) and the new revenue recognition standard. The standard is effective for public companies for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. The Company believes that the new standard will have a material impact on its consolidated balance sheet. The Company is currently evaluating the effect that implementation of this standard will have on the Company’s consolidated results of operations, cash flows, financial position and related disclosures.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. ASU 2016-15 is intended to add or clarify guidance on the classification of certain cash receipts and payments in the statement of cash flows and to eliminate the diversity in practice related to such classifications. The guidance in ASU 2016-15 is required for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the effect on its consolidated statement of cash flows of adopting this accounting guidance.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows, which amends ASC Topic 230. This ASU requires entities to show the changes in the total of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. As a result, entities will no longer be required to present transfers between cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. When cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents are presented in more than one line item on the balance sheet, the new guidance requires a reconciliation of the totals in the statement of cash flows to the related captions in the balance sheet. Entities will also have to disclose the nature of their restricted cash and restricted cash equivalent balances. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted. Entities are required to apply the guidance retrospectively. The Company is currently evaluating the effect of adopting this accounting guidance.