XML 57 R7.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.3.0.814
Significant Accounting Policies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2015
Significant Accounting Policies  
Significant Accounting Policies

3M Company and Subsidiaries

Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements

(Unaudited)

 

NOTE 1.  Significant Accounting Policies

 

Basis of Presentation

 

The interim consolidated financial statements are unaudited but, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments necessary for a fair statement of the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. These adjustments consist of normal, recurring items. The results of operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results for the full year. The interim consolidated financial statements and notes are presented as permitted by the requirements for Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q. This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the Company’s consolidated financial statements and notes included in its 2014 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

Foreign Currency Translation

 

Local currencies generally are considered the functional currencies outside the United States. Assets and liabilities for operations in local-currency environments are translated at month-end exchange rates of the period reported. Income and expense items are translated at month-end exchange rates of each applicable month. Cumulative translation adjustments are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in shareholders’ equity.

 

Although local currencies are typically considered as the functional currencies outside the United States, under Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 830, Foreign Currency Matters, the reporting currency of a foreign entity’s parent is assumed to be that entity’s functional currency when the economic environment of a foreign entity is highly inflationary—generally when its cumulative inflation is approximately 100 percent or more for the three years that precede the beginning of a reporting period. 3M has a subsidiary in Venezuela with operating income representing less than 1.0 percent of 3M’s consolidated operating income for 2014. 3M has determined that the applicable cumulative inflation rate of Venezuela has exceeded, and continues to exceed, 100 percent since November 2009. Accordingly, since January 1, 2010, the financial statements of the Venezuelan subsidiary have been remeasured as if its functional currency were that of its parent.

 

The Venezuelan government sets official rates of exchange and conditions precedent to purchase foreign currency at these rates with local currency. Such rates and conditions are subject to change. In January 2014, the Venezuelan government announced that a new agency, the National Center for Foreign Commerce (CENCOEX), had assumed the role with respect to the continuation of the existing official exchange rate; significantly expanded the use of a second foreign exchange mechanism called the Complementary System for Foreign Currency Acquirement (or SICAD1); and issued exchange regulations indicating the SICAD1 rate of exchange would be used for payments related to international investments. The SICAD1 exchange mechanism, a complementary currency auction system, had previously been created for purchases of foreign currency by only certain eligible importers and tourists. In late March 2014, the Venezuelan government launched a third foreign exchange mechanism, SICAD2, which relied on U.S. dollar cash and U.S. dollar denominated bonds offered by the Venezuelan Central Bank, PDVSA (the Venezuelan national oil and gas company) and certain private companies. SICAD2 was announced as being available to all industry sectors and that its use would not be restricted as to purpose. In February 2015, the Venezuelan government introduced another foreign currency exchange platform called the Marginal System of Foreign Currency (SIMADI), resulting in the elimination and replacement of the SICAD2 rate. The SIMADI rate was described as being derived from daily private bidders and buyers exchanging offers through authorized agents and approved and published by the Venezuelan Central Bank.

 

Since January 1, 2010, as discussed above, the financial statements of 3M’s Venezuelan subsidiary have been remeasured as if its functional currency were that of its parent. For the periods presented, this remeasurement utilized the official CENCOEX rate into March 2014, the SICAD1 rate beginning in late March 2014, the SICAD2 rate beginning in June 2014, and the SIMADI rate beginning in February 2015. 3M’s uses of these applicable exchange rates were based upon evaluation of a number of factors including, but not limited to, the exchange rate the Company’s Venezuelan subsidiary may legally use to convert currency, settle transactions or pay dividends; the probability of accessing and obtaining currency by use of a particular rate or mechanism; and the Company’s intent and ability to use a particular exchange mechanism. Other factors notwithstanding, the remeasurement impacts as a result of the changes in use of these exchange rates did not have material impacts on 3M’s consolidated results of operations or financial condition.

 

The Company continues to monitor circumstances relative to its Venezuelan subsidiary. Changes in applicable exchange rates or exchange mechanisms may continue in the future. These changes could impact the rate of exchange applicable to remeasure the Company’s net monetary assets (liabilities) denominated in Venezuelan Bolivars (VEF). As of September 30, 2015, the Company had a balance of net monetary assets denominated in VEF of less than 500 million VEF and the CENCOEX, SICAD (formerly SICAD1), and SIMADI exchange rates were approximately 6 VEF, 13 VEF, and 200 VEF per U.S. dollar, respectively.

 

A need to deconsolidate the Company’s Venezuelan subsidiary’s operations may result from a lack of exchangeability of VEF-denominated cash coupled with an acute degradation in the ability to make key operational decisions due to government regulations in Venezuela. 3M monitors factors such as its ability to access various exchange mechanisms; the impact of government regulations on the Company’s ability to manage its Venezuelan subsidiary’s capital structure, purchasing, product pricing, and labor relations; and the current political and economic situation within Venezuela. Based upon such factors as of September 30, 2015, the Company continues to consolidate its Venezuelan subsidiary. As of September 30, 2015, the balance of intercompany receivables due from this subsidiary is less than $25 million and its equity balance is not significant.

 

Earnings Per Share

 

The difference in the weighted average 3M shares outstanding for calculating basic and diluted earnings per share attributable to 3M common shareholders is a result of the dilution associated with the Company’s stock-based compensation plans. Certain options outstanding under these stock-based compensation plans were not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share attributable to 3M common shareholders because they would not have had a dilutive effect (5.5 million average options for the three months ended September 30, 2015; 4.8 million average options for the nine months ended September 30, 2015; insignificant for the three months ended September 30, 2014; and 1.8 million average options for the nine months ended September 30, 2014). The computations for basic and diluted earnings per share follow:

 

Earnings Per Share Computations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

    

Three months ended 

    

Nine months ended 

 

 

 

September 30,

 

September 30,

 

(Amounts in millions, except per share amounts)

    

2015

    

2014

    

2015

    

2014

 

Numerator:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net income attributable to 3M

 

$

1,296

 

$

1,303

 

$

3,795

 

$

3,777

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Denominator:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Denominator for weighted average 3M common shares outstanding — basic

 

 

620.6

 

 

645.3

 

 

629.4

 

 

652.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dilution associated with the Company’s stock-based compensation plans

 

 

10.6

 

 

12.6

 

 

11.8

 

 

12.8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Denominator for weighted average 3M common shares outstanding — diluted

 

 

631.2

 

 

657.9

 

 

641.2

 

 

665.7

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Earnings per share attributable to 3M common shareholders — basic

 

$

2.09

 

$

2.02

 

$

6.03

 

$

5.78

 

Earnings per share attributable to 3M common shareholders — diluted

 

$

2.05

 

$

1.98

 

$

5.92

 

$

5.67

 

 

New Accounting Pronouncements

 

In April 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-08, Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity, which changed the criteria for determining which disposals can be presented as discontinued operations and modified related disclosure requirements. This standard has the impact of reducing the frequency of disposals reported as discontinued operations, by requiring such a disposal to represent a strategic shift that has or will have a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results. However, existing provisions that prohibited an entity from reporting a discontinued operation if it had certain continuing cash flows or involvement with the component after disposal were eliminated by this standard. The ASU also expands the disclosures for discontinued operations and requires new disclosures related to individually significant disposals that do not qualify as discontinued operations. For 3M, this ASU was effective prospectively beginning January 1, 2015. This ASU was applied to the 2015 divestiture information discussed in Note 2 and had no material impact on consolidated results of operations and financial condition.

 

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, and in August 2015 issued ASU No. 2015-14, which amended ASU No. 2014-09 as to effective date. The ASU, as amended, provides a single comprehensive model to be used in the accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The standard’s stated core principle is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. To achieve this core principle the ASU includes provisions within a five step model that includes identifying the contract with a customer, identifying the performance obligations in the contract, determining the transaction price, allocating the transaction price to the performance obligations, and recognizing revenue when (or as) an entity satisfies a performance obligation. The standard also specifies the accounting for some costs to obtain or fulfill a contract with a customer and requires expanded disclosures about revenue recognition. The standard provides for either full retrospective adoption or a modified retrospective adoption by which it is applied only to the most current period presented. For 3M, the ASU, as amended, is effective January 1, 2018. The Company is currently assessing this standard’s impact on 3M’s consolidated results of operations and financial condition.

 

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-02, Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis, which changes guidance related to both the variable interest entity (VIE) and voting interest entity (VOE) consolidation models. With respect to the VIE model, the standard changes, among other things, the identification of variable interests associated with fees paid to a decision maker or service provider, the VIE characteristics for a limited partner or similar entity, and the primary beneficiary determination. With respect to the VOE model, the ASU eliminates the presumption that a general partner controls a limited partnership or similar entity unless the presumption can otherwise be overcome. Under the new guidance, a general partner would largely not consolidate a partnership or similar entity under the VOE model. For 3M, this ASU is effective January 1, 2016, with early adoption permitted. 3M does not have significant involvement with entities subject to consolidation considerations impacted by the VIE model changes or with limited partnerships potentially impacted by the VOE model changes. As a result, 3M does not expect this ASU to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated results of operations and financial condition.

 

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, and in August 2015 issued ASU No. 2015-15, Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements. Under ASU 2015-03, debt issuance costs reported on the consolidated balance sheet would be reflected as a direct deduction from the related debt liability rather than as an asset. While ASU 2015-03 addresses costs related to term debt, ASU No. 2015-15 provides clarification regarding costs to secure revolving lines of credit, which are, at the outset, not associated with an outstanding borrowing. ASU No. 2015-15 provides commentary that the SEC staff would not object to an entity deferring and presenting costs associated with line-of-credit arrangements as an asset and subsequently amortizing them ratably over the term of the revolving debt arrangement. For 3M, ASU No. 2015-03 is effective January 1, 2016, with early adoption permitted. Retrospective application to prior periods is required. As this standard impacts only the classification of certain amounts within the consolidated balance sheet, 3M does not expect this ASU to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated results of operations and financial condition.

 

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-05, Customer’s Accounting for Fees Paid in a Cloud Arrangement, which requires a customer to determine whether a cloud computing arrangement contains a software license. If the arrangement contains a software license, the customer would account for fees related to the software license element in a manner consistent with accounting for the acquisition of other acquired software licenses. If the arrangement does not contain a software license, the customer would account for the arrangement as a service contract. An arrangement would contain a software license element if both (1) the customer has the contractual right to take possession of the software at any time during the hosting period without significant penalty and (2) it is feasible for the customer to either run the software on its own hardware or contract with another party unrelated to the vendor to host the software. For 3M, this ASU is effective January 1, 2016, with early adoption permitted. The standard provides for adoption either fully retrospectively or prospectively to arrangements entered into, or materially modified, after the effective date. The Company is currently assessing this ASU’s impact on 3M’s consolidated results of operations and financial condition.

 

In May 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-07, Disclosures for Investments in Certain Entities That Calculate Net Asset Value per Share (or Its Equivalent). This standard modifies existing disclosure requirements such that investments for which the practical expedient is used to measure their fair value at net asset value (NAV) would be removed from the fair value hierarchy disclosures. Instead, an entity would be required to include those investments as a reconciling item such that the total fair value amount of investments in the fair value hierarchy disclosure is consistent with the amount on the balance sheet. Changes were also made to the requirements in a sponsor’s employee benefit plan asset disclosures. For 3M, this standard is effective January 1, 2016, with retrospective application required. Early adoption is permitted. As this ASU only impacts certain disclosures, it will not impact the Company’s consolidated results of operations and financial condition.

 

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-11, Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory, which modifies existing requirements regarding measuring inventory at the lower of cost or market. Under existing standards, the market amount requires consideration of replacement cost, net realizable value (NRV), and NRV less an approximately normal profit margin. The new ASU replaces market with NRV, defined as estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal and transportation. This eliminates the need to determine and consider replacement cost or NRV less an approximately normal profit margin when measuring inventory. For 3M, this standard is effective prospectively beginning January 1, 2017, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently assessing this ASU’s impacts on 3M’s consolidated results of operations and financial condition.

 

In September 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-16, Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments, that eliminates the requirement for an acquirer in a business combination to account for measurement-period adjustments retrospectively. Under existing standards, an acquirer in a business combination reports provisional amounts with respect to acquired assets and liabilities when their measurements are incomplete as of the end of the reporting period. Prior to the impact of this ASU, an acquirer is required to adjust provisional amounts (and the related impact on earnings) by restating prior period financial statements during the measurement period which cannot exceed one year from the date of acquisition. The new guidance requires that the cumulative impact of a measurement-period adjustment (including the impact on prior periods) be recognized in the reporting period in which the adjustment is identified—eliminating the requirement to restate prior period financial statements. The new standard requires disclosure of the nature and amount of measurement-period adjustments as well as information with respect to the portion of the adjustments recorded in current-period earnings that would have been recorded in previous reporting periods if the adjustments to provisional amounts had been recognized as of the acquisition date. The ASU is applied prospectively to measurement-period adjustments that occur after the effective date. For 3M, this standard is required prospectively beginning January 1, 2016, with early adoption permitted. The Company expects to adopt this standard to measurement-period adjustments beginning October 1, 2015.