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Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2012
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Principles of Consolidation:    The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Motorola Solutions, Inc. (the “Company” or “Motorola Solutions”) and all controlled subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated.
The consolidated financial statements as of December 31, 2012 and 2011 and for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, include, in the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments and reclassifications) necessary to present fairly the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations, statements of comprehensive income, statement of stockholder's equity, and cash flows for all periods presented.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
Changes in Presentation
Reverse Stock Split and Name Change
On November 30, 2010, Motorola Solutions announced the timing and details regarding the distribution of Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc. ("Motorola Mobility") and the approval of a reverse stock split at a ratio of 1-for-7 (“the Reverse Stock Split”). On January 4, 2011, immediately following the distribution of Motorola Mobility common stock, the Company completed a the Reverse Stock Split and changed its name to Motorola Solutions, Inc. All consolidated share and per share information presented gives effect to the distribution of Motorola Mobility and Reverse Stock Split.
Revenue Recognition: Net sales consist of a wide range of activities including the delivery of stand-alone equipment or services, custom design and installation over a period of time, and bundled sales of equipment, software and services. The Company enters into revenue arrangements that may consist of multiple deliverables of its product and service offerings due to the needs of its customers. The Company recognizes revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred, the sales price is fixed or determinable, and collectability of the sales price is reasonably assured. The Company recognizes revenue from the sale of equipment, software bundled with equipment that is essential to the functionality of the equipment, and most services in accordance with general revenue recognition accounting principles. The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with software accounting guidance for the following types of sales transactions: (i) standalone sales of software products or software upgrades, (ii) standalone sales of software maintenance agreements, and (iii) sales of software bundled with hardware not essential to the functionality of that hardware.
Products —For product sales, revenue recognition occurs when products have been shipped, risk of loss has transferred to the customer, objective evidence exists that customer acceptance provisions have been met, no significant obligations remain and allowances for discounts, price protection, returns and customer incentives can be reliably estimated. Recorded revenues are reduced by these allowances. The Company bases its estimates of these allowances on historical experience taking into consideration the type of products sold, the type of customer, and the specific type of transaction in each arrangement. Where customer incentives cannot be reliably estimated, the Company defers revenue until the incentive has been finalized with the customer.
The Company sells software and equipment obtained from other companies. The Company establishes its own pricing and retains related inventory risk, is the primary obligor in sales transactions with customers, and assumes the credit risk for amounts billed to customers. Accordingly, the Company generally recognizes revenue for the sale of products obtained from other companies based on the gross amount billed.
Within the Enterprise segment, products are primarily sold through distributors and value-added resellers (collectively “channel partners”).  Channel partners may provide a service or add componentry in order to resell the Company's products to end customers.  For sales to channel partners where the Company cannot reliably estimate the final sales price or when a channel partner is unable to pay for the Company's products without reselling them to their customers, revenue is not recognized until the products are resold by the channel partner to the end customer.
Long-Term Contracts—For long-term contracts that involve customization of equipment and/or software, the Company generally recognizes revenue using the percentage of completion method based on the percentage of costs incurred to date compared to the total estimated costs to complete the contract. In certain instances, when revenues or costs associated with long-term contracts cannot be reliably estimated or the contract contains other inherent uncertainties, revenues and costs are deferred until the project is complete and customer acceptance is obtained. When current estimates of total contract revenue and contract costs indicate a contract loss, the loss is recognized in the period it becomes evident.
Services—Revenue for services is generally recognized ratably over the contract term as services are performed.
Software and Licenses—Revenue from pre-paid perpetual licenses is recognized at the inception of the arrangement, presuming all other relevant revenue recognition criteria are met. Revenue from non-perpetual licenses or term licenses is recognized ratably over the period that the licensee uses the license. Revenues from software maintenance, technical support and unspecified upgrades are recognized over the period that these services are delivered.
Multiple-Element Arrangements—Arrangements with customers may include multiple deliverables, including any combination of products, services and software. These multiple element arrangements could also include an element accounted for as a long-term contract coupled with other products, services and software. For multiple-element arrangements that include products containing software essential to the equipment's functionality, undelivered software elements that relate to the product's essential software, and undelivered non-software services, deliverables are separated into more than one unit of accounting when (i) the delivered element(s) have value to the customer on a stand-alone basis, and (ii) delivery of the undelivered element(s) is probable and substantially in the control of the Company. In these arrangements, the Company allocates revenue to all deliverables based on their relative selling prices. The Company uses the following hierarchy to determine the selling price to be used for allocating revenue to deliverables: (i) vendor-specific objective evidence of fair value (“VSOE”), (ii) third-party evidence of selling price (“TPE”), and (iii) best estimate of selling price (“ESP”).
VSOE—In many instances, products are sold separately in stand-alone arrangements as customers may support the products themselves or purchase support on a time and materials basis. Additionally, advanced services such as general consulting, network management or advisory projects are often sold in stand-alone engagements. Technical support services are also often sold separately through renewals of annual contracts. The Company determines VSOE based on its normal pricing and discounting practices for the specific product or service when sold separately. In determining VSOE, the Company requires that a substantial majority of the selling prices for a product or service fall within a reasonably narrow pricing range, generally evidenced by the pricing rates of approximately 80% of such historical stand-alone transactions falling within plus or minus 15% of the median rate. In addition, the Company considers the geographies in which the products or services are sold, major product and service groups, customer classification, and other environmental or marketing variables in determining VSOE.
TPE—VSOE exists only when the Company sells the deliverable separately. When VSOE does not exist, the Company attempts to determine TPE based on competitor prices for similar deliverables when sold separately. Generally, the Company's go-to-market strategy for many of its products differs from that of its peers and its offerings contain a significant level of customization and differentiation such that the comparable pricing of products with similar functionality sold by other companies cannot be obtained. Furthermore, the Company is unable to reliably determine what similar competitor products’ selling prices are on a stand-alone basis. Therefore, the Company is typically not able to determine TPE.
ESP—The objective of ESP is to determine the price at which the Company would transact a sale if the product or service were sold on a stand-alone basis. When both VSOE and TPE do not exist, the Company determines ESP by first collecting all reasonably available data points including sales, cost and margin analysis of the product, and other inputs based on its normal pricing practices. Second, the Company makes any reasonably required adjustments to the data based on market and Company-specific factors. Third, the Company stratifies the data points, when appropriate, based on customer, magnitude of the transaction and sales volume.
Once elements of an arrangement are separated into more than one unit of accounting, revenue is recognized for each separate unit of accounting based on the nature of the revenue as described above.
The Company's arrangements with multiple deliverables may also contain a stand-alone software deliverable that is subject to software revenue recognition guidance. The revenue for these multiple-element arrangements is allocated to the software deliverable and the non-software deliverable(s) based on the relative selling prices of all of the deliverables in the arrangement using the fair value hierarchy outlined above. In circumstances where the Company cannot determine VSOE or TPE of the selling price for any of the deliverables in the arrangement, ESP is used for the purpose of allocating the arrangement consideration between software and non software deliverables.
The Company accounts for multiple-element arrangements that consist entirely of software or software-related products, including the sale of software upgrades or software support agreements to previously sold software, in accordance with software accounting guidance. For such arrangements, revenue is allocated to the deliverables based on the relative fair value of each element, and fair value is determined using VSOE. Where VSOE does not exist for the undelivered software element, revenue is deferred until either the undelivered element is delivered or VSOE is established, whichever occurs first. When VSOE of a delivered element has not been established, but VSOE exists for the undelivered elements, the Company uses the residual method to recognize revenue when the fair value of all undelivered elements is determinable. Under the residual method, the fair value of the undelivered elements is deferred and the remaining portion of the arrangement consideration is allocated to the delivered elements and is recognized as revenue.
Cash Equivalents:    The Company considers all highly-liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. At both December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011, restricted cash was $63 million.
Sigma Fund:    The Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries invest a significant portion of their U.S. dollar-denominated cash in a fund (the “Sigma Fund”) that allows the Company to efficiently manage its cash around the world. The Sigma Fund portfolio is managed by four independent investment management firms. The investment guidelines of the Sigma Fund require that purchased investments must be in high-quality, investment grade (rated at least A/A-1 by Standard & Poor's or A2/P-1 by Moody's Investors Service), U.S. dollar-denominated fixed income obligations, including certificates of deposit, commercial paper, government bonds, corporate bonds and asset- and mortgage-backed securities. Under the Sigma Fund's investment policies, except for obligations of the U.S. government, agencies and government-sponsored enterprises, no more than 5% of the Sigma Fund portfolio is to consist of securities of any one issuer. The Sigma Fund's investment policies further require that floating rate investments must have a maturity at purchase date that does not exceed thirty-six months with an interest rate that is reset at least annually. The average interest rate reset of the investments held by the funds must be one hundred twenty days or less. The actual average maturity of the portfolio (excluding cash) was less than one month at both December 31, 2012 and December 31, 2011.
Investments in the Sigma Fund are carried at fair value. The Company primarily relies on valuation pricing models and broker quotes to determine the fair value of investments in the Sigma Fund.  These pricing models utilize observable inputs which include, but are not limited to: market quotations, yields, maturities, call features, and the security's terms and conditions. 
Investments:    Investments in equity and debt securities classified as available-for-sale are carried at fair value. Debt securities classified as held-to-maturity are carried at amortized cost. Equity securities that are restricted for more than one year or that are not publicly traded are carried at cost. Certain investments are accounted for using the equity method if the Company has significant influence over the issuing entity.
The Company assesses declines in the fair value of investments to determine whether such declines are other-than-temporary. This assessment is made considering all available evidence, including changes in general market conditions, specific industry and individual company data, the length of time and the extent to which the fair value has been less than cost, the financial condition and the near-term prospects of the entity issuing the security, and the Company’s ability and intent to hold the investment until recovery. Other-than-temporary impairments of investments are recorded to Other within Other income (expense) in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations in the period in which they become impaired.
Inventories:    Inventories are valued at the lower of average cost (which approximates cost on a first-in, first-out basis) or market (net realizable value or replacement cost).
Property, Plant and Equipment:    Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is recorded using straight-line, based on the estimated useful lives of the assets (buildings and building equipment, five to forty years; machinery and equipment, two to ten years) and commences once the assets are ready for their intended use.
Goodwill and Intangible Assets:    Goodwill is assessed for impairment at least annually at the reporting unit level. In September 2011, the FASB issued guidance which provides an entity the option to perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount prior to performing the two-step goodwill impairment test. If this is the case, the two-step goodwill impairment test is required. If it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of a reporting unit is greater than its carrying amount, the two-step goodwill impairment test is not required. The Company adopted this guidance as of the fourth quarter of 2011.
If the two-step goodwill impairment test is required, first, the fair value of each reporting unit is compared to its book value. If the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its book value, the Company performs a hypothetical purchase price allocation based on the reporting unit's fair value to determine the fair value of the reporting unit's goodwill. Fair value is determined using a combination of present value techniques and market prices of comparable businesses.
Intangible assets are generally amortized on a straight line basis over their respective estimated useful lives ranging from one to ten years. The Company has no intangible assets with indefinite useful lives.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets:    Long-lived assets, which include intangible assets, held and used by the Company, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of assets may not be recoverable. The Company evaluates recoverability of assets to be held and used by comparing the carrying amount of an asset (group) to future net undiscounted cash flows to be generated by the asset (group). If an asset (group) is considered to be impaired, the impairment to be recognized is equal to the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset (group) exceeds the asset's (group's) fair value calculated using a discounted future cash flows analysis or market comparables. Assets held for sale, if any, are reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value less cost to sell.
Income Taxes:    Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities from a change in tax rates is recognized in the period that includes the enactment date.
Deferred tax assets are reduced by valuation allowances if, based on the consideration of all available evidence, it is more-likely-than-not that some portion of the deferred tax asset will not be realized. Significant weight is given to evidence that can be objectively verified. The Company evaluates deferred tax assets on a quarterly basis to determine if valuation allowances are required by considering available evidence. Deferred tax assets are realized by having sufficient future taxable income to allow the related tax benefits to reduce taxes otherwise payable. The sources of taxable income that may be available to realize the benefit of deferred tax assets are future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, future taxable income, exclusive of reversing temporary differences and carryforwards, taxable income in carry-back years and tax planning strategies that are both prudent and feasible.
The Company recognizes the effect of income tax positions only if sustaining those positions is more-likely-than-not. Changes in recognition or measurement are reflected in the period in which a change in judgment occurs. The Company records interest related to unrecognized tax benefits in Interest expense and penalties in Selling, general and administrative expenses in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations.
Sales and Use Taxes: The Company records taxes imposed on revenue-producing transactions, including sales, use, value added and excise taxes, on a net basis with such taxes excluded from revenue.
Long-term Receivables:    Long-term receivables include trade receivables where contractual terms of the note agreement are greater than one year. Long-term receivables are considered impaired when management determines collection of all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the note agreement, including principal and interest, is no longer probable. Impaired long-term receivables are valued based on the present value of expected future cash flows discounted at the receivable’s effective interest rate, or the fair value of the collateral if the receivable is collateral dependent. Interest income and late fees on impaired long-term receivables are recognized only when payments are received. Previously impaired long-term receivables are no longer considered impaired and are reclassified to performing when they have performed under a workout or restructuring for four consecutive quarters.
Foreign Currency:    Certain of the Company’s non-U.S. operations use their respective local currency as their functional currency. Those operations that do not have the U.S. dollar as their functional currency translate assets and liabilities at current rates of exchange in effect at the balance sheet date and revenues and expenses using rates that approximate those in effect during the period. The resulting translation adjustments are included as a component of Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. For those operations that have the U.S. dollar as their functional currency, transactions denominated in the local currency are measured in U.S. dollars using the current rates of exchange for monetary assets and liabilities and historical rates of exchange for nonmonetary assets. Gains and losses from remeasurement of monetary assets and liabilities are included in Other within Other income (expense) within the Company’s consolidated statements of operations.
Derivative Instruments:    Gains and losses on hedges of existing assets or liabilities are marked-to-market and the result is included in Other within Other income (expense) within the Company’s consolidated statements of operations. Certain financial instruments are used to hedge firm future commitments or forecasted transactions.  Gains and losses pertaining to those instruments that qualify for hedge accounting are deferred until such time as the underlying transactions are recognized and subsequently recognized in the same line within the consolidated statements of operations of the hedged item. Gains and losses pertaining to those instruments that do not qualify for hedge accounting are recorded immediately in Other income (expense) within the consolidated statements of operations.
Earnings Per Share:    The Company calculates its basic earnings per share based on the weighted-average effect of all common shares issued and outstanding. Net earnings attributable to Motorola Solutions, Inc. is divided by the weighted average common shares outstanding during the period to arrive at the basic earnings per share. Diluted earnings per share is calculated by dividing net earnings attributable to Motorola Solutions, Inc. by the sum of the weighted average number of common shares used in the basic earnings per share calculation and the weighted average number of common shares that would be issued assuming exercise or conversion of all potentially dilutive securities, excluding those securities that would be anti-dilutive to the earnings per share calculation. Both basic and diluted earnings per share amounts are calculated for earnings from continuing operations and net earnings attributable to Motorola Solutions, Inc. for all periods presented. All earnings per share information presented gives effect to the distribution of Motorola Mobility and Reverse Stock Split, which occurred on January 4, 2011.
Share-Based Compensation Costs:    The Company has incentive plans that reward employees with stock options, stock appreciation rights, restricted stock and restricted stock units, as well as an employee stock purchase plan. The amount of compensation cost for these share-based awards is generally measured based on the fair value of the awards, as of the date that the share-based awards are issued and adjusted to the estimated number of awards that are expected to vest. The fair values of stock options and stock appreciation rights are generally determined using a Black-Scholes option pricing model which incorporates assumptions about expected volatility, risk free rate, dividend yield, and expected life. Compensation cost for share-based awards is recognized on a straight-line basis over the vesting period.
Retirement Benefits:    The Company records annual expenses relating to its pension benefit and postretirement plans based on calculations which include various actuarial assumptions, including discount rates, assumed asset rates of return, compensation increases, turnover rates and health care cost trend rates. The Company reviews its actuarial assumptions on an annual basis and makes modifications to the assumptions based on current rates and trends. The effects of the gains, losses, and prior service costs and credits are amortized either over the average service life or over the average remaining lifetime of the participant, depending on the number of active employees in the plan. The funding status, or projected benefit obligation less plan assets, for each plan, is reflected in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets using a December 31 measurement date.
Advertising Expense:    Advertising expenses, which are the external costs of marketing the Company’s products, are expensed as incurred. Advertising expenses were $95 million, $98 million and $109 million for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010, respectively.
Use of Estimates:    The preparation of the accompanying consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. requires management to make estimates and assumptions about future events. These estimates and the underlying assumptions affect the amounts of assets and liabilities reported, disclosures about contingent assets and liabilities, and reported amounts of revenues and expenses. Such estimates include the valuation of accounts receivable and long term receivables, inventories, Sigma Fund, investments, goodwill, intangible and other long-lived assets, legal contingencies, guarantee obligations, indemnifications, and assumptions used in the calculation of income taxes, retirement and other post-employment benefits and allowances for discounts, price protection, product returns, and customer incentives, among others. These estimates and assumptions are based on management’s best estimates and judgment. Management evaluates its estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis using historical experience and other factors, including the current economic environment, which management believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. The Company adjusts such estimates and assumptions when facts and circumstances dictate. Illiquid credit markets, volatile equity, foreign currency, energy markets and declines in consumer spending have combined to increase the uncertainty inherent in such estimates and assumptions. As future events and their effects cannot be determined with precision, actual results could differ significantly from these estimates. Changes in those estimates resulting from continuing changes in the economic environment will be reflected in the financial statements in future periods.