Basis of Presentation and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2020

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of 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 could differ from those estimates. For further information, see Note 1 in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.

New Accounting Pronouncements

Standards Adopted in 2020

Credit Losses. In 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued new guidance which requires financial assets measured at amortized cost basis, including trade receivables, to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. The new guidance requires an entity to estimate its lifetime “expected credit loss” for such assets at inception, which will generally result in the earlier recognition of allowances for losses. Under previous guidance, reserves for uncollectible accounts receivable were determined on a specific identification basis when we believed that the required payment of specific amounts owed to us was not probable. Under the new guidance, our allowance for credit losses reflects losses that are expected over the contractual life of the asset, and takes into account historical loss experience, current and future economic conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts.

We adopted this new guidance as of January 1, 2020 using the modified retrospective transition method, and recorded a net reduction of $0.7 million to opening retained earnings to reflect the cumulative effect of adoption. Results for reporting periods beginning after December 31, 2019 are presented under the new guidance, while prior period amounts were not adjusted and continue to be reported in accordance with previous guidance. See Note 5 for additional required disclosures.

The cumulative effect of the changes made to our consolidated balance sheet for the adoption of the new accounting guidance for credit losses were as follows:


(In thousands)	Balance at December 31, 2019		Impact of Adoption of New Credit Losses Guidance		Balance at January 1, 2020
Receivables, net	$	216,714	$	(959)	$	215,755
Deferred tax assets	3,600		59		3,659
Deferred tax liabilities	34,247		(165)		34,082
Retained earnings	134,119		(735)		133,384

Standards Not Yet Adopted

Income Taxes: Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. In December 2019, the FASB issued new guidance which is intended to simplify various aspects related to accounting for income taxes. This guidance is effective for us in the first quarter of 2021 with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.