Basis of Presentation

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2018

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Northern Trust Corporation (the Corporation) and its wholly-owned subsidiary, The Northern Trust Company (the Bank), and various other wholly-owned subsidiaries of the Corporation and the Bank. Throughout the notes, the term “Northern Trust” refers to the Corporation and its subsidiaries. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The consolidated financial statements, as of and for the periods ended June 30, 2018 and 2017, have not been audited by the Corporation’s independent registered public accounting firm. In the opinion of management, all accounting entries and adjustments, including normal recurring accruals, necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position and the results of operations for the interim periods have been made. The accounting and financial reporting policies of Northern Trust conform to U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) and reporting practices prescribed by the banking industry. The consolidated statements of income include results of acquired subsidiaries from the dates of acquisition. Certain amounts in prior periods have been reclassified to conform with the current year’s presentation. For a description of Northern Trust’s significant accounting policies, refer to Note 1 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017.