Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (U.S. GAAP). The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries stated in U.S. dollars, the Company’s reporting currency. In addition, the consolidated financial statements also include the accounts of operating entities where the Company maintains a parent-subsidiary relationship through unilateral control over assets and operations together with responsibility for payment of all liabilities, notwithstanding a lack of technical majority ownership of the subsidiary's common stock.

All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. All dollar amounts in the notes are presented in thousands except for per share data or unless otherwise specified. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the 2017 presentation. See Note 1.F below for further information.

Cash Equivalents, Policy

All highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less at date of purchase are considered to be cash equivalents.

Accounts Receivable, Policy

The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts, which is reviewed at least monthly for estimated losses resulting from the inability of its customers to make required payments for services and advances. Additional allowances may be necessary in the future if the ability of its customers to pay deteriorates. The Company has recorded an allowance for doubtful accounts in the amounts of $12,858, $9,247 and $7,820 as of December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Additions and write-offs have not been significant in any of these years.

Property and Equipment, Policy

Property and equipment are recorded at cost and are depreciated or amortized on the straight-line method over the shorter of the assets’ estimated useful lives or lease terms. Useful lives for major categories of property and equipment are as follows:



Buildings and land improvements	30 to 40 years
Building improvements	3 to 10 years
Furniture, fixtures, equipment and purchased software	3 to 10 years

Expenditures for maintenance, repairs, and replacements of minor items are charged to earnings as incurred. Major upgrades and improvements that extend the life of the asset are capitalized. Upon disposition, the cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and the resulting gain or loss is included in income for the period.

Goodwill, Policy

For the years ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company performed the required goodwill annual impairment test during the fourth quarter and determined that no impairment had occurred.

Revenues and Revenue Recognition, Policy

The Company derives its revenues from three principal sources: 1) airfreight services, 2) ocean freight and ocean services, and 3) customs brokerage and other services. These are the revenue categories presented in the financial statements.

As a non-asset based carrier, the Company does not own transportation assets. Rather, the Company generates the major portion of its air and ocean freight revenues by purchasing transportation services from direct (asset-based) carriers and reselling those services to its customers. The difference between the rate billed to customers (the sell rate) and the rate paid to the carrier (the buy rate) is termed “net revenue” (a non-GAAP measure), “yield” or "margin." By consolidating shipments from multiple customers and concentrating its buying power, the Company is able to negotiate favorable buy rates from the direct carriers, while at the same time offering lower sell rates than most customers would otherwise be able to negotiate themselves.

Airfreight services revenues include the charges to the Company for carrying the shipments when the Company acts as a freight consolidator. Ocean freight services revenues include the charges to the Company for carrying the shipments when the Company acts as a Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC). In each case the Company is acting as an indirect carrier. When acting as an indirect carrier, the Company will issue a House Airway Bill (HAWB), a House Ocean Bill of Lading (HOBL) or a House Seaway Bill to customers as the contract of carriage. In turn, when the freight is physically tendered to a direct carrier, the Company receives a contract of carriage known as a Master Airway Bill for airfreight shipments and a Master Ocean Bill of Lading for ocean shipments. At this point, the risk of loss passes to the carrier, however, in order to claim for any such loss, the customer is first obligated to pay the freight charges. In these transactions, the Company evaluates whether it is appropriate to record the gross or net amount as revenue. Generally, when the Company is the primary obligor, it is obligated to compensate direct carriers for services performed regardless of whether customers accept the service, has latitude in establishing price, has discretion in selecting the direct carrier, has credit risk or has several but not all of these indicators, revenue is recorded on a gross basis. Revenue is generally recorded on a net basis where the Company is not primarily obligated and does not have latitude in establishing prices. Such amounts earned are determined using a fixed fee, a per unit of activity fee or a combination thereof.

Based upon the terms in the contract of carriage, revenues related to shipments where the Company issues a HAWB, a HOBL or a House Seaway Bill are recognized at the time the freight is tendered to the direct carrier at origin. Costs related to the shipments are also recognized at this same time.

Revenues earned in other capacities, for instance, when the Company acts as an agent for the shipper, and does not issue a HAWB, a HOBL or a House Seaway Bill, include only the commissions and fees earned for the services performed. In these transactions, the Company is not a principal and reports only commissions and fees earned in revenue. These revenues are recognized upon completion of the services.

Customs brokerage and other services involves providing services at destination, such as helping customers clear shipments through customs by preparing required documentation, calculating and providing for payment of duties and other taxes on behalf of the customers as well as arranging for any required inspections by governmental agencies, and arranging for delivery. This is a complicated function requiring technical knowledge of customs rules and regulations in the multitude of countries in which the Company has offices. Revenues related to customs brokerage and other services are recognized upon completion of the services. Arranging international shipments is a complex task. Each actual movement can require multiple services. In some instances, the Company is asked to perform only one of these services. However, in most instances, the Company performs multiple services. These services include ancillary services such as local transportation, export customs formalities, distribution services and logistics management. Each of these services has an associated fee which is recognized as revenue upon completion of the service.

Typically, the fees for each of these services are quoted as separate components; however, customers on occasion will request an all-inclusive rate for a set of services known in the industry as “door-to-door service.” This means that the customer is billed a single rate for all services from pickup at origin to delivery at destination. In these instances, the revenue for origin and destination services, as well as revenue that will be characterized as freight charges, is allocated to branches as set by preexisting Company policy modified as agreed upon by customer specific negotiations between the offices involved. Each of the Company’s branches are separate profit centers and the primary compensation for the branch management group comes in the form of incentive-based compensation calculated directly from the operating income of that branch. This compensation structure ensures that the allocation of revenue and expense among components of services, when provided under an all-inclusive rate, is done in an objective manner on a relative selling price basis.

The Company presents revenues net of sales and value-added taxes.

Income Taxes, Policy

Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method of accounting. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributed to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases, the tax effect of loss carryforwards 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 of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. Earnings of the Company's foreign subsidiaries are not considered to be indefinitely reinvested outside of the United States and, accordingly, U.S. Federal and State income taxes have historically been provided for all undistributed earnings net of related foreign tax credits. See Note 5 for impacts associated with U.S. tax reform under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (2017 Tax Act). A valuation allowance is established when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to amounts expected to be realized. The Company recognizes interest expense related to unrecognized tax benefits or underpayment of income taxes in interest expense and recognizes penalties in operating expenses. Beginning on January 1, 2017, the Company adopted accounting guidance requiring that, prospectively, excess tax benefits and deficiencies be recorded in income tax expense for stock option exercises, cancellations and disqualifying dispositions of employee stock purchase plan shares. Adoption also resulted in the retroactive reclassification of excess tax benefits on the statement of cash flows.

Net Earnings Attributable to Shareholders per Common Share, Policy

Diluted earnings attributable to shareholders per share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares and dilutive potential common shares outstanding. Dilutive potential common shares represent outstanding stock options, stock purchase rights and unvested restricted stock units. Basic earnings attributable to shareholders per share is calculated using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding without taking into consideration dilutive potential common shares outstanding.

Stock Plans, Policy

The Company maintains several equity incentive plans under which the Company has granted stock options, director restricted stocks, restricted stock units (RSU), performance stock units and employee stock purchase rights to employees or directors. The Company recognizes stock compensation expense based on the fair value of awards at the grant date. This expense, adjusted for expected forfeitures, is recognized in net earnings on a straight-line basis over the service periods as a component of salaries and related costs. RSU awards to certain employees meeting specific retirement eligibility criteria at the time of grant are expensed immediately, as there is no substantive service period associated with those awards. Expense for performance stock units is recognized over the service period when it is probable the performance goal will be achieved.

Foreign Currency, Policy

Foreign currency amounts attributable to foreign operations have been translated into U.S. dollars using year-end exchange rates for assets and liabilities, historical rates for equity, and weighted average rates for revenues and expenses. Translation adjustments resulting from this process are recorded as components of other comprehensive income until complete or substantially complete liquidation by the Company of its investment in a foreign entity. Currency fluctuations are a normal operating factor in the conduct of the Company’s business and foreign exchange transaction gains and losses are included in revenues and operating expenses. Also, the Company is exposed to foreign currency exchange fluctuations on monetary assets and liabilities denominated in currencies that are not the local functional currency. Foreign exchange gains and losses on such balances are recognized in net earnings within airfreight services costs, customs brokerage and other services costs and other income, net. Net foreign currency losses in 2017 were $13,315, and net foreign currency gains in 2016 and 2015 were $7,955 and $7,820, respectively.

The Company follows a policy of accelerating international currency settlements to manage its foreign exchange exposure. Accordingly, the Company enters into foreign currency hedging transactions only in limited locations where there are regulatory or commercial limitations on the Company’s ability to move money freely. Such hedging activity during 2017, 2016, and 2015 was insignificant. The Company had no foreign currency derivatives outstanding at December 31, 2017 and 2016.

Comprehensive Income, Policy

Comprehensive income consists of net earnings and other gains and losses affecting equity that, under U.S. GAAP, are excluded from net earnings. For the Company, these consist of foreign currency translation gains and losses, net of related income tax effects and comprehensive income or loss attributable to the noncontrolling interests. Upon the complete or substantially complete liquidation of the Company's investment in a foreign entity, cumulative translation adjustments are recorded as reclassification adjustments in other comprehensive income and recognized in net earnings.

Accumulated other comprehensive loss consisted entirely of foreign currency translation adjustments, net of related income tax effects, as of December 31, 2017 and 2016.

Segment Reporting, Policy

The Company is organized functionally in geographic operating segments. Accordingly, management focuses its attention on revenues, net revenues, operating income, identifiable assets, capital expenditures, depreciation and amortization and equity generated in each of these geographical areas when evaluating the effectiveness of geographic management. Transactions among the Company’s various offices are conducted using the same arms-length pricing methodologies the Company uses when its offices transact business with independent agents. Certain costs are allocated among the segments based on the relative value of the underlying services, which can include allocation based on actual costs incurred or estimated cost plus a profit margin.

Use of Estimates, Policy

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of the 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 period. The Company uses estimates primarily in the following areas: accounts receivable valuation, accrual of costs related to ancillary services the Company provides, accrual of liabilities for the portion of the related exposure that the Company has self-insured, accrual of various tax liabilities including estimates associated with the 2017 Tax Act, accrual of loss contingencies and calculation of share-based compensation expense. Actual results could be materially different from the estimated provisions and accruals recorded.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy

Revenue Recognition

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued an Accounting Standards Update (ASU) amending existing revenue recognition guidance and requiring related detailed disclosures to enable users of financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of our revenues and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. This standard is effective for the Company beginning on January 1, 2018. The Company formed a cross-functional project team to evaluate the adoption impacts for each of its services.

Under the standard used through the end of 2017, the Company's transportation revenue was recognized at the point in time freight was tendered to the direct carrier at origin. Under the new standard, transportation and related services revenue is recognized over time as control is transferred to the customer. The Company expects to defer more revenues under the new standard. The Company has also evaluated whether it acts as principal or agent with regards to its promise to transfer services to the customer and it expects the presentation to change for certain of its services from a net to gross presentation.

The Company has developed and implemented systems solutions and process changes to facilitate revenue recognition under the new standard. The Company has also identified and designed changes to its internal controls to support the adoption. The Company will adopt this standard using the modified retrospective transition method applied to those contracts that are not completed as of January 1, 2018. Upon adoption, the Company will recognize the cumulative effect of adopting as an adjustment currently estimated to be less than a $35 million decrease to its opening balance of retained earnings. Prior periods will not be retrospectively adjusted.

Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued an ASU changing the accounting for leases and including a requirement to record all leases exceeding one year on the consolidated balance sheet as assets and liabilities. As currently issued, the new lease standard requires adoption using a modified retrospective transition and will be effective for the Company beginning on January 1, 2019. Adoption will impact the consolidated balance sheets as future minimum lease payments under noncancelable leases totaled $260 million as of December 31, 2017. The Company is currently evaluating its existing lease portfolios, including accumulating all of the necessary information required to properly evaluate and account for leases under the new standard. Additionally, the Company has begun the implementation of an enterprise-wide lease management system that, along with accompanying process changes, will assist it in the accounting and internal control changes necessary to meet the reporting and disclosure requirements of the new standard when it becomes effective.

Taxes

In February 2018, the FASB issued an ASU, which amends existing guidance for reporting comprehensive income to reflect changes resulting from the 2017 Tax Act. The amendment provides the option to reclassify stranded tax effects resulting from the 2017 Tax Act and within accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) to retained earnings. New disclosures will be required upon adoption, including the accounting policy for releasing income tax effects from AOCI, whether reclassification of stranded income tax effects is elected, and information about other income tax effect reclassifications. The amendment will become effective for the Company on January 1, 2019, though early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this standard on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.