Accounting Standards

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Accounting Changes and Error Corrections [Abstract]

Accounting Standards

Accounting Standards

Accounting Pronouncements Adopted

Effective January 1, 2019, the company adopted ASU No. 2016-02 Leases (Topic 842) issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) which is intended to improve financial reporting about leasing transactions. Topic 842 requires organizations that lease assets, referred to as lessees, to recognize on the balance sheet the assets and liabilities for the rights and obligations created by those leases. The standard also requires disclosures to help investors and other financial statement users better understand the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The company adopted the new standard using the effective date transition method by applying a cumulative-effect adjustment to the balance sheet through the addition of ROU assets and lease liabilities at January 1, 2019. Prior-period results were not restated.

The company applied certain practical expedients, including the package of practical expedients, permitted under the transition guidance within Topic 842 to leases that commenced before January 1, 2019. The election of the package of practical expedients resulted in the company not reassessing prior conclusions under FASB Topic 840 Leases related to lease identification, lease classification and initial direct costs for existing leases at January 1, 2019.

The adoption had a material impact on the consolidated financial position and did not have a material impact on the consolidated results of operations or cash flows as of and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019. The most significant impact was the recognition of ROU assets and lease liabilities for operating leases, while the company’s accounting for finance leases remained substantially unchanged.

Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract which clarifies the accounting for implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract. This update is effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2019, with earlier adoption permitted, including adoption in any interim period. The new guidance can be applied retrospectively or prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. The company will adopt the new guidance on January 1, 2020, on a prospective basis, and does not expect the adoption to have a material impact on its consolidated results of operations and financial position.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13 Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments which introduces a new model for recognizing credit losses on financial instruments based on an estimate of current expected losses. This includes trade and other receivables, loans and other financial instruments. This update is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with earlier adoption permitted. The company will adopt the new guidance on January 1, 2020 through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings, and does not expect the adoption to have a material impact on its consolidated results of operations and financial position.