NOTE 4 - REVENUE

Revenue is recognized generally when iron ore is delivered to our customers. Revenue is measured at the point control transfers and represents the amount of consideration we expect to receive in exchange for transferring goods. We offer standard payment terms to our customers, generally requiring settlement within 30 days.

We enter into supply contracts of varying lengths to provide customers iron ore to use in their blast furnaces. Blast furnaces run continuously with a constant feed of iron ore and once shut down, cannot easily be restarted. As a result, we ship iron ore in large quantities for storage and use by customers at a later date. Customers do not simultaneously receive and consume the benefits of the iron ore. Based on our assessment of the factors that indicate the pattern of satisfaction, we transfer control of the iron ore at a point in time upon shipment or delivery of the product. The customer is able to direct the use of, and obtain substantially all of the benefits from, the product at the time the product is delivered.

We disaggregate Revenues from product sales and services based on geographical location. We sell a single product, iron ore, in the North American and Asian markets. Refer to NOTE 3 - SEGMENT REPORTING for further information on disaggregated revenue.

Certain of our U.S. Iron Ore and Asia Pacific Iron Ore customer supply agreements specify a provisional price, which is used for initial billing and cash collection. Revenue recorded in accordance with Topic 606 is calculated using the expected revenue rate at the point when control transfers. The final settlement includes market inputs for a specified period of time, which may vary by customer, but typically include one or more of the following: Platts 62% Price, pellet premiums, Platts international indexed freight rates and changes in specified Producer Price Indices, including industrial commodities, energy and steel. Changes in the expected revenue rate from the date control transfers through final settlement of contract terms is recorded in accordance with ASC Topic 815. Refer to NOTE 15 - DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS for further information on how our estimated expected and final revenue rates are determined.

A supply agreement with one U.S. Iron Ore customer provides for supplemental revenue or refunds based on the average annual daily market price for hot-rolled coil steel at the time the iron ore is consumed in the customer’s blast furnaces. As control transfers prior to consumption, the supplemental revenue is recorded in accordance with ASC Topic 815. Refer to NOTE 15 - DERIVATIVE INSTRUMENTS for further information on supplemental revenue or refunds.

Included within Revenues from product sales and services is derivative revenue related to ASC Topic 815 of $43.8 million and $1.3 million, for three months ended March 31, 2018 at our U.S. Iron Ore and Asia Pacific Iron Ore segments, respectively.

Practical expedients and exemptions

We have elected to treat all shipping and handling costs as fulfillment costs as a significant portion of these costs are incurred prior to control transfer.

We have various long-term sales contracts with minimum purchase and supply requirement provisions that extend beyond the current reporting period. The portion of our transaction price for these contracts that is allocated entirely to wholly unsatisfied performance obligations is based on market prices that have not yet been determined and therefore is variable in nature. As such, we have not disclosed the value of unsatisfied performance obligations pursuant to the practical expedient.

Deferred Revenue

The table below summarizes our deferred revenue balances:



	Deferred Revenue (Current)¹		Deferred Revenue (Long-Term)
Opening balance as of January 1, 2018	$	23.8	$	51.4
Closing balance as of March 31, 2018	31.0		51.4
Increase	$	7.2	$	—

¹ The opening balance includes a $1.4 million adjustment from the December 31, 2017 balance due to the adoption of Topic 606.

The terms of one of our U.S. Iron Ore pellet supply agreements required supplemental payments to be paid by the customer during the period 2009 through 2012, with the option to defer a portion of the 2009 monthly amount in exchange for interest payments until the deferred amount was repaid in 2013. Installment amounts received under this arrangement in excess of sales were classified as Other current liabilities and Other liabilities in the Statements of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Position upon receipt of payment. Revenue is recognized over the life of the supply agreement, which extends until 2022, in equal annual installments. As of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, installment amounts received in excess of sales totaled $64.2 million related to this agreement. As of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, deferred revenue of $12.8 million was recorded in Other current liabilities and $51.4 million was recorded as long-term in Other liabilities in the Statements of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Position, related to this agreement.

Due to the payment terms and the timing of cash receipts near a period end, cash receipts can exceed shipments for certain customers. Revenue recognized on these transactions totaling $18.2 million and $9.6 million was deferred and included in Other current liabilities in the Statements of Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Position as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.