Our Significant Accounting Policies

Revenue Recognition

We recognize revenue upon shipment or delivery to our customers based on written sales terms that do not allow for a right of return. However, our policy for DSD and certain chilled products is to remove and replace damaged and out-of-date products from store shelves to ensure that consumers receive the product quality and freshness they expect. Similarly, our policy for certain warehouse-distributed products is to replace damaged and out-of-date products. As a result, we record reserves, based on estimates, for anticipated damaged and out-of-date products.

Our products are sold for cash or on credit terms. Our credit terms, which are established in accordance with local and industry practices, typically require payment within 30 days of delivery in the United States, and generally within 30 to 90 days internationally, and may allow discounts for early payment.

We estimate and reserve for our bad debt exposure based on our experience with past due accounts and collectibility, the aging of accounts receivable and our analysis of customer data. Bad debt expense is classified within selling, general and administrative expenses in our income statement.

We are exposed to concentration of credit risk from our major customers, including Walmart. In 2017, sales to Walmart (including Sam’s) represented approximately 13% of our consolidated net revenue, including concentrate sales to our independent bottlers, which were used in finished goods sold by them to Walmart. We have not experienced credit issues with these customers.

Total Marketplace Spending

We offer sales incentives and discounts through various programs to customers and consumers. Total marketplace spending includes sales incentives, discounts, advertising and other marketing activities. Sales incentives and discounts are primarily accounted for as a reduction of revenue and include payments to customers for performing activities on our behalf, such as payments for in-store displays, payments to gain distribution of new products, payments for shelf space and discounts to promote lower retail prices. Sales incentives and discounts also include support provided to our independent bottlers.

A number of our sales incentives, such as bottler funding to independent bottlers and customer volume rebates, are based on annual targets, and accruals are established during the year for the expected payout. These accruals are based on contract terms and our historical experience with similar programs and require management judgment with respect to estimating customer participation and performance levels. Differences between estimated expense and actual incentive costs are normally insignificant and are recognized in earnings in the period such differences are determined. In addition, certain advertising and marketing costs are also based on annual targets and recognized during the year as incurred. The terms of most of our incentive arrangements do not exceed a year, and, therefore, do not require highly uncertain long-term estimates. Certain arrangements, such as fountain pouring rights, may extend beyond one year. Up-front payments to customers under these arrangements are recognized over the shorter of the economic or contractual life, primarily as a reduction of revenue, and the remaining balances of $262 million as of December 30, 2017 and $291 million as of December 31, 2016 are included in prepaid expenses and other current assets and other assets on our balance sheet. For additional unaudited information on our sales incentives, see “Our Customers” in “Item 1. Business” and “Our Critical Accounting Policies” in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

For interim reporting, our policy is to allocate our forecasted full-year sales incentives for most of our programs to each of our interim reporting periods in the same year that benefits from the programs. The allocation methodology is based on our forecasted sales incentives for the full year and the proportion of each interim period’s actual gross revenue or volume, as applicable, to our forecasted annual gross revenue or volume, as applicable. Based on our review of the forecasts at each interim period, any changes in estimates and the related allocation of sales incentives are recognized beginning in the interim period that they are identified. In addition, we apply a similar allocation methodology for interim reporting purposes for certain advertising and other marketing activities. Our annual financial statements are not impacted by this interim allocation methodology.

Advertising and other marketing activities, reported as selling, general and administrative expenses, totaled $4.1 billion in 2017, $4.2 billion in 2016 and $3.9 billion in 2015, including advertising expenses of $2.4 billion in 2017, $2.5 billion in 2016 and $2.4 billion in 2015. Deferred advertising costs are not expensed until the year first used and consist of:


•	media and personal service prepayments;


•	promotional materials in inventory; and


•	production costs of future media advertising.

Deferred advertising costs of $46 million and $32 million as of December 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively, are classified as prepaid expenses and other current assets on our balance sheet.

Distribution Costs

Distribution costs, including the costs of shipping and handling activities, which include certain merchandising activities, are reported as selling, general and administrative expenses. Shipping and handling expenses were $9.9 billion in 2017, $9.7 billion in 2016 and $9.4 billion in 2015.

Cash Equivalents

Cash equivalents are highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less.

Software Costs

We capitalize certain computer software and software development costs incurred in connection with developing or obtaining computer software for internal use when both the preliminary project stage is completed and it is probable that the software will be used as intended. Capitalized software costs include(i) external direct costs of materials and services utilized in developing or obtaining computer software, (ii) compensation and related benefits for employees who are directly associated with the software projects and (iii) interest costs incurred while developing internal-use computer software. Capitalized software costs are included in property, plant and equipment on our balance sheet and amortized on a straight-line basis when placed into service over the estimated useful lives of the software, which approximate five to 10 years. Software amortization totaled $224 million in 2017, $214 million in 2016 and $202 million in 2015. Net capitalized software and development costs were $686 million and $791 million as of December 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively.

Commitments and Contingencies

We are subject to various claims and contingencies related to lawsuits, certain taxes and environmental matters, as well as commitments under contractual and other commercial obligations. We recognize liabilities for contingencies and commitments when a loss is probable and estimable. For additional unaudited information on our commitments, see “Our Liquidity and Capital Resources” in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

Research and Development

We engage in a variety of research and development activities and continue to invest to accelerate growth and to drive innovation globally. Consumer research is excluded from research and development costs and included in other marketing costs. Research and development costs were $737 million, $760 million and $754 million in 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and are reported within selling, general and administrative expenses.

See “Research and Development” in “Item 1. Business” for additional unaudited information about our research and development activities.

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Indefinite-lived intangible assets and goodwill are not amortized and are assessed for impairment at least annually, using either a qualitative or quantitative approach. We perform this annual assessment during our third quarter. Where we use the qualitative assessment, first we determine if, based on qualitative factors, it is more likely than not that an impairment exists. Factors considered include macroeconomic, industry and competitive conditions, legal and regulatory environment, historical financial performance and significant changes in the brand or reporting unit. If the qualitative assessment indicates that it is more likely than not that an impairment exists, then a quantitative assessment is performed.

In the quantitative assessment of indefinite-lived intangible assets, if the carrying amount of the indefinite-lived intangible asset exceeds its estimated fair value, as determined by its discounted cash flows, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess. Quantitative assessment of goodwill is performed using a two-step impairment test at the reporting unit level. A reporting unit can be a division or business within a division. The first step compares the carrying value of a reporting unit, including goodwill, with its estimated fair value, as determined by its discounted cash flows. If the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value, we complete the second step to determine the amount of goodwill impairment loss that we should record, if any. In the second step, we determine an implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill by allocating the estimated fair value of the reporting unit to all of the assets and liabilities other than goodwill (including any unrecognized intangible assets). The amount of impairment loss is equal to the excess of the carrying value of the goodwill over the implied fair value of that goodwill. The quantitative assessment described above requires an analysis of several estimates including future cash flows or income consistent with management’s strategic business plans, annual sales growth rates, perpetuity growth assumptions and the selection of assumptions underlying a discount rate (weighted average cost of capital) based on market data available at the time. Significant management judgment is necessary to estimate the impact of competitive operating, macroeconomic and other factors to estimate future levels of sales, operating profit or cash flows. All assumptions used in our impairment evaluations for nonamortizable intangible assets, such as forecasted growth rates and weighted-average cost of capital, are based on the best available market information and are consistent with our internal forecasts and operating plans.

Amortizable intangible assets are only evaluated for impairment upon a significant change in the operating or macroeconomic environment. If an evaluation of the undiscounted future cash flows indicates impairment, the asset is written down to its estimated fair value, which is based on its discounted future cash flows.

See also Note 4, and for additional unaudited information on goodwill and other intangible assets, see “Our Critical Accounting Policies” in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

Other Significant Accounting Policies

Our other significant accounting policies are disclosed as follows:


•	Basis of Presentation – Note 1 - Basis of Presentation for a description of our policies regarding use of estimates, basis of presentation and consolidation.


•	Property, Plant and Equipment – Note 4.


•	Income Taxes – Note 5, and for additional unaudited information, see “Our Critical Accounting Policies” in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.


•	Share-Based Compensation – Note 6.


•	Pension, Retiree Medical and Savings Plans – Note 7, and for additional unaudited information, see “Our Critical Accounting Policies” in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.


•	Financial Instruments – Note 9, and for additional unaudited information, see “Our Business Risks” in Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.


•	Inventories – Note 13. Inventories are valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Cost is determined using the average; first-in, first-out (FIFO) or last-in, first-out (LIFO) methods.

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Translation of Financial Statements of Foreign Subsidiaries – Financial statements of foreign subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars using period-end exchange rates for assets and liabilities and weighted-average exchange rates for revenues and expenses. Adjustments resulting from translating net assets are reported as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive loss within common shareholders’ equity as currency translation adjustment.