Basis of Presentation (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Fiserv, Inc. and all 100% owned subsidiaries. Investments in less than 50% owned affiliates in which the Company has significant influence but not control are accounted for using the equity method of accounting. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In September 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2015-16, Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments ("ASU 2015-16"), which eliminates the requirement to restate prior period financial statements for measurement period adjustments related to a business combination. The standard requires that the cumulative impact of a measurement period adjustment be recognized in the reporting period in which the adjustment is identified. ASU 2015-16 also requires companies to disclose the portion of the adjustment recorded in current-period earnings by line item that would have been recorded in previous reporting periods if the adjustment to the provisional amounts had been recognized as of the acquisition date, either separately in the income statement or in the notes. For public entities, ASU 2015-16 will be effective prospectively for annual and interim periods after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2015-16 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs (“ASU 2015-03”). ASU 2015-03 requires that all costs incurred to issue debt be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying value of the associated debt liability rather than as an asset. The standard does not affect the recognition and measurement of debt issuance costs; therefore, the amortization of such costs will continue to be reported as interest expense. ASU 2015-03 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permissible for financial statements that have not been previously issued. The new guidance is to be applied on a retrospective basis to all prior periods. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2015-03 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-02, Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis (“ASU 2015-02”), which changes the analysis that a reporting entity must perform to determine whether it should consolidate certain types of legal entities. ASU 2015-02 clarifies how to determine whether equity holders as a group have power to direct the activities that most significantly affect the legal entity’s economic performance and could affect whether it is a variable interest entity. ASU 2015-02 will be effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015; early adoption is allowed, including in any interim period. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2015-02 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASU 2014-09”), to clarify the principles of recognizing revenue and to create common revenue recognition guidance between U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and International Financial Reporting Standards. ASU 2014-09 outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance. The core principle of the revenue model is that an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. This model involves a five-step process for achieving that core principle, along with comprehensive disclosures about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. In July 2015, the FASB deferred the effective date of the new revenue standard for one year and will permit early adoption as of the original effective date in ASU 2014-09. For public entities, the standard will be effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Entities have the option of using either a full retrospective or a modified approach to adopt this new guidance. The Company is currently assessing the impact that the adoption of ASU 2014-09 will have on its consolidated financial statements.