SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2017
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	NOTE 1. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Basis of Presentation Office Depot, Inc., including consolidated subsidiaries (“Office Depot” or the “Company”), is a provider of office supplies, business products and services delivered through an omnichannel platform. The Company currently operates under several banners, including Office Depot ^® and OfficeMax ^® and utilizes proprietary company and product brand names. The Company’s common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “ODP.” As of September 30, 2017, the Company sold to customers through two reportable segments (or “Divisions”): Retail Division and Business Solutions Division. In September 2016, the Company’s Board of Directors committed to a plan to sell substantially all of the Company’s International Division operations (the “International Operations”). Accordingly, the Company has presented the International Operations as discontinued operations beginning in the third quarter 2016. The Company has reclassified the financial results of the International Operations to Discontinued operations, net of tax in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for all periods presented. The Company also reclassified the related assets and liabilities as current assets and liabilities of discontinued operations on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2017, and December 31, 2016. Cash flows from the Company’s discontinued operations are presented in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for all periods. Certain portions of the International Division assets and operations primarily consisting of the Company’s global sourcing and trading operations in the Asia/Pacific region are being retained or did not meet the held for sale criteria and therefore remain in continuing operations, with prior periods adjusted, where appropriate. Additional information on the dispositions is provided in Note 4. The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements as of September 30, 2017, and for the 13-week and 39-week periods ended September 30, 2017 (also referred to as the “third quarter of 2017” and “year-to-date 2017,” respectively) and September 24, 2016 (also referred to as the “third quarter of 2016” and “year-to-date 2016,” respectively) are unaudited. However, in management’s opinion, these condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments of a normal recurring nature necessary to provide a fair presentation of the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The Company has prepared the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included herein pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Some information and note disclosures, which would normally be included in comprehensive annual financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”), have been condensed or omitted pursuant to those SEC rules and regulations. For a better understanding of the Company and its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, we recommend reading these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in conjunction with the audited financial statements which are included in the 2016 Form 10-K. These interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results that should be expected for the full year. Cash Management The cash management process generally utilizes zero balance accounts which provide for the settlement of the related disbursement and cash concentration accounts on a daily basis. Trade accounts payable and Accrued expenses and other current liabilities as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, included $44 million and $58 million, respectively, of amounts not yet presented for payment drawn in excess of disbursement account book balances, after considering offset provisions. At September 30, 2017, cash and cash equivalents from continuing operations but held outside the United States amounted to $141 million. Additionally, $36 million of cash held outside the United States was included in current assets of discontinued operations. New Accounting Standards Standards that are not yet adopted In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an accounting standards update that supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance and modifies the accounting for certain costs associated with revenue generation. The core principle of this guidance is that an entity should recognize 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. The guidance provides a number of steps to apply to achieve that principle and requires additional disclosures. The standard was originally to be effective for the Company’s first quarter of 2017. In July 2015, the FASB approved a one year extension to the required implementation date but also permitted companies to adopt the standard at the original effective date of 2017. The new revenue recognition standard may be applied retrospectively to each prior period presented or modified retrospectively with the cumulative effect recognized as of the date of adoption. The Company will adopt the standard in the first quarter of 2018, and believes the impact of adopting the new guidance will be immaterial to its annual and interim financial statements. The Company’s assessment, which is ongoing, included a detailed review of contracts for each of its disaggregated revenue streams and a comparison of its historical accounting policies and practices to the new standard. Based on these procedures, the Company has identified minor changes related to the timing of recognition of revenues associated with its loyalty program due to the impacts of the loyalty program being presented as a deferral of revenues under the new standard rather than as cost accruals as is permitted under the existing accounting rules. The Company has also identified changes to revenues from sales of third-party software that are currently reported on a gross basis, which will be reported on a net basis under the new standard with no change in timing of recognition or impact to gross profit, earnings or cash flow. In addition, the Company’s balance sheet presentation of its sales return reserve will change to present a separate return asset and liability, instead of the net presentation used currently. The Company has also started its assessment to determine the revenue recognition impact of the Company’s recent acquisitions. The Company expects to finalize its assessment in the fourth quarter of 2017, and adopt the standard using the modified retrospective method. Under this method, the new standard would apply to all new contracts initiated on or after January 1, 2018. For existing contracts that have remaining obligations as of January 1, 2018, the Company would recognize any difference between the recognition criteria in the new standard and the Company’s current revenue recognition practices, using a cumulative effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings at the date of adoption. The Company has made modifications to its existing system that processes loyalty transactions, and will implement updates to its control processes and procedures, as necessary, based on changes resulting from the new standard. The Company does not expect any such updates to materially affect the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting. The adoption of the standard will also result in increased footnote disclosure requirements relating to certain balance sheet accounts and disaggregation of revenue, as well as pro-forma impact of the changes described above on revenue during the first year of adoption under the modified retrospective method. In February 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update which will require lessees to recognize most leases on their balance sheets related to the rights and obligations created by those leases. The accounting treatment for lessors will remain relatively unchanged. The accounting standards update also requires additional qualitative and quantitative disclosures related to the nature, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. Lessees and lessors are required to use a modified retrospective transition method for existing leases and accordingly, apply the new accounting model for the earliest year presented in the financial statements. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this new standard will have on its Consolidated Financial Statements but anticipates it will result in significant right of use assets and related liabilities associated with its operating leases being recorded on its balance sheet. Substantially all of the Company’s retail store locations, supply chain facilities and copy print equipment are subject to operating lease arrangements. The Company will adopt the standard in the first quarter of 2019, and has begun implementing required upgrades to its existing lease systems. In March 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standards update which changes the income statement presentation of defined benefit plan expense by requiring that an employer report the service cost component of pension costs in the same line item or items as other compensation costs arising from services rendered by the pertinent employees during the period. The other components of net benefit pension cost will be presented in the income statement separately from the service cost component and outside a subtotal of operating income. Employers will have to disclose the line(s) used to present the other components of net periodic benefit cost, if the components are not presented separately in the income statement. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years and will be applied retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted. The Company expects the adoption of this accounting standard update to reduce operating income by approximately $13 million on an annual basis, but have no impact on net income. Standards that were adopted During the first quarter of 2017, the Company adopted the new accounting standard which modifies several aspects of the accounting and reporting for employee share-based payments and related tax accounting impacts, including the presentation in the statements of operations and cash flows of certain tax benefits or deficiencies and employee tax withholdings, as well as the accounting for award forfeitures over the vesting period. Starting in the first quarter of 2017, stock-based compensation excess tax benefits or deficiencies are reflected in the Consolidated Statements of Operations as a component of the provision for income taxes, whereas they previously were recognized in equity. Additionally, the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows now present excess tax benefits as an operating activity, which was applied prospectively in accordance with the standard and therefore prior periods have not been adjusted. Finally, the Company has elected to account for forfeitures as they occur rather than estimate expected forfeitures, which was applied on a modified retrospective basis, resulting in a cumulative effect that increased accumulated deficit by approximately $1 million as of January 1, 2017.

NOTE 1. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation

Office Depot, Inc., including consolidated subsidiaries (“Office Depot” or the “Company”), is a provider of office supplies, business products and services delivered through an omnichannel platform. The Company currently operates under several banners, including Office Depot ^® and OfficeMax ^® and utilizes proprietary company and product brand names. The Company’s common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the ticker symbol “ODP.” As of September 30, 2017, the Company sold to customers through two reportable segments (or “Divisions”): Retail Division and Business Solutions Division.

In September 2016, the Company’s Board of Directors committed to a plan to sell substantially all of the Company’s International Division operations (the “International Operations”). Accordingly, the Company has presented the International Operations as discontinued operations beginning in the third quarter 2016. The Company has reclassified the financial results of the International Operations to Discontinued operations, net of tax in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations for all periods presented. The Company also reclassified the related assets and liabilities as current assets and liabilities of discontinued operations on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2017, and December 31, 2016. Cash flows from the Company’s discontinued operations are presented in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for all periods. Certain portions of the International Division assets and operations primarily consisting of the Company’s global sourcing and trading operations in the Asia/Pacific region are being retained or did not meet the held for sale criteria and therefore remain in continuing operations, with prior periods adjusted, where appropriate. Additional information on the dispositions is provided in Note 4.

The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements as of September 30, 2017, and for the 13-week and 39-week periods ended September 30, 2017 (also referred to as the “third quarter of 2017” and “year-to-date 2017,” respectively) and September 24, 2016 (also referred to as the “third quarter of 2016” and “year-to-date 2016,” respectively) are unaudited. However, in management’s opinion, these condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments of a normal recurring nature necessary to provide a fair presentation of the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented.

The Company has prepared the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included herein pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Some information and note disclosures, which would normally be included in comprehensive annual financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”), have been condensed or omitted pursuant to those SEC rules and regulations. For a better understanding of the Company and its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, we recommend reading these Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in conjunction with the audited financial statements which are included in the 2016 Form 10-K. These interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results that should be expected for the full year.

Cash Management

The cash management process generally utilizes zero balance accounts which provide for the settlement of the related disbursement and cash concentration accounts on a daily basis. Trade accounts payable and Accrued expenses and other current liabilities as of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, included $44 million and $58 million, respectively, of amounts not yet presented for payment drawn in excess of disbursement account book balances, after considering offset provisions.

At September 30, 2017, cash and cash equivalents from continuing operations but held outside the United States amounted to $141 million. Additionally, $36 million of cash held outside the United States was included in current assets of discontinued operations.

New Accounting Standards

Standards that are not yet adopted

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an accounting standards update that supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance and modifies the accounting for certain costs associated with revenue generation. The core principle of this guidance is that an entity should recognize 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. The guidance provides a number of steps to apply to achieve that principle and requires additional disclosures. The standard was originally to be effective for the Company’s first quarter of 2017. In July 2015, the FASB approved a one year extension to the required implementation date but also permitted companies to adopt the standard at the original effective date of 2017. The new revenue recognition standard may be applied retrospectively to each prior period presented or modified retrospectively with the cumulative effect recognized as of the date of adoption.

The Company will adopt the standard in the first quarter of 2018, and believes the impact of adopting the new guidance will be immaterial to its annual and interim financial statements. The Company’s assessment, which is ongoing, included a detailed review of contracts for each of its disaggregated revenue streams and a comparison of its historical accounting policies and practices to the new standard. Based on these procedures, the Company has identified minor changes related to the timing of recognition of revenues associated with its loyalty program due to the impacts of the loyalty program being presented as a deferral of revenues under the new standard rather than as cost accruals as is permitted under the existing accounting rules. The Company has also identified changes to revenues from sales of third-party software that are currently reported on a gross basis, which will be reported on a net basis under the new standard with no change in timing of recognition or impact to gross profit, earnings or cash flow. In addition, the Company’s balance sheet presentation of its sales return reserve will change to present a separate return asset and liability, instead of the net presentation used currently. The Company has also started its assessment to determine the revenue recognition impact of the Company’s recent acquisitions.

The Company expects to finalize its assessment in the fourth quarter of 2017, and adopt the standard using the modified retrospective method. Under this method, the new standard would apply to all new contracts initiated on or after January 1, 2018. For existing contracts that have remaining obligations as of January 1, 2018, the Company would recognize any difference between the recognition criteria in the new standard and the Company’s current revenue recognition practices, using a cumulative effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings at the date of adoption. The Company has made modifications to its existing system that processes loyalty transactions, and will implement updates to its control processes and procedures, as necessary, based on changes resulting from the new standard. The Company does not expect any such updates to materially affect the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting. The adoption of the standard will also result in increased footnote disclosure requirements relating to certain balance sheet accounts and disaggregation of revenue, as well as pro-forma impact of the changes described above on revenue during the first year of adoption under the modified retrospective method.

In February 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update which will require lessees to recognize most leases on their balance sheets related to the rights and obligations created by those leases. The accounting treatment for lessors will remain relatively unchanged. The accounting standards update also requires additional qualitative and quantitative disclosures related to the nature, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. Lessees and lessors are required to use a modified retrospective transition method for existing leases and accordingly, apply the new accounting model for the earliest year presented in the financial statements. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this new standard will have on its Consolidated Financial Statements but anticipates it will result in significant right of use assets and related liabilities associated with its operating leases being recorded on its balance sheet. Substantially all of the Company’s retail store locations, supply chain facilities and copy print equipment are subject to operating lease arrangements. The Company will adopt the standard in the first quarter of 2019, and has begun implementing required upgrades to its existing lease systems.

In March 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standards update which changes the income statement presentation of defined benefit plan expense by requiring that an employer report the service cost component of pension costs in the same line item or items as other compensation costs arising from services rendered by the pertinent employees during the period. The other components of net benefit pension cost will be presented in the income statement separately from the service cost component and outside a subtotal of operating income. Employers will have to disclose the line(s) used to present the other components of net periodic benefit cost, if the components are not presented separately in the income statement. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years and will be applied retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted. The Company expects the adoption of this accounting standard update to reduce operating income by approximately $13 million on an annual basis, but have no impact on net income.

Standards that were adopted

During the first quarter of 2017, the Company adopted the new accounting standard which modifies several aspects of the accounting and reporting for employee share-based payments and related tax accounting impacts, including the presentation in the statements of operations and cash flows of certain tax benefits or deficiencies and employee tax withholdings, as well as the accounting for award forfeitures over the vesting period. Starting in the first quarter of 2017, stock-based compensation excess tax benefits or deficiencies are reflected in the Consolidated Statements of Operations as a component of the provision for income taxes, whereas they previously were recognized in equity. Additionally, the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows now present excess tax benefits as an operating activity, which was applied prospectively in accordance with the standard and therefore prior periods have not been adjusted. Finally, the Company has elected to account for forfeitures as they occur rather than estimate expected forfeitures, which was applied on a modified retrospective basis, resulting in a cumulative effect that increased accumulated deficit by approximately $1 million as of January 1, 2017.