SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

The accompanying consolidated statements include the accounts of Clean Harbors, Inc. and its majority-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions, which are evaluated on an ongoing basis, that affect the amounts reported in the Company's consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions it believes to be reasonable at the time under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities and disclosure, if any, of contingent assets and liabilities and reported amounts of revenues and expenses. Actual results could differ from those estimates and judgments.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Uncashed Checks

Cash consists primarily of cash on deposit and money market accounts. Marketable securities with maturities of three months or less from the date of purchase are classified as cash equivalents. The Company's cash management program with its revolving credit lender allows for the maintenance of a zero balance in the U.S. bank disbursement accounts that are used to issue vendor and payroll checks. The program can result in checks outstanding in excess of bank balances in the disbursement accounts. When checks are presented to the bank for payment, cash deposits in amounts sufficient to fund the checks are made, at the Company's discretion, either from funds provided by other accounts or under the terms of the Company's revolving credit facility. Therefore, until checks are presented for payment, there is no right of offset by the bank and the Company continues to have control over cash relating to both released as well as unreleased checks. Checks that have been written to vendors or employees but have not yet been presented for payment at the Company's bank are classified as uncashed checks as part of accounts payable and changes in the balance are reported as a financing activity in the statement of cash flows.

Marketable Securities

The Company, through its wholly-owned captive insurance subsidiary, invests in marketable securities consisting of U.S. Treasury securities, corporate notes and bonds and commercial paper. Marketable securities with original maturities greater than three months from the purchase date and remaining maturities less than one year are classified as short-term marketable securities. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017 the Company has recorded total marketable securities and cash equivalents of $61.0 million and $40.2 million, respectively, as shown below (in thousands).

(2) SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)




	December 31, 2018		December 31, 2017
Commercial paper	$	8,126	$	2,048
Total cash equivalents	8,126		2,048

U.S. Treasury securities	10,133		3,855
Corporate notes and bonds	38,036		32,729
Commercial paper	4,687		1,595
Total short-term marketable securities	52,856		38,179
Total financial assets	$	60,982	$	40,227

Allowances for Doubtful Accounts

On a regular basis, the Company evaluates its accounts receivable and establishes the allowance for doubtful accounts based on an evaluation of certain criteria and evidence of collection certainty including historical collection trends, current economic trends and changes in customer payment patterns. Past-due receivable balances are written off when the Company's internal collection efforts have been deemed unsuccessful in collecting the outstanding balance due.

Credit Concentration

Concentration of credit risks in accounts receivable is limited due to the large number of customers comprising the Company's customer base throughout North America. The Company maintains policies over credit extension that include credit evaluations, credit limits and collection monitoring procedures on a customer-by-customer basis. However, the Company generally does not require collateral before services are performed. No individual customer accounted for more than 10% of accounts receivable or more than 10% of total revenues in the periods presented.

Inventories and Supplies

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. The cost of oil and oil products is principally determined on a first-in, first-out ("FIFO") basis. The cost of supplies and drums, solvent and solution and other inventories is determined on a FIFO or a weighted average cost basis. The Company continually reviews its inventories for obsolete or unsalable items and adjusts its carrying value to reflect estimated realizable values.

Property, Plant and Equipment (excluding landfill assets)

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. Expenditures for major renewals and improvements which extend the life or usefulness of the asset are capitalized. Items of an ordinary repair or maintenance nature are charged directly to operating expense as incurred. During the construction and development period of an asset, the costs incurred, including applicable interest costs, are classified as construction-in-progress.

(2) SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

The Company depreciates and amortizes the cost of these assets, using the straight-line method as follows:



Asset Classification		Estimated Useful Life
Buildings and building improvements
Buildings		20–42 years
Leasehold and building improvements		2–45 years
Camp and lodging equipment		8–15 years
Vehicles		2–15 years
Equipment
Capitalized software and computer equipment		3–5 years
Containers and railcars		8–16 years
All other equipment		4–30 years
Furniture and fixtures		5–8 years

The Company recognizes an impairment in the carrying value of long-lived assets when the expected future undiscounted cash flows derived from the assets, or group of assets, are less than their carrying value. For the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, the Company did not record impairment charges related to long-lived assets.

Goodwill

Goodwill is comprised of the purchase price of business acquisitions in excess of the fair value of the net assets acquired. Goodwill is not amortized but is reviewed for impairment annually as of December 31, or when events or circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the reporting unit may exceed its fair value. Upon adoption of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2017-04 in the fourth quarter of 2017, if the fair value is less than the carrying amount, a loss will be recorded for the excess of the carrying value of the goodwill over the implied value of the goodwill. Prior to adoption of ASU 2017-04, if the fair value was less than the carrying amount, a Step II goodwill impairment test was performed to determine if goodwill was impaired. The loss, if any, was measured as the excess of the carrying value of the goodwill over the implied value of the goodwill. See Note 8, "Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets," for additional information related to the Company's goodwill impairment tests.

Permits and other intangibles

Costs related to acquiring licenses, permits and intangible assets, such as legal fees, site surveys, engineering costs and other expenditures are capitalized. Other intangible assets consist primarily of customer and supplier relationships, trademarks and trade names, and non-compete agreements. Permits relating to landfills are amortized on a units-of-consumption basis. All other permits are amortized over periods ranging from 5 to 30 years on a straight-line basis. Other intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their respective useful lives, which range from 5 to 20 years.

Finite-lived intangible assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. When such factors and circumstances exist, management compares the projected undiscounted future cash flows associated with the related asset or group of assets to the carrying amount. The impairment loss, if any, is measured as the excess of the carrying amount over the fair value of the asset or group of assets.

Indefinite-lived intangible assets are not amortized but are reviewed for impairment annually as of December 31, or when events or changes in the business environment indicate that the carrying value may be impaired. If the fair value of the asset is less than the carrying amount, the impairment loss is measured as the excess of the carrying value of the asset over its fair value.

Leases

The Company leases rolling stock, rail cars, equipment, real estate and office equipment under operating leases. Certain real estate leases contain rent holidays and rent escalation clauses. Most of the Company's real estate lease agreements include renewal periods at the Company's option. For its operating leases, the Company recognizes rent holiday periods and scheduled

(2) SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

rent increases on a straight-line basis over the lease term beginning with the date the Company takes possession of the leased assets.

Landfill Accounting

The Company amortizes landfill improvements and certain landfill-related permits over the estimated useful lives. The units-of-consumption method is used to amortize land, landfill cell construction, asset retirement costs and remaining landfill cells and sites. The Company also utilizes the units-of-consumption method to record closure and post-closure obligations for landfill cells and sites. Under the units-of-consumption method, the Company includes future estimated construction and asset retirement costs, as well as costs incurred to date, in the amortization base of the landfill assets. Additionally, where appropriate, as described below, the Company includes probable expansion airspace that has yet to be permitted in the calculation of the total remaining useful life of the landfill. If it is determined that expansion capacity should no longer be considered in calculating the recoverability of a landfill asset, the Company may be required to recognize an asset impairment or incur significantly higher amortization expense. If at any time the Company makes the decision to abandon the expansion effort, the capitalized costs related to the expansion effort are expensed immediately.

Landfill assets—Landfill assets include the costs of landfill site acquisition, permits and cell construction incurred to date. These amounts are recorded at cost, which includes capitalized interest as applicable. Landfill assets, net of amortization, are combined with management's estimate of the costs required to complete construction of the landfill to determine the amount to be amortized over the remaining estimated useful economic life of a site. Amortization of landfill assets is recorded on a units-of-consumption basis, such that the landfill assets should be completely amortized at the date the landfill ceases accepting waste. Amortization totaled $10.3 million, $9.5 million and $9.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Changes in estimated costs to complete construction are applied prospectively to the amortization rate.

Landfill capacity—Landfill capacity, which is the basis for the amortization of landfill assets and for the accrual of final closure and post-closure obligations, represents total permitted airspace plus unpermitted airspace that management believes is probable of ultimately being permitted based on established criteria. The Company applies the following criteria for evaluating the probability of obtaining a permit for future expansion airspace at existing sites, which provides management a basis to evaluate the likelihood of success of unpermitted expansions:


•	Personnel are actively working to obtain the permit or permit modifications (land use, state, provincial and federal) necessary for expansion of an existing landfill, and progress is being made on the project.


•	Management expects to submit the application within the next year and to receive all necessary approvals to accept waste within the next 5 years.


•	At the time the expansion is included in the Company's estimate of the landfill's useful economic life, it is probable that the required approvals will be received within the normal application and processing time periods for approvals in the jurisdiction in which the landfill is located.


•	The Company or other owner of the landfill has a legal right to use or obtain the right to use the land associated with the expansion plan.


•	There are no significant known political, technical, legal or business restrictions or issues that could impair the success of such expansion.


•	A financial feasibility analysis has been completed and the results demonstrate that the expansion will have a positive financial and operational impact such that management is committed to pursuing the expansion.


•	Additional airspace and related additional costs, including permitting, final closure and post-closure costs, have been estimated based on the conceptual design of the proposed expansion.

As of December 31, 2018, there was one unpermitted expansion at one location included in the Company's landfill accounting model, which represented 16.2% of the Company's remaining airspace at that date. If actual expansion airspace is significantly different from the Company's estimate of expansion airspace, the amortization rates used for the units-of-consumption method would change, therefore impacting the Company's profitability. If the Company determines that there is less actual expansion airspace at a landfill, this would increase amortization expense recorded and decrease profitability, while

(2) SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

if the Company determines a landfill has more actual expansion airspace, amortization expense would decrease and profitability would increase.

As of December 31, 2018, the Company had 11 active landfill sites (including the Company's two non-commercial landfills), which have estimated remaining lives (based on anticipated waste volumes and remaining highly probable airspace) as follows:



		Remaining Lives (Years)	Remaining Highly Probable Airspace (cubic yards) (in thousands)
Facility Name	Location	Remaining Lives (Years)	Permitted	Unpermitted	Total
Altair	Texas	3	311	—	311
Buttonwillow	California	21	6,234	—	6,234
Deer Park	Texas	4	141	—	141
Deer Trail	Colorado	28	1,755	—	1,755
Grassy Mountain	Utah	51	194	4,830	5,024
Kimball	Nebraska	9	190	—	190
Lambton	Ontario	64	4,821	—	4,821
Lone Mountain	Oklahoma	18	4,124	—	4,124
Ryley	Alberta	7	906	—	906
Sawyer	North Dakota	87	3,522	—	3,522
Westmorland	California	64	2,732	—	2,732
			24,930	4,830	29,760

At December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company had no cubic yards of permitted, but not highly probable, airspace.

The following table presents the remaining highly probable airspace from January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2018 (in thousands of cubic yards):



	2018		2017		2016
Remaining capacity at January 1,	31,113		32,228		29,786
Changes in highly probable airspace, net	(223	)	—		3,464
Consumed	(1,130	)	(1,115	)	(1,022	)
Remaining capacity at December 31,	29,760		31,113		32,228

Amortization of cell construction costs and accrual of cell closure obligations—Landfills are typically comprised of a number of cells, which are constructed within a defined acreage (or footprint). The cells are typically discrete units, which require both separate construction and separate capping and closure procedures. Cell construction costs are the costs required to excavate and construct the landfill cell. These costs are typically amortized on a units-of-consumption basis, such that they are completely amortized when the specific cell ceases accepting waste. In some instances, the Company has landfills that are engineered and constructed as "progressive trenches." In progressive trench landfills, a number of contiguous cells form a progressive trench. In those instances, the Company amortizes cell construction costs over the airspace within the entire trench, such that the cell construction costs will be fully amortized at the end of the trench useful life.

The design and construction of a landfill does not create a landfill asset retirement obligation. Rather, the asset retirement obligation for cell closure (the cost associated with capping each cell) is incurred in relatively small increments as waste is placed in the landfill. Therefore, the cost required to construct the cell cap is capitalized as an asset retirement cost and a liability of an equal amount is established, based on the discounted cash flow associated with each capping event, as airspace is consumed. Spending for cell capping is reflected as environmental expenditures within operating activities in the statement of cash flows.

Landfill final closure and post-closure liabilities—The balance of landfill final closure and post-closure liabilities at December 31, 2018 and 2017 was $37.8 million and $32.4 million, respectively. The Company has material financial commitments for the costs associated with requirements of the Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") and the comparable regulatory agency in Canada for landfill final closure and post-closure activities. In the United States, the landfill final closure

(2) SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

and post-closure requirements are established under the standards of the EPA, and are implemented and applied on a state-by-state basis. The Company develops estimates for the cost of these activities based on an evaluation of site-specific facts and circumstances, including the Company's interpretation of current regulatory requirements and proposed regulatory changes. Such estimates may change in the future due to various circumstances including, but not limited to, permit modifications, changes in legislation or regulations, technological changes and results of environmental studies.

Final closure costs are the costs incurred after the site ceases to accept waste, but before the landfill is certified as closed by the applicable state regulatory agency. These costs generally include the costs required to cap the final cell of the landfill (if not included in cell closure), the costs required to dismantle certain structures for landfills and other landfill improvements, and regulation-mandated groundwater monitoring, and leachate management. Post-closure costs involve the maintenance and monitoring of a landfill site that has been certified closed by the applicable regulatory agency. These costs generally include groundwater monitoring and leachate management. Regulatory post-closure periods are generally 30 years after landfill closure. Final closure and post-closure obligations are accrued on a units-of-consumption basis, such that the present value of the final closure and post-closure obligations are fully accrued at the date the landfill discontinues accepting waste.

Cell closure, final closure and post-closure costs (also referred to as "asset retirement obligations") are calculated by estimating the total obligation in current dollars, adjusted for inflation (1.02% during 2018 and 2017) and discounted at the Company's credit-adjusted risk-free interest rate (5.66% and 6.32% during 2018 and 2017, respectively.)

Non-Landfill Closure and Post-Closure Liabilities

Non-landfill closure costs include costs required to dismantle and decontaminate certain structures and other costs incurred during the closure process. Post-closure costs, if required, include associated maintenance and monitoring costs as required by the closure permit. Post-closure periods are performance-based and are not generally specified in terms of years in the closure permit, but generally range from 10 to 30 years or more.

The Company records its non-landfill closure and post-closure liability by: (i) estimating the current cost of closing a non-landfill facility and the post-closure care of that facility, if required, based upon the closure plan that the Company is required to follow under its operating permit, or in the event the facility operates with a permit that does not contain a closure plan, based upon legally enforceable closure commitments made by the Company to various governmental agencies; (ii) using probability scenarios as to when in the future operations may cease; (iii) inflating the current cost of closing the non-landfill facility on a probability weighted basis using the inflation rate to the time of closing under each probability scenario; and (iv) discounting the future value of each closing scenario back to the present using the credit-adjusted risk-free interest rate. Non-landfill closure and post-closure obligations arise when the Company commences non-landfill facility operations. The carrying value of non-landfill closure and post-closure liabilities at December 31, 2018 and 2017 was $32.1 million and $28.6 million, respectively.

The estimates for non-landfill closure and post-closure liabilities are inherently uncertain due to the possibility that permit and regulatory requirements will change in the future, impacting the estimation of total costs and the timing of the expenditures. Management reviews non-landfill closure and post-closure liabilities for changes to key assumptions that would impact the amount of the recorded liabilities. Changes that would prompt management to revise a liability estimate include changes in legal requirements that impact the Company's expected closure plan or scope of work, in the market price of a significant cost item, in the probability scenarios as to when future operations at a location might cease, or in the expected timing of the cost. Changes in estimates for non-landfill closure and post-closure events immediately impact the required liability and the value of the corresponding asset. If a change is made to a fully-consumed asset, the adjustment is charged immediately to expense. When a change in estimate relates to an asset that has not been fully consumed, the adjustment to the asset recognized in income prospectively as a component of amortization. Historically, material changes to non-landfill closure and post-closure estimates have been infrequent.

Remedial Liabilities

The balance of remedial liabilities at December 31, 2018 and 2017 was $121.0 million and $124.5 million, respectively. Remedial liabilities, including Superfund liabilities, include the costs of removal or containment of contaminated material, treatment of potentially contaminated groundwater and maintenance and monitoring costs necessary to comply with regulatory requirements. Most of the Company's remedial liabilities relate to the active and inactive hazardous waste treatment and disposal facilities which the Company acquired in the last 16 years and Superfund sites owned by third parties for which the Company, or the prior owners of certain of the Company's facilities for which the Company may have certain indemnification

(2) SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

obligations, have been identified as potentially responsible parties ("PRPs") or potential PRPs. The Company's estimate of remedial liabilities involved an analysis of such factors as: (i) the nature and extent of environmental contamination (if any); (ii) the terms of applicable permits and agreements with regulatory authorities as to cleanup procedures and whether modifications to such permits and agreements will likely need to be negotiated; (iii) the cost of performing anticipated cleanup activities based upon current technology; and (iv) in the case of Superfund and other sites where other parties will also be responsible for a portion of the cleanup costs, the likely allocation of such costs and the ability of such other parties to pay their share. The measurement of remedial liabilities is reviewed at least quarterly and changes in estimates are recognized when identified.

The Company periodically evaluates potential remedial liabilities at sites that it owns or operates or to which the Company or the sellers of the CSD assets (or the respective predecessors of the Company or such sellers) transported or disposed of waste, including 128 Superfund sites as of December 31, 2018. The Company periodically reviews and evaluates sites requiring remediation, including Superfund sites, giving consideration to the nature (i.e., owner, operator, arranger, transporter or generator) and the extent (i.e., amount and nature of waste hauled to the location, number of years of site operations or other relevant factors) of the Company's (or such sellers') alleged connection with the site, the extent (if any) to which the Company believes it may have an obligation to indemnify cleanup costs in connection with the site, the regulatory context surrounding the site, the accuracy and strength of evidence connecting the Company (or such sellers) to the location, the number, connection and financial ability of other named and unnamed potentially responsible parties ("PRPs") and the nature and estimated cost of the likely remedy. Where the Company concludes that it is probable that a liability has been incurred and an amount can be estimated, a provision is made, based upon management's judgment and prior experience, of such estimated liability.

Remedial liabilities are inherently difficult to estimate. Estimating remedial liabilities requires that the existing environmental contamination be understood. There are risks that the actual quantities of contaminants differ from the results of the site investigation, and that contaminants exist that have not been identified by the site investigation. In addition, the amount of remedial liabilities recorded is dependent on the remedial method selected. There is a risk that funds will be expended on a remedial solution that is not successful, which could result in the additional incremental costs of an alternative solution. Such estimates, which are subject to change, are subsequently revised if and when additional or new information becomes available.

Remedial liabilities are discounted only when the timing of the payments is determinable and the amounts are estimable. Management's experience has been that the timing of payments for remedial liabilities is not usually estimable, and therefore the amounts of remedial liabilities are not generally discounted. In the case of remedial liabilities assumed in connection with acquisitions, acquired liabilities are recorded at fair value as of the dates of the acquisitions calculated by inflating costs in current dollars using an estimate of future inflation rates as of the respective acquisition dates until the expected time of payment, and then discounting the amount of the payments to their present value using a risk-free discount rate as of the acquisition dates. Discounts have been and will be applied to the remedial liabilities as follows:


•	Remedial liabilities assumed relating to acquisitions are and will continue to be inflated using the inflation rates at the time of each acquisition (ranging from 1.01% to 2.57%) until the expected time of payment, then discounted at the risk-free interest rate at the time of such acquisition (ranging from 1.37% to 5.99%).


•	Remedial liabilities incurred subsequent to the acquisitions and remedial liabilities of the Company that existed prior to the acquisitions have been and will continue to be recorded at the estimated current value of the liabilities, which is usually neither increased for inflation nor reduced for discounting.

Foreign Currency

The Company has operations in Canada. The functional currencies of those operations are their local currency and therefore assets and liabilities of those foreign operations are translated to U.S. dollars at the exchange rate in effect at the balance sheet date and revenue and expenses at the average exchange rate for the period. Gains and losses from the translation of the consolidated financial statements of foreign subsidiaries into U.S. dollars are included in stockholders' equity as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss. Gains and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions are recognized in the consolidated statements of operations. Recorded balances that are denominated in a currency other than the functional currency are remeasured to the functional currency using the exchange rate at the balance sheet date and gains or losses are recorded in the statements of operations.

Advertising Expense

Advertising costs are expensed as incurred. Advertising expense was approximately $10.5 million in 2018, $11.8 million in 2017 and $10.8 million in 2016.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is recognized as expense over the requisite service period, which generally represents the vesting period. In addition, the Company issues awards with performance targets which are recognized as expense over the requisite service period when management believes it is probable those targets will be achieved. The fair value of the Company's grants of restricted stock are based on the quoted market price for the Company's common stock on the respective dates of grant. Forfeitures are recognized as they occur.

Income Taxes

Current income tax expense approximates cash to be paid or refunded for taxes for the applicable period. Deferred tax expense or benefit is the result of changes between deferred tax assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based upon the temporary differences between the financial statement basis and tax basis of assets and liabilities as well as from net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards as measured by the enacted tax rates, which will be in effect when these differences reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is generally recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. The Company evaluates the recoverability of future tax deductions and credits and a valuation allowance is established by tax jurisdiction when, based on an evaluation of both positive and negative objective verifiable evidence, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of deferred tax assets will not be realized.

The Company recognizes and measures a tax benefit from uncertain tax positions when it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The Company recognizes a liability for unrecognized tax benefits resulting from uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The Company adjusts these liabilities when its judgment changes as a result of the evaluation of new information not previously available. Due to the complexity of some of these uncertainties, the ultimate resolution may result in a payment that is materially different from the current estimate or future recognition of an unrecognized benefit. These differences will be reflected as increases or decreases to income tax expense in the period in which they are determined.

The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits within the income tax expense line in the consolidated statements of operations. Accrued interest and penalties are included within deferred taxes, unrecognized tax benefits and other long-term liabilities line in the consolidated balance sheet.

Earnings per Share

Earnings per Share ("EPS")

Basic EPS is calculated by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS gives effect to all potentially dilutive common shares that were outstanding during the period.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Standards implemented

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which replaces numerous requirements in U.S. GAAP, including industry-specific requirements, and provides companies with a single revenue recognition model for recognizing revenue from contracts with customers.

On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted Topic 606 using the modified retrospective method for all contracts. Results for reporting periods beginning on the date of adoption are presented under ASC 606, while prior period amounts have not been adjusted and continue to be reported in accordance with the Company's historical accounting methodology pursuant to ASC 605, Revenue Recognition. The only significant impact from the adoption of this standard relates to incremental disclosures now required. Upon adoption, a cumulative effect adjustment was not recorded.

In January 2016, FASB issued ASU 2016-01, Financial Instruments - Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. The amendment requires equity investments (except those accounted for under the equity method of accounting, or those that result in consolidation of the investee) to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income. The Company adopted the amendment in the fourth quarter of 2018,

(2) SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Continued)

which resulted in a $1.4 million charge to other (expense) income, net for the change in fair value of equity securities purchased in 2018.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, Income Tax - Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other than Inventory. The amendment improves the accounting for the income tax consequences of intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory. The Company adopted this standard on a modified retrospective basis effective January 1, 2018. As a result of adoption, the Company recorded a cumulative effect adjustment that reduced retained earnings by $1.6 million. The impact on the annual provision for income taxes was not material.

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. The amendment better aligns an entity’s risk management activities and financial reporting for hedging relationships through changes to both the designation and measurement guidance for qualifying hedging relationships and the presentation of hedge results. The Company adopted the amendment in the third quarter of 2018. Adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

Standards to be implemented

The Company is evaluating the impact that the below standards to be implemented will have on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The amendment increases transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. The Company is currently finalizing the accounting and internal controls relative to this new pronouncement and will adopt Topic 842 and related amendments on January 1, 2019 using the modified retrospective method of adoption. The Company expects to elect most of the available practical expedients, including the package of practical expedients, which permits entities not to reassess under the new standard their prior conclusions about lease identification, lease classification and initial direct costs. In preparation for adoption of the standard, the Company has implemented internal controls and key system functionality to enable the preparation of financial information. The Company has concluded that the adoption of this standard will have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets related to the recognition of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities, but is not expected to have a material impact on the consolidated statements of operations or cash flows. On adoption, the Company currently expects to recognize additional right-of-use assets and lease obligations in the range of $180.0 million to $220.0 million.