Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Financial Statement Preparation

The unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements as of March 27, 2016, and for the quarter and two quarters ended March 27, 2016 and March 29, 2015, have been prepared by Starbucks Corporation under the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). In the opinion of management, the financial information for the quarter and two quarters ended March 27, 2016 and March 29, 2015 reflects all adjustments and accruals, which are of a normal recurring nature, necessary for a fair presentation of the financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods. In this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (“10-Q”), Starbucks Corporation is referred to as “Starbucks,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our.”

The financial information as of September 27, 2015 is derived from our audited consolidated financial statements and notes for the fiscal year ended September 27, 2015 (“fiscal 2015”) included in Item 8 in the Fiscal 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K (the “10-K”). The information included in this 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the footnotes and management’s discussion and analysis of the consolidated financial statements in the 10-K.

The results of operations for the quarter and two quarters ended March 27, 2016 are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations that may be achieved for the entire fiscal year ending October 2, 2016 ("fiscal 2016"). Additionally, our 2016 fiscal year will include 53 weeks, with the 53rd week falling in our fourth fiscal quarter.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance related to stock-based compensation, which changes the accounting for and classification of excess tax benefits and minimum tax withholdings on share-based awards. The guidance becomes effective for us at the beginning of our first quarter of fiscal 2018 but permits adoption in an earlier period. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements and the timing of adoption.

Also, in March 2016, the FASB issued guidance eliminating the requirement to retroactively apply the equity method of accounting when an investment qualifies for use of the equity method as a result of an increase in the level of ownership or degree of influence. This guidance will become effective for us at the beginning of our first quarter of fiscal 2018, but earlier adoption is permitted. We do not expect this adoption to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Additionally, in March 2016, the FASB issued guidance for financial liabilities resulting from selling prepaid stored value products that are redeemable at third-party merchants. Under the new guidance, expected breakage amounts associated with these products must be recognized proportionately in earnings as redemption occurs. Our current accounting policy of applying the remote method to all of our store value cards, including cards redeemable at the third-party licensed locations, will no longer be allowed. The guidance will become effective for us at the beginning of our first quarter of fiscal 2019, with the option to adopt in an earlier period. As the guidance and timing of transition are consistent with the new revenue recognition standard issued by the FASB in May 2014 and discussed below, we expect to implement the provisions of both sets of guidance in the same period.

In February 2016, the FASB issued guidance on the recognition and measurement of leases. Under the new guidance, lessees are required to recognize a lease liability, which represents the discounted obligation to make future minimum lease payments, and a corresponding right-of-use asset on the balance sheet for most leases. The guidance retains the current accounting for lessors and does not make significant changes to the recognition, measurement, and presentation of expenses and cash flows by a lessee. Enhanced disclosures will also be required to give financial statement users the ability to assess the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The guidance will require modified retrospective application at the beginning of our first quarter of fiscal 2020, with optional practical expedients, but permits adoption in an earlier period. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements but expect this adoption will result in a significant increase in our assets and liabilities on our consolidated balance sheet.

In January 2016, the FASB issued guidance on the recognition and measurement of financial instruments. This guidance retains the current accounting for classifying and measuring investments in debt securities and loans, but requires equity investments to be measured at fair value with subsequent changes recognized in net income, except for those accounted for under the equity method or requiring consolidation. The guidance also changes the accounting for investments without a readily determinable fair value and that do not qualify for the practical expedient to estimate fair value. A policy election can be made for these investments whereby estimated fair value may be measured at cost and adjusted in subsequent periods for any impairment or changes in observable prices of identical or similar investments. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements, which will become effective for us at the beginning of our first quarter of fiscal 2019.

In November 2015, the FASB issued guidance on the presentation of deferred income taxes that requires deferred tax assets and liabilities, along with related valuation allowances, to be classified as noncurrent on the balance sheet. As a result, each tax jurisdiction will now only have one net noncurrent deferred tax asset or liability. The new guidance does not change the existing requirement that prohibits offsetting deferred tax liabilities from one jurisdiction against deferred tax assets of another jurisdiction. During the first quarter of fiscal 2016, we elected to early-adopt this guidance retrospectively. The following table summarizes the adjustments made to conform prior period classifications with the new guidance (in millions):



	September 27, 2015
	As Filed		Reclass			As Adjusted
Current deferred income tax assets	$	381.7	$	(381.7	)	$	—
Long-term deferred income tax assets	828.9		351.9			1,180.8
Current deferred income tax liabilities (included in Accrued liabilities)	5.4		(5.4		)	—
Long-term deferred income tax liabilities (included in Other long-term liabilities)	67.8		(24.4		)	43.4
Net deferred tax asset	$	1,137.4	$	—		$	1,137.4

In July 2015, the FASB issued guidance on the subsequent measurement of inventory, which changes the measurement from lower of cost or market to lower of cost and net realizable value. The guidance will require prospective application at the beginning of our first quarter of fiscal 2018, but permits adoption in an earlier period. We are currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements and the timing of adoption.

In April 2015, the FASB issued guidance on the financial statement presentation of debt issuance costs. This guidance requires debt issuance costs to be presented on the balance sheet as a reduction of the related debt liability rather than an asset. The guidance will become effective for us at the beginning of our first quarter of fiscal 2017 and will only result in an immaterial change in presentation of these costs on our consolidated balance sheets.

In February 2015, the FASB issued guidance that changes the evaluation criteria for consolidation and related disclosure requirements. This guidance introduces evaluation criteria specific to limited partnerships and other similar entities, as well as amends the criteria for evaluating variable interest entities with which the reporting entity is involved and certain investment funds. The guidance will become effective for us at the beginning of our first quarter of fiscal 2017. We do not expect the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued guidance outlining a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers that supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance. This guidance requires an entity to recognize revenue when it transfers 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 original effective date of the guidance would have required us to adopt at the beginning of our first quarter of fiscal 2018. In July 2015, the FASB approved an optional one-year deferral of the effective date. The new guidance may be applied retrospectively to each prior period presented or retrospectively with the cumulative effect recognized as of the date of adoption. We are currently evaluating the overall impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements, as well as the expected timing and method of adoption. Based on our preliminary assessment, we determined the adoption will change the timing of recognition and classification of our stored value card breakage income, which is currently recognized using the remote method and recorded in net interest income and other. The new guidance will require application of the proportional method and classification within total net revenues on our consolidated statements of earnings. Additionally, the new guidance requires enhanced disclosures, including revenue recognition policies to identify performance obligations to customers and significant judgments in measurement and recognition. We are continuing our assessment, which may identify other impacts.

In April 2014, the FASB issued guidance that changes the criteria for reporting discontinued operations. To qualify as a discontinued operation under the amended guidance, a component or group of components of an entity that has been disposed of or is classified as held for sale must represent a strategic shift that has or will have a major effect on the entity's operations and financial results. This guidance also expands related disclosure requirements. The guidance became effective for us on a prospective basis at the beginning of our first quarter of fiscal 2016 and had no impact on our consolidated financial statements.