Basis Of Presentation And New Accounting Standards (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, “Helix” or the “Company”). Unless the context indicates otherwise, the terms “we,” “us” and “our” in this report refer collectively to Helix and its subsidiaries. All material intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to instructions for the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q required to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) and do not include all information and footnotes normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”).

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with GAAP in U.S. dollars and are consistent in all material respects with those applied in our 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K (“2017 Form 10-K”). The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and the related disclosures. Actual results may differ from our estimates. We have made all adjustments (which were normal recurring adjustments) that we believe are necessary for a fair presentation of the condensed consolidated balance sheets, statements of operations, statements of comprehensive income (loss), and statements of cash flows, as applicable. The operating results for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2018. Our balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 included herein has been derived from the audited balance sheet as of December 31, 2017 included in our 2017 Form 10-K. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the annual audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our 2017 Form 10-K.

Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications were made to previously reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto to make them consistent with the current presentation format.

New Accounting Standards

New accounting standards adopted

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)” (“ASC 606”). The FASB also issued several subsequent updates to promote more consistent interpretation and application of the principles outlined in the standard. ASC 606 provides a five-step approach to account for revenue arising from contracts with customers in order for an entity to recognize revenue in a way that depicts 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.

We adopted ASC 606 effective January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective method by applying the five-step model to all contracts that were not completed as of the date of adoption. For contracts that were modified before the date of adoption, we have considered the modification guidance within the new standard and determined that the revenues recognized prior to adoption for such modified contracts were not impacted. We did not record any cumulative effect adjustment to the opening balance of our retained earnings as of January 1, 2018 as the adoption of ASC 606 had an insignificant impact on our prior year earnings. On our consolidated balance sheet, contract assets that were previously presented as “Other accounts receivable” are now a component of “Other current assets.” The comparative information has not been restated and continues to be reported under the accounting standards in effect for those periods. ASC 606 requires additional disclosures with regard to the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. We do not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on the measurement or recognition of our revenues on an ongoing basis. The impact of ASC 606 for the three- and nine-month periods ended September 30, 2018, which primarily relates to the acceleration of lump sum demobilization fees (Note 9), was as follows (in thousands):



	September 30, 2018
	As Reported		Pro Forma Without Adoption of ASC 606		Effect of Change
Balance Sheet
Assets
Unbilled and other	$	66,396	$	67,263	$	(867	)
Other current assets	47,450		46,104		1,346
Liabilities
Accrued liabilities	84,431		84,705		(274		)
Deferred tax liabilities	102,742		102,584		158
Equity
Retained earnings	396,781		396,186		595



	Three Months Ended September 30, 2018							Nine Months Ended September 30, 2018
	As Reported		Pro Forma Without Adoption of ASC 606		Effect of Change			As Reported		Pro Forma Without Adoption of ASC 606		Effect of Change
Statement of Operations
Net revenues	$	212,575	$	212,965	$	(390	)	$	581,462	$	580,709	$	753
Income from operations	31,377		31,767		(390		)	55,033		54,280		753
Income before income taxes	27,962		28,352		(390		)	43,571		42,818		753
Income tax provision	841		923		(82		)	1,226		1,068		158
Net income	27,121		27,429		(308		)	42,345		41,750		595

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-02, “Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income.” This ASU allows a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (“OCI”) to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “2017 Tax Act”) that was enacted on December 22, 2017. We adopted this guidance as of January 1, 2018 by making the election to reclassify $1.5 million of net stranded tax benefits from accumulated OCI to retained earnings (Note 8). On an ongoing basis, we release the income tax effects of individual items in accumulated OCI as those items are sold or settled at the applicable statutory rate.

New accounting standards issued but not yet effective

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” (“ASC 842”). The FASB also issued several subsequent updates to provide improvements to the new guidance. ASC 842 amends the existing accounting standards for leases to increase transparency and comparability among organizations. The new guidance requires a lessee to recognize a lease right-of-use asset and related lease liability for most leases, including those classified as operating leases under current GAAP. ASC 842 also changes the definition of a lease and requires expanded quantitative and qualitative disclosures for both lessees and lessors. We are in the process of implementing ASC 842. We have accumulated our lease contracts and are aggregating them into a lease software platform. We are also assessing non-lease contracts for inclusion of embedded leases, updating our policies and controls and establishing appropriate presentation and disclosure changes resulting from the new guidance. While our implementation plan is still ongoing, management’s assessment based on our current portfolio of leases, including vessel charters, is that our assets and liabilities will increase by a significant amount as we recognize right-of-use assets and lease liabilities on our balance sheet upon our adoption of ASC 842. We do not expect the new guidance to have any significant impact on our earnings or cash flows. We will adopt ASC 842 by applying the new guidance in the first quarter of 2019 and recognizing a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings.

We do not expect any other recent accounting standards to have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.