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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies  SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

(a)    Estimates

The preparation of these consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosures. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate these estimates, including those related to reserves for accounts receivable; goodwill and other intangible assets; income taxes; inventory valuation; revenue recognition, product returns, customer programs and multiple element arrangements; share-based compensation; warranty reserves; self-insurance reserves; fair value measurements and loss contingencies. We accrue contingent liabilities when it is probable that future expenditures will be made and such expenditures can be reasonably estimated. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

(b)    Cash and Cash Equivalents

We consider all highly liquid investments with original maturities of ninety days or less to be cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents consist primarily of demand deposits, money market funds and short duration agency bonds and commercial paper as described above. There is no restricted cash on our consolidated balance sheet for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017.



(c)    Inventories – See Note 6

(d)    Property and Equipment – See Note 8

(e)    Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets – See Note 10

(f)    Warranty Reserves

We provide a standard twelve-month warranty on all instruments sold. We recognize the cost of instrument warranties in cost of product revenue at the time revenue is recognized based on the estimated cost to repair the instrument over its warranty period. Cost of product revenue reflects not only estimated warranty expense for instruments sold in the current period, but also any changes in estimated warranty expense for the portion of the aggregate installed base that is under warranty. Estimated warranty expense is based on a variety of inputs, including historical instrument performance in the customers’ environment, historical and estimated costs incurred in servicing instruments and projected instrument reliability. Should actual service rates or costs differ from our estimates, revisions to the estimated warranty liability would be required. The liability for warranties is included in accrued liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. The amount of warranty reserve during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, was not material.

(g)    Income Taxes – See Note 13

(h)    Taxes Remitted to Governmental Authorities by IDEXX on Behalf of Customer

We calculate, collect from our customers, and remit to governmental authorities sales, value-added and excise taxes assessed by governmental authorities in connection with revenue-producing transactions with our customers. We report these taxes on a net basis and do not include these tax amounts in revenue or cost of product or service revenue.

(i)    Revenue Recognition – See Note 3
    
(j)    Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs, which consist of salaries, employee benefits, materials and external consulting and product development costs, are expensed as incurred. We evaluate our research and development costs for capitalization after the technological feasibility has been established for software and products containing software to be sold, however no costs were capitalized during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017. Software developed to deliver hosted services to our customers has been designated as internal use and we capitalize certain costs incurred in connection with developing or obtaining software designated for internal use based on three distinct stages of development. See "Note 8. Property and Equipment, Net" for further information on internal use software.

(k)    Advertising Costs

Advertising costs, which are recognized as sales and marketing expense in the period in which they are incurred, were $1.5 million, $1.8 million, and $1.7 million for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

(l)    Legal Costs

Legal costs are considered period costs and accordingly are expensed in the year services are provided.

(m)    Share-Based Compensation – See Note 5

(n)    Self-Insurance Accruals – See Note 15

(o)    Leases – See Note 7

(p)    Earnings per Share – See Note 14

(q)    Foreign Currency

The functional currency of all but four of our subsidiaries is their local currency. Assets and liabilities of these foreign subsidiaries are translated to the U.S. dollar using the exchange rate in effect at the balance sheet date. Revenue and expense accounts are translated to the U.S. dollar using the exchange rate at the date which those elements are recognized, and where it is impractical to do so, an average exchange rate in effect during the period is used to translate those elements. Cumulative translation gains and losses are shown in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”).  

Revenues and expenses denominated in a currency other than the respective subsidiary’s functional currency are recorded at the current exchange rate when the transaction is recognized. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in a currency other than the respective subsidiary’s functional currency are remeasured at each balance sheet date using the exchange rate in effect at each balance sheet date. These foreign currency gains and losses are included in general and administrative expenses. We recognized aggregate foreign currency losses of $1.1 million, losses of $3.1 million, and gains of $1.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively.

(r)    Hedging Instruments – See Note 18

(s)    Fair Value Measurements – See Note 17

(t)    Comprehensive Income

We report all changes in equity, including net income and transactions or other events and circumstances from non-owner sources during the period in which they are recognized. We have chosen to present comprehensive income, which encompasses net income, foreign currency translation adjustments, gains and losses on our net investment hedges and the difference between the cost and the fair market value of investments in debt and equity securities, and forward currency exchange contracts, in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income. See "Note 20. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income" for information about the effects on net income of significant amounts reclassified out of each component of AOCI for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017.

(u)    Concentrations of Risk

Financial Instruments. Financial instruments that potentially subject us to concentrations of credit risk are principally cash, cash equivalents, accounts receivable and derivatives. To mitigate such risk with respect to cash and cash equivalents, we place our cash with highly-rated financial institutions, in non-interest bearing accounts that are insured by the U.S. government and money market funds invested in government securities. Concentration of credit risk with respect to accounts receivable is limited to certain customers to whom we make substantial sales. To reduce risk, we routinely assess the financial strength of our most significant customers and monitor the amounts owed to us, taking appropriate action when necessary. As a result, we believe that accounts receivable credit risk exposure is limited. We maintain an allowance for doubtful accounts, but historically have not experienced any material losses related to an individual customer or group of customers in any particular industry or geographic area.

To mitigate concentration of credit risk with respect to derivatives we enter into transactions with highly-rated financial institutions, enter into master netting arrangements with counterparties to our derivative transactions and frequently monitor the credit worthiness of our counterparties. Our master netting arrangements reduce our exposure in that they permit outstanding receivables and payables with the counterparties to our derivative transactions to be offset in the event of default. We have not incurred such losses and consider the risk of counterparty default to be minimal.

Inventory. If we are unable to obtain adequate quantities of the inventory we need to sell our products, we could face cost increases or delays or discontinuations in product shipments, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations. Many of the third parties that provide us with the instruments we sell as well as certain components, raw materials and consumables used in or with our products are sole or single source suppliers. Some of the products that we purchase from these sources are proprietary or complex in nature, and, therefore, cannot be readily or easily replaced by alternative sources.

(v)    New Accounting Pronouncements Adopted

We adopted ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (the "New Leasing Standard"), as of January 1, 2019, using the optional transition method that allows for a cumulative-effect adjustment in the period of adoption and did not restate prior periods. In
addition, we elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within the new standard, which among other things, allowed us to carry forward the historical lease classification. The adoption of the New Leasing Standard resulted in the recording of operating lease liabilities of $86.7 million and right-of-use assets of $83.7 million. Prior to our adoption of the New Leasing Standard, rent prepayments of approximately $1.0 million were recorded within other current assets and the impact of recognizing rent expense on a straight-line basis of approximately $4.0 million was recorded within other current and long-term liabilities. Upon adoption of the New Leasing Standard, these rent prepayments and straight-line rent impacts are now recorded within operating lease right-of-use assets and represent the net differences between operating lease liabilities and right-of-use assets.

The New Leasing Standard requires us to classify certain reagent rental programs as sales-type leases and thus accelerate instrument revenue and cost recognition at the time of instrument placement. We did not change the historical lease classification for placements prior to January 1, 2019, therefore this change applied to certain new placements beginning on January 1, 2019. Under prior U.S. GAAP, instruments placed under our reagent rental programs were classified as operating leases and instrument revenue and cost was recognized over the term of the program. The New Leasing Standard did not have a material impact on our consolidated earnings and had no impact on cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2019.

Adoption of the New Leasing Standard impacted our consolidated balance sheet as follows:

Consolidated Balance Sheet
(in thousands)
 
 
 
 
 

Previous U.S. GAAP
December 31, 2018
(Reported)
 
New U.S. GAAP January 1, 2019
 
Impact of the
New Leasing Standard

 

 
 
 
 
ASSETS
 

 
 
 
 
Other current assets
$
108,220

 
$
107,228

 
$
(992
)
Total current assets
$
654,172

 
$
653,180

 
$
(992
)
Operating lease right-of-use asset
$

 
$
83,707

 
$
83,707

Total long-term assets
$
883,177

 
$
966,884

 
$
83,707

TOTAL ASSETS
$
1,537,349

 
$
1,620,064

 
$
82,715

 
 
 
 
 
 
LIABILITIES
 
 
 
 
 
Accrued liabilities
$
260,683

 
$
274,459

 
$
13,776

Total current liabilities
$
770,444

 
$
784,220

 
$
13,776

Long-term operating lease liability
$

 
$
68,939

 
$
68,939

Total long-term liabilities
$
776,138

 
$
845,077

 
$
68,939

TOTAL LIABILITIES
$
1,546,582

 
$
1,629,297

 
$
82,715



We adopted ASU 2018-02, Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, on January 1, 2019. We elected not to reclassify the $1.7 million of stranded tax effects from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Job Act (the “2017 Tax Act”) enacted on December 22, 2017, from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings in the period of adoption.

(w)    New Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326), which require that financial assets measured at amortized cost be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. Since then, the FASB has issued an update to ASU 2016-13. The allowance for credit losses is a valuation account that is deducted from the amortized cost basis of the financial asset to present the net carrying value at the amount expected to be collected. The income statement reflects the measurement of credit losses for newly recognized financial assets, as well as the increases or decreases of expected credit losses that have taken place during the period. The measurement of expected credit losses is based upon historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amount. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those annual periods. We do not anticipate any material impact related to our allowance for doubtful accounts or otherwise from this amendment on the consolidated financial statements.
    
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement ("ASU 2018-13"), which modifies the disclosure
requirements of fair value measurements. ASU 2018-13 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.