Significant Accounting Policies

Income Taxes

The Company’s interim period tax provision is determined as follows:


•	At the end of each fiscal quarter, the Company estimates the income tax provision that will be provided for the fiscal year.


•	The forecasted annual effective tax rate is applied to the year-to-date ordinary income (loss) at the end of each quarter to compute the year-to-date tax applicable to ordinary income (loss). The term ordinary income (loss) refers to income (loss) from continuing operations, before income taxes, excluding significant, unusual, or infrequently occurring items.

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The tax effects of significant, unusual, or infrequently occurring items are recognized as discrete items in the interim periods in which the events occur. The impact of changes in tax laws or rates on deferred tax amounts, the effects of changes in judgment about valuation allowances established in prior years, and changes in tax reserves resulting from the finalization of tax audits or reviews are examples of significant, unusual, or infrequently occurring items.

The determination of the forecasted annual effective tax rate is based upon a number of significant estimates and judgments, including the forecasted annual income (loss) before income taxes of the Company in each tax jurisdiction in which it operates, the development of tax planning strategies during the year, and the need for a valuation allowance. In addition, the Company’s tax expense can be impacted by changes in tax rates or laws, the finalization of tax audits and reviews, as well as other factors that cannot be predicted with certainty. As such, there can be significant volatility in interim tax provisions.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncement

In January 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2017-04, “Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350).” The amendments in this ASU simplify goodwill impairment testing by removing the requirement of Step 2 to determine the implied fair value of goodwill of a reporting unit which fails Step 1. The implication of this update results in the amount by which a carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value to be recognized as an impairment charge in the interim or annual period identified. The standard is effective for public companies in the first calendar quarter of 2020 with early adoption permitted on a prospective basis. The Company has adopted this ASU on a prospective basis effective as of January 1, 2017 and has concluded that this pronouncement has no material impact on its consolidated financial statements or existing accounting policies.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, “Business Combinations (Topic 850),” which clarifies the definition of a business when considering whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. The clarified definition requires that when substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired (or disposed of) is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets, the set is not a business. This definition reduces the number of transactions that need to be further evaluated as to be considered a business, an asset must include, at a minimum, an input and a substantive process that together significantly contribute to the ability to create output. The standard will be effective for public companies in the first calendar quarter of 2018, with early adoption permitted on a prospective basis. The Company has adopted this ASU effective as of January 1, 2017 on a prospective basis and has concluded that this pronouncement has no material impact on its consolidated financial statements or existing accounting policies.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, “Income Taxes (Topic 740) Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory.” The ASU allows for an entity to recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory when the transfer occurs. Consequently, the amendments in this ASU eliminate the exception for an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory. The standard will be effective for public companies in the first calendar quarter of 2018, with early adoption permitted and on a modified retrospective basis as of the beginning of the period of adoption. The Company has adopted this ASU effective January 1, 2017. The Company recorded a reduction to retained earnings for the prior period catch-up of approximately $9 million for the unamortized prepaid tax on an intra-entity transfer of workforce in place. The Company recognized an additional tax benefit of $3 million and $4 million in the quarter and six months ended July 1, 2017, respectively.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, “Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting.” The ASU requires that entities recognize excess tax benefits and deficiencies related to employee share-based payment transactions as income tax expense and benefit versus additional paid in capital. This ASU also eliminates the requirement to reclassify excess tax benefits and deficiencies from operating activities to financing activities within the statement of cash flows. The Company has adopted recognition of excess tax benefits and deficiencies within income tax expense effective January 1, 2017 on a prospective basis. The Company has adopted presentation of excess tax benefits and deficiencies within operating activities effective January 1, 2017 on a retrospective basis. There are no material impacts to the Company’s consolidated financial statements or disclosures as a result of the adoption of this ASU.

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, “Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory,” which changes the measurement principle for inventory from the lower of cost or market to the lower of cost or net realizable value for entities that measure inventory using first-in, first-out (FIFO) or average cost. Net realizable value is defined as the estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. The Company has adopted this ASU effective January 1, 2017 on a prospective basis. There are no material impacts to the Company's consolidated financial statements or disclosures resulting from the adoption of this ASU.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606).” The core principle is that a company should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount that reflects the consideration which the entity expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. There are two transition methods available under the new standard, either modified retrospective (cumulative effect to retained earnings) or retrospective. Certain costs to obtain a contract, which have generally been expensed as incurred under the current guidance, would be capitalized and amortized in a pattern consistent with the transfer to the customer of the goods or services to which the asset relates. This standard will be effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2018. Earlier adoption is permitted only for annual periods after December 15, 2016.

We completed the assessment phase of this new standard in 2016 and developed a project plan to guide the implementation phase. We are in the process of updating our accounting policy around revenue recognition, evaluating new disclosure requirements, and identifying and implementing appropriate changes to our business processes, systems, and controls to support recognition and disclosure under the new standard. Observations from the implementation phase indicate that certain contractual provisions in some of our agreements could result in a different number of performance obligations and therefore different revenue recognition timing patterns under the new standard as compared to the current standard. Further, the new disclosure requirements are expected to generate changes to the content and presentation of the financial statement footnotes. The Company plans to apply the modified retrospective approach when adopting the standard in the first quarter of 2018.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230) - Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments.” This pronouncement provides clarification guidance on eight specific cash flow presentation issues that have developed due to diversity in practice. The issues include, but are not limited to, debt prepayment or extinguishment costs, contingent consideration payments made after a business combination, proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims, and cash receipts from payments on beneficial interests in securitization transactions. The amendments in this ASU where practicable will be applied retrospectively. The standard will be effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2018. Earlier adoption is permitted. Management does not believe this pronouncement will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements or existing accounting policies.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326) -Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” The new standard requires the measurement and recognition of expected credit losses for financial assets held at amortized cost. It replaces the existing incurred loss impairment model with an expected loss methodology, which will result in more timely recognition of credit losses. There are two transition methods available under the new standard dependent upon the type of financial instrument, either cumulative effect or prospective. The standard will be effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2020. Earlier adoption is permitted only for annual periods after December 15, 2018. Management is currently assessing the impact of adoption on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Subtopic 842).” This ASU increases the transparency and comparability of organizations by recognizing lease assets and liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet and disclosing key quantitative and qualitative information about leasing arrangements. The principal difference from previous guidance is that the lease assets and lease liabilities arising from operating leases were not previously recognized in the consolidated balance sheet. The recognition, measurement, presentation, and cash flows arising from a lease by a lessee have not significantly changed. This standard will be effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2019, with early adoption permitted. In transition, lessees and lessors are required to recognize and measure leases at the beginning of the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach, which includes a number of optional practical expedients that entities may elect to apply. Management is currently assessing the impact of adoption on its consolidated financial statements. The impact of this ASU is non-cash in nature and will not affect the Company’s cash position.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, “Financial Instruments - Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities.” ASU 2016-01 amends various aspects of the recognition, measurement, presentation, and disclosure for financial instruments. With respect to the Company’s consolidated financial statements, the most significant impact relates to the accounting for cost investments. This standard will be effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2018. Early adoption is prohibited for those provisions that apply to the Company. Amendments should be applied by means of cumulative effect adjustment to the consolidated balance sheet as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. The amendments related to equity securities without readily determinable fair values including disclosure requirements should be applied prospectively to equity investments that exist as of the date of adoption of the ASU. Management is still assessing the impact of adoption on its consolidated financial statements.