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Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Significant Accounting Policies Significant Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation
These accompanying consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and include the accounts of Zebra and its wholly owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Fiscal Calendar
The Company’s fiscal year is a 52-week period ending on December 31. Interim fiscal quarters end on a Saturday and generally include 13 weeks of operating activity. During the 2019 fiscal year, the Company’s quarter end dates were March 30, June 29, September 28 and December 31.

Use of Estimates
These consolidated financial statements were prepared using estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Examples of accounting estimates include: cash flow projections and other valuation assumptions included in business acquisition purchase price allocations as well as annual goodwill impairment testing; the measurement of variable consideration and allocation of transaction price to performance obligations in revenue transactions; inventory and product warranty reserves; useful lives of our tangible and intangible assets; and the recognition and measurement of income tax assets and liabilities. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that the Company believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash consists primarily of deposits with banks. In addition, the Company considers highly liquid short-term investments with original maturities of less than three months to be cash equivalents. These highly liquid short-term investments are readily convertible to known amounts of cash and are so near their maturity that they present insignificant risk of a change in value because of changes in interest rates.

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
Accounts receivable consist primarily of amounts due to us from our customers in the normal course of business. Collateral on trade accounts receivable is generally not required. The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts for estimated uncollectible accounts receivable. The allowance is based on historical experience and our assessment of delinquent accounts. Accounts are written off against the allowance account when they are determined to be no longer collectible.

Inventories
Inventories are stated at the lower of a moving-average cost (which approximates cost on a first-in, first-out basis) and net realizable value. Manufactured inventory cost includes materials, labor, and manufacturing overhead. Purchased inventory cost also includes internal purchasing overhead costs. Raw material inventories largely consist of supplies used in repair operations.

Provisions are made to reduce excess and obsolete inventories to their estimated net realizable values. Inventory provisions are based on forecasted demand, experience with specific customers, the age and nature of the inventory, and the ability to redistribute inventory to other programs or to rework into other consumable inventory.

Property, Plant and Equipment
Property, plant and equipment is stated at cost. Depreciation is computed primarily using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the various classes of property, plant and equipment, which are 30 years for buildings and range from 3 to 10 years for all other asset categories. Leasehold improvements are amortized using the straight-line method over the shorter of the lease term or 10 years.

Leases
The Company recognizes Right-of-Use (“ROU”) assets and lease liabilities for its lease commitments with terms greater than one year. Contractual options to extend or terminate lease agreements are reflected in the lease term when they are reasonably certain to be exercised.

The initial measurements of new ROU assets and lease liabilities are based on the present value of future lease payments over the lease term as of the commencement date. In determining future lease payments, the Company has elected not to separate lease and non-lease components. As the Company’s lease arrangements do not provide an implicit interest rate, we apply the Company’s incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at the commencement date in determining the present value of future lease payments. Relevant information used in determining the Company’s incremental borrowing rate includes the duration of the lease, transaction currency of the lease, and the Company’s credit risk relative to risk-free market rates.

The Company’s ROU assets also include any initial direct costs incurred and exclude lease incentives. The Company’s lease agreements do not contain any material residual value guarantees or restrictive covenants.

All leases of the Company are classified as operating leases, with lease expense being recognized on a straight-line basis.

Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes under the liability method in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 740 Topic, Income Taxes. Accordingly, deferred income taxes are provided for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities for financial reporting and income tax purposes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using tax rates in effect for the year in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. A valuation allowance is established when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be realized. The Company recognizes the benefit of tax positions when it is more likely than not to be sustained on its technical merits. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to income tax matters as part of income tax expense. The Company has elected consolidated tax filings in certain of its jurisdictions which may allow the group to offset one member’s income with losses of other members in the current period and on a carryover basis. The income tax effects of non-inventory intra-entity asset transfers are recognized in the period in which the transfer occurs. The Company classifies its balance sheet accounts by applying jurisdictional netting principles for locations where consolidated tax filing elections are in place.

The Tax Cut and Jobs Act (“the Act”, or “U.S. Tax Reform”), enacted on December 22, 2017, contains the Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income (“GILTI”), Base Erosion Anti-Avoidance Tax (“BEAT”), and Deduction for Foreign-Derived Intangible Income (“FDII”) provisions, which relate to the taxation of certain foreign income and are effective for tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2018. The Company recognizes its GILTI, BEAT, and FDII inclusions, when applicable, as a charge to tax expense in the year included in its U.S. tax return.

The effects of changes in tax rates and laws on deferred tax balances are recorded in the period of enactment as a component of income tax expense within continuing operations, even if they relate to items recorded within accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (“AOCI”). The Company elected to not reclassify the tax effects of these changes associated with the Act from AOCI to retained earnings. Such tax effects are released into earnings when the underlying portfolio of assets or liabilities giving rise to the AOCI position are fully derecognized.

Goodwill
Goodwill is not amortized, rather it is tested annually for impairment, or more frequently if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying value. Our annual impairment testing consists of comparing the estimated fair value of each reporting unit to its carrying value. If the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value, goodwill would be considered to be impaired and reduced to its implied fair value. We estimate the fair value of reporting units with valuation techniques, including both the income and market approaches. The income approach requires management to estimate a number of factors for each reporting unit, including projected future operating results, economic projections, anticipated future cash flows and discount rates. The market approach estimates fair value using comparable marketplace fair value data from within a comparable industry group.
Fair value determinations require judgment and are sensitive to changes in underlying assumptions, estimates, as well as market factors. Estimating the fair value of reporting units requires that we make a number of assumptions and estimates regarding our long-term growth and cash flow expectations as well as overall industry and economic conditions. These estimates and assumptions include, but are not limited to, projections of revenue and income growth rates, capital investments, competitive and customer trends, appropriate peer group selection, market-based discount rates and other market factors.
We performed our annual goodwill impairment testing in the fourth quarter of 2019 using a quantitative approach which did not result in any impairments. See Note 6, Goodwill and Other Intangibles for additional information. We believe our fair value estimates are reasonable. If actual financial results differ materially from current estimates or there are significant negative changes in market factors beyond our control, there could be an impairment of goodwill in the future.

Other Intangible Assets
Other intangible assets consist primarily of technology and patent rights, customer and other relationships, and trade names. These assets are recorded at cost and amortized on a straight-line basis over the asset’s useful life which typically range from 3 years to 15 years.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets and Long-Lived Assets to be Disposed of
The Company accounts for long-lived assets in accordance with the provisions of ASC Topic 360, Property, Plant and Equipment, which requires that long-lived assets and certain identifiable intangibles be reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and the eventual disposition of the asset. If such assets are impaired, the impairment to be recognized is the excess of the carrying amount over the fair value. Assets to be disposed of are reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value less costs to sell.

Investments in Securities
The Company’s investments primarily include equity securities that are accounted for at cost, adjusted for impairment losses or changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or similar investment of the same issuer. These investments are primarily in venture capital backed technology companies where the Company's ownership interest is less than 20% of each investee and the Company does not have the ability to exercise significant influence. See Note 8, Investments for additional information.

Revenue Recognition
Revenues are primarily comprised of sales of hardware, services, and supplies. The Company also generates revenues from its solutions and software offerings, primarily licenses and maintenance. Our service offerings are principally product repair and maintenance service contracts, which typically occur over time, and professional services such as installation, integration and provisioning, which typically occur in the early stages of a project. The average life of repair and maintenance service contracts is approximately three years. Professional service arrangements range in duration from a day to several weeks or months. We recognize revenues when we transfer control of promised goods or services to our customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which we expect to receive, which includes estimates of variable consideration, in exchange for those goods or services. We are typically the principal in all elements of our transactions and record Net sales and Cost of sales on a gross basis.

The Company elects to exclude from the transaction price sales and other taxes assessed by a governmental authority and collected by the Company from a customer. The Company also considers shipping and handling activities as part of its fulfillment costs and not as a separate performance obligation. See Note 3, Revenues for additional information.

Research and Development Costs
Research and development (“R&D”) costs are expensed as incurred, and include:
Salaries, benefits, and other R&D personnel related costs;
Consulting and other outside services used in the R&D process;
Engineering supplies;
Engineering related information systems costs; and
Allocation of building and related costs.

Advertising
Advertising is expensed as incurred. Advertising costs totaled $19 million, $18 million, and $18 million for the years ended 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Warranties
In general, the Company provides warranty coverage of one year on mobile computers, printers and batteries. Advanced data capture products are warrantied from one to five years, depending on the product. Thermal printheads are warrantied for six months and battery-based products, such as location tags, are covered by a 90-day warranty. A provision for warranty expense is adjusted quarterly based on historical and expected warranty experience.

Contingencies
The Company establishes a liability for loss contingencies when the loss is both probable and estimable. In addition, for some matters for which a loss is probable or reasonably possible, an estimate of the amount of loss or range of loss is not possible, and we may be unable to estimate the possible loss or range of losses that could potentially result from the application of non-monetary remedies.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments
Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Our financial assets and liabilities that require recognition and fair value measurement under the accounting guidance generally include our employee deferred compensation plan investments, foreign currency forwards, and interest rate swaps. In accordance with ASC Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging (“ASC 815”), we recognize derivative instruments and hedging activities as either assets or liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and measure them at fair value. Gains and losses resulting from changes in fair value are accounted for depending on the use of the derivative and whether it is designated and qualifies for hedge accounting. See Note 11, Derivative Instruments for additional information on the Company’s derivatives and hedging activities.
The Company utilizes foreign currency forwards to hedge certain foreign currency exposures and interest rate swaps to hedge a portion of the variability in future cash flows on debt. We use broker quotations or market transactions, in either the listed or over-the-counter markets, to value our foreign currency exchange contracts and relevant observable market inputs at quoted intervals, such as forward yield curves and the Company’s own credit risk to value our interest rate swaps.
The Company’s securities held for its deferred compensation plans are measured at fair value using quoted prices in active markets for identical assets. If active markets for identical assets are not available to determine fair value, then we use quoted prices for similar assets or inputs that are observable either directly or indirectly.

The carrying amounts of cash and cash equivalents, receivables and accounts payable approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of those financial instruments. See Note 10, Fair Value Measurements for information related to financial assets and liabilities carried at fair value.

Share-Based Compensation
The Company has share-based compensation plans and an employee stock purchase plan under which shares of Class A Common Stock are available for future grants and sales. The Company recognizes compensation costs over the vesting period of up to 4 years, net of estimated forfeitures. Compensation costs associated with awards with graded vesting terms are recognized on a straight-line basis. See Note 15, Share-Based Compensation for additional information.

Foreign Currency Translation
The balance sheet accounts of the Company’s subsidiaries that have not designated the U.S. Dollar as its functional currency are translated into U.S. Dollars using the period-end exchange rate, and statement of earnings items are translated using the average exchange rate for the period. The resulting translation gains or losses are recorded in Stockholders’ equity as a cumulative translation adjustment, which is a component of AOCI within the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Acquisitions
We account for acquired businesses using the acquisition method of accounting. This method requires that the purchase price be allocated to the identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed at their estimated fair values. The excess of the purchase price over the identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed is recorded as goodwill.
The estimates used to determine the fair values of long-lived assets, such as intangible assets, can be complex and require judgment. We use information available to us to make fair value determinations and engage independent valuation specialists, when necessary, to assist in the fair value determinations of significant acquired long-lived assets. While we use our best estimates and assumptions as a part of the purchase price allocation process, our estimates are inherently uncertain and subject to refinement during the measurement period, which is up to one year after the acquisition date. Critical estimates in valuing certain intangible assets include, but are not limited to, future expected cash flows from revenues and operating activities, customer attrition rates, and discount rates. Management’s estimates of fair value are based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable, but due to the inherent uncertainty during the measurement period, we may record adjustments to the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed with a corresponding adjustment to goodwill.
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASC Topic 842, Leases (“ASC 842”), which increases the transparency and comparability of organizations by recognizing ROU assets and lease liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheets and disclosing key quantitative and qualitative information about leasing arrangements. The principal difference from previous guidance is that the ROU assets and lease liabilities arising from operating leases were not previously recognized on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Results for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2019 are reported under ASC 842, while prior period amounts are not adjusted and continue to be reported in accordance with our historic accounting under ASC Topic 840, Leases (“ASC 840”). In transition, we elected a number of practical expedients, including the election to not reassess existing or expired contracts to determine if such contracts contain a lease or if the lease classification would differ, as well as the election to not separate lease and non-lease components for arrangements where the Company is a lessee.

The impact of the adoption of ASC 842 to the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets as of January 1, 2019 was as follows (in millions):
 
As Reported December 31, 2018
 
Adjustment
 
As Adjusted January 1, 2019
Assets:
 
 
 
 
 
Prepaid expenses and other current assets(1)
$
54

 
$
(1
)
 
$
53

Right-of-use assets

 
110

 
110

 
 
 
 
 
 
Liabilities:
 
 
 
 
 
Accrued liabilities(2)
322

 
28

 
350

Long-term lease liabilities

 
103

 
103

Other long-term liabilities(1)
89

 
(22
)
 
67

(1) Reflects an adjustment related to prepaid and accrued rent balances, which are included in the measurement of ROU assets.
(2) Reflects the current portion of the lease liabilities.

As a result of the transition, there was no impact to the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations or Cash Flows for the year ended December 31, 2019, compared to what would have been reported in accordance with ASC 840.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract. This ASU clarifies existing guidance related to implementation costs incurred in cloud computing arrangements, including the recognition, subsequent measurement, and financial statement presentation of such costs. The standard was early adopted prospectively by the Company during the second quarter of 2019 and did not have a material impact to the Company’s consolidated financial statements or disclosures.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326) - Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. The ASU 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. With respect to the Company’s financial assets, including trade receivables and contract assets, a cumulative effect transition approach will be applied. The standard will be effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2020. Management has assessed the impact of the ASU and determined, based on current operations, that it will not have a material impact to the Company’s consolidated financial statements or disclosures.