Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2017

Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with United States (“U.S.”) generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include those related to allowance for doubtful accounts, valuation of inventories, impairment of long-lived assets, potential write-down related to investments in and advances to affiliates and notes receivable from affiliates, income taxes and accrued pension liability. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted

Recently Issued Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance to develop a single, comprehensive revenue recognition model for all contracts with customers. This guidance requires an entity to recognize revenues when promised goods or services are transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which an entity expects to be entitled for those goods and services. This guidance supersedes nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance under GAAP. Seaboard will adopt this guidance on January 1, 2018, for all consolidated subsidiaries using the cumulative effect transition method, where any cumulative effect of initially adopting the guidance is recognized at the date of adoption. Based on management’s current assessment, the majority of Seaboard’s revenue arrangements generally consist of a single performance obligation to transfer promised goods or services. Seaboard believes the adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on its financial position or net earnings, although it anticipates expansion of consolidated financial statement disclosures in order to comply with the guidance.

In January 2016, the FASB issued guidance that requires entities to measure equity investments, other than those accounted for using the equity method of accounting, at fair value and recognize any changes in fair value in net income if a readily determinable fair value exists. For investments without readily determinable fair values, the cost method of accounting is eliminated. An entity may elect to record these equity investments at cost, less impairment, and plus or minus subsequent adjustments for observable price changes. Seaboard will adopt this guidance on January 1, 2018, and believes the adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on its financial position or net earnings.

In February 2016, the FASB issued guidance that a lessee should record a right-of-use (“ROU”) asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. The recognition, measurement, and presentation of expenses and cash flows arising from a financing lease have not significantly changed from the previous guidance. For operating leases, a lessee is required to: (1) recognize a ROU asset and a lease liability, initially measured at the present value of the lease payments, in the balance sheet, (2) recognize a single lease cost, calculated so that the cost of the lease is allocated over the lease term on a generally straight-line basis and (3) classify all cash payments within operating activities in the statement of cash flows. Seaboard will adopt this guidance on January 1, 2019, for all consolidated subsidiaries. In transition, lessees 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. Seaboard is in the preliminary stages of its assessment of the effect the guidance will have on its existing accounting policies and the consolidated financial statements, but expects there will be an increase in assets and liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets at adoption due to the recording of ROU assets and corresponding lease liabilities, which will likely be material. See Note 10 to the consolidated financial statements included in Seaboard’s annual report for the year ended December 31, 2016, for information about Seaboard’s lease obligations.

In March 2017, the FASB issued guidance that will require the service cost component of net periodic benefit cost to be presented in the same income statement line item as other employee compensation costs arising from services rendered during the period. Only the service cost component will be eligible for capitalization in inventory. The other components of net periodic benefit cost will be presented outside of operating income and will not be capitalizable. Seaboard will adopt this guidance on January 1, 2018, and believes the adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on its financial position or net earnings.