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 credit losses on receivables, valuation of inventories, impairment of long-lived assets, intangibles and goodwill, potential write-down related to investments in and advances to affiliates and notes receivable from affiliates, income taxes, lease liabilities and right of use (“ROU”) assets and accrued pension liability. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Leases

Seaboard’s operating lease assets and liabilities are reported separately in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. The classification of Seaboard’s finance leases in the condensed consolidated balance sheets was as follows:


		March 28,		December 31,
(Millions of dollars)		2020		2019
Finance lease right of use assets, net	Property, plant and equipment, net	$	57	$	50
Finance lease liabilities	Other current liabilities		6		5
Non-current finance lease liabilities	Other liabilities		46		40

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Accounting Standard Adopted During 2020

On January 1, 2020, Seaboard adopted guidance which requires the use of a new current expected credit loss ("CECL") model in order to determine the allowance for credit losses with respect to accounts receivable and notes receivable, among other financial instruments. The CECL model estimates the lifetime of expected credit loss based on historical experience, current conditions and reasonable supportable forecasts and replaces the existing incurred loss model. As a result of this adoption, Seaboard recorded a cumulative-effect adjustment of $3 million on January 1, 2020 that decreased retained earnings and increased the allowance for credit losses.

Management believes that Seaboard’s receivables have low risk due to credit granting policies, relationships established with its customers and quick billing and collection cycles. The other receivables are primarily statutory with the U.S. government or other governments and management believes that these bear little to no risk. Management monitors the credit quality of these different receivable types by frequent customer discussions, following economic and industry trends and specific customer data.

Seaboard used the loss-rate method in developing its allowance for credit losses, which involved identifying pools of assets with similar risk characteristics, reviewing historical losses within the last five years and consideration for any reasonable supportable forecasts of economic indicators. Changes in estimates, developing trends and other new information can have a material effect on future evaluations. The activity within the allowance for credit losses on receivables was immaterial for the three months ended March 28, 2020.

Recently Issued Accounting Standard Not Yet Adopted

In December 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance which simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles and improves consistent application of GAAP for other areas by clarifying and amending existing guidance. This guidance is effective for Seaboard on January 1, 2021. Seaboard is evaluating the effect of adopting this new accounting guidance but does not expect adoption will have a material impact on its financial statements and disclosures.