Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 27, 2020

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 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.

Supplemental Cash Flow Information

Supplemental Cash Flow Information

The following table includes supplemental cash and non-cash information related to leases. Seaboard reports the amortization of ROU assets and changes in operating lease liabilities in other liabilities, exclusive of debt in the condensed consolidated statements of cash flows.

	Three months ended				Six months ended
	June 27,		June 29,		June 27,		June 29,
(Millions of dollars)		2020		2019		2020		2019
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:
Operating cash flows from operating leases	$	36	$	35	$	71	$	67
Operating cash flows from finance leases		1		1		2		1
Financing cash flows from finance leases		2		—		3		—
Operating ROU assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities	$	5	$	12	$	43	$	42
Finance ROU assets obtained in exchange for new finance lease liabilities		19		16		27		17

Leases

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:

		June 27,		December 31,
(Millions of dollars)		2020		2019
Finance lease ROU assets, net	Property, plant and equipment, net	$	74	$	50
Finance lease liabilities	Other current liabilities		7		5
Non-current finance lease liabilities	Other liabilities		62		40

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

The decrease in the carrying amount of goodwill was due to a $(1) million acquisition related adjustment in the Commodity Trading and Milling (“CT&M”) segment. See Note 10 for further information on this acquisition-related adjustment. As of June 27, 2020, intangible assets, included in other non-current assets, were $55 million, net of accumulated amortization of $12 million. Amortization expense was $2 million and $4 million and foreign currency exchange adjustments were $0 million and ($1) million for the three and six month periods ended June 27, 2020, respectively.

Recently Adopted and 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 model in order to determine the allowance for credit losses with respect to accounts receivable and notes receivable, among other financial instruments. This 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. The allowance for credit loss was $30 million and $28 million at June 27, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. The activity within the allowance for credit losses on receivables was immaterial for the three and six months ended June 27, 2020.

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. Seaboard endeavors to minimize credit risk due to credit granting policies, relationships established with its customers and relatively short billing and collection cycles. Management monitors the credit quality of its different receivable types by frequent customer discussions, following economic and industry trends and specific customer data. Changes in estimates, developing trends and other new information can have a material effect on future evaluations.

Recently Issued Accounting Standard Not Yet Adopted

In December 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board 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.