Accounting Policies and Basis of Presentation (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 26, 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. 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, 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.

	Nine months ended
	September 26,		September 28,
(Millions of dollars)		2020		2019
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:
Operating cash flows from operating leases	$	107	$	101
Operating cash flows from finance leases		3		1
Financing cash flows from finance leases		5		1
Operating ROU assets obtained in exchange for new operating lease liabilities	$	46	$	62
Finance ROU assets obtained in exchange for new finance lease liabilities		46		31

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:

		September 26,		December 31,
(Millions of dollars)		2020		2019
Finance lease ROU assets, net	Property, plant and equipment, net	$	90	$	50
Finance lease liabilities	Other current liabilities		10		5
Non-current finance lease liabilities	Other liabilities		77		40

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 $29 million and $28 million at September 26, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. The activity within the allowance for credit losses on receivables was immaterial for the three and nine months ended September 26, 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 by its credit granting policies, relationships established with 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.