Note 2 - Basis of Presentation, Significant Accounting Policies, and Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of SM Energy and its wholly-owned subsidiaries and have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) for interim financial information and the instructions to Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X. These financial statements do not include all information and notes required by GAAP for annual financial statements. However, except as disclosed herein, there has been no material change in the information disclosed in the notes to consolidated financial statements included in SM Energy’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 (the “2016 Form 10-K”). In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring adjustments considered necessary for a fair presentation of interim financial information, have been included. Operating results for the periods presented are not necessarily indicative of expected results for the full year. In connection with the preparation of the Company’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, the Company evaluated events subsequent to the balance sheet date of June 30, 2017, and through the filing of this report. Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation on the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements.

Significant Accounting Policies

The significant accounting policies followed by the Company are set forth in Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies to the Company’s consolidated financial statements in its 2016 Form 10-K, and are supplemented by the notes to the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in this report. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included in the 2016 Form 10-K.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Effective January 1, 2017, the Company adopted, using various transition methods, Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting (“ASU 2016-09”). ASU 2016-09 is meant to simplify certain aspects of accounting for share-based arrangements, including income tax effects, accounting for forfeitures, and net share settlements. The Company adopted the various applicable amendments as summarized below:


•	On January 1, 2017, a $44.3 million cumulative-effect adjustment was made to retained earnings and a corresponding deferred tax asset was recorded for previously unrecognized excess tax benefits using a modified retrospective transition method. Additionally, going forward excess tax benefits will be presented in operating activities on the statement of cash flows.

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Also on January 1, 2017, the Company elected to change its policy to account for forfeitures of share-based payment awards as they occur, rather than applying an estimated forfeiture rate. This change was made using a modified retrospective transition method and resulted in a net $0.7 million cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings with a corresponding increase in additional paid-in capital and decrease in deferred tax assets.


•	As a result of adoption, excess tax benefits and deficiencies from share-based payments are expected to impact the Company’s effective tax rate between periods. Please refer to Note 4 - Income Taxes for additional discussion.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) (“ASU 2014-09”). Under the new standard, revenue is recognized when a customer obtains control of promised goods or services in an amount that reflects the consideration the entity expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. In addition, the standard requires disclosure of the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. The FASB issued several amendments to the standard which provided additional implementation guidance and deferred the effective date of ASU 2014-09. While the Company does not expect net income (loss) or cash flows to be materially impacted, the Company is currently analyzing whether changes to total revenues and total expenses will be necessary to properly reflect revenue for certain pipeline gathering, transportation and gas processing agreements. The Company continues to evaluate the expected disclosure requirements, changes to relevant business practices, accounting policies, and control activities that will occur as a result of the adoption of this ASU, and has not yet developed estimates of the quantitative impact to its consolidated statements of financial position and operations. The Company plans to adopt the guidance using the modified retrospective method on the effective date of January 1, 2018.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) which requires lessees to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for virtually all leases currently classified as operating leases. The Company is currently analyzing the impact this standard has on the Company’s contract portfolio, including non-cancelable leases, drilling rig contracts, pipeline gathering, transportation and gas processing agreements, as well as other existing arrangements and is evaluating current accounting policies that will change as a result of this ASU. Appropriate systems, controls, and processes to support the recognition and disclosure of the new standard are also being evaluated. Based upon an initial assessment, adoption of this ASU is expected to result in: (i) an increase in assets and liabilities recorded, (ii) an increase in depreciation, depletion and amortization expense recorded, and (iii) an increase in interest expense recorded. The Company plans to adopt the guidance on the effective date of January 1, 2019.

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-07, Compensation - Retirement Benefits (Topic 715): Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost (“ASU 2017-07”). This ASU requires presentation of service cost in the same line item(s) as other compensation costs arising from services rendered by employees during the period and presentation of the remaining components of net benefit cost in a separate line item, outside operating items. In addition, only the service cost component of net benefit cost is eligible for capitalization. The Company plans to adopt ASU 2017-07 on January 1, 2018, with retrospective application of the service cost component and the other components of net benefit cost in the consolidated statements of operations and prospective application for the capitalization of the service cost component of net benefit costs in assets. The Company is evaluating the impact of this ASU on its consolidated financial statements.

Other than as disclosed above or in the 2016 Form 10-K, there are no other ASUs applicable to the Company that would have a material effect on the Company’s financial statements and related disclosures that have been issued but not yet adopted by the Company as of June 30, 2017, and through the filing of this report.