Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include Belden Inc. and all of its subsidiaries (the Company, us, we, or our). We eliminate all significant affiliate accounts and transactions in consolidation.

The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements presented as of any date other than December 31, 2017:


•	Are prepared from the books and records without audit, and


•	Are prepared in accordance with the instructions for Form 10-Q and do not include all of the information required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for complete statements, but


•	Include all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary for a fair presentation of the financial statements.

These Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Supplementary Data contained in our 2017 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Business Description

We are a signal transmission solutions provider built around two global business platforms – Enterprise Solutions and Industrial Solutions. Our comprehensive portfolio of signal transmission solutions provides industry leading secure and reliable transmission of data, sound, and video for mission critical applications.

Reporting Periods

Our fiscal year and fiscal fourth quarter both end on December 31. Our fiscal first quarter ends on the Sunday falling closest to 91 days after December 31, which was April 1, 2018, the 91st day of our fiscal year 2018. Our fiscal second and third quarters each have 91 days. The nine months ended September 30, 2018 and October 1, 2017 included 273 and 274 days, respectively.

Reportable Segments

Effective January 1, 2018, we changed our organizational structure and, as a result, now are reporting two segments. The segments formerly known as Broadcast Solutions and Enterprise Solutions now are presented as the Enterprise Solutions segment, and the segments formerly known as Industrial Solutions and Network Solutions now are presented as the Industrial Solutions segment. The reorganization allows us to further accelerate progress in key strategic areas, and the segment consolidation properly aligns our external reporting with the way the businesses are now managed. We have recast the prior period segment information to conform to the change in the composition of these reportable segments.

Reclassifications

We have made certain reclassifications to the 2017 Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, including those related to the adoption of Accounting Standards Update No. 2017-07, Compensation - Retirement Benefits: Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost (ASU 2017-07) and our segment change, with no impact to reported net income in order to conform to the 2018 presentation. See Note 5.

Interim Periods of 2017

During the financial closing process for the fourth quarter of 2017, we determined that certain consolidated financial statement amounts were not recorded correctly in prior interim periods of 2017. We evaluated these errors and concluded that they were not material to any of our previously issued interim financial statements and did not require restatement of the quarters. The errors primarily related to recognizing revenue prior to satisfying all of the delivery criteria in one business within our Enterprise segment. All of the errors were corrected as of December 31, 2017. The impact of the errors in the three months ended October 1, 2017 was an overstatement of revenues and net income of $11.8 million and $2.6 million, respectively. The impact of the errors in the nine months ended October 1, 2017 was an overstatement of revenues and net income of $28.3 million and $6.9 million, respectively.

Fair Value Measurement

Accounting guidance for fair value measurements specifies a hierarchy of valuation techniques based upon whether the inputs to those valuation techniques reflect assumptions other market participants would use based upon market data obtained from independent sources or reflect our own assumptions of market participant valuation. The hierarchy is broken down into three levels based on the reliability of the inputs as follows:


•	Level 1 – Quoted prices in active markets that are unadjusted and accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities;


•	Level 2 – Quoted prices for identical assets and liabilities in markets that are not active, quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, or financial instruments for which significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly; and


•	Level 3 – Prices or valuations that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable.

As of and during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 and October 1, 2017, we utilized Level 1 inputs to determine the fair value of cash equivalents, and we utilized Level 2 and Level 3 inputs to determine the fair value of net assets acquired in business combinations (see Note 3). We did not have any transfers between Level 1 and Level 2 fair value measurements during the nine months ended September 30, 2018 and October 1, 2017.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

We classify cash on hand and deposits in banks, including commercial paper, money market accounts, and other investments with an original maturity of three months or less, that we hold from time to time, as cash and cash equivalents. We periodically have cash equivalents consisting of short-term money market funds and other investments. As of September 30, 2018, we did not have any such cash equivalents on hand. The primary objective of our investment activities is to preserve our capital for the purpose of funding operations. We do not enter into investments for trading or speculative purposes.

Contingent Liabilities

We have established liabilities for environmental and legal contingencies that are probable of occurrence and reasonably estimable, the amounts of which are currently not material. We accrue environmental remediation costs based on estimates of known environmental remediation exposures developed in consultation with our environmental consultants and legal counsel. We are, from time to time, subject to routine litigation incidental to our business. These lawsuits primarily involve claims for damages arising out of the use of our products, allegations of patent or trademark infringement, and litigation and administrative proceedings involving employment matters and commercial disputes. Based on facts currently available, we believe the disposition of the claims that are pending or asserted will not have a materially adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flow.

As of September 30, 2018, we were party to standby letters of credit, bank guaranties, and surety bonds totaling $7.3 million, $3.2 million, and $2.3 million, respectively.

Gain from Patent Litigation

On July 5, 2011, our wholly-owned subsidiary, PPC Broadband, Inc. (PPC), filed an action for patent infringement against Corning Optical Communications RF LLC (Corning). The complaint alleged that Corning infringed two of PPC’s patents. In July 2015, a jury found that Corning willfully infringed both patents. In November 2016, following a series of post-trial motions, the trial judge issued rulings for a total judgment in our favor of approximately $61.3 million. In December 2016, Corning appealed the case to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. In March 2018, a panel of three judges of the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued a Rule 36 Affirmance of the District Court's final judgment that Corning, among other things, willfully infringed the PPC universal compression patents at issue in the case, and that PPC should be awarded approximately $61.8 million, plus accrued interest. In April 2018, Corning filed a petition for re-hearing, which was denied in May 2018. On July 16, 2018, the District Court ruled that Corning shall pay the judgments. We received a pre-tax amount of approximately $62.1 million from Corning on July 19, 2018. We recorded the $62.1 million of cash received as a pre-tax gain from patent litigation during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018. Prior to the third quarter of 2018, we had not recognized any amounts in our consolidated financial statements related to this matter. On September 27, 2018, Corning filed a petition for certiorari review by the U.S. Supreme Court of the District Court’s decision to exercise its discretion to award PPC $23.85 million in enhanced damages based on the totality of the evidence, including a number of factual findings regarding Corning’s willful infringement and egregious conduct. For at least the same reasons why the Federal Circuit affirmed the District Court’s decision to enhance damages, we believe that Corning’s certiorari petition will not be granted, thus exhausting Corning’s opportunities for further appellate relief.

Revenue Recognition

We recognize revenue consistent with the principles as outlined in the following five step model: (1) identify the contract with the customer, (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (3) determine the transaction price, (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract, and (5) recognize revenue when (or as) each performance obligation is satisfied. See Note 2.

Subsequent Events

We evaluated subsequent events after the balance sheet date through the financial statement issuance date and did not identify any events that would require disclosure.

Current-Year Adoption of Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASU 2014-09), which replaced most existing revenue recognition guidance in U.S. GAAP. The core principle of the ASU is that an entity should recognize revenue for the transfer of goods or services equal to the amount that it expects to be entitled to receive for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments. We adopted ASU 2014-09 on January 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective method of adoption. Adoption resulted in a $2.6 million, net of tax increase to retained earnings. This adjustment primarily relates to the deferral of costs to obtain a contract that were previously expensed at the beginning of the contract period.

In August 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments (ASU 2016-15). The new guidance addresses how the following eight specific cash flow items are to be presented: Debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs; settlement of zero-coupon debt instruments or other debt instruments with coupon interest rates that are insignificant in relation to the effective interest rate of the borrowing; contingent consideration payments made after a business combination; proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims; proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies (including bank-owned life insurance policies); distributions received from equity method investees; beneficial interests in securitization transactions; and separately identifiable cash flows and application of the predominance principle. We adopted ASU 2016-15 on January 1, 2018. The adoption had no material impact on our statement of cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2018.

In October 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-16, Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory (ASU 2016-16), which requires recognition of the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory when the transfer occurs. Consequently, the standard eliminates the exception to the recognition of current and deferred income taxes for an intra-entity asset transfer other than for inventory until the asset has been sold to an outside party. We adopted ASU 2016-16 on January 1, 2018. The adoption resulted in a $3.0 million and $46.9 million decrease to other current assets and other long-lived assets, respectively, as well as an $18.2 million increase in deferred income tax assets and a $31.7 million decrease to retained earnings on January 1, 2018. The adoption had no material impact on our results of operations.

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-07, which requires an entity to report the service cost component in the same line item or items as other compensation costs arising from the service rendered by their employees during the period. The other components of net benefit cost are required to be presented in the Statement of Operations separately from the service cost component after Operating Income. Additionally, only the service cost component is eligible for capitalization, when applicable. The standard requires the amendments to be applied retrospectively for the presentation of the service cost component and the other cost components of net periodic pension cost and net periodic OPEB cost in the Statement of Operations and prospectively, on and after the effective date, for the capitalization of the service cost component of net periodic pension and OPEB costs. We adopted ASU 2017-07 on January 1, 2018, and elected to use the practical expedient related to the retrospective presentation requirements. Adoption resulted in a $0.3 million and $0.9 million increase to operating income for the three and nine months ended October 1, 2017, respectively, but no changes to net income.

Pending Adoption of Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (ASU 2016-02), a leasing standard for both lessees and lessors that supersedes the lease requirements in Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 840, "Leases." Under its core principle, a lessee will recognize a right-of-use asset and lease liability on the balance sheet for nearly all leased assets. Lessor accounting remains largely consistent with existing U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. The new standard will be effective for us beginning January 1, 2019, and early adoption is permitted. We will adopt ASU 2016-02 on January 1, 2019. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-11 (“ASU 2018-11”), Leases: Targeted Improvements, which provides an additional (and optional) transition method for adopting the new lease standard. Under this transition method, an entity initially applies the new lease standard at the adoption date and recognizes a cumulative effect adjustment to opening retained earnings in the period of adoption. Currently, we plan on adopting the new lease standard using the newly permitted transition method. Furthermore, we plan to elect the following practical expedients and accounting policy elections upon adoption: (i) the package of practical expedients as defined in ASU 2016-02, (ii) the short-term lease accounting policy election, (iii) the practical expedient to not separate non-lease components from lease components, and (iv) the easement practical expedient, which permits an entity to continue applying its current policy for accounting for land easements that existed as of the effective date of ASU 2016-02. Although we anticipate the adoption of ASU 2016-02 will have a material impact on our consolidated balance sheets, we do not expect the adoption to have a material impact on our consolidated statements of income. We are completing our assessment of the potential impacts of ASU 2016-02 and also implementing changes to our systems and processes.

In August 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. The new guidance better aligns an entity’s risk management activities and financial reporting for hedging relationships through changes to both the designation and measurement guidance for qualifying hedging relationships and the presentation of hedge results. The new guidance also makes certain targeted improvements to simplify the application of hedge accounting guidance and ease the administrative burden of hedge documentation requirements and assessing hedge effectiveness. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and early adoption is permitted. We do not expect the standard to have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In January 2018, the FASB released guidance on the accounting for tax on the global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”). The GILTI provisions impose a tax on foreign income in excess of a deemed return on tangible assets of foreign corporations. The guidance indicates that either accounting for deferred taxes related to GILTI inclusions or to treat any taxes on GILTI inclusions as a period cost are both acceptable methods subject to an accounting policy election. Pending further review of the guidance related to the application of the GILTI provisions and their impact to Belden, we intend to further assess the materiality of the anticipated GILTI inclusion before making a policy election as allowed under current law as of the date of this report.

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-02 (“ASU 2018-02”), Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. ASU 2018-02 provides an option to allow reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The new guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018 with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact this update will have on our condensed consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In August 2018, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) adopted the final rule under SEC Release No. 33-10532, Disclosure Update and Simplification, amending certain disclosure requirements that were redundant, duplicative, overlapping, outdated or superseded. Additionally, the amendments expanded the disclosure requirements on the analysis of stockholders' equity for interim financial statements. Under the amendments, an analysis of changes in each caption of stockholders' equity presented in the balance sheet must be provided in a note or separate statement. The analysis should present a reconciliation of the beginning balance to the ending balance of each period presented. This final rule is effective on November 5, 2018. We are in the process of evaluating the impact of the final rule on its consolidated financial statements.