Summary of Major Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Principles of Consolidation — These consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and all majority-owned subsidiaries. Investments in affiliated companies are accounted for using the equity method when we are able to exert significant influence over the operations of the investee.

Estimates in Financial Statements

Estimates in Financial Statements — Preparation of the financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Such estimates include, but are not limited to, estimates of total contract profit or loss on certain long-term production contracts, estimated losses on accounts receivable, estimated realizable value on excess and obsolete inventory, contingencies (including tax contingencies, estimated liabilities for litigation exposures and liquidated damages), estimated warranty costs, estimates related to pension accounting, estimates used to determine fair values in purchase accounting, estimates related to the fair value of reporting units for purposes of assessing goodwill for impairment and estimates related to deferred tax assets and liabilities, including valuation allowances on deferred tax assets. Actual results could differ materially from these estimates.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition — The Company generally recognizes revenue, net of sales taxes, related to products, services or rental arrangements once the following four criteria are met: (i) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, (ii) delivery of the equipment has occurred or the customer has taken title and risk of loss or services have been rendered, (iii) the price of the equipment or service is fixed and determinable and (iv) collectibility is reasonably assured. For engineering, procurement and construction-type contracts, revenue is generally reported on the percentage-of-completion method of accounting. Progress is primarily measured by the completion of milestones; however, progress for specific types of subsea and drilling systems contracts, which differ from our other contracts, is measured by the ratio of actual costs incurred to date on the project in relation to total estimated project costs. Both methods require the Company to make estimates regarding the total costs of the project, which impacts the amount of gross margin the Company recognizes in each reporting period. Under the percentage-of-completion method, the use of estimated costs to complete each contract is a significant variable in the process of determining recognized revenue and is a significant factor in accounting for contracts. All known or anticipated losses on contracts are provided for in the period they become evident. Revenues and gross profit on contracts can be significantly affected by change orders that may be approved subsequent to completion of related work. If it is not probable that costs will be recovered through a change in contract price, the costs attributable to change orders are treated as contract costs without incremental revenue. If it is probable that costs will be recovered through a change order, the costs are treated as contract costs and contract revenue is recognized to the extent of the lesser of the amounts management expects to recover or the costs expected to be incurred.

Approximately 32%, 31% and 31% of the Company’s revenues for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, were recognized under the percentage-of-completion method.

Shipping and Handling Costs

Shipping and Handling Costs — Shipping and handling costs are reflected in the caption entitled “Cost of sales (exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below)” in the accompanying Consolidated Results of Operations statements.

Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments

Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments — Cash equivalents consist of highly liquid investments which are readily convertible to cash and have maturities of three months or less at the time of purchase. Short-term investments consist primarily of commercial paper, U.S. Treasury securities, U.S. non-governmental agency asset-backed securities and corporate debt obligations that have maturities of more than three months but less than one year. All of our short-term investments are classified as available-for-sale and recorded at fair value, with unrealized holding gains and losses recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts — The Company maintains allowances for doubtful accounts for estimated losses expected to result from the inability of its customers to make required payments. Such allowances are based upon several factors including, but not limited to, historical experience, the length of time an invoice has been outstanding, responses from customers relating to demands for payment and the current and projected financial condition of specific customers.

Inventories

Inventories — Aggregate inventories are carried at the lower of cost or market. On the basis of current costs less accumulated depreciation and impairment charges, 54% of inventories at December 31, 2015 and 54% at December 31, 2014 are carried on the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method. For these locations, the use of LIFO results in a better matching of costs and revenues. The remaining inventories, which are generally located outside the United States and Canada, are carried on the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. The Company provides a reserve for estimated inventory obsolescence or excess quantities on hand equal to the difference between the cost of the inventory and its estimated realizable value.

Plant and Equipment

Plant and Equipment — Property, plant and equipment, both owned and under capital lease, are carried at cost. Maintenance and repair costs are expensed as incurred. The cost of renewals, replacements and betterments is capitalized. The Company capitalizes software developed or obtained for internal use. Accordingly, the cost of third-party software, as well as the cost of third-party and internal personnel that are directly involved in application development activities, are capitalized during the application development phase of new software systems projects. Costs during the preliminary project stage and post-implementation stage of new software systems projects, including data conversion and training costs, are expensed as incurred. Depreciation and amortization is provided over the estimated useful lives of the related assets, or in the case of assets under capital leases, over the related lease term, if less, using the straight-line method. The estimated useful lives of the major classes of property, plant and equipment are as follows:



	Estimated Useful Lives
Buildings and leasehold improvements	10-40 years
Machinery, equipment and tooling	3-18 years
Office furniture, software and other	3-10 years

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill and Intangible Assets —

Cameron allocates the purchase price of acquired businesses to their identifiable tangible assets and liabilities, such as accounts receivable, inventory, property, plant and equipment, accounts payable and accrued liabilities, based on their estimated fair values. The Company also typically allocates a portion of the purchase price to identifiable intangible assets, such as noncompete agreements, trademarks, trade names, patents, technology, customer relationships and backlog using various widely accepted valuation techniques such as discounted future cash flows and the relief-from-royalty and excess earnings methods. Each of these methods involves level 3 unobservable market inputs. Any remaining excess of cost over allocated fair values is recorded as goodwill. On larger acquisitions, Cameron will typically engage third-party valuation experts to assist in determining the fair values for both the identifiable tangible and intangible assets. Certain estimates and judgments are required in the application of the fair value techniques, including estimates of future cash flows, selling prices, replacement costs, royalty rates for use of assets, economic lives and the selection of a discount rate.

The Company reviews the carrying value of goodwill in accordance with accounting rules on impairment of goodwill, which require that the Company estimate the fair value of each of its reporting units annually, or when impairment indicators exist, and compare such amounts to their respective carrying values to determine if an impairment of goodwill is required. The estimated fair value of each reporting unit is primarily determined using discounted future expected cash flows (level 3 unobservable inputs) consistent with the accounting guidance for fair-value measurements. Certain estimates and judgments are required in the application of the fair value models, including, but not limited to, estimates of future cash flows and the selection of a discount rate. At December 31, 2015, the Company’s reporting units for goodwill impairment evaluation purposes were the OneSubsea, Process Systems, Surface, Drilling, Valves and Measurement businesses. Prior to the fourth quarter of 2014, there were five reporting units within the V&M segment (now combined into two reporting units based on changes in management’s reporting structure during the fourth quarter of 2014).

In connection with our annual goodwill impairment test as of March 31, 2015, we tested the goodwill for each of our six reporting units. With the exception of the Process Systems reporting unit, no goodwill impairments were indicated. With respect to the Process Systems reporting unit, our determination of fair value as of March 31, 2015 considered events that occurred in the first quarter, as well as our updated long-term outlook for this reporting unit. Those events included ongoing changes in the energy industry during the first quarter of 2015, a reduction in North American rig count, numerous industry-wide deepwater project deferrals and idling of deepwater drilling rigs, as well as significant capital spending cuts announced by a number of oil and gas exploration companies since December 31, 2014. Consistent with these industry-wide market changes, the Company also experienced the loss or indefinite deferral of several major project awards that we previously anticipated receiving. Accordingly, when determining the fair value of the Process Systems reporting unit as of March 31, 2015, our projections considered these factors as well as the negative impact of the low commodity price environment on the long-term outlook for revenue growth and profitability in this business. Based on these considerations, we concluded the fair value (estimated using Level 3 unobservable inputs) of the Process Systems reporting unit was less than its carrying value as of March 31, 2015. We conducted a Step 2 analysis, which included a hypothetical purchase price allocation, and recorded a goodwill impairment charge of $517 million. As of December 31, 2015, following the impairment, the Process Systems reporting unit had $52 million of goodwill remaining.

With the continued decline in commodity prices and activity levels since our annual goodwill impairment test, we performed a qualitative assessment of current market conditions and our future long-term expectations of oil and gas markets as of December 31, 2015 to conclude as to whether it was more likely than not that the fair values of our reporting units continued to be higher than each respective reporting unit's carrying value at December 31, 2015. Our assessment took into consideration, among other things, the valuation of Cameron that was implied in the August 2015 announcement of the merger with Schlumberger, as well as changes in commodity prices and activity levels and financial performance during 2015 by each of our reporting units, against expectations that were considered as part of the annual goodwill impairment test as of March 31, 2015. As a result of our analysis, no further impairment of goodwill was required as of December 31, 2015.

The Company’s intangible assets, excluding goodwill, represent purchased patents, trademarks, customer relationships and other identifiable intangible assets. The majority of intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over the years expected to be benefited, generally ranging from 5 to 28 years. Such intangibles are tested for recoverability whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying value may not be recoverable. As many areas of the Company’s business rely on patents and proprietary technology, it has followed a policy of seeking patent protection both inside and outside the United States for products and methods that appear to have commercial significance. The costs of developing any intangibles internally, as well as costs of defending such intangibles, are expensed as incurred.

Long-Lived Assets

Long-Lived Assets — In accordance with accounting rules for the impairment or disposal of long-lived assets, such assets, excluding goodwill and indefinite-lived intangibles, to be held and used by the Company are reviewed, at least quarterly, to determine whether any events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable or that its remaining useful life may be shorter than previously expected. For long-lived assets to be held and used, the Company bases its evaluation on impairment indicators such as the nature of the assets, the future economic benefit of the assets, any historical or future profitability measurements and other external market conditions or factors that may be present. If such impairment indicators are present or other factors exist that indicate the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable, the Company determines whether an impairment has occurred through the use of an undiscounted cash flow analysis of the asset at the lowest level for which identifiable cash flows exist. If an impairment has occurred, the Company recognizes a loss for the difference between the carrying amount and the fair value of the asset, which in most cases is estimated based upon Level 3 unobservable inputs. If the asset is determined to have a remaining useful life shorter than previously expected, an adjustment for the shorter remaining life will be made for purposes of recognizing future depreciation expense. Assets are classified as held for sale when the Company has a plan, approved by the appropriate levels of management, for disposal of such assets and those assets are stated at the lower of carrying value or estimated fair value less estimated costs to sell. During the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company identified various instances of assets whose carrying values were impaired or had shorter remaining useful lives than previously anticipated due to current and expected future market conditions. The impairment charges and accelerated depreciation amounts associated with these items are discussed further in Note 4 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Product Warranty

Product Warranty — Estimated warranty costs are accrued either at the time of sale based upon historical experience or, in some cases, when specific warranty problems are encountered. Adjustments to the recorded liability are made periodically to reflect actual experience.

Contingencies

Contingencies — The Company accrues for costs relating to litigation when such liabilities become probable and reasonably estimable. Such estimates may be based on advice from third parties, amounts specified by contract, amounts designated by legal statute or management’s judgment, as appropriate. Revisions to contingent liabilities are reflected in income in the period in which different facts or information become known or circumstances change that affect the Company’s previous assumptions with respect to the likelihood or amount of loss. Amounts paid upon the ultimate resolution of contingent liabilities may be materially different from previous estimates and could require adjustments to the estimated reserves to be recognized in the period such new information becomes known.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes — The asset and liability approach is used to account for income taxes by recognizing deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the carrying amounts and the tax basis of assets and liabilities. Income tax expense includes U.S. and foreign income taxes, including U.S. federal taxes on undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries to the extent such earnings are planned to be remitted. Taxes are not provided on the translation component of comprehensive income since the effect of translation is not considered to modify the amount of the earnings that are planned to be remitted.

A valuation allowance is provided to offset any net deferred tax asset, if, based upon available evidence, it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Interest related to accruals for uncertain tax positions is reflected as a component of interest expense in the Consolidated Results of Operations statement. Penalties on a tax position taken by the Company are reflected as a component of income tax expense in the Consolidated Results of Operations statement. See Note 13 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for further discussion of the Company’s income taxes.

Environmental Remediation and Compliance

Environmental Remediation and Compliance — Environmental remediation and postremediation monitoring costs are accrued when such obligations become probable and reasonably estimable. Such future expenditures are not discounted to their present value.

Pension and Postretirement Benefits Accounting

Pension and Postretirement Benefits Accounting — The Company recognizes the funded status of its defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit plans in its Consolidated Balance Sheets. The measurement date for all of the Company’s plans was December 31, 2015. See Note 9 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for further information.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation — At December 31, 2015, the Company had grants outstanding under various stock-based employee compensation plans, which are described in further detail in Note 10 of the Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. Compensation expense for the Company’s stock-based compensation plans is measured using the fair value method required by accounting rules on stock compensation. Under this guidance, the fair value of stock option grants and restricted stock unit awards is amortized to expense using the straight-line method over the shorter of the vesting period or the remaining employee service period.

Derivative Financial Instruments

Derivative Financial Instruments — The Company recognizes all derivative financial instruments as assets and liabilities on a gross basis and measures them at fair value. Hedge accounting is only applied when the derivative is deemed highly effective at offsetting changes in anticipated cash flows of the hedged item or transaction. Changes in fair value of derivatives that are designated as cash flow hedges are deferred in accumulated other elements of comprehensive income (loss) until the underlying transactions are recognized in earnings, at which time any deferred hedging gains or losses are reclassified to earnings in the same income statement caption as impacted by the hedged item. Any ineffective portion of the change in the fair value of a derivative used as a cash flow hedge is recorded in earnings as incurred. The amounts recorded in earnings from ineffectiveness for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 have not been material. The Company may at times also use forward or option contracts to hedge certain other foreign currency exposures. These contracts are not designated as hedges under the accounting guidance described above. Therefore, the changes in fair value of these contracts are recognized in earnings as they occur and offset gains or losses on the related exposures.

Foreign Currency

Foreign Currency — For most subsidiaries and branches outside the U.S., the local currency is the functional currency. The financial statements of these subsidiaries and branches are translated into U.S. dollars as follows: (i) assets and liabilities at year-end exchange rates; (ii) income and expenses at monthly average exchange rates or exchange rates in effect on the date of the transaction; and (iii) stockholders’ equity at historical exchange rates. For those subsidiaries where the local currency is the functional currency, the resulting translation adjustment is recorded as a component of accumulated other elements of comprehensive income (loss) in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

For certain other subsidiaries and branches, operations are conducted primarily in currencies other than the local currencies, which are therefore the functional currency. Non-functional currency monetary assets and liabilities are remeasured at ending exchange rates. Revenue, expense and gain and loss accounts of these foreign subsidiaries and branches are remeasured at average exchange rates or exchange rates in effect on the date of the transaction. Non-functional currency non-monetary assets and liabilities, and the related revenue, expense, gain and loss accounts are remeasured at historical rates.

Foreign currency gains and losses arising from monetary transactions denominated in a currency other than the functional currency of the entity involved are included in income.

Reclassifications and Revisions

Reclassifications — Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.

New Accounting Pronouncements

Revenue

In May 2014, the U.S. Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) and the International Accounting Standards Board (IASB) jointly issued a comprehensive new revenue recognition standard that will supersede nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance under U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

The core principle of Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASU 2014-09), is that a company will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods and services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods and services. In order to comply with this new standard, companies will need to:


•	identify performance obligations in each contract,


•	estimate the amount of variable consideration to include in the transaction price, and


•	allocate the transaction price to each separate performance obligation.

In October 2015, the FASB further voted to amend this standard with regard to accounting for licenses of intellectual property and identifying performance obligations and in December 2015, the FASB and IASB unanimously voted to finalize clarifying amendments to the principal versus agent guidance in the new revenue standard. The FASB has also indicated they are planning to issue other proposed amendments that would clarify the collectibility criterion and provide practical expedients to ease transition, among other things. ASU 2014-09, as amended in 2015, will be effective for Cameron beginning in the first quarter of 2018. The Company is currently evaluating this standard and our existing revenue recognition policies to determine which contracts in the scope of the guidance will be affected by the new requirements and what impact, if any, they would have on our consolidated financial statements upon adoption of this standard. We have not yet determined if we will select the full retrospective or the modified retrospective implementation method upon adoption.

Going Concern

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, Presentation of Financial Statements- Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40). ASU 2015-11 provides guidance in GAAP about management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures. This guidance is effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2017. The Company does not anticipate a material impact on its consolidated financial statements at the time of adoption of this new standard.

Debt Issuance Costs

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Interest-Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs (ASU 2015-03). ASU 2015-03 requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized liability in the balance sheet be presented as a direct deduction to that liability rather than as an asset. This will align the presentation of debt issuance costs with that of debt discounts and premiums. Final guidance on this standard, issued as ASU 2015-15 in August 2015, includes an SEC staff announcement that the SEC staff will not object to an entity presenting the cost of securing a revolving line of credit as an asset, regardless of whether a balance is outstanding. The original standard, as issued, did not address revolving lines of credit, which may not have outstanding balances. The Company will adopt this new standard beginning January 1, 2016, with the guidance applied retrospectively to all prior periods presented in financial statements issued after that date. The Company does not anticipate a material impact on its Consolidated Balance Sheet at the time of adoption of this new standard.

Inventory

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory (ASU 2015-11). ASU 2015-11 requires companies to measure inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value rather than at the lower of cost or market. Net realizable value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal and transportation. This guidance is effective for the Company’s FIFO inventories beginning January 1, 2016. The Company does not anticipate a material impact on its consolidated financial statements at the time of adoption of this new standard.

Business Combinations

In September 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-16, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments (ASU 2015-16). This new standard specifies that an acquirer should recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined, eliminating the current requirement to retrospectively account for these adjustments. Additionally, the full effect on earnings of changes in depreciation, amortization, or other income effects, if any, as a result of the change to the provisional amounts should be recognized in the same period as the adjustments to the provisional amounts. The Company will adopt this new standard beginning January 1, 2016. The Company does not anticipate a material impact on its consolidated financial statements at the time of adoption of this new standard.

Deferred taxes

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes (ASU 2015-17). This new standard requires companies to classify all deferred tax assets and liabilities as noncurrent on the balance sheet instead of separating deferred taxes into current and noncurrent amounts. The current requirement that deferred tax liabilities and assets of a tax-paying component of an entity be offset and presented as a single amount is not affected by this guidance. ASU 2015-17 is effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2017. The Company does not anticipate a material impact on its consolidated financial statements at the time of adoption of this new standard.

Financial Instruments

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, Financial Instruments - Overall - Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities (ASU 2016-01). This new standard requires, among other things, that entities measure equity investments (except those accounted for under the equity method of accounting or those that result in consolidation of the investee) at fair value, with changes in fair value recognized in net income. Under ASU 2016-01, entities will no longer be able to recognize unrealized holding gains and losses on equity securities classified today as available for sale in other comprehensive income and they will no longer be able to use the cost method of accounting for equity securities that do not have readily determinable fair values. This new standard does not change the guidance for classifying and measuring investments in debt securities and loans. ASU 2016-01 is effective for the Company January 1, 2018.