Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Feb. 28, 2016

Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]

The unaudited consolidated financial statements of the Company and its wholly-owned and majority-owned foreign and domestic subsidiaries are prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information.

Consolidated entities policy

The unaudited consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated.

Fiscal period

The Company’s fiscal year ends on the last Sunday of November in each year, although the fiscal years of certain foreign subsidiaries end on November 30. Each quarter of both fiscal years 2016 and 2015 consists of 13 weeks. All references to years relate to fiscal years rather than calendar years.

Subsequent events

Subsequent events have been evaluated through the issuance date of these financial statements.

Reclassifications [Text Block]

The Company's consolidated statements of comprehensive income has been reclassified to present the components of other comprehensive income before related income tax effects with one amount shown for aggregate income tax expense related to the total of other comprehensive income items. Amounts were previously presented net of related income tax effects. There was no change to total comprehensive income, net of income taxes, and the change was immaterial to the financial statements taken as a whole.

Use of estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and the related notes to the consolidated financial statements. Estimates are based upon historical factors, current circumstances and the experience and judgment of the Company’s management. Management evaluates its estimates and assumptions on an ongoing basis and may employ outside experts to assist in its evaluations. Changes in such estimates, based on more accurate future information, or different assumptions or conditions, may affect amounts reported in future periods.

New accounting pronouncements

There have been no developments to recently issued accounting standards, including the expected dates of adoption and estimated effects on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures, from those disclosed in the Company’s 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K, except for the following, which have been grouped by their effective dates for the Company:

First Quarter of 2018

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In March 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-06, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) – Contingent Put and Call Options in Debt Instruments (“ASU 2016-06”), which will reduce diversity of practice in identifying embedded derivatives in debt instruments. ASU 2016-06 clarifies that the nature of an exercise contingency is not subject to the “clearly and closely” criteria for purposes of assessing whether the call or put option must be separated from the debt instrument and accounted for separately as a derivative. The Company is currently assessing the impact that adopting this new accounting standard will have on its consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures.

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In March 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-09, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718) (“ASU 2016-09”). ASU 2016-09 identifies areas for simplification involving several aspects of accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, an option to recognize gross stock compensation expense with actual forfeitures recognized as they occur, as well as certain classifications on the statement of cash flows. The Company is currently assessing the impact that adopting this new accounting standard will have on its consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures.

First Quarter of 2019

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In March 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-04, Liabilities – Extinguishment of Liabilities (Subtopic 405-20): Recognition of Breakage for Certain Prepaid Stored-Value Products (“ASU 2016-04”). ASU 2016-04 aligns recognition of the financial liabilities related to prepaid stored-value products (for example, prepaid gift cards), with Topic 606, Revenues from Contracts with Customers, for non-financial liabilities. In general, certain or these liabilities may be extinguished proportionally in earnings as redemptions occur, or when redemption is remote if issuers are not entitled to the unredeemed stored value. The Company is currently assessing the impact that adopting this new accounting standard will have on its consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures.

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In March 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-08, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net) (“ASU 2016-08”). ASU 2016-08 clarifies the implementation guidance on principal versus agent considerations. The guidance includes indicators to assist an entity in determining whether it controls a specified good or service before it is transferred to the customers. The Company is currently assessing the impact that adopting this new accounting standard will have on its consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures.

First Quarter of 2020

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In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASU 2016-02”). ASU 2016-02 requires the identification of arrangements that should be accounted for as leases by lessees. In general, for lease arrangements exceeding a twelve month term, these arrangements must now be recognized as assets and liabilities on the balance sheet of the lessee. Under ASU 2016-02, a right-of-use asset and lease obligation will be recorded for all leases, whether operating or financing, while the income statement will reflect lease expense for operating leases and amortization/interest expense for financing leases. The balance sheet amount recorded for existing leases at the date of adoption of ASU 2016-02 must be calculated using the applicable incremental borrowing rate at the date of adoption. In addition, ASU 2016-02 requires the use of the modified retrospective method, which will require adjustment to all comparative periods presented in the consolidated financial statements. The Company is currently assessing the impact that adopting this new accounting standard will have on its consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures.