Basis Of Presentation And Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

In determining fair value, we maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from independent sources. Unobservable inputs reflect our assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability developed based on the best information available in the circumstances. We apply a hierarchy to categorize our fair value measurements broken down into three levels based on the transparency of inputs as follows:



Level 1:	Quoted prices are available in active markets for identical assets or liabilities as of the reported date.



Level 2:	Pricing inputs are other than quoted prices in active markets, which are either directly or indirectly observable as of the reported date. The nature of these financial instruments include cash instruments for which quoted prices are available but traded less frequently, derivative instruments fair values for which have been derived using model inputs that are directly observable in the market, or can be derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data, and instruments that are fair valued using other financial instruments, the parameters of which can be directly observed.



Level 3:	Instruments that have little to no pricing observability as of the reported date. These financial instruments are measured using management’s best estimate of fair value, where the inputs into the determination of fair value require significant management judgment or estimation.

Financial instruments are valued at quoted market prices, if available. Certain financial instruments have bid and ask prices that can be observed in the marketplace. For financial instruments whose inputs are based on bid-ask prices, the financial instrument is valued at the point within the bid-ask range that meets our best estimate of fair value. We use prices and inputs that are current at the measurement date. For financial instruments that do not have readily determinable fair values using quoted market prices, the determination of fair value is based upon consideration of available information, including types of financial instruments, current financial information, restrictions on dispositions, fair values of underlying financial instruments and quotations for similar instruments.

The valuation of financial instruments may include the use of valuation models and other techniques. Adjustments to valuations derived from valuation models may be made when, in management’s judgment, features of the financial instrument such as its complexity, the market in which the financial instrument is traded and risk uncertainties about market conditions require that an adjustment be made to the value derived from the models. Adjustments from the price derived from a valuation model reflect management’s judgment that other participants in the market for the financial instrument being measured at fair value would also consider in valuing that same financial instrument. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment.

The availability of observable inputs can vary and is affected by a wide variety of factors, including, for example, the type of financial instrument and market conditions. As the observability of prices and inputs may change for a financial instrument from period to period, this condition may cause a transfer of an instrument among the fair value hierarchy levels. Transfers among the levels are recognized at the beginning of each period. The degree of judgment exercised in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3.

Valuation Process for Financial Instruments

The Jefferies Independent Price Verification ("IPV") Group, which is part of the Jefferies finance department, in partnership with Jefferies Risk Management, is responsible for establishing Jefferies valuation policies and procedures. The IPV Group and Risk Management, which are independent of business functions, play an important role and serve as a control function in determining that Jefferies financial instruments are appropriately reflected at fair value. This is particularly important where prices or valuations that require inputs are less observable. In the event that observable inputs are not available, the control processes are designed to assure that the valuation approach utilized is appropriate and consistently applied and that the assumptions are reasonable. The IPV Group reports to the Jefferies Global Controller and is subject to the oversight of the IPV Committee, which includes senior members of Jefferies finance department and other personnel. Jefferies independent price verification policies and procedures are reviewed, at a minimum, annually and changes to the policies require the approval of the IPV Committee.

Price Testing Process. Jefferies business units are responsible for determining the fair value of Jefferies financial instruments using approved valuation models and methodologies. In order to ensure that the business unit valuations represent a fair value exit price, the IPV Group tests and validates the fair value of the financial instruments inventory. In the testing process, the IPV Group obtains prices and valuation inputs from sources independent of Jefferies, consistently adheres to established procedures set forth in the valuation policies for sourcing prices and valuation inputs and utilizing valuation methodologies. Sources used to validate fair value prices and inputs include, but are not limited to, exchange data, recently executed transactions, pricing data obtained from third party vendors, pricing and valuation services, broker quotes and observed comparable transactions.

To the extent discrepancies between the business unit valuations and the pricing or valuations resulting from the price testing process are identified, such discrepancies are investigated by the IPV Group and fair values are adjusted, as appropriate. The IPV Group maintains documentation of its testing, results, rationale and recommendations and prepares a monthly summary of its valuation results. This process also forms the basis for the classification of fair values within the fair value hierarchy (i.e., Level 1, Level 2 or Level 3). The IPV Group utilizes the additional expertise of Risk Management personnel in valuing more complex financial instruments and financial instruments with less or limited pricing observability. The results of the valuation testing are reported to the IPV Committee on a monthly basis, which discusses the results and determines the financial instrument fair values in the consolidated financial statements. This process specifically assists management in asserting as to the fair presentation of our financial condition and results of operations as included within our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Annual Report on Form 10-K. At each quarter end, the overall valuation results, as determined by the IPV Committee, are presented to the Jefferies Audit Committee.

Judgment exercised in determining Level 3 fair value measurements is supplemented by daily analysis of profit and loss performed by the Product Control functions. Gains and losses, which result from changes in fair value, are evaluated and corroborated daily based on an understanding of each trading desk's overall risk positions and developments in a particular market on the given day. Valuation techniques generally rely on recent transactions of suitably comparable financial instruments and use the observable inputs from those comparable transactions as a validation basis for Level 3 inputs. Level 3 fair value measurements are further validated through subsequent sales testing and market comparable sales, if such information is available. Level 3 fair value measurements require documentation of the valuation rationale applied, which is reviewed for consistency in application from period to period.

Third Party Pricing Information. Pricing information obtained from external data providers (including independent pricing services and brokers) may incorporate a range of market quotes from dealers, recent market transactions and benchmarking model derived prices to quoted market prices and trade data for comparable securities. External pricing data is subject to evaluation for reasonableness by the IPV Group using a variety of means including comparisons of prices to those of similar product types, quality and maturities, consideration of the narrowness or wideness of the range of prices obtained, knowledge of recent market transactions and an assessment of the similarity in prices to comparable dealer offerings in a recent time period. Jefferies processes challenge the appropriateness of pricing information obtained from external data providers (including independent pricing services and brokers) to validate the data for consistency with the definition of a fair value exit price. Jefferies process includes understanding and evaluating the external data providers’ valuation methodologies. For corporate, U.S. government and agency, and municipal debt securities, and loans, to the extent independent pricing services or broker quotes are utilized in Jefferies valuation process, the vendor service providers are collecting and aggregating observable market information as to recent trade activity and active bid-ask submissions. The composite pricing information received from the independent pricing service is thus not based on unobservable inputs or proprietary models. For mortgage- and other asset-backed securities, collateralized debt obligations ("CDOs") and collateralized loan obligations ("CLOs"), the independent pricing services use a matrix evaluation approach incorporating both observable yield curves and market yields on comparable securities as well as implied inputs from observed trades for comparable securities in order to determine prepayment speeds, cumulative default rates and loss severity. Further, Jefferies considers pricing data from multiple service providers as available as well as compares pricing data to prices observed for recent transactions, if any, in order to corroborate valuation inputs.

Model Review Process. If a pricing model is used to determine fair value, the pricing model is reviewed for theoretical soundness and appropriateness by Risk Management, independent from the trading desks, and then approved by Risk Management to be used in the valuation process. Review and approval of a model for use may include benchmarking the model against relevant third party valuations, testing sample trades in the model, backtesting the results of the model against actual trades and stress-testing the sensitivity of the pricing model using varying inputs and assumptions. In addition, recently executed comparable transactions and other observable market data are considered for purposes of validating assumptions underlying the model. Models are independently reviewed and validated by Risk Management annually or more frequently if market conditions or use of the valuation model changes.

Hedge Accounting

Jefferies applies hedge accounting using interest rate swaps designated as fair value hedges of changes in the benchmark interest rate of fixed rate senior long-term debt. Jefferies interest rate swaps are included within Trading assets - Derivatives and Trading liabilities - Derivatives in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Condition. Jefferies uses regression analysis to perform ongoing prospective and retrospective assessments of the effectiveness of these hedging relationships. A hedging relationship is deemed effective if the change in fair value of the interest rate swap and the change in the fair value of the long-term debt due to changes in the benchmark interest rate offset within a range of 80% to 125%. The impact of valuation adjustments related to Jefferies own credit spreads and counterparty credit spreads are included in the assessment of effectiveness. For qualifying fair value hedges of benchmark interest rates, the change in the fair value of the derivative and the change in fair value of the long-term debt provide offset of one another, and together with any resulting ineffectiveness, are recorded in Interest expense. See Note 4 for further information.

Receivables

At March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, Receivables include receivables from brokers, dealers and clearing organizations of $2,868.2 million and $2,062.9 million, respectively, and receivables from customers of securities operations of $1,181.9 million and $843.1 million, respectively.

Payables, expense accruals and other liabilities

At March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, Payables, expense accruals and other liabilities include payables to brokers, dealers and clearing organizations of $2,967.6 million and $3,290.4 million, respectively, and payables to customers of securities operations of $2,412.1 million and $2,297.3 million, respectively.

Accounting Developments

Accounting Developments - Accounting Standards to be Adopted in Future Periods

Revenue Recognition. In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued new guidance that defines how companies report revenues from contracts with customers, and also requires enhanced disclosures. The core principle of this new guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods and services. This guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017. We intend to adopt the new guidance with a cumulative-effect adjustment to opening retained earnings and our evaluation of the impact this new guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements is ongoing.

Financial Instruments. In January 2016, the FASB issued new guidance that affects the accounting for equity investments, financial liabilities under the fair value option and the presentation and disclosure requirements for financial instruments. The guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance related to equity investments and the presentation and disclosure requirements of financial instruments on our consolidated financial statements. Early adoption was permitted for the accounting guidance on financial liabilities under the fair value option and we adopted this guidance in the first quarter of 2016. The adoption of the guidance on financial liabilities under the fair value option did not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Leases. In February 2016, the FASB issued new guidance that affects the accounting and disclosure requirements for leases. The FASB requires the recognition of lease assets and lease liabilities on the statement of financial condition. The guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018. We are currently evaluating the impact this new guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.

Financial Instruments - Credit Losses. In June 2016, the FASB issued new guidance for estimating credit losses on certain types of financial instruments by introducing an approach based on expected losses. The guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019. We are currently evaluating the impact this new guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.

Cash Flow Classifications. In August 2016, the FASB issued new guidance to reduce the diversity in practice in how certain transactions are classified in the statement of cash flows. The guidance adds or clarifies guidance on the classification of certain cash receipts and payments in the statement of cash flows. The guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. In November 2016, the FASB issued new guidance on restricted cash. The guidance requires that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. The guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. We are currently evaluating the impact this new guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.

Goodwill. In January 2017, the FASB issued new guidance for simplifying goodwill impairment testing. The guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact this new guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.

Retirement Benefits. In March 2017, the FASB issued new guidance for improving the presentation of net periodic pension costs in the statement of operations. The update also allows the service cost to be eligible for capitalization, when applicable. The guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on our consolidated financial statements.

Accounting Developments - Adopted Accounting Standards

Share-Based Payments to Employees. In January 2017, we adopted the FASB's new guidance that simplifies and improves accounting for share-based payments. The amendments include the recognition of all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies as income tax expense or benefit in the statement of operations and changes to the timing of recognition of excess tax benefits, the accounting for forfeitures, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities and classification on the statement of cash flows. The adoption of this guidance did not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements. We elected to account for forfeitures as they occur, which results in dividends and dividend equivalents originally charged against retained earnings for forfeited shares to be reclassified to compensation cost in the period in which the forfeiture occurs.