Accounting Developments

12 Months Ended

Nov. 30, 2022

Accounting Standards Update and Change in Accounting Principle [Abstract]

Accounting Developments

Accounting Developments

Adopted Accounting Standards

Reference Rate Reform. In March 2020, the FASB issued new guidance, which was subsequently amended in January 2021, which provides optional exceptions for applying GAAP to certain contract modifications, hedge accounting relationships or other transactions affected by reference rate reform. In December 2022, the FASB issued an accounting standard update to extend the temporary relief until December 31, 2024. Our assessment of contracts with provisions based on LIBOR is ongoing and this guidance may be applied as we transition away from LIBOR.

Income Taxes. In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. The objective of the guidance is to simplify the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740 and to provide more consistent application to improve the comparability of financial statements. We adopted the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2021 and the adoption did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Consolidation. In October 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-17, Consolidation: Targeted Improvements to Related Party Guidance for Variable Interest Entities. The guidance requires indirect interests held through related parties under common control arrangements be considered on a proportional basis for determining whether fees paid to decision makers and service providers are variable interests. We adopted the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2021 and the adoption did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Internal-Use Software. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software: Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract. The guidance amends the definition of a hosting arrangement and requires that the customer in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract capitalize certain implementation costs as if the arrangement was an internal-use software project. We adopted the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2021 and elected to apply the guidance prospectively to implementation costs incurred after the adoption date. The adoption did not have an impact on our consolidated financial statements on the adoption date.

Defined Benefit Plans. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-14, Compensation—Retirement Benefits—Defined Benefit Plans—General: Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans. The objective of the guidance is to improve the effectiveness of disclosure requirements on defined benefit pension plans and other postretirement plans. We adopted the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2021 and the adoption did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Goodwill. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which simplifies goodwill impairment testing. We adopted the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2021 and the adoption did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Financial Instruments—Credit Losses. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. The guidance provides for estimating credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost by introducing an approach based on expected losses over the financial asset's entire life, recorded at inception or purchase. We adopted the new credit loss guidance on December 1, 2020 and applied a modified retrospective approach through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings upon adoption. At transition on December 1, 2020, the new accounting guidance's adoption resulted in an increase in the provision for credit losses of $26.5 million with a corresponding decrease in retained earnings of $19.9 million, net of tax. The increase is primarily attributable to a $30.1 million increase in the allowance for credit losses in our automobile loans receivables portfolio. We estimate expected credit losses on the portfolio using an analysis of historical portfolio performance data as well as external economic factors that we consider to be relevant to the credit losses expected in the portfolio. This was offset by decreases attributable to applying a revised provisioning methodology based on historical loss experience for our investment banking fee receivables. The impact upon adoption for our secured financing receivables (reverse repurchases agreements, securities borrowing arrangements, and margin loans) was immaterial because of the contractual collateral maintenance provisions that require that the counterparty continually adjust the amount of collateralization securing the credit exposure on these contracts. For the remaining financial instruments within the guidance's scope, the expected credit losses were also determined to be immaterial considering the counterparty's credit quality, an insignificant history of credit losses, or the short-term nature of the credit exposures.