
Note 1.	Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Nature of Operations

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (the company or Thermo Fisher) enables customers to make the world healthier, cleaner and safer by helping them accelerate life sciences research, solve complex analytical challenges, improve patient diagnostics, deliver medicines to market and increase laboratory productivity. Markets served include pharmaceutical and biotech, academic and government, industrial and applied, as well as healthcare and diagnostics.

Interim Financial Statements

The interim consolidated financial statements presented herein have been prepared by the company, are unaudited and, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments of a normal recurring nature necessary for a fair statement of the financial position at March 30, 2019, the results of operations for the three-month periods ended March 30, 2019 and March 31, 2018, and the cash flows for the three-month periods ended March 30, 2019 and March 31, 2018. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year.

The consolidated balance sheet presented as of December 31, 2018, has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements as of that date. The consolidated financial statements and notes are presented as permitted by Form 10-Q and do not contain all information that is included in the annual financial statements and notes thereto of the company. The consolidated financial statements and notes included in this report should be read in conjunction with the 2018 financial statements and notes included in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements for 2018 describes the significant accounting estimates and policies used in preparation of the consolidated financial statements. Except for the accounting for leases, as noted below, there have been no material changes in the company’s significant accounting policies during the three months ended March 30, 2019.

Leases

The company determines whether an arrangement is, or contains, a lease at inception. Prior to 2019, the company generally accounted for operating lease payments by charging them to expense as incurred. Beginning in 2019, operating leases that have commenced are included in other assets, other accrued expenses and other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet. Classification of operating lease liabilities as either current or noncurrent is based on the expected timing of payments due under the company’s obligations.

Right-of-use (ROU) assets represent the company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the company’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at the lease commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the consolidated balance sheet. The company recognizes lease expense for these leases on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

Because most of the company’s leases do not provide an implicit rate, the company estimates incremental borrowing rates based on the information available at the commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. The company uses the implicit rate when readily determinable. Lease terms may include the effect of options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that the company will exercise that option. Operating lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

As a lessee, the company accounts for the lease and non-lease components as a single lease component.

See Note 9 additional information about the company's leases.

Contract-related Balances

Current contract assets and noncurrent contract assets are included within other current assets and other assets, respectively, in the accompanying balance sheet. Noncurrent contract liabilities are included within other long-term liabilities in the accompanying balance sheet. Contract asset and liability balances are as follows:



	March 30,		December 31,
(In millions)	2019		2018

Current Contract Assets, Net	$	545	$	459
Noncurrent Contract Assets, Net	15		15
Current Contract Liabilities	967		809
Noncurrent Contract Liabilities	497		355

In the first three months of 2019, the company recognized revenue of $336 million that was included in the contract liabilities balance at December 31, 2018. Contract liabilities increased during the first quarter of 2019 primarily due to an advance payment from a customer.

Warranty Obligations

The liability for warranties is included in other accrued expenses in the accompanying balance sheet. The changes in the carrying amount of standard product warranty obligations are as follows:



	Three Months Ended
	March 30,			March 31,
(In millions)	2019			2018

Beginning Balance	$	92		$	87
Provision charged to income	27			31
Usage	(28		)	(28		)
Adjustments to previously provided warranties, net	(1		)	(1		)
Currency translation	—			1

Ending Balance	$	90		$	90

Inventories

The components of inventories are as follows:



	March 30,		December 31,
(In millions)	2019		2018

Raw Materials	$	867	$	812
Work in Process	472		430
Finished Goods	1,785		1,763

Inventories	$	3,124	$	3,005

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, 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. In addition, significant estimates were made in estimating future cash flows to assess potential impairment of assets and in determining the fair value of acquired intangible assets (Note 2) and the ultimate loss from abandoning leases at facilities being exited (Note 14). Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In August 2018, the FASB issued new guidance to modify the disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension or other postretirement plans. The company expects to adopt the guidance when it is effective in 2020 using a retrospective method. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on the company’s disclosures.

In August 2018, the FASB issued new guidance to modify the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements. The company expects to adopt the guidance when it is effective in 2020 with some items requiring a prospective method and others requiring a retrospective method. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on the company’s disclosures.

In June 2016, the FASB issued new guidance to require a financial asset measured at amortized cost basis, such as accounts receivable, to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected based on relevant information about past events, including historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amount. During 2018, the FASB issued additional guidance and clarification. The company expects to adopt the guidance when it is effective in 2020 using a modified retrospective method. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on the company’s consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued new guidance which requires lessees to record most leases on their balance sheets as lease liabilities, initially measured at the present value of the future lease payments, with corresponding right-of-use assets. The new guidance also sets forth new disclosure requirements related to leases. During 2017 - 2019, the FASB issued additional guidance and clarification. The guidance became effective for the company in 2019. The company has elected to adopt the guidance using a modified retrospective method, by applying the transition approach as of the beginning of the period of adoption. Comparative periods have not been restated. As permitted upon transition, the company did not reassess whether any expired or existing contracts were or contained embedded leases, the lease classification for any expired or existing leases, initial direct costs for any leases, or whether land easements met the definition of a lease if they were not accounted for as leases under the prior guidance. Adoption of the new guidance impacted the company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet as follows:



(In millions)	December 31, 2018 as Reported		Impact of Adopting New Lease Guidance		January 1, 2019 As Adopted

Other Assets	$	1,117	$	641	$	1,758
Other Accrued Expenses	1,470		132		1,602
Other Long-term Liabilities	2,515		505		3,020
Retained Earnings	18,696		4		18,700