Recent Accounting Pronouncements (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Feb. 29, 2020

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

New Accounting Standards or Updates Recently Adopted and Recent Accounting Standards or Updates Not Yet Effective

New Accounting Standards or Updates Recently Adopted 

Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standard update related to accounting for leases. The update requires the recognition of lease right-of use (“ROU”) assets and liabilities on the balance sheet and the disclosure of qualitative and quantitative information about leasing arrangements. The guidance also eliminates the requirement for an entity to use bright-line tests in determining lease classification. FactSet adopted the new accounting standard effective September 1, 2019, using a modified retrospective approach to record the required cumulative effect adjustments to the opening balance sheet in the period of adoption, rather than in the earliest comparative period presented. As such, the Company's historical consolidated financial statements were not restated and follow the Company's previous policy under ASC 840, Leases. Refer to FactSet’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2019, filed with the SEC on October 30, 2019, for further details of the Company’s policy prior to adoption of ASC 842.

FactSet elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance, which permits the Company not to reassess the prior conclusions about lease identification, lease classification, and initial direct costs. FactSet did not elect the use-of-hindsight practical expedient in determining the lease term and in assessing impairment. FactSet elected the practical expedient not to separate lease components from non-lease components but, rather, to combine them into one single lease component. The Company has also elected to apply the short-term lease exception not to recognize lease liabilities and right-of-use assets for leases with a term of 12 months or less. FactSet will recognize lease payments on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

As of November 30, 2019, the Company recognized ROU assets, net of amortization of $217.0 million and corresponding current and non-current lease liabilities of $266.4 million, related primarily to the Company’s real estate leases. There was no material impact to the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income, Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows and Consolidated Statement of Changes in Stockholders' Equity. Refer to Note 15 Leases for more information regarding the Company's lease accounting.

Hedge Accounting Simplification

During the first quarter of fiscal 2020, FactSet adopted the accounting standard updated issued by the FASB in August 2017, which focused on reducing the complexity of and simplifying the application of hedge accounting. The guidance refines and expands hedge accounting for both financial and nonfinancial risk components, eliminates the need to separately measure and report hedge ineffectiveness, and aligns the recognition and presentation of the effects of the hedging instrument and the hedged item in the financial statements. The adoption of this standard had no impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

Recent Accounting Standards or Updates Not Yet Effective 

Credit Losses on Financial Instruments

In June 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standard that significantly changes how entities will measure credit losses for most financial assets and certain other instruments that are not measured at fair value through net income. The standard will replace today's "incurred loss" approach with an "expected loss" model for instruments measured at amortized cost. The guidance will be effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2021. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this accounting standard update, but it is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

Goodwill Impairment Test

In January 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standard update which removes the requirement for companies to compare the implied fair value of goodwill with its carrying amount as part of step 2 of the goodwill impairment test. A goodwill impairment will now be the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. The accounting standard update will be effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2021, with early adoption permitted for any impairment tests performed after January 1, 2017. The adoption of this accounting standard update is not expected to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

Income Tax Simplification

In December 2019, the FASB issued an accounting standard update to simplify various aspects related to accounting for income taxes, eliminating certain exceptions to the general principles in accounting for income taxes related to intraperiod tax allocation, simplifying when companies recognize deferred taxes in an interim period, and clarifying certain aspects of the current guidance to promote consistent application. The guidance will be effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2022, with early adoption permitted. Most amendments are required to be applied on a prospective basis, while certain amendments must be applied on a retrospective or modified retrospective basis. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact of adopting the guidance on its consolidated financial statements.