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Basis of Presentation and Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned and controlled majority-owned subsidiaries. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Investments in affiliates over which we do not have control but exercise significant influence are accounted for using the equity method of accounting. These affiliated companies are not material individually or in the aggregate to our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and revenues and expenses during the periods reported. Actual results could differ from those estimates. We use estimates in accounting for, among other items, customer returns, rebates and incentives; allowance for doubtful accounts; excess and obsolete inventory; discount valuation of PTC Inc. ("PTC") common stock; share-based compensation; acquisitions; product warranty obligations; retirement benefits; litigation, claims and contingencies, including environmental matters, conditional asset retirement obligations and contractual indemnifications; and income taxes. We account for changes to estimates and assumptions prospectively when warranted by factually-based experience.

Revenue Recognition

We recognize revenue when it is realized or realizable and earned. Product and solution sales consist of industrial automation and information solutions; hardware and software products; and custom-engineered systems. Service sales include multi-vendor customer technical support and repair, asset management and optimization consulting and training. All service sales recorded in the Consolidated Statement of Operations are associated with our Control Products & Solutions segment.

For approximately 85 percent of our consolidated sales, we record sales when all of the following have occurred: persuasive evidence of a sales agreement exists; pricing is fixed or determinable; collection is reasonably assured; and hardware and software products have been delivered and acceptance has occurred, as may be required according to contract terms, or services have been rendered. Within this category, we will at times enter into arrangements that involve the delivery of multiple hardware and software products and/or the performance of services, such as installation and commissioning. The timing of delivery, though varied based upon the nature of the undelivered component, is generally short-term in nature. For these arrangements, revenue is allocated to each deliverable based on that element's relative selling price, provided the delivered element has value to customers on a standalone basis and, if the arrangement includes a general right of return, delivery or performance of the undelivered items is probable and substantially in our control. Relative selling price is obtained from sources such as vendor-specific objective evidence, which is based on our separate selling price for that or a similar item, or from third-party evidence such as how competitors have priced similar items. If such evidence is not available, we use our best estimate of the selling price, which includes various internal factors such as our pricing strategy and market factors.

We recognize substantially all of the remainder of our sales as construction-type contracts using either the percentage-of-completion or completed contract methods of accounting. We record sales relating to these contracts using the percentage-of-completion method when we determine that progress toward completion is reasonably and reliably estimable; we use the completed contract method for all others. Under the percentage-of-completion method, we recognize sales and gross profit as work is performed using the relationship between actual costs incurred and total estimated costs at completion. Under the percentage-of-completion method, we adjust sales and gross profit for revisions of estimated total contract costs or revenue in the period the change is identified. We record estimated losses on contracts when they are identified.

We use contracts and customer purchase orders to determine the existence of a sales agreement. We use shipping documents and customer acceptance, when applicable, to verify delivery. We assess whether the fee is fixed or determinable based on the payment terms associated with the transaction and whether the sales price is subject to refund or adjustment. We assess collectibility based on the creditworthiness of the customer as determined by credit evaluations and analysis, as well as the customer’s payment history.

Shipping and handling costs billed to customers are included in sales and the related costs are included in cost of sales in the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

Returns, Rebates and Incentives

Our primary incentive program provides distributors with cash rebates or account credits based on agreed amounts that vary depending on the customer to whom our distributor ultimately sells the product. We also offer various other incentive programs that provide distributors and direct sale customers with cash rebates, account credits or additional hardware and software products, solutions and services based on meeting specified program criteria. Certain distributors are offered a right to return product, subject to contractual limitations.

We record accruals for customer returns, rebates and incentives at the time of revenue recognition based primarily on historical experience. Returns, rebates and incentives are recognized as a reduction of sales if distributed in cash or customer account credits. Rebates and incentives are recognized in cost of sales for additional hardware and software products, solutions and services to be provided. Accruals are reported as a current liability in our Consolidated Balance Sheet or, where a right of setoff exists, as a reduction of accounts receivable.

Taxes on Revenue Producing Transactions

Taxes assessed by governmental authorities on revenue producing transactions, including sales, value added, excise and use taxes, are recorded on a net basis (excluded from revenue).

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include time deposits, certificates of deposit, and other fixed income securities with original maturities of three months or less at the time of purchase.

Receivables

We record an allowance for doubtful accounts based on customer-specific analysis and general matters such as current assessments of past due balances and economic conditions. Receivables are recorded net of an allowance for doubtful accounts of $17.1 million at September 30, 2018 and $24.9 million at September 30, 2017. In addition, receivables are recorded net of an allowance for certain customer returns, rebates and incentives of $8.7 million at September 30, 2018 and $11.9 million at September 30, 2017.

Inventories

Inventories are recorded at the lower of cost or market using the first-in, first-out (FIFO) or average cost methods. Market is determined on the basis of estimated realizable values.

Investments

Investments include time deposits, certificates of deposit, other fixed income securities and equity securities. Investments with original maturities longer than three months at the time of purchase and less than one year from period end are classified as short-term. All other investments are classified as long-term. Fixed income securities meeting the definition of a security are accounted for as available-for-sale and recorded at fair value. Equity securities are recorded at fair value. All other investments are recorded at cost, which approximates fair value.

Property

Property, including internal-use software, is recorded at cost. We calculate depreciation of property using the straight-line method over 5 to 40 years for buildings and improvements, 3 to 20 years for machinery and equipment and 3 to 10 years for computer hardware and internal-use software. We capitalize significant renewals and enhancements and write off replaced units. We expense maintenance and repairs, as well as renewals of minor amounts. Property acquired during the year that is accrued within accounts payable or other current liabilities at year end is considered to be a non-cash investing activity and is excluded from cash used for capital expenditures in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. Capital expenditures of $43.2 million, $29.6 million and $29.9 million were accrued within accounts payable and other current liabilities at September 30, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Intangible Assets

Goodwill and other intangible assets generally result from business acquisitions. We account for business acquisitions by allocating the purchase price to tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed at their fair values; the excess of the purchase price over the allocated amount is recorded as goodwill.

We review goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite useful lives for impairment annually or more frequently if events or circumstances indicate impairment may be present. Any excess in carrying value over the estimated fair value is charged to results of operations. We perform our annual impairment test during the second quarter of our fiscal year.

We amortize certain customer relationships on an accelerated basis over the period of which we expect the intangible asset to generate future cash flows. We amortize all other intangible assets with finite useful lives on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives. Useful lives assigned range from 3 to 15 years for trademarks, 8 to 20 years for customer relationships, 5 to 17 years for technology and 5 to 30 years for other intangible assets.

Intangible assets also include costs of software developed or purchased by our software business to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed. Amortization of these computer software products is calculated on a product-by-product basis as the greater of (a) the unamortized cost at the beginning of the year times the ratio of the current year gross revenue for a product to the total of the current and anticipated future gross revenue for that product or (b) the straight-line amortization over the remaining estimated economic life of the product.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

We evaluate the recoverability of the recorded amount of long-lived assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the recorded amount of an asset may not be fully recoverable. Impairment is assessed when the undiscounted expected future cash flows derived from an asset are less than its carrying amount. If we determine that an asset is impaired, we measure the impairment to be recognized as the amount by which the recorded amount of the asset exceeds its fair value. We report assets to be disposed of at the lower of the recorded amount or fair value less cost to sell. We determine fair value using a discounted future cash flow analysis.

Derivative Financial Instruments

We use derivative financial instruments in the form of foreign currency forward exchange contracts to manage certain foreign currency risks. We enter into these contracts to hedge our exposure to foreign currency exchange rate variability in the expected future cash flows associated with certain third-party and intercompany transactions denominated in foreign currencies forecasted to occur within the next two years. We also use these contracts to hedge portions of our net investments in certain non-U.S. subsidiaries against the effect of exchange rate fluctuations on the translation of foreign currency balances to the U.S. dollar. Additionally, we use derivative financial instruments in the form of interest rate swap contracts to manage our borrowing costs of certain long-term debt. We designate and account for these derivative financial instruments as hedges under U.S. GAAP.

Furthermore, we use foreign currency forward exchange contracts that are not designated as hedges to offset transaction gains or losses associated with some of our assets and liabilities resulting from intercompany loans or other transactions with third parties that are denominated in currencies other than our entities' functional currencies. It is our policy to execute such instruments with global financial institutions that we believe to be creditworthy and not to enter into derivative financial instruments for speculative purposes. Foreign currency forward exchange contracts are usually denominated in currencies of major industrial countries.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

We record various financial instruments recorded at fair value. U.S. GAAP defines fair value as the price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (exit price) in an orderly transaction between market participants in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability. U.S. GAAP also classifies the inputs used to measure fair value into the following hierarchy:



Level 1:		Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2:		Quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, or inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability.

Level 3:		Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.

We hold financial instruments consisting of cash and short-term debt. The fair values of our cash and short-term debt approximate their carrying amounts as reported in our Consolidated Balance Sheet due to the short-term nature of these instruments.

We also hold financial instruments consisting of long-term debt, investments and derivatives. The valuation methodologies for these financial instruments are described in Notes 5, 8, 9, and 12 in the Financial Statements. The methods described in these Notes may produce a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of net realizable value or reflective of future fair values. Furthermore, while we believe our valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with other market participants, the use of different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair value of certain financial instruments could result in a different fair value measurement at the reporting date.

Foreign Currency Translation

We translate assets and liabilities of subsidiaries operating outside of the United States with a functional currency other than the U.S. dollar into U.S. dollars using exchange rates at the end of the respective period. We translate sales, costs and expenses at average exchange rates effective during the respective period. We report foreign currency translation adjustments as a component of other comprehensive income (loss). Currency transaction gains and losses are included in results of operations in the period incurred.

Research and Development Expenses

We expense research and development (R&D) costs as incurred; these costs were $371.8 million in 2018, $348.2 million in 2017 and $319.3 million in 2016. We include R&D expenses in cost of sales in the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

Income Taxes

We account for uncertain tax positions by determining whether it is more likely than not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination based on the technical merits of the position. For tax positions that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, we determine the amount of benefit to recognize in the consolidated financial statements based on our assertion of the most likely outcome resulting from an examination, including the resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes.

Earnings Per Share

We present basic and diluted earnings per share (EPS) amounts. Basic EPS is calculated by dividing earnings available to common shareowners, which is income excluding the allocation to participating securities, by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the year, excluding unvested restricted stock. Diluted EPS amounts are based upon the weighted average number of common and common-equivalent shares outstanding during the year. We use the treasury stock method to calculate the effect of outstanding share-based compensation awards, which requires us to compute total employee proceeds as the sum of the amount the employee must pay upon exercise of the award and the amount of unearned share-based compensation costs attributed to future services. Share-based compensation awards for which the total employee proceeds of the award exceed the average market price of the same award over the period have an antidilutive effect on EPS, and accordingly, we exclude them from the calculation. Antidilutive share-based compensation awards for the years ended September 30, 2018 (0.9 million shares), 2017 (0.7 million shares) and 2016 (2.2 million shares) were excluded from the diluted EPS calculation. U.S. GAAP requires unvested share-based payment awards that contain non-forfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents, whether paid or unpaid, to be treated as participating securities and included in the computation of earnings per share pursuant to the two-class method. Our participating securities are composed of unvested restricted stock and non-employee director restricted stock units.

Share-Based Compensation

We recognize share-based compensation expense for equity awards on a straight-line basis over the service period of the award based on the fair value of the award as of the grant date.

Product and Workers' Compensation Liabilities

Product and Workers’ Compensation Liabilities

We record accruals for product and workers’ compensation claims in the period in which they are probable and reasonably estimable. Our principal self-insurance programs include product liability and workers’ compensation where we self-insure up to a specified dollar amount. Claims exceeding this amount up to specified limits are covered by insurance policies purchased from commercial insurers. We estimate the liability for the majority of the self-insured claims using our claims experience for the periods being valued.

Environmental Matters and Conditional Asset Retirement Obligations

Environmental Matters

We record liabilities for environmental matters in the period in which our responsibility is probable and the costs can be reasonably estimated. We make changes to the liabilities in the periods in which the estimated costs of remediation change. At third-party environmental sites where more than one potentially responsible party has been identified, we record a liability for our estimated allocable share of costs related to our involvement with the site, as well as an estimated allocable share of costs related to the involvement of insolvent or unidentified parties. If we determine that recovery from insurers or other third parties is probable and a right of setoff exists, we record the liability net of the estimated recovery. If we determine that recovery from insurers or other third parties is probable but a right of setoff does not exist, we record a liability for the total estimated costs of remediation and a receivable for the estimated recovery. At environmental sites where we are the sole responsible party, we record a liability for the total estimated costs of remediation. Ongoing operating and maintenance expenditures included in our environmental remediation obligations are discounted to present value over the probable future remediation period. Our remaining environmental remediation obligations are undiscounted due to subjectivity of timing and/or amount of future cash payments.

Conditional Asset Retirement Obligations

We record liabilities for costs related to legal obligations associated with the retirement of a tangible, long-lived asset that results from the acquisition, construction, development or the normal operation of the long-lived asset. The obligation to perform the asset retirement activity is not conditional even though the timing or method may be conditional.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements and Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In March 2017, the FASB issued a new standard regarding the presentation of net periodic pension and postretirement benefit costs. This standard requires the service cost component to be reported in the income statement in the same line item as other compensation costs arising from services rendered by the related employees during the period. The other components of net periodic benefit cost are required to be presented separately from the service cost component in either a separate line item or within another appropriate line item with disclosure of where those costs are recorded. This standard also requires that only the service cost component is eligible for capitalization, when applicable. This standard is effective for us for reporting periods starting October 1, 2018 and will be applied retrospectively. The non-service components of net periodic pension and postretirement benefit cost, which are to be reclassified to other income (expense) in the Consolidated Statement of Operations upon adoption of the new standard, are expense of $23.8 million, $77.6 million and $67.8 million for the years ended September 30, 2018, 2017 and 2016, respectively.

In February 2016, the FASB issued a new standard on accounting for leases that requires lessees to recognize right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for most leases, among other changes to existing lease accounting guidance. The new standard also requires additional qualitative and quantitative disclosures about leasing activities. This standard is effective for us for reporting periods beginning October 1, 2019. We are currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this standard will have on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In May 2014, the FASB issued a new standard on revenue recognition related to contracts with customers. This standard supersedes nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance and involves a five-step principles-based approach to recognizing revenue. The underlying principle is to recognize revenue when promised goods or services are transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that is expected to be received for those goods or services. The new standard will also require additional qualitative and quantitative disclosures about contracts with customers, significant judgments made in applying the revenue-guidance, and assets recognized from the costs to obtain or fulfill a contract. We adopted the new revenue standard, using the modified retrospective transition method, which results in an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings as of October 1, 2018, our adoption date. The estimated cumulative impact of adopting the new standard is an increase in the opening balance sheet retained earnings of less than $10 million. The primary drivers of the impact were changes from the capitalization and deferral of certain contract costs and the timing of revenue, net of costs, for software licenses bundled with services and projects previously accounted for on a completed contract basis. These were partially offset by a deferral of revenue, net of costs, related to the allocation of revenue to hardware and software products and services provided to our customers free of charge as incentives. We do not expect the adoption will have a material impact to our consolidated financial statements, including the presentation of revenues in our Consolidated Statement of Operations.

Product Warranty Obligations

We record a liability for product warranty obligations at the time of sale to a customer based upon historical warranty experience. Most of our products are covered under a warranty period that runs for twelve months from either the date of sale or installation. We also record a liability for specific warranty matters when they become known and reasonably estimable.

Fair Value of Derivative Instruments

We recognize all derivative financial instruments as either assets or liabilities at fair value in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. We value our forward exchange contracts using a market approach. We use a valuation model based on inputs including forward and spot prices for currency and interest rate curves. We did not change our valuation techniques during fiscal 2018, 2017 or 2016. It is our policy to execute such instruments with major financial institutions that we believe to be creditworthy and not to enter into derivative financial instruments for speculative purposes. We diversify our foreign currency forward exchange contracts among counterparties to minimize exposure to any one of these entities. Our foreign currency forward exchange contracts are usually denominated in currencies of major industrial countries. The U.S. dollar-equivalent gross notional amount of our forward exchange contracts totaled $1,030.4 million at September 30, 2018. Currency pairs (buy/sell) comprising the most significant contract notional values were United States dollar (USD)/Euro, USD/Canadian dollar, USD/Singapore dollar, USD/Swiss franc, Euro/British pound and USD/Mexican peso. Refer to Note 1 for further information regarding levels in the fair value hierarchy.

We value interest rate swap contracts using a market approach based on observable market inputs including publicized swap curves.