New Authoritative Accounting Guidance

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]

New Authoritative Accounting Guidance

NEW AUTHORITATIVE ACCOUNTING GUIDANCE

FASB ASU 2014-09, "Revenue from Contracts with Customers" In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers.” The objective of ASU 2014-09 is to establish a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and will supersede most of the existing revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The core principle of ASU 2014-09 is that an entity recognizes 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 or services. In applying the new guidance, an entity will (1) identify the contract(s) with a customer; (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (3) determine the transaction price; (4) allocate the transaction price to the contract’s performance obligations; and (5) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. ASU 2014-09 applies to all contracts with customers except those that are within the scope of other topics in the FASB Accounting Standards Codification. The new guidance was originally effective for annual reporting periods (including interim periods within those periods) beginning after December 15, 2016 for public companies. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14, which defers the effective date of this guidance to annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017 for public companies, and permits early adoption on a limited basis. Entities have the option of using either a full retrospective or modified approach to adopt ASU 2014-09. The Company is currently evaluating the new guidance and has not determined the impact this standard may have on its financial statements, nor decided upon the method of adoption.

FASB ASU 2014-11, "Transfers and Servicing (Topic 860): Repurchase-to-Maturity Transactions, Repurchase Financings, and Disclosures" In June 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-11, "Transfers and Servicing (Topic 860): Repurchase-to-Maturity Transactions, Repurchase Financings, and Disclosures." The objective of ASU 2014-11 is to amend the accounting for certain secured financing transactions, and requires enhanced disclosures with respect to transactions recognized as sales in which exposure to the derecognized asset is retained through a separate agreement with the counterparty. In addition, the guidance requires enhanced disclosures with respect to the types and quality of financial assets pledged in secured financing transactions. The guidance became effective in the first quarter of 2015, except for the disclosures regarding the types and quality of financial assets pledged, which became effective in the second quarter of 2015. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated balance sheets or statements of operations.

FASB ASU 2015-02, "Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis" In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-02, "Consolidation (Topic 810): Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis," which changes the guidance with respect to the analysis that a reporting entity must perform to determine whether it should consolidate certain types of legal entities. All legal entities are subject to reevaluation under the revised consolidation model. The new guidance affects the following areas: (1) limited partnerships and similar legal entities, (2) evaluating fees paid to a decision maker or a service provider as a variable interest, (3) the effect of fee arrangements on the primary beneficiary determination, (4) the effect of related parties on the primary beneficiary determination, and (5) certain investment funds. This standard became effective in the first quarter of 2016. Early adoption is permitted. The adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated balance sheets or statements of operations.

FASB ASU 2015-03, "Interest-Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): FASB Accounting Standards Codification-Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs" In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-03, "Interest-Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): FASB Accounting Standards Codification-Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs." ASU 2015-03 requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. The objective is to reduce cost and complexity in accounting standards while maintaining the usefulness of information being provided to users of financial statements. The guidance became effective in the first quarter of 2016 and requires the Company to apply the new guidance on a retrospective basis upon adoption. Early adoption is permitted for financial statements that have not been previously issued. The adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated balance sheets.

FASB ASU 2016-01 "Financial Instruments-Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities" In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, "Financial Instruments-Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities." ASU 2016-01 requires equity investments to be measured at fair value through earnings, and eliminates the available-for-sale classification for equity securities with readily determinable fair values. For financial liabilities where the fair value option has been elected, changes in fair value due to instrument-specific credit risk must be recognized in other comprehensive income. When measuring the fair value of financial instruments at amortized cost, the exit price must be used for disclosure purposes. The ASU also requires that financial assets and liabilities be presented separately in the notes to the financial statements. This ASU becomes effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2018. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the new guidance and has not determined the impact this standard may have on its financial statements, nor decided upon the method of adoption.