Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, including disclosure of contingencies, at the date of the financial statements and reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Lease Accounting

Beginning in February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued several Accounting Standards Updates (“ASU”) which established Topic 842, Leases (the “standard”). This standard includes a lessee accounting model that recognizes two types of leases: finance and operating. This standard requires that a lessee recognize on the balance sheet assets and liabilities for all leases with lease terms of more than twelve months. Lessees will need to recognize almost all leases on the balance sheet as a right-of-use asset and a lease liability. For income statement purposes, the FASB retained the dual model, requiring leases to be classified as either operating or finance. The recognition, measurement, and presentation of expenses and cash flows arising from a lease by a lessee will depend on its classification as finance or operating lease. For short-term leases of twelve months or less, lessees are permitted to make an accounting election by class of underlying asset not to recognize right-of-use assets or lease liabilities. If the alternative is elected, lease expense would be recognized generally on the straight-line basis over the respective lease term.

The amendments in the standard will take effect for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Earlier application is permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. There are two transition approaches available under the standard: a modified retrospective approach for leases that exist, or are entered into, after the beginning of the earliest comparative period in the financial statements or a cumulative-effect approach with an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption.

Upon adoption, the Company will recognize significant assets and liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets as a result of the operating lease obligations of the Company. Operating lease expense will still be recognized as rent expense on a straight-line basis over the respective lease terms in the consolidated statements of operations.

The Company will implement the new standard beginning January 1, 2019, using the cumulative-effect approach, without adjusting the comparative periods. The Company has completed its inventory of leases and has begun to implement a new technology platform to account for leases under the new standard. The Company has substantially completed validating its lease data to ensure it is complete and accurate. The Company’s remaining implementation efforts are focused on designing accounting processes, disclosure processes, and internal controls in order to account for its leases under the new standard.

Cloud Computing Arrangements

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other-Internal-Use Software which aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. This guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impacts that adoption of this ASU will have on its consolidated financial statements.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Revenue from Contracts with Customers

Beginning in May 2014, the FASB issued several ASUs which established Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (the “revenue recognition standard”). This revenue recognition standard supersedes existing revenue recognition requirements and seeks to eliminate most industry-specific guidance under current GAAP. The core principle of the new guidance is that an entity should recognize 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.

The Company adopted the new revenue recognition standard on January 1, 2018, using the full retrospective transition method. Adoption of the revenue recognition standard impacted the Company’s reported results as follows:



	Three Months Ended September 30, 2017
	As Reported		As Adjusted⁽¹⁾		Adoption Impact
	(in thousands)
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	$	1,097,166	$	1,077,014	$	(20,152	)
Bad debt expense	20,321		169		(20,152		)



	Nine Months Ended September 30, 2017
	As Reported			As Adjusted⁽¹⁾			Adoption Impact
	(in thousands)
Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations
Net operating revenues	$	3,329,202		$	3,270,996		$	(58,206	)
Bad debt expense	59,120			914			(58,206		)

Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
Provision for bad debts	$	59,120		$	914		$	(58,206	)
Changes in accounts receivable	(201,514		)	(143,308		)	58,206

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(1) Bad debt expense is now included in cost of services on the condensed consolidated statements of operations.



	December 31, 2017
	As Reported		As Adjusted		Adoption Impact
	(in thousands)
Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets
Accounts receivable	$	767,276	$	691,732	$	(75,544	)
Allowance for doubtful accounts	75,544		—		(75,544		)
Accounts receivable	$	691,732	$	691,732	$	—

The Company has presented the applicable disclosures about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers in Note 7.

Income Taxes

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740), and Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory. Previous GAAP prohibited the recognition of current and deferred income taxes for an intra-entity asset transfer until the asset has been sold to an outside party. The ASU requires an entity to recognize the income tax consequences of an intra‑entity transfer of an asset other than inventory when the transfer occurs. The Company adopted the guidance effective January 1, 2018. Adoption of the guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.