Business

“MetLife” and the “Company” refer to MetLife, Inc., a Delaware corporation incorporated in 1999, its subsidiaries and affiliates. MetLife is one of the world’s leading financial services companies, providing insurance, annuities, employee benefits and asset management. MetLife is organized into five segments: U.S.; Asia; Latin America; Europe, the Middle East and Africa (“EMEA”); and MetLife Holdings.

Basis of Presentation

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to adopt accounting policies and make estimates and assumptions that affect amounts reported on the interim condensed consolidated financial statements. In applying these policies and estimates, management makes subjective and complex judgments that frequently require assumptions about matters that are inherently uncertain. Many of these policies, estimates and related judgments are common in the insurance and financial services industries; others are specific to the Company’s business and operations. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

The accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and reflect all adjustments (including normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods presented in conformity with GAAP. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of full year performance. The December 31, 2017 consolidated balance sheet data was derived from audited consolidated financial statements included in MetLife, Inc.’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017 (the “2017 Annual Report”), which include all disclosures required by GAAP. Therefore, these interim condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements of the Company included in the 2017 Annual Report.

Consolidation

The accompanying interim condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of MetLife, Inc. and its subsidiaries, as well as partnerships and joint ventures in which the Company has control, and variable interest entities (“VIEs”) for which the Company is the primary beneficiary. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

The Company uses the equity method of accounting for equity securities when it has significant influence or at least 20% interest and for real estate joint ventures and other limited partnership interests (“investees”) when it has more than a minor ownership interest or more than a minor influence over the investee’s operations. The Company generally recognizes its share of the investee’s earnings on a three-month lag in instances where the investee’s financial information is not sufficiently timely or when the investee’s reporting period differs from the Company’s reporting period. Subsequent to the adoption of guidance relating to the recognition and measurement of financial instruments on January 1, 2018, the Company accounts for interests in unconsolidated entities that are not accounted for under the equity method, at estimated fair value. Such investments were previously accounted for under the cost method of accounting. See “— Adoption of New Accounting Pronouncements.”

Discontinued Operations

The results of operations of a component of the Company that has either been disposed of or is classified as held-for-sale are reported in discontinued operations if certain criteria are met. A disposal of a component is reported in discontinued operations if the disposal represents a strategic shift that has or will have a major effect on the Company’s operations and financial results.

On August 4, 2017, MetLife, Inc. completed the separation of Brighthouse Financial, Inc. and its subsidiaries (“Brighthouse”) through a distribution of 96,776,670 shares of Brighthouse Financial, Inc. common stock to the MetLife, Inc. common shareholders (the “Separation”). The results of Brighthouse are reflected in MetLife, Inc.’s interim condensed consolidated financial statements as discontinued operations and, therefore, are presented as income (loss) from discontinued operations on the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss). Intercompany transactions between the Company and Brighthouse prior to the Separation have been eliminated. Transactions between the Company and Brighthouse after the Separation are reflected in continuing operations for the Company. See Note 3 for information on discontinued operations and transactions with Brighthouse.

Reclassifications

Certain amounts in the prior year periods’ interim condensed consolidated financial statements and related footnotes thereto have been reclassified to conform to the 2018 presentation as discussed throughout the Notes to the Interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Adoption of New Accounting Pronouncements

Effective January 1, 2018, the Company early adopted guidance relating to income taxes. The new guidance was applied in the period of adoption. Current GAAP guidance requires that the effect of a change in tax laws or rates on deferred tax liabilities or assets to be included in income from continuing operations in the reporting period that includes the enactment date, even if the related income tax effects were originally charged or credited directly to accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”). The Company’s accounting policy for the release of stranded tax effects in AOCI is on an aggregate portfolio basis. The new guidance allows a reclassification of AOCI to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (“U.S. Tax Reform”). Due to U.S. Tax Reform and the change in corporate tax rates, at December 22, 2017, the Company reported stranded tax effects in AOCI related to unrealized gains and losses on available-for-sale (“AFS”) securities, cumulative foreign translation adjustments and deferred costs on pension benefit plans. With the adoption of the guidance, the Company released these stranded tax effects in AOCI resulting in a decrease to retained earnings as of January 1, 2018 of $1.2 billion with a corresponding increase to AOCI.

Effective January 1, 2018, the Company prospectively adopted guidance relating to stock compensation. The new guidance includes guidance on determining which changes to the terms and conditions of share-based payment awards require an entity to apply modification accounting under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation. The adoption of the guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Effective January 1, 2018 the Company retrospectively adopted guidance on the presentation of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost. The new guidance requires that an employer that offers to its employees defined benefit pension or other postretirement benefit plans report the service cost component in the same line item or items as other compensation costs. The other components of net periodic benefit cost are required to be presented in the income statement separately from the service cost component and outside a subtotal of income from operations, if one is presented. If a separate line item is not used, the line item used in the income statement to present the other components of net periodic benefit cost must be disclosed. In addition, the guidance allows only the service cost component to be eligible for capitalization when applicable. The adoption of the guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Effective January 1, 2018, the Company adopted, using a modified retrospective approach, guidance relating to de-recognition of nonfinancial assets. The new guidance clarifies the scope and accounting of a financial asset that meets the definition of an “in-substance nonfinancial asset” and defines the term, “in-substance nonfinancial asset.” The new guidance also adds guidance for partial sales of nonfinancial assets. The adoption of the guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Effective January 1, 2018, the Company retrospectively adopted guidance relating to restricted cash. The new guidance requires that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. As a result, the new guidance requires that amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. The new guidance does not provide a definition of restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. The adoption of the guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Effective January 1, 2018, the Company adopted, using a modified retrospective approach, guidance relating to tax accounting for intra-entity transfers of assets. Prior guidance 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 new guidance 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 adoption of the guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Effective January 1, 2018, the Company retrospectively adopted guidance relating to cash flow statement presentation. The new guidance addresses diversity in how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. The adoption of the guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Effective January 1, 2018, the Company adopted, using a modified retrospective approach, guidance relating to recognition and measurement of financial instruments. The guidance changes the current accounting guidance related to (i) the classification and measurement of certain equity investments, (ii) the presentation of changes in the fair value of financial liabilities measured under the fair value option (“FVO”) that are due to instrument-specific credit risk, and (iii) certain disclosures associated with the fair value of financial instruments. Effective January 1, 2018, there will no longer be a requirement to assess equity securities for impairment since such securities will be measured at fair value through net income. Additionally, there will no longer be a requirement to assess equity securities for embedded derivatives requiring bifurcation. The adoption of this guidance resulted in a $328 million, net of income tax, increase to retained earnings largely offset by a decrease to AOCI that was primarily attributable to $1.7 billion of equity securities previously classified and measured as equity securities AFS. At December 31, 2017, equity securities of $16.0 billion primarily associated with contractholder-directed investments are accounted for using the FVO and therefore were unaffected by the new guidance. The Company has included the required disclosures related to equity securities within Note 6.

Effective January 1, 2018, the Company adopted, using a modified retrospective approach, guidance relating to revenue recognition. The new guidance supersedes nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance under U.S. GAAP. However, it does not impact the accounting for insurance and investment contracts within the scope of ASC Topic 944, Financial Services - Insurance, leases, financial instruments and certain guarantees. For those contracts that are impacted, the new guidance requires an entity to recognize revenue upon 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 adoption of the guidance did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

For the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2018, the Company identified $329 million and $979 million, respectively, of revenue streams within the scope of the guidance that are all included within other revenues on the interim condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss). Such amounts primarily consisted of: (i) prepaid legal plans and administrative-only contracts within the U.S. segment of $127 million and $382 million for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively, (ii) distribution and administrative services fees within the MetLife Holdings segment of $56 million and $170 million for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively, and (iii) fee-based investment management services within Corporate & Other of $74 million and $219 million for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively.

Substantially all of the revenue from these services is recognized over time as the applicable services are provided or are made available to the customers and control is transferred continuously. The consideration received for these services is variable and constrained to the amount not probable of a significant revenue reversal.

Other

Effective January 16, 2018, the London Clearing House (“LCH”) amended its rulebook, resulting in the characterization of variation margin transfers as settlement payments, as opposed to adjustments to collateral. These amendments impacted the accounting treatment of the Company’s centrally cleared derivatives, for which the LCH serves as the central clearing party. As of the effective date, the application of the amended rulebook reduced gross derivative assets by $369 million, gross derivative liabilities by $203 million, accrued investment income by $14 million, collateral receivables recorded within premiums, reinsurance and other receivables by $184 million, and collateral payables recorded within payables for collateral under securities loaned and other transactions by $365 million. The application of the amended rulebook increased accrued investment expense recorded within other liabilities by $1 million.

Future Adoption of New Accounting Pronouncements

In October 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued new guidance on consolidation (Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2018-17, Consolidation (Topic 810): Targeted Improvements to Related Party Guidance for Variable Interest Entities). The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those fiscal years and should be applied retrospectively with a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings at the beginning of the earliest period presented. Early adoption is permitted. The new guidance provides that indirect interests held through related parties in common control arrangements should be considered on a proportional basis for determining whether fees paid to decisionmakers and service providers are variable interests. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

In October 2018, the FASB issued new guidance regarding derivatives (ASU 2018-16, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Inclusion of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) Overnight Index Swap (OIS) Rate as a Benchmark Interest Rate for Hedge Accounting Purposes). The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 and interim periods within those fiscal years and should be applied prospectively for qualifying new or redesignated hedging relationships entered into after January 1, 2019. The amendments permit the use of the overnight index swap rate based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate to be used as a U.S. benchmark interest rate for hedge accounting purposes under Topic 815. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued new guidance on implementation costs in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract (ASU 2018-15, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software: Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract). The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The new guidance can be applied either prospectively to eligible costs incurred on or after the guidance is first applied, or retrospectively to all periods presented. The new guidance requires a customer in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract to follow the internal-use software guidance to determine which implementation costs to capitalize as assets. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued new guidance on defined benefit pension or other postretirement plans (ASU 2018-14, Compensation—Retirement Benefits—Defined Benefit Plans—General (Subtopic 715-20): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans). The new guidance is effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted. The new guidance should be applied on a retrospective basis to all periods presented. The new guidance modifies and clarifies certain disclosure requirements. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued new guidance on fair value measurement (ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement). The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The guidance modifies the disclosure requirements on fair value by removing some requirements, modifying others, adding changes in unrealized gains and losses included in other comprehensive income (loss) (“OCI”) for recurring Level 3 fair value measurements, and providing the option to disclose certain other quantitative information with respect to significant unobservable inputs in lieu of a weighted average. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued new guidance on long-duration insurance contracts (ASU 2018-12, Financial Services—Insurance (Topic 944): Targeted Improvements to the Accounting for Long-Duration Contracts). The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020 and interim periods within those fiscal years, with required retrospective application to January 1, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. The new guidance (i) prescribes the discount rate to be used in measuring the liability for future policy benefits for traditional and limited payment long-duration contracts, and requires assumptions for those liability valuations to be updated after contract inception, (ii) requires more market-based product guarantees on certain separate account and other account balance long-duration contracts to be accounted for at fair value, (iii) simplifies the amortization of deferred policy acquisition costs (“DAC”) for virtually all long-duration contracts, and (iv) introduces certain financial statement presentation requirements, as well as significant additional quantitative and qualitative disclosures. The Company has just begun its implementation efforts and is currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance. Given the nature and extent of the required changes to a significant portion of the Company’s operations, the adoption of this standard is expected to have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In August 2017, the FASB issued new guidance on hedging activities (ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities). The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 and interim periods within those fiscal years and should be applied on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings. Early adoption is permitted. The new guidance simplifies the application of hedge accounting in certain situations and amends the hedge accounting model to enable entities to better portray the economics of their risk management activities in their financial statements. Upon the adoption of ASU 2017-12, the Company will make certain changes to its assessment of hedge effectiveness for fair value hedging relationships, and the Company will also reclassify hedge ineffectiveness for cash flow hedging relationships existing as of the adoption date, which was previously recorded to earnings, to AOCI. The estimated impact of adoption is a decrease to retained earnings of approximately $100 million to $250 million.

In March 2017, the FASB issued new guidance on purchased callable debt securities (ASU 2017-08, Receivables—Nonrefundable Fees and Other Costs (Subtopic 310-20), Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities). The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 and interim periods within those fiscal years and should be applied on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings. Early adoption is permitted. The ASU shortens the amortization period for certain callable debt securities held at a premium and requires the premium to be amortized to the earliest call date. However, the new guidance does not require an accounting change for securities held at a discount whose discount continues to be amortized to maturity. The Company does not expect the adoption to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In January 2017, the FASB issued new guidance on goodwill impairment (ASU 2017-04, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment). The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those fiscal years, and should be applied on a prospective basis. Early adoption is permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017. The new guidance simplifies the current two-step goodwill impairment test by eliminating Step 2 of the test. See Note 11 of the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in the 2017 Annual Report for a description of the two-step test. The new guidance requires a one-step impairment test in which an entity compares the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount and recognizes an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value, if any. The Company expects the adoption of this new guidance will reduce the complexity involved with the evaluation of goodwill for impairment. The impact of the new guidance will depend on the outcomes of future goodwill impairment tests.

In June 2016, the FASB issued new guidance on measurement of credit losses on financial instruments (ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments). The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. For substantially all financial assets, the ASU should be applied on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings. For previously impaired debt securities and certain debt securities acquired with evidence of credit quality deterioration since origination, the new guidance should be applied prospectively. Early adoption is permitted for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. This ASU replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology with one that reflects expected credit losses. The measurement of expected credit losses should be based on historical loss information, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. The new guidance requires that an other-than-temporary impairment (“OTTI”) on a debt security will be recognized as an allowance going forward, such that improvements in expected future cash flows after an impairment will no longer be reflected as a prospective yield adjustment through net investment income, but rather a reversal of the previous impairment and recognized through realized investment gains and losses. The guidance also requires enhanced disclosures. The Company has assessed the asset classes impacted by the new guidance and is currently assessing the accounting and reporting system changes that will be required to comply with the new guidance. The Company believes that the most significant impact upon adoption will be to its mortgage loan investments. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued new guidance on leasing transactions (ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842)). The new guidance is effective for the fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The new guidance requires a lessee to recognize assets and liabilities for leases with lease terms of more than 12 months. Leases would be classified as finance or operating leases and both types of leases will be recognized on the balance sheet. Lessor accounting will remain largely unchanged from current guidance except for certain targeted changes. The new guidance will also require new qualitative and quantitative disclosures. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-10, Codification Improvements to Topic 842, Leases, amending certain aspects of the new leases standard. Also in July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements, which provides lessors with a practical expedient not to separate lease and non-lease components for certain operating leases and with an additional transition method.

The Company will adopt the new guidance under ASU 2016-02 and related amendments on January 1, 2019 and expects to elect certain practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance. In addition, the Company expects to elect the transition option, which allows the Company to use the modified retrospective transition method and recognize a cumulative effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption but does not require restatement of prior periods. The Company has developed an integrated implementation plan and formed a multi-functional working group with a project governance structure to address any resource, system, data and process gaps related to the implementation of the new standard. The Company is currently in the process of integrating a lease accounting technology solution and developing updated reporting processes and internal controls to facilitate compliance with the new guidance.

While the Company is in the process of evaluating the impact of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements, the Company believes the most significant changes relate to (i) the recognition of new right of use assets and lease liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet for real estate operating leases; and (ii) the recognition of deferred gains associated with previous sale-leaseback transactions as a cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings. On adoption, the Company expects to recognize additional operating liabilities, with corresponding right of use assets of the same amount adjusted for prepaid/deferred rent, unamortized initial direct costs and potential impairment of right of use assets based on the present value of the remaining minimum rental payments. These assets and liabilities are expected to represent less than 1% of the Company’s total assets and total liabilities, and the Company does not expect the adoption to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.