BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Business, consolidation and presentation

We are a leading pure play payments technology company delivering innovative software and services to our customers globally. Our technologies, services and employee expertise enable us to provide a broad range of solutions that allow our customers to operate their businesses more efficiently across a variety of channels around the world. We operate in three reportable segments: Merchant Solutions, Issuer Solutions and Business and Consumer Solutions, which are described in "Note 11—Segment Information." Global Payments Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries are referred to herein collectively as "Global Payments," the "Company," "we," "our" or "us," unless the context requires otherwise.

These unaudited consolidated financial statements include our accounts and those of our majority-owned subsidiaries, and all intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. These unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP") for interim financial information pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2019 was derived from the audited financial statements included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 but does not include all disclosures required by GAAP for annual financial statements.

In the opinion of our management, all known adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the results of the interim periods have been made. These adjustments consist of normal recurring accruals and estimates that affect the carrying amount of assets and liabilities. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019.

Recent developments relating to the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic ("COVID-19")

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus a global pandemic. The pandemic is causing major disruptions to businesses and markets worldwide as the virus continues to spread. A number of countries as well as many states and cities within the United States have enacted temporary closures of businesses, issued quarantine or shelter-in-place orders and taken other restrictive measures in response to COVID-19.

Use of estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make certain estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported period. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. In particular, the magnitude, duration and effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are difficult to predict at this time, and the ultimate effect could result in additional charges related to the recoverability of assets, including financial assets, long-lived assets and goodwill and other losses. These unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect the financial statement effects of COVID-19 based upon management’s estimates and assumptions utilizing the most currently available information.

Recently adopted accounting pronouncements

Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2018-15— In August 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU 2018-15, "Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer's Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement that is a Service Contract (A Consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force)." ASU 2018-15 provides additional guidance on the accounting for costs of implementation activities performed in a cloud computing arrangement (i.e., hosting arrangement) that is a service contract. The new guidance amends the definition of a hosting arrangement and requires a customer in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract to capitalize certain implementation costs as if the arrangement was an internal-use software project.

We adopted ASU 2018-15 on January 1, 2020, applying the guidance prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. The adoption of this standard did not have a material effect on our consolidated financial statements. We have historically capitalized implementation costs associated with cloud computing arrangements that are service contracts following the guidance in Subtopic 350-40 and will continue to do so pursuant to the clarifications provided in the new guidance. We amortize deferred implementation costs to expense on a straight-line basis over the term of the applicable hosting arrangement.

ASU 2016-13— We adopted ASU 2016-13, "Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments" on January 1, 2020 using the modified retrospective transition method. The adoption of this standard resulted in a cumulative-effect adjustment to decrease retained earnings by $5.4 million, net of tax. The amendments in this update changed how we measure and recognize credit impairment for certain financial instruments measured at amortized cost. Under the current expected credit losses ("CECL") model, we recognize an estimate of credit losses expected to occur over the remaining life of each pool of financial assets with similar risk characteristics.

We have exposure to credit losses for financial assets such as accounts receivable, certain settlement processing assets, check guarantee claims receivable assets and advances to sales representatives. We utilize a combination of aging or loss-rate methods to develop an estimate of current expected credit losses, depending on the nature and risk profile of the underlying asset pool. A broad range of information is considered in the estimation process, including historical loss information adjusted for current conditions and expectations of future trends. The estimation process also includes consideration of qualitative and quantitative risk factors associated with the age of asset balances, expected timing of payment, contract terms and conditions, changes in specific customer risk profiles or mix of customers, geographic risk, industry or economic trends and relevant environmental factors.

As of March 31, 2020, the total allowance for credit losses was approximately $29.3 million. Financial assets are presented net of the allowance for credit losses in the consolidated balance sheets. The measurement of the allowance for credit losses is recognized through credit loss expense. Depending on the nature of the underlying asset, credit loss expense is included as a component of cost of service or selling, general and administrative expense in the consolidated statements of income. Write-offs are recorded in the period in which the asset is deemed uncollectible. Recoveries are recorded when received as a direct credit to the credit loss expense in the consolidated statements of income. Prior to the adoption of ASU 2016-13, credit losses on these financial instruments were recognized when an occurrence was deemed to be probable.

Recently issued pronouncements not yet adopted

ASU 2019-12—In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, "Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes," which is intended to enhance and simplify various aspects of the accounting for income taxes. The amendments in this update remove certain exceptions to the general principles in Topic 740 related to the approach for intraperiod tax allocation, the methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. ASU 2019-12 also clarifies and amends existing guidance to improve consistent application of the accounting for franchise taxes, enacted changes in tax laws or rates and transactions that result in a step-up in the tax basis of goodwill. ASU 2019-12 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted in any interim period. We are evaluating the effect of ASU 2019-12 on our consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2020-04—In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, "Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848)," which provides optional expedients and exceptions to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. The amendments in this update apply only to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions that reference London Inter-bank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") or another reference rate expected to be discontinued because of reference rate reform. The expedients and exceptions provided by the amendments do not apply to contract modifications made and hedging relationships entered into or evaluated after December 31, 2022, except for hedging relationships existing as of December 31, 2022 for which an entity has elected certain optional expedients and are retained through the end of the hedging relationship. The amendments in this update also include a general principle that permits an entity to consider contract modifications due to reference rate reform to be an event that does not require contract remeasurement at the modification date or reassessment of a previous accounting determination. If elected, the optional expedients for contract modifications must be applied consistently for all eligible contracts or eligible transactions within the relevant Topic or Industry Subtopic within the Codification that contains the guidance that otherwise would be required to be applied. The amendments in this update can be adopted anytime beginning March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022. We are evaluating the effect of ASU 2020-04 on our consolidated financial statements.