Recent Accounting Pronouncements (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

Accounting Changes and Error Corrections [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with GAAP for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10–Q and Rule 10–01 of Regulation S–X. Accordingly, they do not include all information and notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements that are included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10–K for the year ended December 31, 2017, filed with the SEC on March 1, 2018. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, including normal recurring accruals, considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 are not necessarily indicative of the results for any future periods or the year ending December 31, 2018.

The Company rounds amounts in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements to thousands and calculates all per-share data from underlying whole-dollar amounts. Thus, certain amounts may not foot, crossfoot or recalculate based on reported numbers due to rounding.

New Accounting Standards

Standard	Description	Date/Method of Adoption	Effect on financial statements or other significant matters
Adopted During the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2018
ASU 2014–09	This standard supersedes most existing revenue recognition guidance under GAAP. The new revenue recognition standard requires entities to recognize revenue for 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 addition, the standard requires disclosure of the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers.	The Company adopted this standard on January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective approach to those contracts that were not completed as of January 1, 2018. Adoption resulted in a cumulative adjustment to retained earnings as of the effective date, without restatement of prior period amounts.	The Company’s revenue from discount and interchange, transaction processing and certain fees is within the scope of Topic 606. FASB and its Transition Resource Group have issued clarifications on various aspects of ASU 2014–09. There were three primary impacts to the Company resulting from the adoption of Topic 606, which are described below. Certain amounts paid to partners in our Fleet Solutions and Travel and Corporate Solutions segments have been determined to fall under the “cost to obtain a contract” guidance. As a result, these amounts, which were previously presented as a reduction of revenues, are now reflected within sales and marketing on our unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income. This change increased both reported revenues and expenses for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018 by approximately $13.8 million and $44.9 million, respectively. Network fees paid by all three of our segments, but primarily by our Travel and Corporate Solutions segment, are now presented as a reduction of revenues in our unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income. Prior to January 1, 2018, these amounts were included within service fees. This change reduced both reported revenues and expenses by approximately $3.4 million and $13.5 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018, respectively. Certain costs to obtain a contract, such as sales commissions, are to be capitalized and amortized over the life of the customer relationship, with a practical expedient available for contracts under one year in duration. The vast majority of the Company’s commissions will continue to be expensed as incurred. This change resulted in an immaterial impact to operating income for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2018. As of January 1, 2018, we recorded $0.6 million cumulative-effect adjustment, net of the associated tax effect, related to the deferral of capitalizable costs to obtain a contract within our Health and Employee Benefit Solutions segment. These commissions are amortized to sales and marketing expense over a useful life that considers the contract term, our commission policy, renewal experience and the transfer of services to which the asset relates.
ASU 2017–07	This standard changes the presentation of net benefit pension costs by requiring the disaggregation of certain of its components. Under the guidance, companies are required to present the service cost component in the same income statement line item(s) as other employee compensation costs arising from services rendered during the period. The other components of net benefit cost will be presented in the income statement separately from the service cost component and outside the subtotal of operating income, if one is presented. Additionally, only the service cost component will be eligible for capitalization under the new guidance.	The Company adopted ASU 2017–07 effective January 1, 2018.	The adoption did not have a material impact on our results of operations, cash flows or consolidated financial position.

ASU 2016–18	This standard clarifies the classification and presentation of restricted cash in the statement of cash flows. Upon adoption, the statement of cash flows must explain the change during the period in the total of cash and cash equivalents and amounts described as restricted cash or cash equivalents.	The Company retrospectively adopted ASU 2016–18 effective January 1, 2018.	This retrospective adoption resulted in including restricted cash in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash when reconciling the beginning of year and end of year amounts presented on the unaudited condensed consolidated statements of cash flows. A reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash as reported within our unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets is included within our unaudited condensed consolidated statements of cash flows.
ASU 2016–01	This standard requires equity investments, except those accounted for under the equity method of accounting, or those that result in consolidation of the investee, to be measured at fair value with changes in fair value recognized in net income.	The Company adopted ASU 2016–01 effective January 1, 2018.	Changes in the fair value of investment securities are now reflected as non-operating income within our unaudited condensed consolidated statements of income. The adoption did not have a material impact on our results of operations, balance sheet or cash flows.
Not Yet Adopted as of September 30, 2018
ASU 2016–02	This standard increases transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. Certain qualitative and quantitative disclosures are required.	The Company plans to adopt ASU 2016–02 effective January 1, 2019  using the modified retrospective method provided under ASU 2018–11 Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements.	The Company has established an ASU 2016–02 committee whose primary objectives include implementing a new software solution, reviewing and summarizing lease contracts, establishing completeness over the lease population, determining which practical expedients, if any, we will utilize to facilitate compliance and updating the Company’s accounting policies and procedures. The Company expects to recognize right-of-use assets and corresponding lease liabilities on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet following the adoption of ASU 2016–02, but the Company is not able to quantify the impact of adoption at this time. The Company is also evaluating the impact the standard will have on its consolidated statement of operations, consolidated statement of cash flows and related disclosures
ASU 2016–13	This standard requires financial assets measured at amortized cost basis to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. The measurement of expected credit losses will be based on historical experience, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts that impact the collectability of the reported amount.	The standard is effective January 1, 2020.	The Company is evaluating the impact the standard will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.
ASU 2018–15	This standard clarifies the accounting for capitalizing implementation costs in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract. The standard provides that implementation costs be treated using the same criteria used for internal-use software development costs, with amortization expense being recorded in the same income statement expense line as the hosted service costs and over the expected term of the hosting arrangement.	The standard is effective January 1, 2020.	The Company is evaluating the impact the standard will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

Receivables

In general, the Company’s trade receivables provide for payment terms of 30 days or less. Receivables not paid within the terms of the agreement are generally subject to late fees based upon the outstanding receivable balance.

The Company extends revolving credit to certain small fleets. These accounts are also subject to late fees, and balances that are not paid in full are subject to interest charges based on the revolving balance.

Earnings per Share

Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income attributable to shareholders by the weighted average number of shares of common stock and vested deferred stock units outstanding during the year. The computation of diluted earnings per share is similar to the computation of basic earnings per share, except that the denominator is increased for the assumed exercise of dilutive options, the assumed issuance of unvested restricted stock units and deferred stock units, and unvested performance-based awards for which the performance condition has been met as of the date of determination using the treasury stock method unless the effect is anti-dilutive. The treasury stock method assumes that proceeds, including cash received from the exercise of employee stock options and the average unrecognized compensation expense for unvested share-based compensation awards, would be used to purchase the Company’s common stock at the average market price during the period.

Derivative Instruments

The Company is exposed to certain market risks relating to its ongoing business operations. From time to time, the Company enters into derivative instrument arrangements to manage various risks including interest rate risk, foreign exchange risk and commodity price risk.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The fair value of the Notes is based on market rates for the issuance of our debt and is classified as Level 2 in the fair value hierarchy.

The Company holds mortgage-backed securities, fixed-income securities, derivatives (see Note 7, Derivative Instruments) and certain other financial instruments that are carried at fair value. The Company determines fair value based upon quoted prices when available or through the use of alternative approaches, such as model pricing, when market quotes are not readily accessible or available. Various factors are considered in determining the fair value of the Company’s obligations, including: closing exchange or over-the-counter market price quotations; time value and volatility factors underlying options and derivatives; price activity for equivalent instruments; and the Company’s own credit standing.

These valuation techniques may be based upon observable and unobservable inputs. Observable inputs reflect market data obtained from independent sources, while unobservable inputs reflect the Company’s market assumptions. These two types of inputs create the following fair value hierarchy:

• Level 1 – Quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets.

• Level 2 – Quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations whose inputs are observable or whose significant value drivers are observable.

• Level 3 – Instruments whose significant value drivers are unobservable.

Assets and liabilities measured at fair value are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Our assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment and considers factors specific to the asset or liability.

2016 Credit Agreement

The Company determines the fair value of the amount outstanding under its 2016 Credit Agreement based on the market rates for the issuance of the Company’s debt, which are Level 2 inputs in the fair value hierarchy.

Investment Securities

When available, the Company uses quoted market prices to determine the fair value of investment securities; such inputs are classified as Level 1 of the fair-value hierarchy. These securities primarily consist of an open-ended mutual fund, which is invested in fixed-income securities and is held in order to satisfy the regulatory requirements of WEX Bank. For mortgage-backed and asset-backed debt securities and municipal bonds, the Company generally uses quoted prices for recent trading activity of assets with similar characteristics to the debt security or bond being valued. The securities and bonds priced using such methods are generally valued using Level 2 inputs.

Executive Deferred Compensation Plan Trust

The investments held in the executive deferred compensation plan trust are classified as Level 1 in the fair value hierarchy because the fair value is determined using quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets.

Interest Rate Swaps

The Company determines the fair value of its interest rate swaps based on the discounted cash flows of the difference between the projected fixed payments on the swaps and the implied floating payments using the current LIBOR curve, which are Level 2 inputs of the fair value hierarchy.

Segment Information

Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate financial information is available and is evaluated regularly by the chief operating decision maker (“CODM”) in deciding how to allocate resources and assess performance. The Company’s CODM is its Chief Executive Officer. The operating segments are aggregated into the three reportable segments described below.

• Fleet Solutions provides customers with payment and transaction processing services specifically designed for the needs of commercial and government fleets. This segment also provides information management services to these fleet customers.

• Travel and Corporate Solutions focuses on the complex payment environment of business-to-business payments, providing customers with payment processing solutions for their corporate payment and transaction monitoring needs.

• Health and Employee Benefit Solutions provides healthcare payment products and SaaS consumer directed platforms, as well as payroll related benefits to customers.