Recent accounting pronouncements

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]

Recent Accounting Pronouncements [Text Block]

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which amends Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation. This ASU simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment award transactions, including (i) income tax consequences, (ii) classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, (iii) whether or not to estimate forfeitures or account for them when they occur and (iv) classification on the statement of cash flows. The standard is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 31, 2016. Early adoption will be permitted with any adjustments reflected as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. The Company is evaluating the impact of this standard on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases, which amends ASC Topic 840, Leases, and is intended to increase the transparency and comparability of accounting for lease transactions. This ASU requires most leases to be recognized on the balance sheet. Lessees will need to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for virtually all leases. The liability will be equal to the present value of lease payments. The asset will be based on the liability, subject to adjustment, such as for initial direct costs. For income statement purposes, the FASB retained a dual model, requiring leases to be classified as either operating or finance. Lessor accounting remains similar to the current model. Targeted improvements were made to lessor accounting to align, where necessary, with certain changes to the lessee model and the new revenue recognition standard. The ASU will require both quantitative and qualitative disclosures regarding key information about leasing arrangements. The standard is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. The new standard must be adopted using a modified retrospective transition, and provides for certain practical expedients. Transition will require application of the new guidance at the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented. The Company is evaluating the impact of this standard on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs, which amends FASB ASU Subtopic 835-30, Interest - Imputation of Interest. The new standard requires that all costs incurred to issue debt be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying value of the debt. The standard is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 31, 2015 and is required to be applied on a retrospective basis. The retrospective adoption of this guidance during the first quarter of 2016 resulted in a reclassification of debt issuance costs related to the Company's long-term debt on the Company's March 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 balance sheets and did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-02, which amends FASB ASU Topic 810, Consolidations. This ASU amends the current consolidation guidance, including introducing a separate consolidation analysis specific to limited partnerships and other similar entities. This ASU requires that limited partnerships and similar legal entities provide partners with either substantive kick-out rights or substantive participating rights over the general partner in order to be considered a voting interest entity. The specialized consolidation model and guidance for limited partnerships and similar legal entities have been eliminated. There is no longer a presumption that a general partner should consolidate a limited partnership. For limited partnerships and similar legal entities that qualify as voting interest entities, a limited partner with a controlling financial interest should consolidate a limited partnership. A controlling financial interest may be achieved through holding a limited partner interest that provides substantive kick-out rights. The standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015. The adoption of this guidance during the first quarter of 2016 did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). ASU 2014-09 supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Revenue Recognition (Topic 605), and requires entities to recognize revenue in a way that depicts the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. The new revenue recognition standard also requires disclosures that sufficiently describe the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts. This ASU was amended by ASU No. 2015-14, issued in August 2015, which deferred the original effective date by one year; the effective date of this ASU is for fiscal years, and interim reporting periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2017, using one of two retrospective application methods. Early adoption is permitted only as of the annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. The Company is currently evaluating the new standard, but does not, at this time, anticipate a material impact to the financial statements once implemented.