XML 32 R8.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v2.3.0.15
Basis Of Presentation
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2011
Basis Of Presentation 
Basis Of Presentation

1. Basis of Presentation

Wyndham Worldwide Corporation ("Wyndham" or the "Company") is a global provider of hospitality services and products. The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts and transactions of Wyndham, as well as the entities in which Wyndham directly or indirectly has a controlling financial interest. The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in the Consolidated Financial Statements.

In presenting the Consolidated Financial Statements, management makes estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported and related disclosures. Estimates, by their nature, are based on judgment and available information. Accordingly, actual results could differ from those estimates. In management's opinion, the Consolidated Financial Statements contain all normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of interim results reported. The results of operations reported for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations for the entire year or any subsequent interim period. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company's 2010 Consolidated Financial Statements included in its Annual Report filed on Form 10-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") on February 22, 2011.

Business Description

The Company operates in the following business segments:

  • Lodging—franchises hotels in the upper upscale, upscale, upper midscale, midscale, economy and extended stay segments of the lodging industry and provides hotel management services for full-service hotels globally.
  • Vacation Exchange and Rentals—provides vacation exchange services and products to owners of intervals of vacation ownership interests ("VOIs") and markets vacation rental properties primarily on behalf of independent owners.
  • Vacation Ownership—develops, markets and sells VOIs to individual consumers, provides consumer financing in connection with the sale of VOIs and provides property management services at resorts.

Significant Accounting Policies

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Testing Goodwill for Impairment. In September 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued guidance on testing goodwill for impairment, which amends existing guidance by giving an entity the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If it is concluded that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, it is necessary to perform the currently prescribed two-step goodwill impairment test. Otherwise, the two-step goodwill impairment test is not required. This guidance is effective for interim and annual goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption permitted. The Company believes the adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Presentation of Comprehensive Income. In June 2011, the FASB issued guidance for the presentation of comprehensive income, which amends existing guidance by allowing only two options for presenting the components of net income and other comprehensive income: (i) in either a single continuous financial statement of comprehensive income or (ii) in two separate but consecutive financial statements, consisting of an income statement followed by a separate statement of other comprehensive income. This guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption permitted. The Company believes the adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Fair Value Measurement. In May 2011, the FASB issued guidance which generally provides a consistent definition of fair value and ensures that the fair value measurement and disclosure requirements are similar between U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. The guidance changes certain fair value measurement principles and enhances the disclosure requirements particularly for Level 3 fair value measurements. This guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2011 and shall be applied on a prospective basis. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Multiple-Deliverable Revenue Arrangements. In October 2009, the FASB issued guidance on multiple-deliverable revenue arrangements, which requires an entity to apply the relative selling price allocation method and to estimate selling prices for all units of accounting, including delivered items, when vendor-specific objective evidence or acceptable third-party evidence does not exist. The guidance is effective for revenue arrangements entered into or materially modified in fiscal years beginning on or after June 15, 2010 and shall be applied on a prospective basis. The Company adopted the guidance on January 1, 2011, as required. There was no material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements resulting from the adoption.