Summary of significant accounting policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

Summary of significant accounting policies [Abstract]

Basis of presentation and consolidation

Basis of presentation and consolidation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Emergent BioSolutions Inc. ("Emergent" or the "Company") and its wholly owned and majority owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The unaudited consolidated financial statements included herein have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in consolidated financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. These consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the SEC.

In the opinion of the Company's management, any adjustments contained in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are of a normal recurring nature and are necessary to present fairly the financial position of the Company as of September 30, 2018. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for any other interim period or for an entire year.

Significant accounting policies

During the nine months ended September 30, 2018, there have been no significant changes to the Company's summary of significant accounting policies contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the SEC, except for the new revenue recognition standard the Company adopted effective January 1, 2018. See Note 2. "Revenue recognition" for further details.

Recently issued accounting standards

Recently issued accounting standards

Recently Adopted

ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments

In August 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standard Update ("ASU") 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments ("ASU 2016-15").  ASU 2016-15 eliminates the diversity in practice related to the classification of certain cash receipts and payments for debt prepayments or extinguishment costs, the maturing of a zero-coupon bond, the settlement of contingent liabilities arising from a business combination, proceeds from insurance settlements, distributions from certain equity method investees and beneficial interests obtained in a financial asset securitization. ASU 2016-15 designates the appropriate cash flow classification, including requirements to allocate certain components of these cash receipts and payments among operating, investing and financing activities. The Company adopted the new standard effective January 1, 2018 and has determined the impact of ASU No. 2016-15 on its condensed consolidated financial statements will be related to the settlement of contingent liabilities arising from a business combination.

ASU 2016-18, Restricted Cash (Topic 230): Statement of Cash Flows

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, Restricted Cash (Topic 230): Statement of Cash Flows ("ASU 2016-18"). ASU 2016-18 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. Restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents will be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning of period and end of period balances on the statement of cash flows upon adoption of this standard. The Company adopted the new standard effective January 1, 2018. Restricted cash primarily consists of collateralized cash for a standby letter of credit and guarantee arrangement with a bank.

ASU No. 2017-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting ("ASU 2017-09"). ASU 2017-09 clarifies which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting in Topic 718. The Company adopted the new standard effective January 1, 2018, which did not have a material impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

ASU No. 2018-07, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-based Payment Accounting

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-based Payment Accounting ("ASU 2018-07"). ASU 2018-07 expands the scope of Topic 718 to include share-based payments issued to nonemployees for goods and services. ASU No. 2018-07 is intended to reduce cost and complexity and to improve financial reporting for share-based payments issued to nonemployees (for example, service providers, external legal counsel, suppliers, etc.). The standard will be effective after December 15, 2018 for the Company, with early adoption permitted, but no earlier than the Company's adoption date of Topic 606. The Company early adopted the new standard effective April 1, 2018. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company's condensed consolidated financial statements.

Not Yet Adopted

ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) 

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) ("ASU 2016-02"). ASU 2016-02 increases transparency and comparability among organizations by requiring the recognition of lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosure of key information about leasing arrangements for both lessees and lessors. The standard will be effective January 1, 2019, with early adoption permitted. The standard will be applied using a modified retrospective approach to the beginning of the earliest period presented in the financial statements. The Company's adoption efforts are primarily focused on the review of its existing lease contracts, identification of other contracts that may fall under the scope of the new guidance and performing a gap analysis on the current state of lease-related activities compared with the future state of lease-related activities. The Company has identified the lease agreements that will be impacted by the new standard and is currently evaluating the overall impact on its condensed consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

ASU 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory ("ASU 2016-16"). ASU 2016-16 improves the accounting for the income tax consequences of intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory. The new standard will require entities to recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of a non-inventory asset when the transfer occurs. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the effects of adopting ASU 2016-16 on its condensed consolidated financial statements but the adoption is not expected to have a significant impact as of the filing of this report.

ASU 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment ("ASU 2017-04"). ASU 2017-04 simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill and eliminates Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. ASU 2017-04 is effective for annual and interim goodwill tests beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates on or after January 1, 2017. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption of this standard will have on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2018-02, Income Statement—Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, Income Statement—Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income ("ASU 2018-02"). ASU 2018-02 provides the option to reclassify certain income tax effects related to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act passed in December of 2017 between accumulated other comprehensive income and retained earnings and also requires additional disclosures. ASU 2018-02 is effective for all entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. Adoption of ASU 2018-02 is to be applied either in the period of adoption or retrospectively to each period in which the effect of the change in the tax laws or rates were recognized. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting ASU 2018-02 on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements

In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements ("ASU 2018-11"). In issuing ASU 2018-11, the FASB decided to provide another transition method in addition to the existing transition method by allowing entities to initially apply the new leases standard at the adoption date and recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that ASU 2016-02 and ASU 2018-11 will have on its condensed consolidated financial statements.

There are no other recently issued accounting pronouncements that are expected to have a material impact on the Company's financial position, results of operations or cash flows.