BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2018

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In December 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2017-12, which simplifies the application of certain hedge accounting guidance to better align hedge accounting with an organization’s risk management activities in the financial statements. This standard eliminated the separate measurement and reporting of hedge ineffectiveness. Mismatches between changes in value of the hedged item and hedging instrument may still occur but they will no longer be separately reported. For cash flow and net investment hedges, all changes in value of the hedging instrument included in the assessment of effectiveness will be deferred in other comprehensive income and recognized in earnings at the same time that the hedged item affects earnings. The standard is effective for all entities for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted this standard during the second quarter of fiscal 2018, which was applied to the interest rate swaps entered into described below in Note 6 "Long-Term Debt / Interest Expense." The adoption of this standard did not have a material effect on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements.

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, which amends the scope of modification accounting for share-based payment arrangements. This standard states that an entity should account for the effects of a modification unless all of the following are met: 1) the fair value of the modified award is the same as the fair value of the original award immediately before the original award is modified (if the modification does not affect any of the inputs to the valuation technique that the entity uses to value the award, the entity is not required to estimate the value immediately before and after the modification); 2) the vesting conditions of the modified award are the same as the vesting conditions of the original award immediately before the original award is modified; and 3) the classification of the modified award as an equity instrument or a liability instrument is the same as the classification of the original award immediately before the original award is modified. The standard is effective for all entities for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company adopted this standard during the first quarter of fiscal 2018 which did not have an impact to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, which addresses changes to the classification of certain cash receipts and cash payments within the statement of cash flows in order to address diversity in practice. In connection with the adoption of this ASU, the Company presented the third-party fees relating to the term loan refinancing as an operating cash flow on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, which 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 and restricted cash equivalents. Therefore, amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. The adoption of ASU 2016-18 did not have an impact to the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. Both standards were effective for annual reporting periods, and interim periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2017.     

Adoption of New Revenue Recognition Standard

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which updates revenue recognition guidance relating to contracts with customers. This standard states that an entity should recognize revenue to depict 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. This standard is effective for annual reporting periods, and interim periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company adopted ASU 2014-09 and its related amendments (collectively known as "ASC 606") during the first quarter of fiscal 2018 using the full retrospective method.

The adoption of ASC 606 does not impact recognition of point-of-sale revenue in company-owned stores, most wholesale sales, royalties and sublease revenue, together which account for approximately 90% of the Company’s revenue. The new standard has no impact on the timing or classification of the Company’s cash flows as reported in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows and is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s Consolidated Statement of Operations in future periods.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, which aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-used software. This standard is effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of the new standard to have a material impact to the Consolidated Financial Statements.

Revenue Recognition

Franchise fees. The Company's previous accounting policy for franchise and license fees received for new store openings and renewals was to recognize these fees when earned per the contract terms, which is when a new store opened or at the start of a new term. In accordance with the new guidance, these fees are now deferred and recognized over the applicable license term as the Company satisfies the performance obligation of granting the customer access to the rights of the Company’s intellectual property. This change impacted all of the Company’s reportable segments. In addition, franchise fees received as part of a sale of a company-owned store to a franchisee are now recorded as described above as part of revenue and will no longer be presented as part of gains on refranchising.

Cooperative advertising and other franchise support fees. The Company previously classified advertising and other franchise support fees received from domestic franchisees as a reduction to selling, general and administrative expense and cost of sales on the Consolidated Statement of Operations. In accordance with the new guidance, these fees are now required to be classified as revenue within the U.S. and Canada segment. The new standard does not impact the timing of recognition of this income or the Consolidated Balance Sheet.

Specialty manufacturing. The Company previously recognized revenue for products manufactured and sold to customers at a point in time when risk of loss, title and insurable risks have transferred to the customer, net of estimated returns and allowances. Under the new standard, revenue is required to be recognized over time as manufacturing occurs if the customized goods have no alternative use to the manufacturer, and the manufacturer has an enforceable right to payment for performance completed to date. This change impacts contract manufacturing sales to third-parties recorded in the Manufacturing / Wholesale segment. The Company is now recording a reduction to inventory as applicable custom manufacturing services are completed with a corresponding contract asset including the applicable markup, recorded within prepaid and other current assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheet.

E-commerce revenues. The Company previously recorded revenue to its e-commerce customers upon delivery. Under the new guidance, the Company is now recognizing revenue upon shipment based on meeting the transfer of control criteria. The Company has made a policy election to treat shipping and handling as costs to fulfill the contract, and as a result, any fees received from customers are included in the transaction price allocated to the performance obligation of providing goods with a corresponding amount accrued within cost of sales for amounts paid to applicable carriers. The Company has not revised prior period balances for e-commerce revenues because the changes are not material.

Loyalty. Effective with the launch of the One New GNC on December 29, 2016, the Company introduced a free points-based myGNC Rewards loyalty program system-wide in the U.S. The Company utilized the new revenue recognition standard to account for this program in 2017, the difference of which was immaterial relative to the standard in effect at that time.