Changes in Accounting Principles

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Accounting Changes and Error Corrections [Abstract]

Changes in Accounting Principles

Changes in Accounting Principles

Effective January 1, 2019, we elected to adopt ASU No. 2018-02, “Income Statement—Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income.” This ASU permits the deferred income tax effects stranded in accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) resulting from the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the Tax Act) enacted in December 2017 to be reclassified to retained earnings. As of January 1, 2019, we recorded a cumulative effect adjustment to our opening consolidated balance sheet to reclassify an aggregate income tax benefit of $89 million, primarily related to our pension plans, from accumulated other comprehensive loss to retained earnings.

Effective January 1, 2019, we early adopted ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments,” using the modified retrospective transition method. This ASU amends the impairment model to utilize an expected loss methodology in place of the incurred loss methodology for financial instruments, including trade receivables, and off-balance sheet credit exposures. The amendment requires entities to consider a broader range of information to estimate expected credit losses, which may result in earlier recognition of losses. We recorded a noncash cumulative effect adjustment to retained earnings of $9 million, net of $3 million of income taxes, on our opening consolidated balance sheet as of January 1, 2019. See Note 4—Credit Losses, for more information on our presentation of credit losses.

Effective January 1, 2019, we adopted ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842),” using the modified retrospective transition method. The new standard establishes a right-of-use (ROU) model that requires a lessee to record a ROU asset and a lease liability on the consolidated balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Leases will continue to be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the consolidated income statement.

We elected the package of practical expedients that allowed us to carry forward our determination of whether an arrangement contained a lease and lease classification, as well as our accounting for initial direct costs for existing contracts. We recorded a noncash cumulative effect adjustment, reflecting an aggregate operating lease ROU asset and corresponding lease liability of $1,415 million and immaterial adjustments to retained earnings and noncontrolling interests, on our opening consolidated balance sheet as of January 1, 2019. See Note 18—Leases, for the new lease disclosures required by this ASU.