Operating expenses (excluding depreciation and amortization) consists of direct costs of labor, maintenance and services, utilities, property taxes, environmental compliance costs and other direct operating costs incurred in connection with our refining operations. Such expenses exclude depreciation related to refining and logistics assets that are integral to the refinery production process, which is presented separately as Depreciation and amortization expense as a component of Cost of sales on the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Operations.

As of December 31, 2020, Financing lease right of use assets - third party, previously included in Deferred charges and other assets, net, in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, are reflected within Lease right of use assets - third party, which is inclusive of all third party lease right of use assets. Financing lease liabilities - third party, previously included in Other long-term liabilities, in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, are presented as separate line items in the Consolidated Financial Statements. The amounts related to such balance sheet accounts have also been reclassified in their respective footnotes for prior periods to conform to the 2020 presentation.

The preparation of the financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses and the related disclosures. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

The global crisis resulting from the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to have a substantial impact on the economy and overall consumer demand for energy and hydrocarbon products. As a result of the enduring throughput reductions across the Company’s refineries and continued decrease in demand for the Company’s products, the Company determined an impairment triggering event had occurred as of December 31, 2020. As such, the Company performed an impairment assessment on its long-lived assets as of December 31, 2020. As a result of the impairment test, the Company concluded that the carrying values of its long-lived assets were not impaired when comparing the carrying value of the long-lived assets to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from use of the assets over their remaining estimated useful life.

In connection with the Company’s ongoing strategic response plan to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and its East Coast Refining Reconfiguration (as defined in “Note 6 - Property, Plant and Equipment, net”), it recorded an impairment charge of approximately $91.8 million associated to the write-down of certain assets and project abandonments. Refer to “Note 6 - Property, Plant and Equipment, net” for further details.

If adverse market conditions persist or there is further deterioration in the general economic environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there could be additional indicators that the Company’s assets are impaired requiring evaluation that may result in future impairment charges to earnings.

We use the acquisition method of accounting for the recognition of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in business combinations at their estimated fair values as of the date of acquisition. Any excess consideration transferred over the estimated fair values of the identifiable net assets acquired is recorded as goodwill. Significant judgment is required in estimating the fair value of assets acquired. As a result, in the case of significant acquisitions, we obtain the assistance of third-party valuation specialists in estimating fair values of tangible and intangible assets based on available historical information and on expectations and assumptions about the future, considering the perspective of marketplace participants. While management believes those expectations and assumptions are reasonable, they are inherently uncertain. Unanticipated market or macroeconomic events and circumstances may occur, which could affect the accuracy or validity of the estimates and assumptions.

Certain of the Company’s acquisitions may include earn-out provisions or other forms of contingent consideration. As of the acquisition date, the Company records contingent consideration, as applicable, at the estimated fair value of expected future payments associated with the earn-out. Any changes to the recorded fair value of contingent consideration, subsequent to the measurement period, will be recognized as earnings in the period in which it occurs.

Effective January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASC 606, Revenues from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). As a result, the Company has changed its accounting policy for the recognition of revenue from contracts with customers. The Company sells various refined products primarily through its refinery subsidiaries and recognizes revenue related to the sale of products when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to the customers, in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. Refer to “Note 17 - Revenues” for further discussion of the Company’s revenue recognition policy, including deferred revenues and the practical expedients elected as part of the transition to ASC 606.

During 2019, PBF Holding and its subsidiaries, DCR and PRC, entered into amendments to the existing inventory intermediation agreements (as amended in the first quarter of 2019 and amended and restated in the third quarter of 2019, the “Inventory Intermediation Agreements”) with J. Aron & Company, a subsidiary of The Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (“J. Aron”), pursuant to which certain terms of the existing inventory intermediation agreements were amended, including, among other things, the maturity date. On March 29, 2019 the Inventory Intermediation Agreement by and among J. Aron, PBF Holding and DCR was amended to add the PBFX assets acquired from Crown Point International, LLC in October 2018 (the “East Coast Storage Assets”) as a location and crude oil as a new product type to be included in the J. Aron Products (as defined in “Note 5 - Inventories”) sold to J. Aron by DCR. On August 29, 2019 the Inventory Intermediation Agreement by and among J. Aron, PBF Holding and PRC was extended to December 31, 2021, which term may be further extended by mutual consent of the parties to December 31, 2022 and the Inventory Intermediation Agreement by and among J. Aron, PBF Holding and DCR was extended to June 30, 2021, which term may be further extended by mutual consent of the parties to June 30, 2022.

Pursuant to each Inventory Intermediation Agreement, J. Aron purchases and holds title to the J. Aron Products produced by the refinery and delivered into the J. Aron Storage Tanks (as defined in “Note 5 - Inventories”). The J. Aron Products are sold back to the Company as the J. Aron Products are discharged out of the J. Aron Storage Tanks. These purchases and sales are settled monthly at the daily market prices related to those J. Aron Products. These transactions are considered to be made in contemplation of each other and, accordingly, do not result in the recognition of a sale when title passes from the East Coast refineries to J. Aron. Additionally, J. Aron has the right to store the J. Aron Products purchased in J. Aron Storage Tanks under the Inventory Intermediation Agreements and will retain these storage rights for the term of the agreements. PBF Holding continues to market and sell the J. Aron Products independently to third parties.

Accounts receivable are carried at invoiced amounts. An allowance for doubtful accounts is established, if required, to report such amounts at their estimated net realizable value. In estimating probable losses, management reviews accounts that are past due and determines if there are any known disputes. There was no allowance for doubtful accounts at December 31, 2020 and 2019.

Inventories are carried at the lower of cost or market. The cost of crude oil, feedstocks, blendstocks and refined products are determined under the last-in first-out (“LIFO”) method using the dollar value LIFO method with increments valued based on average purchase prices during the year. The cost of supplies and other inventories is determined principally on the weighted average cost method.

Effective January 1, 2019, the Company adopted Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-02, Leases (“ASC 842”), using the modified retrospective approach. As of the date of implementation on January 1, 2019, the impact of the adoption of ASC 842 resulted in the recognition of a right of use asset and lease liability on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets of approximately $853.9 million of which $604.4 million is attributable to leases with affiliates.

The Company leases office space, office equipment, refinery facilities and equipment, railcars and other logistics assets primarily under non-cancelable operating leases, with terms typically ranging from one to twenty years, subject to certain renewal options as applicable. The Company considers those renewal or termination options that are reasonably certain to be exercised in the determination of the lease term and initial measurement of lease liabilities and right-of-use assets. Lease expense for operating lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Interest expense for finance leases is incurred based on the carrying value of the lease liability. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The Company determines whether a contract is or contains a lease at inception of the contract and whether that lease meets the classification criteria of a finance or operating lease. When available, the Company uses the rate implicit in the lease to discount lease payments to present value; however, most of the Company’s leases do not provide a readily determinable implicit rate. Therefore, the Company must discount lease payments based on an estimate of its incremental borrowing rate.

For substantially all classes of underlying assets, the Company has elected the practical expedient not to separate lease and non-lease components, which allows for combining the components if certain criteria are met. For certain leases of refinery support facilities, the Company accounts for the non-lease service component separately.

Property, plant and equipment additions are recorded at cost. The Company capitalizes costs associated with the preliminary, pre-acquisition and development/construction stages of a major construction project. The Company capitalizes the interest cost associated with major construction projects based on the effective interest rate of total borrowings. The Company also capitalizes costs incurred in the acquisition and development of software for internal use, including the costs of software, materials, consultants and payroll-related costs for employees incurred in the application development stage.

Deferred charges and other assets include refinery turnaround costs, catalyst, precious metal catalysts, linefill, deferred financing costs and intangible assets. Refinery turnaround costs, which are incurred in connection with planned major maintenance activities, are capitalized when incurred and amortized on a straight-line basis over the period of time estimated to lapse until the next turnaround occurs. The amortization period generally ranges from 3 to 6 years; however, based upon the specific facts and circumstances, different periods of deferral occur.

As a result of the East Coast Refining Reconfiguration (as defined in “Note - 6 Property, Plant and Equipment, net), certain major processing units were temporarily idled. As such, the Company accelerated the recognition of approximately $56.2 million of unamortized deferred turnaround costs associated with these idled units.

The Company reviews its long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. Impairment is evaluated by comparing the carrying value of the long-lived assets to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from use of the assets and their ultimate disposition. If such analysis indicates that the carrying value of the long-lived assets is not considered to be recoverable, the carrying value is reduced to the fair value.

Impairment assessments inherently involve judgment as to assumptions about expected future cash flows and the impact of market conditions on those assumptions. Although management utilizes assumptions that it believes are reasonable, future events and changing market conditions may impact management’s assumptions, which could produce different results.

For equity investments that are not required to be consolidated under the variable or voting interest model, the Company evaluates the level of influence it is able to exercise over an entity’s operations to determine whether to use the equity method of accounting. The Company’s judgment regarding the level of control over an equity method investment includes considering key factors such as its ownership interest, participation in policy-making and other significant decisions and material intercompany transactions. Amounts recognized for equity method investments are included in equity method investments in the consolidated balance sheet and adjusted for the Company’s share of the net earnings and losses of the investee and cash distributions, which are included in the consolidated statements of operations and the consolidated statements of cash flows. Amounts recognized for earnings in excess of distributions of the Company’s equity method investments are included in the operating section of the consolidated statements of cash flows. The Company evaluates its equity method investments for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts of such investments may be impaired. A loss is recorded in earnings in the current period to write down the carrying value of the investment to fair value if a decline in the value of an equity method investment is determined to be other than temporary.

The Company records an asset retirement obligation at fair value for the estimated cost to retire a tangible long-lived asset at the time the Company incurs that liability, which is generally when the asset is purchased, constructed, or leased. The Company records the liability when it has a legal or contractual obligation to incur costs to retire the asset and when a reasonable estimate of the fair value of the liability can be made. If a reasonable estimate cannot be made at the time the liability is incurred, the Company will record the liability when sufficient information is available to estimate the liability’s fair value. Certain of the Company’s asset retirement obligations are based on its legal obligation to perform remedial activity at its refinery sites when it permanently ceases operations of the long-lived assets. The Company therefore considers the settlement date of these obligations to be indeterminable. Accordingly, the Company cannot calculate an associated asset retirement liability for these obligations at this time. The Company will measure and recognize the fair value of these asset retirement obligations when the settlement date is determinable.

Liabilities for future remediation costs are recorded when environmental assessments and/or remedial efforts are probable and the costs can be reasonably estimated. Other than for assessments, the timing and magnitude of these accruals generally are based on the completion of investigations or other studies or a commitment to a formal plan of action. Environmental liabilities are based on best estimates of probable future costs using currently available technology and applying current regulations, as well as the Company’s own internal environmental policies. The measurement of environmental remediation liabilities may be discounted to reflect the time value of money if the aggregate amount and timing of cash payments of the liabilities are fixed or reliably determinable. The actual settlement of the Company’s liability for environmental matters could materially differ from its estimates due to a number of uncertainties such as the extent of contamination, changes in environmental laws and regulations, potential improvements in remediation technologies and the participation of other responsible parties.

Stock-based compensation includes the accounting effect of options to purchase PBF Energy Class A common stock granted by PBF Energy to certain PBF Holding employees, Series A warrants issued or granted by PBF LLC to employees in connection with their acquisition of PBF LLC Series A units, options to acquire Series A units of PBF LLC granted by PBF LLC to certain employees, Series B units of PBF LLC that were granted to certain members of management and restricted PBF LLC Series A Units and restricted PBF Energy Class A common stock granted to certain directors and officers. The estimated fair value of the options to purchase PBF Energy Class A common stock and the PBF LLC Series A warrants and options, is based on the Black-Scholes option pricing model and the fair value of the PBF LLC Series B units is estimated based on a Monte Carlo simulation model. The estimated fair value is amortized as stock-based compensation expense on a straight-line method over the vesting period and included in General and administrative expense with forfeitures recognized in the period they occur.

PBF Energy grants performance share unit awards and performance unit awards to certain key employees. Performance awards granted to employees prior to November 1, 2020 are based on a three-year performance cycle with four measurement periods and performance awards granted to employees after November 1, 2020 are based on a three-year performance cycle having a single measurement period. The payout for each, which ranges from 0% to 200%, is based on the relative ranking of the total shareholder return (“TSR”) of PBF Energy’s common stock as compared to the TSR of a selected group of industry peer companies over an average of four measurement periods. The performance share unit awards and performance unit awards are each measured at fair value based on Monte Carlo simulation models. The performance share unit awards will be settled in PBF Energy Class A common stock and are accounted for as equity awards and the performance unit awards will be settled in cash and are accounted for as liability awards.

As PBF Holding is a limited liability company treated as a “flow-through” entity for income tax purposes, there is no benefit or expense for federal or state income tax in the accompanying financial statements apart from the income taxes attributable to two subsidiaries acquired in connection with the acquisition of Chalmette Refining and the Company’s wholly-owned Canadian subsidiary, PBF Energy Limited (“PBF Ltd.”). These subsidiaries are treated as C-corporations for tax purposes.

The Company recognizes an asset for the overfunded status or a liability for the underfunded status of its pension and post-retirement benefit plans. The funded status is recorded within Other long-term liabilities or assets. Changes in the plans’ funded status are recognized in other comprehensive income in the period the change occurs.

A fair value hierarchy (Level 1, Level 2, or Level 3) is used to categorize fair value amounts based on the quality of inputs used to measure fair value. Accordingly, fair values derived from Level 1 inputs utilize quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities. Fair values derived from Level 2 inputs are based on quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and inputs other than quoted prices that are either directly or indirectly observable for the asset or liability. Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, and include situations where there is little, if any, market activity for the asset or liability.

The Company uses appropriate valuation techniques based on the available inputs to measure the fair values of its applicable assets and liabilities. When available, the Company measures fair value using Level 1 inputs because they generally provide the most reliable evidence of fair value. In some valuations, the inputs may fall into different levels in the hierarchy. In these cases, the asset or liability level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurements.

The estimated fair value of financial instruments has been determined based on the Company’s assessment of available market information and appropriate valuation methodologies. The Company’s non-derivative financial instruments that are included in current assets and current liabilities are recorded at cost in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The estimated fair value of these financial instruments approximates their carrying value due to their short-term nature. Derivative instruments are recorded at fair value in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

The Company’s commodity contracts are measured and recorded at fair value using Level 1 inputs based on quoted prices in an active market, Level 2 inputs based on quoted market prices for similar instruments, or Level 3 inputs based on third-party sources and other available market based data. The Company’s catalyst obligations and derivatives related to the Company’s crude oil and feedstocks and refined product purchase obligations are measured and recorded at fair value using Level 2 inputs on a recurring basis, based on observable market prices for similar instruments.

The Company is exposed to market risk, primarily related to changes in commodity prices for the crude oil and feedstocks used in the refining process as well as the prices of the refined products sold and the risk associated with the price of credits needed to comply with various governmental and regulatory environmental compliance programs. The accounting treatment for commodity and environmental compliance contracts depends on the intended use of the particular contract and on whether or not the contract meets the definition of a derivative.

All derivative instruments, not designated as normal purchases or sales, are recorded in the Consolidated Balance Sheets as either assets or liabilities measured at their fair values. Changes in the fair value of derivative instruments that either are not designated or do not qualify for hedge accounting treatment or normal purchase or normal sale accounting are recognized currently in earnings. Contracts qualifying for the normal purchase and sales exemption are accounted for upon settlement. Cash flows related to derivative instruments that are not designated or do not qualify for hedge accounting treatment are included in operating activities.

The Company designates certain derivative instruments as fair value hedges of a particular risk associated with a recognized asset or liability. At the inception of the hedge designation, the Company documents the relationship between the hedging instrument and the hedged item, as well as its risk management objective and strategy for undertaking various hedge transactions. Derivative gains and losses related to these fair value hedges, including hedge ineffectiveness, are recorded in cost of sales along with the change in fair value of the hedged asset or liability attributable to the hedged risk. Cash flows related to derivative instruments that are designated as fair value hedges are included in operating activities.

Economic hedges are hedges not designated as fair value or cash flow hedges for accounting purposes that are used to (i) manage price volatility in certain refinery feedstock and refined product inventories, and (ii) manage price volatility in certain forecasted refinery feedstock purchases and refined product sales. These instruments are recorded at fair value and changes in the fair value of the derivative instruments are recognized currently in cost of sales.

Derivative accounting is complex and requires management judgment in the following respects: identification of derivatives and embedded derivatives, determination of the fair value of derivatives, documentation of hedge relationships, assessment and measurement of hedge ineffectiveness and election and designation of the normal purchases and sales exception. All of these judgments, depending upon their timing and effect, can have a significant impact on the Company’s earnings.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-14, “Compensation - Retirement Benefits - Defined Benefit Plans - General (Subtopic 715-20)”, to improve the effectiveness of benefit plan disclosures in the notes to financial statements by facilitating clear communication of the information required by GAAP that is most important to users of each entity’s financial statements. The amendments in this ASU modify the disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension or other postretirement plans. Additionally, the amendments in this ASU remove disclosures that no longer are considered cost beneficial, clarify the specific requirements of disclosures, and add disclosure requirements identified as relevant. The amendments in this ASU are effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020, for public business entities and early adoption is permitted for all entities. The Company adopted this ASU effective January 1, 2020, which did not have a material impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements. Refer to “Note 16 - Employee Benefits Plans” for further disclosure related to our adoption of this pronouncement.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments” (“ASU 2016-13”). This guidance amends the guidance on measuring credit losses on financial assets held at amortized cost. ASU 2016-13 requires the measurement of all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted this ASU effective January 1, 2020, which did not have a material impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements. Refer to “Note 4 - Current Expected Credit Losses” for further disclosure related to our adoption of this pronouncement.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, “Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the effects of reference rate reform on financial reporting”. The amendments in this ASU provide optional guidance to alleviate the burden in accounting for reference rate reform, by allowing certain expedients and exceptions in applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationship and other transactions affected by the expected market transition from London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) and other interbank rates. The amendments in this ASU are effective for all entities at any time beginning on March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022 and may be applied from the beginning of an interim period that includes the issuance date of the ASU. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this new standard on its Consolidated Financial Statements and related disclosures.