Description of Business and Basis of Presentation

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2020

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Description of Business and Basis of Presentation

Description of Business and Basis of Presentation

Description of business — Murphy USA Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries (“Murphy USA” or the “Company”) markets refined products through a network of retail gasoline stations and to unbranded wholesale customers. Murphy USA’s owned retail stations are almost all located in close proximity to Walmart stores in 25 states and use the brand name Murphy USA®. During the current quarter, the Company exited Minnesota with the sale of its nine stores to a private company. Murphy USA also markets gasoline and other products at standalone stations under the Murphy Express brand. At June 30, 2020, Murphy USA had a total of 1,485 Company stations of which 1,152 were Murphy USA and 333 were Murphy Express.

Basis of Presentation — Murphy USA was incorporated in March 2013 and, in connection with its incorporation, Murphy USA issued 100 shares of common stock, par value $0.01 per share, to Murphy Oil Corporation (“Murphy Oil”) for $1.00. On August 30, 2013, Murphy USA was separated from Murphy Oil through the distribution of 100% of the common stock of Murphy USA to holders of Murphy Oil stock. 

In preparing the financial statements of Murphy USA in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, management has made a number of estimates and assumptions related to the reporting of assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results may differ from these estimates.

Interim Financial Information — The interim period financial information presented in these consolidated financial statements is unaudited and includes all known accruals and adjustments, in the opinion of management, necessary for a fair presentation of the consolidated financial position of Murphy USA and its results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. All such adjustments are of a normal and recurring nature.

These interim consolidated financial statements should be read together with our audited financial statements for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018 and 2017, included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K (File No. 001-35914), as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on February 18, 2020.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards— 

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". This standard included optional guidance for a limited period of time to help ease the burden in accounting for the effects of reference rate reform. The new standard is effective for all entities through December 31, 2022. The Company does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, "Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer's Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract". This ASU aligns the accounting treatment for capitalizing implementation costs incurred by customers in cloud computing arrangements in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. This guidance was effective for the Company on January 1, 2020. The amendments in this update were applied prospectively to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. The Company assessed the effect that this ASU had on our financial position, results of operations, and disclosures and determined that this update did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

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 was subsequently modified by ASU 2018-19, ASU 2019-04, ASU 2019-05, and ASU 2019-11. This ASU changes the way entities recognize impairment of many financial assets by requiring immediate recognition of estimated credit losses expected to occur over their remaining life, which will result in timelier recognition of losses. ASU 2016-13 and the associated modifications were effective for the Company on January 1, 2020. ASC 326 requires a modified retrospective approach with an adjustment at the beginning of the year for any adjustment due to its adoption.

In applying ASC 326 at January 1, 2020, the Company calculated an adjustment to its estimated credit loss allowance and lowered the allowance by $1.1 million, which was credited to retained earnings under the modified retrospective approach. The adjustment reflects the Company's changes in credit practices since its spin-off in 2013 which includes tighter applied credit terms and faster turnover of receivable balances resulting in a decrease to its estimated credit loss allowance as of January 1, 2020. A review was conducted for the quarter ended June 30, 2020, and no change in the estimated credit loss allowance was required.