New Accounting Pronouncements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]

Accounting Changes

Effective January 1, 2019, we adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) in February 2016 and the series of related updates that followed (collectively referred to as “Topic 842”), which requires a lessee to recognize a ROU lease asset and lease liability for all qualifying leases with terms longer than twelve months on the balance sheet, including those classified as operating leases under previously existing U.S. GAAP. The ASU also changes the definition of a lease and requires expanded quantitative and qualitative disclosures for both lessees and lessors.

We elected to adopt Topic 842 using the modified retrospective approach. As such, comparative financial information for prior periods has not been restated and continues to be reported under the previous accounting guidance for those periods. We did not elect the hindsight practical expedient. See “Note 10 – Leases” for additional lease information and practical expedients elected.

The impact of Topic 842 on our consolidated balance sheet beginning January 1, 2019 was through the recognition of ROU assets and lease liabilities for operating leases, while our accounting for finance leases (previously referred to as capital leases) remains substantially unchanged. Amounts recognized at January 1, 2019 for operating leases were as follows:



(Dollars in millions)	Balance at January 1, 2019
Assets and Liabilities:
Other Non-Current Assets	$	288
Other Current Liabilities	92
Other Non-Current Liabilities	219

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, which permits a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. We adopted this standard in the first quarter of 2019 and an election was not made to reclassify the income tax effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income to retained earnings.

In July 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-11, Part I Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Down Round Features, which amends the accounting for certain equity-linked financial instruments and states a down round feature no longer precludes equity classification when assessing whether the instrument is indexed to an entity’s own stock. For an equity-linked financial instrument no longer accounted for as a liability at fair value, the amendments require a down round to be treated as a dividend and as a reduction of income available to ordinary shareholders in basic earnings per share. We adopted this standard in the first quarter of 2019 on a retrospective basis and the adoption did not have a significant impact on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Accounting Standards Issued Not Yet Adopted

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14, Compensation — Retirement Benefits — Defined Benefit Plans — General (Subtopic 715-20): Disclosure Framework — Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans, which makes minor changes to the disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit plans. The ASU is effective for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2020, but early adoption is permitted. The ASU is required to be applied retrospectively. We evaluated the potential impact of this new standard and concluded that its adoption will not have a significant impact on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework — Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement, which eliminates, adds and modifies certain disclosure requirements for fair value measurements as part of its disclosure framework project. The ASU is effective beginning with the first quarter of 2020, and early adoption is permitted. The ASU is required to be applied retrospectively, except the new Level 3 disclosure requirements which are applied prospectively. We evaluated the potential impact of this new standard and concluded that the adoption of the ASU will not have a significant impact on our Condensed 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, which replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology in current U.S. GAAP with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to determine credit loss estimates. The guidance requires entities to measure all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. The updated guidance applies to (i) loans, accounts receivable, trade receivables, and other financial assets measured at amortized cost, (ii) loan commitments and other off-balance sheet credit exposures, (iii) debt securities and other financial assets measured at fair value through other comprehensive income, and (iv) beneficial interests in securitized financial assets. The amended guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. We will adopt the new standard, including subsequent amendments, on the effective date of January 1, 2020 and are evaluating the effect, if any, that the guidance will have on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and related disclosures.