Business Overview (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 28, 2018

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

New Accounting Standards

Recently Issued Accounting Standards—In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which amends the impairment model by requiring entities to use a forward-looking approach, based on expected losses, to estimate credit losses on certain types of financial instruments, including trade receivables. This standard is effective for us beginning January 1, 2020, with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of this standard on our financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which will require, among other items, lessees to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for most leases. The standard also requires lessees and lessors to disclose the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The accounting applied by a lessor is largely unchanged from the current standard. In September 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-13, Revenue Recognition (Topic 605), Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), Leases (Topic 840), and Leases (Topic 842), which provided additional

implementation guidance on the previously issued ASU. This standard is effective for us beginning January 1, 2019 (with early adoption permitted), and it also provides for certain practical expedients that we plan to elect. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842), Targeted Improvements, which provides an additional transition method that allows the initial application of the lease standard at the adoption date using a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. We plan to adopt this standard on January 1, 2019 utilizing the new transition method. We are in the process of assessing the impact of the standard and designing related internal control procedures. Based on our efforts to date, we expect the recognition of the right-of-use asset and lease liability for our real estate and equipment leases will have a material impact on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. We do not expect this standard to have a material impact on our future Consolidated Statements of Earnings. 

Revenue Recognition, Contracts With Customers, and Performance Obligations

Remaining Performance Obligations — Our remaining performance obligations represent the transaction price of firm, noncancelable orders, with expected delivery dates to customers greater than one year from September 28, 2018, for which work has not been performed. We have excluded performance obligations with an original expected duration of one year or less from the amounts below. Revenue Recognition—We derive revenues primarily from the sale of Professional Instrumentation and Industrial Technologies products and services. Revenue is recognized when control of promised products or services is transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to be entitled to in exchange for those products or services. 

For revenue related to a product or service to qualify for recognition, we must have an enforceable contract with a customer that defines the goods or services to be transferred and the payment terms related to those goods or services. Further, collection of substantially all consideration for the goods or services transferred must be probable based on the customer’s intent and ability to pay the promised consideration. We apply judgment in determining the customer’s ability and intention to pay, which is based on a combination of financial and qualitative factors, including the customers’ financial condition, collateral, debt-servicing ability, past payment experience and credit bureau information.

Customer allowances and rebates, consisting primarily of volume discounts and other short-term incentive programs, are considered in determining the transaction price for the contract; these allowances and rebates are reflected as a reduction in the contract transaction price. Significant judgment is exercised in determining product returns, customer allowances and rebates, and are estimated based on historical experience and known trends.

Most of our sales contracts contain standard terms and conditions. We evaluate contracts to identify distinct goods and services promised in the contract (performance obligations). Sometimes this evaluation involves judgment to determine whether the goods or services are highly dependent on or highly interrelated with one another, or whether such goods or services significantly modify or customize one another. Certain customer arrangements include multiple performance obligations, typically hardware, installation, training, consulting, services and/or post contract support (“PCS”). Generally, these elements are delivered within the same reporting period, except PCS or other services. We allocate the contract transaction price to each performance obligation using the observable price that the good or service sells for separately in similar circumstances and to similar customers, and/or a residual approach when the observable selling price of a good or service is not known and is either highly variable or uncertain. Allocating the transaction price to each performance obligation sometimes requires significant judgment.

Our principal terms of sale are FOB Shipping Point, or equivalent, and, as such, we primarily record revenue upon shipment as we have transferred control to the customer at that point and our performance obligations are satisfied. We evaluate contracts with delivery terms other than FOB Shipping Point and recognize revenue when we have transfered control and satisfied our performance obligations. If any significant obligation to the customer with respect to a sales transaction remains to be fulfilled following shipment (typically installation, other services noted above or acceptance by the customer), revenue recognition is deferred until such obligations have been fulfilled. Further, revenue related to separately priced extended warranty and product maintenance agreements is deferred when appropriate and recognized as revenue over the term of the agreement.

Contract Assets — In certain circumstances, we record contract assets which include unbilled amounts typically resulting from sales under contracts when revenue recognized exceeds the amount billed to the customer, and right to payment is not only subject to the passage of time. Contract assets were immaterial as of September 28, 2018.

Contract Costs — We incur direct incremental costs to obtain certain contracts, typically sales-related commissions. Deferred sales-related commissions are generally not capitalized as the amortization period is one year or less, and we elected to use the practical expedient to expense these sales commissions as incurred.

Impairment losses recognized on our contract-related assets were immaterial in the three and nine months ended September 28, 2018.

Contract Liabilities — Our contract liabilities consist of deferred revenue generally related to PCS and extended warranty sales, where in most cases we receive up-front payment and recognize revenue over the support term. We classify deferred revenue as current or noncurrent based on the timing of when we expect to recognize revenue. The noncurrent portion of deferred revenue is included in other long-term liabilities in the accompanying Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets.