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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 30, 2023
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Principles of Consolidation—The Company’s consolidated financial statements include the accounts of US Foods and its wholly owned subsidiary, USF, and its subsidiaries. Intercompany transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.
Use of Estimates—The Company’s consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (“GAAP”). This requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates.
Cash and Cash Equivalents—The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three or fewer months to be cash equivalents.
Accounts Receivable—Accounts receivable represent amounts due from customers in the ordinary course of business and are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. Receivables are presented net of the allowance for doubtful accounts in the Company’s accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Company performs on-going credit evaluations of its customers and adjusts credit limits based upon payment history and the customer’s current credit worthiness, as determined by the review of their current credit information. Collections and payments from customers are continuously monitored. The Company evaluates the collectability of its accounts receivable and determines the appropriate allowance for doubtful accounts based on a combination of factors. The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts, which is based upon historical experience, future expected losses, as well as specific customer collection issues that have been identified. The Company uses specific criteria to determine uncollectible receivables to be written off, including bankruptcy, accounts referred to outside parties for collection and accounts past due over specified periods.
Vendor Consideration and Receivables—The Company participates in various rebate and promotional incentives with its suppliers, primarily through purchase-based programs. Consideration earned is estimated during the year as the Company’s obligations under the programs are fulfilled, which is primarily when products are purchased. Changes in the estimated amount of incentives earned are recognized in the period of change.
Vendor consideration is typically deducted from invoices or collected in cash within 30 days of being earned. Vendor receivables represent the uncollected balance of vendor consideration. Since collections occur primarily from deducting the consideration from the amounts due to the vendor, the Company does not experience significant collectability issues. The Company evaluates the collectability of its vendor receivables based on specific vendor information and vendor collection history.
Inventories—The Company’s inventories, consisting mainly of food and other food-related products, are primarily considered finished goods. Inventory costs include the purchase price of the product, freight costs to deliver it to the Company’s distribution and retail facilities and depreciation and labor related to processing facilities and equipment, and are net of certain cash or non-cash consideration received from vendors. The Company assesses the need for valuation allowances for slow-moving, excess and obsolete inventories by estimating the net recoverable value of such goods based upon inventory category, inventory age, specifically identified items and overall economic conditions.
The Company records inventories at the lower of cost or market primarily using the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method. For LIFO based inventories, the base year values of beginning and ending inventories are determined using the inventory price index computation method. This “links” current costs to original costs in the base year when the Company adopted LIFO. As of December 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, LIFO reserves in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets were $488 million and $489 million, respectively. As a result of changes in LIFO reserves, cost of goods sold decreased $1 million in 2023, and increased $147 million and $165 million in fiscal years 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Property and Equipment—Property and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation of property and equipment is calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, which range from 3 to 40 years. Property and equipment under financing leases and leasehold improvements are amortized on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the remaining term of the related lease or the estimated useful lives of the assets.
Routine maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred. Applicable interest charges incurred during the construction of new facilities or development of software for internal use are capitalized as one of the elements of cost and are amortized over the useful life of the respective assets.
Property and equipment held and used by the Company are tested for recoverability whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset or asset group may not be recoverable. For purposes of evaluating the recoverability of property and equipment, the Company compares the carrying value of the asset or asset group to the estimated, undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the long-lived asset or asset group. If the future cash flows do not exceed the carrying value, the carrying value is compared to the fair value of such asset. If the carrying value exceeds the fair value, an impairment charge is recorded for the excess.
The Company also assesses the recoverability of its vacant land and closed facilities actively marketed for sale. If an asset’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, less an estimated cost to sell, an impairment charge is recorded for the excess. Assets held for sale are not depreciated.
Impairments resulting from restructuring activities are recorded as a component of restructuring costs and asset impairment charges in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, and a reduction of the asset’s carrying value in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets—Goodwill includes the cost of acquired businesses in excess of the fair value of the tangible and other intangible net assets acquired. Other intangible assets include customer relationships, noncompete agreements, amortizable trade names, the brand names comprising the Company’s portfolio of exclusive brands, and trademarks. Brand names and trademarks are indefinite-lived intangible assets and, accordingly, are not subject to amortization, but are subject to impairment assessments as described below.
The Company assesses goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite lives for impairment annually, or more frequently if events occur that indicate an asset may be impaired. For goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets, the Company’s policy is to assess for impairment as of the beginning of each fiscal third quarter. For intangible assets with definite lives, the Company assesses impairment only if events occur that indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. The reporting unit used in assessing goodwill impairment is the Company’s one business segment as described in Note 24, and all goodwill is assigned to the consolidated Company.
Impairments are recorded as a component of restructuring costs and asset impairment charges in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income, and a reduction of the asset’s carrying value in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Self-Insurance Programs—The Company estimates its liabilities for claims covering general, fleet, and workers’ compensation. Amounts in excess of certain levels, which range from $1 million to $15 million per occurrence, are insured as a risk reduction strategy to mitigate catastrophic losses. The workers’ compensation liability is discounted, as the amount and timing of cash payments is reliably determinable given the nature of benefits and the level of historic claim volume to support the actuarial assumptions and judgments used to derive the expected loss payment pattern. The amount accrued is discounted using an interest rate that approximates the U.S. Treasury rate consistent with the duration of the liability. The inherent uncertainty of future loss projections could cause actual claims to differ from our estimates.
We are primarily self-insured for group medical claims not covered under multiemployer health plans covering certain of our union-represented employees. The Company accrues its self-insured medical liability, including an estimate for incurred but not reported claims, based on known claims and past claims history. These accruals are included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities and other long-term liabilities in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Share-Based Compensation—The Company measures compensation expense for share-based awards at fair value as of the date of grant, and recognizes compensation expense over the service period for awards, and as applicable based upon predetermined financial performance conditions for performance share-based awards. Forfeitures are recognized as incurred. Fair value of each option is estimated as of the date of grant using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The fair value of time-based and other performance based awards is the closing price per share for the Company’s common stock as reported on
the New York Stock Exchange. The fair value of the market performance based awards is estimated using a Monte-Carlo simulation. Shares issued as a result of stock options exercises will be funded with the issuance of new shares.
Compensation expense related to our employee stock purchase plan, which allows eligible employees to purchase our common stock at a discount of 15% represents the difference between the fair market value as of acquisition date and the employee purchase price.
Treasury Stock— The company records treasury stock purchases at cost plus excise tax.
Business Acquisitions—The Company accounts for business acquisitions under the acquisition method. Assets acquired and liabilities assumed are recorded at fair value as of the acquisition date. The operating results of the acquired companies are included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements from the date of acquisition.
Cost of Goods Sold—Cost of goods sold includes amounts paid to vendors for products sold, net of vendor consideration, including in-bound freight necessary to bring the products to the Company’s distribution facilities. Depreciation related to processing facilities and equipment is presented in cost of goods sold. Because the majority of the inventories are finished goods, depreciation related to warehouse facilities and equipment is presented in distribution, selling and administrative costs. See “Inventories” above for discussion of the LIFO impact on cost of goods sold.
Shipping and Handling Costs—Shipping and handling costs, which include costs related to the selection of products and their delivery to customers, are presented in distribution, selling and administrative costs. Shipping and handling costs were $2.4 billion, $2.3 billion and $2.0 billion in fiscal years 2023, 2022 and 2021, respectively.
Income Taxes—The Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method. This requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the differences between the financial statement carrying amounts and tax basis of assets and liabilities, using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income during the period that includes the enactment date. Net deferred tax assets are recorded to the extent the Company believes these assets will more likely than not be realized.
An uncertain tax position is recognized when it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon examination, including resolutions of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits. Uncertain tax positions are recorded at the largest amount that is more likely than not to be sustained. The Company adjusts the amounts recorded for uncertain tax positions when its judgment changes, as a result of evaluating new information not previously available. These differences are reflected as increases or decreases to income tax expense or benefit in the period in which they are determined.
Derivative Financial Instruments—The Company has utilized derivative financial instruments to assist in managing its exposure to variable interest rates on certain borrowings. The Company does not enter into derivatives or other financial instruments for trading or speculative purposes. In April 2023, the Company entered into two, two-year interest rate cap agreements. Interest rate caps, designated as cash flow hedges, are recorded in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value. The effective portion of gains and losses on the interest rate caps are initially recorded in other comprehensive loss and reclassified to interest expenses during the period in which the hedged transaction affects income.
In the normal course of business, the Company enters into forward purchase agreements to procure fuel, electricity and product commodities related to its business. These agreements often meet the definition of a derivative. However, the Company does not measure its forward purchase commitments at fair value as the amounts under contract meet the physical delivery criteria in the normal purchase exception.
Concentration Risks—Financial instruments that subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash equivalents and accounts receivable. The Company’s cash equivalents are invested primarily in money market funds at major financial institutions. The account balances at these institutions may exceed Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insurance coverage, and as a result, there may be a concentration of risk related to amounts invested in excess of FDIC insurance coverage. Credit risk related to accounts receivable is dispersed across a significantly large number of customers located throughout the U.S. The Company attempts to reduce credit risk through initial and ongoing credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition. There were no receivables from any one customer representing more than 5% of our consolidated gross accounts receivable as of December 30, 2023.