Introduction (Policies)	3 Months Ended
Mar. 28, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Background	Background Gates Industrial Corporation plc (the “Company”) is a public limited company that was organized under the laws of England and Wales on September 25, 2017. In these condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes, all references to “Gates,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer, unless the context requires otherwise, to Gates Industrial Corporation plc and its consolidated subsidiaries.
Accounting periods	Accounting periodsThe Company prepares its annual consolidated financial statements for the period ending on the Saturday nearest December 31. Accordingly, the condensed consolidated balance sheet is presented as of March 28, 2020 and December 28, 2019 and the related condensed consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income, cash flows, and shareholders’ equity are presented, where relevant, for the 91 day period from December 29, 2019 to March 28, 2020, with comparative information for the 91 day period from December 30, 2018 to March 30, 2019.
Basis of presentation	The condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and are presented in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated. The condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes contain all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring accruals) necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position as of March 28, 2020 and the results of its operations and cash flows for the periods ended March 28, 2020 and March 30, 2019. Interim period results are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full fiscal year. The first quarter of 2020 marked the beginning of an unprecedented environment for the global economy, as governments, companies and communities implemented strict measures to minimize the spread of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic. As a result of the unpredictable and evolving impact of the pandemic and measures being taken around the world to combat its spread, the timing and trajectory of the recovery are unclear at this time, and the adverse impact of the pandemic on the Company’s operations may be material but cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. The preparation of consolidated financial statements under U.S. GAAP requires us to make assumptions and estimates concerning the future that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses. Estimates and assumptions are particularly important in accounting for items such as revenue, rebates, impairment of long-lived assets, intangible assets and goodwill, inventory valuation, financial instruments, expected credit losses, product warranties, income taxes and post-retirement benefits. Due to the inherent uncertainty involved in making assumptions and estimates, events and changes in circumstances arising after March 28, 2020, including those resulting from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, may result in actual outcomes that differ from those contemplated by our assumptions and estimates. These condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and, except as noted below, have been prepared on substantially the same basis as Gates’ audited annual consolidated financial statements and related notes for the year ended December 28, 2019. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 28, 2019 has been derived from those audited financial statements. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited annual consolidated financial statements and related notes for the year ended December 28, 2019 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.
New accounting pronouncements adopted and not yet adopted	The accounting policies used in preparing these condensed consolidated financial statements are the same as those applied in the prior year, except for the adoption on the first day of the 2020 fiscal year of the following new Accounting Standard Updates (each, an “ASU”): •ASU 2016-13 “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments” •ASU 2020-02 “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326) and Leases (Topic 842)” In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an ASU which broadens the information that an entity must consider when developing its expected credit loss estimate for financial assets. The measurement of expected credit losses should be based on relevant information about past events, including historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amount. The financial asset must be measured at the net amount expected to be collected. The ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. On transition, no cumulative-effect adjustment was recognized to retained earnings. Our businesses develop their expected loss estimates based either on the aging profile of outstanding receivables or by applying a preset experience factor (either a percentage of sales or a percentage of open receivables). These methodologies are based primarily on historical trends and experience, but credit controllers also regularly assess individual customer accounts to identify any potential increases or decreases in the level of expected credit loss needed to be applied to each customer based on current circumstances and future expectations. Before accepting a new customer, we assess their credit quality and establish a credit limit. Credit quality is assessed by using data maintained by reputable credit rating agencies, by checking of references included in credit applications and, where they are available, by reviewing the customer’s recent financial statements. Credit limits are subject to multiple levels of authorization and are reviewed on a regular basis. Although Gates has a wide variety of customers from multinational original equipment manufacturers and distributors to small family-owned businesses, the majority of our sales are generated from large companies with low credit risk. Recent global developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our customers’ ability to pay us are being closely monitored and taken into account in the determination of our expected credit loss estimates. The following ASUs that were also adopted on the first day of the 2020 fiscal year did not have a significant impact on our results, financial position or disclosures: • ASU 2018-13 “Fair Value Measurement” (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement • 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 Recent accounting pronouncements not yet adopted The following recent accounting pronouncements are relevant to Gates’ operations but have not yet been adopted. •ASU 2018-14 “Compensation - Retirement Benefits - Defined Benefit Plans - General” (Subtopic 715-20): Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans In August 2018, the FASB issued an ASU to modify the disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension or other post-retirement plans. The amendments remove certain disclosures, clarify other disclosure requirements, and add new disclosure requirements that have been identified as relevant. The amendments are effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020, and should be applied on a retrospective basis to all periods presented. The impact on our consolidated financial statements of adopting this ASU, which will affect our disclosures, is still being evaluated. •ASU 2019-12 “Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes” (Topic 740): Income Taxes In December 2019, the FASB issued an ASU to simplify and reduce the complexity of general principles in Topic 740: Income Taxes. Such simplifications include the elimination of certain exceptions to: 1) the incremental approach for intraperiod tax allocation, 2) the requirement to recognize a deferred income tax liability for equity method investments when a foreign subsidiary becomes an equity method investment, 3) the ability not to recognize a deferred income tax liability for a foreign subsidiary when a foreign equity method investment becomes a subsidiary, and 4) the general methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period when a year-to-date loss exceeds the anticipated loss for the year. The amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The ASU provides for a number of different approaches to applying the changes, depending on the amendment, from full retrospective to modified retrospective to fully prospective. The impact on our consolidated financial statements of adopting this ASU is still being evaluated. •ASU 2020-04 “Reference Rate Reform” (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting In March 2020, the FASB issued an ASU to provide optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions that reference LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discontinued because of reference rate reform. The amendments in this update are effective as of March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022. As certain of our debt uses LIBOR or EURIBOR as a benchmark for establishing the rate of interest, and we apply hedge accounting in respect of derivatives to manage interest and currency risks associated with our debt, we expect that this ASU will have an impact on our consolidated financial statements, but this is still being evaluated.

Introduction (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 28, 2020

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Gates Industrial Corporation plc (the “Company”) is a public limited company that was organized under the laws of England and Wales on September 25, 2017.

In these condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes, all references to “Gates,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer, unless the context requires otherwise, to Gates Industrial Corporation plc and its consolidated subsidiaries.

Accounting periods

Accounting periodsThe Company prepares its annual consolidated financial statements for the period ending on the Saturday nearest December 31. Accordingly, the condensed consolidated balance sheet is presented as of March 28, 2020 and December 28, 2019 and the related condensed consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive income, cash flows, and shareholders’ equity are presented, where relevant, for the 91 day period from December 29, 2019 to March 28, 2020, with comparative information for the 91 day period from December 30, 2018 to March 30, 2019.

Basis of presentation

The condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and are presented in U.S. dollars unless otherwise indicated. The condensed consolidated financial statements and related notes contain all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring accruals) necessary to present fairly the Company’s financial position as of March 28, 2020 and the results of its operations and cash flows for the periods ended March 28, 2020 and March 30, 2019. Interim period results are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full fiscal year.

The first quarter of 2020 marked the beginning of an unprecedented environment for the global economy, as governments, companies and communities implemented strict measures to minimize the spread of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic. As a result of the unpredictable and evolving impact of the pandemic and measures being taken around the world to combat its spread, the timing and trajectory of the recovery are unclear at this time, and the adverse impact of the pandemic on the Company’s operations may be material but cannot be reasonably estimated at this time.

The preparation of consolidated financial statements under U.S. GAAP requires us to make assumptions and estimates concerning the future that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses. Estimates and assumptions are particularly important in accounting for items such as revenue, rebates, impairment of long-lived assets, intangible assets and goodwill, inventory valuation, financial instruments, expected credit losses, product warranties, income taxes and post-retirement benefits.

Due to the inherent uncertainty involved in making assumptions and estimates, events and changes in circumstances arising after March 28, 2020, including those resulting from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, may result in actual outcomes that differ from those contemplated by our assumptions and estimates.

These condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and, except as noted below, have been prepared on substantially the same basis as Gates’ audited annual consolidated financial statements and related notes for the year ended December 28, 2019. The condensed consolidated balance sheet as of December 28, 2019 has been derived from those audited financial statements.

These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited annual consolidated financial statements and related notes for the year ended December 28, 2019 included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K.

New accounting pronouncements adopted and not yet adopted

The accounting policies used in preparing these condensed consolidated financial statements are the same as those applied in the prior year, except for the adoption on the first day of the 2020 fiscal year of the following new Accounting Standard Updates (each, an “ASU”):

•ASU 2016-13 “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments”

•ASU 2020-02 “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326) and Leases (Topic 842)”

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an ASU which broadens the information that an entity must consider when developing its expected credit loss estimate for financial assets. The measurement of expected credit losses should be based on relevant information about past events, including historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amount. The financial asset must be measured at the net amount expected to be collected.

The ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. On transition, no cumulative-effect adjustment was recognized to retained earnings.

Our businesses develop their expected loss estimates based either on the aging profile of outstanding receivables or by applying a preset experience factor (either a percentage of sales or a percentage of open receivables). These methodologies are based primarily on historical trends and experience, but credit controllers also regularly assess individual customer accounts to identify any potential increases or decreases in the level of expected credit loss needed to be applied to each customer based on current circumstances and future expectations.

Before accepting a new customer, we assess their credit quality and establish a credit limit. Credit quality is assessed by using data maintained by reputable credit rating agencies, by checking of references included in credit applications and, where they are available, by reviewing the customer’s recent financial statements. Credit limits are subject to multiple levels of authorization and are reviewed on a regular basis.

Although Gates has a wide variety of customers from multinational original equipment manufacturers and distributors to small family-owned businesses, the majority of our sales are generated from large companies with low credit risk. Recent global developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our customers’ ability to pay us are being closely monitored and taken into account in the determination of our expected credit loss estimates.

The following ASUs that were also adopted on the first day of the 2020 fiscal year did not have a significant impact on our results, financial position or disclosures:

• ASU 2018-13 “Fair Value Measurement” (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement

• 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

Recent accounting pronouncements not yet adopted

The following recent accounting pronouncements are relevant to Gates’ operations but have not yet been adopted.

•ASU 2018-14 “Compensation - Retirement Benefits - Defined Benefit Plans - General” (Subtopic 715-20): Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans

In August 2018, the FASB issued an ASU to modify the disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension or other post-retirement plans. The amendments remove certain disclosures, clarify other disclosure requirements, and add new disclosure requirements that have been identified as relevant.

The amendments are effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020, and should be applied on a retrospective basis to all periods presented. The impact on our consolidated financial statements of adopting this ASU, which will affect our disclosures, is still being evaluated.

•ASU 2019-12 “Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes” (Topic 740): Income Taxes

In December 2019, the FASB issued an ASU to simplify and reduce the complexity of general principles in Topic 740: Income Taxes. Such simplifications include the elimination of certain exceptions to: 1) the incremental approach for intraperiod tax allocation, 2) the requirement to recognize a deferred income tax liability for equity method investments when a foreign subsidiary becomes an equity method investment, 3) the ability not to recognize a deferred income tax liability for a foreign subsidiary when a foreign equity method investment becomes a subsidiary, and 4) the general methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period when a year-to-date loss exceeds the anticipated loss for the year.

The amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The ASU provides for a number of different approaches to applying the changes, depending on the amendment, from full retrospective to modified retrospective to fully prospective. The impact on our consolidated financial statements of adopting this ASU is still being evaluated.

•ASU 2020-04 “Reference Rate Reform” (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting

In March 2020, the FASB issued an ASU to provide optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions that reference LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discontinued because of reference rate reform.

The amendments in this update are effective as of March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022. As certain of our debt uses LIBOR or EURIBOR as a benchmark for establishing the rate of interest, and we apply hedge accounting in respect of derivatives to manage interest and currency risks associated with our debt, we expect that this ASU will have an impact on our consolidated financial statements, but this is still being evaluated.