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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Jan. 01, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Principles of Consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Johnson & Johnson and its subsidiaries (the Company). Intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated.
Description of the Company and Business Segments
The Company has approximately 126,400 employees worldwide engaged in the research and development, manufacture and sale of a broad range of products in the health care field. The Company conducts business in virtually all countries of the world and its primary focus is on products related to human health and well-being.
The Company is organized into three business segments: Consumer, Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices. The Consumer segment includes a broad range of products used in the baby care, oral care, beauty (previously referred to as skin care), over-the-counter pharmaceutical, women’s health and wound care markets. These products are marketed to the general public and sold both to retail outlets and distributors throughout the world. The Pharmaceutical segment is focused on five therapeutic areas, including immunology, infectious diseases, neuroscience, oncology, and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Products in this segment are distributed directly to retailers, wholesalers, hospitals and health care professionals for prescription use. The Medical Devices segment includes a broad range of products used in the orthopaedic, surgery, cardiovascular, diabetes care and vision care fields, which are distributed to wholesalers, hospitals and retailers, and used principally in the professional fields by physicians, nurses, hospitals, eye care professionals and clinics.

New Accounting Pronouncements
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
During the fiscal first quarter of 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update 2016-09 Compensation - Stock Compensation: Improvements to Employee Share Based Payment Accounting. The amendments in the update are effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted for any entity in any interim or annual period. During the fiscal second quarter of 2016, the Company elected to early adopt this standard. The update requires the following changes to presentation of the financial statements:
All excess tax benefits and deficiencies to be recognized as a reduction or an increase to the provision for taxes on income. Previously, the Company recorded these benefits directly to Retained Earnings. The tax benefit for the Company was $353 million for the fiscal year 2016. The standard does not permit retroactive presentation of this benefit to prior fiscal years on the Consolidated Statement of Earnings.
The tax benefit or deficiency is required to be classified and presented as a cash flow to/from operating activities. It was previously required to be presented as a cash flow to/from financing activities on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. As permitted in the standard, the Company has elected to adopt this reclassification on a prospective basis and therefore prior fiscal years for the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows have not been recast for this provision.
Clarifies that all cash payments made to taxing authorities on employees’ share-based compensation should be classified as a cash outflow from financing activities. This reclassification is required to be recast retrospectively. As a result, for the fiscal year 2016, $269 million was classified as a cash outflow from financing activities and $290 million and $239 million, of cash outflow was reclassified from an operating activity to a financing activity (Proceeds from the exercise of stock options/employee withholding tax on stock awards, net) in the fiscal years 2015 and 2014, respectively.
In the diluted net earnings per share calculation, when applying the treasury stock method for shares that could be repurchased, the assumed proceeds no longer include the amount of excess tax benefit. This did not have a material impact on the Company's diluted net earnings per share calculation.

During the fiscal second quarter of 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2015-03: Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs. This update requires capitalized debt issuance costs to be presented as a reduction to the carrying value of debt instead of being classified as a deferred charge. This update is effective for the Company for all annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015 and is required to be applied retroactively for all periods presented. This update did not have a material impact on the presentation of the Company’s financial position.


During the fiscal third quarter of 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2015-16 Business Combinations: Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments. The amendments in this update require that an acquirer recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. This update is effective for the Company for all annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015. The amendments in this update should be applied prospectively to adjustments to provisional amounts that occur after the effective date of this update with earlier application permitted for financial statements that have not been issued. This update did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
During the fiscal third quarter of 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-15: Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern. This standard requires management to evaluate, for each annual and interim reporting period, whether there are conditions and events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date the financial statements are issued or are available to be issued. If substantial doubt is raised, additional disclosures around management’s plan to alleviate these doubts are required. This update becomes effective for all annual periods and interim reporting periods ending after December 15, 2016.  The adoption of this standard did not have any impact on the Company’s current disclosures in the financial statements.


Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
Not Adopted as of January 1, 2017
During the fiscal first quarter of 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update 2017-01: Clarifying the Definition of a Business. This update narrows the definition of a business by providing a screen to determine when an integrated set of assets and activities is not a business. The screen specifies that an integrated set of assets and activities is not a business if substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired or disposed of is concentrated in a single or a group of similar identifiable assets. This update will be effective for the Company for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted. This update should be applied prospectively. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the future adoption of this standard on its financial statements.
During the fiscal first quarter of 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update 2017-04: Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. This update simplifies how an entity is required to test goodwill for impairment. A goodwill impairment will now be measured by the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. This update will be effective for the Company for its annual or any interim goodwill impairment tests in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted. This update should be applied prospectively. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the future adoption of this standard on its financial statements.
During the fiscal first quarter of 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update 2017-05: Other Income-Gains and Losses from the Derecognition of Nonfinancial Assets. This update clarifies the scope of asset derecognition guidance, adds guidance for partial sales of nonfinancial assets and clarifies recognizing gains and losses from the transfer of nonfinancial assets in contracts with noncustomers. This update will be effective for the Company for its annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, the same time as the amendments in Update 2014-09 Revenue from Contracts with Customers. This update allows the Company to choose either a full retrospective method or modified retrospective method upon adoption.  The Company is currently assessing the impact of the future adoption of this standard on its financial statements.
During the fiscal first quarter of 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2016-01 Financial Instruments: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. The amendments in this update supersede the guidance to classify equity securities with readily determinable fair values into different categories (that is, trading or available-for-sale) and require equity securities to be measured at fair value with changes in the fair value recognized through net income. The standard amends financial reporting by providing relevant information about an entity’s equity investments and reducing the number of items that are recognized in other comprehensive income. This update will be effective for the Company for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company is unable to estimate the impact of the future adoption of this standard on its financial statements as it will depend on the equity investments as of the adoption date.
During the fiscal first quarter of 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2016-02 Leases (Topic 842). This update requires the recognition of lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet for all lease obligations and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. This update requires the recognition of lease assets and lease liabilities by lessees for those leases classified as operating leases under current generally accepted accounting principles. This update will be effective for the Company for all annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early application is permitted. The update is required to be adopted using a modified retrospective approach. The Company anticipates that most of its operating leases will result in the recognition of additional assets and the corresponding liabilities on its Consolidated Balance Sheets, however does not expect to have a material impact on the financial position. The actual impact will depend on the Company's lease portfolio at the time of adoption. The Company continues to assess all implications of the standard and related financial disclosures.
During the fiscal first quarter of 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2016-07 Investments - Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Simplifying the Transition to the Equity Method of Accounting. The amendments in the update eliminate the requirement that when an investment qualifies for the use of the equity method as a result of an increase in the level of ownership interest or degree of influence, an investor must adjust the investment, results of operations, and retained earnings retroactively on a step by step basis as if the equity method had been in effect during all previous periods that the investment had been held. The amendments in this update are effective for all entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2016. The amendments should be applied prospectively upon their effective date to increases in the level of ownership interest or degree of influence that result in the application of the equity method. Earlier adoption is permitted for any entity in any interim or annual period. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on the presentation of the Company's consolidated financial statements.
During the fiscal third quarter of 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2016-15 Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. This update addresses whether to present certain specific cash flow items as operating, investing or financing activities. The amendments in this update are effective for public entities for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the future adoption of this standard on its consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.
During the fiscal fourth quarter of 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2016-16 Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory. This update removes the current exception in US GAAP prohibiting entities from recognizing current and deferred income tax expenses or benefits related to transfer of assets, other than inventory, within the consolidated entity. The current exception to defer the recognition of any tax impact on the transfer of inventory within the consolidated entity until it is sold to a third party remains unaffected. The amendments in this update are effective for public entities for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted and should be in the first interim period if an entity issues interim financial statements. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the future adoption of this standard on its consolidated financial statements.
During the fiscal second quarter of 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2015-11: Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory. This update requires inventory to be measured at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Net realizable value is the estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal and transportation. This update will be effective for the Company for all annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016. The amendments in this update should be applied prospectively with earlier application permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. This update will not have a material impact on the presentation of the Company’s financial position.
During the fiscal second quarter of 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2014-09: Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which, along with amendments issued in 2015 and 2016, will replace substantially all current U.S. GAAP guidance on this topic and eliminate industry-specific guidance. Early adoption of this standard is permitted but not before the original effective date for all annual periods and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The guidance permits two methods of adoption: full retrospective method (retrospective application to each prior reporting period presented) or modified retrospective method (retrospective application with the cumulative effect of initially applying the guidance recognized at the date of initial application and providing certain additional disclosures). While the Company continues to evaluate the effect of the standard, preliminarily, it does not anticipate a material impact on its financial statements. To complete the assessment of the impact of the standard to the financial statements, the Company continues to assess all implications of the standard, method of adoption and related financial disclosures. Additionally, the Company continues to monitor modifications, clarifications and interpretations issued by the FASB that may affect current conclusions.
Cash Equivalents
The Company classifies all highly liquid investments with stated maturities of three months or less from date of purchase as cash equivalents and all highly liquid investments with stated maturities of greater than three months from the date of purchase as current marketable securities. The Company has a policy of making investments only with commercial institutions that have at least an investment grade credit rating. The Company invests its cash primarily in government securities and obligations, corporate debt securities, money market funds and reverse repurchase agreements (RRAs).
RRAs are collateralized by deposits in the form of Government Securities and Obligations for an amount not less than 102% of their value. The Company does not record an asset or liability as the Company is not permitted to sell or repledge the associated collateral. The Company has a policy that the collateral has at least an A (or equivalent) credit rating. The Company utilizes a third party custodian to manage the exchange of funds and ensure that collateral received is maintained at 102% of the value of the RRAs on a daily basis. RRAs with stated maturities of greater than three months from the date of purchase are classified as marketable securities.
Investments
Investments classified as held to maturity investments are reported at amortized cost and realized gains or losses are reported in earnings. Investments classified as available-for-sale are carried at estimated fair value with unrealized gains and losses recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income. Available-for-sale securities available for current operations are classified as current assets otherwise, they are classified as long term. Management determines the appropriate classification of its investment in debt and equity securities at the time of purchase and re-evaluates such determination at each balance sheet date. The Company periodically reviews its investments in equity securities for impairment and adjusts these investments to their fair value when a decline in market value is deemed to be other than temporary. If losses on these securities are considered to be other than temporary, the loss is recognized in earnings.
Property, Plant and Equipment and Depreciation
Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. The Company utilizes the straight-line method of depreciation over the estimated useful lives of the assets:
Building and building equipment
20 - 30 years
Land and leasehold improvements
10 - 20 years
Machinery and equipment
2 - 13 years


The Company capitalizes certain computer software and development costs, included in machinery and equipment, when incurred in connection with developing or obtaining computer software for internal use. Capitalized software costs are amortized over the estimated useful lives of the software, which generally range from 3 to 8 years.
The Company reviews long-lived assets to assess recoverability using undiscounted cash flows. When certain events or changes in operating or economic conditions occur, an impairment assessment may be performed on the recoverability of the carrying value of these assets. If the asset is determined to be impaired, the loss is measured based on the difference between the asset’s fair value and its carrying value. If quoted market prices are not available, the Company will estimate fair value using a discounted value of estimated future cash flows.
Revenue Recognition
The Company recognizes revenue from product sales when the goods are shipped or delivered and title and risk of loss pass to the customer. Provisions for certain rebates, sales incentives, trade promotions, coupons, product returns and discounts to customers are accounted for as reductions in sales in the same period the related sales are recorded.
Product discounts granted are based on the terms of arrangements with direct, indirect and other market participants, as well as market conditions, including prices charged by competitors. Rebates, which include Medicaid, are estimated based on contractual terms, historical experience, patient outcomes, trend analysis and projected market conditions in the various markets served. The Company evaluates market conditions for products or groups of products primarily through the analysis of wholesaler and other third-party sell-through and market research data, as well as internally generated information.
Sales returns are generally estimated and recorded based on historical sales and returns information. Products that exhibit unusual sales or return patterns due to dating, competition or other marketing matters are specifically investigated and analyzed as part of the accounting for sales returns accruals.
Sales returns allowances represent a reserve for products that may be returned due to expiration, destruction in the field, or in specific areas, product recall. The returns reserve is based on historical return trends by product and by market as a percent to gross sales. In accordance with the Company’s accounting policies, the Company generally issues credit to customers for returned goods. The Company’s sales returns reserves are accounted for in accordance with U.S. GAAP guidance for revenue recognition when right of return exists. Sales returns reserves are recorded at full sales value. Sales returns in the Consumer and Pharmaceutical segments are almost exclusively not resalable. Sales returns for certain franchises in the Medical Devices segment are typically resalable but are not material. The Company infrequently exchanges products from inventory for returned products. The sales returns reserve for the total Company has been approximately 1.0% of annual sales to customers during the fiscal reporting years 2016, 2015 and 2014.
Promotional programs, such as product listing allowances and cooperative advertising arrangements, are recorded in the year incurred. Continuing promotional programs include coupons and volume-based sales incentive programs. The redemption cost of consumer coupons is based on historical redemption experience by product and value. Volume-based incentive programs are based on the estimated sales volumes for the incentive period and are recorded as products are sold. The Company also earns service revenue for co-promotion of certain products and includes it in sales to customers. These arrangements are evaluated to determine the appropriate amounts to be deferred or recorded as a reduction of revenue.
Shipping and Handling
Shipping and handling costs incurred were $974 million, $996 million and $1,068 million in 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively, and are included in selling, marketing and administrative expense. The amount of revenue received for shipping and handling is less than 0.5% of sales to customers for all periods presented.
Inventories
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market determined by the first-in, first-out method.
Intangible Assets and Goodwill
The authoritative literature on U.S. GAAP requires that goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite lives be assessed annually for impairment. The Company completed the annual impairment test for 2016 in the fiscal fourth quarter. Future impairment tests will be performed annually in the fiscal fourth quarter, or sooner if warranted. Purchased in-process research and development is accounted for as an indefinite lived intangible asset until the underlying project is completed, at which point the intangible asset will be accounted for as a definite lived intangible asset, or abandoned, at which point the intangible asset will be written off or partially impaired.
Intangible assets that have finite useful lives continue to be amortized over their useful lives, and are reviewed for impairment when warranted by economic conditions. See Note 5 for further details on Intangible Assets and Goodwill.
Financial Instruments
As required by U.S. GAAP, all derivative instruments are recorded on the balance sheet at fair value. Fair value is the exit price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability. Fair value is a market-based measurement determined using assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. The authoritative literature establishes a three-level hierarchy to prioritize the inputs used in measuring fair value, with Level 1 having the highest priority and Level 3 having the lowest. Changes in the fair value of derivatives are recorded each period in current earnings or other comprehensive income, depending on whether the derivative is designated as part of a hedge transaction, and if so, the type of hedge transaction.
The Company documents all relationships between hedged items and derivatives. The overall risk management strategy includes reasons for undertaking hedge transactions and entering into derivatives. The objectives of this strategy are: (1) minimize foreign currency exposure’s impact on the Company’s financial performance; (2) protect the Company’s cash flow from adverse movements in foreign exchange rates; (3) ensure the appropriateness of financial instruments; and (4) manage the enterprise risk associated with financial institutions. See Note 6 for additional information on Financial Instruments.
Product Liability
Accruals for product liability claims are recorded, on an undiscounted basis, when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated based on existing information and actuarially determined estimates where applicable. The accruals are adjusted periodically as additional information becomes available. The Company accrues an estimate of the legal defense costs needed to defend each matter when those costs are probable and can be reasonably estimated.
As a result of cost and availability factors, effective November 1, 2005, the Company ceased purchasing third-party product liability insurance. The Company has self insurance through a wholly-owned captive insurance company. In addition to accruals in the self insurance program, claims that exceed the insurance coverage are accrued when losses are probable and amounts can be reasonably estimated. Based on the availability of prior coverage, receivables for insurance recoveries related to product liability claims are recorded on an undiscounted basis, when it is probable that a recovery will be realized. As appropriate, reserves against these receivables are recorded for estimated amounts that may not be collected from third-party insurers.
Concentration of Credit Risk
Global concentration of credit risk with respect to trade accounts receivables continues to be limited due to the large number of customers globally and adherence to internal credit policies and credit limits. Economic challenges in Italy, Spain, Greece and Portugal (the Southern European Region) have impacted certain payment patterns, which have historically been longer than those experienced in the U.S. and other international markets. The total net trade accounts receivable balance in the Southern European Region was approximately $1.1 billion as of January 1, 2017 and approximately $1.3 billion as of January 3, 2016. Approximately $0.7 billion as of January 1, 2017 and approximately $0.8 billion as of January 3, 2016 of the Southern European Region net trade accounts receivable balance related to the Company's Consumer, Vision Care and Diabetes Care businesses as well as certain Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices customers which are in line with historical collection patterns.
The remaining balance of net trade accounts receivable in the Southern European Region has been negatively impacted by the timing of payments from certain government owned or supported health care customers, as well as certain distributors of the Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices local affiliates. The total net trade accounts receivable balance for these customers were approximately $0.4 billion at January 1, 2017 and $0.5 billion at January 3, 2016. The Company continues to receive payments from these customers and, in some cases, late payments with interest. For customers where payment is expected over periods of time longer than one year, revenue and trade receivables have been discounted over the estimated period of time for collection. Allowances for doubtful accounts have been increased for these customers, but have been immaterial to date. The Company will continue to work closely with these customers on payment plans, monitor the economic situation and take appropriate actions as necessary.

Research and Development
Research and development expenses are expensed as incurred. Upfront and milestone payments made to third parties in connection with research and development collaborations are expensed as incurred up to the point of regulatory approval. Payments made to third parties subsequent to regulatory approval are capitalized and amortized over the remaining useful life of the related product. Amounts capitalized for such payments are included in other intangibles, net of accumulated amortization.
The Company enters into collaborative arrangements, typically with other pharmaceutical or biotechnology companies, to develop and commercialize drug candidates or intellectual property. These arrangements typically involve two (or more) parties who are active participants in the collaboration and are exposed to significant risks and rewards dependent on the commercial success of the activities. These collaborations usually involve various activities by one or more parties, including research and development, marketing and selling and distribution. Often, these collaborations require upfront, milestone and royalty or profit share payments, contingent upon the occurrence of certain future events linked to the success of the asset in development. Amounts due from collaborative partners related to development activities are generally reflected as a reduction of research and development expense because the performance of contract development services is not central to the Company’s operations. In general, the income statement presentation for these collaborations is as follows:

Nature/Type of Collaboration
 
Statement of Earnings Presentation
Third-party sale of product
 
Sales to customers
Royalties/milestones paid to collaborative partner (post-regulatory approval)*
 
Cost of products sold
Royalties received from collaborative partner
 
Other income (expense), net
Upfront payments & milestones paid to collaborative partner (pre-regulatory approval)
 
Research and development expense
Research and development payments to collaborative partner
 
Research and development expense
Research and development payments received from collaborative partner
 
Reduction of Research and development expense
Milestones are capitalized as intangible assets and amortized to cost of goods sold over the useful life.
For all years presented, there was no individual project that represented greater than 5% of the total annual consolidated research and development expense.
The Company has a number of products and compounds developed in collaboration with strategic partners including XARELTO®, co-developed with Bayer HealthCare AG and IMBRUVICA®, developed in collaboration and co-marketed with Pharmacyclics LLC, an AbbVie company.
 
Advertising
Costs associated with advertising are expensed in the year incurred and are included in selling, marketing and administrative expenses. Advertising expenses worldwide, which comprised television, radio, print media and Internet advertising, were $2.4 billion, $2.5 billion and $2.6 billion in 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Income Taxes
Income taxes are recorded based on amounts refundable or payable for the current year and include the results of any difference between U.S. GAAP accounting and tax reporting, recorded as deferred tax assets or liabilities. The Company estimates deferred tax assets and liabilities based on enacted tax regulations and rates. Future changes in tax laws and rates may affect recorded deferred tax assets and liabilities in the future.
The Company has unrecognized tax benefits for uncertain tax positions. The Company follows U.S. GAAP which prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. Management believes that changes in these estimates would not have a material effect on the Company's results of operations, cash flows or financial position.
At January 1, 2017 and January 3, 2016, the cumulative amounts of undistributed international earnings were approximately $66.2 billion and $58.0 billion, respectively. At January 1, 2017 and January 3, 2016, the Company's foreign subsidiaries held balances of cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities in the amounts of $41.3 billion and $38.2 billion, respectively. The Company has not provided deferred taxes on the undistributed earnings from certain international subsidiaries where the earnings are considered to be indefinitely reinvested. The Company intends to continue to reinvest these earnings in international operations. If the Company decided at a later date to repatriate these earnings to the U.S., the Company would be required to provide for the net tax effects on these amounts. The Company does not determine the deferred tax liability associated with these undistributed earnings, as such determination is not practical.
See Note 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for further information regarding income taxes.
Net Earnings Per Share
Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net earnings available to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities were exercised or converted into common stock using the treasury stock method.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. Estimates are used when accounting for sales discounts, rebates, allowances and incentives, product liabilities, income taxes, depreciation, amortization, employee benefits, contingencies and intangible asset and liability valuations. Actual results may or may not differ from those estimates.
The Company follows the provisions of U.S. GAAP when recording litigation related contingencies. A liability is recorded when a loss is probable and can be reasonably estimated. The best estimate of a loss within a range is accrued; however, if no estimate in the range is better than any other, the minimum amount is accrued.
Annual Closing Date
The Company follows the concept of a fiscal year, which ends on the Sunday nearest to the end of the month of December. Normally each fiscal year consists of 52 weeks, but every five or six years the fiscal year consists of 53 weeks, and therefore includes additional shipping days, as was the case in 2015, and will be the case again in 2020.
Reclassification
Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to current year presentation.