Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2015

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

In the opinion of management, the accompanying consolidated financial statements contain all normal, recurring adjustments necessary to fairly present the financial position of CSX and its subsidiaries at December 25, 2015 and December 26, 2014, and the consolidated statements of income, comprehensive income, cash flows and changes in shareholders’ equity for fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013. In addition, management has evaluated and disclosed all material events occurring subsequent to the date of the financial statements up to the date this annual report is filed on Form 10-K.

Fiscal Year

CSX follows a 52/53 week fiscal reporting calendar. This fiscal calendar allows every quarter to consistently end on a Friday and typically, to be of equal duration (13 weeks), resulting in a 52 week fiscal year. To maintain this type of reporting calendar every fifth or sixth year (depending on the Gregorian calendar and when leap year falls), an extra week will be included in the fourth quarter (a 14-week fiscal quarter) and, therefore, that full fiscal year will have 53 weeks. The next 53 week fiscal year will be 2016, which will end on December 30, 2016. Fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013 each consisted of 52 weeks ending on December 25, 2015, December 26, 2014 and December 27, 2013, respectively. Except as otherwise specified, references to full year indicate CSX’s fiscal periods ended on these dates

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include results of operations of CSX and subsidiaries over which CSX has majority ownership or financial control. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Most investments in companies that were not majority-owned were carried at cost (if less than 20% owned and the Company has no significant influence) or were accounted for under the equity method (if the Company has significant influence but does not have control). These investments are reported within Investment in Conrail or Affiliates and Other Investments on the consolidated balance sheets.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Investments

On a daily basis, cash in excess of current operating requirements is invested in various highly liquid investments having a typical maturity date of three months or less at the date of acquisition. These investments are carried at cost, which approximated market value, and are classified as cash equivalents.

NOTE 1. Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies, continued

Investments

Investments in instruments with original maturities greater than three months but will mature in less than one year were classified as short-term investments. Investments with original maturities greater than one year are classified within other long-term assets.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts on uncollectible amounts related to freight receivables, government reimbursement receivables, claims for damages and other various receivables. The allowance is based upon the credit worthiness of customers, historical experience, the age of the receivable and current market and economic conditions. Uncollectible amounts are charged against the allowance account.

Materials and Supplies

Materials and supplies in the consolidated balance sheets are carried at average costs and consist primarily of fuel and parts used in the repair and maintenance of CSXT’s freight car and locomotive fleets, equipment and track structure.

Goodwill

Goodwill represents purchase price in excess of fair value and is related to affiliates of CSXT, primarily P&L Transportation, Inc. Goodwill of $63 million is recorded in other long-term assets in the consolidated balance sheets as of December 2015 and December 2014, respectively.

Revenue and Expense Recognition

The Company recognizes freight revenue using Free-On-Board Origin pursuant to the Revenue Recognition Topic in the Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC"). Accounting guidance in this topic provides for the allocation of revenue between reporting periods based on relative transit time in each reporting period. Expenses are recognized as incurred.

The certain key estimates included in the recognition and measurement of revenue and related accounts receivable under the policies described above are as follows:


•	revenue associated with shipments in transit is recognized ratably over transit time and is based on average cycle times to move commodities and products from their origin to their final destination or interchange;


•	adjustments to revenue for billing corrections, billing discounts and bad debts or to accounts receivable for allowances for doubtful accounts;


•	adjustments to revenue for overcharge claims filed by customers, which are based on historical cash paid to customers for rate overcharges as a percentage of total billing;


•	incentive-based refunds to customers, which are primarily based on customers achieving certain volume thresholds and are recorded as a reduction to revenue on the basis of management’s best estimate of the projected liability (this estimate is based on historical activity, current volume levels and a forecast of future volume).

NOTE 1. Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies, continued

The Company regularly updates the estimates described above based on historical experience and current conditions. All other revenue, such as demurrage, switching and other incidental charges are recorded upon completion of the service.

New Accounting Pronouncements

In November 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU"), Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes, which requires that all deferred income taxes be classified as noncurrent in the balance sheet, rather than being separated into current and noncurrent amounts. This standard is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and will not have a material effect on the Company's financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU, Plan Accounting: Defined Benefit Pension Plans (Topic 960), Defined Contribution Pension Plans (Topic 962) and Health and Welfare Benefit Plans (Topic 965): I. Fully Benefit-Responsive Investment Contracts; II. Plan Investment Disclosures; III. Measurement Date Practical Expedient. This three-part update simplifies current benefit plan accounting and requires benefit plans to disaggregate their investments measured using fair value by general type, among other changes. This update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015 and early adoption is permitted. Parts I and III of this update are not applicable to CSX. This update only affects disclosures related to fair value measurement. Adoption does not have an effect on the Company's pension plan net assets available for benefits or its changes in net assets available for benefits.

In May 2015, the FASB issued ASU, Disclosures for Investments in Certain Entities That Calculate Net Asset Value per Share (or Its Equivalent). This update eliminates the requirement to categorize investments within the fair value hierarchy if their fair value is measured using the net asset value per share practical expedient. This update requires that investments measured using the net asset value per share be disclosed as a reconciling item between the statement of net assets available for benefits and the fair value hierarchy disclosure. This update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015 and early adoption is permitted. This update only affects disclosures related to fair value measurement. Adoption does not have an effect on the Company's pension plan net assets available for benefits or its changes in net assets available for benefits.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU, Interest - Imputation of Interest, which changes the financial statement presentation of debt issuance costs to be a direct reduction to long-term debt, rather than presented as a long-term asset. The amortization of debt issuance costs will continue to be included in interest expense. This standard is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015 and will not have a material effect on the Company's financial condition, results of operations or liquidity.

NOTE 1. Nature of Operations and Significant Accounting Policies, continued

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which supersedes previous revenue recognition guidance. The new standard requires that a company recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration the company expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. Companies will need to use more judgment and estimates than under the guidance currently in effect, including estimating the amount of variable revenue to recognize over each identified performance obligation. Additional disclosures will be required to help users of financial statements understand the nature, amount and timing of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts. In July 2015, the FASB approved a one-year deferral of the effective date. This standard will now become effective for CSX beginning with the first quarter 2018 and can be adopted either retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented or as a cumulative effect adjustment as of the date of adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this new guidance on the consolidated financial statements.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires that management make estimates in reporting the amounts of certain assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amount of certain revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results may differ from those estimates. Critical accounting estimates using management judgment are made for the following areas:


•	casualty, environmental and legal reserves (see Note 5, Casualty, Environmental and Other Reserves);


•	pension and post-retirement medical plan accounting (see Note 8, Employee Benefit Plans);


•	depreciation policies for assets under the group-life method (see Note 6, Properties); and


•	income taxes (see Note 11, Income Taxes).

Other Items - Share Repurchases

In accordance with the Equity Topic in the ASC, the Company elected to allocate the excess of repurchase price over par value and record in retained earnings. Generally, retained earnings is only impacted by net earnings and dividends.

Earnings Per Share

Basic earnings per share is based on the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding. Earnings per share, assuming dilution, is based on the weighted-average number of shares of common stock equivalents outstanding adjusted for the effects of common stock that may be issued as a result of potentially dilutive instruments. CSX's potentially dilutive instruments are made up of employee stock options and equity awards, which include long-term incentive awards.

The Earnings Per Share Topic in the ASC requires CSX to include additional shares in the computation of earnings per share, assuming dilution. The additional shares included in diluted earnings per share represent the number of shares that would be issued if all of the above potentially dilutive instruments were converted into CSX common stock.

When calculating diluted earnings per share, the Earnings Per Share Topic in the ASC requires CSX to include the potential shares that would be outstanding if all outstanding stock options were exercised. This number is different from outstanding stock options, which is included in Note 4, Stock Plans and Share-Based Compensation, because it is offset by shares CSX could repurchase using the proceeds from these hypothetical exercises to obtain the common stock equivalent. Outstanding stock options were excluded from the diluted earnings per share calculation as the effect of their inclusion currently would be anti-dilutive.

Share-based Compensation Expense

Share-based compensation expense is measured at the fair market value of the Company’s stock on the grant date and is recognized on a straight-line basis over the service period of the respective award.

Casualty Reserves

In accordance with the Contingencies Topic in the ASC, to the extent the value of an individual claim exceeds the self-insured retention amount, the Company would present the liability on a gross basis with a corresponding receivable for insurance recoveries. These reserves fluctuate based upon the timing of payments as well as changes in estimate. Actual results may vary from estimates due to the number, type and severity of the injury, costs of medical treatments and uncertainties in litigation. Most of the Company's casualty claims relate to CSXT unless otherwise noted below. Defense and processing costs, which historically have been insignificant and are anticipated to be insignificant in the future, are not included in the recorded liabilities.

Asset Retirement and Environmental Obligations

In accordance with the Asset Retirement and Environmental Obligations Topic in the ASC, the Company reviews its role with respect to each site identified at least quarterly, giving consideration to a number of factors such as:


•	type of clean-up required;


•	nature of the Company’s alleged connection to the location (e.g., generator of waste sent to the site or owner or operator of the site);


•	extent of the Company’s alleged connection (e.g., volume of waste sent to the location and other relevant factors); and


•	number, connection and financial viability of other named and unnamed potentially responsible parties at the location.

Property and Equipment Depreciation

The Company depreciates its rail assets, including main-line track, locomotives and freight cars, using the group-life method of accounting. Assets depreciated under the group-life method of accounting comprise 86% of total fixed assets of $42 billion on a gross basis as of December 2015. All other depreciable assets of the Company are depreciated on a straight-line basis. The group-life method aggregates assets with similar lives and characteristics into groups and depreciates each of these groups as a whole. When using the group-life method, an underlying assumption is that each group of assets, as a whole, is used and depreciated to the end of its recoverable life.

Impairment Review of Property and Other Long-lived Assets

Properties and other long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment annually or whenever events or business conditions indicate the carrying amount of such assets may not be fully recoverable. Initial assessments of recoverability are based on estimates of undiscounted future net cash flows associated with an asset or a group of assets in accordance with the Property, Plant, and Equipment Topic in the ASC. Where impairment is indicated, the assets are evaluated and their carrying amount is reduced to fair value based on discounted net cash flows or other estimates of fair value.