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Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Notes)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]
1. Description of Business and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Description of Business

Dover Corporation ("Dover" or "Company") is a diversified global manufacturer and solutions provider delivering innovative equipment and components, consumable supplies, aftermarket parts, software and digital solutions and support services. The Company’s businesses are based primarily in the United States and Europe with manufacturing and other operations throughout the world. The Company operates through five business segments that are structured around similar business models, go-to market strategies and manufacturing practices: Engineered Products, Fueling Solutions, Imaging & Identification, Pumps & Process Solutions and Refrigeration & Food Equipment. For additional information on the Company’s segments, see Note 19 — Segment Information.

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The results of operations of acquired businesses are included from the dates of acquisitions. As discussed in Note 5 — Discontinued and Disposed Operations, the Company is reporting the assets, liabilities, results of operations and cash flows of Apergy prior to the spin-off, as discontinued operations for all periods presented.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying disclosures. These estimates may be adjusted due to changes in future economic, industry, or customer financial conditions, as well as changes in technology or demand. Estimates are used for, but not limited to, allowances for doubtful accounts receivable, net realizable value of inventories, restructuring reserves, warranty reserves, pension and post-retirement plans, stock-based compensation, useful lives for depreciation and amortization of long-lived assets, future cash flows associated with impairment testing for goodwill, indefinite-lived intangible assets and other long-lived assets, deferred tax assets, uncertain income tax positions and contingencies. Actual results may ultimately differ from estimates, although management does not believe such differences would materially affect the consolidated financial statements in any individual year. Estimates and assumptions are periodically reviewed and the effects of revisions are reflected in the Consolidated Financial Statements in the period that they are determined.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand, demand deposits and short-term investments, which are highly liquid in nature and have original maturities at the time of purchase of three months or less. The carrying value of cash and cash equivalents approximate fair value.

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Accounts receivable are recorded at face amounts less an allowance for doubtful accounts. The allowance is an estimate based on historical collection experience, current economic and market conditions and a review of the current status of each customer's trade accounts receivable. Management evaluates the aging of the accounts receivable balances and the financial condition of its customers to estimate the amount of accounts receivable that may not be collected in the future and records the appropriate provision.

Inventories

Inventories for the majority of the Company’s subsidiaries, including all international subsidiaries, are stated at the lower of cost, determined on the first-in, first-out (FIFO) basis, or net realizable value. Other domestic inventories are stated at cost, determined on the last-in, first-out (LIFO) basis, which is less than market value.
Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment includes the historical cost of land, buildings, machinery and equipment, purchased software and significant improvements to existing plant and equipment or, in the case of acquisitions, the fair value appraisal of assets. Expenditures for maintenance, repairs and minor renewals are expensed as incurred. When property or equipment is sold or otherwise disposed of, the related cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the respective accounts and the gain or loss realized on disposition is reflected in earnings. The Company depreciates its assets on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives as follows: buildings and improvements 5 to 31.5 years; machinery and equipment 3 to 15 years; furniture and fixtures 3 to 7 years; vehicles 3 to 7 years; and software 3 to 10 years.

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company uses derivative financial instruments to hedge its exposures to various risks, including interest rate and foreign currency exchange rate risk. The Company does not enter into derivative financial instruments for speculative purposes and does not have a material portfolio of derivative financial instruments. Derivative financial instruments used for hedging purposes must be designated and effective as a hedge of the identified risk exposure at inception of the contract. The Company recognizes all derivatives as either assets or liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet and measures those instruments at fair value. For derivatives designated as hedges of the fair value of assets or liabilities, the changes in fair value of both the derivatives and of the hedged items are recorded in current earnings. For derivatives designated as cash flow hedges, the change in the fair value of the derivatives is recorded as a component of other comprehensive earnings and subsequently recognized in net earnings when the hedged items impact earnings.

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill represents the excess of purchase price over the fair value of net assets acquired. Goodwill and certain other intangible assets deemed to have indefinite lives (primarily trademarks) are not amortized. For goodwill, impairment tests are required at least annually, or more frequently if events or circumstances indicate that it may be impaired, when some portion but not all of a reporting unit is disposed of or classified as assets held for sale, or when a change in the composition of reporting units occurs for other reasons, such as a change in segments.

The Company performs its goodwill impairment test annually in the fourth quarter at the reporting unit level. Concurrent with the timing of the annual impairment test, effective October 1, 2019, the Company changed its management structure which resulted in a change in its operating segments and reporting units. As a result, management tested goodwill for impairment before and after the segment change under the old and new reporting unit structures. Based on its new organizational structure, the Company identified fifteen reporting units for which cash flows are determinable and to which goodwill may be allocated. 

A quantitative test is used to determine existence of goodwill impairment and the amount of the impairment loss at the reporting unit level. The quantitative test compares the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. The Company uses an income-based valuation method, determining the present value of estimated future cash flows, to estimate the fair value of a reporting unit. If the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, goodwill of the reporting unit is not impaired. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss shall be recognized in an amount equal to that excess, limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. Factors used in the impairment analysis require significant judgment, and actual results may differ from assumed and estimated amounts. The Company uses its own market assumptions including internal projections of future cash flows, discount rates and other assumptions considered reasonable in the analysis. These forecasts are based on historical performance and future estimated results. The discount rates used in these analyses vary by reporting unit and are based on a capital asset pricing model and published relevant industry rates. The Company uses discount rates commensurate with the risks and uncertainties inherent to each reporting unit and in the internally developed forecasts. See Note 9 — Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets for further discussion of the Company's annual goodwill impairment test and results.

The Company uses an income-based valuation method to annually test its indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment. The fair value of the intangible asset is compared to its carrying value. This method uses the Company’s own market assumptions, which are considered reasonable. Any excess of carrying value over the estimated fair value is recognized as an impairment loss. No impairment of indefinite-lived intangible assets was required for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, or 2017.
  
Other intangible assets with determinable lives primarily consist of customer intangibles, unpatented technologies, patents and trademarks. The other intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives, ranging from 5 to 20 years.

Long-lived assets (including definite-lived intangible assets) are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable, such as a significant sustained change in the business climate. If an indicator of impairment exists for any grouping of assets, an estimate of undiscounted future cash flows is produced and compared to its carrying value. If an asset is determined to be impaired, the loss is measured by the excess of the carrying amount of the asset over its fair value, as determined by an estimate of discounted future cash flows.
 
Leases

Effective January 1, 2019, the Company adopted Accounting Standard Codification ("ASC") Topic 842, Leases, which requires the recording of operating lease right-of-use assets ("ROU") and operating lease liabilities. Finance leases were not impacted by the adoption of ASC Topic 842, as finance lease liabilities and the corresponding ROU assets were already recorded in the balance sheet under the previous guidance, ASC Topic 840.

The Company has operating and finance leases for corporate offices, manufacturing plants, research and development facilities, shared services facilities, vehicle fleets and certain office and manufacturing equipment. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded in the balance sheet. The Company has elected the practical expedient to account for each separate lease component of a contract and its associated non-lease components as a single lease component, thus causing all fixed payments to be capitalized. The Company also elected the package of practical expedients permitted within the new standard, which among other things, allows the Company to carry forward historical lease classification. Variable lease payment amounts that cannot be determined at the commencement of the lease, such as increases in lease payments based on changes in index rates or usage, are not included in the ROU assets or liabilities. These are expensed as incurred and recorded as variable lease expense.

The Company determines if an arrangement is a lease at inception of a contract. Operating lease ROU assets are included in other assets and deferred charges and operating lease liabilities are included in other accrued expenses and other liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Finance lease ROU assets are included in property and equipment, and the related lease liabilities are included in other accrued expenses and other liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheet.

ROU assets represent the Company's right to use an underlying asset during the lease term and lease liabilities represent the Company's obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the net present value of fixed lease payments over the lease term. The lease term includes options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that the Company will exercise that option. ROU assets also include any advance lease payments made and exclude lease incentives. As most of the Company's operating leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value of lease payments. Finance lease agreements generally include an interest rate that is used to determine the present value of future lease payments. Fixed operating lease expense and finance lease depreciation expense are recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

Restructuring Accruals

The Company takes actions to reduce headcount, close facilities, or otherwise exit operations. Such restructuring activities at an operation are recorded when management has committed to an exit or reorganization plan and when termination benefits are probable and can be reasonably estimated based on circumstances at the time the restructuring plan is approved by management or when termination benefits are communicated. Exit costs may include contractual terminations and asset impairments as a result of an approved restructuring plan. The accrual of both severance and exit costs requires the use of estimates. Though the Company believes that its estimates accurately reflect the anticipated costs, actual results may be different from the original estimated amounts.

Foreign Currency

Assets and liabilities of non-U.S. subsidiaries, where the functional currency is not the U.S. dollar, have been translated at year-end exchange rates and profit and loss accounts have been translated using weighted-average monthly exchange
rates. Foreign currency translation gains and losses are included in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Earnings as a component of other comprehensive earnings (loss). Assets and liabilities of an entity that are denominated in currencies other than an entity’s functional currency are re-measured into the functional currency using end of period exchange rates or historical rates, where applicable to certain balances. Gains and losses related to these re-measurements are recorded within the Consolidated Statements of Earnings as a component of other income, net. Gains and losses arising from intercompany foreign currency transactions that are of a long-term investment in nature are reported in the same manner as translation adjustments.

Revenue Recognition

Effective January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Under ASC Topic 606, a contract with a customer is an agreement which both parties have approved, that creates enforceable rights and obligations, has commercial substance and where payment terms are identified and collectability is probable. Once the Company has entered a contract, it is evaluated to identify performance obligations. For each performance obligation, revenue is recognized as control of promised goods or services transfers to the customer in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. The amount of revenue recognized takes into account variable consideration, such as discounts and volume rebates.

Prior to 2018, revenue was recognized when all the following conditions were satisfied: a) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, b) price is fixed or determinable, c) collectability is reasonably assured and d) delivery has occurred or services have been rendered.

The majority of the Company’s revenue is generated through the manufacture and sale of a broad range of specialized products and components, with revenue recognized upon transfer of control, title and risk of loss, which is generally upon shipment. Service revenue represents less than 5% of total revenue and is recognized as the services are performed. In limited cases, revenue arrangements with customers require delivery, installation, testing, certification, or other acceptance provisions to be satisfied before revenue is recognized. The Company includes shipping costs billed to customers in revenue and the related shipping costs in cost of goods and services.

Stock-Based Compensation

The principal awards issued under the Company’s stock-based compensation plans include non-qualified stock appreciation rights ("SARs"), restricted stock units and performance share awards. The cost for such awards is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award. At the time of grant, the Company estimates forfeitures, based on historical experience, in order to estimate the portion of the award that will ultimately vest. The value of the portion of the award that is expected to ultimately vest is recognized as expense on a straight-line basis, generally over the explicit service period of three years (except for retirement-eligible employees) and is included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. Expense for awards granted to retirement-eligible employees is recorded over the period from the date of grant through the date the employee first becomes eligible to retire and is no longer required to provide service. See Note 15 — Equity and Cash Incentive Program for additional information related to the Company’s stock-based compensation.
 
Income Taxes

The provision for income taxes includes federal, state, local and non-U.S. taxes. Tax credits, primarily for research and experimentation, are recognized as a reduction of the provision for income taxes in the year in which they are available for tax purposes. Deferred taxes are provided using enacted rates on the future tax consequences of temporary differences. Temporary differences include the differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis and the tax benefit of carryforwards. A valuation allowance is established for deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not that some portion or all will not be realized. In assessing the need for a valuation allowance, management considers all available evidence, including the future reversal of existing taxable temporary differences, taxable income in carryback periods, prudent and feasible tax planning strategies and estimated future taxable income. The valuation allowance can be affected by changes to tax regulations, interpretations and rulings, changes to enacted statutory tax rates and changes to future taxable income estimates.
Tax benefits are recognized from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position in consideration of applicable tax statutes and related interpretations and precedents. Tax benefits recognized in the financial statements from such a position are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized on ultimate settlement.

On December 22, 2017, the U.S. bill commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“Tax Reform Act”) was enacted, which significantly changed U.S. tax law by, among other things, lowering corporate income tax rates, implementing a territorial tax system and imposing a one-time repatriation tax on deemed repatriated earnings of foreign subsidiaries. The Tax Reform Act reduced the U.S. corporate income tax rate from a maximum of 35% to a flat 21% rate, effective January 1, 2018. The Tax Reform Act also provided for a one-time deemed repatriation of post-1986 undistributed foreign subsidiary earnings and profits (“E&P”) through the year ended December 31, 2017. The Global Intangible Low-Taxed Income ("GILTI") provisions of the Tax Reform Act require the Company to include in its U.S. income tax return foreign subsidiary earnings in excess of an allowable return on the foreign subsidiary’s tangible assets. The Company is subject to incremental U.S. tax on GILTI income due to expense allocations required by the U.S. foreign tax credit rules. The Company has elected to account for the GILTI tax in the period in which it is incurred, and therefore has not provided any deferred tax impacts of GILTI in its consolidated financial statements.

On December 22, 2017, the SEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (“SAB 118”) to address the application of U.S. GAAP in situations when a registrant did not have the necessary information available, prepared, or analyzed (including computations) in reasonable detail to complete the accounting for certain income tax effects of the Tax Reform Act. The Company recognized the provisional tax impacts related to deemed repatriated earnings and the benefit for the revaluation of deferred tax assets and liabilities, and included these amounts in its consolidated financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2017. In accordance with SAB 118, the Company finalized the financial reporting impact of the Tax Reform Act in the fourth quarter of 2018. For the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company recorded a $4.2 million net tax benefit, which resulted in a 0.6% decrease in the effective tax rate, as an adjustment to provisional estimates as a result of additional regulatory guidance and changes in interpretations and assumptions the Company made as a result of the Tax Reform Act.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs, including qualifying engineering costs, are expensed when incurred and amounted to $140,957 in 2019, $143,033 in 2018 and $130,536 in 2017. These costs as a percent of revenue were 2.0% in 2019, 2.0% in 2018 and 1.9% in 2017.

Advertising Costs

Advertising costs are expensed when incurred and amounted to $24,609 in 2019, $26,831 in 2018 and $33,369 in 2017.
 
Risk, Retention, Insurance

The Company currently self-insures its product and commercial general liability claims up to $5.0 million per occurrence, its workers’ compensation claims up to $0.8 million per occurrence and automobile liability claims up to $1.0 million per occurrence. Third-party insurance provides primary level coverage in excess of these amounts up to certain specified limits. In addition, the Company has excess liability insurance from third-party insurers on both an aggregate and an individual occurrence basis well in excess of the limits of the primary coverage. A worldwide program of property insurance covers the Company’s owned and leased property and business interruption that may occur due to an insured hazard affecting those properties, subject to reasonable deductibles and aggregate limits. The Company’s property and casualty insurance programs contain various deductibles that, based on the Company’s experience, are typical and customary for a company of its size and risk profile. The Company does not consider any of the deductibles to represent a material risk to the Company. The Company generally maintains deductibles for claims and liabilities related primarily to workers’ compensation, health and welfare claims, general commercial, product and automobile liability, cybersecurity risks, property damage and business interruption resulting from certain events. The Company accrues for claim exposures that are probable of occurrence and can be reasonably estimated. As part of the Company’s risk management program, insurance is maintained to transfer risk beyond the level of self-retention and provide protection on both an individual claim and annual aggregate basis.
Reclassifications – Certain amounts in prior years have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. As described in Note 19 — Segment Information, the Company realigned into five business segments effective October 1, 2019.
  
Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

The following standards, issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB"), will, or are expected to, result in a change in practice and/or have a financial impact to the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements:

In June 2016, 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 rather than incurred losses to estimate credit losses on certain types of financial instruments, including trade receivables. This may result in the earlier recognition of allowances for losses. In addition, the FASB issued ASU 2019-04, Codification Improvements to Topic 326 which provides clarity on certain aspects of the amendments in ASU 2016-13. The guidance is effective for interim and annual periods for the Company beginning on January 1, 2020. The Company believes that the most notable impact of this ASU will relate to its processes around the assessment of the adequacy of its allowance for doubtful accounts on trade accounts receivable and the recognition of credit losses. Management does not expect this update to have a material impact to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

In July 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-07, Codification Updates to SEC Sections. This ASU amends various SEC paragraphs pursuant to the issuance of SEC Final Rule Releases No. 33-10532, Disclosure Update and Simplification, and Nos. 33-10231 and 33-10442, Investment Company Reporting Modernization. One of the changes in the ASU requires a presentation of changes in stockholders’ equity in the form of a reconciliation, either as a separate financial statement or in the notes to the financial statements, for the current and comparative year-to-date interim periods. The Company presented changes in stockholders' equity as separate financial statements for the current and comparative year-to-date interim periods beginning on January 1, 2019. The additional elements of the ASU did not have a material impact on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements. This guidance was effective immediately upon issuance.

In August 2018, the FASB issued 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. The amendments in this update align the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software (and hosting arrangements that include an internal-use software license). The accounting for the service element of a hosting arrangement that is a service contract is not affected by the amendments in this update. The Company early adopted the guidance prospectively beginning on January 1, 2019. The adoption of this ASU did not have a material impact on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements.

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. This ASU provides new guidance about income statement classification and eliminates the requirement to separately measure and report hedge ineffectiveness. The entire change in fair value for qualifying hedge instruments will be recorded in Other Comprehensive Income ("OCI") and amounts deferred in OCI will be reclassified to earnings in the same income statement line item in which the earnings effect of the hedged item is reported. The Company adopted this guidance on January 1, 2019. The adoption of this ASU did not have a material impact on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which amended existing guidance to require lessees to recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for the rights and obligations created by long-term leases and to disclose additional quantitative and qualitative information about leasing arrangements. This ASU also provides clarifications surrounding the presentation of the effects of leases in the income statement and statement of cash flows. In addition, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, Leases Targeted Improvements, which provides an additional transition method that allows entities to apply the new leases standard at adoption date. The Company elected this new transition method when it adopted ASU 2016-02 on January 1, 2019. Upon adoption on January 1, 2019, total assets and liabilities increased due to the
recording of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities amounting to approximately $163 million. See Note 8 — Leases for further details.