Recent Accounting Standards

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2016

Accounting Changes And Error Corrections [Abstract]

Recent Accounting Standards

(12) Recent Accounting Standards

In November, 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2015-17, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes”, which eliminates the guidance in Topic 740, Income Taxes, that required an entity to separate deferred tax liabilities and assets between current and noncurrent amounts in a classified balance sheet.  The amendments require that all deferred tax liabilities and assets of the same tax jurisdiction or a tax filing group, as well as any related valuation allowance, be offset and presented as a single noncurrent amount in a classified balance sheet.  The amendments are effective for public business entities for annual fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016.  We early adopted this standard effective January 1, 2016, on a prospective basis and did not adjust prior periods presented.  The adoption of this standard had no impact on our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income or Condensed Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows.

In April and August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-03 and ASU No. 2015-15, “Interest- Imputation of Interest,” respectively, to simplify the presentation of debt issuance costs. The standard requires debt issuance costs be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying value of the debt liability. The FASB clarified that debt issuance costs related to line-of-credit arrangements can be presented as an asset and amortized over the term of the arrangement. The guidance is effective for annual fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2015. We adopted this standard on January 1, 2016, on a retrospective basis and adjusted prior periods presented. In connection with the adoption of this ASU, debt issuance costs of $17 million as of March 31, 2016 and $19 million as of December 31, 2015 were reclassified from deferred charges to long-term debt. The adoption of this standard had no impact on our financial position or overall results of operations.

In March, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, “Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting”, which amends the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions to require recognition of the tax effects resulting from the settlement of stock-based awards as income tax expense or benefit in the income statement in the reporting period in which they occur.  In addition, the ASU requires that all tax-related cash flows resulting from share-based payments, including the excess tax benefits related to the settlement of stock-based awards, be classified as cash flows from operating activities in the statement of cash flows.  The ASU also requires that cash paid by directly withholding shares for tax withholding purposes be classified as a financing activity in the statement of cash flows.  In addition, the ASU also allows companies to make an accounting policy election to either estimate the number of awards that are expected to vest, consistent with current U.S. GAAP, or account for forfeitures when they occur.  The new standard is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016 with early adoption permitted.  We are currently evaluating the effect that ASU 2016-09 will have on our condensed consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In May 2014 and March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09 and ASU 2016-08, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)” and “Revenue from Contracts with Customers: Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net)”, respectively, which provides guidance for revenue recognition. The standard’s core principle is that a company will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. This ASU also requires additional disclosures.  The FASB updated the new revenue standard by clarifying the principal versus agent implementation guidance, but does not change the core principle of the new standard. ASU 2014-09 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016; however, in July 2015, the FASB approved a one-year deferral of this standard, with a new effective date for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. We are currently in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption of this ASU on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In February, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842): Amendments to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification “(“Update 2016-02”), which requires an entity to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and to disclose key qualitative and quantitative information about the entity’s leasing arrangements.  This update is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018 with early adoption permitted.  A modified retrospective approach is required.  We are currently evaluating the effect that ASU 2016-02 will have on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

From time to time, new accounting guidance is issued by the FASB or other standard setting bodies that is adopted by the Company as of the effective date or, in some cases where early adoption is permitted, in advance of the effective date. The Company has assessed the recently issued guidance that is not yet effective and, unless otherwise indicated above, believes the new guidance will not have a material impact on our results of operations, cash flows or financial position.