Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Nature of Operations (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Use of Estimates

The Company makes a number of significant estimates, assumptions and judgments in the preparation of its financial statements. Additionally, the Company measures and classifies fair value measurements in accordance with the level hierarchy in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”). As of March 31, 2020, the Company's significant accounting policies and estimates and valuation techniques used to measure fair value have not changed from September 30, 2019. See Note 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies within the 2019 Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2019 for further information.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) and subsequently issued related amendments, collectively referred to as “ASC 842”. The objective of this guidance is to increase transparency and comparability among organizations through recognizing leased assets, called right-of-use assets (“ROU”), and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements.  As a lessee, the new standard requires us to recognize both the ROU assets and lease liabilities in the balance sheet for most leases, whereas under previous GAAP only finance lease liabilities (referred to as capital leases) were recognized in the balance sheet. In addition, for both lessees and lessors, the definition of a lease has been revised, which may result in changes to the classification of an arrangement as a lease. Under the new standard, an arrangement that conveys the right to control the use of an identified asset by obtaining substantially all of its economic benefits and directing how it is used is a lease, whereas the previous definition focused on the ability to control the use of the asset or to obtain its output. Quantitative and qualitative disclosures related to the amount, timing and judgments of an entity’s accounting for leases and the related cash flows are expanded under the new standard. Disclosure requirements apply to both lessees and lessors, whereas previous disclosures related only to lessees. The recognition, measurement, and presentation of revenues, expenses and cash flows arising from a lease have not significantly changed from previous GAAP.

We adopted ASC 842 effective October 1, 2019 using the optional transition method approach. We elected the package of practical expedients, which applies to both lessees and lessors, to (1) not reassess whether existing contracts contain leases, (2) carryforward the existing lease classification and (3) not reassess initial direct costs associated with existing leases.

As a lessee, the adoption of the guidance on October 1, 2019 resulted in the recognition of ROU assets of $82.5 million and lease liabilities of $85.8 million, which all related to operating leases. The ROU assets were lower than the lease liabilities due to the derecognition of deferred rent balances of $3.3 million. As a lessor, our accounting was not impacted by the adoption of this guidance. We did not recognize any adjustment to the comparative period presented in the financial statements in accordance with our adoption method. The guidance did not have a material impact on our Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income.

See Note 7. Leases for additional information on the impacts of ASC 842.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. This standard eliminates Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test and requires a goodwill impairment to be measured as the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying amount exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of its goodwill. ASU 2017-04 is effective for our first quarter of fiscal 2021 and requires a prospective transition method. Early adoption is permitted. We early adopted this standard in the first quarter of fiscal 2020 and the guidance did not have a material impact on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

In October 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-16, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Inclusion of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) Overnight Index Swap (OIS) Rate as a Benchmark Interest Rate for Hedge Accounting Purposes. The purpose of the standard is to allow the use of the OIS rate based on the SOFR for hedge accounting purposes, which allows entities to designate changes in the fair values of fixed-rate financial assets or liabilities attributable to the OIS rate as the hedged risk.  The amendment recognizes the OIS rate based on the SOFR as likely London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) replacements and supports the marketplace transition by adding the new reference rate as a benchmark rate.  The adoption of this ASU did not impact our financial statements as we have not yet utilized the OIS rate based on the SOFR for borrowings under our lending arrangements or as a benchmark rate for hedge accounting purposes. We will continue to monitor, assess and plan for the phase out of LIBOR.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses of Financial Instruments and subsequently issued related amendments, collectively referred to as “Topic 326”. Topic 326 requires entities to measure credit losses for financial assets measured at amortized cost based on expected losses rather than incurred losses. For available-for-sale debt securities with unrealized losses, entities will recognize credit losses through an allowance for credit losses. Topic 326 is effective for our first quarter of fiscal 2021 and requires a prospective transition method. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. The purpose of the standard is to improve the overall usefulness of fair value disclosures to financial statement users and reduce unnecessary costs to companies when preparing the disclosures. ASU 2018-13 is effective for our first quarter of fiscal 2021 and requires the application of the prospective method of transition (for only the most recent interim or annual period presented in the initial fiscal year of adoption) to the new disclosure requirements for (1) changes in unrealized gains and losses included in other comprehensive income and (2) the range and weighted average used to develop significant unobservable inputs for Level 3 fair value measurements. ASU 2018-13 also requires prospective application to any modifications to disclosures made because of the change to the requirements for the narrative description of measurement uncertainty. The effects of all other amendments made by ASU 2018-13 must be applied retrospectively to all periods presented. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14, Compensation – Retirement Benefits – Defined Benefit Plans – General (Topic 715-20): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans. The purpose of the standard is to improve the overall usefulness of defined benefit pension and other postretirement plan disclosures to financial statement users and reduce unnecessary costs to companies when preparing the disclosures. ASU 2018-14 is effective for our fourth quarter of fiscal 2021 and requires a retrospective transition method. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

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. This update aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement to be consistent 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). ASU 2018-15 is effective for our first quarter of fiscal 2021 and allows a retrospective or a prospective transition method to all implementation costs incurred after the date of adoption. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

In November 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-18, Collaborative Arrangements (Topic 808): Clarifying the Interaction between Topic 808 and Topic 606. The purpose of the standard is to (1) clarify that transactions between participants in a collaborative agreement should be accounted for under Topic 606 and (2) add unit-of-account guidance in Topic 808 to align with Topic 606. ASU 2018-18 is effective for our first quarter of fiscal 2021 and must be applied retrospectively to the first quarter of fiscal 2020. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. The purpose of the standard is to remove certain exceptions to the general principles of Topic 740: Income Taxes in order to reduce the cost and complexity of its application and to maintain or improve the usefulness of the information provided to users of financial statements. ASU 2019-12 is effective for our first quarter of fiscal 2021 and will be applied either retrospectively or prospectively depending on the specific Topic 740 exception affected. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently in the process of evaluating the impact of adoption on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting. The purpose of the standard is to provide guidance for the effects of the marketplace transition from LIBOR to a new reference rate as a benchmark rate.  ASU 2020-04 is optional and is effective for a limited period of time from March 12,2020 through December 31, 2022. We are continuing to monitor, assess and plan for the phase out of LIBOR and will evaluating the impact of adoption on our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Except as noted above, there are no significant changes to our assessment of the impact of recently issued accounting standards included in Note 1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies of our Consolidated Financial Statements in our 2019 Form 10-K.

Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation

The unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements appearing in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements and notes thereto included in Hillrom’s latest fiscal 2019 Form 10-K as filed with the SEC. The September 30, 2019 Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet was derived from audited Consolidated Financial Statements but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. In the opinion of management, the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements herein include all adjustments necessary to state fairly the financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods presented. Quarterly results are not necessarily indicative of annual results.The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Hillrom and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.