Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

The Company

American Express Credit Corporation (Credco), together with its subsidiaries, is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. (TRS), which is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Express Company (American Express). American Express charge cards and American Express credit cards are collectively referred to herein as the card.

Credco is engaged in the business of financing non-interest-earning Card Member receivables arising from the use of the American Express charge cards issued in the United States and in certain countries outside the United States. Credco also finances certain interest-earning revolving loans generated by Card Member spending on American Express credit cards issued in non-U.S. markets, although interest-earning revolving loans are primarily funded by subsidiaries of TRS other than Credco.

Credco executes material transactions with its affiliates. The agreements between Credco and its affiliates provide that the parties intend that the transactions thereunder be conducted on an arm’s length basis; however, there can be no assurance that the terms of these arrangements are the same as would be negotiated between independent, unrelated parties.

American Express provides Credco with financial support with respect to maintenance of its minimum overall 1.25 fixed charge coverage ratio, which is achieved by charging appropriate discount rates on the purchases of receivables Credco makes from, and the interest rates on the loans Credco provides to, TRS and other American Express subsidiaries. Each monthly period, the discount and interest rates are determined to generate income for Credco that is sufficient to maintain its minimum fixed charge coverage ratio. The revenue earned by Credco from purchasing Card Member receivables and loans at a discount is reported as discount revenue on the Consolidated Statements of Income.

Principles of Consolidation

The Consolidated Financial Statements of Credco are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP). Significant intercompany transactions are eliminated.

Credco consolidates entities in which it holds a controlling financial interest. For voting interest entities, Credco is considered to hold a controlling financial interest when it is able to exercise control over the investees’ operating and financial decisions. For variable interest entities (VIEs), the determination of which is based on the amount and characteristics of the entity’s equity, Credco is considered to hold a controlling financial interest when it is determined to be the primary beneficiary. A primary beneficiary is the party that has both: (1) the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact that VIE’s economic performance, and (2) the obligation to absorb losses of, or the right to receive benefits from, the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

Foreign Currency

Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars based upon exchange rates prevailing at the end of the reporting period, revenues and expenses are translated at the average month-end exchange rates during the year. Resulting translation adjustments, along with any related qualifying hedge and tax effects, are included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (AOCI), a component of shareholder’s equity. Translation adjustments, including qualifying hedge and tax effects, are reclassified to earnings upon the sale or substantial liquidation of investments in foreign operations. Gains and losses related to transactions in a currency other than the functional currency are reported net in Other expenses, in Credco’s Consolidated Statements of Income. Net foreign currency transaction gains amounted to approximately $1 million, $14 million and $87 million in 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Amounts Based on Estimates and Assumptions

Accounting estimates are an integral part of the Consolidated Financial Statements. These estimates are based, in part, on management’s assumptions concerning future events. Among the more significant assumptions are those that relate to reserves for Card Member losses on receivables and loans, fair value measurements and income taxes. These accounting estimates reflect the best judgment of management, but actual results could differ.

Discount Revenue Earned from Purchased Card Member Receivables and Loans

Credco earns discount revenue from purchasing Card Member receivables and loans at a discount to par value. The discount is deferred and recognized as revenue over the period that the receivables and loans are estimated to be outstanding or funded. Estimates are based on the historical average life of Card Member receivables and loans.

Interest Income from Affiliates

Interest income from affiliates is earned on interest-bearing loans made by Credco to affiliates. Interest income is accrued primarily using the average daily balance method on loans and is recognized based on the outstanding loan principal amount and interest rates specified in the agreements until the outstanding loan balance is paid.

Finance Revenue

Finance revenue is assessed using the average daily balance method for Card Member loans and is recognized based upon the loan principal amount outstanding in accordance with the terms of the applicable account agreement until the outstanding balance is paid or written off.

Interest Expense

Interest expense includes interest incurred primarily to fund Card Member receivables and loans, general corporate purposes and liquidity needs, and is recognized as incurred.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash and amounts due from banks, interest-bearing bank balances, and other highly liquid investments with original maturities of 90 days or less.

Other Significant Accounting Policies

The following table identifies Credco’s other significant accounting policies, the Note and page where the Note can be found.

	Note
Significant Accounting Policy	Number	Note Title	Page
Card Member Receivables and Loans	Note 2	Card Member Receivables and Loans	37
Reserves for Losses – Card Member Receivables and Loans	Note 3	Reserves for Losses	39
Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities	Note 6	Derivatives and Hedging Activities	43
Fair Value Measurements	Note 7	Fair Values	46
Income Taxes	Note 11	Income Taxes	52

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued new accounting guidance on revenue recognition. The accounting standard establishes the principles to apply to determine the amount and timing of revenue recognition, specifying the accounting for certain costs related to revenue, and requiring additional disclosures about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenues and related cash flows. The guidance, as amended, supersedes most of the current revenue recognition requirements, and is effective January 1, 2018, with early adoption as of January 1, 2017.

Credco will adopt the new guidance on January 1, 2018, and anticipates using the full retrospective method, which applies the new standard to each prior reporting period presented. Credco has been working on the implementation of the standard since its issuance in 2014 and has made significant progress in evaluating the potential impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements. Credco does not expect a significant impact to pretax income upon adoption.

In January 2016, the FASB issued new accounting guidance on the recognition and measurement of financial assets and financial liabilities. The guidance, which is effective January 1, 2018, makes targeted changes to current GAAP, specifically to the classification and measurement of equity securities, and to certain disclosure requirements associated with the fair value of financial instruments. Credco continues to evaluate the impact this guidance will have on its financial position, results of operations and cash flows, as well as the impact the standard may have on its accounting policies, business processes, systems and internal controls.

In June 2016, the FASB issued new accounting guidance for recognition of credit losses on financial instruments, which is effective January 1, 2020, with early adoption permitted on January 1, 2019. The guidance introduces a new credit reserving model known as the Current Expected Credit Loss (CECL) model, which is based on expected losses, and differs significantly from the incurred loss approach used today. The CECL model requires measurement of expected credit losses not only based on historical experience and current conditions, but also by including reasonable and supportable forecasts incorporating forward-looking information and will likely result in earlier recognition of credit reserves. Credco does not intend to adopt the new standard early and is currently evaluating the impact the new guidance will have on its financial position, results of operations and cash flows; however, it is expected that the new CECL model will alter the assumptions used in estimating credit losses on Card Member receivables and loans, among other financial instruments, and may result in material changes to Credco’s credit reserves.

Other Information

During the second quarter of 2016, American Express completed the sales of substantially all of its outstanding Card Member loans and receivables held for sale (HFS) related to its cobrand partnership with Costco Wholesale Corporation in the United States. Since Credco owns participation interests in receivables purchased from American Express Receivables Financing Corporation VIII LLC (RFC VIII), Credco also sold back all of its participation interests in Card Member receivables HFS to RFC VIII.

Effective for the first quarter of 2016, American Express realigned its businesses as announced during the fourth quarter of 2015, which combined its corporate and small business organizations into a business-to-business focused group and combined its merchant-related businesses, among other changes. To enhance the comparability and usefulness of Credco’s financial statements with that of American Express, Credco has made certain reclassifications of its classes of Card Member receivables and loans for the periods presented. These reclassifications did not have any impact on Credco’s underlying assumptions or judgments with respect to reserves for losses or credit performance.