Allowance for current expected credit loss (CECL)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2020

Receivables [Abstract]

Allowance for current expected credit loss (CECL)

5.  Allowance for current expected credit loss (CECL)

Effective January 1, 2020, the company adopted the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s update, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326), as amended. The standard requires a valuation allowance for credit losses be recognized for certain financial assets that reflects the current expected credit loss over the asset’s contractual life. The valuation allowance considers the risk of loss, even if remote, and considers past events, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts. The standard requires this expected loss methodology for trade receivables, certain other financial assets and off-balance-sheet credit exposures. The cumulative effect adjustment related to the adoption of this standard reduced “Earnings reinvested” in Shareholders’ equity by $2 million.

The company is exposed to credit losses primarily through sales of petroleum products, crude oil, natural gas liquids and natural gas, as well as loans to equity companies and joint venture receivables. A counterparty’s ability to pay is assessed through a credit review process that considers payment terms, the counterparty’s established credit rating or the company’s assessment of the counterparty’s credit worthiness, contract terms, and other risks. The company can require prepayment or collateral to mitigate certain credit risks.

The company groups financial assets into portfolios that share similar risk characteristics for purposes of determining the allowance for credit losses. Each reporting period, the company assesses whether a significant change in credit loss or risk has occurred. Among the quantitative and qualitative factors considered are historical financial data, current conditions, industry and country risk, current credit ratings and the quality of third-party guarantees secured from the counterparty. Financial assets are written off in whole, or in part, when practical recovery efforts have been exhausted and no reasonable expectation of recovery exists. Subsequent recoveries of amounts previously written off are recognized in earnings. The company manages receivable portfolios using past due balances as a key credit quality indicator.

The company recognizes a credit allowance for off-balance-sheet credit exposures as a liability on the balance sheet, separate from the allowance for credit losses related to recognized financial assets. These exposures could include unfunded loans to equity companies and financial guarantees that cannot be cancelled unilaterally by the company.

During the first half of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic spread rapidly through most areas of the world resulting in economic uncertainty, global financial market volatility, and negative effects in the credit markets. The company has considered these effects, along with the significantly lower balances of trade receivables at the end of the quarter, in its estimate of credit losses and concluded no material adjustment to credit allowances in the quarter was required. At June 30, 2020, the company’s evaluation of financial assets under Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326), as amended included $1,420 million of accounts receivable, net of allowances of $4 million, and investments and long-term receivables of $326 million. The company has determined that, at this time, no credit allowance is required for investments and long-term receivables. There is currently no off-balance-sheet credit exposure.