Accounting Changes:

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Accounting Changes:

Accounting Changes:

2. Accounting Changes:In April 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued guidance that changes the criteria for reporting a discontinued operation. According to the new guidance, only disposals of a component that represents a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on an entity's operations and financial results is a discontinued operation. The new guidance also requires expanded disclosures about discontinued operations and disposals of a significant part of an entity that does not qualify for discontinued operations reporting. The guidance is effective beginning January 1, 2015 with early adoption permitted, but only for disposals (or classifications as held for sale) that have not been reported in previously-issued financial statements. The impact to the company will be dependent on any transaction that is within the scope of the new guidance.

In July 2013, the FASB issued guidance regarding the presentation of an unrecognized tax benefit when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists. Under certain circumstances, unrecognized tax benefits should be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward. The guidance was effective January 1, 2014, and was adopted by the company in the first quarter. The guidance is a change in financial statement presentation only and had no material impact in the consolidated financial results.

In March 2013, the FASB issued guidance on when foreign currency translation adjustments should be released to net income. When a parent entity ceases to have a controlling financial interest in a subsidiary or group of assets that is a business within a foreign entity, the parent is required to release any related cumulative translation adjustment into net income. Accordingly, the cumulative translation adjustment should be released into net income only if the sale or transfer results in the complete or substantially complete liquidation of the foreign entity in which the subsidiary or group of assets had resided. The guidance was effectiveJanuary 1, 2014 and did not have a material impact in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position.

In February 2013, the FASB issued guidance for the recognition, measurement and disclosure of obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount of the obligation within the scope of the guidance is fixed at the reporting date. Examples include debt arrangements, other contractual obligations and settled litigation matters. The guidance requires an entity to measure such obligations as the sum of the amount that the reporting entity agreed to pay on the basis of its arrangement among its co-obligors plus additional amounts the reporting entity expects to pay on behalf of its co-obligors.The guidance was effective January 1, 2014 and did not have a material impact in the consolidated financial results.