Accounting Policies

3 Months Ended

Feb. 28, 2021

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Accounting Policies

ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and do not include all the information and notes required by United States generally accepted accounting principles (U.S. GAAP) for complete financial statements. In our opinion, the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments, which are of a normal and recurring nature, necessary to present fairly the financial position and the results of operations for the interim periods presented. In September 2020, our Board of Directors approved a 2-for-1 stock split in the form of a stock dividend on all shares of the Company's two classes of stock, Common Stock and Common Stock Non-Voting. Trading of the Company's common stock began on a split-adjusted basis on December 1, 2020. All common stock and per-share data have been retroactively adjusted for the impact of the stock split.

The results of consolidated operations for the three-month period ended February 28, 2021 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. Historically, our net sales, net income and cash flow from operations have been lower in the first half of the fiscal year and higher in the second half. The historical increase in net sales, net income and cash flow from operations in the second half of the year has largely been due to the consumer business cycle in the U.S., where customers typically purchase more products in the fourth quarter due to the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons.

For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and notes included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended November 30, 2020.

Impact of COVID-19

On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization designated a new coronavirus (“COVID-19”) as a global pandemic. Governments around the world either recommended or mandated actions to slow the transmission of the virus that included shelter-in-place orders, quarantines, limitation on crowd size, closures of dine-in restaurants and bars, and significant restrictions on travel, as well as work restrictions that prohibited many employees from going to work. Uncertainty with respect to the economic effects of the pandemic has significantly impacted not only our operating results but also the global economy. The extent and nature of government actions varied during the three months ended February 28, 2021 and February 29, 2020, based upon the then-current extent and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic within their respective countries and localities.

We are partnering with our customers to react to consumer demand changes associated with COVID-19. The effects of COVID-19 on consumer behavior have, on a net basis, favorably impacted the operating results of our consumer segment and unfavorably impacted the operating results of our flavor solutions segment in the three months ended February 28, 2021. The impact of COVID-19 on our consumer segment during that period resulted in a significant increase in at-home consumption and related demand for our products. The unfavorable impact on our flavor solutions segment during the same period was principally attributable to decreased demand from certain customers that were affected by government mandates related to COVID-19 in many of our markets. Those measures impacting our flavor solutions customers included the following: (i) with respect to dine-in restaurants, closures, limitations on dine-in capacity, or restrictions on the operations of those restaurants to carry-out or delivery only; and (ii) with respect to quick service restaurants, limitations on operations to drive-through pick-up or delivery. Those negative impacts in our flavor solutions segment were partially offset by increased at-home consumption from certain customers in our flavor solutions segment that use our products to flavor their own brands for at-home consumption. The impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic on our consolidated operating results during the three months ended February 29, 2020 was limited, in all material respects, to our operations in China where the Chinese government mandated numerous measures, including closures of businesses, limitations on movements of individuals and goods, and the imposition of other restrictive measures, in its efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within the country.

As the COVID-19 pandemic progresses, we expect the largest factor impacting our fiscal 2021 performance will be the relative balance of at-home versus away-from-home food demand. The pace and shape of the COVID-19 recovery as well as the impact and extent of potential resurgences is not presently known.

Revenue Recognition

The following supplements the description of our accounting policies with respect to revenue recognition contained in note 1 of notes to consolidated financial statements included in our Form 10-K for the year ended November 30, 2020: Our revenue arrangements generally include a single performance obligation relating to the fulfillment of a customer order, which in some cases are governed by a master sales agreement, for the purchase of our products. We recognize revenue at a point in time when control of the ordered products passes to the customer, which principally occurs either upon shipment or delivery to the customer or upon pick-up by the customer, depending upon terms included in the particular customer arrangement.

Accounting Pronouncements Adopted in 2021

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04 Intangibles—Goodwill and Other Topics (Topic 350)—Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. This guidance eliminates the requirement to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill of a reporting unit to measure a goodwill impairment charge. Instead, a company will record an impairment charge based on the excess of a reporting unit's carrying amount over its fair value. This new standard was adopted effective December 1, 2020 and will be applied upon recognition of any future goodwill impairment charge. We do not expect this ASU to have a material impact on our financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13 Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which instituted a new model for recognizing credit losses on financial instruments that are not measured at fair value. This standard was adopted by the Company on December 1, 2020. As this ASU did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements upon adoption, a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings was not necessary.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements — Pending Adoption

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12 Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes, which simplifies the accounting for income taxes. The new guidance removes certain exceptions to the general principles for income taxes and also improves consistent application of accounting by clarifying or amending existing guidance. The new standard is effective for the first quarter of our fiscal year ending November 30, 2022, and interim periods within those years. We are currently evaluating the impact that the new guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04 Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting that provides optional expedients for a limited period of time for accounting for contracts, hedging relationship, and other transactions affected by the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) or other reference rates expected to be discontinued. These optional expedients can be applied from March 2020 through December 31, 2022. We are currently evaluating the impact that the new guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.