Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	12 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies	1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Nature of Operations—Meredith Corporation (Meredith or the Company) is a diversified media company. The Company has two reporting segments: national media and local media. The Company’s national media segment includes print magazines, digital and mobile media, brand licensing activities, affinity marketing, database-related activities, business-to-business marketing products, and other related operations. The local media segment includes 17 television stations and related digital and mobile media operations. Meredith’s operations are diversified geographically primarily within the United States (U.S.) but also abroad in a limited number of locations in Europe and Asia. The Company has a broad customer base. Basis of Presentation—The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Meredith and its wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries, after eliminating all significant intercompany balances and transactions. The results of operations include those of Time Inc. (Time) since the date of acquisition (the Acquisition). See Note 2 for further discussion. Meredith does not have any off-balance sheet arrangements. The Company’s use of special-purpose entities was limited to Meredith Funding Corporation, whose activities were fully consolidated in Meredith’s consolidated financial statements until the termination of its asset lending facility on January 31, 2018. The financial position and operating results of the Company’s foreign operations are consolidated using primarily the local currency as the functional currency. Local currency assets and liabilities are translated at the rates of exchange as of the balance sheet date, and local currency revenues and expenses are translated at average rates of exchange during the period. Translation gains or losses on assets and liabilities are included as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss. Use of Estimates—The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience, management expectations for future performance, and other assumptions as appropriate. Key areas affected by estimates include the allowance for doubtful accounts, which is based on historical experience and management’s views on trends in the overall receivable aging, the assessment of the recoverability of long-lived assets, including goodwill and other intangible assets, which is based on such factors as estimated future cash flows; the determination of the net realizable value of broadcast rights, which is based on estimated future revenues; pension and postretirement benefit expenses, which are determined based, in large part, on actuarial assumptions regarding discount rates, expected returns on plan assets, and healthcare costs; and share-based compensation expense, which is based on numerous assumptions including future stock price volatility and employees’ expected exercise and post-vesting employment termination behavior. While the Company re-evaluates its estimates on an ongoing basis, actual results may vary from those estimates. Reclassifications—Certain prior years’ amounts have been reclassified to conform to fiscal 2018 presentation. Cash and Cash Equivalents—Cash and short-term investments with original maturities of 3 months or less are considered to be cash and cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents are stated at cost, which approximates fair value. Concentration of Credit Risk—Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk are primarily cash and cash equivalent deposits. Cash equivalent balances consist of money market mutual funds with original maturities of 3 months or less. These cash and cash equivalent deposits are maintained with several financial institutions. The deposits held at the various financial institutions may exceed federally insured limits. Exposure to this credit risk is reduced by placing such deposits with major financial institutions and monitoring their credit ratings and, therefore, these deposits bear minimal credit risk. There is also limited credit risk with respect to the money market mutual funds in which the Company invests as these funds all have issuers, guarantors, and/or other counterparties of reputable credit. At June 30, 2018, $411.1 million of cash and cash equivalents were held domestically, of which $370.2 million were held in money market mutual funds. Of the total cash and cash equivalents, $26.5 million were held internationally, primarily in Europe. Cash equivalents at June 30, 2018, were $373.1 million, which approximates fair value due to their short-term nature, and is considered a Level 1 measurement as defined in Note 10. Accounts Receivable—The Company’s accounts receivable are primarily due from advertisers. Credit is extended to clients based on an evaluation of each client’s creditworthiness and financial condition; collateral is not required. The Company maintains allowances for uncollectible accounts, rebates, rate adjustments, returns, and discounts. The allowance for uncollectible accounts is based on the aging of such receivables and any known specific collectability exposures. Accounts are written off when deemed uncollectible. Allowances for rebates, rate adjustments, returns, and discounts are generally based on historical experience and current market conditions. Concentration of credit risk with respect to accounts receivable is generally limited due to the large number of geographically diverse clients and individually small balances. Inventories—Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Effective January 1, 2018, the Company changed its method of accounting for paper inventory in the national media segment from the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method to the weighted average cost method. The Company believes that the weighted average cost method of accounting for paper inventory is preferable because it provides a better match of production costs with revenues considering the limited volatility in paper prices due to the short production cycle. The effect of the change was not considered material to the previously issued consolidated financial statements and, as such, was adopted prospectively as of January 1, 2018. The cumulative effect of the change recorded in the third quarter of fiscal 2018 was $1.3 million representing the removal of the LIFO costs reserve. This adjustment was recorded to the production, distribution, and editorial line within the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. Cost is determined on the first-in first-out or average basis for all other inventories. Subscription Acquisition Costs—Subscription acquisition costs primarily represent magazine agency commissions. These costs are deferred and amortized over the related subscription term, typically one to two years. In addition, direct-response advertising costs that are intended to solicit subscriptions and are expected to result in probable future benefits are capitalized. These costs are amortized over the period during which future benefits are expected to be received. The asset balance of the capitalized direct-response advertising costs is reviewed quarterly to ensure the amount is realizable. Any write-downs resulting from this review are expensed as subscription acquisition advertising costs in the current period. Capitalized direct-response advertising costs were $7.6 million at June 30, 2018 and $6.0 million at June 30, 2017. There were no material write-downs of capitalized direct-response advertising costs in any of the fiscal years in the three-year period ended June 30, 2018. Property, Plant, and Equipment—Property, plant, and equipment are stated at cost with the exception of the property, plant, and equipment that was recorded at estimated fair value as of January 31, 2018, as a result of the Acquisition. Additions to that acquired property, plant, and equipment since January 31, 2018, are stated at cost. Costs of replacements and major improvements are capitalized, while costs of maintenance and repairs are charged to operations as incurred. Depreciation expense is determined primarily using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets: 5-45 years for buildings and improvements, 3-6 years for capitalized software, and 3-20 years for machinery and equipment. The costs of leasehold improvements are amortized over the lesser of the useful lives of the improvements or the terms of the respective leases. Depreciation and amortization of property, plant, and equipment was $54.2 million in fiscal 2018, $34.8 million in fiscal 2017, and $39.4 million in fiscal 2016. In fiscal 2016, management committed to a plan to sell the Company’s two corporate airplanes and classified them as held-for-sale at June 30, 2017 and 2016. The airplanes were sold in early fiscal 2018. The estimated fair value of these airplanes of $1.9 million was included in the machinery and equipment line in the Consolidated Balance Sheets at June 30, 2017. Losses resulting from fair value adjustments to these assets of $0.9 million and $5.6 million were recorded in the impairment of goodwill and other long-lived assets line in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings in fiscal 2017 and 2016, respectively. Broadcast Rights—Broadcast rights consist principally of rights to broadcast syndicated programs, sports, and feature films. The total cost of these rights is recorded as an asset and as a liability when programs become available for broadcast. The current portion of broadcast rights represents those rights available for broadcast that are expected to be amortized in the succeeding year. These rights are valued at the lower of unamortized cost or estimated net realizable value, and are generally charged to operations on an accelerated basis over the contract period. Impairments of unamortized costs to net realizable value are included in production, distribution, and editorial expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. There were no material impairments of unamortized costs in fiscal years 2018, 2017, or 2016. Future write-offs can vary based on changes in consumer viewing trends and the availability and costs of other programming. Intangible Assets and Goodwill—Amortizable intangible assets consist primarily of advertiser relationships, publisher relationships, network affiliation agreements, partner relationships, customer relationships, and retransmission agreements. Intangible assets with finite lives are amortized over their estimated useful lives. The useful life of an intangible asset is the period over which the asset is expected to contribute directly or indirectly to future cash flows. Network affiliation agreements are amortized over the period of time the agreements are expected to remain in place, assuming renewals without material modifications to the original terms and conditions (generally 25 to 40 years from the original acquisition date). Other intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives, ranging from 1 to 10 years. Intangible assets with indefinite lives include trademarks and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) broadcast licenses. These licenses are granted for a term of up to eight years, but are renewable if the Company provides at least an average level of service to its customers and complies with the applicable FCC rules and policies and the Communications Act of 1934. The Company has been successful in every one of its past license renewal requests and has incurred only minimal costs in the process. The Company expects the television broadcasting business to continue indefinitely; therefore, the cash flows from the broadcast licenses are also expected to continue indefinitely. The Company has acquired trademark brands that have been determined to have indefinite lives. Those assets are evaluated annually for impairment. The Company evaluates a number of factors to determine whether an indefinite life is appropriate, including the competitive environment, market share, brand history, and operating plans. In addition, when certain events or changes in operating conditions occur, an additional impairment assessment is performed and indefinite-lived assets may be adjusted to a determinable life. Goodwill and intangible assets which have indefinite lives, are not amortized but are tested for impairment annually or when events occur or circumstances change that indicate the carrying value may exceed the fair value. Goodwill impairment testing is performed at the reporting unit level. The Company has three reporting units – national media, local media excluding MNI Targeted Media (MNI), and MNI. The Company also assesses, at least annually, whether assets classified as indefinite-lived intangible assets continue to have indefinite lives. The Company performs its goodwill impairment analysis annually as of May 31. At May 31, 2018, the date the Company last performed its annual evaluation of impairment of goodwill, management elected to perform qualitative impairment tests for the local media excluding MNI and the MNI reporting units and a quantitative goodwill impairment test for the national media reporting unit. A quantitative impairment test, performed for a goodwill reporting unit or indefinite-lived intangible assets involves determining the fair value of the reporting unit or asset which is then compared to its carrying value. Fair value to which carrying value is compared in the quantitative analysis is determined using a discounted cash flow model, which requires us to estimate the future cash flows expected to be generated by the reporting unit or to result from the use of the asset. These estimates include assumptions about future revenues (including projections of overall market growth and share of market), estimated costs, and appropriate discount rates where applicable. These assumptions are based on historical data, various internal estimates, and a variety of external sources and are consistent with the assumptions used in both short-term financial forecasts and long-term strategic plans. Depending on the assumptions and estimates used, future cash flow projections can vary within a range of outcomes. Changes in key assumptions used and their prospects or changes in market conditions could result in an impairment charge. Additional information regarding intangible assets and goodwill including a discussion of impairment charges taken on goodwill and other long-lived intangible assets is provided in Note 5. Impairment of Long-lived Assets—Long-lived assets (primarily property, plant, and equipment and amortizable intangible assets) are reviewed for impairment whenever events and circumstances indicate the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability is measured by comparison of the forecasted undiscounted cash flows of the operation to which the assets relate to the carrying amount of the assets. Tests for impairment or recoverability require significant management judgment, and future events affecting cash flows and market conditions could result in impairment losses. Derivative Financial Instruments—Meredith does not engage in derivative or hedging activities, except to hedge interest rate risk on debt. Prior to the Acquisition, Meredith held interest rate swaps designated and accounted for as cash flow hedges in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 815, Derivatives and Hedging. In connection with the repayment of the variable-rate private placement senior notes and bank term loans on January 31, 2018, as further described in Note 7, the Company terminated these swaps. Refer to Note 7 for further discussion on the gain recognized on this termination. Prior to their termination, the effective portion of the change in the fair value of interest rate swaps was reported in other comprehensive income (loss). The gain or loss included in other comprehensive income (loss) was subsequently reclassified into net earnings on the same line in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings as the hedged item in the same period that the hedge transaction affected net earnings. There were no material gains or losses recognized in earnings for hedge ineffectiveness in fiscal 2018, 2017, or 2016. Revenue Recognition—The Company’s primary source of revenue is advertising. Other sources include circulation and other revenues. Advertising revenues—Advertising revenues are recognized when advertisements are published (defined as an issue’s on-sale date) or aired by the broadcasting station, net of provisions for estimated rebates, rate adjustments, and discounts. Barter revenues are included in advertising revenue and are also recognized when the advertisements are published or the commercials are broadcast. Barter advertising revenues and the offsetting expense are recognized at the fair value of the advertising surrendered, as determined by similar cash transactions. Barter advertising revenues were not material in any period. Digital advertising revenues are recognized ratably over the contract period or as services are delivered. Circulation revenues—Circulation revenues include magazine single copy and subscription revenue. Single copy revenue is recognized on the publication’s on-sale date, net of provisions for estimated returns. The Company bases its estimates for returns on historical experience and current marketplace conditions. Revenues from magazine subscriptions are deferred and recognized proportionately as products are distributed to subscribers. Other revenues—Revenues from content creation and other custom programs are recognized when the products or services are delivered. In addition, the Company participates in certain arrangements containing multiple deliverables. The guidance for accounting for multiple-deliverable arrangements requires that overall arrangement consideration be allocated to each deliverable (unit of accounting) in the revenue arrangement based on the relative selling price as determined by vendor specific objective evidence, third-party evidence, or estimated selling price. The related revenue is recognized when each specific deliverable of the arrangement is delivered. Brand licensing-based revenues are accrued generally monthly or quarterly based on the specific mechanisms of each contract. Payments are generally made by the Company’s partners on a quarterly basis. Generally, revenues are accrued based on estimated sales and adjusted as actual sales are reported by partners. These adjustments are typically recorded within three months of the initial estimates and have not been material. Any minimum guarantees are typically earned evenly over the fiscal year. Retransmission consent revenues are recognized over the contract period based on the negotiated fee and generally on a per subscriber basis. Revenues earned for placing magazines with subscribers on behalf of third-party publishers is recognized once the subscriber’s name is transferred to the publisher, on a net basis, with a reserve for estimated cancellations. In certain instances, revenues are recorded gross in accordance with U.S. GAAP although the Company receives cash for a lesser amount due to the netting of certain expenses. Amounts received from customers in advance of revenue recognition are deferred as liabilities and recognized as revenue in the period earned. Contingent Consideration—The Company estimates and records the acquisition date estimated fair value of contingent consideration as part of purchase price consideration for acquisitions. Additionally, each reporting period, the Company estimates changes in the fair value of contingent consideration, and any change in fair value is recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. An increase in the earn-out expected to be paid will result in a charge to operations in the quarter that the anticipated fair value of contingent consideration increases, while a decrease in the earn-out expected to be paid will result in a credit to operations in the quarter that the anticipated fair value of contingent consideration decreases. The estimate of the fair value of contingent consideration requires subjective assumptions to be made regarding future operating results, discount rates, and probabilities assigned to various potential operating result scenarios. Future revisions to these assumptions could materially change the estimate of the fair value of contingent consideration and, therefore, materially affect the Company’s future financial results. Additional information regarding contingent consideration is provided in Note 2. Advertising Expenses—The majority of the Company’s advertising expenses relate to direct-mail costs for magazine subscription acquisition efforts. Advertising costs that are not capitalized are expensed the first time the advertising takes place. Total advertising expenses included in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings were $122.8 million in fiscal 2018, $63.9 million in fiscal 2017, and $72.6 million in fiscal 2016. Deferred Financing Costs—Costs incurred to obtain financing are deferred and amortized to interest expense, net on the Consolidated Statements of Earnings over the related financing period using the effective interest method. The Company records deferred financing costs as a direct reduction of the carrying value of the related debt. Financing costs related to revolving debt instruments or lines of credit are included in other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Income Taxes—The income tax provision is calculated under the liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in earnings in the period when such a change is enacted. The Company recognizes the effect of income tax positions only if those positions are more likely than not of being sustained. Recognized income tax positions are measured at the largest amount that is greater than 50 percent likely of being realized. Changes in recognition or measurement are reflected in the period in which the change in judgment occurs. Self-Insurance—The Company self-insures for certain medical claims, and its responsibility generally is capped through the use of a stop loss contract with an insurance company at a certain dollar level. The dollar level varies based on the insurance plan, and ranges between $350 thousand and $500 thousand. Third-party administrators are used to process claims. The Company uses actual claims data and estimates of claims incurred-but-not-reported to calculate estimated liabilities for unsettled claims on an undiscounted basis. Although management re-evaluates the assumptions and reviews the claims experience on an ongoing basis, actual claims paid could vary significantly from estimated claims. Pensions and Postretirement Benefits Other Than Pensions—Retirement benefits are provided to employees through pension plans sponsored by the Company. Pension benefits are generally based on formulas that reflect interest credits allocated to participants’ accounts based on years of benefit service and annual pensionable earnings. It is the Company’s policy to fund the qualified pension plans to at least the extent required to maintain their fully funded status. In addition, the Company provides health care and life insurance benefits for certain retired employees, the expected costs of which are accrued over the years that the employees render services. It is the Company’s policy to fund postretirement benefits as claims are paid. Additional information is provided in Note 11. Share-based Compensation—The Company establishes fair value for its equity awards to determine their cost and recognizes the related expense over the appropriate vesting period. The Company recognizes expense for stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, and shares issued under the Company’s employee stock purchase plan. See Note 12 for additional information related to share-based compensation expense. Redeemable Preferred Stock—The Company has outstanding 650,000 shares of perpetual convertible redeemable non-voting preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share, each share having an initial stated value of $1,000 per share (the Series A preferred stock). Proceeds from the issuance were allocated on a relative fair value basis between the preferred stock and other freestanding financial instruments issued with the preferred stock. The preferred stock is classified as mezzanine equity and is accreted to its redemption value. Additional information is provided in Note 13. Comprehensive Income—Comprehensive income consists of net earnings and other gains and losses affecting shareholders’ equity that, under U. S. GAAP, are excluded from net earnings. Other comprehensive income (loss) includes changes in prior service costs and net actuarial losses from pension and postretirement benefit plans, net of taxes, unrealized gains or losses resulting from foreign currency translation, and changes in the fair value of interest rate swap agreements, net of taxes, to the extent that they are effective. As of June 30, 2018, there were no amounts in other comprehensive income (loss) related to the interest rate swaps as such were settled in fiscal 2018, and all previously unrealized changes in other comprehensive income (loss) were recognized in earnings. Refer to Note 7 for additional discussion on the swap termination. Earnings Per Share—Basic earnings per share is calculated by dividing net earnings attributable to common shareholders by the weighted average common and Class B shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share calculation incorporated the shares utilized in the basic calculation but also included the dilutive effect, if any, of the assumed exercise of securities, including the effect of shares issuable under the Company’s share-based incentive plans. In connection with the issuance of the Series A preferred stock and detachable warrants on January 31, 2018, the Company now has a two-class capital structure and applies the two-class method in the calculation of earnings per share. The two-class method adjusts earnings to incorporate dividends declared on common stock, preferred stock, and other securities in distributed earnings. In addition, it also incorporates participating rights in other securities in undistributed earnings. Additional information is provided in Note 15. Adopted Accounting Pronouncements— ASU 2016-07—In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued an Accounting Standards Update (ASU) simplifying the transition to the equity method of accounting. The new guidance eliminates the requirement to apply the equity method of accounting retrospectively when a reporting entity obtains significant influence over a previously held investment. The Company adopted this standard effective July 1, 2017. This guidance was applied to one investment during the fiscal year, which simplified the transition from the cost method to equity method. The application did not have any other impact on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows, or disclosures. ASU 2016-09—In March 2016, as a part of its simplification initiative, the FASB issued guidance on the accounting for employee share-based payments. The new guidance is intended to simplify several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax treatment, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. The Company adopted this standard effective July 1, 2017. The adoption of this guidance resulted in the prospective recognition of realized excess tax benefits related to the exercise or vesting of share-based awards in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings instead of in additional paid-in capital within the Consolidated Balance Sheets. See Note 8 for discussion of the credits to income tax expense recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. Using a modified retrospective application, the Company has elected to recognize forfeitures as they occur and recorded a $1.1 million increase to additional paid-in capital, a $0.6 million reduction to retained earnings, and a $0.5 million reduction to deferred taxes to reflect the incremental share-based compensation expense, net of the related tax impacts, that would have been recognized in prior years under the modified guidance. Presentation requirements for cash flows related to employee taxes paid using withheld shares had no impact to all periods presented as such cash flows have historically been presented as financing activities. The Company no longer classifies excess tax benefits related to share-based awards as a financing cash inflow and an operating cash outflow. This classification requirement was adopted prospectively and, as such, the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows have not been retrospectively adjusted. ASU 2018-02—In February 2018, the FASB issued guidance regarding the reclassification of certain tax effects from accumulated other comprehensive loss. This amended guidance allows a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive loss to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the Tax Reform Act) which was signed into law on December 22, 2017. The Company early adopted this amended guidance on January 1, 2018, and as a result, elected to reclassify $4.0 million of stranded tax effects from accumulated other comprehensive loss to retained earnings using a specific identification approach. The adoption of this guidance did not have an impact on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows, or disclosures. ASU 2018-05—In March 2018, the FASB issued guidance which incorporates into ASC 740 – Income Taxes (ASC 740), various United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidance pursuant to the issuance of SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (SAB 118), which was effective immediately. In December 2017, the SEC issued SAB 118 to address concerns about reporting entities’ ability to timely comply with the accounting requirements to recognize all of the effects of the Tax Reform Act in the period of enactment. SAB 118 allows for calculations of the impacts of the Tax Reform Act to be considered provisional and subject to remeasurement upon further collection, preparation, and analysis of relevant data and disclosure regarding the impacts of the Tax Reform Act for which accounting under ASC 740 is incomplete. As the Company accounted for the tax effects of the Tax Reform Act on a provisional basis under the guidance of SAB 118 prior to this update, the adoption of this guidance did not have an impact on the consolidated financial statements. Pending Accounting Pronouncements— ASU 2014-09—In May 2014, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that replaces existing revenue recognition guidance. The new standard requires a company to recognize revenue for the transfer of promised goods or services equal to the amount it expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. The standard includes a five-step framework to determine the timing and amount of revenue to recognize related to contracts with customers. Additionally, the standard requires new and significantly enhanced disclosures about the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows from customer contracts as well as judgments made by a company when following the framework. The Company will adopt the standard beginning July 1, 2018 (fiscal 2019). The two permitted transition methods are the full retrospective method, in which case the standard would be applied to each prior reporting period presented and the cumulative effect of applying the standard would be recognized in the earliest period shown; or the modified retrospective method, in which case the cumulative effect of applying the standard would be recognized at the date of initial application. The Company will adopt the standard using the modified retrospective method. The Company is in the process of assessing and documenting the effect of the adoption of this standard on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures related to advertising, circulation, and other revenues, and completing the design and implementation of related controls. Based on our assessment to date, the Company does not believe the adoption of the standard will change the timing of revenue recognition for most of our revenue contracts, except for those with value-added items or that require combination under the standard. We do not anticipate those impacts will have a material effect on our consolidated revenues subject to completion of our evaluation. While the Company does not expect material changes to the amount or timing of our revenue recognition, the Company will significantly expand our future disclosures on both a quarterly and annual basis as required under the standard. ASU 2016-01—In January 2016, the FASB issued guidance to improve and simplify accounting for financial instruments. The updated guidance includes several provisions that are not applicable to the Company’s consolidated financial statements, with the exception of changes to fair value disclosure. Under the new guidance, public entities are no longer required to disclose the methods and significant assumptions used to estimate fair value of financial instruments measured at amortized cost on the consolidated balance sheets. It also requires public entities to use the exit price when measuring the fair value of financial instruments for disclosure purposes. The guidance is effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. The adoption of this guidance requires a change in our disclosures only and it is not expected to have an impact on our results of operations or cash flows. ASU 2016-02—In February 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that replaces existing lease accounting standards. The new standard requires lessees to recognize on the balance sheet a right-of use asset, representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term, and a lease liability for all leases with terms greater than 12 months. The guidance also requires qualitative and quantitative disclosures designed to assess the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. Treatment of lease payments in the statement of earnings and statement of cash flows is relatively unchanged from previous guidance. The standard is to be applied under the modified retrospective method, with elective reliefs, which requires application of the new guidance for all periods presented. The FASB continues to issue amendments to further clarify provisions of this guidance. The standard, including the amendments made since initial issuance, is effective for the Company beginning July 1, 2019, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating our existing lease portfolios, including accumulating all of the necessary information required to properly account for the leases under the new standard. As such, the Company is currently evaluating the effect the guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements. ASU 2016-13—In June 2016, the FASB issued a standard that replaces the current incurred loss methodology for recognizing credit losses with a current expected credit loss methodology. Under this standard, the establishment of an allowance for credit losses reflects all relevant information about past events, current conditions, and reasonable supportable forecasts rather than delaying the recognition of the full amount of a credit loss until the loss is probable of occurring. The new standard changes the impairment model for most financial assets and certain other instruments, including trade receivables. A modified retrospective implementation of this standard is effective in the Company’s first quarter of fiscal 2021, with early adoption permitted in the first quarter of fiscal 2020. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements. ASU 2016-15—In August 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update clarifying the classification of certain cash receipts and payments in the statement of cash flows. The update is intended to reduce the diversity in practice around how certain transactions are classified within the statement of cash flows. Retrospective adoption is required in our first quarter of fiscal 2019 with early adoption permitted, including adoption in an interim period. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this update will have on its consolidated financial statements; however, the adoption is not expected to have a material impact in the presentation of our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. ASU 2017-01—In January 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that clarifies the definition of a business and adds guidance to assist entities in the determination of whether an acquisition (or disposal) represents assets or a business. The update provides a test to determine whether or not an acquisition is a business. If substantially all of the fair value of the assets acquired is concentrated in a single asset or a group of similar identifiable assets, the acquired assets do not represent a business. If this test is not met, the update provides further guidance to evaluate if the acquisition represents a business. Prospective adoption is required in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. Early adoption is permitted if certain transaction criteria are met. The Company does not believe the adoption of this update will have a material impact prospectively, to the Company’s consolidated financial statements. ASU 2017-04—In January 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill by eliminating Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test. The Step 2 test requires an entity to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill to measure a goodwill impairment charge. Instead, an entity will record an impairment charge based on the excess of a reporting unit’s carrying value over its fair value determined in Step 1. This update also eliminates the qualitative assessment requirements for a reporting unit with zero or negative carrying value. Prospective adoption is required in the first quarter of fiscal 2021, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this update will have on its consolidated financial statements. ASU 2017-07—In March 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standards update on the presentation of net periodic pension and postretirement benefit costs. This guidance revises how employers that sponsor defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans present the net periodic benefit costs in their income statement and requires that the service cost component of net periodic benefit costs be presented in the same line items as other employee compensation costs for the related employees. Of the components of net periodic benefit costs, only the service cost component will be eligible for asset capitalization. The other components of net periodic benefit costs must be presented separately from the line items that include the service cost and outside of the income from operations subtotal. The update is effective for the first quarter of fiscal 2019, with early adoption permitted. The adoption is expected to require reclassification of expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings; however, it is not expected to have an impact on the Company’s operating results or cash flows. ASU 2017-09—In May 2017, the FASB issued guidance to clarify guidance related to changes in terms or conditions of a share-based payment award. The purpose of this update is to provide guidance about which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting in ASC 718 – Compensation – Stock Compensation. The effective date is the first quarter of fiscal 2019 with early adoption permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on our results of operations, cash flows, or disclosures. ASU 2017-12—In August 2017, the FASB issued guidance amending hedge accounting requirements. The purpose of this guidance is to better align a company’s risk management activities and financial reporting requirements, and to simplify the application of hedge accounting. The effective date is the first quarter of fiscal 2020, with early adoption permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on our results of operations, cash flows, or disclosures.

1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Nature of Operations—Meredith Corporation (Meredith or the Company) is a diversified media company. The Company has two reporting segments: national media and local media. The Company’s national media segment includes print magazines, digital and mobile media, brand licensing activities, affinity marketing, database-related activities, business-to-business marketing products, and other related operations. The local media segment includes 17 television stations and related digital and mobile media operations. Meredith’s operations are diversified geographically primarily within the United States (U.S.) but also abroad in a limited number of locations in Europe and Asia. The Company has a broad customer base.

Basis of Presentation—The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Meredith and its wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries, after eliminating all significant intercompany balances and transactions. The results of operations include those of Time Inc. (Time) since the date of acquisition (the Acquisition). See Note 2 for further discussion. Meredith does not have any off-balance sheet arrangements. The Company’s use of special-purpose entities was limited to Meredith Funding Corporation, whose activities were fully consolidated in Meredith’s consolidated financial statements until the termination of its asset lending facility on January 31, 2018.

The financial position and operating results of the Company’s foreign operations are consolidated using primarily the local currency as the functional currency. Local currency assets and liabilities are translated at the rates of exchange as of the balance sheet date, and local currency revenues and expenses are translated at average rates of exchange during the period. Translation gains or losses on assets and liabilities are included as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss.

Use of Estimates—The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience, management expectations for future performance, and other assumptions as appropriate. Key areas affected by estimates include the allowance for doubtful accounts, which is based on historical experience and management’s views on trends in the overall receivable aging, the assessment of the recoverability of long-lived assets, including goodwill and other intangible assets, which is based on such factors as estimated future cash flows; the determination of the net realizable value of broadcast rights, which is based on estimated future revenues; pension and postretirement benefit expenses, which are determined based, in large part, on actuarial assumptions regarding discount rates, expected returns on plan assets, and healthcare costs; and share-based compensation expense, which is based on numerous assumptions including future stock price volatility and employees’ expected exercise and post-vesting employment termination behavior. While the Company re-evaluates its estimates on an ongoing basis, actual results may vary from those estimates.

Reclassifications—Certain prior years’ amounts have been reclassified to conform to fiscal 2018 presentation.

Cash and Cash Equivalents—Cash and short-term investments with original maturities of 3 months or less are considered to be cash and cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents are stated at cost, which approximates fair value.

Concentration of Credit Risk—Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk are primarily cash and cash equivalent deposits. Cash equivalent balances consist of money market mutual funds with original maturities of 3 months or less. These cash and cash equivalent deposits are maintained with several financial institutions. The deposits held at the various financial institutions may exceed federally insured limits. Exposure to this credit risk is reduced by placing such deposits with major financial institutions and monitoring their credit ratings and, therefore, these deposits bear minimal credit risk. There is also limited credit risk with respect to the money market mutual funds in which the Company invests as these funds all have issuers, guarantors, and/or other counterparties of reputable credit.

At June 30, 2018, $411.1 million of cash and cash equivalents were held domestically, of which $370.2 million were held in money market mutual funds. Of the total cash and cash equivalents, $26.5 million were held internationally, primarily in Europe. Cash equivalents at June 30, 2018, were $373.1 million, which approximates fair value due to their short-term nature, and is considered a Level 1 measurement as defined in Note 10.

Accounts Receivable—The Company’s accounts receivable are primarily due from advertisers. Credit is extended to clients based on an evaluation of each client’s creditworthiness and financial condition; collateral is not required. The Company maintains allowances for uncollectible accounts, rebates, rate adjustments, returns, and discounts. The allowance for uncollectible accounts is based on the aging of such receivables and any known specific collectability exposures. Accounts are written off when deemed uncollectible. Allowances for rebates, rate adjustments, returns, and discounts are generally based on historical experience and current market conditions. Concentration of credit risk with respect to accounts receivable is generally limited due to the large number of geographically diverse clients and individually small balances.

Inventories—Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Effective January 1, 2018, the Company changed its method of accounting for paper inventory in the national media segment from the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method to the weighted average cost method. The Company believes that the weighted average cost method of accounting for paper inventory is preferable because it provides a better match of production costs with revenues considering the limited volatility in paper prices due to the short production cycle.

The effect of the change was not considered material to the previously issued consolidated financial statements and, as such, was adopted prospectively as of January 1, 2018. The cumulative effect of the change recorded in the third quarter of fiscal 2018 was $1.3 million representing the removal of the LIFO costs reserve. This adjustment was recorded to the production, distribution, and editorial line within the Consolidated Statements of Earnings.

Cost is determined on the first-in first-out or average basis for all other inventories.

Subscription Acquisition Costs—Subscription acquisition costs primarily represent magazine agency commissions. These costs are deferred and amortized over the related subscription term, typically one to two years. In addition, direct-response advertising costs that are intended to solicit subscriptions and are expected to result in probable future benefits are capitalized. These costs are amortized over the period during which future benefits are expected to be received. The asset balance of the capitalized direct-response advertising costs is reviewed quarterly to ensure the amount is realizable. Any write-downs resulting from this review are expensed as subscription acquisition advertising costs in the current period. Capitalized direct-response advertising costs were $7.6 million at June 30, 2018 and $6.0 million at June 30, 2017. There were no material write-downs of capitalized direct-response advertising costs in any of the fiscal years in the three-year period ended June 30, 2018.

Property, Plant, and Equipment—Property, plant, and equipment are stated at cost with the exception of the property, plant, and equipment that was recorded at estimated fair value as of January 31, 2018, as a result of the Acquisition. Additions to that acquired property, plant, and equipment since January 31, 2018, are stated at cost. Costs of replacements and major improvements are capitalized, while costs of maintenance and repairs are charged to operations as incurred. Depreciation expense is determined primarily using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets: 5-45 years for buildings and improvements, 3-6 years for capitalized software, and 3-20 years for machinery and equipment. The costs of leasehold improvements are amortized over the lesser of the useful lives of the improvements or the terms of the respective leases. Depreciation and amortization of property, plant, and equipment was $54.2 million in fiscal 2018, $34.8 million in fiscal 2017, and $39.4 million in fiscal 2016.

In fiscal 2016, management committed to a plan to sell the Company’s two corporate airplanes and classified them as held-for-sale at June 30, 2017 and 2016. The airplanes were sold in early fiscal 2018. The estimated fair value of these airplanes of $1.9 million was included in the machinery and equipment line in the Consolidated Balance Sheets at June 30, 2017. Losses resulting from fair value adjustments to these assets of $0.9 million and $5.6 million were recorded in the impairment of goodwill and other long-lived assets line in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings in fiscal 2017 and 2016, respectively.

Broadcast Rights—Broadcast rights consist principally of rights to broadcast syndicated programs, sports, and feature films. The total cost of these rights is recorded as an asset and as a liability when programs become available for broadcast. The current portion of broadcast rights represents those rights available for broadcast that are expected to be amortized in the succeeding year. These rights are valued at the lower of unamortized cost or estimated net realizable value, and are generally charged to operations on an accelerated basis over the contract period. Impairments of unamortized costs to net realizable value are included in production, distribution, and editorial expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. There were no material impairments of unamortized costs in fiscal years 2018, 2017, or 2016. Future write-offs can vary based on changes in consumer viewing trends and the availability and costs of other programming.

Intangible Assets and Goodwill—Amortizable intangible assets consist primarily of advertiser relationships, publisher relationships, network affiliation agreements, partner relationships, customer relationships, and retransmission agreements. Intangible assets with finite lives are amortized over their estimated useful lives. The useful life of an intangible asset is the period over which the asset is expected to contribute directly or indirectly to future cash flows. Network affiliation agreements are amortized over the period of time the agreements are expected to remain in place, assuming renewals without material modifications to the original terms and conditions (generally 25 to 40 years from the original acquisition date). Other intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives, ranging from 1 to 10 years.

Intangible assets with indefinite lives include trademarks and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) broadcast licenses. These licenses are granted for a term of up to eight years, but are renewable if the Company provides at least an average level of service to its customers and complies with the applicable FCC rules and policies and the Communications Act of 1934. The Company has been successful in every one of its past license renewal requests and has incurred only minimal costs in the process. The Company expects the television broadcasting business to continue indefinitely; therefore, the cash flows from the broadcast licenses are also expected to continue indefinitely.

The Company has acquired trademark brands that have been determined to have indefinite lives. Those assets are evaluated annually for impairment. The Company evaluates a number of factors to determine whether an indefinite life is appropriate, including the competitive environment, market share, brand history, and operating plans. In addition, when certain events or changes in operating conditions occur, an additional impairment assessment is performed and indefinite-lived assets may be adjusted to a determinable life.

Goodwill and intangible assets which have indefinite lives, are not amortized but are tested for impairment annually or when events occur or circumstances change that indicate the carrying value may exceed the fair value. Goodwill impairment testing is performed at the reporting unit level. The Company has three reporting units – national media, local media excluding MNI Targeted Media (MNI), and MNI. The Company also assesses, at least annually, whether assets classified as indefinite-lived intangible assets continue to have indefinite lives.

The Company performs its goodwill impairment analysis annually as of May 31. At May 31, 2018, the date the Company last performed its annual evaluation of impairment of goodwill, management elected to perform qualitative impairment tests for the local media excluding MNI and the MNI reporting units and a quantitative goodwill impairment test for the national media reporting unit. A quantitative impairment test, performed for a goodwill reporting unit or indefinite-lived intangible assets involves determining the fair value of the reporting unit or asset which is then compared to its carrying value.

Fair value to which carrying value is compared in the quantitative analysis is determined using a discounted cash flow model, which requires us to estimate the future cash flows expected to be generated by the reporting unit or to result from the use of the asset. These estimates include assumptions about future revenues (including projections of overall market growth and share of market), estimated costs, and appropriate discount rates where applicable. These assumptions are based on historical data, various internal estimates, and a variety of external sources and are consistent with the assumptions used in both short-term financial forecasts and long-term strategic plans. Depending on the assumptions and estimates used, future cash flow projections can vary within a range of outcomes. Changes in key assumptions used and their prospects or changes in market conditions could result in an impairment charge.

Additional information regarding intangible assets and goodwill including a discussion of impairment charges taken on goodwill and other long-lived intangible assets is provided in Note 5.

Impairment of Long-lived Assets—Long-lived assets (primarily property, plant, and equipment and amortizable intangible assets) are reviewed for impairment whenever events and circumstances indicate the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability is measured by comparison of the forecasted undiscounted cash flows of the operation to which the assets relate to the carrying amount of the assets. Tests for impairment or recoverability require significant management judgment, and future events affecting cash flows and market conditions could result in impairment losses.

Derivative Financial Instruments—Meredith does not engage in derivative or hedging activities, except to hedge interest rate risk on debt. Prior to the Acquisition, Meredith held interest rate swaps designated and accounted for as cash flow hedges in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 815, Derivatives and Hedging. In connection with the repayment of the variable-rate private placement senior notes and bank term loans on January 31, 2018, as further described in Note 7, the Company terminated these swaps. Refer to Note 7 for further discussion on the gain recognized on this termination.

Prior to their termination, the effective portion of the change in the fair value of interest rate swaps was reported in other comprehensive income (loss). The gain or loss included in other comprehensive income (loss) was subsequently reclassified into net earnings on the same line in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings as the hedged item in the same period that the hedge transaction affected net earnings. There were no material gains or losses recognized in earnings for hedge ineffectiveness in fiscal 2018, 2017, or 2016.

Revenue Recognition—The Company’s primary source of revenue is advertising. Other sources include circulation and other revenues.

Advertising revenues—Advertising revenues are recognized when advertisements are published (defined as an issue’s on-sale date) or aired by the broadcasting station, net of provisions for estimated rebates, rate adjustments, and discounts. Barter revenues are included in advertising revenue and are also recognized when the advertisements are published or the commercials are broadcast. Barter advertising revenues and the offsetting expense are recognized at the fair value of the advertising surrendered, as determined by similar cash transactions. Barter advertising revenues were not material in any period. Digital advertising revenues are recognized ratably over the contract period or as services are delivered.

Circulation revenues—Circulation revenues include magazine single copy and subscription revenue. Single copy revenue is recognized on the publication’s on-sale date, net of provisions for estimated returns. The Company bases its estimates for returns on historical experience and current marketplace conditions. Revenues from magazine subscriptions are deferred and recognized proportionately as products are distributed to subscribers.

Other revenues—Revenues from content creation and other custom programs are recognized when the products or services are delivered. In addition, the Company participates in certain arrangements containing multiple deliverables. The guidance for accounting for multiple-deliverable arrangements requires that overall arrangement consideration be allocated to each deliverable (unit of accounting) in the revenue arrangement based on the relative selling price as determined by vendor specific objective evidence, third-party evidence, or estimated selling price. The related revenue is recognized when each specific deliverable of the arrangement is delivered. Brand licensing-based revenues are accrued generally monthly or quarterly based on the specific mechanisms of each contract. Payments are generally made by the Company’s partners on a quarterly basis. Generally, revenues are accrued based on estimated sales and adjusted as actual sales are reported by partners. These adjustments are typically recorded within three months of the initial estimates and have not been material. Any minimum guarantees are typically earned evenly over the fiscal year. Retransmission consent revenues are recognized over the contract period based on the negotiated fee and generally on a per subscriber basis. Revenues earned for placing magazines with subscribers on behalf of third-party publishers is recognized once the subscriber’s name is transferred to the publisher, on a net basis, with a reserve for estimated cancellations.

In certain instances, revenues are recorded gross in accordance with U.S. GAAP although the Company receives cash for a lesser amount due to the netting of certain expenses. Amounts received from customers in advance of revenue recognition are deferred as liabilities and recognized as revenue in the period earned.

Contingent Consideration—The Company estimates and records the acquisition date estimated fair value of contingent consideration as part of purchase price consideration for acquisitions. Additionally, each reporting period, the Company estimates changes in the fair value of contingent consideration, and any change in fair value is recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. An increase in the earn-out expected to be paid will result in a charge to operations in the quarter that the anticipated fair value of contingent consideration increases, while a decrease in the earn-out expected to be paid will result in a credit to operations in the quarter that the anticipated fair value of contingent consideration decreases. The estimate of the fair value of contingent consideration requires subjective assumptions to be made regarding future operating results, discount rates, and probabilities assigned to various potential operating result scenarios. Future revisions to these assumptions could materially change the estimate of the fair value of contingent consideration and, therefore, materially affect the Company’s future financial results. Additional information regarding contingent consideration is provided in Note 2.

Advertising Expenses—The majority of the Company’s advertising expenses relate to direct-mail costs for magazine subscription acquisition efforts. Advertising costs that are not capitalized are expensed the first time the advertising takes place. Total advertising expenses included in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings were $122.8 million in fiscal 2018, $63.9 million in fiscal 2017, and $72.6 million in fiscal 2016.

Deferred Financing Costs—Costs incurred to obtain financing are deferred and amortized to interest expense, net on the Consolidated Statements of Earnings over the related financing period using the effective interest method. The Company records deferred financing costs as a direct reduction of the carrying value of the related debt. Financing costs related to revolving debt instruments or lines of credit are included in other assets on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Income Taxes—The income tax provision is calculated under the liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in earnings in the period when such a change is enacted. The Company recognizes the effect of income tax positions only if those positions are more likely than not of being sustained. Recognized income tax positions are measured at the largest amount that is greater than 50 percent likely of being realized. Changes in recognition or measurement are reflected in the period in which the change in judgment occurs.

Self-Insurance—The Company self-insures for certain medical claims, and its responsibility generally is capped through the use of a stop loss contract with an insurance company at a certain dollar level. The dollar level varies based on the insurance plan, and ranges between $350 thousand and $500 thousand. Third-party administrators are used to process claims. The Company uses actual claims data and estimates of claims incurred-but-not-reported to calculate estimated liabilities for unsettled claims on an undiscounted basis. Although management re-evaluates the assumptions and reviews the claims experience on an ongoing basis, actual claims paid could vary significantly from estimated claims.

Pensions and Postretirement Benefits Other Than Pensions—Retirement benefits are provided to employees through pension plans sponsored by the Company. Pension benefits are generally based on formulas that reflect interest credits allocated to participants’ accounts based on years of benefit service and annual pensionable earnings. It is the Company’s policy to fund the qualified pension plans to at least the extent required to maintain their fully funded status. In addition, the Company provides health care and life insurance benefits for certain retired employees, the expected costs of which are accrued over the years that the employees render services. It is the Company’s policy to fund postretirement benefits as claims are paid. Additional information is provided in Note 11.

Share-based Compensation—The Company establishes fair value for its equity awards to determine their cost and recognizes the related expense over the appropriate vesting period. The Company recognizes expense for stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, and shares issued under the Company’s employee stock purchase plan. See Note 12 for additional information related to share-based compensation expense.

Redeemable Preferred Stock—The Company has outstanding 650,000 shares of perpetual convertible redeemable non-voting preferred stock, par value $1.00 per share, each share having an initial stated value of $1,000 per share (the Series A preferred stock). Proceeds from the issuance were allocated on a relative fair value basis between the preferred stock and other freestanding financial instruments issued with the preferred stock. The preferred stock is classified as mezzanine equity and is accreted to its redemption value. Additional information is provided in Note 13.

Comprehensive Income—Comprehensive income consists of net earnings and other gains and losses affecting shareholders’ equity that, under U. S. GAAP, are excluded from net earnings. Other comprehensive income (loss) includes changes in prior service costs and net actuarial losses from pension and postretirement benefit plans, net of taxes, unrealized gains or losses resulting from foreign currency translation, and changes in the fair value of interest rate swap agreements, net of taxes, to the extent that they are effective. As of June 30, 2018, there were no amounts in other comprehensive income (loss) related to the interest rate swaps as such were settled in fiscal 2018, and all previously unrealized changes in other comprehensive income (loss) were recognized in earnings. Refer to Note 7 for additional discussion on the swap termination.

Earnings Per Share—Basic earnings per share is calculated by dividing net earnings attributable to common shareholders by the weighted average common and Class B shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share calculation incorporated the shares utilized in the basic calculation but also included the dilutive effect, if any, of the assumed exercise of securities, including the effect of shares issuable under the Company’s share-based incentive plans. In connection with the issuance of the Series A preferred stock and detachable warrants on January 31, 2018, the Company now has a two-class capital structure and applies the two-class method in the calculation of earnings per share. The two-class method adjusts earnings to incorporate dividends declared on common stock, preferred stock, and other securities in distributed earnings. In addition, it also incorporates participating rights in other securities in undistributed earnings. Additional information is provided in Note 15.

Adopted Accounting Pronouncements—

ASU 2016-07—In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued an Accounting Standards Update (ASU) simplifying the transition to the equity method of accounting. The new guidance eliminates the requirement to apply the equity method of accounting retrospectively when a reporting entity obtains significant influence over a previously held investment. The Company adopted this standard effective July 1, 2017. This guidance was applied to one investment during the fiscal year, which simplified the transition from the cost method to equity method. The application did not have any other impact on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows, or disclosures.

ASU 2016-09—In March 2016, as a part of its simplification initiative, the FASB issued guidance on the accounting for employee share-based payments. The new guidance is intended to simplify several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax treatment, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. The Company adopted this standard effective July 1, 2017.

The adoption of this guidance resulted in the prospective recognition of realized excess tax benefits related to the exercise or vesting of share-based awards in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings instead of in additional paid-in capital within the Consolidated Balance Sheets. See Note 8 for discussion of the credits to income tax expense recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. Using a modified retrospective application, the Company has elected to recognize forfeitures as they occur and recorded a $1.1 million increase to additional paid-in capital, a $0.6 million reduction to retained earnings, and a $0.5 million reduction to deferred taxes to reflect the incremental share-based compensation expense, net of the related tax impacts, that would have been recognized in prior years under the modified guidance. Presentation requirements for cash flows related to employee taxes paid using withheld shares had no impact to all periods presented as such cash flows have historically been presented as financing activities. The Company no longer classifies excess tax benefits related to share-based awards as a financing cash inflow and an operating cash outflow. This classification requirement was adopted prospectively and, as such, the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows have not been retrospectively adjusted.

ASU 2018-02—In February 2018, the FASB issued guidance regarding the reclassification of certain tax effects from accumulated other comprehensive loss. This amended guidance allows a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive loss to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the Tax Reform Act) which was signed into law on December 22, 2017. The Company early adopted this amended guidance on January 1, 2018, and as a result, elected to reclassify $4.0 million of stranded tax effects from accumulated other comprehensive loss to retained earnings using a specific identification approach. The adoption of this guidance did not have an impact on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows, or disclosures.

ASU 2018-05—In March 2018, the FASB issued guidance which incorporates into ASC 740 – Income Taxes (ASC 740), various United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) guidance pursuant to the issuance of SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (SAB 118), which was effective immediately. In December 2017, the SEC issued SAB 118 to address concerns about reporting entities’ ability to timely comply with the accounting requirements to recognize all of the effects of the Tax Reform Act in the period of enactment. SAB 118 allows for calculations of the impacts of the Tax Reform Act to be considered provisional and subject to remeasurement upon further collection, preparation, and analysis of relevant data and disclosure regarding the impacts of the Tax Reform Act for which accounting under ASC 740 is incomplete. As the Company accounted for the tax effects of the Tax Reform Act on a provisional basis under the guidance of SAB 118 prior to this update, the adoption of this guidance did not have an impact on the consolidated financial statements.

Pending Accounting Pronouncements—

ASU 2014-09—In May 2014, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that replaces existing revenue recognition guidance. The new standard requires a company to recognize revenue for the transfer of promised goods or services equal to the amount it expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. The standard includes a five-step framework to determine the timing and amount of revenue to recognize related to contracts with customers. Additionally, the standard requires new and significantly enhanced disclosures about the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows from customer contracts as well as judgments made by a company when following the framework.

The Company will adopt the standard beginning July 1, 2018 (fiscal 2019). The two permitted transition methods are the full retrospective method, in which case the standard would be applied to each prior reporting period presented and the cumulative effect of applying the standard would be recognized in the earliest period shown; or the modified retrospective method, in which case the cumulative effect of applying the standard would be recognized at the date of initial application. The Company will adopt the standard using the modified retrospective method.

The Company is in the process of assessing and documenting the effect of the adoption of this standard on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures related to advertising, circulation, and other revenues, and completing the design and implementation of related controls. Based on our assessment to date, the Company does not believe the adoption of the standard will change the timing of revenue recognition for most of our revenue contracts, except for those with value-added items or that require combination under the standard. We do not anticipate those impacts will have a material effect on our consolidated revenues subject to completion of our evaluation. While the Company does not expect material changes to the amount or timing of our revenue recognition, the Company will significantly expand our future disclosures on both a quarterly and annual basis as required under the standard.

ASU 2016-01—In January 2016, the FASB issued guidance to improve and simplify accounting for financial instruments. The updated guidance includes several provisions that are not applicable to the Company’s consolidated financial statements, with the exception of changes to fair value disclosure. Under the new guidance, public entities are no longer required to disclose the methods and significant assumptions used to estimate fair value of financial instruments measured at amortized cost on the consolidated balance sheets. It also requires public entities to use the exit price when measuring the fair value of financial instruments for disclosure purposes. The guidance is effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. The adoption of this guidance requires a change in our disclosures only and it is not expected to have an impact on our results of operations or cash flows.

ASU 2016-02—In February 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that replaces existing lease accounting standards. The new standard requires lessees to recognize on the balance sheet a right-of use asset, representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term, and a lease liability for all leases with terms greater than 12 months. The guidance also requires qualitative and quantitative disclosures designed to assess the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. Treatment of lease payments in the statement of earnings and statement of cash flows is relatively unchanged from previous guidance. The standard is to be applied under the modified retrospective method, with elective reliefs, which requires application of the new guidance for all periods presented. The FASB continues to issue amendments to further clarify provisions of this guidance. The standard, including the amendments made since initial issuance, is effective for the Company beginning July 1, 2019, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating our existing lease portfolios, including accumulating all of the necessary information required to properly account for the leases under the new standard. As such, the Company is currently evaluating the effect the guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2016-13—In June 2016, the FASB issued a standard that replaces the current incurred loss methodology for recognizing credit losses with a current expected credit loss methodology. Under this standard, the establishment of an allowance for credit losses reflects all relevant information about past events, current conditions, and reasonable supportable forecasts rather than delaying the recognition of the full amount of a credit loss until the loss is probable of occurring. The new standard changes the impairment model for most financial assets and certain other instruments, including trade receivables. A modified retrospective implementation of this standard is effective in the Company’s first quarter of fiscal 2021, with early adoption permitted in the first quarter of fiscal 2020. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2016-15—In August 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update clarifying the classification of certain cash receipts and payments in the statement of cash flows. The update is intended to reduce the diversity in practice around how certain transactions are classified within the statement of cash flows. Retrospective adoption is required in our first quarter of fiscal 2019 with early adoption permitted, including adoption in an interim period. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this update will have on its consolidated financial statements; however, the adoption is not expected to have a material impact in the presentation of our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows.

ASU 2017-01—In January 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that clarifies the definition of a business and adds guidance to assist entities in the determination of whether an acquisition (or disposal) represents assets or a business. The update provides a test to determine whether or not an acquisition is a business. If substantially all of the fair value of the assets acquired is concentrated in a single asset or a group of similar identifiable assets, the acquired assets do not represent a business. If this test is not met, the update provides further guidance to evaluate if the acquisition represents a business. Prospective adoption is required in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. Early adoption is permitted if certain transaction criteria are met. The Company does not believe the adoption of this update will have a material impact prospectively, to the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2017-04—In January 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill by eliminating Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test. The Step 2 test requires an entity to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill to measure a goodwill impairment charge. Instead, an entity will record an impairment charge based on the excess of a reporting unit’s carrying value over its fair value determined in Step 1. This update also eliminates the qualitative assessment requirements for a reporting unit with zero or negative carrying value. Prospective adoption is required in the first quarter of fiscal 2021, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this update will have on its consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2017-07—In March 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standards update on the presentation of net periodic pension and postretirement benefit costs. This guidance revises how employers that sponsor defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans present the net periodic benefit costs in their income statement and requires that the service cost component of net periodic benefit costs be presented in the same line items as other employee compensation costs for the related employees. Of the components of net periodic benefit costs, only the service cost component will be eligible for asset capitalization. The other components of net periodic benefit costs must be presented separately from the line items that include the service cost and outside of the income from operations subtotal. The update is effective for the first quarter of fiscal 2019, with early adoption permitted. The adoption is expected to require reclassification of expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings; however, it is not expected to have an impact on the Company’s operating results or cash flows.

ASU 2017-09—In May 2017, the FASB issued guidance to clarify guidance related to changes in terms or conditions of a share-based payment award. The purpose of this update is to provide guidance about which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting in ASC 718 – Compensation – Stock Compensation. The effective date is the first quarter of fiscal 2019 with early adoption permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on our results of operations, cash flows, or disclosures.

ASU 2017-12—In August 2017, the FASB issued guidance amending hedge accounting requirements. The purpose of this guidance is to better align a company’s risk management activities and financial reporting requirements, and to simplify the application of hedge accounting. The effective date is the first quarter of fiscal 2020, with early adoption permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on our results of operations, cash flows, or disclosures.