Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2021

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation—The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Meredith Corporation and its wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries (Meredith or the Company), after eliminating all significant intercompany balances and transactions. Meredith does not have any off-balance sheet arrangements.

Basis of Accounting

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) for complete financial statements. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements, which are included in Meredith’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2020, filed with the SEC.

The condensed consolidated financial statements as of March 31, 2021, and for the three and nine months ended March 31, 2021 and 2020, are unaudited but, in management’s opinion, include all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the results of interim periods. All such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature. The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet as of June 30, 2020, was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the entire fiscal year. Interim results may vary significantly as the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve. The extent to which the evolving COVID-19 pandemic impacts the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements will depend on a number of factors, including the magnitude and duration of the pandemic. There remains risk that COVID-19 could have material adverse impacts on future revenue growth as well as overall profitability.

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.

Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Adopted Accounting Pronouncements—

ASU 2016-13—In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued a standard that replaced the then 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 changed the impairment model for most financial assets and certain other instruments, including trade receivables. The Company implemented the new standard on July 1, 2020, on a modified retrospective basis. The adoption of this standard resulted in a decrease in the allowance for doubtful accounts of $2.8 million and an increase in deferred tax liabilities of $0.7 million, with a corresponding increase in retained earnings of $2.1 million. This standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements and related disclosures upon adoption.

ASU 2018-13—In August 2018, the FASB issued an accounting standards update which changed the fair value measurement disclosure requirements. The update removes, modifies, and adds certain additional disclosures. The Company adopted this pronouncement in the first quarter of fiscal 2021. The adoption required additional disclosure on the Company’s Level 3 measurements as defined in Note 9. There were no other impacts to the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2019-02—In March 2019, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that aligned the accounting for production costs of episodic television series with the accounting for production costs of films. In addition, the update modified certain aspects of the capitalization, impairment, presentation, and disclosure requirements in the accounting standards for entities in the film and broadcast entertainment industries. The update was prospectively adopted in the first quarter of fiscal 2021. Due to existing Company policies and the nature of its episodic television series, the update had no impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2020-09—In October 2020, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to formally codify the new disclosure requirements of an SEC final rule issued in March 2020 related to certain registered securities under SEC Regulation S-X, Rule 3-10 (Rule 3-10). The most pertinent portions of the final rule applicable to the Company included: (i) replacing the previous requirement under Rule 3-10 to provide condensed consolidated financial information in the registrant’s financial statements with a requirement to provide alternative financial disclosures (which include summarized financial information of the parent and any issuers and guarantors, as well as other qualitative disclosures) in either the registrant’s Management Discussion & Analysis section or its financial statements; and, (ii) reducing the periods for which summarized financial information is required to the most recent annual period and year-to-date interim period. The final rule was effective for filings on or after January 4, 2021. The Company elected to early-adopt the provisions of the final rule during the third quarter of fiscal 2020 and elected to provide the summarized financial information in Item II, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.

ASU 2020-10—In October 2020, the FASB issued an accounting standards update containing codification improvements. These improvements include providing a consistent location for disclosure guidance and providing clarification to other certain guidance sections. The Company early adopted this guidance retrospectively as of July 1, 2020. The early adoption of this guidance did not materially impact the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements.