Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

General

The Cooper Companies, Inc. (Cooper, we or the Company) is a global medical device company publicly traded on the NYSE Euronext (NYSE:COO). Cooper is dedicated to being A Quality of Life Company^TM with a focus on delivering shareholder value. Cooper operates through our business units, CooperVision and CooperSurgical.


•	CooperVision develops, manufactures and markets a broad range of soft contact lenses for the worldwide vision correction market.


•	CooperSurgical develops, manufactures, markets and offers services within a broad range of medical devices and procedure solutions to improve health care delivery to families.

Estimates and Critical Accounting Policies

Management estimates and judgments are an integral part of financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP). We believe that the critical accounting policies described in this section address the more significant estimates required of management when preparing our consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP. We consider an accounting estimate critical if changes in the estimate may have a material impact on our financial condition or results of operations. We believe that the accounting estimates employed are appropriate and resulting balances are reasonable; however, actual results could differ from the original estimates, requiring adjustment to these balances in future periods.

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Revenue recognition - We recognize product net sales, net of discounts, returns and rebates in accordance with related accounting standards and SEC Staff Accounting Bulletins. As required by these standards, we recognize revenue when it is realized or realizable and earned, based on terms of sale with the customer, where persuasive evidence of an agreement exists, delivery has occurred, the seller's price is fixed and determinable and collectability is reasonably assured. For contact lenses as well as CooperSurgical's medical devices, surgical instruments, accessories, diagnostic products and services, this primarily occurs when title and risk of ownership transfers to our customers, and/or when services are rendered. We believe our revenue recognition policies are appropriate in all circumstances, and that our policies are reflective of our customer arrangements. We record, based on historical statistics, estimated reductions to revenue for customer incentive programs offered including cash discounts, promotional and advertising allowances, volume discounts, contractual pricing allowances, rebates and specifically established customer product return programs. We record taxes collected from customers on a net basis, as these taxes are not included in net sales.

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Net realizable value of inventory - In assessing the value of inventories, we make estimates and judgments regarding aging of inventories and other relevant issues potentially affecting the saleable condition of products and estimated prices at which those products will sell. On an ongoing basis, we review the carrying value of our inventory, measuring number of months on hand and other indications of saleability. We reduce the value of inventory if there are indications that the carrying value is greater than market, resulting in a new, lower-cost basis for that inventory. Subsequent changes in facts and circumstances do not result in the restoration or increase in that newly established cost basis. While estimates are involved, historically, obsolescence has not been a significant factor due to long product dating and lengthy product life cycles.

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Valuation of goodwill - We account for goodwill and evaluate our goodwill balances and test them for impairment annually during the fiscal third quarter and when an event occurs or circumstances change such that it is reasonably possible that impairment may exist in accordance with related accounting standards. We performed our annual impairment test in our fiscal third quarter of 2016, and our analysis indicated that we had no impairment of goodwill. We performed our annual impairment test in our fiscal third quarter of 2015 and concluded that we had no impairment of goodwill in that year.

In fiscal 2016 and 2015, we performed qualitative assessments to test each reporting unit's goodwill for impairment. Qualitative factors considered in this assessment include industry and market considerations, overall financial performance and other relevant events and factors affecting each reporting unit. Based on our qualitative assessment, if we determine that the fair value of a reporting unit is more likely than not to be less than its carrying amount, the two-step impairment test will be performed.

Initially, we compare the book value of net assets to the fair value of each reporting unit that has goodwill assigned to it. If the fair value is determined to be less than the book value, a second step is performed to compute the amount of the impairment. A reporting unit is the level of reporting at which goodwill is tested for impairment. Our reporting units are the same as our business segments - CooperVision and CooperSurgical - reflecting the way that we manage our business.

Goodwill impairment analysis and measurement is a process that requires significant judgment. If our common stock price trades below book value per share, there are changes in market conditions or a future downturn in our business, or a future annual goodwill impairment test indicates an impairment of our goodwill, we may have to recognize a non-cash impairment of our goodwill that could be material, and could adversely affect our results of operations in the period recognized and also adversely affect our total assets, stockholders' equity and financial condition.

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Business combinations - We routinely consummate business combinations. Results of operations for acquired companies are included in our consolidated results of operations from the date of acquisition. We recognize separately from goodwill, the identifiable assets acquired, including acquired in-process research and development, the liabilities assumed, and any noncontrolling interest in the acquiree at the acquisition date fair values as defined by accounting standards related to fair value measurements. As of the acquisition date, goodwill is measured as the excess of consideration given, generally measured at fair value, and the net of the acquisition date fair values of the identifiable assets acquired and the liabilities assumed. Direct acquisition costs are expensed as incurred.

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Income taxes - We account for income taxes under the asset and 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 bases, and for tax losses 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 income in the period that includes the enactment date. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

As part of the process of preparing our consolidated financial statements, we must estimate our income tax expense for each of the jurisdictions in which we operate. This process requires significant management judgments and involves estimating our current tax exposures in each jurisdiction including the impact, if any, of additional taxes resulting from tax examinations as well as judging the recoverability of deferred tax assets. To the extent recovery of deferred tax assets is not likely based on our estimation of future taxable income in each jurisdiction, a valuation allowance is established. Tax exposures can involve complex issues and may require an extended period to resolve. Frequent changes in tax laws in each jurisdiction complicate future estimates. To determine the tax rate, we are required to estimate full-year income and the related income tax expense in each jurisdiction. We update the estimated effective tax rate for the effect of significant unusual items as they are identified. Changes in the geographic mix or estimated level of annual pre-tax income can affect the overall effective tax rate, and such changes could be material.

Regarding accounting for uncertainty in income taxes, we recognize the benefit from a tax position only if it is more likely than not that the position would be sustained upon audit based solely on the technical merits of the tax position. We measure the income tax benefits from the tax positions that are recognized, assess the timing of the derecognition of previously recognized tax benefits and classify and disclose the liabilities within the consolidated financial statements for any unrecognized tax benefits based on the guidance in the interpretation of related accounting guidance for income taxes. The interpretation also provides guidance on how the interest and penalties related to tax positions may be recorded and classified within our Consolidated Statement of Income and presented in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. We classify interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as additional income tax expense.

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Share-Based Compensation - We grant various share-based compensation awards, including stock options, performance unit shares, restricted stock and restricted stock units. Under fair value recognition provisions, share-based compensation expense is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is recognized as expense over the vesting period. Determining the fair value of share-based awards at the grant date requires judgment, including estimating Cooper's stock price volatility, employee exercise behaviors and related employee forfeiture rates.

The expected life of the share-based awards is based on the observed and expected time to post-vesting forfeiture and/or exercise. Groups of employees that have similar historical exercise behavior are considered separately for valuation purposes. In determining the expected volatility, management considers implied volatility from publicly-traded options on Cooper's common stock at the date of grant, historical volatility and other factors. The risk-free interest rate is based on the continuous rates provided by the United States Treasury with a term equal to the expected life of the award. The dividend yield is based on the projected annual dividend payment per share, divided by the stock price at the date of grant.

As share-based compensation expense recognized in our Consolidated Statement of Income is based on awards ultimately expected to vest, the amount of expense has been reduced for estimated forfeitures. Forfeitures are estimated at the time of grant, based on historical experience, and revised, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates.

If factors change and we employ different assumptions in the application of the fair value recognition provisions, the compensation expense that we record in future periods may differ significantly from what we have recorded in the current period.

Accounting Pronouncements Issued and Not Yet Adopted

In October 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory, which requires entities to recognize the income tax consequences on an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory when the transfer occurs. The ASU changes the timing of the recognition of the income tax consequences of non-inventory transfers which under current guidance defers the income tax consequences until the asset is sold to an outside party or otherwise recognized. The guidance for the amendments of ASU 2016-16 requires companies to apply a modified retrospective approach with a cumulative catch-up adjustment to opening retained earnings in the period of adoption. We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2016-16 which is effective for the Company in our fiscal year and interim periods beginning on November 1, 2018.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which is intended to improve the accounting for share-based payment transactions as part of the FASB’s simplification initiative. The ASU changes the following aspects of the accounting for share-based payment award transactions, including: accounting for income taxes; classification of excess tax benefits on the statement of cash flows; forfeitures; minimum statutory tax withholding requirements; and classification of employee taxes paid on the statement of cash flows when an employer withholds shares for tax-withholding purposes. We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2016-09, which is effective for the Company in our fiscal year and interim periods beginning on November 1, 2017.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). ASU 2016-02 requires that a lessee recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from operating leases. A lessee should recognize in the statement of financial position a liability to make lease payments (the lease liability) and a right-of-use asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. For leases with a term of 12 months or less, a lessee is permitted to make an accounting policy election by class of underlying asset not to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities. In transition, lessees and lessors are required to recognize and measure leases at the beginning of the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach. We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2016-02, which is effective for the Company in our fiscal year and interim periods beginning on November 1, 2019.

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes, which requires entities to present all deferred tax assets and liabilities as noncurrent. The amendments in the ASU are effective for the Company in our fiscal year and interim periods beginning on November 1, 2017. The Company does not expect the new guidance to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). ASU 2014-09 requires revenue recognition to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 sets forth a new revenue recognition model that requires identifying the contract, identifying the performance obligations, determining the transaction price, allocating the transaction price to performance obligations and recognizing the revenue upon satisfaction of performance obligations. The amendments in the ASU can be applied either retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented or retrospectively with the cumulative effect of initially applying the update recognized at the date of the initial application along with additional disclosures. We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2014-09, which is effective for the Company in our fiscal year beginning on November 1, 2018.

Accounting Pronouncements Recently Adopted

In September 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-16, Business Combinations: Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments (Topic 850). ASU 2015-16 requires that an acquirer recognizes adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. The effect on earnings as a result of the change to the provisional amounts, calculated as if the accounting had been completed as of the acquisition date, must be recorded in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined rather than retrospectively. ASU 2015-16 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The amendment should be applied prospectively to adjustments to provisional amounts that occur after the effective date of the guidance, with early adoption permitted for financial statements that have not been issued. We elected to early adopt this guidance on a prospective basis for the quarter ended July 31, 2016. Such adoption did not have a material impact to our consolidated financial position.

In April 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2015-03, Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30) Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs. The amendments in this update require that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. ASU 2015-03 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Early adoption is permitted. We elected to early adopt this guidance as a change in accounting principle on a retrospective basis in the fiscal first quarter ended January 31, 2016. As of January 31, 2016 and October 31, 2015, we have presented debt issuance costs related to our term loans, previously reported in other assets, as direct deductions from the carrying amount of the debt liability. We also presented the debt issuance costs related to our revolving credit facility as a deferred asset within other assets, as permitted by ASU 2015-15, Imputation of Interest, which was issued in August 2015. Such adoption did not have a material impact to our consolidated financial position.

Consolidation

The financial statements in this report include the accounts of all of Cooper's consolidated entities. All significant intercompany transactions and balances are eliminated in consolidation. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year's presentation.

Foreign Currency Translation

Most of our operations outside the United States use their local currency as their functional currency. We translate these assets and liabilities into United States dollars at year-end exchange rates. We translate income and expense accounts at weighted average rates for each year. We record gains and losses from the translation of financial statements in foreign currencies into United States dollars in other comprehensive income. We record gains and losses from changes in exchange rates on transactions denominated in currencies other than each reporting location's functional currency in net income for each period. We recorded in other expense and income a net foreign exchange loss of $1.6 million for fiscal 2016, $3.5 million for fiscal 2015, and $2.9 million for fiscal 2014.

Financial Instruments

We may use derivatives to reduce market risks associated with changes in foreign exchange and interest rates. We do not use derivatives for trading or speculative purposes. We believe that the counterparties with which we enter into forward exchange contracts and interest rate swap agreements are financially sound and that the credit risk of these contracts is not significant.

We operate multiple foreign subsidiaries that manufacture and/or sell our products worldwide. As a result, our earnings, cash flow and financial position are exposed to foreign currency risk from foreign currency denominated receivables and payables, sales transactions, capital expenditures and net investment in certain foreign operations. Our policy is to minimize, to the extent reasonable and practical, transaction, remeasurement and specified economic exposures with derivatives instruments such as foreign exchange forward contracts and cross currency swaps. The gains and losses on these derivatives are intended to at least partially offset the transaction gains and losses recognized in earnings.

Exposures are reduced whenever possible by taking advantage of offsetting payable and receivable balances and netting net sales against expenses, also referred to as natural hedges. We may employ the use of foreign currency derivative instruments to manage a portion of the remaining foreign exchange risk. Our risk management objectives and the strategies for achieving those objectives depend on the type of exposure being hedged.

We are also exposed to risks associated with changes in interest rates, as the interest rate on our credit agreements vary. To mitigate this risk, we may hedge portions of our variable rate debt by swapping those portions to fixed rates. We only enter into derivative financial instruments with institutions with which we have an International Swap Dealers Association (ISDA) agreement in place. When applicable, we record interest rate derivatives as net on our Consolidated Balance Sheet, in accordance with derivative accounting. When we net or set-off our interest rate derivative obligations, only the net asset or liability position will be credit affected. We had no outstanding interest rate swaps at October 31, 2016. Since ISDA agreements are signed between the Company and each respective financial institution, netting is permitted on a per institution basis only. On an ongoing basis, we monitor counterparty credit ratings. We consider our credit non-performance risk to be minimal because we award and disperse derivatives business between multiple commercial institutions that have at least an investment grade credit rating.

Effectiveness testing of the hedge relationship and measurement to quantify ineffectiveness is performed at a minimum each fiscal quarter using the hypothetical derivative method. Effective amounts are reclassified to interest expense as the related hedged expense is incurred.

Litigation

We are subject to various legal proceedings, claims, litigation, investigations and contingencies arising out of the ordinary course of business. If we believe the likelihood of an adverse legal outcome is probable and the amount is estimable, we accrue a liability in accordance with accounting guidance for contingencies. We consult with legal counsel on matters related to litigation and seek input both within and outside the Company.

Long-lived Assets

We review long-lived assets held and used, intangible assets with finite useful lives and assets held for sale for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. If an evaluation of recoverability is required, the estimated undiscounted future cash flows associated with the asset group are compared to the asset group's carrying amount to determine if a write-down is required. If the undiscounted cash flows are less than the carrying amount, an impairment loss is recorded to the extent that the carrying amount exceeds the fair value. If management has committed to a plan to dispose of long-lived assets, the assets to be disposed of are reported at the lower of carrying amount or fair value less estimated costs to sell.

CooperVision provides optometric practices with in-office lenses used in marketing programs to facilitate efficient and convenient fitting of contact lenses by practitioners. Such lens fitting sets generally consist of a physical binder or rack to store contact lenses and an array of lenses. We record the costs associated with the original fitting set to other long-term assets on our Consolidated Balance Sheet. We amortize such costs over their estimated useful lives to selling, general and administrative expense on our Consolidated Statements of Income. We also expense the cost for lenses provided to practitioners as replenishment for fitting sets in the period shipped to selling, general and administrative expense on our Consolidated Statements of Income.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include short-term income producing investments with maturity dates of three months or less. These investments are readily convertible to cash and are carried at cost, which approximates market value.

Inventories



October 31, (In millions)	2016		2015
Raw materials	$	86.0	$	80.9
Work-in-process	12.6		14.5
Finished goods	319.1		324.3
	$	417.7	$	419.7

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Cost is computed using standard cost that approximates actual cost, on a first-in, first-out basis.

Property, Plant and Equipment



October 31, (In millions)	2016		2015
Land and improvements	$	18.2	$	19.8
Buildings and improvements	259.9		226.1
Machinery and equipment	1,171.1		1,085.1
Construction in progress	154.1		319.7
Less: Accumulated depreciation	725.6		683.6
	$	877.7	$	967.1

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. We compute depreciation using the straight-line method in amounts sufficient to write off depreciable assets over their estimated useful lives. We amortize leasehold improvements over their estimated useful lives or the period of the related lease, whichever is shorter. We depreciate buildings over 30 to 40 years and machinery and equipment over 3 to 15 years.

We expense costs for maintenance and repairs and capitalize major replacements, renewals and betterments. We eliminate the cost and accumulated depreciation of depreciable assets retired or otherwise disposed of from the asset and accumulated depreciation accounts and reflect any gains or losses in operations for the period. We had capitalized interest included in construction in progress of $3.1 million and $6.2 million for the years ended October 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Earnings Per Share

We determine basic earnings per share (EPS) by using the weighted average number of shares outstanding. We determine diluted EPS by increasing the weighted average number of shares outstanding in the denominator by the number of outstanding dilutive equity awards using the treasury stock method.

Treasury Stock

We record treasury stock purchases under the cost method whereby the entire cost of the acquired stock is recorded as treasury stock. At October 31, 2016 and 2015, the number of shares in treasury was 3,290,318 and 3,290,318, respectively. No shares were purchased during the year ended October 31, 2016, and 467,539 shares were purchased during the year ended October 31, 2015. See Note 8 for additional information on the share repurchase program.