XML 21 R11.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.8.0.1
New Accounting Principles and Recent Accounting Pronouncements
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
New Accounting Principles and Recent Accounting Pronouncements [Abstract]  
New Accounting Principles and Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Note B – New Accounting Principles and Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Accounting Principles Adopted

Revenue from Contracts with Customers.  In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued an Accounting Standards Update (ASU), which established a comprehensive model of accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers that superseded most revenue recognition requirements and industry-specific guidance.  Under the new standard, an entity is required to recognize revenue when it transfers goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration the entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services.  Additional disclosures are required to describe the nature, amount, timing and uncertainly of revenue and cash flows from contracts with customers.  The Company adopted the new standard in the first quarter of 2018 using the modified retrospective method.  The Company performed a review of contracts in each of its revenue streams and implemented accounting policies and internal controls to address the requirements of the ASU.  Prior to January 1, 2018, the Company followed the sales method of revenue recognition under Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 605 and recorded revenue when deliveries occurred and legal ownership of the commodity transferred to the customer.

There was no adjustment to the opening balance of stockholders’ equity as at January 1, 2018, resulting from application of the new ASU promulgated in ASC Topic 606 using the modified retrospective method.  The comparative information has not been adjusted and continues to be reported under ASC Topic 605 – Revenue Recognition.  See also Note C for further discussion of Revenue Recognition. 

Note B – New Accounting Principles and Recent Accounting Pronouncements (Contd.)

Accounting Principles Adopted (Cont.)

Statement of Cash Flows.  In August 2016, the FASB issued an ASU to reduce diversity in practice in how certain transactions are classified in the statement of cash flows.  The amendment provides guidance on specific cash flow issues including debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs, settlement of zero-coupon debt instruments or other debt instrument with coupon interest rates that are insignificant in relation to the effective interest rate of the borrowing, contingent consideration payments made after a business combination, proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims, proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies, and distributions received from equity method investees.  The amendments in this ASU were effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017.  The Company adopted this guidance in 2018 and it did not have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

Compensation – Retirement Benefits.  In March 2017, the FASB issued an ASU requiring that the service cost component of pension and postretirement benefit costs be presented in the same line item as other current employee compensation costs and other components of those benefit costs be presented separately from the service cost component outside a subtotal of income from operations, if presented.  The update also requires that only the service cost component of pension and postretirement benefit cost is eligible for capitalization.  The update is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017.  The Company adopted the standard in the first quarter of 2018 and it did not have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

Compensation – Stock Compensation.  In May 2017, the FASB issued an ASU which amends the scope of modification accounting for share-based payment arrangements and provides guidance on the type of changes to the terms and conditions of share-based payment awards to which an entity would be required to apply modification accounting.  The update is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods within the annual period.  The Company adopted this accounting standard in the first quarter of 2018 and it did not have material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

Statement of Operations – Reporting Comprehensive Income.  In February 2018, the FASB issued an ASU, which allows a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.  The Company elected to early adopt this accounting standard during the first quarter of 2018 and recorded discrete adjustments from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings of $28.4 million related to retirement and postretirement obligations and $1.8 million related to deferred loss on interest rate derivative hedges.  The adoption of this ASU will have no future impact.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Leases.  In February 2016, the FASB issued an ASU to increase transparency and comparability among companies by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements.  The main difference between previous Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and this ASU is the recognition of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities by lessees for those leases classified as operating leases under previous GAAP.  The new standard is effective for financial statements issued for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018 and interim periods within those annual periods.  Early adoption is permitted for all entities.  The Company anticipates adopting this guidance in the first quarter of 2019 and is currently analyzing its portfolio of contracts to assess the impact future adoption of this ASU will have on its consolidated financial statements.