Recently Issued Accounting Standards (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Recently Issued Accounting Standards [Abstract]

Adoption of New Accounting Standards

Adoption of New Accounting Standards

In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-09, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting (“ASU 2016-09”). This guidance applies to all entities that issue share-based payment awards to their employees and is designed to simplify several areas of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including income tax consequences, forfeitures, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities and related classification on the statement of cash flows.  The guidance requires the excess tax benefit or deficiency on vesting or settlement of awards to be recognized in earnings as an income tax benefit or expense, respectively.  The Company adopted ASU 2016-09 as of January 1, 2017.  Adoption of ASU 2016-09 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-07, Investments – Equity Method and Joint Ventures (Topic 323): Simplifying the Transition to the Equity Method of Accounting (“ASU 2016-07”). This guidance eliminates the requirement to retroactively adopt the equity method of accounting when an investment qualifies for the use of the equity method as a result of an increase in the level of ownership or degree of influence.  Under ASU 2016-07, the equity method investor is required to add the cost of acquiring the additional interest in the investee to the current basis of the previously held interest and adopt the equity method of accounting as of the date the investment becomes qualified for equity method accounting.  The Company adopted ASU 2016-07 as of January 1, 2017.  Adoption of ASU 2016-07 did not have an impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Future Adoption of New Accounting Standards

Future Adoption of New Accounting Standards

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-08, Receivables – Nonrefundable Fees and Other Costs (Subtopic 310-20): Premium Amortization on Purchased Callable Debt Securities (“ASU 2017-08”). This guidance shortens the amortization period for certain callable debt securities held at a premium to the earliest call date.  Under current GAAP, premiums and discounts on callable securities generally are amortized to the maturity date.  ASU 2017-08 is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, although earlier adoption is permitted.  The Company does not expect the adoption of this ASU to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.