New accounting pronouncements

The following section provides a description of new accounting pronouncements ("Accounting Standard Update" or "ASU") issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") that are applicable to the Company.

New accounting pronouncements adopted during the period

Revenue recognition

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606).” The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised 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. The FASB has issued several updates to the standard that i) defer the original effective date; ii) clarify the application of principal versus agent guidance; iii) clarify the guidance on inconsequential and perfunctory promises and licensing; and iv) clarify the guidance on the de-recognition of non-financial assets. Signet adopted ASU No. 2014‑09 and related updates effective February 4, 2018 using the modified retrospective approach applied only to contracts not completed as of the date of adoption with no restatement of prior periods and by recognizing the cumulative effect of initially applying the new standard as an adjustment to the opening balance of equity.

As a result of the adoption, the Company identified that the new standard required the Company to adjust its presentation related to customer trade-ins, accounting for returns reserves, costs associated with selling extended service plans and treatment of the amortization of certain bonus and profit-sharing arrangements related to third-party credit card programs. After the adoption of ASU No. 2014-09, the fair value of customer trade-ins will be considered non-cash consideration when determining the transaction price, and therefore classified as revenue rather than its previous classification as a reduction to cost of goods sold. Also, the Company will record its current sales return reserve within separate refund liability and asset for recovery accounts within other current asset and liabilities, respectively. Further, the capitalization and subsequent amortization of certain costs associated with selling an extended service plan, will be discontinued and recognized as expense when incurred. The change in balance classification and change in amortization treatment of certain bonus and profit-sharing arrangements were immaterial to the Company’s consolidated financial statements. See additional disclosure within Note 3. During Fiscal 2019, an additional $111.2 million of revenue was recognized primarily for non-cash consideration from customer trade-ins and $16.5 million of previously capitalized contract acquisitions costs were reclassified to beginning retained earnings due to the adoption of ASU No. 2014-09.

In addition to the pronouncement above, the following ASUs were adopted as of February 4, 2018. The impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements is described within the table below:



Standard		Description
ASU No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments - Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, issued January 2016.		Impacts accounting for equity investments and financial liabilities under the fair value option, as well as, the presentation and disclosure requirements for financial instruments. Under the new guidance, equity investments will generally be measured at fair value, with subsequent changes in fair value recognized in net income. The adoption of ASU 2016-01 did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations. See immaterial presentation changes on the consolidated balance sheet and income statements and adoption adjustment within Note 11.
ASU No. 2016-04, Liabilities - Extinguishments of Liabilities (Subtopic 405-20), issued March 2016.		Addresses diversity in practice related to the derecognition of a prepaid stored-value product liability. Liabilities related to the sale of prepaid stored-value products within the scope of this update are financial liabilities. The adoption of ASU 2016-04 did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.
ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other: Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, issued January 2017.		Requires a single-step quantitative test to identify and measure goodwill impairment based on the excess of a reporting unit's carrying amount over its fair value. A qualitative assessment may still be completed first for an entity to determine if a quantitative impairment test is necessary. ASU No. 2017-04 is effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2019. Signet early adopted this guidance in the first quarter of Fiscal 2019. The adoption of ASU 2017-04 did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.
ASU No. 2017-07, Compensation - Retirement Benefits: Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost, issued March 2017.		Requires entities to present the service cost component of the net periodic pension cost in the same income statement line item as other employee compensation costs arising from services rendered during the period. Entities will present the other components of net benefit cost separately from the service cost component and outside of operating profit within the income statement. In addition, only the service cost component will be eligible for capitalization in assets. The adoption of ASU 2017-07 did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position or results of operations. See immaterial presentation changes on the consolidated income statements.

New accounting pronouncements to be adopted in future periods

Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842).” The new guidance primarily impacts lessee accounting by requiring the recognition of a right-of-use asset and a corresponding lease liability on the balance sheet for long-term lease agreements. The lease liability will be equal to the present value of all reasonably certain lease payments. The right-of-use asset will be based on the liability, subject to adjustment for initial direct costs. Lease agreements that are 12 months or less are permitted to be excluded from the balance sheet. In general, leases will be amortized on a straight-line basis with the exception of finance lease agreements. ASU No. 2016-02 is effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted.

Signet will adopt this guidance in the first quarter of our fiscal year ending February 1, 2020. Signet has established a cross-functional implementation team to evaluate and identify the impact of ASU No. 2016-02 on the Company’s consolidated financial position and results of operations. The Company currently anticipates using the additional transition method provided for in ASU No. 2018-11, “Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements” which permits the Company as of the effective date of ASU No. 2016-02 to recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. The Company also currently expects to elect the practical expedient to not separate lease and non-lease components for the majority of our leases. Additionally, the Company intends to utilize the practical expedient relief package, as well as the short-term leases and portfolio approach practical expedients.

The Company is finalizing the evaluation of the the impacts that the adoption of ASU No. 2016-02 will have on the consolidated financial statements and currently expects approximately $1.8 billion - $2.2 billion of lease liabilities to be established and right-of-use assets approximating this to be recognized upon adoption, dependent upon the lease portfolio and discount rates used on the date of adoption. The discount rates used will reflect the interest rates that the Company estimates it would have to pay to borrow on a collateralized basis over a similar term for an amount equal to the lease payments. The Company continues to work on the following items related to the adoption of this accounting guidance: (i) implementing software to meet the new reporting requirements, (ii) identifying potential changes to its business processes and controls to support adoption of the new guidance, and (iii) finalizing the impact to the right of use asset for stores having historical impairments which would impact the effect of adoption for the right of use asset.

The Company is also currently evaluating the impact on its financial statements of the following ASUs:



Standard		Description
ASU No. 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities, issued August 2017.		Expands the types of risk management strategies eligible for hedge accounting, refines the documentation and effectiveness assessment requirements and modifies the presentation and disclosure requirements for hedge accounting activities. The ASU is effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted.
ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurements (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement, issued August 2018.		Modifies the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements in Topic 820 and eliminates ‘at a minimum’ from the phrase ‘an entity shall disclose at a minimum’ to promote the appropriate exercise of discretion by entities when considering fair value disclosures and to clarify that materiality is an appropriate consideration. The ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted.
ASU No. 2018-14, Compensation - Retirement Benefits - Defined Benefit Plans - General (Topic 715-20): Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans, issued August 2018.		Modifies the disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension or other post-retirement plans and clarifies the disclosure requirements regarding projected benefit obligations and accumulated benefit obligations. The ASU is effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted.