Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 28, 2018

Reclassification Policy, Reportable Segments

Certain prior period amounts reported in the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and notes thereto have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation.

Use of Estimates, Policy

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes. Estimates and assumptions are used for revenue recognition, including determining the nature and timing of satisfaction of performance obligations and determining standalone selling price of performance obligations, allowances for doubtful accounts, sales returns reserve, allowances for inventory valuation, warranty costs, investments, goodwill impairment, intangibles impairment, purchased intangibles, useful lives for tangible and intangible assets, stock-based compensation and income taxes among others. Management bases its estimates on historical experience and various other assumptions believed to be reasonable. Actual results and outcomes may differ from management's estimates and assumptions.

Revenue Recognition, Policy

Revenue Recognition

Significant Judgments

Revenue is recognized upon transfer of control of promised products or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that the Company expects to receive in exchange for those products or services. Revenue is generally recognized net of allowance for returns and any taxes collected from customers. The Company enters into contracts that can include various combinations of products and services, which are generally capable of being distinct and accounted for as separate performance obligations; however, determining whether products or services are considered distinct performance obligations that should be accounted for separately versus together may sometimes require significant judgment.

Judgment is required to determine stand alone selling price ("SSP") for each distinct performance obligation. The Company uses a range of amounts to estimate SSP when products and services are sold separately and determines whether there is a discount to be allocated based on the relative SSP of the various products and services. In instances where SSP is not directly observable, the Company determines SSP using information that may include market conditions and other observable inputs.

Nature of Goods and Services

The Company generates revenue primarily from products, services and subscriptions; each of which is a distinct performance obligation. Product revenue includes hardware and software. Services, including post contract support and extended warranty, and subscriptions are performance obligations generally recognized over time. Descriptions are as follows:

Product

Revenue for hardware is recognized when the control of the product transfers to the customer, which is generally when the product is shipped. The Company recognizes shipping fees reimbursed by the customer as revenue and the cost for shipping as an expense in Cost of sales when control over products has transferred to the customer.

Revenue for perpetual and term software licenses is recognized upon delivery and commencement of license term. In general, the Company’s contracts do not provide for customer specific acceptances.

A small amount of revenue is derived from the licensing of software to OEM customers. Royalty revenue is recognized as and when the sales or usage occurs, which generally is at the time the OEM ships products incorporating the Company’s software.

Services

Professional services include installation, training, configuration, project management, system integrations, customization, data migration/conversion and other implementation services. The majority of professional services are not complex, can be provided by other vendors, are readily available and billed on a time-and-material basis. Revenue for distinct professional services is recognized over time, based on work performed.

In some contracts, products and professional services may be combined into a single performance obligation. This generally arises when products or subscriptions are sold with significant customization, modification, or integration services. Revenue for the combined performance is recognized over time as the work progresses because of the continuous transfer of control to the customer. When the Company is unable to reasonably estimate the total costs for the performance obligation, but expects to recover the costs incurred, revenue is recognized to the extent of the costs incurred (zero margin) until such time the Company can reasonably measure the expected costs.

Post contract support entitles the customer to receive software product upgrades and enhancements on a when and if available basis and technical support. Post contract support is recognized on a straight-line basis commencing upon product delivery over the post contract support term, which ranges from one to three years, with one year term being most common.

Extended warranty entitles the customer to receive replacement parts and repair services. Extended warranty is separately priced and is recognized on a straight-line basis over the extended service period which begins after the standard warranty period, ranging from one to two years depending on the product line.

Subscription

The Company’s software as a service ("SaaS") performance obligations may be sold with devices used to collect, generate and transmit data. SaaS is distinct from the related devices. In addition, the Company may host the software which the customer has separately licensed. Hosting services are distinct from the underlying software.

Subscription terms range from month-to-month to five years. Subscription revenue is recognized monthly over the service duration, commencing from activation.

See Note 6 - Segment Information for disaggregation of revenue by geography.

Accounts Receivable, Net, Policy

Accounts receivable, net

Accounts receivable, net, includes billed and unbilled amounts due from customers. Unbilled receivables include revenue recognized that exceed the amount billed to customer, provided the billing is not contingent upon future performance and the company has the unconditional right to future payment with only the passage of time required. Both billed and unbilled amounts due are stated at their net estimated realizable value.

The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts to provide for the estimated amount of receivables that will not be collected. Each reporting period, the Company evaluates the collectibility of its trade accounts receivable based on a number of factors such as age of the accounts receivable balances, credit quality, historical experience and current economic conditions that may affect a customer’s ability to pay. The allowance for doubtful accounts was $5.6 million and $3.6 million at the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2018 and end of fiscal 2017, respectively.

Deferred Costs to Obtain Customer Contracts, Policy

Deferred Costs to Obtain Customer Contracts

Our incremental cost of obtaining contracts, which consists of sales commissions related to customer contracts that include maintenance or subscriptions revenue, are deferred if the contractual term is greater than a year or if renewals are expected and the renewal commission is not commensurate with the initial commission. These commission costs are deferred and amortized on a straight-line basis over a benefit period, either the contract term or the shorter of customer or product life, which is generally between three to seven years. The Company has elected the practical expedient to exclude contracts with an amortization period of a year or less from this deferral requirement.

See Note 10 - Deferred Costs to Obtain Customer Contracts for further information.

Remaining Performance Obligations, Policy

Remaining Performance Obligations

Remaining performance obligations represents contracted revenue for which goods or services have not been delivered. The contracted revenue, that will be recognized in future periods, includes both invoiced amounts in deferred revenue as well as amounts that are not yet invoiced.

See Note 12 - Deferred Revenue and Remaining Performance Obligations for further information.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Financial Instruments - Overall

In January 2016, the FASB issued new guidance that will require entities to measure equity investments currently accounted for under the cost method at fair value and recognize any changes in fair value in net income. For equity investments without readily determinable fair values, an entity may elect an alternative measurement method at cost minus impairment, if any, plus or minus any adjustments from observable market transactions. The Company adopted the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2018 on a prospective basis for equity investments without readily determinable fair values by electing the alternative measurement method. The Company’s equity investments are immaterial on its Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, therefore, adoption of this guidance does not have a material impact.

Statement of Cash Flows

In August 2016, the FASB issued new guidance related to statement of cash flows. This guidance amended the existing accounting standards for the statement of cash flows and provided guidance on certain classification issues related to the statement of cash flows. The Company adopted the amendments retrospectively to all periods presented in the first quarter of fiscal 2018. The impact of adoption on the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows is presented along with adoption of Revenue from Contracts with Customers.

Accounting for Income Taxes - Intra-Entity Asset Transfers

In October 2016, the FASB issued new guidance related to income taxes. This standard requires the recognition of the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset, other than inventory, when the transfer occurs. The Company adopted the guidance beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2018. The adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Other Income – Gains and Losses from the Derecognition of Non-financial Assets and Definition of a Business

In February 2017, the FASB issued new guidance clarifying the scope and application of existing guidance related to the sale or transfer of non-financial assets to non-customers, including partial sales. In January 2017, the FASB issued amendments to the definition of a business for companies that sell or acquire businesses. The Company adopted both of these amendments beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2018. The adoption did not have a material impact on the Company's Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Compensation - Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost

In March 2017, the FASB issued new guidance to improve the presentation for components of defined benefit pension cost, which requires employers to report the service cost component of net periodic pension cost in the same line item as other compensation expense arising from services rendered during the period. The standard also requires the other components of net periodic cost be presented in the income statement separately from the service cost component and outside of a subtotal of income from operations. The Company adopted the guidance retrospectively to all periods presented beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2018. The Company has defined benefit pension plans that are immaterial for its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, therefore, adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact.

Revenue from Contracts with Customers

In May 2014, the FASB issued a comprehensive new revenue recognition standard that replaces the prior revenue recognition guidance under U.S. GAAP. The new standard requires companies to recognize revenue in a way that depicts 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 Company adopted the requirements of the new standard starting the first quarter of fiscal 2018, utilizing the full retrospective method of transition. Adoption of the new standard resulted in changes to the Company's accounting policies for revenue recognition and accounts receivable, net and deferred costs to obtain customer contracts as described in Note 2 above. The Company applied the new standard using a practical expedient where the remaining performance obligations and an explanation of when it expects to recognize that amount as revenue for all reporting periods presented before the date of the initial application is not disclosed. In addition, the Company did not restate revenue for contracts that begin and end in the same fiscal year.

The impact of adopting the new standard on the Consolidated Statements of Income for fiscal 2017 and 2016 is not material. The majority of revenue, which is related to hardware, software perpetual licenses, SaaS and other service and support offerings, remains substantially unchanged. The primary revenue impacts related to the new standard are earlier recognition of software term licenses, certain professional service contracts and non-standard terms and conditions. Previously, the Company expensed the majority of its commission expense as incurred. Under the new standard, the Company capitalizes and amortizes incremental commission costs to obtain the contract over a benefit period. The Company has elected a practical expedient to exclude contracts with a benefit period of a year or less from this deferral requirement for both retrospective and future financial statement periods.

The impact of adoption of the new standard on the Consolidated Balance Sheets for fiscal 2017 and 2016 is material with the primary impacts due to a reduction in deferred revenue for revenue streams that are recognized sooner under the new standard and capitalization of incremental costs to obtain customer contracts.

Adoption of the new standard had no impact to cash provided by or used in operating, financing or investing activities on the Statements of Cash Flows for fiscal 2017 and 2016, although cash provided from operating activities had offsetting adjustments within accounts.

Impacts to Previously Reported Results

Adoption of the standard using the full retrospective method required the Company to restate certain previously reported results primarily related to revenue and cost of sales, accounts receivable, net, deferred costs to obtain customer contracts and deferred income taxes as shown in the Company's previously reported results below.

Adoption of Revenue from Contracts with Customers standards and the new Statement of Cash Flows impacted Company's previously reported results as follows:



	Third Quarter of Fiscal 2017						First Three Quarters of Fiscal 2017
(In millions, except per share amounts)	As Previously Reported		Adjustments a		As Adjusted		As Previously Reported		Adjustments a			As Adjusted
Revenue	$	670.0	$	6.2	$	676.2	$	1,945.8	$	0.9		$	1,946.7
Gross margin	349.5		1.7		351.2		1,022.6		(4.5		)	1,018.1
Operating income	64.0		2.3		66.3		183.2		(3.2		)	180.0
Income tax provision	13.9		0.8		14.7		46.7		(1.4		)	45.3
Net Income attributable to Trimble Inc.	$	55.7	$	1.5	$	57.2	$	156.1	$	(1.8	)	$	154.3
Diluted earnings per share	$	0.22	$	—	$	0.22	$	0.61	$	(0.01	)	$	0.60



	Fiscal Year End 2017
(In millions)	As Previously Reported		Adjustments a			As Adjusted
Accounts receivable, net	$	414.8	$	12.9		$	427.7
Inventories	271.8		(7.2		)	264.6
Deferred costs, non-current	—		35.0			35.0
Other current and non-current assets	205.5		(22.6		)	182.9
Current and non-current deferred revenue	313.4		(36.8		)	276.6
Other current liabilities	101.0		(1.8		)	99.2
Deferred income tax liabilities	40.4		7.4			47.8
Stockholders' equity	$	2,366.0	$	48.5		$	2,414.5

a. Adjusted to reflect the adoption of Revenue from Contracts with Customers



	First Three Quarters of Fiscal 2017
(In millions)	As Previously Reported			Adjustments b			As Adjusted
Net cash provided by operating activities	$	310.0		$	12.6		$	322.6
Net cash used in investing activities	(322.9		)	(5.3		)	(328.2		)
Net cash provided by financing activities	$	34.2		$	(7.3	)	$	26.9

b. Adjusted to reflect the adoption of Statement of Cash Flows

Recently issued Accounting Pronouncements not yet adopted

Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued new guidance that requires a lessee to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet for most leases and provide enhanced disclosures. This new guidance is effective beginning in fiscal 2019 with early adoption permitted. In July 2018, the FASB issued additional guidance for companies to elect transition using either (1) a modified retrospective approach for leases that exist upon adoption and in the comparative periods presented, or (2) an optional transition approach to initially apply the new lease guidance upon the adoption date, without adjusting the comparative periods presented. The Company plans to elect the optional transition approach and will adopt the standard beginning in fiscal 2019 by applying certain of the available practical expedients upon transition. Currently, the Company is in the process of implementing changes to its systems, processes and controls in conjunction with adoption of the new standard. While the Company continues to evaluate the effect of adopting this guidance on its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, the Company expects its operating leases, as disclosed in Note 15: Commitments and Contingencies, will be subject to the new standard, which will increase its total assets and liabilities.

Financial Instruments - Credit Losses

In June 2016, the FASB issued new guidance that requires credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost basis to be presented based on the net amount expected to be collected, not based on incurred losses. Further, credit losses on available-for-sale debt securities should be recorded through an allowance for credit losses limited to the amount by which fair value is below amortized cost. The new standard is effective for the Company beginning in fiscal 2020. Early adoption for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018 is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the effect of the updated standard on its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Intangibles - Goodwill and Other

In January 2017, the FASB issued new guidance that simplifies the accounting for goodwill impairment by requiring impairment charges to be based on the first step in the current two-step impairment test. The impairment test is performed by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount and an impairment charge would be recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value. The new standard is to be applied on a prospective basis and is effective for the Company beginning in fiscal 2020 and early adoption is permitted. The Company currently anticipates that the adoption will not have a material impact on its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Intangibles - Internal-Use Software

In August 2018, the FASB issued new guidance that clarifies the accounting for implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract. This guidance aligns the accounting for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the accounting for implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. The Company is required to adopt the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the effect of the new guidance on its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Share-based Compensation Policy

Stock compensation expense is recognized based on the fair value of the portion of share-based payment awards that is expected to vest during the period and is net of estimated forfeitures.

Business Combinations Policy

The Company determined the total consideration paid for each of its acquisitions as well as the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of the date of acquisition. The fair value of liabilities assumed includes deferred revenue which is written down to the cost, plus a reasonable profit margin, to fulfill customer contractual obligations. For certain acquisitions completed in the first three quarters of fiscal 2018, the fair value of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed are preliminary and may be adjusted as the Company obtains additional information, primarily related to adjustments for the true-up of acquired net working capital in accordance with certain purchase agreements, and estimated values of certain net tangible assets and liabilities including tax balances, pending the completion of final studies and analyses. If there are adjustments made for these items, the fair value of intangible assets and goodwill could be impacted. Thus, the provisional measurements of fair value are subject to change. Such changes could be significant. The Company expects to finalize the valuation of the net tangible and intangible assets as soon as practicable, but not later than one year from the acquisition date.

The fair value, of identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed, was determined under the acquisition method of accounting for business combinations. The excess of purchase consideration over the fair value of net tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired was recorded as goodwill. The fair value of intangible assets acquired is generally determined based on a discounted cash flow analysis.

Derivatives Asset and Liabilities Policy

Derivative assets and liabilities primarily represent forward currency exchange contracts. The Company typically enters into these contracts to minimize the short-term impact of foreign currency exchange rates on certain trade and inter-company receivables and payables. Derivative assets and liabilities are included in Other current assets and Other current liabilities on the Company's Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Product Warranties Policy

The Company accrues for warranty costs as part of its cost of sales based on associated material product costs, technical support, labor costs and costs incurred by third parties performing work on the Company’s behalf. The Company’s expected future costs are primarily estimated based upon historical trends in the volume of product returns within the warranty period and the costs to repair or replace the equipment. When products sold include warranty provisions, they are covered by a warranty for periods ranging generally from one year to two years.

While the Company engages in extensive product quality programs and processes, including actively monitoring and evaluating the quality of component suppliers, its warranty obligation is affected by product failure rates, material usage and service delivery costs incurred in correcting a product failure. Should actual product failure rates, material usage or service delivery costs differ from the estimates, revisions to the estimated warranty accrual and related costs may be required.

Earnings Per Share, Policy

Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing Net income attributable to Trimble Inc. by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is computed by dividing Net income attributable to Trimble Inc.by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the period increased to include the number of additional shares of common stock that would have been outstanding if the potentially dilutive securities had been issued. Potentially dilutive securities include outstanding stock options, shares to be purchased under the Company’s employee stock purchase plan, restricted stock units and contingently issuable shares. The dilutive effect of potentially dilutive securities is reflected in diluted earnings per share by application of the treasury stock method. Under the treasury stock method, an increase in the fair market value of the Company’s common stock can result in a greater dilutive effect from potentially dilutive securities.

Income Tax, Policy

The Company's practice is to recognize interest and/or penalties related to income tax matters in income tax expense.