BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Principles of consolidation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Scholastic Corporation (the “Corporation”) and all wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries (collectively, “Scholastic” or the “Company”). Intercompany transactions are eliminated in consolidation. These financial statements have not been audited but reflect those adjustments consisting of normal recurring items that management considers necessary for a fair presentation of financial position, results of operations, comprehensive income (loss) and cash flows. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018 (the “Annual Report”).

The Company’s fiscal year is not a calendar year. Accordingly, references in this document to fiscal 2019 relate to the twelve-month period ending May 31, 2019. Certain reclassifications have been made to conform to the current year presentation.

Seasonality

The Company’s Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution school-based book fair and book club channels and most of its Education businesses operate on a school-year basis; therefore, the Company’s business is highly seasonal. As a result, the Company’s revenues in the first and third quarters of the fiscal year are generally lower than its revenues in the other two fiscal quarters. Typically, school-based channel and classroom magazine revenues are minimal in the first quarter of the fiscal year as schools are not in session. Trade sales can vary through the year due to varying release dates of published titles. The Company generally experiences a loss from operations in the first and third quarters of each fiscal year.

Use of estimates

The Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("U.S. GAAP") and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X. The preparation of these financial statements involve the use of estimates and assumptions by management, which affects the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience, current business factors, and various other assumptions believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, all of which are necessary, in order to form a basis for determining the carrying values of assets and liabilities. Actual results may differ from those estimates and assumptions. On an on-going basis, the Company evaluates the adequacy of its reserves and the estimates used in calculations, including, but not limited to:


•	Variable consideration related to anticipated returns


•	Accounts receivable allowance for doubtful accounts


•	Pension and other postretirement obligations


•	Uncertain tax positions


•	The timing and amount of future income taxes and related deductions


•	Inventory reserves


•	Cost of goods sold from book fair operations during interim periods based on estimated gross profit rates


•	Sales tax contingencies


•	Royalty advance reserves and royalty expense accruals


•	Impairment testing for goodwill, intangibles and other long-lived assets and investments


•	Assets and liabilities acquired in business combinations


•	Revenues for book fairs which have not reported final results


•	Allocation of transaction price to performance obligations

New Accounting Pronouncements

Current Fiscal Quarter Adoption:

Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers

Refer to Note 2, Revenues, for a discussion of the Company's revenue recognition accounting following the adoption of Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), and related amendments, in the first quarter of fiscal 2019.

Forthcoming Adoptions:

ASU 2018-15

In August 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the "FASB") issued ASU No. 2018-15, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other—Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement that is a Service Contract, which reduces the complexity in accounting for costs of implementing a cloud computing service arrangement. This standard aligns the accounting for implementation costs of hosting arrangements, regardless of whether they convey a license to the hosted software. The ASU aligns the following requirements for capitalizing implementation costs:


•	Those incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract


•	Those incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software (and hosting arrangements that include an internal-use software license).

The ASU will be effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2021. The Company is evaluating the impact of this ASU on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

ASU 2016-02

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The amendments in this ASU require, among other things, lessees to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases. The lease liability will be measured at the present value of the lease payments over the lease term. The right-of-use asset will be measured at the lease liability amount, adjusted for lease prepayments, lease incentives received and lessee's initial direct costs (e.g., commissions).

The ASU will be effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2020. The Company is evaluating the impact of this ASU on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows, and expects that there will be an increase to other assets and other liabilities as a result of its application.