SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2016

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

ADOPTION OF NEW STANDARDS

ADOPTION OF NEW STANDARDS

Classification of Deferred Taxes on the Statements of Financial Position

Effective January 1, 2016, the Company elected to early adopt Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2015-17 and applied the standard on a prospective basis. The amendments require that deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in the Consolidated Statements of Financial Position. The adoption of the pronouncement did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments in Business Combinations

Effective January 1, 2016, the Company adopted ASU 2015-16 on a prospective basis. The new standard requires that an acquirer must recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. The adoption of the pronouncement did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Measurement Date of Defined Benefit Obligation and Plan Assets

Effective January 1, 2016, the Company adopted ASU 2015-04 on a prospective basis. The revised criteria will simplify the fair value measurement of defined benefit plan assets and obligations. The adoption of the pronouncement did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis

ASU 2015-02, issued in February 2015, revises the current consolidation guidance which results in a change in the determination of whether an entity consolidates certain types of legal entities. The new standard is effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015 and may be applied on a full or modified retrospective basis. Effective January 1, 2016, the Company adopted ASU 2015-02 on a modified retrospective basis, which amended and clarified the guidance on variable interest entities (VIEs). There was a significant change in the assessment of limited partnerships and other similar legal entities as VIEs, including the removal of the presumption that the general partner should consolidate a limited partnership. As a result, the Company has determined that a majority of the limited partnerships that are currently consolidated or equity accounted for are VIEs. The amended guidance did not impact the Company’s accounting treatment of such entities, however, material disclosures for VIEs have been provided, as necessary.

FUTURE ACCOUNTING POLICY CHANGES

FUTURE ACCOUNTING POLICY CHANGES

Accounting for Credit Losses

ASU 2016-13 was issued in June 2016 with the intent of providing financial statement users with more useful information about the expected credit losses on financial instruments and other commitments to extend credit held by a reporting entity at each reporting date. Current treatment uses the incurred loss methodology for recognizing credit losses that delays the recognition until it is probable a loss has been incurred. The amendment adds a new impairment model, known as the current expected credit loss model that is based on expected losses rather than incurred losses. Under the new guidance, an entity recognizes as an allowance its estimate of expected credit losses, which the FASB believes will result in more timely recognition of such losses. The Company is currently assessing the impact of the new standard on its consolidated financial statements. The accounting update is effective for annual and interim periods beginning on or after December 15, 2019.