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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Basis of Financial Statement Presentation
Laboratory Corporation of America® Holdings (Labcorp® or the Company) is a leading global life sciences company that provides vital information to help doctors, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, researchers, and patients make clear and confident decisions. By leveraging its strong diagnostics and drug development capabilities, the Company provides insights and accelerates innovations to improve health and improve lives. With over 75,500 employees, the Company serves clients in more than 100 countries.
The Company reports its business in two segments, Labcorp Diagnostics (Dx) and Labcorp Drug Development (DD). As part of the Company's rebranding initiative announced in December 2020, the Company changed the names of its segments, which were previously referred to as LabCorp Diagnostics and Covance Drug Development. For further financial information about these segments, including information for each of the last three fiscal years regarding revenue, operating income, and other important information, see Note 19 Business Segment Information to the Consolidated Financial Statements. In 2021, Dx and DD contributed 64% and 36%, respectively, of revenues to the Company, and in 2020 contributed 65% and 35%, respectively.
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its majority-owned subsidiaries for which it exercises control. Long-term investments in affiliated companies in which the Company exercises significant influence, but which it does not control, are accounted for using the equity method. Investments in which the Company does not exercise significant influence (generally, when the Company has an investment of less than 20% and no representation on the investee's board of directors) are accounted for at fair value or at cost minus impairment adjusted for observable price changes in orderly transactions for an identical or similar investment of the same issuer for those investments that do not have readily determinable fair values. All significant inter-company transactions and accounts have been eliminated. The Company does not have any variable interest entities or special purpose entities whose financial results are not included in the consolidated financial statements.
The financial statements of the Company's operating foreign subsidiaries are measured using the local currency as the functional currency. Assets and liabilities are translated at exchange rates as of the balance sheet date. Revenues and expenses are translated at average monthly exchange rates prevailing during the year. Resulting translation adjustments are included in “Accumulated other comprehensive income.”
Reimbursable Out-of-Pocket Expenses
DD pays on behalf of its customers certain out-of-pocket costs for which the Company is reimbursed at cost, without mark-up or profit. Out-of-pocket costs paid by DD are reflected in cost of revenues, while the reimbursements received are reflected in revenues in the consolidated statements of operations.
Cost of Revenues
Cost of revenue includes direct labor and related benefit charges, reimbursable expenses, other direct costs, shipping and handling fees, and an allocation of facility charges and information technology costs. Selling, general and administrative expenses consist primarily of administrative payroll and related benefit charges, advertising and promotional expenses, administrative travel and an allocation of facility charges and information technology costs. Cost of advertising is expensed as incurred.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported periods. Significant estimates include implicit price concessions, revenue estimates, the allowances for doubtful accounts, deferred tax assets, fair values of acquired assets and assumed liabilities in business combinations, fair value of goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets, amortization lives for acquired intangible assets, and accruals for self-insurance reserves, litigation reserves and pensions. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic has and will continue to impact the Company’s business and financial results depend on numerous evolving factors including, but not limited to: the magnitude and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact to worldwide macroeconomic conditions including interest rates, employment rates and health insurance coverage, the speed of the anticipated recovery, and governmental and business reactions to the pandemic. The Company assessed certain
accounting matters that generally require consideration of forecasted financial information in context with the information reasonably available to the Company and the unknown future impacts of COVID-19 as of December 31, 2021, and through the date of this Annual Report. The accounting matters assessed included, but were not limited to, the Company’s implicit price concessions and credit losses, equity investments, and the carrying value of goodwill and other long-lived assets. The Company’s future assessment of the magnitude and duration of COVID-19, as well as other factors, could impact the Company’s consolidated financial statements in future reporting periods.
 Concentration of Credit Risk
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents and accounts receivable.
The Company maintains cash and cash equivalents with various major financial institutions. The total cash and cash equivalent balances that exceeded the balances insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Commission, were approximately $1,471.0 and $1,319.4 at December 31, 2021, and 2020, respectively.
Substantially all of the Company’s accounts receivable are with companies in the healthcare or pharmaceutical industry and individuals. However, concentrations of credit risk are mitigated due to the number of the Company’s customers as well as their dispersion across many different geographic regions.
Although Dx has receivables due from U.S. and state governmental agencies, the Company does not believe that such receivables represent a credit risk since the related healthcare programs are funded by U.S. and state governments, and payment is primarily dependent upon submitting appropriate documentation. Accounts receivable balances (gross) from Medicare and Medicaid were $94.5 and $109.8 at December 31, 2021, and 2020, respectively.
For the Company's operations in Ontario, Canada, the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care (Ministry) determines who can establish a licensed community medical laboratory and caps the amount that each of these licensed laboratories can bill the government sponsored healthcare plan. The Ontario government-sponsored healthcare plan covers the cost of commercial laboratory testing performed by the licensed laboratories. The provincial government discounts the annual testing volumes based on certain utilization discounts and establishes an annual maximum it will pay for all community laboratory tests. The agreed-upon reimbursement rates are subject to Ministry review at the end of year and can be adjusted (at the government's discretion) based upon the actual volume and mix of test work performed by the licensed healthcare providers in the province during the year. The capitated accounts receivable balances from the Ontario government sponsored healthcare plan were CAD 7.2 and CAD 0.6 at December 31, 2021, and 2020, respectively.
The portion of the Company's accounts receivable due from patients comprises the largest portion of credit risk. At December 31, 2021, and 2020, receivables due from patients represented approximately 16.7% and 13.9% of the Company's consolidated gross accounts receivable, respectively. The Company applies assumptions and judgments including historical collection experience and reasonable and supportable forecasts for assessing collectability and determining allowances for doubtful accounts for accounts receivable from patients. 
Earnings per Share
Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net earnings attributable to Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted earnings per share is computed by dividing net earnings including the impact of dilutive adjustments by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding plus potentially dilutive shares, as if they had been issued at the earlier of the date of issuance or the beginning of the period presented. Potentially dilutive common shares result primarily from the Company’s outstanding stock options, restricted stock awards, performance share awards, and accelerated share repurchases.
The following represents a reconciliation of basic earnings per share to diluted earnings per share: 
 202120202019
IncomeSharesPer Share
Amount
IncomeSharesPer Share
Amount
IncomeSharesPer Share
Amount
Basic earnings per share$2,377.3 96.7 $24.60 $1,556.1 97.3 $15.99 $823.8 97.9 $8.42 
Stock options and stock awards— 0.8  — 0.7  — 0.7  
Diluted earnings per share$2,377.3 97.5 $24.39 $1,556.1 98.0 $15.88 $823.8 98.6 $8.35 
The following table summarizes the potential common shares not included in the computation of diluted earnings per share because their impact would have been antidilutive:
 Years Ended December 31,
 202120202019
Stock options0.10.20.2
Stock Compensation Plans
The Company measures stock compensation cost for all equity awards at fair value on the date of grant and recognizes compensation expense over the service period for awards expected to vest. The fair value of restricted stock units is determined based on the number of shares granted and the quoted price of the Company’s common stock on the grant date. The grant date fair value of performance awards is based on a Monte Carlo simulated fair value for the relative (as compared to the peer companies) total shareholder return component of the performance awards. Such value is recognized as an expense over the service period, net of estimated forfeitures and the Company's determination of whether it is probable that the performance targets will be achieved. At the end of each reporting period, the Company reassesses the probability of achieving performance targets. The estimation of equity awards that will ultimately vest requires judgment and the Company considers many factors when estimating expected forfeitures, including types of awards, employee class, and historical experience. Forfeitures are recognized as a reduction of compensation expense in earnings in the period in which they occur.
See Note 13 Stock Compensation Plans for assumptions used in calculating compensation expense for the Company’s stock compensation plans.
Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents consist of highly liquid instruments, such as commercial paper, time deposits, and other money market instruments, which have maturities when purchased of three months or less.
Supplies Inventory
Inventories, consisting primarily of purchased laboratory and customer supplies and finished goods, are stated at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out) or net realizable value. Supplies accounted for $371.5 and $403.6 and finished goods accounted for $29.9 and $19.6 of total inventory at December 31, 2021, and 2020, respectively. The Company's inventory reserve balance was $40.1 and $20.2, as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Property, Plant and Equipment
Property, plant and equipment are recorded at cost. Depreciation and amortization expense is computed on all classes of assets based on their estimated useful lives, as indicated below, using the straight-line method.
Years
Buildings and building improvements10-35
Machinery and equipment3-10
Furniture and fixtures5-10
Software3-5
Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the term of the related leases. Expenditures for repairs and maintenance are charged to operations as incurred. Retirements, sales and other disposals of assets are recorded by removing the cost and accumulated depreciation from the related accounts with any resulting gain or loss reflected in the consolidated statements of operations.
Capitalized Software Costs
The Company capitalizes purchased software that is ready for service and capitalizes software development costs incurred on significant projects starting from the time that the preliminary project stage is completed and the Company commits to funding a project until the project is substantially complete and the software is ready for its intended use. Capitalized costs include direct material and service costs and payroll and payroll-related costs. Research and development (R&D) costs and other computer software maintenance costs related to software development are expensed as incurred. Capitalized software costs are amortized using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the underlying system ranging from three to fifteen years, generally five years. Amortization begins once the underlying system is substantially complete and ready for its intended use.
Long-Lived Assets
The Company assesses goodwill and indefinite-lived intangibles for impairment at least annually or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. The annual impairment test for goodwill includes an option to perform a qualitative assessment of whether it is more likely than not that a reporting unit's fair value is less than its carrying value. Reporting units are businesses with discrete financial information that is available and reviewed by management. If the Company determines that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, then the Company performs the quantitative goodwill impairment test. The Company may also chose to bypass the qualitative assessment for any reporting unit in its goodwill assessment and proceed directly to performing the quantitative assessment. The Company recognizes an impairment charge for the amount by which the reporting unit's carrying amount exceeds its fair value.
In the qualitative assessment, the Company considers relevant events and circumstances for each reporting unit, including (i) current year results, (ii) financial performance versus management’s annual and five-year strategic plans, (iii) changes in the reporting unit carrying value since prior year, (iv) industry and market conditions in which the reporting unit operates, (v) macroeconomic conditions, including discount rate changes, and (vi) changes in products or services offered by the reporting unit. If applicable, performance in recent years is compared to forecasts included in prior quantitative valuations. Based on the results of the qualitative assessment, if the Company concludes that it is not more likely than not that the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying values of the reporting unit, then no quantitative assessment is performed.
The quantitative assessment includes the estimation of the fair value of each reporting unit as compared to the carrying value of the reporting unit. The Company estimates the fair value of a reporting unit using both income-based and market-based valuation methods. The income-based approach is based on the reporting unit's forecasted future cash flows that are discounted to the present value using the reporting unit's weighted average cost of capital. For the market-based approach, the Company utilizes a number of factors such as publicly available information regarding the market capitalization of the Company as well as operating results, business plans, market multiples, and present value techniques. Based upon the range of estimated values developed from the income and market-based methods, the Company determines the estimated fair value for the reporting unit. If the estimated fair value of the reporting unit exceeds the carrying value, the goodwill is not impaired and no further review is required.
Long-lived assets, other than goodwill and indefinite-lived assets, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amounts may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is determined by the Company at the level for which there are identifiable cash flows by comparison of the carrying amount of the assets to future undiscounted net cash flows before interest expense and income taxes expected to be generated by the assets. Impairment, if any, is measured by the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets (based on market prices in an active market or on discounted cash flows). Assets to be disposed of are reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value.
Intangible Assets
Intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over the expected periods to be benefited, as set forth in the table below, such as legal life for patents and technology and contractual lives for non-compete agreements.
 Years
Customer relationships10-36
Patents, licenses and technology3-15
Non-compete agreements3-5
Trade names1-15
Debt Issuance Costs
The costs related to the issuance of debt are capitalized, netted against the related debt for presentation purposes and amortized to interest expense over the terms of the related debt.
Professional Liability
The Company is self-insured (up to certain limits) for professional liability claims arising in the normal course of business, generally related to the testing and reporting of laboratory test results. The Company estimates a liability that represents the ultimate exposure for aggregate losses below those limits. The liability is based on assumptions and factors for known and incurred but not reported claims, including the frequency and payment trends of historical claims.
Leases
All leases with a lease term greater than 12 months, regardless of lease type classification, are recorded as an obligation on the balance sheet with a corresponding right-of-use asset. Both finance and operating leases are reflected as liabilities on the commencement date of the lease based on the present value of the lease payments to be made over the lease term. Right-of-use assets are valued at the initial measurement of the lease liability, plus any initial direct costs or rent prepayments, minus lease incentives and any deferred lease payments. The classification will determine whether lease expense is recognized based on an effective interest method or on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease.
A certain number of these leases contain rent escalation clauses either fixed or adjusted periodically for inflation or market rates that are factored into the Company's determination of lease payments. The Company also has variable lease payments that do not depend on a rate or index, for items such as volume purchase commitments, which are recorded as variable cost when incurred. As most of the Company's leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company estimates an incremental borrowing rate based on the credit quality of the Company and by comparing interest rates available in the market for similar borrowings, and adjusting this amount based on the impact of collateral over the term of each lease. The Company uses this rate to discount payments to present value. Some operating leases contain renewal options, some of which also include options to early terminate the leases. The exercise of these options is at the Company's discretion and the Company evaluates each renewal option to determine if it is reasonably possible to be exercised and should be included in the accounting lease term. See Note 5 Leases to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Income Taxes
The Company accounts for income taxes utilizing the asset and liability method. Under this method deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and for tax loss carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. The Company does not recognize a tax benefit unless the Company concludes that it is more likely than not that the benefit will be sustained on audit by the taxing authority based solely on the technical merits of the associated tax position. If the recognition threshold is met, the Company recognizes a tax benefit measured at the largest amount of the tax benefit that the Company believes is greater than 50% likely to be realized. The Company records interest and penalties in income tax expense.
Derivative Financial Instruments
Interest rate swap agreements, which have been used by the Company from time to time in the management of interest rate exposure, are accounted for at fair value.
Cross currency swap agreements, which have been used by the Company to hedge exposure of its net investment in a foreign subsidiary denominated in non-U.S. currency, are accounted for at fair value.
See Note 17 Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities for the Company’s objectives in using derivative instruments and the effect of derivative instruments and related hedged items on the Company’s financial position, financial performance and cash flows.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
Fair value measurements for financial assets and liabilities are determined based on the assumptions that a market participant would use in pricing an asset or liability. A three-tiered fair value hierarchy draws distinctions between market participant assumptions based on (i) observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets (Level 1), (ii) inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are observable either directly or indirectly (Level 2), and (iii) unobservable inputs that require the Company to use present value and other valuation techniques in the determination of fair value (Level 3).
Research and Development
The Company expenses R&D costs as incurred.
Foreign Currencies
For subsidiaries outside of the U.S. that operate in a local currency environment, income and expense items are translated to U.S. dollars at the monthly average rates of exchange prevailing during the period, assets and liabilities are translated at period-end exchange rates and equity accounts are translated at historical exchange rates. Translation adjustments are accumulated in a separate component of shareholders’ equity in the consolidated balance sheets and are included in the determination of comprehensive income in the consolidated statements of comprehensive earnings and consolidated statements of changes in
shareholders’ equity. Transaction gains and losses are included in the determination of net income in the consolidated statements of operations.
Revision to Prior Period Financial Statements
During the fourth quarter of the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company identified an immaterial error in its previously issued financial statements related to the recording of a deferred tax liability on unremitted foreign earnings that should have been released in 2015. The correction of the error resulted in a decrease in Deferred income taxes and other tax liabilities of $76.9 and an increase to Retained earnings of $76.9 for all prior periods presented in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. The misstatement had no impact on net earnings, comprehensive earnings, or cash flows from operating, investing, or financing activities in any of the periods presented herein. Management determined that the impact of this error is not quantitatively or qualitatively material to the previously issued annual and interim financial statements using the guidance of SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) No. 99, Materiality, and SAB No. 108, Considering the Effect of Prior Year Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in Current Year Financial Statements. Previously reported balances, including those on the statement of changes in shareholders' equity and in the notes to the consolidated financial statements have been revised for the adjustment.