New Accounting Pronouncements

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

New Accounting Pronouncements

New Accounting Pronouncements

3.  New Accounting Pronouncements

In September 2011, the FASB issued amendments to simplify how entities test goodwill for impairment. Under the updated guidance, an entity now has the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform the two-step goodwill impairment test.  If the assessment of qualitative factors leads to a determination that it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, then performing the two-step impairment test is unnecessary.  However, if an entity concludes otherwise, then the entity is required to perform the first step of the two-step impairment test by calculating the fair value of the reporting unit and comparing it against its carrying amount. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, then the entity is required to perform the second step of the goodwill impairment test to measure the amount of impairment loss, if any. Under the new guidance, an entity can elect to bypass the qualitative assessment for any reporting unit in any period and proceed directly to performing the first step of the two-step goodwill impairment. The amendments are effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011. Early adoption is permitted.

In June 2011, the FASB issued amendments to guidance regarding the presentation of comprehensive income. The amendments eliminate the option to present components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in stockholders’ equity.  The amendments require that comprehensive income be presented in either a single continuous statement or in two separate but consecutive statements.  In a single continuous statement, the entity would present the components of net income and total net income, the components of other comprehensive income and a total of other comprehensive income, along with the total of comprehensive income in that statement.  In the two-statement approach, the entity would present components of net income and total net income in the statement of net income and a statement of other comprehensive income would immediately follow the statement of net income and include the components of other comprehensive income and a total for other comprehensive income, along with a total for comprehensive income. The amendments also require the entity to present on the face of the financial statements any reclassification adjustments for items that are reclassified from other comprehensive income to net income in the statement(s) where the components of net income and the components of other comprehensive income are presented. The amendments do not change the items that must be reported in other comprehensive income, when an item of other comprehensive income must be reclassed to net income or the option to present components of other comprehensive income either net of related tax effects or before related tax effects. The amendments are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011 and should be applied retrospectively. In October 2011, the FASB decided to defer the specific requirement to present items that are reclassified from other comprehensive income to net income alongside their respective components of net income and other comprehensive income.  The Company is currently evaluating its options on how it will present comprehensive income upon adoption of these amendments.

In May 2011, the FASB issued amendments to existing fair value measurement guidance in order to achieve common requirements for measuring fair value and disclosures in accordance with GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. The guidance clarifies how a principal market is determined, addresses the fair value measurement of instruments with offsetting market or counterparty credit risks, addresses the concept of valuation premise and highest and best use, extends the prohibition on blockage factors to all three levels of the fair value hierarchy and requires additional disclosures. The amendments are to be applied prospectively and are effective during interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011.  The Company does not anticipate that these amendments will have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In April 2010, the FASB issued guidance on accruing for jackpot liabilities. The guidance clarifies that an entity should not accrue jackpot liabilities (or portions thereof) before a jackpot is won if the entity can legally avoid paying that jackpot (for example, by removing the gaming machine from the casino floor). Jackpots should be accrued and charged to revenue when an entity has the obligation to pay the jackpot. This guidance applies to both base jackpots and the incremental portion of progressive jackpots. However, the guidance only affected the accounting for base jackpots, as the guidance uses the same principle that is applied by the Company to the incremental portion of progressive jackpots. The guidance was effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning on or after December 15, 2010. This guidance was applied by recording a cumulative-effect adjustment to opening retained earnings in the period of adoption. The Company adopted the guidance as of January 1, 2011, and as such, recorded a cumulative-effect adjustment, which increased retained earnings by $2.9 million.