Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Nature of Our Business — We are a leading food and beverage company and the largest processor and direct-to-store distributor of fresh fluid milk and other dairy and dairy case products in the United States. We process and distribute fluid milk and other dairy products, including ice cream, ice cream mix and cultured products, which are marketed under more than 50 national, regional

Basis of Presentation and Consolidation

Basis of Presentation and Consolidation — Our Consolidated Financial Statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) and include the accounts of our wholly-owned subsidiaries.

We have aligned our leadership team, operating strategy, and sales, logistics and supply chain initiatives into a single operating and reportable segment. Unless stated otherwise, any reference to income statement items in these financial statements refers to results from continuing operations.

Unless otherwise indicated, references in this report to “we,” “us”, “our” or "the Company" refer to Dean Foods Company and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates — The preparation of our Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with GAAP requires us to use our judgment to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the Consolidated Financial Statements and the reported amounts of net sales and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

Cash Equivalents

Cash Equivalents — We consider temporary investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Inventories

Inventories — Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. Our products are valued using the first-in, first-out method. The costs of finished goods inventories include raw materials, direct labor and indirect production and overhead costs. Reserves for obsolete or excess inventory are not material.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, Plant and Equipment — Property, plant and equipment are stated at acquisition cost, plus capitalized interest on borrowings during the actual construction period of major capital projects. Also included in property, plant and equipment are certain direct costs related to the implementation of computer software for internal use. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method typically over the following range of estimated useful lives of the assets:



Asset		Useful Life
Buildings		15 to 40 years
Machinery and equipment		3 to 20 years
Leasehold improvements		Over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the terms of the applicable lease agreements

We test property, plant and equipment for impairment when circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. Indicators of impairment could include, among other factors, significant changes in the business environment, the planned closure of a facility, or deteriorations in operating cash flows. Considerable management judgment is necessary to evaluate the impact of operating changes and to estimate future cash flows. See Note 16. Expenditures for repairs and maintenance which do not improve or extend the life of the assets are expensed as incurred.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill and Intangible Assets — Identifiable intangible assets, other than indefinite-lived trademarks, are typically amortized over the following range of estimated useful lives:



Asset		Useful Life
Customer relationships		5 to 15 years
Finite-lived trademarks		5 to 10 years
Customer supply contracts		Over the shorter of the estimated useful lives or the terms of the agreements
Noncompetition agreements		Over the shorter of the estimated useful lives or the terms of the agreements
Deferred financing costs(1)		Over the terms of the related debt

(1)

Deferred financing costs associated with our receivables securitization facility and senior secured credit facility are recorded as assets in the identifiable intangible and other assets, net line of our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Beginning on January 1, 2016, we adopted ASU No. 2015-03, Imputation of Interest - Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs. Upon our adoption of ASU No. 2015-03, deferred financing costs associated with our senior notes due 2023 were reclassified from other assets to a reduction to the carrying amount of the liability on our Consolidated Balance Sheets and retroactively applied to prior periods. All of our deferred financing costs are amortized to interest expense over the terms of the related debt.

In accordance with Accounting Standards related to “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets”, we do not amortize goodwill and other intangible assets determined to have indefinite useful lives. Instead, we assess our goodwill and indefinite-lived trademarks for impairment annually and when circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable.

Assets Held for Sale

Assets Held for Sale — We classify assets as held for sale when management approves and commits to a formal plan of sale and our expectation is that the sale will be completed within one year. The net assets of the business held for sale are then recorded at the lower of their current carrying value or the fair market value, less costs to sell.

Share-Based Compensation

Share-Based Compensation — Share-based compensation expense is recognized for equity awards over the vesting period based on their grant date fair value. The fair value of restricted stock unit awards and performance stock unit awards is equal to the closing price of our stock on the date of grant. The fair value of our phantom shares is remeasured at each reporting period based on the closing price of our common stock on the last day of the respective reporting period. Compensation expense is recognized only for equity awards expected to vest. We estimate forfeitures at the date of grant based on our historical experience and future expectations. Share-based compensation expense is included within general and administrative expenses in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Revenue Recognition, Sales Incentives and Accounts Receivable

Revenue Recognition, Sales Incentives and Accounts Receivable — Sales are recognized when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the price is fixed or determinable, the product has been delivered to the customer and there is a reasonable assurance of collection of the sales proceeds. Sales are recorded net of allowances for returns, trade promotions and prompt pay and other discounts. We routinely offer sales incentives and discounts through various regional and national programs to our customers and consumers. These programs include rebates, shelf-price reductions, in-store display incentives, coupons and other trade promotional activities. These programs, as well as amounts paid to customers for shelf-space in retail stores, are considered reductions in the price of our products and thus are recorded as reductions to gross sales. Some of these incentives are recorded by estimating incentive costs based on our historical experience and expected levels of performance of the trade promotion. We maintain liabilities at the end of each period for the estimated incentive costs incurred but unpaid for these programs. Differences between estimated and actual incentive costs are normally insignificant and are recognized in earnings in the period such differences are determined.

As a result of the purchase of raw milk, we obtain more butterfat than is needed in our production process. Excess butterfat is sold, primarily in the form of bulk cream, to third parties. We currently present the sales of these excess raw materials as a reduction of cost of sales within our Consolidated Statements of Operations as it enables us to report our true cost of the raw materials utilized in our operations. Sales of excess raw materials included as a reduction to cost of sales were $606.9 million, $551.5 million and $577.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively.

We provide credit terms to customers generally ranging up to 30 days, perform ongoing credit evaluations of our customers and maintain allowances for potential credit losses based on our historical experience. Our reserve for product returns has not historically been material.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes — All of our consolidated U.S. operating subsidiaries are included in our U.S. federal consolidated income tax return. Our foreign subsidiary is required to file a local jurisdiction income tax return with respect to its operations. Prior to the enactment of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the "Tax Act") on December 22, 2017, we considered these accumulated foreign earnings to be indefinitely reinvested and therefore no provision had been made for U.S. income taxes on such amounts. The Tax Act made significant changes to the taxation of undistributed foreign earnings, requiring that all previously untaxed earnings and profits of our foreign subsidiary be subjected to a one-time mandatory transition tax. Accordingly, as of December 31, 2017, we have recorded a provision of $2.1 million for U.S. income taxes on these accumulated foreign earnings.

Deferred income taxes arise from temporary differences between amounts recorded in the Consolidated Financial Statements and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the years in which the differences are expected to reverse. Deferred tax assets, including the benefit of net operating loss and tax credit carryforwards, are evaluated based on the guidelines for realization and are reduced by a valuation allowance if deemed necessary.

We recognize the income tax benefit from an uncertain tax position when it is more likely than not that, based on technical merits, the position will be sustained upon examination, including resolutions of any related appeals or litigation processes. We recognize accrued interest related to uncertain tax positions as a component of income tax expense, and penalties, if incurred, are recognized as a component of operating income.

Advertising Expense

Advertising Expense — We market our products through advertising and other promotional activities, including media, agency, coupons, trade shows and other promotional activities. Advertising expense is charged to income during the period incurred, except for expenses related to the development of a major commercial or media campaign which are charged to income during the period in which the advertisement or campaign is first presented by the media.

Shipping and Handling Fees

Shipping and Handling Fees — Our shipping and handling costs are included in both cost of sales and selling and distribution expense, depending on the nature of such costs. Shipping and handling costs included in cost of sales reflect inventory warehouse costs and product loading and handling costs. Shipping and handling costs included in selling and distribution expense consist primarily of those costs associated with moving finished products from production facilities through our distribution network, including costs associated with its distribution centers, route delivery costs and the cost of shipping products to customers through third party carriers.

Insurance Accruals

Insurance Accruals — We retain selected levels of property and casualty risks, primarily related to employee health care, workers’ compensation claims and other casualty losses. Many of these potential losses are covered under conventional insurance programs with third party insurers with high deductibles. In other areas, we are self-insured. Accrued liabilities related to these retained risks are calculated based upon loss development factors that contemplate a number of factors including claims history and expected trends.

Research and Development

Research and Development — Our research and development activities primarily consist of generating and testing new product concepts, new flavors of products and packaging. Our total research and development expense was $3.5 million, $3.0 million and $2.3 million for 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Research and development costs are primarily included in general and administrative expenses in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

ASU No. 2016-09 — In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU 2016-09, Compensation — Stock Compensation — Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. ASU 2016-09 simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, the accounting for forfeitures, the classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and the classification of certain share-based payment transactions on the statement of cash flows. We adopted this ASU effective January 1, 2017, and it has been applied in accordance with the transition methods specified in the guidance. As permitted by the standard, we have not changed our accounting policy for forfeitures of share-based awards and will continue estimating forfeitures when determining compensation cost to be recognized over the vesting period. The presentation of excess tax benefits of share-based awards on the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows has been applied prospectively; therefore, cash flows related to excess tax benefits will no longer be separately classified as a financing activity apart from other income tax cash flows. In addition, we are now recording on a prospective basis excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies related to share-based payments within the provision for income taxes on the Consolidated Statement of Operations rather than on the Consolidated Balance Sheet within additional paid-in capital.

ASU No. 2015-17 — In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, Income Taxes — Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes. ASU 2015-17 simplifies the presentation of deferred income taxes and requires that deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position. The amendments eliminate the guidance in Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 740 that requires an entity to separate deferred tax liabilities and assets into a current amount and a noncurrent amount in a classified statement of financial position. We adopted this ASU on a prospective basis effective January 1, 2017.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Effective in 2018

ASU No. 2017-09 — In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, Compensation — Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting. The new guidance is intended to provide clarity and reduce both diversity in practice and cost and complexity when applying the guidance in Topic 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation, to a change to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award. The amendments provide guidance about which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting in Topic 718. An entity should account for the effects of a modification unless all the following are met: 1) The fair value (or calculated value or intrinsic value) of the modified award is the same as the fair value (or calculated value or intrinsic value) of the original award immediately before the original award is modified. If the modification does not affect any of the inputs to the valuation technique that the entity uses to value the award, the entity is not required to estimate the value immediately before and after the modification; 2) The vesting conditions of the modified award are the same as the vesting conditions of the original award immediately before the original award is modified; and 3) The classification of the modified award as an equity instrument or a liability instrument is the same as the classification of the original award immediately before the original award is modified. This guidance is effective for all entities for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in any interim period, for reporting periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued. The amendments should be applied prospectively to an award modified on or after the adoption date. We did not early adopt this ASU. We do not expect the adoption of ASU 2017-09 to have a material impact on our financial statements.

ASU No. 2017-07 — In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-07, Compensation — Retirement Benefits (Topic 715): Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost. The new guidance is intended to improve the presentation of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost. The amendments require that an employer report the service cost component in the same line item or items as other compensation costs arising from services rendered by the pertinent employees during the period. The other components of net periodic benefit costs (which include interest costs, expected return on plan assets, amortization of prior service cost or credits and actuarial gains and losses) are to be reported separately and outside a subtotal of operating income, if one is presented. Currently, we record all components of net periodic benefit cost on the same line item as the employees' respective compensation expense. Upon adoption of this standard we will be required to present net periodic cost for pension and postretirement benefits in accordance with the new guidance described above. See Note 14 for further information on our pension and postretirement plans. For public companies, this guidance is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The amendment should be applied on a retrospective basis. Early adoption is permitted as of the beginning of an annual period for which financial statements (interim or annual) have not been issued or made available for issuance. We did not early adopt this ASU. We do not expect the adoption of ASU 2017-07 to have a material impact on our financial statements.

ASU No. 2017-03 — In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-03, Accounting Changes and Error Corrections and Investments — Equity Method and Joint Ventures: Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to Staff Announcements at the September 22, 2016 and November 17, 2016 Emerging Issues Task Force ("EITF") Meetings. The new guidance is intended to provide clarity in relation to the disclosure of the impact that ASU 2014-09 and ASU 2016-02, which are described below, will have on our financial statements when adopted. The effective dates for this guidance are the same as the respective effective dates for ASU 2014-09 and ASU 2016-02. We do not expect the adoption of ASU 2017-03 to have a material impact on our financial statements.

ASU No. 2017-01 — In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations: Clarifying the Definition of a Business. The new guidance clarifies the definition of a business with the objective of adding guidance to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. For public companies, this standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those periods. The amendments should be applied prospectively on or after the effective date. Early application of the amendments is allowed with certain restrictions. We do not expect the adoption of ASU 2017-01 to have a material impact on our financial statements and will prospectively apply the guidance to applicable transactions.

ASU No. 2016-16 — In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, Income Taxes: Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory. ASU 2016-16 reduces complexity by allowing the recognition of current and deferred income taxes for an intra-entity asset transfer (other than inventory) when the transfer occurs. The new guidance is intended to reduce the complexity of GAAP and diversity in practice related to the tax consequences of certain types of intra-entity asset transfers, particularly those involving intellectual property. For public companies, this standard is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods within those annual reporting periods. Early adoption is permitted as of the beginning of an annual reporting period for which financial statements (interim or annual) have not been issued or made available for issuance. We did not early adopt this ASU. The amendments should be applied on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment directly to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. We do not expect the adoption of ASU 2016-16 to have a material impact on our financial statements.

ASU No. 2016-15 — In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows: Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. The new guidance is intended to eliminate diversity in practice in how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. The new standard is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted for all entities, provided that all of the amendments are adopted in the same period. We did not early adopt this ASU. The guidance requires application using a retrospective transition method. We do not expect the adoption of ASU 2016-15 to have a material impact on our financial statements.

ASU No. 2016-01 — In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Liabilities. ASU 2016-01 supersedes existing guidance to classify equity securities with readily determinable fair values into different categories and requires equity securities to be measured at fair value with changes in the fair value recognized through net income. An entity’s equity investments that are accounted for under the equity method of accounting or result in consolidation of an investee are not included within the scope of this amended guidance. The amendments allow equity investments that do not have readily determinable fair values to be remeasured at fair value either upon the occurrence of an observable price change or upon identification of impairment. The amended guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The amendments in this ASU should be applied by means of a cumulative-effect adjustment to the balance sheet as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. The amendments related to equity securities without readily determinable fair values (including disclosure requirements) should be applied prospectively to equity investments that exist as of the date of adoption of the ASU. Early application of certain amendments in this standard to financial statements of fiscal years and interim periods that have not yet been issued is permitted as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. Except for the early application of certain amendments discussed above, early adoption of the standard is not permitted. We do not expect the adoption of ASU 2016-01 to have a material impact on our financial statements.

ASU No. 2014-09 — In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The comprehensive new standard supersedes existing revenue recognition guidance and requires revenue to be recognized when promised goods or services are transferred to customers in amounts that reflect the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. Adoption of the new rules could affect the timing of revenue recognition for certain transactions. Additionally, the new standard requires enhanced disclosures, including information regarding the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts. The standard allows for either “full retrospective” adoption, meaning the standard is applied to all of the periods presented, or “modified retrospective” adoption, meaning the standard is applied only to the most current period presented in the financial statements. The new standard was originally effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016 and early adoption was not permitted. On August 12, 2015, the FASB approved a one year delay of the effective date to reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, while permitting companies to voluntarily adopt the new standard as of the original effective date. In December 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-20, Technical Corrections and Improvements to Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which clarifies narrow aspects of ASC 606 or corrects unintended application of the guidance. The effective date and transition requirements for ASU 2016-20 are the same as the effective date and transition requirements for ASU 2014-09.

To assess the potential impacts of the new revenue recognition standard on our consolidated financial statements and current accounting practices, we formed a steering committee comprised of subject matter experts within the Company to assist in the identification and evaluation of our significant revenue streams and other key activities impacting revenue recognition. In particular, we evaluated the impact of the new guidance on our classification of sales of excess raw materials, which primarily consist of bulk cream sales. Historically, we have presented the sale of excess raw materials as a reduction of cost of sales within our Consolidated Statements of Operations as it allowed us to report our true cost of the raw materials utilized in our operations; however, upon further evaluation of these sales in connection with our implementation of the new revenue guidance, we have determined that it is appropriate to present these sales as revenue. Sales of excess raw materials included as a reduction to cost of sales were $606.9 million, $551.5 million and $577.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015 respectively. On a prospective basis, effective January 1, 2018, these sales will be reported within the net sales line of our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Additionally, we evaluated the impact of the new standard on certain common practices currently employed by us and by other manufacturers of consumer products, such as scan-based trading, product rebates and other pricing allowances, product returns, trade promotions, sales broker commissions and slotting fees. Based on the results of our assessment, our current accounting practices for these activities is consistent with the requirements under the new revenue guidance and therefore there will not be any material changes to the nature, timing or amount of revenue recognition for these activities upon adoption. We are substantially complete with our implementation of the new standard and are on schedule to finalize it by March 2018. While we have reached conclusions on our assessment, we continue to finalize our documentation, evaluate and revise our internal controls, and finish implementing changes to our internal systems to support the new standard. Due to the nature of our business, we anticipate minimal changes will be made to our accounting and revenue policies, except with respect to the treatment of our sales of excess raw materials described above.

We adopted the new revenue standard on January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective transition method, which results in an adjustment to retained earnings for the cumulative effect of applying the standard to contracts in process as of the adoption date. Under this method we will be providing additional disclosures of the amount by which each financial statement line item is affected in the current reporting period during 2018, as compared to the prior guidance. These additional disclosures will provide a disaggregation of our revenue and will also include certain qualitative information related to our revenue streams. Based on the results of our assessment as described above, we have determined that the adoption of ASU 2014-09 will not materially impact our results of operations or financial position, except with respect to the change in classification of sales of excess raw materials disclosed above. An adjustment to retained earnings will not be required as the change in classification of sales of excess raw materials does not result in a change to the earnings reported in prior periods.

Effective in 2019

ASU No. 2018-02 — In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, Income Statement-Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. The amendments in the new guidance allow a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Act. Consequently, the amendments eliminate the stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Act and will improve the usefulness of information reported to financial statement users. However, because the amendments only relate to the reclassification of the income tax effects of the Tax Act, the underlying guidance that requires that the effect of a change in tax laws or rates be included in income from continuing operations is not affected. The amendments in this Update also require certain disclosures about stranded tax effects. The amendments in this Update are effective for all entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption of the amendments in this Update is permitted, including adoption in any interim period, for public business entities for reporting periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued. The amendments in this Update should be applied either in the period of adoption or retrospectively to each period (or periods) in which the effect of the change in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate in the Tax Act is recognized. We currently expect to early adopt this ASU in the first quarter of 2018. We do not expect the adoption of ASU 2018-02 to have a material impact on our financial statements.

ASU No. 2017-12 — In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. The new guidance improves the financial reporting of hedging relationships to better portray the economic results of an entity’s risk management activities in its financial statements. The amendments in this guidance are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early application is permitted in any interim period after issuance of this guidance. We do not intend to early adopt this ASU. We do not currently expect the adoption of ASU 2017-12 to have a material impact on our financial statements as our derivative instruments are not designated as cash flow or fair value hedges under Topic 815. See Note 10 for further information on our derivative instruments.

ASU No. 2016-02 — In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases. ASU 2016-02 requires lessees to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities in the balance sheet and disclose key information about leasing arrangements, such as information about variable lease payments and options to renew and terminate leases. The amended guidance will require both operating and finance leases to be recognized in the balance sheet. Additionally, the amended guidance aligns lessor accounting to comparable guidance in ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The amended guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The amendments in this ASU should be adopted using a modified retrospective transition approach, which requires application of the new guidance at the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the year of adoption. We do not intend to early adopt this ASU. To assess the impacts of the new lease standard on our consolidated financial statements and current accounting practices, we will be forming a steering committee comprised of subject matter experts within the Company to assist with the assessment of contractual arrangements that may qualify as a lease under the new standard, gather lease data, assist with evaluating and implementing lease management technology solutions, and other key activities. We anticipate the impact of this standard to be significant to our Consolidated Balance Sheet due to the amount of our lease commitments. See Note 18 for further information regarding these commitments. We are currently evaluating the other impacts that ASU 2016-02 will have on our consolidated financial statements.

Effective in 2020

ASU No. 2017-04 — In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles — Goodwill and Other: Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. The new guidance simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill by removing the second step of the two-step impairment test. The amendment requires an entity to perform its annual or interim goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. An entity should recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds a reporting unit’s fair value. An entity still has the option to perform the qualitative assessment for a reporting unit to determine if the quantitative impairment test is necessary. For public companies, this guidance is effective for annual periods or any interim goodwill impairment tests in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and should be applied on a prospective basis. Early adoption is permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017. We do not intend to early adopt this ASU. We do not expect the adoption of ASU 2017-04 to have a material impact on our financial statements.

Asset Impairment Charges

We evaluate our finite-lived intangible and long-lived assets for impairment when circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. Indicators of impairment could include, among other factors, significant changes in the business environment, the planned closure of a facility, or deteriorations in operating cash flows. Considerable management judgment is necessary to evaluate the impact of operating changes and to estimate future cash flows.

Testing the assets for recoverability involves developing estimates of future cash flows directly associated with, and that are expected to arise as a direct result of, the use and eventual disposition of the assets. Other inputs are based on assessment of an individual asset’s alternative use within other production facilities, evaluation of recent market data and historical liquidation sales values for similar assets. As the inputs for testing recoverability are largely based on management’s judgments and are not generally observable in active markets, we consider such measurements to be Level 3 measurements in the fair value hierarchy.