New Accounting Standards (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2018

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

New Accounting Standards

Income Tax Accounting Implications of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act

On December 22, 2017, the United States (U.S.) government enacted comprehensive tax legislation, commonly referred to as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the Tax Act). The Tax Act makes broad and complex changes to the U.S. tax code that will affect the company’s fiscal year ending June 30, 2018. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118, Income Tax Accounting Implications of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (SAB 118), which provides guidance on accounting for the tax effects of the Tax Act. SAB 118 provides a measurement period that should not extend beyond one year from the Tax Act enactment date for companies to complete the accounting under Accounting Standards Codification Topic 740, “Income Taxes” (ASC 740). In accordance with SAB 118, a company must reflect the income tax effects of those aspects of the Tax Act for which the accounting under ASC 740 is complete. To the extent that a company’s accounting for certain income tax effects of the Tax Act is incomplete, but it is able to determine a reasonable estimate, it must record a provisional estimate in its financial statements. If a company cannot determine a provisional estimate to be included in the financial statements, it should continue to apply ASC 740 on the basis of the provisions of the tax laws that were in effect immediately before the enactment of the Tax Act. Sysco has implemented SAB 118 and has provided required disclosures in Note 11, “Income Taxes.”

Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities

In August 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging, which expands and refines hedge accounting for both financial and non-financial risk components, aligns the recognition and presentation of the effects of hedging instruments and hedge items in the financial statements, and includes certain targeted improvements to ease the application of current guidance related to the assessment of hedge effectiveness. Sysco has early adopted the standard using the modified retrospective approach to existing hedging relationships as of the second quarter of fiscal 2018, rather than in fiscal 2020 as required by the ASU. Sysco believes that an early adoption of the hedging standard will provide a better alignment between risk management activities and hedge accounting, and reduce total cost of ownership of the risk management program. All transition requirements have been applied to hedging relationships existing on the date of adoption and the effect of the adoption is reflected as of the beginning of fiscal 2018. The cumulative effect of the accounting change on the opening balance of retained earnings was immaterial to Sysco’s consolidated balance sheet. All required disclosures under ASU 2017-12 have been made in Note 6, “Derivative Financial Instruments.”

Restricted Cash

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows: Restricted Cash (Topic 230). The ASU clarifies the presentation of restricted cash on the statement of cash flows. Amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling between the beginning and ending cash balances on the statement of cash flows. We retrospectively adopted the standard in the second quarter of fiscal 2018, which was one year earlier than required. The adoption increases the ending cash balance within our statement of cash flows by the aggregate amount of our restricted cash balances and requires a new disclosure to reconcile the cash balances within our statement of cash flows to the balance sheets. See Supplemental Cash Flow Information within Note 1, “Basis of Presentation.” There were no material restricted cash balances in prior periods, and, therefore, there is no material impact to amounts reported for prior periods due to the retrospective adoption of this ASU.

Stock Compensation

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting (Topic 718). The ASU identifies areas for simplification involving several aspects of accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as equity or liabilities, an option to recognize gross stock compensation expense with actual forfeitures recognized as they occur, as well as certain classifications on the statement of cash flows. The company elected to maintain the current policy to estimate forfeitures expected to occur to determine stock-based compensation expense. Further, the company adopted the provisions that have changed its accounting for excess tax benefits, or detriments. Excess tax benefits, or detriments, were previously included within additional paid-in capital in the consolidated balance sheet and were a part of the diluted share calculation. With the adoption of ASU 2016-09 on a prospective basis, excess tax benefits, or detriments, are included within income tax expense in the consolidated results of operations and are no longer a part of the diluted share calculation. In the third quarter and the first 39 weeks of fiscal 2018, the company recognized excess tax benefits of $14.9 million and $45.7 million from stock option exercises and restricted stock unit vestings that occurred during the respective periods.

The standard also requires several presentation changes with regard to the statement of cash flows. Cash flows related to excess tax benefits or detriments are included in net cash provided by operating activities, rather than as a financing activity. Sysco chose a retrospective application of this provision; therefore, amounts presented for fiscal 2017 reflect the guidance required by this ASU. The standard further requires that cash paid by an employer, when directly withholding shares for tax withholding purposes, should be classified as a financing activity and applied retrospectively. Cash payments of $20.7 million and $23.7 million to tax authorities in connection with shares withheld to meet statutory income tax withholding requirements are presented as a financing activity in the consolidated statement of cash flows for fiscal 2018 and fiscal 2017, respectively.

Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill by eliminating Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. The amendments also eliminate the requirements for any reporting unit with a zero or negative carrying amount to perform a qualitative assessment and, if it fails that qualitative test, to perform Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test. An entity still has the option to perform the qualitative assessment for a reporting unit to determine if the quantitative impairment test is necessary.  The company early adopted this ASU in the first quarter of fiscal 2018.

Reporting Comprehensive Income

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220), to allow a reclassification from accumulated comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Act. The amendments in this update eliminate the stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Act; however, 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 guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years, which is fiscal 2020 for Sysco, with early adoption permitted. The company is currently reviewing the provisions of the new standard.

Revenue from Contracts with Customers

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), and has issued subsequent amendments to this guidance. This new standard will replace all current guidance on this topic and eliminate all industry-specific guidance. The new revenue recognition standard provides a unified model to determine when and how revenue is recognized.  The core principle is that a company should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration for which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The guidance is effective for interim and annual periods within new fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, which is fiscal 2019 for Sysco. The standard may be applied either retrospectively to each period presented or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption.

As of the end of the third quarter of fiscal 2018, the company was nearing the completion of its assessment of the accounting required under Topic 606 and is completing its documentation of these conclusions. Based on the work completed to date, Sysco does not expect that the implementation of the new standard will have a material effect on the company’s financial statements. The company will continue its assessment and will adopt the standard in the first quarter of fiscal 2019 and expects to use the modified retrospective method. Enhanced disclosures, including revenue recognition policies to identify performance obligations to customers and significant judgments in measurement and recognition, are required.

Leases

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), specifying the accounting for leases, which supersedes the leases requirements in Topic 840, Leases. The objective of Topic 842 is to establish the principles that lessees and lessors shall apply to report useful information to users of financial statements about the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from a lease. Lessees are permitted to make an accounting policy election to not recognize the asset and liability for leases with a term of twelve months or less. Lessors’ accounting is largely unchanged from the previous accounting standard. In addition, Topic 842 expands the disclosure requirements of lease arrangements. Topic 842 currently requires lessees and lessors to use a modified retrospective transition approach, which includes a number of practical expedients. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018, which is fiscal 2020 for Sysco, with early adoption permitted. The company is currently reviewing the provisions of the new standard.