BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies) |
9 Months Ended |
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Sep. 30, 2017 | |
| Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] | |
| Principles of Consolidation |
Principles of Consolidation
In our opinion, the accompanying interim, unaudited, consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. These consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) necessary to present fairly our financial position as of September 30, 2017, our results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, and cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016. The results reported in these consolidated financial statements should not be regarded as necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for any other period or the entire year. The interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016.
For interim consolidated financial statement purposes, we provide for accruals under our various employee benefit plans for each three month period based on one quarter of the estimated annual expense.
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| Fair Value of Financial Instruments |
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
The carrying amounts of our cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, finance receivables and accounts payable approximate fair value as of September 30, 2017. The fair values of our investment securities are disclosed in note 4, our recognized multiemployer pension withdrawal liabilities in note 6, our short and long-term debt in note 8 and our derivative instruments in note 13. We utilized Level 1 inputs in the fair value hierarchy of valuation techniques to determine the fair value of our cash and cash equivalents, and Level 2 inputs to determine the fair value of our accounts receivable, finance receivables and accounts payable.
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| Self Insurance Accrual |
Self-Insurance Accruals
We self-insure costs associated with workers’ compensation claims, automotive liability, health and welfare and general business liabilities, up to certain limits. Insurance reserves are established for estimates of the loss that we will ultimately incur on reported claims, as well as estimates of claims that have been incurred but not yet reported. Recorded balances are based on reserve levels, which incorporate historical loss experience and judgments about the present and expected levels of cost per claim. Trends in actual experience are a significant factor in the determination of such reserves.
Workers’ compensation, automobile liability and general liability insurance claims may take several years to completely settle. Consequently, actuarial estimates are required to project the ultimate cost that will be incurred to fully resolve the claims. A number of factors can affect the actual cost of a claim, including the length of time the claim remains open, trends in healthcare costs and the results of related litigation. Furthermore, claims may emerge in future years for events that occurred in a prior year at a rate that differs from previous actuarial projections. Changes in state legislation with respect to workers' compensation can affect the adequacy of our self-insurance accruals. All of these factors can result in revisions to prior actuarial projections and produce a material difference between estimated and actual operating results. Prior to 2017, outside actuarial studies were performed semi-annually and we used the studies to estimate the liability in intervening quarters. Beginning in 2017, outside actuarial studies are now performed quarterly as we believe this provides us with better quarterly estimates of our outstanding workers' compensation liability.
We sponsor a number of health and welfare insurance plans for our employees. These liabilities and related expenses are based on estimates of the number of employees and eligible dependents covered under the plans, anticipated medical usage by participants and overall trends in medical costs and inflation.
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| Accounting Estimates |
Accounting Estimates
The preparation of the accompanying interim, unaudited, consolidated financial statements requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingencies at the date of the consolidated financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates have been prepared on the basis of the most current and best information and actual results could differ materially from those estimates.
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| Change in Accounting Methodology |
The preparation of the accompanying interim, unaudited, consolidated financial statements requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingencies at the date of the consolidated financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates have been prepared on the basis of the most current and best information and actual results could differ materially from those estimates. |
| Adoption of New Accounting Standards |
Adoption of New Accounting Standards
In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued an accounting standards update that simplified the income tax accounting and cash flow presentation related to share-based compensation by requiring the recognition of all excess tax benefits and deficiencies directly on the income statement and classification as cash flows from operating activities on the statements of consolidated cash flows. This update also made several changes to the accounting for forfeitures and employee tax withholding on share-based compensation. This new guidance became effective for us in the first quarter of 2017 and we adopted the statements of consolidated cash flows presentation on a prospective basis. The impact to income tax expense in the statements of consolidated income was a benefit of $62 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017. There was no significant impact related to the adoption of the new accounting standard in the third quarter of 2017. Additionally, we have elected to continue estimating forfeitures expected to occur to determine the amount of compensation cost to be recognized each period.
Other accounting pronouncements adopted during the periods covered by the consolidated financial statements did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Accounting Standards Issued But Not Yet Effective
In August 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to enhance recognition of the economic results of hedging activities in the financial statements. In addition, this update makes certain targeted improvements to simplify the application of the hedge accounting guidance and increase transparency regarding the scope and results of its hedging activities. The guidance will generally be applied prospectively and becomes effective for us in the first quarter of 2019, but early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating this update to determine the full impact of its adoption but do not expect this accounting standards update to have a material impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
In May 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to provide clarity and reduce complexity on when to apply modification accounting to existing share-based payment awards. The guidance will generally be applied prospectively and becomes effective for us in the first quarter of 2018, but early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating this update to determine the full impact of its adoption but do not expect this accounting standards update to have a material impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
In March 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to require the premium on callable debt securities to be amortized to the earliest call date. The amortization period for callable debt securities purchased at a discount would not be impacted by the proposed update. Under current generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”), premiums on callable debt securities are generally amortized over the contractual life of the security. Only in cases when an entity has a large number of similar securities is it allowed to consider estimates of principal prepayments. Amortization of the premium over the contractual life of the instrument can result in losses being recorded for the unamortized premium if the issuer exercises the call feature prior to maturity. The standard will be effective for us in the first quarter of 2019, but early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating this update to determine the full impact of its adoption but do not expect this accounting standards update to have a material impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
In March 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to improve the presentation of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost. The update requires employers to report the current service cost component in the same line item as other compensation costs arising from services rendered by employees during the period. The other components of net benefit cost are required to be presented separately from service cost and outside of income from operations. In accordance with the update, only the service cost component will be eligible for capitalization. The guidance in this update should be applied retrospectively for the presentation of service cost and other components of net benefit cost, and prospectively for the capitalization of the service cost component in assets, and becomes effective for us in the first quarter of 2018. As a result of this update, the net amount of interest cost, prior service cost and expected return on plan assets will be presented as other income. For the three months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, non-service cost components amounted to a $216 and $105 million benefit ($575 and $313 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016), respectively, which was recognized in "Compensation and benefits" on the statements of consolidated income. After adoption, the non-service cost components will be recognized in "Other Income and (Expense)" on the statements of consolidated income.
In January 2017, the FASB issued an accounting standards update to simplify the accounting for goodwill impairment. The update removes Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test, which requires a hypothetical purchase price allocation. A goodwill impairment will now be the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. The standard will be effective for us in the first quarter of 2020, but early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating this update to determine the full impact of its adoption but do not expect this accounting standards update to have a material impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
In November 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that is intended to reduce diversity in practice by adding or clarifying guidance on classification and presentation of changes in restricted cash on the statement of cash flows. The update should be applied retrospectively and becomes effective for us in the first quarter of 2018, but early adoption is permitted. As a result of this update, restricted cash will be included within cash and cash equivalents on our statements of consolidated cash flows. As of September 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016, we classified $123 and $310 million in restricted cash on our consolidated balance sheets in "non-current investments and restricted cash", respectively.
In August 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that addresses the classification and presentation of specific cash flow issues that currently result in diverse practices. The guidance also clarifies how the predominance principle should be applied when cash receipts and cash payments have aspects of more than one class of cash flows. The guidance will generally be applied retrospectively and becomes effective for us in the first quarter of 2018, but early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact of this standard on our statements of consolidated cash flows, but do not expect this standard to have a material impact.
In February 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that requires lessees to recognize a right-of-use asset and lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with terms beyond twelve months. Although the distinction between operating and finance leases will continue to exist under the new standard, the recognition and measurement of expenses and cash flows will not change significantly from the current treatment. This new guidance requires modified retrospective application and becomes effective for us in the first quarter of 2019, but early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating this update to determine the full impact of its adoption on our consolidated financial position, results of operations, cash flows and related disclosures, as well as the impact of adoption on policies, practices and systems. As of December 31, 2016, we had $1.470 billion of future minimum operating lease commitments that are not currently recognized on our consolidated balance sheets. Therefore, we expect material changes to our consolidated balance sheets.
In January 2016, the FASB issued an accounting standards update which addresses certain aspects of the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of financial instruments. The amendment will be effective for us beginning the first quarter of 2018. At this time, we do not expect this accounting standards update to have a material impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
In May 2014, the FASB issued an accounting standards update that changes the revenue recognition for companies that enter into contracts with customers to transfer goods or services. The standard is a comprehensive new revenue recognition model that requires revenue to be recognized in a manner depicting the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount that reflects the consideration expected to be received in exchange for those goods or services. The FASB has also issued a number of updates to this standard. We are planning to adopt the standard on January 1, 2018. Companies may use either a full retrospective or a modified retrospective approach to adopt this standard. We expect to adopt the standard using a full retrospective approach. We are currently evaluating this standard and the related updates, including the impact of adoption on policies, practices and systems.
At this stage in our evaluation, we have determined that revenue recognition will be accelerated for the transportation businesses as the standard requires revenue to be recognized as control is transferred to the customer over time rather than upon delivery. We are currently quantifying the impact of this change to the statements of consolidated income but do not expect it to be material.
The standard also requires us to evaluate whether our businesses promise to transfer services to the customer itself (as a principal) or to arrange for services to be provided by another party (as an agent). To make that determination, the standard uses a control model rather than the risks-and-rewards model in current GAAP. Based on our evaluation of the control model, we determined that certain Supply Chain & Freight businesses act as the principal rather than the agent within their revenue arrangements. This change will require the affected businesses to report transportation revenue gross of associated purchase transportation costs rather than net of such amounts within the statements of consolidated income. We expect that this change will result in an approximately $720 million reclassification from operating expenses to revenue on the statement of consolidated income for the period ended December 31, 2016. This amount may change as we continue to evaluate other businesses.
In addition to completing our review of contracts and quantifying the impacts on the consolidated financial statements, we are currently analyzing our internal control over financial reporting framework to determine if controls should be added or modified as a result of adopting this standard. In addition, we are currently reviewing the impacts of this standard on our footnote disclosures for periods subsequent to January 1, 2018. At this stage in our review of the disclosure requirements, we expect that the adoption of this standard will result in several additional disclosures, including but not limited to additional information around our performance obligations, the timing of revenue recognition, remaining performance obligations at period end, contract assets and liabilities, and significant judgments made that impact the amount and timing of revenue from our contracts with customers.
Other accounting pronouncements issued, but not effective until after September 30, 2017, are not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
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