Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

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BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2023
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Principles of Consolidation
Principles of Consolidation
The accompanying unaudited, consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP") for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X. These unaudited, consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) necessary to present fairly our financial position as of September 30, 2023, our results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, and our cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022. The results reported in these unaudited, consolidated financial statements should not be regarded as indicative of results that may be expected for any other period or the entire year. The unaudited, 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, 2022.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments Fair Value of Financial InstrumentsThe carrying amounts of our cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, finance receivables and accounts payable approximated fair value as of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022. The fair values of our marketable securities are disclosed in note 5, our recognized multiemployer pension withdrawal liabilities in note 7, our short- and long-term debt in note 9 and our derivative instruments in note 15. We apply a fair value hierarchy (Levels 1, 2 and 3) when measuring and reporting items at fair value. Fair values are based on listed market prices (Level 1), when such prices are available. To the extent that listed market prices are not available, fair value is determined based on other relevant factors, including dealer price quotations (Level 2). If listed market prices or other relevant factors are not available, inputs are developed from unobservable data reflecting our own assumptions and include situations where there is little or no market activity for the asset or liability (Level 3).
Use of Estimates
Use of Estimates
The preparation of the accompanying 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 these financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.
Although our estimates contemplate current and expected future conditions, as applicable, it is reasonably possible that actual conditions could differ from our expectations, which could materially affect our results of operations and financial position. As a result, our accounting estimates and assumptions may change significantly over time.
Supplier Finance Programs
Supplier Finance Programs
As part of our working capital management, certain financial institutions offer a Supply Chain Finance ("SCF") program to certain of our suppliers. We agree to commercial terms with our suppliers, including prices, quantities and payment terms, regardless of whether the supplier elects to participate in the SCF program. Suppliers issue invoices to us based on the agreed-upon contractual terms. If they participate in the SCF program, our suppliers, at their sole discretion, determine which invoices, if any, to sell to the financial institutions. Our suppliers’ voluntary inclusion of invoices in the SCF program has no bearing on our payment terms. No guarantees are provided by us under the SCF program. We have no economic interest in a supplier’s decision to participate, and we have no direct financial relationship with the financial institutions, as it relates to the SCF program.
Amounts due to our suppliers that participate in the SCF program are included in Accounts payable in our consolidated balance sheets.
Adoption of New Accounting Standards Adoption of New Accounting StandardsIn September 2022, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued an Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") to enhance the disclosure of supplier finance programs. This ASU did not affect the recognition, measurement or financial statement presentation of obligations covered by supplier finance programs. We adopted the requirements of this ASU as of January 1, 2023 and have included required disclosures within note 1.
Revenue Recognition, Contract Assets and Liabilities
Revenue Recognition
Substantially all of our revenues are from contracts associated with the pickup, transportation and delivery of packages and freight ("transportation services"). These services may be carried out by or arranged by us and generally occur over a short period of time. Additionally, we provide value-added logistics services to customers through our global network of distribution centers and field stocking locations.
The vast majority of our contracts with customers are for transportation services that include only one performance obligation; the transportation services themselves. We generally recognize revenue over time, based on the extent of progress towards completion of the services in the contract. All of our major businesses act as a principal in their revenue arrangements and as such, we report revenue and the associated purchased transportation costs on a gross basis within our statements of consolidated income.
Contract Assets and Liabilities
Contract assets include billed and unbilled amounts resulting from in-transit shipments, as we have an unconditional right to payment only when services have been completed (i.e. shipments have been delivered). Amounts do not exceed their net realizable value. Contract assets are generally classified as current and the full balance is converted each quarter based on the short-term nature of the transactions.
Contract liabilities consist of advance payments and billings in excess of revenue as well as deferred revenue. Advance payments and billings in excess of revenue represent payments received from our customers that will be earned over the contract term. Deferred revenue represents the amount due from customers related to in-transit shipments that has not yet been recognized as revenue based on our selected measure of progress. We classify advance payments and billings in excess of revenue as either current or long-term, depending on the period over which the amount will be earned. We classify deferred revenue as current based on the short-term nature of the transactions. Our contract assets and liabilities are reported in a net position on a contract-by-contract basis at the end of each reporting period. In order to determine revenue recognized in the period from contract liabilities, we first allocate revenue to the individual contract liability balance outstanding at the beginning of the period until the revenue exceeds that deferred revenue balance.