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BASIS OF PREPARATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES. | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] |
BASIS OF PREPARATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | BASIS OF PREPARATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES. T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. derives its consolidated revenues and net income primarily from investment advisory services that its subsidiaries provide to individual and institutional investors in the T. Rowe Price U.S. mutual funds ("U.S. mutual funds"), subadvised funds, separately managed accounts, collective investment trusts, and other T. Rowe Price products. The other T. Rowe Price products include: open-ended investment products offered to investors outside the U.S. and products offered through variable annuity life insurance plans in the U.S. We also provide certain investment advisory clients with related administrative services, including distribution, mutual fund transfer agent, accounting, and shareholder services; participant recordkeeping and transfer agent services for defined contribution retirement plans; brokerage; trust services; and non-discretionary advisory services through model delivery. Investment advisory revenues depend largely on the total value and composition of assets under our management. Accordingly, fluctuations in financial markets and in the composition of assets under management impact our revenues and results of operations. BASIS OF PREPARATION. These consolidated financial statements have been prepared by management in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. These principles require that we make certain estimates and assumptions. Actual results may vary from our estimates. NEW ACCOUNTING GUIDANCE. We adopted Accounting Standards Update No. 2018-15 — Intangibles—Goodwill and Other— Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract on January 1, 2020 using the prospective method of adoption. This update required implementation costs incurred in cloud computing arrangements to be deferred and recognized over the term of the hosting arrangement. A hosting arrangement is an agreement that allows customers, like us, to access and use software on an as-needed basis without having possession of the software. Beginning January 1, 2020, we were required to defer such qualifying implementation costs. We have capitalized an immaterial amount of implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement. Accordingly, the adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on our consolidated balance sheets or our consolidated statements of income. NEWLY ISSUED BUT NOT YET ADOPTED ACCOUNTING GUIDANCE. We have considered all other newly issued accounting guidance that is applicable to our operations and the preparation of our consolidated statements, including those we have not yet adopted. We do not believe that any such guidance has or will have a material effect on our financial position or results of operations. U.S. ECONOMIC RELIEF LEGISLATION. On March 27, 2020, the U.S. enacted the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security ("CARES") Act. The CARES Act provides economic relief to eligible businesses and individuals impacted by the novel coronavirus pandemic. The CARES Act's provisions will not have a material impact on our financial position and results of operations. Further, on December 27, 2020, the U.S. enacted the Consolidated Appropriations Act ("CAA"). The CAA provides additional economic relief to eligible businesses and individuals impacted by the coronavirus pandemic as well as extending certain provisions of the CARES Act. We are currently reviewing the CAA, but we do not expect it to have a material impact on our financial position and results of operations. SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES. Consolidation Our consolidated financial statements include the accounts of all subsidiaries and T. Rowe Price investment products in which we have a controlling interest. We are deemed to have a controlling interest when we own the majority of a voting interest entity ("VOE") or are deemed to be the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity ("VIE"). We perform an analysis of our investments to determine if the investment entity is a VOE or a VIE. Our analysis involves judgment and considers several factors, including an entity’s legal organization, capital structure, the rights of the equity investment holders, our ownership interest in the entity, and our contractual involvement with the entity. We continually review and reconsider our VOE or VIE conclusions upon the occurrence of certain events, such as changes to our ownership interest, changes to an entity’s legal structure, or amendments to governing documents. All material accounts and transactions between consolidated entities are eliminated in consolidation. Variable interest entities VIEs are entities that, by design: (i) lack sufficient equity to permit the entity to finance its activities independently or (ii) have equity holders that do not have the power to direct the activities of the entity that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance, the obligation to absorb the entity’s losses, or the rights to receive the entity’s residual returns. We consolidate a VIE when we are the primary beneficiary, which is the party that has both (i) the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact its economic performance and (ii) the obligation to absorb losses of the entity or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant. Our Luxembourg-based SICAV funds and other T. Rowe Price investment products regulated outside the U.S. were determined to be VIEs. Along with VIEs that we consolidate, we also hold variable interests in other VIEs, including several investment partnerships that are not consolidated because we are not the primary beneficiary. Redeemable non-controlling interests We recognize redeemable non-controlling interests for the portion of the net assets of our consolidated T. Rowe Price investment products held by unrelated third-party investors as their interests are convertible to cash and other assets at their option. As such, we reflect redeemable non-controlling interests as temporary equity in our consolidated balance sheets. Investments in T. Rowe Price money market mutual funds We do not consider our investments in T. Rowe Price money market mutual funds when performing our consolidation analysis as the guidance provides a scope exception for interests in entities that are required to comply with, or operate in accordance with, requirements similar to those in Rule 2a-7 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 for registered money market funds. Cash equivalents Cash equivalents consist primarily of short-term, highly liquid investments in T. Rowe Price money market mutual funds. The cost of these funds is equivalent to fair value. Investments Investments held at fair value Investments in T. Rowe Price investment products have been made for both general corporate investment purposes and to provide seed capital for newly formed products. Those investments that we do not consolidate are carried at fair value using the quoted closing NAV per share of each fund as of the balance sheet date. The underlying investments held by our consolidated T. Rowe Price investment products retain investment company specialized accounting in consolidation, are considered securities held in a trading account for cash flow reporting purposes and are valued in accordance with the valuation and pricing policy used to value our assets under management which is further described in the Revenue Recognition policy below. We elected to value our interest in investment partnerships, for which market prices or quotations are not readily available, at fair value using the NAV per share as a practical expedient. Changes in the fair values of all these investments are reflected in non-operating income in our consolidated statements of income. Equity method investments Equity method investments consist of investments in entities, including T. Rowe Price investment products, for which we have the ability to exercise significant influence over the operating and financial policies of the investee. The carrying values of these investments are adjusted to reflect our proportionate share of the investee's net income or loss, any unrealized gain or loss resulting from the translation of foreign-denominated financial statements into U.S. dollars, and dividends received. Our proportionate share of income or loss is included in non-operating income in our consolidated statements of income. As permitted under existing accounting guidance, we adopted a policy by which we recognize our share of UTI Asset Management Company Limited’s ("UTI") earnings on a quarter lag as current financial information is not available in a timely manner. The basis difference between our carrying value and our proportionate share of UTI’s book value is primarily related to consideration paid in excess of the stepped-up basis of assets and liabilities on the date of purchase. Concentration of risk Concentration of credit risk in accounts receivable is believed to be minimal in that our clients generally have substantial assets, including those in the investment portfolios we manage for them. Our investments held at fair value expose us to market risk, that is, the potential future loss of value that would result from a decline in the fair value of each investment or its underlying net assets. The underlying holdings of our assets under management are also subject to market risk, which may arise from changes in equity prices, credit ratings, foreign currency exchange rates, and interest rates. Leases We review new arrangements at inception to evaluate whether we have the right to obtain substantially all the economic benefits of and have the right to control the use of an asset. If we determine that an arrangement qualifies as a lease, we recognize a lease liability and a corresponding asset on the lease’s commencement date. The lease liability is initially measured at the present value of the future minimum lease payments over the lease term using the rate implicit in the arrangement or, if not available, our incremental borrowing rate. An operating lease asset is measured initially at the value of the lease liability less any lease incentives and initial direct costs incurred. Our leases qualify as operating leases and consist primarily of real estate leases for corporate offices, data centers, and other facilities. We measure our operating lease liabilities using an estimated incremental borrowing rate as an implicit rate cannot be readily determinable from any of our operating lease arrangements. Since we do not have any outstanding borrowings, we estimate our incremental borrowing rate using an estimated credit rating and available market information. Additionally, certain of our leases contain options to extend or terminate the lease term that, if exercised, would result in the remeasurement of the operating lease liability. Our operating leases contain both lease and non-lease components. Non-lease components are distinct elements of a contract that are not related to securing the use of the lease assets, such as common area maintenance and other management costs. We elected to measure the lease liability of our real estate operating leases by combining the lease and non-lease components into one single lease component. As such, we included the fixed payments and any payments that depend on a rate or index related to our lease and non-lease components in measuring the operating lease liability. We recognize operating lease expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term as part of technology, occupancy, and facility costs in our consolidated statements of income. Property and equipment Property and equipment is stated at cost net of accumulated depreciation and amortization computed using the straight-line method. Provisions for depreciation and amortization are based on the following weighted-average estimated useful lives: computer and communications software and equipment, 3 years; buildings and improvements, 33 years; leasehold improvements, 7 years; and furniture and other equipment, 6 years. Goodwill We evaluate the carrying amount of goodwill in our consolidated balance sheets for possible impairment on an annual basis in the third quarter of each year using a fair value approach. Our evaluations have indicated that no impairment exists. We internally conduct, manage, and report our operations as one investment advisory business. We do not have distinct operating segments or components that separately constitute a business. Accordingly, we attribute goodwill to a single reportable business segment and reporting unit—our investment advisory business. Revenue recognition Our revenue is earned from investment advisory, administrative, and distribution services we provide to our clients. Each distinct service we promise in our agreements is considered a performance obligation and is the basis for determining when we recognize revenue. The fees are allocated to each distinct performance obligation and we recognize revenue when, or as, we satisfy our promises. The consideration for our services is generally variable and included in net revenues, when it is improbable that a significant reversal could occur in the future. For certain client agreements, we have the discretion to hire a third party to provide services to our clients. In these circumstances, we are generally deemed to control the services before transferring them to our clients, and accordingly present the revenues gross of the related third-party costs. The timing of when we bill our clients and related payment terms vary in accordance with agreed-upon contractual terms. For the majority of our agreements, billing occurs after we have recognized revenue, which results in accounts receivable and accrued revenue. For an insignificant portion of our contracts, billing occurs in advance of providing services, which results in deferred revenue within the accounts payable and accrued expenses line of our consolidated balance sheets. Taxes billed to our clients based on our fees for services rendered are not included in revenues. Investment advisory fees The majority of our investment advisory agreements, including those with the U.S. mutual funds, have a single performance obligation as the promised services are not separately identifiable from other promises in the agreements and, therefore, are not distinct. Substantially all performance obligations for providing advisory services are satisfied over time and revenue is recognized as time passes. Investment advisory agreements with T. Rowe Price investment products regulated outside the U.S. generally have two performance obligations; one for investment management and one for distribution. For these agreements, we allocate the management fee to each performance obligation using our best estimate of the standalone fee of each of these services. The performance obligation for providing investment management services, like our other advisory contracts, is satisfied over time and revenue is recognized as time passes. The performance obligation for distribution is satisfied at the point in time when an investor makes an investment into the product. Accordingly, a portion of the investment advisory fees earned from these products relate to distribution performance obligations that were satisfied during prior periods. These distribution fees are reported within the investment advisory fees line of our consolidated statements of income. The management fee for our investment advisory agreements are based on our assets under management, which change based on fluctuations in financial markets and net cash flows from investors, and represents variable consideration. Therefore, investment advisory fees are generally constrained, and excluded from revenue, until the asset values on which our client is billed are no longer subject to financial market volatility. Investment advisory fees for investment products are presented net of fees waived pursuant to the contractual expense limitations of the product. Our assets under management are valued in accordance with valuation and pricing processes for each major type of investment. Fair values used in our processes are primarily determined from quoted market prices; prices furnished by dealers who make markets in such securities; or from data provided by an independent pricing service that considers yield or price of investments of comparable quality, coupon, maturity, and type. Investments for which market prices are not readily available are not a material portion of our total assets under management. We provide all services to the U.S. mutual funds under contracts that are subject to periodic review and approval by the funds’ Boards. Regulations require that the funds’ shareholders also approve material changes to investment advisory contracts. Administrative, distribution, and servicing fees Administrative fees The administrative services we provide include distribution, mutual fund transfer agent, accounting and shareholder services; participant recordkeeping and transfer agent services for defined contribution retirement plans; brokerage; trust services; and non-discretionary advisory services through model delivery. The administrative service agreements with the U.S. mutual funds for accounting oversight, transfer agency, and recordkeeping services generally have one performance obligation as the promised services in each agreement are not separately identifiable from other promises in the agreement and, therefore, are not distinct. The fees for performing these services are generally equal to the costs incurred and represent variable consideration. The fees are generally constrained and are recognized as revenue when costs are incurred to perform the services. Other administrative service agreements for participant recordkeeping and transfer agent services for defined contribution retirement plans; brokerage services, and trust services generally have one performance obligation as the promised services in each agreement are not separately identifiable from other performance obligations in the contract and, therefore, are not distinct. Our performance obligation in each agreement is satisfied over time and revenue is recognized as time passes. The fees for these services vary by contract and are both fixed and variable. Distribution and servicing fees The agreements for distribution and servicing fees earned from 12b-1 plans of the Advisor Class, R Class, and Variable Annuity II Class shares of the U.S. mutual funds have one performance obligation, as distribution services are not separately identifiable from shareholder servicing promises in the agreements and, therefore, are not distinct. Our performance obligation is satisfied at the point in time when an investor makes an investment into these share classes of the U.S. mutual funds. The fees for these distribution and servicing agreements are based on the assets under management in these share classes, which change based on fluctuations in financial markets, and represent variable consideration. These fees are generally constrained, and excluded from revenue, until the asset values on which our client is billed are not subject to financial market volatility. Accordingly, the majority of the distribution and servicing revenue disclosed in Note 3 - Information about Receivables, Revenues and Services relates to distribution and servicing obligations that were satisfied during prior periods. We also recognize the corresponding costs paid to the third-party financial intermediaries that distribute these funds' share classes within the distribution and servicing costs line of the consolidated statements of income. The fee revenue that we recognize from the funds and the expense that we recognize for the fees paid to third-party intermediaries are equal in amount and, therefore, do not impact our net operating income. Advertising Costs of advertising are expensed the first time that the advertising takes place. Stock-based compensation We maintain three stockholder-approved employee long-term incentive plans (2020 Long-Term Incentive Plan, 2012 Long-Term Incentive Plan, and 2004 Stock Incentive Plan, collectively the LTI Plans) and two stockholder-approved non-employee director plans (2017 Non-Employee Director Equity Plan and 2007 Non-Employee Director Equity Plan, collectively the Director Plans). We believe that our stock-based compensation programs align the interests of our employees and directors with those of our common stockholders. As of December 31, 2020, a total of 11,085,553 shares were available for future grant under the 2020 Long-Term Incentive Plan and the 2017 Non-Employee Director Equity Plan (2017 Plan). Under our LTI Plans, we have issued restricted shares and restricted stock units to employees that settle in shares of our common stock after vesting. Vesting of these awards is based on the individual continuing to render service over an average 5.0 year graded schedule. All restricted stockholders and restricted stock unit holders receive non-forfeitable cash dividends and cash dividend equivalents, respectively, on our dividend payable date. We are also authorized to grant qualified incentive and nonqualified fixed stock options with a maximum term of 10 years. We have not granted options to employees since 2015. We grant performance-based restricted stock units to certain executive officers in which the number of restricted stock units ultimately retained is determined based on achievement of certain performance thresholds. The number of restricted stock units retained is also subject to similar time-based vesting requirements as the other restricted stock units described above. Cash dividend equivalents are accrued and paid to the holders of performance-based restricted stock units only after the performance period has lapsed and the performance thresholds have been met. Under the Director Plans, we may grant options with a maximum term of 10 years, restricted shares, and restricted stock units to non-employee directors. Under the 2017 Plan, awards generally vest over one year and, in the case of restricted stock units, are settled upon the non-employee directors’ departure from the Board. For restricted shares, cash dividends are accrued and paid only after the award vests. Restricted stock unit holders receive dividend equivalents in the form of unvested stock units that vest over the same period as the underlying award. We have not granted options to non-employee directors since 2016. We recognize the grant-date fair value of these awards as compensation expense ratably over the awards' requisite service period. Compensation expense recognized for performance-based restricted units includes an estimate regarding the probability of the performance thresholds being met. We account for forfeitures as they occur. Both time-based and performance-based restricted stock units are valued on the grant-date using the closing market price of our common stock. Earnings per share We compute our basic and diluted earnings per share under the two-class method, which considers our outstanding restricted shares and stock units, on which we pay non-forfeitable dividends as if they were a separate class of stock. Comprehensive income The components of comprehensive income are presented in a separate statement following our consolidated statements of income and include net income and the change in our currency translation adjustments. The currency translation adjustments result from translating our proportionate share of the financial statements of our equity method investment in UTI, and certain consolidated T. Rowe Price investment products into U.S. dollars. Assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollars using year-end exchange rates, and revenues and expenses are translated using weighted-average exchange rates for the period. The changes in accumulated balances of each component of other comprehensive income, the deferred tax impacts of each component, and information about significant items reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income are presented in the notes to the financial statements. The notes also indicate the line item of our consolidated statements of income in which the significant reclassifications were recognized. We reclassify income tax effects relating to currency translation adjustments to tax expense when there is a reduction in our ownership interest in the related investment. The amount of the reclassification depends on the investment’s accounting treatment before and after the change in ownership percentage.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the general note to the financial statements for the reporting entity which may include, descriptions of the basis of presentation, business description, significant accounting policies, consolidations, reclassifications, new pronouncements not yet adopted and changes in accounting principles. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2197479 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2134479 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122394 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122369 + Details
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