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Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2018

Waters Corporation (the “Company”) is a specialty measurement company that has pioneered analytical workflow solutions involving liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry and thermal analysis innovations serving the life, materials and food sciences for nearly 60 years. The Company primarily designs, manufactures, sells and services high performance liquid chromatography (“HPLC”), ultra performance liquid chromatography (“UPLC^®” and together with HPLC, referred to as “LC”) and mass spectrometry (“MS”) technology systems and support products, including chromatography columns, other consumable products and comprehensive post-warranty service plans. These systems are complementary products that are frequently employed together (“LC-MS”) and sold as integrated instrument systems using common software platforms. LC is a standard technique and is utilized in a broad range of industries to detect, identify, monitor and measure the chemical, physical and biological composition of materials, and to purify a full range of compounds. MS technology, principally in conjunction with chromatography, is employed in drug discovery and development, including clinical trial testing, the analysis of proteins in disease processes (known as “proteomics”), nutritional safety analysis and environmental testing. LC-MS instruments combine a liquid phase sample introduction and separation system with mass spectrometric compound identification and quantification. In addition, the Company designs, manufactures, sells and services thermal analysis, rheometry and calorimetry instruments through its TA^® product line. These instruments are used in predicting the suitability and stability of fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, water, polymers, metals and viscous liquids for various industrial, consumer goods and healthcare products, as well as for life science research. The Company is also a developer and supplier of advanced software-based products that interface with the Company’s instruments, as well as other manufacturers’ instruments.

Fiscal Period

The Company’s interim fiscal quarter typically ends on the thirteenth Saturday of each quarter. Since the Company’s fiscal year end is December 31, the first and fourth fiscal quarters may have more or less than thirteen complete weeks. The Company’s first fiscal quarters for 2018 and 2017 ended on March 31, 2018 and April 1, 2017, respectively.

Basis of Accounting

The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to the Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and do not include all of the information and footnote disclosures required for annual financial statements prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) in the United States of America.

It is management’s opinion that the accompanying interim consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments (which are normal and recurring) that are necessary for a fair statement of the results for the interim periods. The interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on February 27, 2018.

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries, which are wholly owned. All inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Company to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent liabilities at the dates of the financial statements. Actual amounts may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

Translation of Foreign Currencies

Translation of Foreign Currencies

The functional currency of each of the Company’s foreign operating subsidiaries is the local currency of its country of domicile, except for the Company’s subsidiaries in Hong Kong, Singapore and the Cayman Islands, where the underlying transactional cash flows are denominated in currencies other than the respective local currency of domicile. The functional currency of the Hong Kong, Singapore and Cayman Islands subsidiaries is the U.S. dollar, based on the respective entity’s cash flows.

For most of the Company’s foreign operations, assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollars at exchange rates prevailing on the balance sheet date, while revenues and expenses are translated at average exchange rates prevailing during the respective period. Any resulting translation gains or losses are included in accumulated other comprehensive income in the consolidated balance sheets.

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Investments

Cash, Cash Equivalents and Investments

Cash equivalents represent highly liquid investments, with original maturities of 90 days or less, while investments with longer maturities are classified as investments. The Company maintains cash balances in various operating accounts in excess of federally insured limits, and in foreign subsidiary accounts in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. As of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, $1,656 million out of $2,552 million and $3,326 million out of $3,394 million, respectively, of the Company’s total cash, cash equivalents and investments were held by foreign subsidiaries. In addition, $348 million out of $2,552 million and $304 million out of $3,394 million of cash, cash equivalents and investments were held in currencies other than the U.S. dollar at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Trade accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. The Company has very limited use of rebates and other cash considerations payable to customers and, as a result, the transaction price determination does not have any material variable consideration. The allowance for doubtful accounts is the best estimate of the amount of probable credit losses in the existing accounts receivable. The allowance is based on a number of factors, including historical experience and the customer’s credit-worthiness. The allowance for doubtful accounts is reviewed on at least a quarterly basis. Past due balances over 90 days and over a specified amount are reviewed individually for collectibility. Account balances are charged against the allowance when the Company determines it is probable that the receivable will not be recovered. The Company does not have any off-balance sheet credit exposure related to its customers. Historically, the Company has not experienced significant bad debt losses.

The following is a summary of the activity of the Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and April 1, 2017 (in thousands):


	Balance at Beginning of Period		Additions		Deduction			Balance at End of Period


Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
March 31, 2018	$	6,109	$	1,056	$	(1,033	)	$	6,132
April 1, 2017	$	5,140	$	636	$	(643	)	$	5,133

Other Investments

Other Investments

During the three months ended March 31, 2018, the Company made a $3 million investment in a developer of laboratory solutions to increase productivity and reproducibility for use in any industry.

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements

In accordance with the accounting standards for fair value measurements and disclosures, certain of the Company’s assets and liabilities are measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017. Fair values determined by Level 1 inputs utilize observable data, such as quoted prices in active markets. Fair values determined by Level 2 inputs utilize data points other than quoted prices in active markets that are observable either directly or indirectly. Fair values determined by Level 3 inputs utilize unobservable data points for which there is little or no market data, which require the reporting entity to develop its own assumptions.

The following table represents the Company’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis at March 31, 2018 (in thousands):


	Total at March 31, 2018		Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Assets:
U.S. Treasury securities	$	425,032	$	—	$	425,032	$	—
Foreign government securities		6,947		—		6,947		—
Corporate debt securities		1,292,878		—		1,292,878		—
Time deposits		301,277		—		301,277		—
Equity securities		147		—		147		—
Waters 401(k) Restoration Plan assets		35,762		35,762		—		—
Foreign currency exchange contracts		129		—		129		—

Total	$	2,062,172	$	35,762	$	2,026,410	$	—

Liabilities:
Contingent consideration	$	3,399	$	—	$	—	$	3,399
Foreign currency exchange contracts		730		—		730		—

Total	$	4,129	$	—	$	730	$	3,399

The following table represents the Company’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis at December 31, 2017 (in thousands):


	Total at December 31, 2017		Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1)		Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2)		Significant Unobservable Inputs (Level 3)
Assets:
U.S. Treasury securities	$	591,988	$	—	$	591,988	$	—
Foreign government securities		6,952		—		6,952		—
Corporate debt securities		1,975,160		—		1,975,160		—
Time deposits		371,511		—		371,511		—
Equity securities		147		—		147		—
Waters 401(k) Restoration Plan assets		35,645		35,645		—		—
Foreign currency exchange contracts		566		—		566		—

Total	$	2,981,969	$	35,645	$	2,946,324	$	—

Liabilities:
Contingent consideration	$	3,247	$	—	$	—	$	3,247
Foreign currency exchange contracts		182		—		182		—

Total	$	3,429	$	—	$	182	$	3,247

Fair Value of 401(k) Restoration Plan Assets

The 401(k) Restoration Plan is a nonqualified defined contribution plan and the assets were held in registered mutual funds and have been classified as Level 1. The fair values of the assets in the plan are determined through market and observable sources from daily quoted prices on nationally recognized securities exchanges.

Fair Value of Cash Equivalents, Investment and Foreign Currency Exchange Contracts

The fair values of the Company’s cash equivalents, investments and foreign currency exchange contracts are determined through market and observable sources and have been classified as Level 2. These assets and liabilities have been initially valued at the transaction price and subsequently valued, typically utilizing third-party pricing services. The pricing services use many inputs to determine value, including reportable trades, benchmark yields, credit spreads, broker/dealer quotes, current spot rates and other industry and economic events. The Company validates the prices provided by third-party pricing services by reviewing their pricing methods and obtaining market values from other pricing sources.

Fair Value of Contingent Consideration

The fair value of the Company’s liability for contingent consideration relates to earnout payments in connection with the July 2014 acquisition of Medimass Research, Development and Service Kft. and is determined using a probability-weighted discounted cash flow model, which uses significant unobservable inputs, and has been classified as Level 3. Subsequent changes in the fair value of the contingent consideration liability are recorded in the results of operations. The fair value of the contingent consideration liability associated with future earnout payments is based on several factors, including the estimated future results and a discount rate that reflects both the likelihood of achieving the estimated future results and the Company’s creditworthiness. A change in any of these unobservable inputs can significantly change the fair value of the contingent consideration. Although there is no contractual limit, the fair value of future contingent consideration payments was estimated to be $3 million at both March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, based on the Company’s best estimate, as the earnout is based on future sales of certain products, some of which are currently in development, through 2034.

Fair Value of Other Financial Instruments

The Company’s cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable and variable interest rate debt are recorded at cost, which approximates fair value due to their short-term nature. The carrying value of the Company’s fixed interest rate debt was $510 million and $610 million at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively. The fair value of the Company’s fixed interest rate debt was estimated using discounted cash flow models, based on estimated current rates offered for similar debt under current market conditions for the Company. The fair value of the Company’s fixed interest rate debt was estimated to be $501 million and $608 million at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively, using Level 2 inputs.

Derivative Transactions

Derivative Transactions

The Company is a global company that operates in over 35 countries and, as a result, the Company’s net sales, cost of sales, operating expenses and balance sheet amounts are significantly impacted by fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. The Company is exposed to currency price risk on foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations when it translates its non-U.S. dollar foreign subsidiaries’ financial statements into U.S. dollars, and when any of the Company’s subsidiaries purchase or sell products or services in a currency other than its own currency.

The Company’s principal strategy in managing exposure to changes in foreign currency exchange rates is to naturally hedge the foreign-currency-denominated liabilities on the Company’s balance sheet against corresponding assets of the same currency, such that any changes in liabilities due to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates are typically offset by corresponding changes in assets.

The Company does not specifically enter into any derivatives that hedge foreign-currency-denominated assets, liabilities or commitments on its balance sheet, other than a portion of certain third-party accounts receivable and accounts payable, and the Company’s net worldwide intercompany receivables and payables, which are eliminated in consolidation. The Company periodically aggregates its net worldwide balances by currency and then enters into foreign currency exchange contracts that mature within 90 days to hedge a portion of the remaining balance to minimize some of the Company’s currency price risk exposure. The foreign currency exchange contracts are not designated for hedge accounting treatment.

Principal hedged currencies include the Euro, Japanese yen, British pound, Mexican peso and Brazilian real. At March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the Company held foreign currency exchange contracts with notional amounts totaling $141 million and $147 million, respectively.

The Company’s foreign currency exchange contracts included in the consolidated balance sheets are classified as follows (in thousands):


	March 31, 2018		December 31, 2017
Other current assets	$	129	$	566
Other current liabilities	$	730	$	182

The following is a summary of the activity included in cost of sales in the statements of operations related to the foreign currency exchange contracts (in thousands):


	Three Months Ended
	March 31, 2018			April 1, 2017
Realized gains (losses) on closed contracts	$	1,937		$	(1,438	)
Unrealized losses on open contracts		(985	)		(132	)

Cumulative net pre-tax gains (losses)	$	952		$	(1,570	)

Stockholders' Equity

Stockholders’ Equity

In May 2017, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized the Company to repurchase up to $1 billion of its outstanding common stock over a three-year period. During the three months ended March 31, 2018 and April 1, 2017, the Company repurchased 1.3 million and 0.5 million shares of the Company’s outstanding common stock at a cost of $275 million and $82 million, respectively, under the May 2017 authorization and other previously announced programs. As of March 31, 2018, the Company had repurchased an aggregate of 2.4 million shares at a cost of $474 million under the May 2017 repurchase program and had a total of $526 million authorized for future repurchases. In addition, the Company repurchased $8 million and $7 million of common stock related to the vesting of restricted stock units during the three months ended March 31, 2018 and April 1, 2017, respectively.

In April 2018, the Company’s Board of Directors authorized the Company to repurchase up to $3 billion of its outstanding common stock over a three-year period. This new program adds the remaining $526 million from the pre-existing program, allowing for the purchase of a total of $3.5 billion of the Company’s common stock over a three-year period. Upon commencement of the new authorization, the 2017 authorization was terminated. The Company believes that it has the financial flexibility to fund these share repurchases given current cash levels and debt borrowing capacity, as well as to invest in research, technology and business acquisitions.

Product Warranty Costs

Product Warranty Costs

The Company accrues estimated product warranty costs at the time of sale, which are included in cost of sales in the consolidated statements of operations. While the Company engages in extensive product quality programs and processes, including actively monitoring and evaluating the quality of its component suppliers, the Company’s warranty obligation is affected by product failure rates, material usage and service delivery costs incurred in correcting a product failure. The amount of the accrued warranty liability is based on historical information, such as past experience, product failure rates, number of units repaired and estimated costs of material and labor. The liability is reviewed for reasonableness at least quarterly.

The following is a summary of the activity of the Company’s accrued warranty liability for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and April 1, 2017 (in thousands):


	Balance at Beginning of Period		Accruals for Warranties		Settlements Made			Balance at End of Period
Accrued warranty liability:
March 31, 2018	$	13,026	$	1,767	$	(2,167	)	$	12,626
April 1, 2017	$	13,391	$	1,815	$	(2,208	)	$	12,998

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

The Company adopted new accounting guidance regarding the recognition of revenue from contracts with customers as of January 1, 2018.

The Company recognizes revenue upon transfer of control of promised products and services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for those products or services. The Company generally enters into contracts that include a combination of products and services. Revenue is allocated to distinct performance obligations and is recognized net of allowances for returns and discounts.

The Company recognizes revenue on product sales at the time control of the product transfers to the customer. In substantially all of the Company’s arrangements, title of our products transfers at shipping point and, as a result, we have determined control transfers at the point of shipment. In more limited cases, there are destination-based shipping terms and, thus, control is deemed to transfer when the products arrive at the customer site. Incremental costs of obtaining a contract are expensed as and when incurred if the expected amortization period of the asset that would have been recognized is one year or less. These amounts are immaterial. Shipping and handling costs are included as a component of cost of sales. In situations where the control of the goods transfers prior to the completion of the Company’s obligation to ship the products to its customers, the Company has elected the practical expedient to account for the shipping services as a fulfillment cost. Accordingly, such costs are recognized when control of the related goods is transferred to the customer. In more rare situations, we have revenue associated with products that contain specific customer acceptance criteria and the related revenue is not recognized before the customer acceptance criteria are satisfied. The Company elected to exclude from the measurement of the transaction price all taxes assessed by a governmental authority that are both imposed on a concurrent with specific revenue-producing transaction and collected by the Company from a customer.

Generally, the Company’s contracts for products include a performance obligation related to installation. The Company has determined that the installation represents a distinct performance obligation and revenue is recognized separately upon the completion of installation. The Company determines the amount of the transaction price to allocate to the installation service based on the standalone selling price of the product and the service, which requires judgment. The Company determines relative standalone selling price of installation based upon a number of factors, including hourly service billing rates and estimated installation hours. In developing these estimates, the Company considers past history, competition, billing rates of current services and other factors.

The Company has sales from standalone software, which is included in instrument systems revenue. These arrangements typically include software licenses and maintenance contracts, both of which the Company has determined are distinct performance obligations. The Company determines the amount of the transaction price to allocate to the license and maintenance contract based on the relative standalone selling price of each performance obligation. Software license revenue is recognized at the point in time when control has been transferred to the customer. The revenue allocated to the software maintenance contract is recognized on a straight-line basis over the maintenance period, which is the contractual term of the contract, as a time-based measure of progress best reflects the Company’s performance in satisfying this obligation. Unspecified rights to software upgrades are typically sold as part of the maintenance contract on a when-and-if-available basis.

Payment terms and conditions vary among the Company’s revenue streams, although terms generally include a requirement of payment within 30 to 60 days of product shipment. Prior to providing payment terms to customers, an evaluation of the customer’s credit risk is performed. Returns and customer credits are infrequent and insignificant and are recorded as a reduction to sales. Rights of return are not included in sales arrangements and, therefore, there is minimal variable consideration included in the transaction price of our products.

Service revenue includes (i) service and software maintenance contracts and (ii) service calls (time and materials). Instrument service contracts and software maintenance contracts are typically annual contracts, which are billed at the beginning of the contract or maintenance period. The amount of the service and software maintenance contract is recognized on a straight-line basis to revenue over the maintenance service period, which is the contractual term of the contract. There are no deferred costs associated with the service contract, as the cost of the service is recorded when the service is performed. Service calls are recognized to revenue at the time a service is performed.

The Company’s deferred revenue liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets consists of the obligation on instrument service contracts and customer payments received in advance, prior to shipment of the instrument. The Company records deferred revenue primarily related to its service contracts, where consideration is billable at the beginning of the service period.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for its uncertain tax return reporting positions in accordance with the accounting standards for income taxes, which require financial statement reporting of the expected future tax consequences of uncertain tax reporting positions on the presumption that all concerned tax authorities possess full knowledge of those tax reporting positions, as well as all of the pertinent facts and circumstances, but prohibit any discounting of unrecognized tax benefits associated with those reporting positions for the time value of money. The Company continues to classify interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of the provision for income taxes.

The Company adopted new accounting guidance which eliminates the deferral of tax effects on intra-entity transfers other than inventory and requires an entity to recognize the income tax consequences when the transfer occurs. The Company adopted this standard as of January 1, 2018 with a $4 million charge to beginning retained earnings in the consolidated balance sheet.

Stock-based Compensation

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation costs in accordance with the accounting standards for stock-based compensation, which require that all share-based payments to employees be recognized in the statements of operations based on their grant date fair values. The Company recognizes the expense using the straight-line attribution method. The stock-based compensation expense recognized in the consolidated statements of operations is based on awards that ultimately are expected to vest; therefore, the amount of expense has been reduced for estimated forfeitures. Forfeitures are estimated based on historical experience. If actual results differ significantly from these estimates, stock-based compensation expense and the Company’s results of operations could be materially impacted. In addition, if the Company employs different assumptions in the application of these standards, the compensation expense that the Company records in the future periods may differ significantly from what the Company has recorded in the current period.

Stock Options

In determining the fair value of the stock options, the Company makes a variety of assumptions and estimates, including volatility measures, expected yields and expected stock option lives. The fair value of each option grant was estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The Company uses implied volatility on its publicly-traded options as the basis for its estimate of expected volatility. The Company believes that implied volatility is the most appropriate indicator of expected volatility because it is generally reflective of historical volatility and expectations of how future volatility will differ from historical volatility. The expected life assumption for grants is based on historical experience for the population of non-qualified stock option exercises. The risk-free interest rate is the yield currently available on U.S. Treasury zero-coupon issues with a remaining term approximating the expected term used as the input to the Black-Scholes model.

Performance Stock Units

The Company’s performance stock units are equity compensation awards with a market vesting condition based on the Company’s Total Shareholder Return (“TSR”) relative to the TSR of the components of the S&P Health Care Index. TSR is the change in value of a stock price over time, including the reinvestment of dividends. The vesting schedule ranges from 0% to 200% of the target shares awarded.

In determining the fair value of the performance stock units, the Company makes a variety of assumptions and estimates, including volatility measures, expected yields and expected terms. The fair value of each performance stock unit grant was estimated on the date of grant using the Monte Carlo simulation model. The Company uses implied volatility on its publicly-traded options as the basis for its estimate of expected volatility. The Company believes that implied volatility is the most appropriate indicator of expected volatility because it is generally reflective of historical volatility and expectations of how future volatility will differ from historical volatility. The expected life assumption for grants is based on the performance period of the underlying performance stock units. The risk-free interest rate is the yield currently available on U.S. Treasury zero-coupon issues with a remaining term approximating the expected term used as the input to the Monte Carlo simulation model. The correlation coefficient is used to model the way in which each company in the S&P Health Care Index tends to move in relation to each other during the performance period.

Earnings Per Share

The effect of dilutive securities was calculated using the treasury stock method.

New Accounting Pronouncements

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

In May 2014, amended accounting guidance was issued regarding the recognition of revenue from contracts with customers. The objective of this guidance is to significantly enhance comparability and clarify principles of revenue recognition practices across entities, industries, jurisdictions and capital markets. This guidance was originally effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016; however, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) amended the standard in August 2015 to delay the effective period date by one year to annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017. Adoption prior to December 15, 2016 was not permitted. In March 2016, the FASB clarified the implementation guidance on principal versus agent considerations and, in April 2016, clarification was made regarding certain aspects of identifying performance obligations and licensing implementation guidance. In May 2016, additional guidance was issued related to disclosure of remaining performance obligations, as well as other amendments to guidance on collectibility, non-cash consideration and the presentation of sales and other similar taxes collected from customers. The Company adopted this standard as of January 1, 2018 and applied the modified-retrospective method. The Company elected the practical expedient and only evaluated the contracts that were considered incomplete as of January 1, 2018 when quantifying the cumulative effect adjustment under the modified retrospective method. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows and, as such, did not require any adjustments to information reported in the prior year.

In January 2016, accounting guidance was issued which primarily affects the classification and measurement of certain financial instruments, principally equity investments and certain financial liabilities. Under the new guidance, there will no longer be an available-for-sale classification for equity securities with readily determinable fair values. Changes to the fair value of equity investments will be recognized through earnings. Equity investments carried at cost should be adjusted for changes in observable prices, as applicable, and qualitatively assessed for impairment annually. Changes to the fair value of financial liabilities under the fair value option due to instrument specific credit risk will be recognized separately in other comprehensive income. The new guidance also requires financial assets and financial liabilities to be presented separately and grouped by measurement category in the notes to the financial statements. The Company adopted this standard as of January 1, 2018 and the adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

In August 2016, accounting guidance was issued that clarifies the classification of certain cash flows. The new guidance addresses eight specific areas where current accounting guidance is either unclear or does not specifically address classification issues. This guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017 and early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted this standard as of January 1, 2018 and the adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s cash flows.

In October 2016, accounting guidance was issued regarding intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory. The new guidance eliminates the deferral of tax effects on intra-entity transfers other than inventory and requires an entity to recognize the income tax consequences when the transfer occurs. The Company adopted this standard as of January 1, 2018 with a $4 million charge to beginning retained earnings in the consolidated balance sheet. Please see Note 7, “Income Taxes”, for additional information.

In January 2017, accounting guidance was issued that clarifies the definition of a business. The new guidance provides a more robust framework to use in determining when a set of assets and activities is a business, thus narrowing the definition and the amount of transactions accounted for as business combinations. The Company adopted this standard as of January 1, 2018 and will apply this guidance prospectively to any business combination transactions that take place in the future.

In March 2017, accounting guidance was issued regarding the presentation of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost. The new guidance requires that an employer disaggregate the service cost component from other components of net benefit cost, with service cost reported in the same line items as other compensation costs and the other components of net benefit costs presented outside income from operations. The Company adopted this standard as of January 1, 2018 and has reported the components of net periodic benefit cost other than the service cost component in other income on the consolidated statements of operations for all periods presented. Please see Note 11, “Retirement Plans”, for additional information.

In May 2017, accounting guidance was issued that clarifies the accounting for a change to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award. The standard provides more specific guidance for determining when a change to an award requires modification accounting and when it should be deemed purely administrative in nature. The Company adopted this standard as of January 1, 2018 and the adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In February 2016, accounting guidance was issued regarding the accounting for leases. This new comprehensive lease standard amends various aspects of existing accounting guidance for leases. The core principle of the new guidance will require lessees to present the assets and liabilities that arise from leases on their balance sheets. This guidance is effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018 and early adoption is permitted. The Company expects that the adoption of this standard will have a material effect on the Company’s balance sheet; however, it is not expected to have an overall material impact on the Company’s results of operations and cash flows.

In June 2016, accounting guidance was issued that modifies the recognition of credit losses related to financial assets, such as debt securities, trade receivables, net investments in leases, off-balance sheet credit exposures, and other financial assets that have the contractual right to receive cash. Current guidance requires the recognition of a credit loss when it is considered probable that a loss event has occurred. The new guidance requires the measurement of expected credit losses to be based upon relevant information, including historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the asset. As such, expected credit losses may be recognized sooner under the new guidance due to the broader range of information that will be required to determine credit loss estimates. The new guidance also amends the current other-than-temporary impairment model used for debt securities classified as available-for-sale. When the fair value of an available-for-sale debt security is below its amortized cost, the new guidance requires the total unrealized loss to be bifurcated into its credit and non-credit components. Any expected credit losses or subsequent recoveries will be recognized in earnings and any changes not considered credit related will continue to be recognized within other comprehensive income. This guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company currently does not expect that the adoption of this standard will have a material effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

In January 2017, accounting guidance was issued that simplifies the accounting for goodwill impairment. The guidance eliminates step 2 of the goodwill impairment test, which requires a hypothetical purchase price allocation. This guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and early adoption is permitted. The Company currently does not expect that the adoption of this standard will have a material effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

In March 2017, accounting guidance was issued to amend the amortization period for certain purchased callable debt securities held at a premium. Specifically, the amortization period for certain callable debt securities will be shortened to end at the earliest call date. This guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018 and early adoption is permitted. The Company currently does not believe that the adoption of this standard will have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

In February 2018, accounting guidance was issued to address the impact of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on items recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income. Because current accounting guidance requires deferred tax liabilities and assets to be adjusted for the effect of a change in tax laws or rates with the effect recorded in income from continuing operations, even if the related tax effects were originally recognized in other comprehensive income, the new guidance allows a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the 2017 Tax Act. This guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018 and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact that the adoption of this standard will have on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and cash flows.