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BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies) | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2020
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] |
Principles of Consolidation | Principles of Consolidation The accompanying interim 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 interim unaudited, consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) necessary to present fairly our financial position as of September 30, 2020, our results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019 and our cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2020 and 2019. The results reported in these interim 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 interim 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, 2019.
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 approximate fair value as of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019. The fair values of our investment 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 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.
Accounting Estimates | 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 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. In particular, a number of estimates have been and will continue to be affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The severity, magnitude and duration of the pandemic, and the resulting economic consequences, remain uncertain, rapidly changing and difficult to predict. As a result, our accounting estimates and assumptions may change over time. Such changes could result in future impairments of goodwill, intangible assets, long-lived assets and investment securities, incremental credit losses on financial assets, decreases in the carrying amount of our tax assets, increases in our self-insurance liabilities or increases in our net pension and postretirement benefit obligations at the time of a measurement event. For interim unaudited, consolidated financial statement purposes, we provide for accruals under our various company-sponsored employee benefit plans for each three month period based on one quarter of the estimated annual expense.
Change in Accounting Methodology | Use of 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 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. In particular, a number of estimates have been and will continue to be affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The severity, magnitude and duration of the pandemic, and the resulting economic consequences, remain uncertain, rapidly changing and difficult to predict. As a result, our accounting estimates and assumptions may change over time. Such changes could result in future impairments of goodwill, intangible assets, long-lived assets and investment securities, incremental credit losses on financial assets, decreases in the carrying amount of our tax assets, increases in our self-insurance liabilities or increases in our net pension and postretirement benefit obligations at the time of a measurement event. For interim unaudited, consolidated financial statement purposes, we provide for accruals under our various company-sponsored employee benefit plans for each three month period based on one quarter of the estimated annual expense.
Adoption of New Accounting Standards | Adoption of New Accounting Standards In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued an accounting standards update ("ASU") introducing an expected credit loss methodology for the measurement of financial assets not accounted for at fair value. The methodology replaced the probable, incurred loss model for those assets. We adopted this standard on January 1, 2020. Upon adoption, we updated our process for calculating our allowance for credit losses to include reasonable and supportable forecasts that could affect expected collectability. In the third quarter of 2020, we decreased our allowance for credit losses by $6 million (an increase of $44 million year to date) based upon our current forecasts that reflect slight improvements in the economic outlook. In January 2017, the FASB issued an ASU to simplify the accounting for goodwill impairment by eliminating the requirement to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill using a hypothetical purchase price allocation. Under this ASU, goodwill impairment is the amount by which a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. We adopted this standard on January 1, 2020. Upon adoption, this ASU did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. In March 2020, the FASB issued an ASU to temporarily ease the potential burden in accounting for reference rate reform. The update provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships and other transactions affected by reference rate reform. The guidance was effective upon issuance and generally can be applied through December 31, 2022. We are evaluating the potential impacts of reference rate reform on our various contractual positions to determine whether we may apply any of the practical expedients set forth in this update. For accounting standards adopted in the period ended September 30, 2019, refer to note 1 to our audited, consolidated financial statements in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. Other accounting pronouncements adopted during the periods covered by the unaudited, 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 December 2019, the FASB issued an ASU to simplify the accounting for income taxes. The update removes certain exceptions to the general income tax principles. The update will be effective for us in the first quarter of 2021. We are evaluating the impact of its adoption on our consolidated financial statements and internal control over financial reporting environment, but do not expect this ASU to have a material impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. Other accounting pronouncements issued before, but not effective until after, September 30, 2020, are not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Investment Impairments | Investment Impairments We have concluded that no material impairment losses existed as of September 30, 2020. In making this determination, we considered the financial condition and prospects of each issuer, the magnitude of the losses compared with the cost, the probability that we will be unable to collect all amounts due according to the contractual terms of the security, the credit rating of the security and our ability and intent to hold these investments until the anticipated recovery in market value occurs.

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