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

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

The consolidated financial statements for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and 2018 are unaudited. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the consolidated financial statements have been included. Such adjustments consisted of normal recurring items. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of results for a full year. The consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes are presented as permitted by Form 10-Q and do not contain certain information included in the annual consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes of Fiserv, Inc. (the “Company”). These interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Recently Adopted And Issued Accounting Pronouncements

Effective January 1, 2019, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASU 2016-02”), and its related amendments using the optional transition method applied to all leases. Prior period amounts have not been restated. Additional information about the Company’s lease policies and the related impact of the adoption is included in Notes 2 and 15 to the consolidated financial statements.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU No. 2018-07, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting (“ASU 2018-07”), which simplifies the accounting for share-based payments granted to nonemployees by largely aligning it with the accounting for share-based payments to employees. For public entities, ASU 2018-07 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2018. Entities must apply the standard, using a modified retrospective transition approach, with a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption for all liability-classified nonemployee awards that have not been settled as of the adoption date and equity-classified nonemployee awards for which a measurement date has not been established. The Company adopted ASU 2018-07 on January 1, 2019, and the adoption did not have any impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, which requires lessees to recognize a lease liability and a right-of-use asset for each lease with a term longer than twelve months and adds new presentation and disclosure requirements for both lessees and lessors. The accounting guidance for lessors remains largely unchanged. The recognized liability is measured at the present value of lease payments not yet paid, and the corresponding asset represents the lessee’s right to use the underlying asset over the lease term and is based on the liability, subject to certain adjustments. For income statement and statement of cash flow purposes, the standard retains the dual model with leases classified as either operating or finance. Operating leases result in straight-line expense while finance leases result in a front-loaded expense pattern. The standard prescribes a modified retrospective transition approach for leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements. ASU 2016-02 was subsequently amended by ASU No. 2018-01, Land Easement Practical Expedient for Transition to Topic 842; ASU No. 2018-10, Codification Improvements to Topic 842; ASU No. 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842) - Targeted Improvements (“ASU 2018-11”); ASU No. 2018-20, Narrow-Scope Improvements for Lessors; and ASU No. 2019-01, Leases (Topic 842) - Codification Improvements. ASU 2018-11 provides an additional transition method allowing entities to initially apply the new lease standard at the adoption date and recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. For public entities, ASU 2016-02 is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018.

The Company adopted the new standard effective January 1, 2019 using the optional transition method in ASU 2018-11. Under this method, the Company has not adjusted its comparative period financial statements for the effects of the new standard or made the new, expanded required disclosures for periods prior to the effective date. The Company elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance in ASU 2016-02 to not reassess prior conclusions related to contracts containing leases, lease classification and initial direct costs. The Company also elected the practical expedient not to separate the non-lease components of a contract from the lease component to which they relate.

The adoption of the new lease standard resulted in the recognition of lease liabilities of $383 million and right-of-use assets of $343 million, which include the impact of existing deferred rents and tenant improvement allowances on the consolidated balance sheet as of January 1, 2019 for real and personal property operating leases. The adoption of ASU 2016-02 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated statements of income or consolidated statements of cash flows.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 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 (“ASU 2018-15”), which aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 350 for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. For public entities, ASU 2018-15 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. Entities are permitted to apply either a retrospective or prospective transition approach to adopt the guidance. The Company plans to adopt ASU 2018-15 on January 1, 2020 and does not expect the adoption to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement (“ASU 2018-13”), which removes, modifies, and adds certain disclosure requirements of ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement. ASU 2018-13 is effective for fiscal years, including interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019, with the additional disclosures required to be applied prospectively and the modified and removed disclosures required to be applied retrospectively to all periods presented. Entities are permitted to early adopt the removed or modified disclosures and delay the adoption of the additional disclosures until the effective date. The Company is currently assessing the impact that the adoption of ASU 2018-13 will have on its disclosures.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326) (“ASU 2016-13” or “CECL”), which prescribes an impairment model for most financial instruments based on expected losses rather than incurred losses. Under this model, an estimate of expected credit losses over the contractual life of the instrument is to be recorded as of the end of a reporting period as an allowance to offset the amortized cost basis, resulting in a net presentation of the amount expected to be collected on the financial instrument. For public entities, ASU 2016-13 is effective for fiscal years, including interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. For most instruments, entities must apply the standard using a cumulative-effect adjustment to beginning retained earnings as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. The Company plans to adopt ASU 2016-13 on its effective date, January 1, 2020.

The Company is currently in the process of evaluating the impacts of adopting this standard, including the development of accounting policies and the assessment of existing credit loss methodologies for necessary enhancements. Additionally, the Company continues to evaluate current processes, systems, data, and controls that will be necessary to estimate credit reserves for impacted areas in accordance with CECL. Financial assets and liabilities held by the Company subject to the “expected credit loss” model prescribed by CECL include trade and other receivables, net investments in leases, settlement assets and other credit exposures such as financial guarantees not accounted for as insurance. While the Company continues to evaluate the expected impact on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures, it currently expects the adoption of this guidance will result in an acceleration in the timing for recognition of credit losses, and may also result in an increase in the reserve for these credit losses due to the requirement to record expected losses over the remaining contractual lives of its financial instruments.

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Fiserv, Inc. and its subsidiaries in which the Company holds a controlling financial interest. Control is normally established when ownership and voting interests in an entity is 50% or greater. Investments in less than 50% owned affiliates in which the Company has significant influence but not control are accounted for using the equity method of accounting. Significant influence over an affiliate’s operations generally coincides with an ownership interest in an entity of between 20% and 50%. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

In connection with the acquisition of First Data, the Company acquired majority controlling interests in certain entities, mostly related to consolidated merchant alliances (see Note 21). Noncontrolling interests represent the minority shareholders’ share of the net income or loss and equity in consolidated subsidiaries. The Company’s noncontrolling interests presented in the consolidated statements of income include net income attributable to noncontrolling interests and redeemable noncontrolling interest. Noncontrolling interests are presented as a component of equity in the consolidated balance sheet and reflect the minority shareholders’ share of acquired fair value in the consolidated subsidiaries, along with their proportionate share of the earnings or losses of the subsidiaries, net of dividends or distributions. Noncontrolling interests that are redeemable at the option of the holder are presented outside of equity and are carried at their estimated redemption value (see Note 22).

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash and investments with original maturities of 90 days or less. Cash and cash equivalents are stated at cost in the consolidated balance sheets, which approximates market value. Cash and cash equivalents that were restricted from use due to regulatory or other requirements are included in other long-term assets in the consolidated balance sheet and totaled $42 million as of September 30, 2019.

Reserve for Merchant Credit Losses

With respect to the merchant acquiring business obtained through the acquisition of First Data (see Note 4), the Company’s merchant customers have the legal obligation to refund any charges properly reversed by the cardholder. However, in the event the Company is not able to collect the refunded amounts from the merchants, the Company may be liable for the reversed charges. The Company’s risk in this area primarily relates to situations where the cardholder has purchased goods or services to be delivered in the future. The Company requires cash deposits, guarantees, letters of credit or other types of collateral from

certain merchants to minimize this obligation. Collateral held by the Company is classified within settlement assets and the obligation to repay the collateral is classified within settlement obligations on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. The Company also utilizes a number of systems and procedures to manage merchant risk. Despite these efforts, the Company experiences some level of losses due to merchant defaults. The aggregate merchant credit losses incurred by the Company was $17 million for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019, and is included within cost of processing and services in the consolidated statements of income. The amount of collateral held by the Company was $510 million as of September 30, 2019. The Company’s reserve relates to imprecision in its estimates of required collateral, which is recorded based primarily on historical experience of credit losses and other relevant factors such as economic downturns or increases in merchant fraud. The aggregate merchant credit loss reserve recorded was $35 million as of September 30, 2019.

Derivatives

Derivatives are entered into for periods consistent with related underlying exposures and are recorded in the consolidated balance sheets as either an asset or liability measured at fair value. If the derivative is designated as a cash flow hedge, changes in the fair value of the derivative are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss and recognized in the consolidated statements of income when the hedged item affects earnings. The Company’s policy is to enter into derivatives with creditworthy institutions and not to enter into such derivatives for speculative purposes.

Leasing Receivables

In connection with the acquisition of First Data, the Company acquired certain leasing receivables associated with the point-of-sale (“POS”) terminal leasing businesses of First Data. Leasing receivables are included in prepaid expenses and other current assets and other long-term assets in the consolidated balance sheet. The Company recognizes interest income on its leasing receivables using the effective interest method. Interest income from leasing receivables is included in product revenue in the consolidated statements of income. Initial direct costs are expensed as incurred if the fair value of the underlying asset is different from its carrying amount at the commencement date of the lease. See Note 15 for additional information.

Company as Lessor

The Company owns certain POS terminal equipment which it leases to third party merchants. Leases are classified as operating or sales-type leases based on factors such as the lease term, lease payments, and the economic life, fair value and estimated residual value of the asset. The terms of the leases typically range from two to five years. For operating leases, the minimum lease payments received are recognized as lease income on a straight-line basis over the lease term and the leased asset is

included in property and equipment, net in the consolidated balance sheet and depreciated to its estimated residual value over the lease term. For sales-type leases, selling profit is recognized at the commencement date of the lease to the extent the fair value of the underlying asset is different from its carrying amount. Selling profit is directly impacted by the Company’s estimate of the amount to be derived from the residual value of the asset at the end of the lease term. The residual value of the asset is computed using various assumptions, including the expected fair value of the underlying asset at the end of the lease term. Unearned income is recognized as interest income over the lease term. For sales-type leases, the Company derecognizes the carrying amount of the underlying leased asset and recognizes a net investment in the leased asset in the consolidated balance sheet. The net investment in a leased asset is computed based on the present value of the minimum lease payments not yet received and the present value of the residual value of the asset.

Pension Plans

In connection with the acquisition of First Data, the Company acquired frozen defined benefit pension plans covering certain employees in Europe and the United States. The funded status of the defined benefit plans is recognized as an asset or a liability within other long-term assets or other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet. The plan assets are recognized at fair value. The Company recognizes actuarial gains/losses and prior service cost in the consolidated balance sheet and recognizes changes in these amounts during the year in which changes occur through other comprehensive income. The Company uses various assumptions when computing amounts relating to its defined benefit pension plan obligations and their associated expenses (including the discount rate and the expected rate of return on plan assets). See Note 20 for additional information.

Settlement Assets and Obligations

Settlement assets and obligations result from timing differences between collection and fulfillment of payment transactions primarily associated with the Company’s merchant services transactions. Settlement assets represent cash received or amounts receivable from agents, payment networks or directly from consumers. Settlement obligations represent amounts payable to clients and payees. Certain merchant settlement assets that relate to settlement obligations are held by partner banks to which the Company does not have legal ownership but has the right to use the assets to satisfy the related settlement obligations. The Company records corresponding settlement obligations for amounts payable to merchants and for payment instruments not yet presented for settlement.

Net Income Per Share

Net income per share in each period is calculated using actual, unrounded amounts. Basic net income per share is computed by dividing net income attributable to Fiserv, Inc. by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net income per share is computed by dividing net income attributable to Fiserv, Inc. by the weighted-average number of common shares and common stock equivalents outstanding during the period. Common stock equivalents consist of outstanding stock options, unvested restricted stock units, and unvested restricted stock awards and are computed using the treasury stock method.

Foreign Currency

The U.S. dollar is the functional currency of the Company’s U.S.-based businesses and certain foreign-based businesses. Where the functional currency is the local currency, assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date. Revenue and expenses are translated at the average exchange rates during the period. Gains and losses from foreign currency translation are recorded as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive loss. Gains and losses from foreign currency transactions are included in other (expense) income in the consolidated statements of income. The Company has designated its Euro- and British Pound-denominated senior notes as net investment hedges to hedge a portion of its net investment in certain subsidiaries whose functional currencies are the Euro and the British Pound (see Note 17). Accordingly, foreign currency transaction gains or losses on the qualifying net investment hedge instruments are recorded as foreign currency translation within other comprehensive loss in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income and will remain in accumulated other comprehensive loss on the consolidated balance sheet until the sale or complete liquidation of the underlying foreign subsidiaries.

Interest Expense, Net

Interest expense, net consists of interest expense primarily associated with the Company’s outstanding borrowings and finance lease obligations, as well as interest income primarily associated with the Company’s investment securities.

Revenue from Contract with Customer

The Company applies the optional exemption in paragraph 606-10-50-14(b) and does not disclose information about remaining performance obligations for account- and transaction-based processing fees that qualify for recognition in accordance with paragraph 606-10-55-18. These multi-year contracts contain variable consideration for stand-ready performance obligations for which the exact quantity and mix of transactions to be processed are contingent upon the customer’s request. The Company also applies the optional exemptions in paragraph 606-10-50-14A and does not disclose information for variable consideration that is a sales-based or usage-based royalty promised in exchange for a license of intellectual property or that is allocated entirely to a wholly unsatisfied performance obligation or to a wholly unsatisfied promise to transfer a distinct good or service in a series. The amounts disclosed above as remaining performance obligations consist primarily of fixed or monthly minimum processing fees and maintenance fees under contracts with an original expected duration of greater than one year.

The Company generates revenue from the delivery of processing, service and product solutions. Revenue is measured based on consideration specified in a contract with a customer, and excludes any amounts collected on behalf of third parties. The Company recognizes revenue when it satisfies a performance obligation by transferring control over a product or service to a customer which may be at a point in time or over time.

Contract assets, reported within other long-term assets in the consolidated balance sheets, primarily result from revenue being recognized where payment is contingent upon the transfer of services to a customer over the contractual period. Contract liabilities primarily relate to advance consideration received from customers (deferred revenue) for which transfer of control occurs, and therefore revenue is recognized, as services are provided. Contract balances are reported in a net contract asset or liability position on a contract-by-contract basis at the end of each reporting period.

Acquisitions

The acquisition was accounted for as a business combination using the acquisition method of accounting in accordance with ASC 805, Business Combinations (“ASC 805”). The purchase price was allocated to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on the estimated fair values at the date of acquisition. The excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net assets acquired was allocated to goodwill, none of which is expected to be deductible for tax purposes. Goodwill is primarily

attributed to synergies from future expected economic benefits, including enhanced revenue growth from expanded capabilities and geographic presence as well as substantial cost savings from duplicative overhead, streamlined operations and enhanced operational efficiency.

The September 30, 2019 consolidated balance sheet includes the assets and liabilities of First Data, which have been measured at fair value as of the acquisition date.

Fair Value Measurements

The Company applies fair value accounting for all assets and liabilities that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in its consolidated financial statements on a recurring basis. Fair value represents the amount that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. When determining the fair value measurements for assets and liabilities, the Company uses the hierarchy prescribed in ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements, considering the principal or most advantageous market and the market-based risk measurements or assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability. The three levels in the hierarchy are as follows:


•	Level 1 - Quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets that are accessible as of the measurement date.


•	Level 2 - Inputs other than quoted prices within Level 1 that are observable either directly or indirectly, including but not limited to quoted prices in markets that are not active, quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities and observable inputs other than quoted prices such as interest rates or yield curves.


•	Level 3 - Unobservable inputs reflecting the Company’s own assumptions about the assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk.

The fair values of cash equivalents, trade accounts receivable, settlement assets and obligations, accounts payable, and client deposits approximate their respective carrying values due to the short period of time to maturity. The Company’s derivative instruments are measured on a recurring basis based on foreign currency spot rates and forwards quoted by banks and foreign currency dealers and are marked-to-market each period (see Note 17). The estimated fair value of the contingent consideration liability related to the acquisition of Elan (see Note 4) was based on the present value of a probability-weighted assessment approach derived from the likelihood of achieving the earn-out criteria. This estimated fair value has not changed since the acquisition date.

Company as Lessee

The Company primarily leases certain office space, land, data centers and equipment from third parties. The Company determines if a contract is a lease at inception. A contract contains a lease if the contract conveys the right to control the use of an identified asset for a period of time in exchange for consideration. The lease term begins on the commencement date, which is the date the Company takes possession of the asset, and may include options to extend or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that the option will be exercised. Many of the Company’s leases contain renewal options for varying periods, which can be exercised at the Company’s sole discretion. Leases are classified as operating or finance leases based on factors such as the lease term, lease payments, and the economic life, fair value and estimated residual value of the asset. Certain leases include options to purchase the leased asset at the end of the lease term, which is assessed as a part of the Company’s lease classification determination. The Company elected the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within ASU 2016-02 to not reassess prior conclusions related to contracts containing leases, lease classification and initial direct costs. The Company’s leases have remaining lease terms ranging from one to 18 years.

The Company uses the right-of-use (“ROU”) model to account for its leases. ROU assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the Company’s obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. ROU assets and lease liabilities are recognized on the commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. ROU assets are based on the lease liability and are increased by prepaid lease payments and decreased by lease incentives received. For leases where the Company is reasonably certain to exercise a renewal option, such option periods have been included in the determination of the Company’s ROU assets and lease liabilities. Certain leases require the Company to pay taxes, insurance, maintenance, and other operating expenses associated with the leased asset. Such amounts are not included in the measurement of the ROU assets and lease liabilities to the extent they are variable in nature. These variable lease costs are recognized as a variable lease expense when incurred. As a practical expedient, lease agreements with lease and non-lease components are accounted for as a single lease component for all asset classes. The Company estimates contingent lease incentives when it is probable that the Company is entitled to the incentive at lease commencement. The Company elected the short-term lease recognition exemption for all leases that qualify. Therefore, leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the balance sheet; instead, lease payments are recognized as lease expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The depreciable life of the ROU assets and leasehold improvements are limited by the expected lease term unless the Company is reasonably certain of a transfer of title or purchase option. The Company uses its incremental borrowing rate to discount future lease payments in the calculation of the lease liability and ROU asset based on the information available on the commencement date for each lease. The Company’s leases typically do not provide an implicit rate. The determination of the incremental borrowing rate requires judgment and is determined using the Company’s current unsecured borrowing rate, adjusted for various factors such as collateralization, currency and term to align with the terms of the lease.

Company as Lessor

Leasing Receivables

Company as Lessor