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Note 2 - Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2020
Notes to Financial Statements |
Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block] | 2. Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies: Our accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared on the basis of accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The preparation of financial statements in conformity with these accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Significant estimates include acquisition purchase price allocations, the fair value of goodwill, the realization of deferred tax assets and liabilities, acquisition-related liabilities, fair value of stock-based compensation for equity awards granted, and assets and liabilities for pension and postretirement benefits. Actual results may ultimately differ from those estimates. Effective the first quarter of 2018, our operating segments are Insurance, Energy and Specialized Markets, and Financial Services. Certain reclassifications, including reflecting acquisition-related liabilities as a separate line item in 2020 and moving Maplecroft, an immaterial component, from the Energy and Specialized Markets segment to the underwriting and rating category within the Insurance segment, have been made within our consolidated balance sheets, consolidated statements of operations, consolidated statements of cash flows and in our notes to conform to our respective 2020 presentation. Significant accounting policies include the following: (a) Intercompany Accounts and Transactions The consolidated financial statements include all of our accounts. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. (b) Revenue Recognition The following describes our primary types of revenues and the applicable revenue recognition policies. We recognize revenues through recurring and non-recurring long-term agreements (generally one to five years) for hosted subscriptions, advisory/consulting services, and for transactional solutions. Each of our reportable segments, Insurance, Energy and Specialized Markets, and Financial Services, has a portion of its revenue from more than one of these revenue types. Our revenues are primarily derived from the sale of services where revenue is recognized when control of the promised services is transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that we expect to be entitled to in exchange for those services. Fees for services provided by us are non-refundable. Revenue is recognized net of applicable sales tax withholdings. Hosted Subscriptions We offer two forms of hosted subscriptions. The first and most prevalent form of hosted subscription is where customers access content only through our online portal (the "Hosted Subscription"). We grant a license to our customer to enter our online portal. The license is a contractual mechanism that allows our customer to access our online portal for a defined period of time. As the license alone does not provide utility to our customer, our customer has no contractual right to take possession of our online portal at any time, and our customer cannot engage another party to host our online portal and related content, it is not considered a functional license under Topic 606. Our promise to our customer is to provide continuous access to our online portal and to update the content throughout the subscription period. Hosted Subscription is a single performance obligation that represents a series of distinct services (daily access to our online portal and related content) that are substantially the same and that have the same pattern of transfer to our customer. We recognize revenue for Hosted Subscriptions ratably over the subscription period on a straight-line basis as services are performed and continuous access to information in our online portal is provided over the entire term of the agreements. The second form of hosted subscription is where customers have access to our online portals combined with software content that is delivered via disk drive/download to our customer (“Hosted Subscription with Disk Drive/Download”) and is offered only on a limited basis. For this form of hosted subscription, we also grant our customer a license to enter our online portal as well as access the software content as needed and act as the same contractual mechanism as described for Hosted Subscriptions. The Hosted Subscription with Disk Drive/Download works in such a manner that our customer gains significant benefit, functionality, and overall utility only when the online portal and the software content are used together. The disk drive/download contains the models while the online portal contains the latest data and research which is updated throughout the subscription period. The models within the disk drive/download depend on the data and research contained within our online portal. The data and research within our online portal is only useful when our customer can utilize it within the models (e.g., queries, projections, etc.) so that they may use the most current information and alerts to forecast potential future losses. The software content is only sold together with our online portal to provide a highly interdependent and interrelated promise and therefore represents a single performance obligation. As our customer has no contractual right to take possession of our online portal at any time, and our customer cannot engage another party to host our online portal and related software content, it is not considered a functional license under Topic 606. Our promise to our customer is to deliver the disk drive/download, to provide continuous access to our online portal, and to update the software content throughout the subscription period. We recognize revenue for Hosted Subscriptions with Disk Drive/Download ratably over the subscription period on a straight-line basis as services are performed and continuous access to information is provided over the entire term of the agreements. Subscriptions are generally paid in advance of rendering services either quarterly or annually upon commencement of the subscription period, which is usually for one year and in most instances automatically renewed each year. Advisory/Consulting Services We provide certain discrete project based advisory/consulting services, which are recognized over time by measuring the progress toward complete satisfaction of the performance obligation, based on the input method of consulting hours worked; this aligns with the results achieved and value transferred to our customer. The hours consumed are most reflective of the measure of progress towards satisfying the performance obligation, as the resources hours worked directly tie to the progress of the services to be provided. In general, they are billed over the course of the project. Transactional Solutions Certain solutions are also paid for by customers on a transactional basis. We recognize these revenues as the solutions are delivered or services performed at a point in time. In general, our customers are billed monthly at the end of each month. (c) Deferred Revenues We invoice our customers in annual, quarterly, monthly, or milestone installments. Amounts billed and/or collected in advance of services being provided are recorded as “Deferred revenues” and “Other noncurrent liabilities” in our accompanying consolidated balance sheets and are recognized as the services are performed, control is transferred to customers, and the applicable revenue recognition criteria is met. (d) Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Accounts receivable are generally recorded at the invoiced amount. Unbilled receivables are short-term in nature and expected to be billed within one year. The allowance for doubtful accounts or expected credit losses is estimated based on an analysis of the aging of the accounts receivable, historical write-offs, customer payment patterns, individual customer credit worthiness, current economic trends, reasonable and supportable forecasts of future economic conditions, and/or establishment of specific reserves for customers in adverse financial condition. We assess the adequacy of the allowance for doubtful accounts on a quarterly basis. (e) Deferred Commissions We recognize an asset for the incremental costs of obtaining a contract with a customer if we expect the benefit of those costs to be longer than one year. We have determined that certain sales incentive programs meet the requirements to be capitalized. The incremental costs of obtaining a contract with a customer, which primarily consist of sales commissions, are deferred and amortized over a useful life of five years that is consistent with the transfer to our customer the services to which the asset relates. We classify deferred commissions as current or noncurrent based on the timing of expense recognition. The current and noncurrent portions of deferred commissions are included in prepaid expenses and other assets, respectively, in our consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2020. Amortization expense related to deferred commissions is computed on a straight-line basis over its estimated useful lives and included in "Selling, general and administrative" within our accompanying consolidated statements of operations. (f) Fixed Assets and Finite-lived Intangible Assets Fixed assets and finite-lived intangibles are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization, which are computed on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the useful life of the asset or the lease term. Our internal software development costs primarily relate to internal-use software. Such costs are capitalized in the application development stage in accordance with ASC 350-40, Internal-use Software ("ASC 350-40"). We also capitalize software development costs upon the establishment of technological feasibility for a product in accordance with ASC 985-20, Software to be Sold, Leased, or Marketed (“ASC 985-20”). Software development costs are amortized on a straight-line basis. In accordance with ASC 360, Property, Plant & Equipment, whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of long-lived assets and finite-lived intangible assets may not be recoverable, we review our long-lived assets and finite-lived intangible assets for impairment by first comparing the carrying value of our assets to the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of our assets. If the carrying value exceeds the sum of our assets’ undiscounted cash flows, we estimate and recognize an impairment loss by taking the difference between the carrying value and fair value of our assets. (g) Leases We have operating and finance leases for corporate offices, data centers, and certain equipment that are accounted for under ASC 842. Our leases have remaining lease terms ranging from one year to fourteen years, some of which include the options to extend our leases for up to twenty years, and some of which include the options to terminate our leases within one year. Extension and termination options are considered in our calculation of the right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and lease liabilities when we determine it is reasonably certain that we will exercise those options. We determine if an arrangement is a lease at inception. We consider any contract where there is an identified asset and that it has the right to control the use of such asset in determining whether the contract contains a lease. A ROU asset represents our right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and the lease liabilities represent our obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease ROU assets and lease liabilities are recognized at commencement date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. As our operating leases do not provide an implicit rate, we use an incremental borrowing rate based on the information available on the adoption date in determining the present value of lease payments. The incremental borrowing rate was calculated by using our credit rating on our publicly-traded U.S. unsecured bonds and estimating an appropriate credit rating for similar secured debt instruments. Our calculated credit rating on secured debt instruments determined the yield curve used. We calculated an implied spread and applied the spreads to the risk-free interest rates based on the yield of the U.S. Treasury zero coupon securities with a maturity equal to the remaining lease term in determining the borrowing rates for all operating leases. Our operating lease ROU assets include any lease payments made prior to the rent commencement date and exclude lease incentives. Lease expense for lease payments are recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. Operating lease transactions are included in "Operating lease right-of-use assets, net", and "Operating lease liabilities", current and noncurrent, within our accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Finance leases are included in property and equipment under "Fixed assets, net", "Short-term debt and current portion of long-term debt", and "Long-term debt" within our accompanying consolidated balance sheets. (h) Fair Value of Financial and Non-financial Instruments We follow the provisions of ASC 820-10, Fair Value Measurements (“ASC 820-10”), which defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value under U.S. GAAP and expands fair value measurement disclosures. We follow the provisions of ASC 820-10 for our financial assets and liabilities recognized or disclosed at fair value on a recurring basis. We follow the provisions of ASC 820-10 for our non-financial assets and liabilities recognized or disclosed at fair value. (i) Foreign Currency We have determined local currencies are the functional currencies of our foreign operations. The assets and liabilities of foreign subsidiaries are translated at the period-end rate of exchange and statement of operations items are translated at the average rates prevailing during the year. The resulting translation adjustment is recorded as a component of “Accumulated other comprehensive losses” in our accompanying consolidated statements of changes in stockholders’ equity. (j) Stock-Based Compensation We follow ASC 718, Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”). Under ASC 718, stock-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date, based on the fair value of the awards granted, and is recognized as expense over the requisite service period. Our nonqualified stock options have an exercise price equal to the closing price of our common stock on the grant date, with a ten-year contractual term. The expected term for our stock options granted for a majority of the awards granted was estimated based on studies of historical experience and projected exercise behavior. However, for certain awards granted, for which no historical exercise pattern exists, the expected term was estimated using the simplified method. The risk-free interest rate is based on the yield of U.S. Treasury zero coupon securities with a maturity equal to the expected term of the equity award. The volatility factor is calculated using our historical daily closing prices over the most recent period that is commensurate with the expected term of the stock option awards. The expected dividend yield was based on our expected annual dividend rate on the date of grant. The fair value of our restricted stock is determined using the closing price of our common stock on the grant date. Our restricted stock is not assignable or transferable until it becomes vested. Restricted stock generally has a service vesting period of four years and we recognize the expense ratably over this service vesting period. Performance share units (“PSU”) vest at the end of a three-year performance period, subject to the recipient’s continued service. Each PSU represents the right to receive one share of our common stock and the ultimate realization is based on our achievement of certain market performance criteria. We determined the grant date fair value of PSUs with the assistance of a third-party valuation specialist and based on estimates provided by us. The valuation of our PSUs employed the Monte Carlo simulation model, which includes certain key assumptions that were applied to us and our peer group. Those key assumptions included valuation date stock price, expected volatility, correlation coefficients, risk-free rate of return, and expected dividend yield. The valuation date stock price is based on the dividend-adjusted closing price on the grant date. Expected volatility is calculated using historical daily closing prices over a period that is commensurate with the length of the performance period. The correlation coefficients are based on the price data used to calculate the historical volatilities. The risk-free rate of return is based on the yield of U.S. Treasury zero coupon securities with a maturity equal to the length of the performance period. The expected dividend yield was based on our and our peer group’s expected dividend rate over the performance period. We estimate expected forfeitures of equity awards at the date of grant and recognize compensation expense only for those awards expected to vest. The forfeiture assumption is ultimately adjusted to the actual forfeiture rate. Estimated forfeiture is ultimately adjusted to actual forfeiture. Changes in the forfeiture assumptions may impact the total amount of expense ultimately recognized, as well as the timing of expense recognized over the requisite service period. Excess tax benefit from exercised stock options, lapsing of restricted stock and PSUs is recorded as an income tax benefit in our accompanying consolidated statements of operations. This tax benefit is calculated as the excess of the intrinsic value of options exercised and of the market value of restricted stock lapsed over the compensation recognized for financial reporting purposes. (k) Research and Development Costs Research and development costs, which are primarily related to personnel and related overhead costs incurred in developing new services for customers, are expensed as incurred. Such costs were $48.9 million, $60.0 million and $45.1 million for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively, and were included in our accompanying consolidated statements of operations. (l) Advertising Costs Advertising costs, which are primarily associated with promoting our brand, names and solutions provided, are expensed as incurred. Such costs were $8.5 million, $10.7 million and $9.0 million for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. (m) Income Taxes We account for income taxes under the asset and liability method under ASC 740, Income Taxes (“ASC 740”), which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on the differences between the financial statements and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. Deferred tax assets are recorded to the extent these assets are more likely than not to be realized. In making such determination, we consider all available positive and negative evidence, including future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, projected future taxable income, tax planning strategies, and recent financial operations. Valuation allowances are recognized to reduce deferred tax assets if it is determined to be more likely than not that all or some of the potential deferred tax assets will not be realized. We follow ASC 740-10, Income Taxes (“ASC 740-10”), which clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in the financial statements. ASC 740-10 provides that a tax benefit from an uncertain tax position may be recognized based on the technical merits when it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon examination, including resolutions of any related appeals or litigation processes. Income tax positions must meet a more likely than not recognition threshold in accordance with ASC 740-10. This standard also provides guidance on measurement, derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, accounting in interim periods, disclosure, and transition. We recognize interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits within the income tax expense line in our accompanying consolidated statements of operations. Accrued interest and penalties are included within “Other liabilities” on our accompanying consolidated balance sheets. (n) Earnings Per Share Basic and diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) are determined in accordance with ASC 260, Earnings per Share, which specifies the computation, presentation and disclosure requirements for EPS. Basic EPS excludes all dilutive common stock equivalents. It is based upon the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted EPS, as calculated using the treasury stock method, reflects the potential dilution that would occur if our dilutive outstanding stock options and stock awards were issued. (o) Pension and Postretirement Benefits We account for our pension and postretirement benefits under ASC 715, Compensation — Retirement Benefits (“ASC 715”). ASC 715 requires the recognition of the funded status of a benefit plan in the balance sheet, the recognition in other comprehensive income (loss) of gains or losses and prior service costs arising during the period, but which are not included as components of periodic benefit cost or credit, and the measurement of defined benefit plan assets and obligations as of the balance sheet date. We utilize a valuation date of December 31. (p) Product Warranty Obligations We provide warranty coverage for certain of our solutions. We recognize a product warranty obligation when claims are probable and can be reasonably estimated. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, product warranty obligations were not material. In the ordinary course of business, we enter into numerous agreements that contain standard indemnities whereby we indemnify another party for breaches of confidentiality, infringement of intellectual property or gross negligence. Such indemnifications are primarily granted under licensing of computer software. Most agreements contain provisions to limit the maximum potential amount of future payments that we could be required to make under these indemnifications; however, we are not able to develop an estimate of the maximum potential amount of future payments to be made under these indemnifications as the triggering events are not subject to predictability. (q) Loss Contingencies We accrue for costs relating to litigation, claims and other contingent matters when such liabilities become probable and reasonably estimable. Such estimates are based on management’s judgment. Actual amounts paid may differ from amounts estimated, and such differences will be charged to operations in the period in which the final determination of the liability is made. (r) Goodwill Goodwill represents the excess of acquisition costs over the fair value of tangible net assets and identifiable intangible assets of our businesses acquired. Goodwill and intangible assets deemed to have indefinite lives are not amortized. Intangible assets determined to have finite lives are amortized over their useful lives. Goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite lives are subject to impairment testing annually as of June 30 or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be fully recoverable. We completed the required annual impairment test as of June 30, 2020, which resulted in no impairment of goodwill in 2020. This test compares the carrying value of each reporting unit to its fair value. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds the carrying value of our net assets, including goodwill assigned to that reporting unit, goodwill is not impaired. If the carrying value of the reporting unit’s net assets, including goodwill, exceeds the fair value of the reporting unit, then an impairment loss is recorded for the difference between the carrying amount and the fair value of the reporting unit. (s) Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Accounting Standard |  | Description |  | Effective Date |  | Effect on Consolidated Financial Statements or Other Significant Matters
Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326) In June 2016, Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2016-13, "Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments" ("Topic 326") |  | Topic 326 replaces the current “incurred loss” model for recognizing credit losses with an “expected loss” model referred to as the Current Expected Credit Loss ("CECL") model. Under the CECL model, an entity is required to present certain financial assets carried at amortized cost, such as trade receivables, at the net amount expected to be collected. The measurement of expected credit losses is to be based on information about past events, including historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amount. This measurement takes place at the time the financial asset is first added to the balance sheet and periodically thereafter. This differs significantly from the “incurred loss” model required under U.S. GAAP, which delays recognition until it is probable a loss has been incurred. |  | We adopted these amendments on January 1, 2020. |  | Refer to our accompanying consolidated statements of changes in stockholders' equity for the adjustment of the opening retained earnings and Note 7. Fair Value Measurements for further discussions.
Income Tax (Topic 740) In December 2019, FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, "Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes" ("ASU No. 2019-12") |  | The amendments in this guidance reflect the FASB’s effort to reduce the complexity of accounting standards while maintaining or enhancing the helpfulness of information provided to financial statement users. Changes include treatment of Hybrid tax regimes, tax basis step-up in goodwill obtained in a transaction that is not a business combination, separate financial statements of legal entities not subject to tax, intraperiod tax allocation, ownership changes in investments, interim-period accounting for enacted changes in tax law, year-to-date loss limitation in interim-period tax accounting, income statement presentation of tax benefits of tax-deductible dividends, and impairment of investment in qualified affordable housing projects accounted for under the equity method. |  | Fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020 with early adoption permitted. |  | We have decided not to early adopt the amendments. We are currently evaluating ASU No. 2019-12 and have not yet determined the impact of these amendments may have on our consolidated financial statements.
Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848) In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, "Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting" ("ASU No. 2020-04") |  | The amendment in this update provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying U.S. GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. The amendment in this update applies only to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions that reference LIBOR or another reference rate expected to be discontinued because of reference rate reform. The expedients and exceptions provided by the amendment does not apply to contract modifications made and hedging relationships entered into or evaluated after December 31, 2022, except for hedging relationships existing as December 31, 2022, that an entity has elected certain optional expedients for and that are retained through the end of the hedging relationship. |  | The amendment in this update is effective for all entities as of March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022. |  | We adopted this amendment on March 12, 2020. There was no impact to our consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2020. We continue to monitor the transition of LIBOR to alternative reference rate measures that will likely become effective post December 2021.

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