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Overview and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 12 Months Ended
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Oct. 31, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Overview and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | Overview and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Background Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company ("Hewlett Packard Enterprise", "HPE", or "the Company") is a global technology leader focused on developing intelligent solutions that allow customers to capture, analyze and act upon data seamlessly from edge to cloud. Hewlett Packard Enterprise enables customers to accelerate business outcomes by driving new business models, creating new customer and employee experiences, and increasing operational efficiency today and into the future. Hewlett Packard Enterprise's customers range from small- and medium-sized businesses ("SMBs") to large global enterprises. Former Parent Separation On November 1, 2015, the Company became an independent publicly-traded company through a pro rata distribution by HP Inc. ("former Parent" or "HPI"), formerly known as Hewlett-Packard Company ("HP Co."), of 100% of the outstanding shares of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Company to HP Inc.'s stockholders (the "Separation"). Each HP Inc. stockholder of record received one share of Hewlett Packard Enterprise common stock for each share of HP Inc. common stock held on the record date. Following the Separation, the Company became an independent publicly-traded company. On October 31, 2015 and November 1, 2015, the Company entered into several agreements with former Parent that govern the relationship between the Company and former Parent following the distribution.
• | Separation and Distribution Agreement;
• | Transition Services Agreement;
• | Tax Matters Agreement;
• | Employee Matters Agreement;
• | Real Estate Matters Agreement;
• | Master Commercial Agreement; and
• | Information Technology Service Agreement.
These agreements provided for the allocation between the Company and former Parent's assets, employees, liabilities, and obligations (including its investments, property and employee benefits and tax-related assets and liabilities) attributable to periods prior to, at and after the Separation. Obligations under the service and commercial contracts generally extend through five years. Discontinued Operations On April 1, 2017, HPE completed the separation and merger of its Enterprise Services business with Computer Sciences Corporation (“CSC”) (collectively, the “Everett Transaction”). HPE transferred its Enterprise Services business to Everett SpinCo, Inc. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of HPE) ("Everett") and distributed all of the shares of Everett to HPE stockholders. Following the distribution, New Everett Merger Sub Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Everett, merged with and into CSC and Everett changed its name to DXC Technology Company ("DXC"). On September 1, 2017, HPE completed the separation and merger of its Software business segment with Micro Focus International plc (“Micro Focus”) (collectively, the “Seattle Transaction”). HPE transferred its Software business segment to Seattle SpinCo, Inc. (a wholly-owned subsidiary of HPE) ("Seattle"), and distributed all of the shares of Seattle to HPE stockholders. Following the share distribution, Seattle MergerSub, Inc., an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of Micro Focus, merged with and into Seattle. HPE had entered into several agreements with each of DXC and Micro Focus that govern the relationship between the parties, including the following:
• | Separation and Distribution Agreement;
• | Transition Services Agreement;
• | Tax Matters Agreement;
• | Employee Matters Agreement;
• | Real Estate Matters Agreement;
• | Intellectual Property Matters Agreement
• | Information Technology Service Agreement; and
• | Preferred Vendor Agreements.
These agreements provided for the allocation of assets, employees, liabilities and obligations (including its investments, property, employee benefits, litigation, and tax-related assets and liabilities) between HPE and DXC and HPE and Micro Focus, respectively, attributable to periods prior to, at and after the transactions. Obligations under the service and commercial contracts generally extend through five years. HPE Next During the third quarter of fiscal 2017, the Company launched an initiative called HPE Next, through which it will simplify the organizational structure and redesign business processes. The HPE Next initiative is expected to be implemented through fiscal 2020. During this time, the Company expects to incur expenses for workforce reductions, to upgrade and simplify its IT infrastructure, and for other non-labor actions. These costs were partially offset by gains from real estate sales, all of which was recorded within Transformation costs in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. For more details on the HPE Next initiative and Transformation costs, see Note 5, "HPE Next". Basis of Presentation The historical results of operations and financial position of both Everett and Seattle are reported as discontinued operations in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings and the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The historical information in the accompanying Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements has been restated to reflect the effects of the Everett Transaction and the Seattle Transaction. For further information on discontinued operations, see Note 2, "Discontinued Operations". Principles of Consolidation and Combination The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and other subsidiaries and affiliates in which the Company has a controlling financial interest or is the primary beneficiary. All intercompany transactions and accounts within the consolidated businesses of the Company have been eliminated. Intercompany transactions between the Company and former Parent, prior to the Separation, are considered to be effectively settled in the Consolidated and Combined Financial Statements at the time the transaction was recorded. The total net effect of the settlement of these intercompany transactions is reflected in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows within financing activities. The Company accounts for investments in companies over which it has the ability to exercise significant influence but does not hold a controlling interest under the equity method of accounting, and the Company records its proportionate share of income or losses in Earnings (loss) from equity interests in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. Non-controlling interests are presented as a separate component within Total stockholders' equity in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Net earnings attributable to non-controlling interests are recorded within Interest and other, net in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings and are not presented separately, as they were not material for any period presented. Segment Realignment During the first quarter of fiscal 2018, the Company completed an organizational change in certain segment and business unit realignments in order to align its segment financial reporting more closely with its current business structure. Reclassifications of certain prior year segment and business unit financial information have been made to conform to the current-year presentation. None of the changes impact the Company's previously reported consolidated net revenue, earnings from operations, net earnings or net earnings per share ("EPS"). See Note 3, "Segment Information", for a further discussion of the Company's segment realignment. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP") requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. Foreign Currency Translation The Company predominately uses the U.S. dollar as its functional currency. Assets and liabilities denominated in non-U.S. currencies are remeasured into U.S. dollars at current exchange rates for monetary assets and liabilities and at historical exchange rates for non-monetary assets and liabilities. Net revenue, costs and expenses denominated in non-U.S. currencies are recorded in U.S. dollars at the average rates of exchange prevailing during the period. The Company includes gains or losses from foreign currency remeasurement in Interest and other, net in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings and gains and losses from cash flow hedges in Net revenue as the hedged revenue is recognized. Certain non-U.S. subsidiaries designate the local currency as their functional currency, and the Company records the translation of their assets and liabilities into U.S. dollars at the balance sheet date as translation adjustments and includes them as a component of Accumulated other comprehensive loss in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The effect of foreign currency exchange rates on cash and cash equivalents was not material for any of the fiscal years presented. Former Parent Company Investment Former Parent company investment in Consolidated Statements of Stockholders' Equity represents former Parent's historical investment in the Company, the net effect of transactions with and allocations from former Parent and the Company's accumulated earnings. In December 2015, in connection with the Separation and Distribution Agreement, the Company received a net cash allocation of $526 million from former Parent. The cash allocation was based on the projected cash requirements of the Company, in light of the intended investment grade credit rating, business plan and anticipated operations and activities. Former Parent historically used a centralized approach to manage cash and finance its operations. Prior to the Separation, transactions between the Company and former Parent were considered to be effectively settled for cash at the time the transaction was recorded. The net effect of these transactions is included in Net transfer from former Parent in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. Revenue Recognition General The Company recognizes revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery has occurred or services are rendered, the sales price or fee is fixed or determinable, and collectability is reasonably assured. Additionally, the Company recognizes hardware revenue on sales to channel partners, including resellers, distributors or value-added solution providers at the time of delivery when the channel partners have economic substance apart from the Company, and the Company has completed its obligations related to the sale. The Company generally recognizes revenue for its standalone software sales to channel partners on receipt of evidence that the software has been sold to a specific end user. The Company limits the amount of revenue recognized for delivered elements to the amount that is not contingent on the future delivery of products or services, future performance obligations or subject to customer-specified refund or return rights. The Company reduces revenue for customer and distributor programs and incentive offerings, including price protection, rebates, promotions, other volume-based incentives, and expected returns, at the later of the date of revenue recognition or the date the sales incentive is offered. Future market conditions and product transitions may require the Company to take actions to increase customer incentive offerings, possibly resulting in an incremental reduction of revenue at the time the incentive is offered. For certain incentive programs, the Company estimates the number of customers expected to redeem the incentive based on historical experience and the specific terms and conditions of the incentive. In instances when revenue is derived from sales of third-party vendor products or services, the Company records revenue on a gross basis when the Company is a principal to the transaction and on a net basis when the Company is acting as an agent between the customer and the vendor. The Company considers several factors to determine whether it is acting as a principal or an agent, most notably whether the Company is the primary obligor to the customer, has established its own pricing and has inventory and credit risks. The Company reports revenue net of any taxes collected from customers and remitted to government authorities, with the collected taxes recorded as current liabilities until remitted to the relevant government authority. Multiple element arrangements When a sales arrangement contains multiple elements or deliverables, such as hardware and software products, and/or services, the Company allocates revenue to each element based on a selling price hierarchy. The selling price for a deliverable is based on its vendor specific objective evidence ("VSOE") of selling price, if available, third-party evidence ("TPE") if VSOE of selling price is not available, or estimated selling price ("ESP") if neither VSOE of selling price nor TPE is available. The Company establishes VSOE of selling price using the price charged for a deliverable when sold separately and, in rare instances, using the price established by management having the relevant authority. The Company establishes TPE of selling price by evaluating largely similar and interchangeable competitor products or services in standalone sales to similarly situated customers. The Company establishes ESP based on management judgment considering internal factors such as margin objectives, pricing practices and controls, customer segment pricing strategies and the product life-cycle. Consideration is also given to market conditions such as competitor pricing strategies and technology industry life-cycles. In most arrangements with multiple elements, the Company allocates the transaction price to the individual units of accounting at inception of the arrangement based on their relative selling price. In multiple element arrangements that include software that is more-than-incidental, the Company allocates the transaction price to the individual units of accounting for the non-software deliverables and to the software deliverables as a group using the relative selling price of each of the deliverables in the arrangement based on the selling price hierarchy. If the arrangement contains more than one software deliverable, the transaction price allocated to the group of software deliverables is then allocated to each component software deliverable. The Company evaluates each deliverable in an arrangement to determine whether it represents a separate unit of accounting. A deliverable constitutes a separate unit of accounting when it has standalone value to the customer. For elements with no standalone value, the Company recognizes revenue consistent with the pattern of the undelivered elements. If the arrangement includes a customer-negotiated refund or return right or other contingency relative to the delivered items, and the delivery and performance of the undelivered items is considered probable and substantially within the Company's control, the delivered element constitutes a separate unit of accounting. In arrangements with combined units of accounting, changes in the allocation of the transaction price among elements may impact the timing of revenue recognition for the contract but will not change the total revenue recognized for the contract. Product revenue Hardware Under the Company's standard terms and conditions of sale, the Company transfers title and risk of loss to the customer at the time product is delivered to the customer and recognizes revenue accordingly, unless customer acceptance is uncertain or significant obligations to the customer remain. The Company reduces revenue for estimated customer returns, price protection, rebates and other programs offered under sales agreements established by the Company with its distributors and resellers. The Company records revenue from the sale of equipment under sales-type leases as product revenue at the inception of the lease. The Company accrues the estimated cost of post-sale obligations, including standard product warranties, based on historical experience at the time the Company recognizes revenue. Software The Company recognizes revenue from perpetual software licenses at the inception of the license term, assuming all revenue recognition criteria have been satisfied. Term-based software license revenue is generally recognized ratably over the term of the license. The Company uses the residual method to allocate revenue to software licenses at the inception of the arrangement when VSOE of fair value for all undelivered elements, such as post-contract customer support, exists and all other revenue recognition criteria have been satisfied. The Company recognizes revenue from maintenance and unspecified upgrades or updates provided on a when-and-if-available basis ratably over the period during which such items are delivered. The Company recognizes revenue for software-as-a-service ("SaaS") arrangements as the service is delivered, generally on a straight-line basis, over the contractual period of performance. Services revenue The Company recognizes revenue from fixed-price support or maintenance contracts, including extended warranty contracts and software post-contract customer support agreements, ratably over the contract period and recognizes the costs associated with these contracts as incurred. For time and material contracts, the Company recognizes revenue as services are rendered and recognizes costs as they are incurred. The Company recognizes revenue from certain fixed-price contracts, such as consulting arrangements, as work progresses over the contract period on a proportional performance basis, as determined by the percentage of labor costs incurred to date compared to the total estimated labor costs of a contract. Estimates of total project costs for fixed-price contracts are regularly reassessed during the life of a contract. Provisions for estimated losses on fixed-priced contracts are recognized in the period when such losses become known. If reasonable and reliable cost estimates for a project cannot be made, the Company uses the completed contract method and recognizes revenue and costs upon service completion. The Company recognizes revenue from operating leases on a straight-line basis as service revenue over the rental period. Financing income Sales-type and direct-financing leases produce financing income, which the Company recognizes at consistent rates of return over the lease term. Deferred revenue The Company records amounts invoiced to customers in excess of revenue recognized as deferred revenue until the revenue recognition criteria are satisfied. The Company records revenue that is earned and recognized in excess of amounts invoiced on services contracts as trade receivables. Deferred revenue represents amounts invoiced in advance for product support contracts, software customer support contracts, consulting and integration projects, product sales or leasing income. Shipping and Handling The Company includes costs related to shipping and handling in Cost of products. Stock-Based Compensation Stock-based compensation expense is based on the measurement date fair value of the award and is recognized only for those awards expected to meet the service and performance vesting conditions on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the award. Stock-based compensation expense is determined at the aggregate grant level for service-based awards and at the individual vesting tranche level for awards with performance and/or market conditions. The forfeiture rate is estimated based on historical experience. Retirement and Post-Retirement Plans The Company has various defined benefit, other contributory and noncontributory, retirement and post-retirement plans. The Company generally amortizes unrecognized actuarial gains and losses on a straight-line basis over the average remaining estimated service life or, in the case of closed plans, life expectancy of participants. In limited cases, actuarial gains and losses are amortized using the corridor approach. See Note 6, “Retirement and Post-Retirement Benefit Plans” for a full description of these plans and the accounting and funding policies. Advertising Costs to produce advertising are expensed as incurred during production. Costs to communicate advertising are expensed when the advertising is first run. Advertising expense totaled approximately $193 million in fiscal 2018, $255 million in fiscal 2017, and $215 million in fiscal 2016. Restructuring The Company records charges associated with approved restructuring plans to reorganize one or more of the Company's business segments, to remove duplicative headcount and infrastructure associated with business acquisitions or to simplify business processes and accelerate innovation. Restructuring charges can include severance costs to eliminate a specified number of employees, infrastructure charges to vacate facilities and consolidate operations, and contract cancellation costs. The Company records restructuring charges based on estimated employee terminations and site closure and consolidation plans. The Company accrues for severance and other employee separation costs under these actions when it is probable that benefits will be paid and the amount is reasonably estimable. The rates used in determining severance accruals are based on existing plans, historical experiences and negotiated settlements. Taxes on Earnings The Company recognizes deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected tax consequences of temporary differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts using enacted tax rates in effect for the year the differences are expected to reverse. The Company records a valuation allowance to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to realize. In determining the need for a valuation allowance, the Company considers future market growth, forecasted earnings, future sources of taxable income, the mix of earnings in the jurisdictions in which the Company operates, and prudent and feasible tax planning strategies. In the event the Company were to determine that it is more likely than not that the Company will be unable to realize all or part of its deferred tax assets in the future, the Company would increase the valuation allowance and recognize a corresponding charge to earnings or other comprehensive income in the period in which such a determination were made. Likewise, if the Company later determines that the deferred tax assets are more likely than not to be realized, the Company would reverse the applicable portion of the previously recognized valuation allowance. In order for the Company to realize deferred tax assets, the Company must be able to generate sufficient taxable income in the jurisdictions in which the deferred tax assets are located. The Company records accruals for uncertain tax positions when the Company believes that it is not more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities based on the technical merits of the position. The Company makes adjustments to these accruals when facts and circumstances change, such as the closing of a tax audit or the refinement of an estimate. The provision for income taxes includes the effects of adjustments for uncertain tax positions, effects of settlement of certain pre-Separation Hewlett-Packard Company income tax liabilities, as well as any related interest and penalties. Accounts Receivable The Company establishes an allowance for doubtful accounts for accounts receivable. The Company records a specific reserve for individual accounts when the Company becomes aware of specific customer circumstances, such as in the case of a bankruptcy filing or deterioration in the customer's operating results or financial position. If there are additional changes in circumstances related to the specific customer, the Company further adjusts estimates of the recoverability of receivables. The Company maintains bad debt reserves for all other customers based on a variety of factors, including the use of third-party credit risk models that generate quantitative measures of default probabilities based on market factors, the financial condition of customers, the length of time receivables are past due, trends in the weighted-average risk rating for the portfolio, macroeconomic conditions, information derived from competitive benchmarking, significant one-time events, and historical experience. The past due or delinquency status of a receivable is based on the contractual payment terms of the receivable. The Company has third-party revolving short-term financing arrangements intended to facilitate the working capital requirements of certain customers. These financing arrangements, which in certain cases provide for partial recourse, result in the transfer of the Company's trade receivables to a third party. The Company reflects amounts transferred to, but not yet collected from, the third party in Accounts receivable in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. For arrangements involving an element of recourse, the fair value of the recourse obligation is measured using market data from similar transactions and reported as a current liability in Other accrued liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Concentrations of Risk Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash and cash equivalents, investments, receivables from trade customers and contract manufacturers, financing receivables and derivatives. The Company maintains cash and cash equivalents, investments, derivatives, and certain other financial instruments with various financial institutions. These financial institutions are located in many different geographic regions, and the Company's policy is designed to limit exposure from any particular institution. As part of its risk management processes, the Company performs periodic evaluations of the relative credit standing of these financial institutions. The Company has not sustained material credit losses from instruments held at these financial institutions. The Company utilizes derivative contracts to protect against the effects of foreign currency and interest rate exposures. Such contracts involve the risk of non-performance by the counterparty, which could result in a material loss. Credit risk with respect to accounts receivable and financing receivables is generally diversified due to the large number of entities comprising the Company's customer base and their dispersion across many different industries and geographic regions. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of the financial condition of its customers and may require collateral, such as letters of credit and bank guarantees, in certain circumstances. As of October 31, 2018 and 2017 no single customer accounted for more than 10% of the Company's gross accounts receivable balance. The Company utilizes outsourced manufacturers around the world to manufacture company-designed products. The Company may purchase product components from suppliers and sell those components to its outsourced manufacturers thereby creating receivable balances from the outsourced manufacturers. The three largest outsourced manufacturer receivable balances collectively represented 92% and 87% of the Company's manufacturer receivables of $684 million and $594 million at October 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The Company includes the manufacturer receivables in Other current assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets on a gross basis. The Company's credit risk associated with these receivables is mitigated wholly or in part by the amount the Company owes to these outsourced manufacturers, as the Company generally has the legal right to offset its payables to the outsourced manufacturers against these receivables. The Company does not reflect the sale of these components in revenue and does not recognize any profit on these component sales until the related products are sold by the Company, at which time any profit is recognized as a reduction to cost of sales. The Company obtains a significant number of components from single source suppliers due to technology, availability, price, quality or other considerations. The loss of a single source supplier, the deterioration of the Company's relationship with a single source supplier, or any unilateral modification to the contractual terms under which the Company is supplied components by a single source supplier could adversely affect the Company's revenue and gross margins. Inventory The Company values inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Cost is computed using standard cost which approximates actual cost on a first-in, first-out basis. Adjustments to reduce the cost of inventory to its net realizable value are made, if required, for estimated excess or obsolescence determined primarily by future demand forecasts. Property, Plant and Equipment The Company states property, plant and equipment at cost less accumulated depreciation. The Company capitalizes additions and improvements and expenses maintenance and repairs as incurred. Depreciation expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets. Estimated useful lives are five to 40 years for buildings and improvements and three to 15 years for machinery and equipment. The Company depreciates leasehold improvements over the life of the lease or the asset, whichever is shorter. The Company depreciates equipment held for lease over the initial term of the lease to the equipment's estimated residual value. The estimated useful lives of assets used solely to support a customer services contract generally do not exceed the term of the customer contract. On retirement or disposition, the asset cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the Consolidated Balance Sheets with any gain or loss recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. The Company capitalizes certain internal and external costs incurred to acquire or create internal use software, principally related to software coding, designing system interfaces and installation and testing of the software. The Company amortizes capitalized internal use software costs using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the software, generally from three to five years. Business Combinations The Company includes the results of operations of acquired businesses in the Company's consolidated results prospectively from the date of acquisition. The Company allocates the fair value of purchase consideration to the assets acquired including in-process research and development ("IPR&D"), liabilities assumed, and non-controlling interests in the acquired entity generally based on their fair values at the acquisition date. IPR&D is initially capitalized at fair value as an intangible asset with an indefinite life and assessed for impairment thereafter. When the IPR&D project is complete, it is reclassified as an amortizable purchased intangible asset and is amortized over its estimated useful life. If an IPR&D project is abandoned, the Company will record a charge for the value of the related intangible asset to the Company's Consolidated Statement of Earnings in the period it is abandoned. The excess of the fair value of purchase consideration over the fair value of the assets acquired, liabilities assumed and non-controlling interests in the acquired entity is recorded as goodwill. The primary items that generate goodwill include the value of the synergies between the acquired company and the Company and the value of the acquired assembled workforce, neither of which qualifies for recognition as an intangible asset. Acquisition-related expenses and post-acquisition restructuring costs are recognized separately from the business combination and are expensed as incurred. Goodwill The Company reviews goodwill for impairment annually and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of goodwill may not be recoverable. The Company performs a quantitative test for all of its reporting units as part of its annual goodwill impairment test in the fourth quarter of each fiscal year. The Company estimates the fair value of its reporting units using a weighting of fair values derived most significantly from the income approach, and to a lesser extent, the market approach. Under the income approach, the Company estimates the fair value of a reporting unit based on the present value of estimated future cash flows. The Company prepares cash flow projections based on management's estimates of revenue growth rates and operating margins, taking into consideration industry and market conditions. The Company bases the discount rate on the weighted-average cost of capital adjusted for the relevant risk associated with business-specific characteristics and the uncertainty related to the reporting unit's ability to execute on the projected cash flows. Under the market approach, the Company estimates fair value based on market multiples of revenue and earnings derived from comparable publicly traded companies with similar operating and investment characteristics as the reporting unit. The Company weights the fair value derived from the market approach depending on the level of comparability of these publicly traded companies to the reporting unit. When market comparables are not meaningful or not available, the Company estimates the fair value of a reporting unit using only the income approach. If the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds the carrying amount of the net assets assigned to that reporting unit, goodwill is not impaired and no further testing is required. If the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, goodwill is impaired. The goodwill impairment loss is measured as the excess of the reporting unit's carrying value over its fair value (not to exceed the total goodwill allocated to that reporting unit). Intangible Assets and Long-Lived Assets The Company reviews intangible assets with finite lives and long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. The Company assesses the recoverability of assets based on the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to result from the use and eventual disposition of the asset. If the undiscounted future cash flows are less than the carrying amount, the asset is impaired. The Company measures the amount of impairment loss, if any, as the difference between the carrying amount of the asset and its fair value using an income approach or, when available and appropriate, using a market approach. The Company amortizes intangible assets with finite lives using the straight-line method over the estimated economic lives of the assets, ranging from one to ten years. Assets Held for Sale The Company classifies its long-lived assets to be sold as held for sale in the period (i) it has approved and committed to a plan to sell the asset, (ii) the asset is available for immediate sale in its present condition, (iii) an active program to locate a buyer and other actions required to sell the asset have been initiated, (iv) the sale of the asset is probable, (v) the asset is being actively marketed for sale at a price that is reasonable in relation to its current fair value, and (vi) it is unlikely that significant changes to the plan will be made or that the plan will be withdrawn. The Company initially measures a long-lived asset that is classified as held for sale at the lower of its carrying value or fair value less any costs to sell. Any loss resulting from this measurement is recognized in the period in which the held for sale criteria are met. Conversely, gains are not recognized on the sale of a long-lived asset until the date of sale. Upon designation as an asset held for sale, the Company stops recording depreciation expense on the asset. The Company assesses the fair value of a long-lived asset less any costs to sell at each reporting period and until the asset is no longer classified as held for sale. Equity Method Investments Investments and ownership interests are accounted for under equity method accounting if the Company has the ability to exercise significant influence, but does not have a controlling financial interest. The Company records its interest in the net earnings of its equity method investees, along with adjustments for unrealized profits or losses on intra-entity transactions and amortization of basis differences, within earnings or loss from equity interests in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. Profits or losses related to intra-entity sales with its equity method investees are eliminated until realized by the investor or investee. Basis differences represent differences between the cost of the investment and the underlying equity in net assets of the investment and are generally amortized over the lives of the related assets that gave rise to them. Equity method goodwill is not amortized or tested for impairment; instead the equity method investment is tested for impairment. The Company records its interest in the net earnings of its equity method investments based on the most recently available financial statements of the investees. The carrying amount of the investment in equity interests is adjusted to reflect the Company's interest in net earnings, dividends received and other-than-temporary impairments. The Company reviews for impairment whenever factors indicate that the carrying amount of the investment might not be recoverable. In such a case, the decrease in value is recognized in the period the impairment occurs in the Consolidated Statement of Earnings. Debt and Marketable Equity Securities Investments Debt and marketable equity securities are generally considered available-for-sale and are reported at fair value with unrealized gains and losses, net of applicable taxes, in Accumulated other comprehensive loss in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Realized gains and losses for available-for-sale securities are calculated based on the specific identification method and included in Interest and other, net in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. The Company monitors its investment portfolio for potential impairment on a quarterly basis. When the carrying amount of an investment in debt securities exceeds its fair value and the decline in value is determined to be other-than-temporary, the Company records an impairment charge to Interest and other, net in the amount of the credit loss and the balance, if any, is recorded in Accumulated other comprehensive loss in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Derivatives The Company uses derivative financial instruments, primarily forwards, swaps, and, at times, options, to hedge certain foreign currency and interest rate exposures. The Company also may use other derivative instruments, such as forwards, to hedge foreign currency balance sheet exposures. The Company does not use derivative financial instruments for speculative purposes. See Note 14, "Financial Instruments", for a full description of the Company's derivative financial instrument activities and related accounting policies. Loss Contingencies The Company is involved in various lawsuits, claims, investigations, and proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of business. The Company records a liability for contingencies when it believes it is both probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. See Note 18, "Litigation and Contingencies", for a full description of the Company's loss contingencies and related accounting policies. Recent Tax Legislation On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the "Tax Act") was enacted into law. The Tax Act includes significant changes to the U.S. corporate income tax structure, including a federal corporate rate reduction from 35% to 21% effective January 1, 2018; limitations on the deductibility of interest expense and executive compensation; creation of new minimum taxes such as the Base Erosion Anti-abuse Tax ("BEAT") and the Global Intangible Low Taxed Income ("GILTI") tax; and the transition of U.S. international taxation from a worldwide tax system to a modified territorial tax system, which will result in a one-time U.S. tax liability on those earnings which have not previously been repatriated to the U.S. (the "Transition Tax"). In December 2017, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118, Income Tax Accounting Implications of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("SAB 118"), which allows the Company to record provisional amounts during a measurement period not to extend beyond one year of the enactment date, which for the Company will end in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. Due to the complexity involved in applying the provisions of the Tax Act, the Company has not completed the accounting for the effects of the Tax Act, but has made reasonable estimates of the effects and recorded provisional amounts in its Consolidated Financial Statements for fiscal 2018. The accounting for the tax effects of the Tax Act will be completed during the measurement period in accordance with SAB 118. For further details, see Note 8, "Taxes on Earnings". Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements In March 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued guidance that amends ASC 740, Income Taxes, to reflect and codify SAB 118. The guidance became effective upon issuance. The Company applied SAB 118 upon the original issuance in December 2017 prior to the codification. See Note 8, "Taxes on Earnings" for a full description of the impact of the Tax Act to the Company's operations. In January 2017, the FASB issued guidance that clarifies the definition of a business. The guidance provides a more robust framework to use in determining when a set of assets and activities acquired or sold is a business. The Company adopted the guidance in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 on a prospective basis. The adoption of this guidance has no material impact on the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements. In March 2016, the FASB amended the existing accounting standards for employee share-based payment arrangements. The new guidance requires excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies to be recorded in the income statement when stock awards vest or are settled. In addition, cash flows related to excess tax benefits will no longer be separately classified as an inflow from financing activities, with a corresponding outflow from operating activities, but will be classified along with other income tax cash flows as an operating activity. The standard also allows the Company to repurchase more of an employee's vesting shares for tax withholding purposes without triggering liability accounting and clarifies that all cash payments made to tax authorities on an employee's behalf for withheld shares should be presented as a financing activity on the statement of cash flows. The Company adopted the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2018 and prospectively recorded all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies arising from stock awards vesting as settled as income tax expense or benefit, rather than in equity. For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2018, the impact of the adoption was $65 million, of net excess tax benefits as a component of the (provision) benefit for income taxes. The Company elected to continue to estimate forfeitures of awards in determining stock-based compensation expense. The Company elected to apply the presentation requirements for cash flows retrospectively, which resulted in increases to net cash provided by operating activities of $446 million and $98 million and corresponding increases to net cash used in financing activities for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. There were no other material impacts to the Company's Consolidated Financial Statements as a result of adopting this standard. Recently Enacted Accounting Pronouncements In August 2018, the FASB issued guidance on a customer's accounting for implementation costs incurred in cloud-computing arrangements that are hosted by a vendor. Certain types of implementation costs should be capitalized and amortized over the term of the hosting arrangement. The Company is required to adopt the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2021. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the timing and the impact of these amendments on its Consolidated Financial Statements. In August 2018, the FASB issued guidance which changes the disclosure requirements for fair value measurements and defined benefit plans. The Company is required to adopt the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2021. Early adoption is permitted. As the guidance represents a change to disclosure only, the Company does not expect the guidance to have a material impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements. In February 2018, the FASB issued guidance that allows companies to reclassify stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Act, from accumulated other comprehensive loss to retained earnings. The guidance also requires certain new disclosures regardless of the election. The Company is required to adopt the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2020. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the timing and the impact of these amendments on its Consolidated Financial Statements. In August 2017, the FASB amended the existing accounting standards for hedge accounting. The amendments expand an entity’s ability to hedge non-financial and financial risk components and reduce complexity in fair value hedges of interest rate risk. The new guidance eliminates the requirement to separately measure and report hedge ineffectiveness and requires the entire change in the fair value of a hedging instrument to be presented in the same income statement line as the hedged item. The guidance also simplifies certain documentation and assessment requirements and modifies the accounting for components excluded from the assessment of hedge effectiveness. The Company is required to adopt the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2020. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the timing and the impact of these amendments on its Consolidated Financial Statements. In March 2017, the FASB amended the existing accounting standards for retirement benefits. The amendments require the presentation of the service cost component of net periodic benefit cost in the same income statement line items as other employee compensation costs, unless eligible for capitalization. The other components of net periodic benefit costs will be presented separately from service cost as non-operating costs. The Company plans to adopt the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2019, beginning November 1, 2018, using the retrospective method. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of these amendments on its Consolidated Financial Statements. In November 2016, the FASB amended the existing accounting standards for the classification and presentation of restricted cash in the statement of cash flows. The amendments require that the statement of cash flows explain the change during the period to total cash, cash equivalents and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. The Company plans to adopt the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2019, beginning November 1, 2018, using the retrospective method. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of these amendments on its Consolidated Financial Statements. In October 2016, the FASB amended the existing accounting standards for income taxes. The amendments require the recognition of the income tax consequences for intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory when the transfer occurs. Under current GAAP, current and deferred income taxes for intra-entity asset transfers are not recognized until the asset has been sold to an outside party. The Company plans to adopt the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2019, beginning November 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective method. The Company expects to recognize $2.4 billion of income taxes as an adjustment to retained earnings in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. In August 2016, the FASB amended the existing accounting standards for the statement of cash flows. The amendments provide guidance on eight classification issues related to the statement of cash flows. The Company plans to adopt the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2019, beginning November 1, 2018. The amendments should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented. For issues that are impracticable to apply retrospectively, the amendments may be applied prospectively as of the earliest date practicable. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of these amendments on its Consolidated Financial Statements. In June 2016, the FASB amended the existing accounting standards for the measurement of credit losses. The amendments require an entity to estimate its lifetime expected credit loss for most financial instruments, including trade and lease receivables, and record an allowance for the portion of the amortized cost the entity does not expect to collect. The estimate of expected credit losses should consider historical information, current information, and reasonable and supportable forecasts, including estimates of prepayments. The Company is required to adopt the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2021. Early adoption is permitted beginning in fiscal 2020. The Company is currently evaluating the timing and the impact of these amendments on its Consolidated Financial Statements. The FASB issued guidance in February 2016, with amendments in 2018, which changes the accounting standards for leases. The amendments require lessees to record, at lease inception, a lease liability for the obligation to make lease payments and a right-of-use ("ROU") asset for the right to use the underlying asset for the lease term on their balance sheets. Lessees may elect to not recognize lease liabilities and ROU assets for most leases with terms of 12 months or less. The lease liability is measured at the present value of the lease payments over the lease term. The ROU asset will be based on the liability, adjusted for lease prepayments, lease incentives received, and the lessee's initial direct costs. For finance leases, lease expense will be the sum of interest on the lease obligation and amortization of the ROU asset, resulting in a front-loaded expense pattern. For operating leases, lease expense will generally be recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The amended lessor accounting model is similar to the current model, updated to align with certain changes to the lessee model and the new revenue standard. The current sale-leaseback guidance, including guidance applicable to real estate, is also replaced with a new model for both lessees and lessors. The Company plans to adopt the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2020, beginning November 1, 2019, using the transition method whereby prior comparative periods will not be retrospectively presented in the Consolidated Financial Statements. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of these amendments and other available practical expedients on its Consolidated Financial Statements. In January 2016, the FASB issued guidance that requires equity investments with readily determinable fair values (other than those accounted for under the equity method or those that result in consolidation of the investee) to be measured at fair value and recognize any changes in fair value in net income. The guidance provides for electing the measurement alternative or defaulting to the fair value option. The Company plans to elect the measurement alternative for equity investments that do not have readily determinable fair values. These investments will be measured at cost, less any impairment, plus or minus adjustments resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for the identical or a similar investment of the same issuer, which are recorded in net income. The Company plans to adopt the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2019, beginning November 1, 2018, using a prospective method. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of these amendments on its Consolidated Financial Statements. In May 2014, the FASB amended the existing accounting standards for revenue recognition. The Company plans to adopt the new revenue standard in the first quarter of fiscal 2019, beginning November 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective method. The Company has completed a review of the accounting systems and processes required to apply the modified retrospective method. In response, the Company is implementing a new IT solution as part of the adoption of the new standard and finalizing changes to accounting policies, processes and internal controls. The Company expects the impact from the revenue recognition standard changes for its broad portfolio of hardware, software and services offerings to be largely immaterial. However, the guidance is expected to change the timing of revenue recognition in certain areas, including accounting for certain software licenses. Since the Company currently expenses sales commissions as incurred, the requirement in the new standard to capitalize certain sales commissions will result in an accounting change for the Company. The Company is in the process of completing the assessment of these changes and quantifying the impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements as it works through the final steps for the adoption of the new revenue standard.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the general note to the financial statements for the reporting entity which may include, descriptions of the basis of presentation, business description, significant accounting policies, consolidations, reclassifications, new pronouncements not yet adopted and changes in accounting principles. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2197479 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122369 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2134479 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122394 + Details
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