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Business and Significant Accounting Policies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2021
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] |
Business and Significant Accounting Policies | Business and Significant Accounting Policies Business. Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) delivers actionable, objective insight to executives and their teams. Our expert guidance and tools enable faster, smarter decisions and stronger performance on an organization’s mission critical priorities. We are a trusted advisor and an objective resource for more than 15,000 enterprises in approximately 100 countries and territories — across all major functions, in every industry and enterprise size. Segments. Gartner delivers its products and services globally through three business segments: Research, Conferences and Consulting. Note 9 — Revenue and Related Matters and Note 16 — Segment Information describe the products and services offered by each of our segments and provide additional financial information for those segments. Basis of presentation. The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”), as defined in the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”), for financial information and with the applicable instructions of U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Regulation S-X. The fiscal year of Gartner is the twelve-month period from January 1 through December 31. All references to 2021, 2020 and 2019 herein refer to the fiscal year unless otherwise indicated. When used in these notes, the terms “Gartner,” the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our” refer to Gartner, Inc. and its consolidated subsidiaries. Principles of consolidation. The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. Use of estimates. The preparation of the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions about future events. These estimates and the underlying assumptions affect the amounts of assets and liabilities reported, disclosures about contingent assets and liabilities, and reported amounts of revenues and expenses. Such estimates include the valuation of fees receivable, goodwill, intangible assets and other long-lived assets, as well as tax accruals and other liabilities. In addition, estimates are used in revenue recognition, income tax expense or benefit, performance-based compensation charges, depreciation and amortization. Management believes its use of estimates in the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements to be reasonable. Management continually evaluates and revises its estimates using historical experience and other factors, including the general economic environment and actions it may take in the future. Management adjusts these estimates when facts and circumstances dictate. However, these estimates may involve significant uncertainties and judgments and cannot be determined with precision. In addition, these estimates are based on management’s best judgment at a point in time. As a result, differences between our estimates and actual results could be material and would be reflected in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements in future periods. In December 2019, a novel coronavirus disease (“COVID-19”) was reported in Wuhan, China and on March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization characterized COVID-19 as a pandemic. Any future asset impairment charges or restructuring charges could be more likely if the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue and will be dependent on the severity and duration of this crisis. Business acquisitions. The Company accounts for business acquisitions in accordance with the acquisition method of accounting as prescribed by FASB ASC Topic 805, Business Combinations. The acquisition method of accounting requires the Company to record the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair values as of the acquisition date, with certain exceptions. Any excess of the consideration transferred over the estimated fair value of the net assets acquired, including identifiable intangible assets, is recorded as goodwill. Under the acquisition method, the operating results of acquired companies are included in the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements beginning on the date of acquisition. The Company completed business acquisitions in both 2021 and 2019. Note 2 — Acquisitions provides additional information regarding those business acquisitions. The determination of the fair values of intangible and other assets acquired in an acquisition requires management judgment and the consideration of a number of factors, including the historical financial performance of acquired businesses and their projected future performance, and estimates surrounding customer turnover, as well as assumptions regarding the level of competition and the costs necessary to reproduce certain assets. Establishing the useful lives of intangible assets also requires management judgment and the evaluation of a number of factors, including the expected use of an asset, historical client retention rates, consumer awareness and trade name history, as well as any contractual provisions that could limit or extend an asset’s useful life. Charges that are directly related to the Company’s acquisitions are expensed as incurred and classified as Acquisition and integration charges in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Note 2 — Acquisitions provides additional information regarding the Company’s Acquisition and integration charges. Revenue recognition. The Company’s revenue by significant source is accounted for as follows: •Research revenues are mainly derived from subscription contracts for research products. The related revenues are deferred and recognized ratably over the applicable contract term. Fees derived from assisting organizations in selecting the right business software for their needs are recognized when the leads are provided to vendors. •Conferences revenues are deferred and recognized upon the completion of the related conference or meeting. •Consulting revenues are principally generated from fixed fee or time and materials engagements. Revenues from fixed fee contracts are recognized as the Company works to satisfy its performance obligations. Revenues from time and materials engagements are recognized as work is delivered and/or services are provided. Revenues related to contract optimization engagements are contingent in nature and are only recognized upon satisfaction of all conditions related to their payment. The majority of the Company’s Research contracts are billable upon signing, absent special terms granted on a limited basis from time to time. Research contracts are generally non-cancelable and non-refundable, except for government contracts that may have cancellation or fiscal funding clauses. It is the Company’s policy to record the amount of a subscription contract that is billable as a fee receivable at the time the contract is signed with a corresponding amount as deferred revenue because the contract represents a legally enforceable claim. Note 9 — Revenue and Related Matters provides additional information regarding the Company’s business and revenues. Allowance for losses. On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses. ASU No. 2016-13 amended the previous financial instrument impairment model by requiring entities to use a forward-looking approach based on expected losses to estimate credit losses on certain types of financial instruments, including trade receivables. The Company applied the expected credit loss model to its fees receivable balance on January 1, 2020 using a historical loss rate method. Prior to January 1, 2020, the Company recognized the allowance for losses on bad debts in accordance with then-existing U.S. GAAP under FASB ASC Topic 310, Receivables. Cost of services and product development (“COS”). COS expense includes the direct costs incurred in the creation and delivery of the Company’s products and services. These costs primarily relate to personnel. Selling, general and administrative (“SG&A”). SG&A expense includes direct and indirect selling costs, general and administrative costs, facility costs and bad debt expense. Commission expense. The Company records deferred commissions upon signing a customer contract and amortizes the deferred amount over a period that aligns with the transfer to the customer of the services to which the commissions relate. Note 9 — Revenue and Related Matters provides additional information regarding deferred commissions and the amortization of such costs. Stock-based compensation expense. The Company accounts for stock-based compensation awards in accordance with FASB ASC Topics 505 and 718 and SEC Staff Accounting Bulletins No. 107 and No. 110. Stock-based compensation expense for equity awards is based on the fair value of the award on the date of grant. The Company recognizes stock-based compensation expense over the period that the related service is performed, which is generally the same as the vesting period of the underlying award. Forfeitures are recognized as they occur. A change in any of the terms or conditions of stock-based compensation awards is accounted for as a modification of the award. Incremental compensation cost is measured as the excess, if any, of the fair value of the modified award over the fair value of the original award immediately before its terms are modified, measured based on the fair value of the awards at the modification date. For vested awards, the Company recognizes incremental compensation cost in the period the modification occurs. For unvested awards, the Company recognizes any incremental compensation expense at the modification date or ratably over the requisite remaining service period, as appropriate. If the fair value of the modified award is lower than the fair value of the original award immediately before modification, the minimum compensation cost the Company recognizes is the cost of the original award. Note 10 — Stock-Based Compensation provides additional information regarding the Company’s stock-based compensation activity. Other income (expense), net. During 2019, the Company sold a minority equity investment for $14.1 million in cash and recognized a pretax gain of $9.1 million that was recorded in Other income (expense), net in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Income taxes. The Company uses the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. The Company estimates its income taxes in each of the jurisdictions where it operates. This process involves estimating the Company’s current tax expense or benefit together with assessing temporary differences resulting from differing treatment of items for tax and accounting purposes. These differences result in deferred tax assets and liabilities, which are included in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. When assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, the Company considers if it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. In making this assessment, the Company considers the availability of loss carryforwards, projected reversals of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income, and ongoing prudent and feasible tax planning strategies. The Company recognizes the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained based on the technical merits of the position. Recognized tax positions are measured at the largest amount of benefit with greater than a 50% likelihood of being realized. The Company uses estimates in determining the amount of unrecognized tax benefits associated with uncertain tax positions. Significant judgment is required in evaluating tax law and measuring the benefits likely to be realized. Uncertain tax positions are periodically re-evaluated and adjusted as more information about their ultimate realization becomes available. Note 12 — Income Taxes provides additional information regarding the Company’s income taxes. Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash. Cash and cash equivalents includes cash and all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less, which are considered to be cash equivalents. The carrying value of cash equivalents approximates fair value due to the short-term maturity of such instruments. Investments with maturities of more than three months are classified as marketable securities. Interest earned is recorded in Interest income in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. U.S. GAAP requires that amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents be presented with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts presented on an entity’s statement of cash flows. Below is a table presenting the beginning-of-period and end-of-period cash amounts from the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets and the total cash amounts presented in the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows (in thousands).
|  | December 31,
|  | 2021 |  | 2020 |  | 2019 |  | 2018
Cash and cash equivalents |  | $ | 756,493 |  |  | $ | 712,583 |  |  | $ | 280,836 |  |  | $ | 156,368 |
Restricted cash classified in (1): |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
Prepaid expenses and other current assets |  | 4,109 |  |  | — |  |  | — |  |  | 2,295 |
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash per the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows |  | $ | 760,602 |  |  | $ | 712,583 |  |  | $ | 280,836 |  |  | $ | 158,663 |
(1)Restricted cash consists of escrow accounts established in connection with certain of the Company’s business acquisitions. Generally, such cash is restricted to use due to provisions contained in the underlying stock or asset purchase agreement. The Company will disburse the restricted cash to the sellers of the businesses upon satisfaction of any contingencies described in such agreements (e.g., potential indemnification claims, etc.). Leases. ASC 842 requires accounting for leases under a right-of-use model whereby a lessee must record a right-of-use asset and a related lease liability on its balance sheet for most of its leases. Under ASC 842, leases are classified as either operating or finance arrangements, with such classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in an entity’s income statement. For operating leases, ASC 842 requires recognition in an entity’s income statement of a single lease cost, calculated so that the cost of the lease is allocated over the lease term, generally on a straight-line basis. In the fourth quarter of the year ended December 31, 2021, as a result and in consideration of the changing nature of the Company’s use of office space for its workforce and the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Company evaluated its existing real estate lease portfolio. As a result of the evaluation, the Company recognized an impairment loss of $49.5 million. Note 7 — Leases provides additional information regarding the Company’s leases. Property, equipment and leasehold improvements. Equipment, leasehold improvements and other fixed assets owned by the Company are recorded at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Fixed assets, other than leasehold improvements, are depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the underlying asset. Leasehold improvements are amortized using the straight-line method over the shorter of the estimated useful life of the improvement or the remaining term of the related lease. Depreciation and amortization expense for fixed assets was $102.8 million, $93.9 million and $82.1 million in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Property, equipment and leasehold improvements, net are presented in the table below (in thousands).
|  | Useful Life |  | December 31,
Category |  | (Years) |  | 2021 |  | 2020
Computer equipment and software |  | 2 - 7 |  | $ | 304,386 |  |  | $ | 277,973 |
Furniture and equipment |  | 3 - 8 |  | 97,050 |  |  | 114,622 |
Leasehold improvements |  | 2 - 15 |  | 253,451 |  |  | 283,773 |
Total cost |  |  |  | 654,887 |  |  | 676,368 |
Less — accumulated depreciation and amortization |  |  |  | (381,325) |  |  | (339,603) |
Property, equipment and leasehold improvements, net |  |  |  | $ | 273,562 |  |  | $ | 336,765 |
The Company incurs costs to develop internal-use software used in its operations. Certain of those costs that meet the criteria in FASB ASC Topic 350, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other are capitalized and amortized over future periods. Net capitalized internal-use software development costs were $65.5 million and $58.2 million at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, and are included in Computer equipment and software in the table above. Amortization expense for capitalized internal-use software development costs, which is included with Depreciation in the Consolidated Statements of Operations, totaled $34.6 million, $28.9 million and $20.0 million in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Goodwill. Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price of acquired businesses over the estimated fair values of the tangible and identifiable intangible net assets acquired. Evaluations of the recoverability of goodwill are performed in accordance with FASB ASC Topic 350, which requires an annual assessment of potential goodwill impairment at the reporting unit level and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of goodwill may not be recoverable. When performing the annual assessment of the recoverability of goodwill, the Company initially performs a qualitative analysis evaluating whether any events or circumstances occurred or exist that provide evidence that it is more likely than not that the fair value of any of the Company’s reporting units is less than the related carrying amount. If the Company does not believe that it is more likely than not that the fair value of any of the Company’s reporting units is less than the related carrying amount, then no quantitative impairment test is performed. However, if the results of the qualitative assessment indicate that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its respective carrying amount, then the Company performs a quantitative impairment test. Evaluating the recoverability of goodwill requires judgments and assumptions regarding future trends and events. As a result, both the precision and reliability of management estimates are subject to uncertainty. The Company’s most recent annual impairment test of goodwill was a qualitative analysis conducted during the quarter ended September 30, 2021 that indicated no impairment. Subsequent to completing the 2021 annual impairment test, no events or changes in circumstances were noted that required an interim goodwill impairment test. Note 3 — Goodwill and Intangible Assets provides additional information regarding the Company’s goodwill. Finite-lived intangible assets. The Company has finite-lived intangible assets that are amortized using the straight-line method over the expected useful life of the underlying asset. Note 3 — Goodwill and Intangible Assets provides additional information regarding the Company’s finite-lived intangible assets. Impairment of long-lived assets. The Company’s long-lived assets primarily consist of intangible assets other than goodwill, right-of-use assets and property, equipment and leasehold improvements. The Company reviews its long-lived asset groups for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset or an asset group may not be recoverable. Such evaluation may be based on a number of factors, including current and projected operating results and cash flows, and changes in management’s strategic direction as well as external economic and market factors. The Company evaluates the recoverability of assets and asset groups by determining whether their carrying values can be recovered through undiscounted future operating cash flows. If events or circumstances indicate that the carrying values might not be recoverable based on undiscounted future operating cash flows, an impairment loss may be recognized. The amount of impairment is measured based on the difference between the projected discounted future operating cash flows, using a discount rate reflecting the Company’s average cost of funds, and the carrying value of the asset or asset group. Debt. The Company presents amounts borrowed in the Consolidated Balance Sheets, net of deferred financing fees. Interest accrued on amounts borrowed is recorded as Interest expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Note 6 — Debt provides additional information regarding the Company’s debt arrangements. Foreign currency exposure. The functional currency of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries is typically the local currency. All assets and liabilities of foreign subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars at exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date. Income and expense items are translated at average exchange rates throughout the year. The resulting translation adjustments are recorded as foreign currency translation adjustments, a component of Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net within Stockholders’ Equity on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. Currency transaction gains or losses arising from transactions denominated in currencies other than the functional currency of a subsidiary are recognized in results of operations as part of Other income (expense), net in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company had net currency transaction (losses) gains of $(3.7) million, $12.5 million and $(1.1) million in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The Company enters into foreign currency forward exchange contracts to mitigate the effects of adverse fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates on certain transactions. Those contracts generally have short durations and are recorded at fair value with both realized and unrealized gains and losses recorded in Other income (expense), net. The net loss from foreign currency forward exchange contracts was $1.4 million, $14.1 million and $2.5 million in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Note 13 — Derivatives and Hedging provides additional information regarding the Company’s foreign currency forward exchange contracts. Fair value disclosures. The Company has a limited number of assets and liabilities that are adjusted to fair value at each balance sheet date. The Company’s required fair value disclosures are provided at Note 14 — Fair Value Disclosures. Concentrations of credit risk. Assets that may subject the Company to concentration of credit risk consist primarily of short-term, highly liquid investments classified as cash equivalents, fees receivable, contract assets, interest rate swaps and a pension reinsurance asset. The majority of the Company’s cash equivalent investments and its interest rate swap contracts are with investment grade commercial banks. Fees receivable and contract asset balances deemed to be collectible from customers have limited concentration of credit risk due to the Company’s diverse customer base and geographic dispersion. The Company’s pension reinsurance asset (see Note 15 — Employee Benefits) is maintained with a large international insurance company that was rated investment grade as of December 31, 2021 and 2020. Stock repurchase programs. The Company records the cost to repurchase shares of its own common stock as treasury stock. Shares repurchased by the Company are added to treasury shares and are not retired. Note 8 — Stockholders’ Equity provides additional information regarding the Company’s common stock repurchase activity. Gain on event cancellation insurance claims. During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Company received $166.9 million of proceeds related to 2020 event cancellation insurance claims, and recorded a pre-tax gain of $152.3 million. The Company does not record any gain on insurance claims in excess of expenses incurred until the receipt of the insurance proceeds is deemed to be realizable. Adoption of new accounting standards. The Company adopted the accounting standard described below during 2021. Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes — In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Income Taxes—Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (“ASU No. 2019-12”). ASU No. 2019-12 provided new guidance to simplify the accounting for income taxes in certain areas, changed the accounting for select income tax transactions and made minor ASC improvements. Gartner adopted ASU No. 2019-12 on January 1, 2021. The adoption of ASU No. 2019-12 did not have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. Accounting standards issued but not yet adopted. The FASB has issued accounting standards that had not yet become effective as of December 31, 2021 and may impact the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements or related disclosures in future periods. Those standards and their potential impact are discussed below. Accounting standard effective immediately upon voluntary election by Gartner Reference Rate Reform — In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-04, Reference Rate Reform—Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting (“ASU No. 2020-04”). ASU No. 2020-04 provides that an entity can elect not to apply certain required modification accounting in U.S. GAAP to contracts where all changes to the critical terms relate to reference rate reform (e.g., the expected discontinuance of LIBOR and the transition to an alternative reference interest rate, etc.). In addition, the rule provides optional expedients and exceptions that enable entities to continue to apply hedge accounting for hedging relationships where one or more of the critical terms change due to reference rate reform. The rule became effective for all entities as of March 12, 2020 and will generally no longer be available to apply after December 31, 2022. The Company is currently evaluating the potential impact of ASU No. 2020-04 on its Consolidated Financial Statements, including the rule’s potential impact on any debt modifications or other contractual changes in the future that may result from reference rate reform. However, the Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2020-04 to have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. Accounting standard effective in 2022 Government Assistance — In November 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-10, Government Assistance (Topic 832), Disclosures by Business Entities about Government Assistance (“ASU No. 2021-10”). ASU No, 2021-10 requires business entities to annually disclose information about certain government assistance they receive. The rule will be effective for public entities for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2021. The adoption of ASU No. 2021-10 is currently not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s financial statement disclosures. Accounting standard effective in 2023 Business Combinations — In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-08, Business Combinations, Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers (“ASU No. 2021-08”). ASU No. 2021-08 provides guidance for a business combination on how to recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities from revenue contracts with customers and other contracts that apply the provisions of ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Specifically, the proposed amendments would require that an entity (acquirer) recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination in accordance with ASC Topic 606. Generally, this would result in an acquirer recognizing and measuring the acquired contract assets and contract liabilities consistent with how they were recognized and measured in the acquiree’s financial statements (if the acquiree prepared financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP). The rule will be effective for public entities on January 1, 2023, with early adoption permitted. Gartner has elected to adopt ASU No. 2021-08 effective January 1, 2022. ASU No. 2021-08 will not impact acquired contract assets or liabilities from business combinations occurring prior to January 1, 2022, and the impact in future periods will depend on the contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in future business combinations.

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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://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2197479 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2134479 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122394 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122369 + Details
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