SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

BASIS OF PRESENTATION. C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. and our subsidiaries (“the company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) are a global provider of transportation services and logistics solutions through a network of offices operating in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and South America. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of C.H. Robinson Worldwide, Inc. and our majority owned and controlled subsidiaries. Our minority interests in subsidiaries are not significant. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in the consolidated financial statements. Prior to 2015 we reported payment services revenues separately from transportation revenues. Amounts prior to 2015 have been combined to conform to the current period presentation. This change in presentation had no effect on our prior year consolidated results of operations, financial condition, or cash flows.

USE OF ESTIMATES

USE OF ESTIMATES. The preparation of financial statements, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities. We are also required to disclose contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates have been prepared on the basis of the most current and best information, and our actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

REVENUE RECOGNITION

REVENUE RECOGNITION. Total revenues consist of the total dollar value of goods and services purchased from us by customers. Our net revenues are our total revenues less purchased transportation and related services, including contracted motor carrier, rail, ocean, air, and other costs, and the purchase price and services related to the products we source. We act principally as the service provider for these transactions and recognize revenue as these services are rendered or goods are delivered. At that time, our obligations to the transactions are completed and collection of receivables is reasonably assured. Most transactions in our transportation and sourcing businesses are recorded at the gross amount we charge our customers for the service we provide and goods we sell. In these transactions, we are the primary obligor, we have credit risk, we have discretion to select the supplier, and we have latitude in pricing decisions. Additionally, in our sourcing business, we take loss of inventory risk during shipment and have general inventory risk. Certain transactions in customs brokerage, managed services, freight forwarding, and sourcing are recorded at the net amount we charge our customers for the service we provide because many of the factors stated above are not present.

ALLOWANCE FOR DOUBTFUL ACCOUNTS

ALLOWANCE FOR DOUBTFUL ACCOUNTS. Accounts receivable are reduced by an allowance for amounts that may become uncollectible in the future. We continuously monitor payments from our customers and maintain a provision for uncollectible accounts based upon our customer aging trends, historical loss experience, and any specific customer collection issues that we have identified.

FOREIGN CURRENCY

FOREIGN CURRENCY. Most balance sheet accounts of foreign subsidiaries are translated or remeasured at the current exchange rate as of the end of the year. Statement of operations items are translated at average exchange rates during the year. The resulting translation adjustment is recorded net of tax as a separate component of comprehensive income in our statements of operations and comprehensive income in 2014 and 2015. In 2016, we asserted that we will indefinitely reinvest earnings of foreign subsidiaries to support expansion of our international businesses and now the translation adjustment is recorded gross of related income tax benefits.

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS. Cash and cash equivalents consist of bank deposits.

PREPAID EXPENSES AND OTHER

PREPAID EXPENSES AND OTHER. Prepaid expenses and other include such items as prepaid rent, software maintenance contracts, insurance premiums, other prepaid operating expenses, and inventories, consisting primarily of produce and related products held for resale.

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT. Property and equipment are recorded at cost. Maintenance and repair expenditures are charged to expense as incurred. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated lives of the assets. Amortization of leasehold improvements is computed over the shorter of the lease term or the estimated useful lives of the improvements.

GOODWILL

GOODWILL. Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of acquired businesses over the net of the fair value of identifiable tangible net assets and identifiable intangible assets purchased and liabilities assumed. Goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level (operating segment or one level below an operating segment) on an annual basis (November 30 for us) and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying value.

We allocate goodwill to reporting units based on the reporting unit expected to benefit from the business combination. We evaluate our reporting units on a continual basis and, if necessary, reassign goodwill using a relative fair value allocation approach. Goodwill is tested for impairment at the reporting unit level on an annual basis and between annual tests if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying value. These events or circumstances could include a significant change in the business climate, legal factors, operating performance indicators, competition, or sale or disposition of a significant portion of a reporting unit.

During the quarter ended December 31, 2016, due to the reorganization of our reporting structure, we concluded that we had seven reporting units. As a result of this change in reporting units, we allocated goodwill to our reporting units based on each reporting unit’s fair value using a discounted cash flow analysis and market approach. Additionally at this time, we changed our annual quantitative goodwill impairment testing date from December 31 to November 30 of each year. The change in the goodwill impairment test date better aligns the impairment testing procedures with the timing of our long-term planning process, which is a significant input to the testing. We performed a goodwill impairment assessment both prior to and after the change in reporting units at November 30. This change in testing date did not delay, accelerate, or avoid a goodwill impairment charge.

Goodwill is tested at least annually for impairment and is tested for impairment more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired. The impairment test is performed using a two-step process. In the first step, the fair value of each reporting unit is compared with the carrying amount of the reporting unit, including goodwill. If the estimated fair value is less than the carrying amount of the reporting unit, there is an indication that goodwill impairment exists, and a second step must be completed in order to determine the amount of the goodwill impairment, if any, that should be recorded. In the second step, an impairment loss is recognized for any excess of the carrying amount of the reporting unit’s goodwill over the implied fair value of that goodwill. The implied fair value of goodwill is determined by allocating the fair value of the reporting unit in a manner similar to a purchase price allocation.

The fair value of each reporting unit is determined using a discounted cash flow analysis and market approach. Projecting discounted future cash flows requires us to make significant estimates regarding future revenues and expenses, projected capital expenditures, changes in working capital and the appropriate discount rate. Use of the market approach consists of comparisons to comparable publicly-traded companies that are similar in size and industry. Actual results may differ from those used in our valuations.

OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS

OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS. Other intangible assets include definite-lived customer lists, non-competition agreements, and indefinite-lived trademarks. The definite-lived intangible assets are being amortized using the straight-line method over their estimated lives, ranging from 5 to 8 years. Definite-lived intangible assets are evaluated for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. The indefinite-lived trademarks are not amortized. Indefinite-lived intangible assets are evaluated for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable, or annually, at a minimum.

OTHER ASSETS

OTHER ASSETS. Other assets include such items as purchased and internally developed software, and the investments related to our nonqualified deferred compensation plan. We amortize software using the straight-line method over 3 years.

INCOME TAXES

INCOME TAXES. Income taxes are accounted for using the asset and liability method. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences of temporary differences between the carrying amounts and tax bases of assets and liabilities using enacted rates.

Annual tax provisions include amounts considered sufficient to pay assessments that may result from examination of prior year tax returns; however, the amount ultimately paid upon resolution of issues raised may differ from the amounts accrued.

The financial statement benefits of an uncertain income tax position are recognized when more likely than not, based on the technical merits, the position will be sustained upon examination. Unrecognized tax benefits are, more likely than not, owed to a taxing authority, and the amount of the contingency can be reasonably estimated. Uncertain income tax positions are included in “Noncurrent income taxes payable” in the consolidated balance sheets.

COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

COMPREHENSIVE INCOME. Comprehensive income includes any changes in the equity of an enterprise from transactions and other events and circumstances from non-owner sources. Our only component of other comprehensive income is foreign currency translation adjustment. It is presented on our consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income gross of related income tax effects for 2016, net of related income tax effects for 2015 and 2014.

STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION

STOCK-BASED COMPENSATION. We issue stock awards, including stock options, performance shares, and restricted stock units, to key employees and outside directors. In general, the awards vest over five years, either based on the company’s earnings growth or the passage of time. The related compensation expense for each award is recognized over the appropriate vesting period. The fair value of each share-based payment award is established on the date of grant. For grants of performance shares and restricted stock units, the fair value is established based on the market price on the date of the grant, discounted for post-vesting holding restrictions. The discounts on outstanding grants vary from 15 percent to 22 percent and are calculated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. Changes in measured stock volatility and interest rates are the primary reason for changes in the discount.

For grants of options, we use the Black-Scholes option pricing model to estimate the fair value of share-based payment awards. The determination of the fair value of share-based awards is affected by our stock price and a number of assumptions, including expected volatility, expected life, risk-free interest rate, and expected dividends.

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENT

Accounting guidance on fair value measurements for certain financial assets and liabilities requires that assets and liabilities carried at fair value be classified and disclosed in one of the following three categories:


•	Level 1-Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.


•	Level 2-Observable market-based inputs or unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market data.


•	Level 3-Unobservable inputs reflecting the reporting entity’s own assumptions or external inputs from inactive markets.

A financial asset or liability’s classification within the hierarchy is determined based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

RECENTLY ISSUED ACCOUNTING PRNOUNCEMENTS

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, and in August 2015 issued ASU No. 2015-14, which amended the standard as to effective date. The new comprehensive revenue recognition standard will supersede all existing revenue recognition guidance under U.S. GAAP. The standard’s core principle is that a company will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to a customer in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The standard requires more detailed disclosures to enable users of financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. For the majority of our revenue arrangements, no significant impacts are expected as these transactions are not accounted for under industry-specific guidance that will be superseded by the ASU and generally consist of a single performance obligation to transfer promised goods or services. This standard is effective for us effective January 1, 2018, and permits the use of either a retrospective or a cumulative effect transition method. In preparation for our adoption of the new standard in the quarter beginning January 1, 2018, management assembled a project management team, which has obtained representative samples of contracts and other forms of agreements with our customers and is evaluating the provisions contained within those documents based on the new guidance. We do not expect this change to have a material impact on our results of operations, financial position, and cash flows once implemented. We are still evaluating the disclosure requirements under these standards. As we complete our overall evaluation, we are also identifying and preparing to implement changes to our accounting policies, practices, and controls to support the new standards.

In November 2015, FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2015-17, “Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes.” ASU 2015-17 requires that deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position. ASU 2015-17 is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. We have adopted this standard on a prospective basis as of December 31, 2016.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). This update requires a lessee to recognize on the balance sheet a liability to make lease payments and a corresponding right-of-use asset. The guidance also requires certain qualitative and quantitative disclosures about the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. This update is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018, which will require us to adopt these provisions in the first quarter of 2019 using a modified retrospective approach. Early adoption is permitted, although we do not plan to adopt early. We have obligations under lease agreements for facilities and equipment, which are classified as operating leases under the existing lease standard. While we are still evaluating the impact ASU 2016-02 will have on our consolidated results of operations, financial condition, and cash flows, our financial statements will reflect an increase in both assets and liabilities due to the requirement to recognize right-of-use assets and lease liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets for our facility and equipment leases. Note 7 to our consolidated financial statements presents our operating lease commitments as of December 31, 2016.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718). This update was issued as part of the FASB’s simplification initiative and affects all entities that issue share-based payment awards to their employees. The amendments in this update cover such areas as the recognition of excess tax benefits and deficiencies, the classification of those excess tax benefits on the statement of cash flows, and accounting policy election for forfeitures, the amount an employer can withhold to cover income taxes and still qualify for equity classification, and the classification of those taxes paid on the statement of cash flows. This update is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016. The adoption of ASU 2016-09 is expected to prospectively impact the recording of income taxes related to share-based payment awards in our consolidated statement of financial position and results of operations, as well as the operating and financing cash flows on the consolidated statements of cash flows. The magnitude of such impacts are dependent on our future grants of stock-based compensation, our future stock price in relation to the fair value of awards on grant date, and the exercise behavior of our option holders. We will prospectively adopt these provisions in the first quarter of 2017.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. This update simplifies the accounting for goodwill impairments by eliminating step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Instead, if the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, and impairment loss shall be recognized in an amount equal to that excess, limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. The ASU is effective for annual and any interim impairment tests for periods beginning after December 15, 2019. We have not yet selected a transition date nor have we determined the effect of the standard on our ongoing financial reporting.