XML 24 R10.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.20.2
New Accounting Standards
 12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2020
New Accounting Pronouncements And Changes In Accounting Principles [Abstract]  
New Accounting Standards

Note 2.  New accounting standards

From time to time, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) or other standards setting bodies issue new accounting pronouncements.  Updates to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) are communicated through issuance of an Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”).

In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, “Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting.” The purpose of ASU 2020-04 is to provide optional guidance for a limited time to ease the potential burden in accounting for, or recognizing the effects of, reference rate reform on financial reporting.  In response to concerns about structural risks of interbank offered rates, and, in particular, the risk of cessation of the London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), reference rate reform refers to a global initiative to identify alternative reference rates that are more observable or transaction-based and less susceptible to manipulation. ASU 2020-04 is effective for all entities as of March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022.  An entity may elect to apply the amendments in ASU 2020-04 for contract modifications by topic or industry subtopic as of any date from the beginning of an interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020, or prospectively from a date within an interim period that includes or is subsequent to March 12, 2020, up to the date that the financial statements are available to be issued. Once elected for a topic or an industry subtopic, the amendments in ASU 2020-04 must be applied prospectively for all eligible contract modifications for that topic or industry subtopic.

An entity may elect to apply the amendments in ASU 2020-04 to eligible hedging relationships existing as of the beginning of the interim period that includes March 12, 2020 and to new eligible hedging relationships entered into after the beginning of the interim period that includes March 12, 2020. If an entity elects to apply any of the amendments for an eligible hedging relationship existing as of the beginning of the interim period that includes March 12, 2020, any adjustments as a result of those elections must be reflected as of the beginning of that interim period and recognized in accordance with the guidance in reference rate reform subtopics 848-30, 848-40, and 848-50 (as applicable). If an entity elects to apply any of the amendments for a new hedging relationship entered into between the beginning of the interim period that includes March 12, 2020, any adjustments as a result of those elections must be reflected as of the beginning of the hedging relationship and recognized in accordance with the guidance in reference rate reform subtopics 848-30, 848-40, and 848-50 (as applicable).

Woodward is currently assessing the accounting and financial impact of reference rate reform, particularly the impact it may have on its hedging relationships and will consider applying the optional guidance of ASU 2020-04 accordingly.

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes.” ASU 2019-12 amends ASC 740 to simplify the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions for investments, intraperiod allocations and interim calculations, and adding guidance to reduce complexity in the accounting standard under the FASB’s simplification initiative.  ASU 2019-12 is effective for public entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020 (fiscal year 2022 for Woodward).  Upon adoption, the amendments in ASU 2019-12 should be applied on a prospective basis to all periods presented.  Early adoption is permitted.  Woodward is currently assessing the impact of the adoption of the new guidance under ASU 2019-12 and expects to adopt it in fiscal year 2022.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14, “Compensation – Retirement Benefits – Defined Benefit Plans – General (Topic 715-20): Disclosure Framework – Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans.”  ASU 2018-14 amends ASC 715 to add, remove, and modify disclosure requirements related to defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans.  The ASU’s changes to disclosures aim to improve the effectiveness of ASC 715’s disclosure requirements under the FASB’s disclosure framework project.  ASU 2018-14 is effective for public entities for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020 (fiscal year 2022 for Woodward).  Upon adoption, the amendments in ASU 2018-14 should be applied on a retrospective basis to all periods presented and early adoption is permitted.  Woodward elected to early adopt the new guidance as of September 30, 2020.  Adoption of ASU 2018-14 resulted in elimination of the following disclosures (a) the amounts expected to be amortized from accumulated other comprehensive income and reported as a component of net periodic benefit cost during the following fiscal year, and (b) the effects of a one-percentage-point change in the assumed health care cost trend rates on the aggregate projected service and interest cost and accumulated postretirement benefit obligation; and additional disclosures explaining the reasons for significant gains and losses related to the change in benefit obligations for the period.  See Note 21, Retirement benefits, for further discussion of the Company’s defined benefit pension plans.

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, “Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income.” ASU 2018-02 allows a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income (“OCI”) to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the enactment of tax reform under H.R.1, “An Act to Provide for Reconciliation Pursuant to Titles II and V of the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2018” (the “Tax Act”) (also known as “The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act”), and provides guidance on the disclosure requirements regarding the stranded tax effects. Woodward adopted ASU 2018-02 on October 1, 2019 and has elected not to reclassify the income tax effects of the Tax Act from accumulated OCI to retained earnings.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, “Accounting for Income Taxes: Intra-Entity Asset Transfers of Assets Other than Inventory.”  ASU 2016-16 eliminates the current U.S. GAAP exception deferring the tax effects of intercompany asset transfers (other than inventory) until the transferred asset is sold to a third party or otherwise recovered through use.    ASU 2016-16 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 (fiscal year 2019 for Woodward), including interim periods within the year of adoption.  Woodward adopted the new guidance on October 1, 2018.  Modified retrospective adoption is required with any cumulative-effect adjustment recorded to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption.  The cumulative impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-16 of $1,005 was recognized at the date of adoption as a decrease to both retained earnings and other current assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheet.  As a result of adoption, Woodward will recognize the tax consequences of intercompany asset transfers in the buyer’s and seller’s tax jurisdictions when the transfer occurs, even though the pre-tax effects of these transactions are eliminated in consolidation.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.”  ASU 2016-13 adds a current expected credit loss (“CECL”) impairment model to U.S. GAAP that is based on expected losses rather than incurred losses.  Modified retrospective adoption is required with any cumulative-effect adjustment recorded to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption.  ASU 2016-13 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 (fiscal year 2021 for Woodward), including interim periods within the year of adoption.  Early adoption is permitted for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 (fiscal year 2020 for Woodward), including interim periods within those fiscal years.  Woodward expects to elect the modified retrospective adoption method resulting in a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings on October 1, 2020.   

Woodward is currently assessing the impact this guidance will have on its Consolidated Financial Statements, including how Woodward’s existing accounts receivable, unbilled receivables (contract assets), and other financial assets will be impacted by the new guidance.  In anticipation of adopting ASU 2016-13 on October 1, 2020, Woodward has developed a comprehensive project plan to assess the current credit loss allowance methods and the associated impact on the Company.  The project plan includes reviewing various financial assets for potential expected credit losses under the CECL impairment model and updating Woodward’s business processes and controls to meet the requirements of ASU 2016-13, as necessary.  Woodward expects the most significant effects of the adoption of ASU 2016-13 will be changes to the accounting for the Company’s expected credit loss reserve on billed receivables and unbilled receivables (contract assets).  Bad debt expense for all trade accounts receivable in fiscal year 2020 was $884.  As of September 30, 2020, and 2019, the allowance for uncollectible accounts receivable was $6,889 and $7,908, respectively.  

In May 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-05, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Targeted Transition Relief,” which provides transition relief for entities adopting ASU 2016-13.  Specifically, ASU 2019-05 amends ASU 2016-13 to allow companies to irrevocably elect, upon adoption of ASU 2016-13, the fair value option for financial instruments.  For entities that have adopted ASU 2016-13, the amendments in ASU 2019-05 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods therein.  Woodward expects to adopt ASU 2019-05 in fiscal year 2021.

Woodward does not expect to elect the fair value option for its financial instruments upon the adoption of both ASU 2016-13 and ASU 2019-05.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” and has subsequently issued supplemental and/or clarifying ASUs (collectively “ASC 842”).  The purpose of ASC 842 is to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and lease liabilities for substantially all leases on the balance sheet, and provide additional disclosure information about leasing arrangements.  ASC 842 modifies the definition of a lease to clarify that an arrangement contains a lease when such arrangement conveys the right to control the use of an identified asset.

Woodward adopted ASC 842 on October 1, 2019 using the modified retrospective transition method under which prior periods were not restated and the cumulative effect of initial adoption was recognized in retained earnings on the date of initial application, October 1, 2019.  Consequently, financial information will not be updated and the disclosures required under ASC 842 will not be provided for dates and periods before October 1, 2019.

The new guidance under ASC 842 provides a number of optional practical expedients in transition.  Woodward elected the "package of practical expedients," which allowed Woodward not to reassess under the new guidance our prior conclusions about lease identification, lease classification and initial direct costs.  Accordingly, Woodward carried forward its existing conclusions on lease classification for leases existing as of the adoption date.  Additionally, embedded lease arrangements were assessed under the prior guidance of ASC 840 lease framework for transition on October 1, 2019 in accordance with the leases policy outlined below.  The new lease accounting guidance under ASC 842 has been applied for all arrangements commencing or modified on or after October 1, 2019.

Woodward also elected as a practical expedient to not record qualifying short-term leases with a term of twelve months or less (inclusive of reasonably certain renewals and termination options) at the inception of the contract on the balance sheet and instead recognizes those lease payments in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Earnings on a straight-line basis over the lease term. This practical expedient may not be applied to short-term leases that contain a purchase option that is reasonably certain of exercise.

Woodward has also elected the practical expedient to not separate lease and non-lease components for its lease arrangements when it is the lessee.  The application of this practical expedient is discussed at Note 5, Leases.

The adoption of ASC 842 resulted in recognition of additional operating ROU assets and operating lease liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet as of October 1, 2019 of $18,894 and $18,851, respectively.  See Note 5, Leases, for disclosures and further information related to implementation and adoption of ASC 842.