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Nature of Business, Basis of Presentation and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 27, 2019

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Aramark (the "Company") is a leading global provider of food, facilities and uniform services to education, healthcare, business & industry, and sports, leisure & corrections clients. The Company's core market is the United States, which is supplemented by an additional 18-country footprint. The Company operates its business in three reportable segments that share many of the same operating characteristics:

Fiscal Year

The Company's fiscal year is the fifty-two or fifty-three week period which ends on the Friday nearest September 30th. The fiscal years ended September 27, 2019, September 28, 2018 and September 29, 2017 were each fifty-two week periods.

New Accounting Standard Updates

New Accounting Standards Updates

Adopted Standards

In October 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued an accounting standards update ("ASU") which permits the use of the Overnight Index Swap Rate based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate as a U.S. benchmark interest rate for hedge accounting purposes. The guidance is effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2020. The Company early adopted the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2019, which did not have an impact on the consolidated financial statements, as the Company's existing interest rate hedges use LIBOR as the benchmark interest rate. The use of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate Overnight Index Swap Rate as the benchmark interest rate may be contemplated in future hedging arrangements.

In February 2018, the FASB issued an ASU which provides clarification regarding guidance related to the financial instrument standard. The guidance was effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. The Company adopted the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2019, which did not have an impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In May 2017, the FASB issued an ASU to clarify the determination of the customer of the operation services in a service concession arrangement. The guidance was effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. The Company adopted this standard in the first quarter of fiscal 2019, which did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In March 2017, the FASB issued an ASU to improve the presentation of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost. The guidance was effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. The Company adopted the guidance during the first quarter of fiscal 2019, which did not result in an impact to net income. However, certain balances, including $7.7 million and $6.4 million for the fiscal years ended September 28, 2018 and September 29, 2017, respectively, were reclassified from "Cost of services provided" to "Interest and Other Financing Costs, net" on the Consolidated Statements of Income. The Company applied the practical expedient allowing for the use of amounts disclosed in the pension footnote for prior comparative periods as an estimation basis for applying the retrospective presentation requirements.

In February 2017, the FASB issued an ASU to clarify the accounting guidance for partial sales of nonfinancial assets. The guidance was effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. The Company adopted the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2019, which did not have an impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In January 2017, the FASB issued an ASU to clarify the definition of a business. The guidance was effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. The Company adopted the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2019, using the prospective method, which did not have a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In January 2016, the FASB issued an ASU to address certain aspects of recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of financial instruments. Under this guidance, equity investments, other than those accounted for under the equity method of accounting or those that result in consolidation of the investee, are to be measured at fair value with the changes in fair value recognized in net income. The guidance was effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. The Company adopted the guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2019. Due to the lack of readily available fair values for the Company's equity investments, other than those accounted for under the equity method of accounting, the Company elected to apply the practical expedient to measure these investments at cost minus impairment plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for identical or similar investments of the same issuer. The guidance did not have an impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued an ASU on revenue from contracts with customers which superseded most current revenue recognition guidance. The standard outlines a single comprehensive model which requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. Additionally, the standard requires disclosures regarding the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. The Company adopted this guidance on September 29, 2018 (the first day of fiscal 2019).

In connection with the new revenue recognition guidance, the Company completed a comprehensive contract review project and an evaluation of the standard's impact on the timing and presentation of various financial aspects of its contractual arrangements. The Company identified and implemented appropriate changes to business processes, controls and systems to support recognition and disclosure under the new standard. The adoption of the guidance did not have a material impact on the timing of revenue recognition or net income, but it did have an impact on the financial statement line item classification of certain items (see Note 7).

The Company adopted the new revenue recognition guidance using the modified retrospective transition method. This method allows the new standard to be applied retrospectively through a cumulative catch up adjustment recognized upon adoption. As such, comparative information in the Company’s financial statements has not been restated and continues to be reported under the accounting standards in effect for those periods. The cumulative transition adjustment, net of tax, was an increase to retained earnings upon adoption (approximately $58.4 million) mainly to capitalize costs to obtain contracts related to employee commissions previously expensed. See Note 7 for further information on the impact of adopting the new revenue recognition standard.

Standards Not Yet Adopted (from most to least recent date of issuance)

In May 2019, the FASB issued an ASU which provides the option to irrevocably elect to apply the fair value measurement option on an instrument-by-instrument basis for certain financial instruments within the scope of the credit losses on financial instruments standard. The guidance is effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2021 when the credit losses on financial instruments standard will be adopted and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the pronouncement.

In April 2019, the FASB issued an ASU which provides clarification, error corrections and improvements to existing guidance related to the credit losses on financial instruments ASU issued in June 2016, the derivatives and hedging ASU issued in August 2017 and the financial instruments ASU issued in January 2016. The guidance related to the credit losses on financial instruments ASU is effective for the Company in the first quarter of 2021 when the related ASU is adopted, while the guidance related to the derivatives and hedging and the financial instruments ASUs are effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2020 and the first quarter of 2021, respectively. Early adoption is permitted. The Company will adopt the guidance related to derivatives and hedging in the first quarter of fiscal 2020 and does not expect a material impact on the consolidated financial statements. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the remaining amendments of the pronouncement.

In March 2019, the FASB issued an ASU which provides clarification regarding three issues related to the lease recognition standard. The guidance is effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2020 when the lease recognition standard will be adopted. See below for further discussion regarding the impact of this standard.

In August 2018, the FASB issued an ASU which adds, modifies and removes several disclosure requirements related to defined benefit pension plans. The guidance is effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2022 and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the pronouncement.

In August 2018, the FASB issued an ASU which adds, modifies and removes several disclosure requirements related to fair value measurements. The guidance is effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2021 and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the pronouncement.

In July 2018, the FASB issued two ASUs regarding the lease recognition standard. The guidance provides clarification on issues identified regarding the adoption of the standard, provides an additional transition method to adopt the standard and provides an additional practical expedient to lessors. The guidance is effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2020. See below for further discussion regarding the impact of this standard.

In July 2018, the FASB issued an ASU which clarifies, corrects errors in or makes minor improvements to the Accounting Standards Codification. The guidance is effective for the Company either upon issuance or in the first quarter of fiscal 2020, depending on the amendment. There was no impact on the consolidated financial statements related to the amendments that were effective upon issuance of the guidance. The Company will adopt the remaining amendments of the pronouncement in the first quarter of fiscal 2020 and does not expect a material impact on the consolidated financial statements.

In February 2018, the FASB issued an ASU which allows for the reclassification of stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings. The guidance is effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2020. The Company does not expect this pronouncement to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

In September 2017, the FASB issued an ASU to provide additional implementation guidance with respect to the revenue recognition standard (see above) and the leases recognition standard (see below). The guidance is effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2019 with respect to the revenue recognition standard and in the first quarter of fiscal 2020 with respect to the lease recognition standard. The Company adopted the revenue related portions of this standard in conjunction with the revenue recognition standard during the first quarter of fiscal 2019, as described above. The lease related portions of this standard will be adopted in the first quarter of fiscal 2020 in conjunction with the lease recognition standard.

In June 2016, the FASB issued an ASU to require entities to account for expected credit losses on financial instruments including trade receivables. The guidance is effective for the Company in the first quarter of fiscal 2021 and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the pronouncement.

In February 2016, the FASB issued an ASU requiring lessees to recognize most leases on their balance sheets as lease liabilities with corresponding right-of-use assets and to disclose key information about lease arrangements. Recognition of expense on the Consolidated Statements of Income will continue in a manner similar to current guidance. The Company will adopt this guidance using the modified retrospective approach with an adjustment to recognize lease liabilities offset by a right-of-use asset. This adjustment will be recorded at the beginning of the period of adoption in the first quarter of fiscal 2020; therefore, the Company will recognize and measure leases without revising comparative period information or disclosure.

For existing leases as of the effective date, the Company will elect the package of practical expedients available at transition to not reassess historical lease determinations, lease classifications and initial direct costs. Additionally, the Company will not elect the use of hindsight for determining the reasonably certain lease term. The Company will elect the short-term lease recognition exemption whereby lease-related assets and liabilities will not be recognized for arrangements with terms less than one year.

The Company has substantially completed its review of lease arrangements in order to determine the impact the adoption of this ASU will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. The Company has also implemented a new lease system in connection with the adoption of this standard. The majority of the Company's lease spend relates to certain real estate, with the remaining lease spend primarily related to vehicles and equipment. Based on its assessment, adoption of the standard is expected to result in the recognition of lease liabilities and associated right of use assets of approximately $410.0 million to $440.0 million and approximately $540.0 million and $570.0 million, respectively. The expected right of use assets include $167.0 million of long-term prepaid rent associated with certain leases at client locations. The Company does not expect adoption of the standard to significantly impact its Consolidated Statements of Income or Cash Flows.

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenue when its performance obligation is satisfied upon the transfer of control of the promised product or service to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for those goods and services. In each of the Company's operating segments, revenue is recognized over time in the period in which services are provided pursuant to the terms of the Company's contractual relationships with its clients. The Company generally records revenue on food and support services contracts (both profit and loss contracts and client interest contracts) on a gross basis as the Company is the primary obligor and service provider. See Note 7 for additional information on revenue recognition.

Certain profit and loss contracts include payments to the client, typically calculated as a fixed or variable percentage of various categories of revenue and income. In some cases these contracts require minimum guaranteed payments that are contingent on certain future events. These expenses are currently recorded in “Cost of services provided.”

Revenue from client interest contracts is generally comprised of amounts billed to clients for food, labor and other costs that the Company incurs, controls and pays for. Revenue from these contracts also includes any associated management fees, client subsidies or incentive fees based upon the Company's performance under the contract. Revenue from direct marketing activities is recognized at a point in time upon shipment. All revenue related taxes are presented on a net basis.

The timing of revenue recognition may differ from the timing of invoicing to customers. The Company records an accounts receivable balance when revenue is recognized prior to or at the time of invoicing the customer. A majority of the Company’s receivables balances are based on contracts with customers.

The Company estimates and reserves for its bad debt exposure based on its experience with past due accounts and collectability, the aging of accounts receivable and its analysis of customer data. Bad debt expense is classified within “Cost of services provided.”

Vendor Consideration

Consideration received from vendors includes rebates, allowances and volume discounts and are accounted for as an adjustment to the cost of the vendors' products or services and are reported as a reduction of "Cost of services provided," "Inventory," or "Property and equipment, net." Income from rebates, allowances and volume discounts is recognized based on actual purchases in the fiscal period relative to total actual purchases to be made for the contractual rebate period agreed to with the vendor. Rebates, allowances and volume discounts related to “Inventory” held at the balance sheet date are deducted from the carrying value of these inventories. Rebates, allowances and volume discounts related to "Property and equipment, net" are deducted from the costs capitalized.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates.

Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive income includes all changes to stockholders' equity during a period, except those resulting from investments by and distributions to stockholders. Components of comprehensive income include net income (loss), changes in foreign currency translation adjustments (net of tax), pension plan adjustments (net of tax), changes in the fair value of cash flow hedges (net of tax) and changes to the share of any equity investees' comprehensive income (loss) (net of tax).

Currency Translation

Gains and losses resulting from the translation of financial statements of non-U.S. subsidiaries are reflected as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in stockholders' equity. During both fiscal 2019 and fiscal 2018, Argentina was determined to have a highly inflationary economy. As a result, the Company remeasured the financial statements of Argentina's operations in accordance with the accounting guidance for highly inflationary economies. The impact of the remeasurements was a foreign currency transaction loss of approximately $4.9 million and $3.8 million during fiscal 2019 and 2018, respectively, to the Consolidated Statements of Income. The impact of foreign currency transaction gains and losses exclusive of Argentina's operations included in the Company's operating results for fiscal 2019, fiscal 2018 and fiscal 2017 were immaterial

Current Assets

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

In fiscal 2019, the Company began insuring portions of its general liability, automobile liability and workers’ compensation risks through a wholly owned captive insurance subsidiary (the "Captive"), to enhance its risk financing strategies. The Captive is subject to regulation in its jurisdiction of domicile, including regulations relating to levels of liquidity and solvency as such concepts are defined by the regulator. The Captive was in compliance with these regulations as of year-end. These regulations may have the effect of limiting the Company's ability to access certain cash and cash equivalents held by the Captive for uses

other than for the payment of its general liability, automobile liability and workers’ compensation claims and related Captive costs. As of September 27, 2019, cash and cash equivalents at the Captive was $50.4 million.

The Company is self-insured for a limited portion of the risk retained under its general liability, automobile liability and workers’ compensation insurance arrangements. Self-insurance reserves are recorded based on actuarial analyses.

Inventories are valued at the lower of cost (principally the first-in, first-out method) and net realizable value.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost and are depreciated over their estimated useful lives on a straight-line basis. Gains and losses on dispositions are included in operating results. Maintenance and repairs are charged to current operations and replacements and significant improvements that extend the useful life of the asset are capitalized. The estimated useful lives for the major categories of property and equipment are 10 to 40 years for buildings and improvements and 3 to 10 years for service equipment and fixtures.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Assets and liabilities recorded at fair value are classified based upon the level of judgment associated with the inputs used to measure their fair value. The hierarchical levels related to the subjectivity of the valuation inputs are defined as follows:


•	Level 1—inputs to the valuation methodology are quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets


•	Level 2—inputs to the valuation methodology include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument


•	Level 3—inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable and significant to the fair value measurement

Recurring Fair Value Measurements

The Company's financial instruments consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, borrowings and derivatives. Management believes that the carrying value of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable and accounts payable are representative of their respective fair values. In conjunction with the fair value measurement of the derivative instruments, the Company made an accounting policy election to measure the credit risk of its derivative instruments that are subject to master netting agreements on a net basis by counterparty portfolio, the gross values would not be materially different.