Accounting Standards and Policies

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

Effective January 1, 2019, the Company adopted the following new Accounting Standard Updates (“ASUs”):


•	ASU 2016-02, Leases (and related ASUs);


•	ASU 2018-02, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income: Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income; and


•	ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (and related ASUs, effective for the Company’s equity method Affiliates)

The adoption of ASU 2016-02 was the only ASU that had a significant impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

The Company adopted ASU 2016-02 using a modified retrospective method and, as a result, recorded a lease liability of $190.8 million and after certain reclassifications, primarily related to accrued lease payments and unamortized lease incentives, a right-of-use asset of $163.6 million as of January 1, 2019. Additionally, the Company elected the transition practical expedients provided by ASU 2016-02, which allowed the Company to carryforward its historical lease classification. Having adopted ASU 2016-02, the Company updated its leases accounting policy as described below. For a complete list of significant accounting policies, see the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018.

Leases

Leases are classified as either operating leases or finance leases. The Company and its Affiliates currently lease office space and equipment primarily under operating lease arrangements. As these leases expire, it is expected that, in the normal course of business, they will be renewed or replaced. Whether a lease is classified as an operating lease or a finance lease, the Company and its Affiliates must record a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for all leases at the commencement date of the lease, other than for leases with an initial term of 12 months or less. As permitted under ASU 2016-02, the Company and its Affiliates elect not to record short-term leases with an initial lease term less than 12 months on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. Right-of-use assets and lease liabilities are reported in Other assets and Other liabilities, respectively, on the Consolidated Balance Sheets. A lease liability is initially and subsequently reported at the present value of the outstanding lease payments determined by discounting those lease payments over the remaining lease term using the incremental borrowing rate of the legal entity entering into the lease as of the commencement date. A right-of-use asset is initially reported at the present value of the corresponding lease liability plus any prepaid lease payments and initial direct costs of entering into the lease, and reduced by any lease incentives. Subsequently, a right-of-use asset is reported at the present value of the lease liability adjusted for any prepaid or accrued lease payments, remaining balances of any lease incentives received, unamortized initial direct costs of entering into the lease and any impairments of the right-of-use asset. The Company and its Affiliates test for possible impairments of right-of-use assets annually or more frequently whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of a right-of-use asset may exceed its fair value. If the carrying value of the right-of-use asset exceeds its fair value, then the carrying value of the right-of-use asset is reduced to its fair value and the expense is recorded in Other expenses (net) on the Consolidated Statements of Income. Subsequent to an impairment, the carrying value of the right-of-use asset is amortized on a straight-line basis over the remaining lease term.

Lease liabilities and right-of-use assets based on variable lease payments that depend on an index or rate are initially measured using the index or rate at the commencement date with any subsequent changes in variable lease payments reported in Other expenses (net) as incurred. Most lease agreements for office space that are classified as operating leases contain renewal options, rent escalation clauses or other lease incentives provided by the lessor. Lease expense is accrued to recognize lease escalation provisions and renewal options that are reasonably certain to be exercised, as well as lease incentives provided by the lessor, on a straight-line basis over the lease term and is reported in Other expenses (net). If a right-of-use asset is impaired, the lease expense is subsequently reported in Other expenses (net) as the straight-line amortization of the right-of-use asset and the accretion of the lease liability, thereby transitioning to a front-loaded expense recognition profile for the associated lease.

The Company and its Affiliates combine lease and non-lease components for their office space leases and separate non-lease components for their equipment leases in calculating their lease liabilities. Sublease income is reported in Investment and other income on the Consolidated Statements of Income.