Accounting Changes and Recent Accounting Pronouncements

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Accounting Changes and Error Corrections [Abstract]

Accounting Changes and Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Accounting Changes

ASU 2016-02

In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2016-02, Leases (ASU 2016-02), which, for most leases, results in lessees recognizing right-of-use (ROU) assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet. ASU 2016-02, as amended by ASU No. 2018-11, Targeted Improvements, requires lessees and lessors to recognize and measure leases at the beginning of the earliest period presented using one of two modified retrospective approaches. A number of optional practical expedients may be applied in transition. We adopted ASU 2016-02 on January 1, 2019.

The main impact of the adoption of ASU 2016-02 relates to the recognition of ROU assets and lease liabilities on our consolidated balance sheet for those leases classified as operating leases under previous accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. (GAAP). In transition, we have applied the practical expedients that permit us not to reassess (i) whether expired or existing contracts contain a lease under the new standard, (ii) the lease classification for expired or existing leases or (iii) whether previously-capitalized initial direct costs would qualify for capitalization under the new standard. In addition, we have not used hindsight during transition.

Upon adoption of ASU 2016-02, on January 1, 2019 our continuing operations recorded (i) ROU assets of $545.1 million and lease liabilities of $558.1 million related to operating leases, (ii) ROU assets and lease liabilities related to finance leases of $26.2 million and (iii) a decrease to our accumulated deficit of $1.2 million. In addition, we reclassified our existing prepaid lease expense, accrued lease expense and lease incentive liabilities, resulting in a net reduction of our ROU assets of $14.2 million. The adoption of ASU 2016-02 did not have a significant impact on our consolidated statements of operations or cash flows.

We have implemented a new lease accounting system and related internal controls over financial reporting to meet the requirements of ASU 2016-02.

For additional information regarding our leases, see note 12.

ASU 2014-09

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASU 2014-09), which requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of goods or services to customers. We adopted ASU 2014-09 effective January 1, 2018 by recording the cumulative effect of the adoption to our accumulated deficit. We applied the new standard to contracts that were not complete at January 1, 2018. The comparative information for the year ended December 31, 2017 contained within these consolidated financial statements and notes has not been restated and continues to be reported under the accounting standards in effect for such period. The implementation of ASU 2014-09 did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

The principal impacts of ASU 2014-09 on our revenue recognition policies relate to our accounting for (i) time-limited discounts and free service periods provided to our customers and (ii) certain upfront fees charged to our customers, as follows:

•

When we enter into contracts to provide services to our customers, we often provide time-limited discounts or free service periods. Under previous accounting rules, we recognized revenue, net of discounts, during the promotional periods and did not recognize any revenue during free service periods. Under ASU 2014-09, revenue recognition for those contracts that contain substantive termination penalties is recognized uniformly over the contractual period. For contracts that do not have substantive termination penalties, we continue to record the impacts of partial or full discounts during the applicable promotional periods.

•

When we enter into contracts to provide services to our customers, we often charge installation or other upfront fees. Under previous accounting rules, installation fees related to services provided over our cable networks were recognized as revenue during the period in which the installation occurred to the extent these fees were equal to or less than direct selling costs. Under ASU 2014-09, these fees are generally deferred and recognized as revenue over the contractual period, or longer if the upfront fee results in a material renewal right.

ASU 2014-09 also impacted our accounting for certain upfront costs directly associated with obtaining and fulfilling customer contracts. Under our previous policy, these costs were expensed as incurred unless the costs were in the scope of another accounting topic that allowed for capitalization. Under ASU 2014-09, certain upfront costs associated with contracts that have substantive termination penalties and a term of one year or more are recognized as assets and amortized to operating costs and expenses over the applicable period benefited.

For additional information regarding the impact of our adoption of ASU 2014-09, see note 4.

The cumulative effect of the adoption of ASU 2014-09 on our summary balance sheet information as of January 1, 2018 is as follows:



	Balance at December 31, 2017			ASU 2014-09 Adjustments		Balance at January 1, 2018
	in millions
Assets:
Trade receivables, net	$	1,404.5		(0.7	)	$	1,403.8
Current assets of discontinued operations	$	276.0		98.2		$	374.2
Other current assets	$	351.2		76.6		$	427.8
Investments and related note receivables (a)	$	6,671.4		191.2		$	6,862.6
Deferred tax assets	$	3,133.1		(16.0	)	$	3,117.1
Long-term assets of discontinued operations	$	11,237.4		29.1		$	11,266.5
Other assets, net	$	3,720.2		21.4		$	3,741.6

Liabilities:
Deferred revenue	$	936.6		5.6		$	942.2
Current liabilities of discontinued operations	$	1,635.9		26.7		$	1,662.6
Other accrued and current liabilities	$	2,219.0		1.2		$	2,220.2
Long-term liabilities of discontinued operations	$	10,014.4		39.1		$	10,053.5
Other long-term liabilities	$	2,246.6		2.7		$	2,249.3

Equity:
Accumulated deficit (a)	$	(6,217.6	)	320.1		$	(5,897.5	)
Noncontrolling interests	$	(412.0	)	4.4		$	(407.6	)

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(a)	The ASU 2014-09 adjustment amounts include the impact of our share of the VodafoneZiggo JV’s adjustment to its owners’ equity.

The impact of our adoption of ASU 2014-09 on our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2019 was not materially different from the impacts set forth in the above January 1, 2018 summary balance sheet information. Similarly, the adoption of ASU 2014-09 did not have a material impact on our consolidated statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2019.

ASU 2016-09

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation — Stock Compensation, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting (ASU 2016-09), which simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities and classification within the statement of cash flows. We adopted ASU 2016-09 on January 1, 2017. As a result of adopting this standard, we (i) recognized a cumulative effect adjustment to our accumulated deficit as of January 1, 2017 and (ii) retrospectively revised the presentation of our consolidated statements of cash flows to remove the operating cash outflows and financing cash inflows associated with excess tax benefits from share-based compensation. The cumulative effect adjustment, which totaled $15.3 million, represents the tax effect of deductions in excess of the financial reporting expense for share-based compensation that were not previously recognized for financial reporting purposes as these tax benefits were not realized as a reduction of income taxes payable.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

ASU 2018-15

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement that is a Service Contract (ASU 2018-15), which requires entities to defer implementation costs incurred that are related to the application development stage in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract. Deferred implementation costs will be amortized over the term of the cloud computing arrangement and presented in the same expense line item as the cloud computing arrangement. All other implementation costs will generally be expensed as incurred. We adopted ASU 2018-15 on January 1, 2020 on a prospective basis. As a result of the adoption of ASU 2018-15, (i) certain implementation costs that were previously expensed as incurred will now be deferred as prepaid expenses and amortized over the term of the cloud computing arrangement and (ii) certain costs associated with developing interfaces between a cloud computing arrangement and internal-use software that were previously capitalized as property and equipment will now be deferred as prepaid expenses and amortized over the term of the cloud computing arrangement. We currently do not believe the adoption of ASU 2018-15 will have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2019-02

In March 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-02, Improvements to Accounting for Costs of Films and License Agreements for Program Materials (ASU 2019-02), which aligns the accounting for production costs of an episodic television series with the accounting for production costs of films. ASU 2019-02 removes the existing constraint that restricts capitalization of production costs to contracted revenue for episodic television series. The amended guidance also permits entities to test a film or license agreement for impairment at the film group level, addresses cash flow classification and provides new disclosure requirements. We adopted ASU 2019-02 on January 1, 2020 on a prospective basis. The adoption of ASU 2019-02 did not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2016-13

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Statements (ASU 2016-13), which changes the recognition model for credit losses related to assets held at amortized cost. ASU 2016-13 eliminates the threshold that a loss must be considered probable to recognize a credit loss and instead requires an entity to reflect its current estimate of lifetime expected credit losses. We adopted ASU 2016-13 on January 1, 2020 on a modified retrospective basis by recording a cumulative effect adjustment to our accumulated earnings. The adoption of ASU 2016-13 did not have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2019-12

In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes (ASU 2019-12), which is intended to improve consistency and simplify several areas of existing guidance. ASU 2019-12 removes certain exceptions to the general principles related to the approach for intraperiod tax allocation, the methodology for calculating income taxes in an interim period and the recognition of deferred tax liabilities for outside basis differences. The new guidance also clarifies the accounting for transactions that result in a step-up in the tax basis of goodwill. ASU 2019-12 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the effect that ASU 2019-12 will have on our consolidated financial statements.