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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Discussion | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Discussion | Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Presentation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Peabody Energy Corporation (PEC) and its affiliates. The Company, or Peabody, are used interchangeably to refer to Peabody Energy Corporation, to Peabody Energy Corporation and its subsidiaries, or to such subsidiaries, as appropriate to the context. Interests in subsidiaries controlled by the Company are consolidated with any outside stockholder interests reflected as noncontrolling interests, except when the Company has an undivided interest in an unincorporated joint venture. In those cases, the Company includes its proportionate share in the assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses of the jointly controlled entities within each applicable line item of the consolidated financial statements. All intercompany transactions, profits and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain amounts from prior years have been reclassified to conform with the 2018 presentation. Description of Business The Company is engaged in the mining of thermal coal for sale primarily to electric utilities and metallurgical coal for sale to industrial customers. The Company’s mining operations are located in the United States (U.S.) and Australia, including an equity-affiliate mining operation in Australia. The Company also markets and brokers coal from other coal producers and trades coal and freight-related contracts through trading and business offices in the U.S., Australia, China, and the United Kingdom. The Company’s other commercial activities include managing its coal reserve and real estate holdings, and supporting the development of clean coal technologies. Plan of Reorganization and Emergence from Chapter 11 Cases On April 13, 2016, (the Petition Date), PEC and a majority of its wholly owned domestic subsidiaries, as well as one international subsidiary in Gibraltar (collectively with PEC, the Debtors), filed voluntary petitions (the Bankruptcy Petitions) under Chapter 11 of Title 11 of the U.S. Code (the Bankruptcy Code) in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Missouri (the Bankruptcy Court). The Debtors’ Chapter 11 cases (the Chapter 11 Cases) were jointly administered under the caption In re Peabody Energy Corporation, et al., Case No. 16-42529. For periods subsequent to filing the Bankruptcy Petitions, the Company applied the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 852, “Reorganizations”, in preparing its consolidated financial statements. ASC 852 requires that financial statements distinguish transactions and events that are directly associated with the reorganization from the ongoing operations of the business. Accordingly, certain revenues, expenses, realized gains and losses and provisions for losses that were realized or incurred in the bankruptcy proceedings were recorded in “Reorganization items, net” in the consolidated statements of operations. On March 17, 2017, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order, Docket No. 2763 (the Confirmation Order), confirming the Debtors’ Second Amended Joint Plan of Reorganization of Debtors and Debtors in Possession (as further modified, the Plan). On April 3, 2017, (the Effective Date), the Debtors satisfied the conditions to effectiveness set forth in the Plan, the Plan became effective in accordance with its terms and the Debtors emerged from the Chapter 11 Cases. On the Effective Date, in accordance with ASC 852, the Company applied fresh start reporting which requires the Company to allocate its reorganization value to the fair value of assets and liabilities in conformity with the guidance for the acquisition method of accounting for business combinations. The Company was permitted to use fresh start reporting because (i) the holders of existing voting shares of the Predecessor (as defined below) company received less than 50% of the voting shares of the emerging entity upon reorganization and (ii) the reorganization value of the Company’s assets immediately prior to Plan confirmation was less than the total of all postpetition liabilities and allowed claims. Upon adoption of fresh start reporting, the Company became a new entity for financial reporting purposes, reflecting the Successor (as defined below) capital structure. As a result, a new accounting basis in the identifiable assets and liabilities assumed was established with no retained earnings or accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) for financial reporting purposes. The Company selected an accounting convenience date of April 1, 2017 for purposes of applying fresh start reporting as the activity between the convenience date and the Effective Date did not result in a material difference in the results. References to “Successor” in the financial statements and accompanying footnotes are in reference to reporting dates on or after April 2, 2017; references to “Predecessor” in the financial statements and accompanying footnotes are in reference to reporting dates through April 1, 2017 which includes the impact of the Plan provisions and the application of fresh start reporting. As such, the Company’s financial statements for the Successor will not be comparable in many respects to its financial statements for periods prior to the adoption of fresh start reporting and prior to the accounting for the effects of the Plan. For further information on the Plan and fresh start reporting, see Note 2. “Emergence from the Chapter 11 Cases and Fresh Start Reporting.” In connection with fresh start reporting, the Company made certain prospective accounting policy elections that impact the Successor periods presented herein. The Company now classifies the amortization associated with its asset retirement obligation assets within “Depreciation, depletion and amortization” in its consolidated statements of operations, rather than within “Asset retirement obligation expenses”, as in Predecessor periods. With respect to its accrued postretirement benefit and pension obligations, the Company now records amounts attributable to actuarial valuation changes currently in earnings rather than recording such amounts within accumulated other comprehensive income and amortizing to expense over the applicable time periods. Newly Adopted Accounting Standards Revenue Recognition. In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (Topic 606), that requires recognition of revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which a company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The FASB has also issued several updates to ASU 2014-09. On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASU 2014-09 using the modified retrospective method. The new standard provides a single principles-based, five-step model to be applied to all contracts with customers, which steps are to (1) identify the contract(s) with the customer, (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (3) determine the transaction price, (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract and (5) recognize revenue when each performance obligation is satisfied. The Company recognized the cumulative effect of initially applying ASU 2014-09 as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings. Revenue previously recognized under contracts completed prior to January 1, 2018 was not impacted by adoption and comparative information has not been restated. The impact of the adoption of ASU 2014-09 was immaterial to the Company’s results of operations, financial condition and cash flows. The majority of the Company’s coal sales revenue will continue to be recognized as title and risk of loss transfer to the customer at mines and ports when coal is loaded to the transportation source, as further described below under the heading Revenues. The impact of the adoption of ASU 2014-09 was limited to a long-term contract in which consideration related to the reimbursement of certain post-mining costs was recognized as costs were incurred, which differs in timing compared to the five-step model described above. The cumulative effects to the Company’s consolidated January 1, 2018 balance sheet were to reduce retained earnings for the amount of revenue that would have been deferred and to reduce long-term customer receivables, as noted in the table below:
| Balance at December 31, 2017 |  | Adjustments due to ASU 2014-09 |  | Balance at January 1, 2018
| (Dollars in millions)
ASSETS |  |  |  |  |
Investments and other assets | $ | 470.6 |  |  | $ | (22.5 | ) |  | $ | 448.1 |
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY |  |  |  |  |
Retained earnings | 613.6 |  |  | (22.5 | ) |  | 591.1 |
ASU 2014-09 also requires entities to disclose sufficient qualitative and quantitative information to enable financial statement users to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenues and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. Such disclosures are included below under the heading Revenues and in Note 4. “Revenue Recognition.” Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15 to amend the classification of certain cash receipts and cash payments in the statement of cash flows to reduce diversity in practice. The Company retrospectively adopted all the provisions of this new standard in the first quarter of 2018. The classification requirements under the new guidance are either consistent with the Company’s current practices or are not applicable to its activities, and as such, did not have a material impact on classification of cash receipts and cash payments in the Company’s consolidated statements of cash flows. Restricted Cash. In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18, which reduces diversity in the presentation of restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents in the statement of cash flows. The Company retrospectively adopted all the provisions of this new accounting standard in the first quarter of 2018 and as a result of the new guidance, the Company combines restricted cash with unrestricted cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning and end of period balances on its statements of cash flows. The amendments also require a company to disclose information about the nature of the restrictions and amounts described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents. Such disclosures are included in Note 25. “Financial Instruments, Guarantees With Off-Balance-Sheet Risk and Other Guarantees.” Further, as cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents are presented in more than one line item on the balance sheet, the Company reconciled these amounts to the total shown in the statement of cash flows in a tabular format within the Company’s consolidated statements of cash flows. Compensation - Retirement Benefits. In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-07, which requires employers that sponsor defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans to report the service cost component in the same line item as other compensation costs and to report the other components of net periodic benefit costs (which include interest costs, expected return on plan assets, amortization of prior service cost or credits and actuarial gains and losses) separately and outside a subtotal of operating income on a retrospective basis. The guidance limiting the capitalization of net periodic benefit cost in assets to the service cost component will be applied prospectively. The Company adopted all the provisions of this new accounting standard in the first quarter of 2018. While adoption of this guidance did impact financial statement presentation, it did not materially impact the Company’s results of operations, financial condition or cash flows. The retrospective impacts to the consolidated statements of operations were as follows:
| Successor
| April 2 through December 31, 2017
| Before Application of Accounting Guidance |  | Adjustment |  | After Application of Accounting Guidance
| (Dollars in millions)
Results of Operations Amounts |  |  |  |  |
Operating costs and expenses | $ | 3,075.5 |  |  | $ | (22.8 | ) |  | $ | 3,052.7 |
Selling and administrative expenses | 105.4 |  |  | 0.9 |  |  | 106.3 |
Net mark-to-market adjustment on actuarially determined liabilities | (45.2 | ) |  | 45.2 |  |  | — |
Operating profit | 687.1 |  |  | (23.3 | ) |  | 663.8 |
Net periodic benefit costs, excluding service cost | — |  |  | 21.9 |  |  | 21.9 |
Net mark-to-market adjustment on actuarially determined liabilities | — |  |  | (45.2 | ) |  | (45.2 | )
Income from continuing operations before income taxes | 552.1 |  |  | — |  |  | 552.1 |
| Predecessor
| January 1 through April 1, 2017
| Before Application of Accounting Guidance |  | Adjustment |  | After Application of Accounting Guidance
| (Dollars in millions)
Results of Operations Amounts |  |  |  |  |
Operating costs and expenses | $ | 963.7 |  |  | $ | (13.5 | ) |  | $ | 950.2 |
Selling and administrative expenses | 37.2 |  |  | (0.9 | ) |  | 36.3 |
Operating profit | 198.1 |  |  | 14.4 |  |  | 212.5 |
Net periodic benefit costs, excluding service cost | — |  |  | 14.4 |  |  | 14.4 |
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes | (459.3 | ) |  | — |  |  | (459.3 | )
| Predecessor
| Year Ended December 31, 2016
| Before Application of Accounting Guidance |  | Adjustment |  | After Application of Accounting Guidance
| (Dollars in millions)
Results of Operations Amounts |  |  |  |  |
Operating costs and expenses | $ | 4,123.1 |  |  | $ | (53.1 | ) |  | $ | 4,070.0 |
Selling and administrative expenses | 153.4 |  |  | (4.0 | ) |  | 149.4 |
Operating loss | (276.9 | ) |  | 57.1 |  |  | (219.8 | )
Net periodic benefit costs, excluding service cost | — |  |  | 57.1 |  |  | 57.1 |
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes | (758.3 | ) |  | — |  |  | (758.3 | )
Compensation - Stock Compensation. In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09 to clarify when to account for a change to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award as a modification. Under the new guidance, modification accounting is required only if the fair value, the vesting conditions or the classification of the award (as equity or liability) changes as a result of the change in terms or conditions. The Company prospectively applied all the provisions of this new accounting standard on January 1, 2018, and there was no material impact to the Company’s results of operations, financial condition or cash flows. Cloud Computing Arrangements. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15 to provide new guidance on a customer’s accounting for implementation, set-up and other upfront costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement that is hosted by the vendor. Under the new guidance, customers will apply the same criteria for capitalizing implementation costs as they would for an arrangement that has a software license. The new guidance also prescribes the balance sheet, income statement and cash flow classification of the capitalized implementation costs and related amortization expense, and requires additional quantitative and qualitative disclosures. The Company retrospectively adopted all the provisions of this new accounting standard pertaining to multiple ongoing cloud implementation projects. The adoption of this guidance did not materially impact the Company’s results of operations, financial condition or cash flows. Accounting Standards Not Yet Implemented Leases. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842),” which requires a lessee to recognize on its balance sheet a liability to make lease payments and a right-of-use (ROU) asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term for leases with lease terms of more than 12 months. Consistent with current accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (U.S. GAAP), the recognition, measurement and presentation of expenses and cash flows arising from a lease by a lessee primarily will depend on its classification as a finance or operating lease. Additional qualitative disclosures along with specific quantitative disclosures will also be required. The new guidance will take effect for public companies for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018 (January 1, 2019 for the Company). In July 2018, the FASB issued the new transition method and practical expedient to simplify the application of the new leasing standard. Under the new transition method, comparative periods presented in the financial statements in the period of adoption will not need to be restated. Instead, a Company would initially apply the new lease requirements at the effective date, and recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. The Company would continue to report comparative periods presented in the financial statements in the period of adoption under current U.S. GAAP and provide the applicable required disclosures for such periods. The new practical expedient allows lessors to avoid separating lease and associated nonlease components within a contract if certain criteria are met. If elected, lessors will be able to aggregate nonlease components that otherwise would be accounted for under the new revenue standard with the associated lease component if the following conditions are met: (1) the timing and pattern of transfer for the nonlease component and the associated lease component are the same and (2) the stand-alone lease component would be classified as an operating lease if accounted for separately. The Company intends to elect the package of practical expedients offered under ASC 842 that allows it to forgo reassessing the classification for leases that have already commenced. The Company will also elect to adopt the additional expedients to transition without restating comparatives, to not capitalize a lease where the term is shorter than 12 months, and to not split out non-lease components for lessees. The Company has implemented key systems functionality and internal control processes in order to comply with the new reporting requirements of ASU 2016-02 and estimates that adoption of the standard will result in the recognition of additional ROU assets and corresponding lease liabilities on January 1, 2019 of approximately $100 million to $200 million. The adoption of ASU 2016-02 is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations or its cash flows, or to affect the Company’s compliance with the terms of its existing debt agreements. Financial Instruments - Credit Losses. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13 related to the measurement of credit losses on financial instruments. The pronouncement replaces the incurred loss methodology to record credit losses with a methodology that reflects the expected credit losses for financial assets not accounted for at fair value with gains and losses recognized through net income. This standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 (January 1, 2020 for the Company) and interim periods therein, with early adoption permitted for fiscal years, and interim periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact that the adoption of this guidance will have on its results of operations, financial condition, cash flows and financial statement presentation. Leases - Land Easements. In January 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-01 to provide an optional transition practical expedient to not evaluate under Topic 842 existing or expired land easements that were not previously accounted for as leases under current leasing guidance. An entity that elects this practical expedient should evaluate new or modified land easements under Topic 842 beginning at the date that the entity adopts Topic 842. An entity that does not elect this practical expedient should evaluate all existing or expired land easements in connection with the adoption of the new leases requirements in Topic 842 to assess whether they meet the definition of a lease. The amendments in this update affect the amendments in ASU 2016-02. The effective date and transition requirements for the amendments are the same as the effective date and transition requirements in ASU 2016-02. The Company plans to adopt the expedient effective January 1, 2019 and the adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on its results of operations, financial condition, cash flows and financial statement presentation. Fair Value Measurement. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, which amended the fair value measurement guidance by removing and modifying certain disclosure requirements, while also adding new disclosure requirements. The amendments on changes in unrealized gains and losses, the range and weighted average of significant unobservable inputs used to develop Level 3 fair value measurements, and the narrative description of measurement uncertainty should be applied prospectively for only the most recent interim or annual period presented in the initial fiscal year of adoption. All other amendments should be applied retrospectively to all periods presented upon their effective date. The amendments are effective for all companies for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for all amendments. Further, a company may elect to early adopt the removal or modification of disclosures immediately and delay adoption of the new disclosure requirements until the effective date. The Company plans to adopt all disclosure requirements effective January 1, 2020. Compensation - Retirement Benefits. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14 to add, remove and clarify disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension or other postretirement plans. ASU 2018-14 is effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020 for public companies and early adoption is permitted. The Company plans to adopt the disclosure requirements effective January 1, 2021. Collaborative Arrangements - Clarifying the Interaction Between Topic 808 and Topic 606. In November 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-18 to provide guidance on how to assess whether certain arrangements between participants in collaborative arrangements should be accounted for within the revenue recognition standard. In a collaborative arrangement, two or more parties actively participate under contract in a joint operating activity and are exposed to significant risks and rewards that depend on the activity’s commercial success. The standard allows companies to present units of account in collaborative arrangements that are within the scope of the revenue recognition standard together with revenue accounted for under the revenue recognition standard. The amendments in the new standard take effect for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is in the process of evaluating the impact that the adoption of this guidance will have on its financial statement presentation. Revenues The majority of the Company’s revenue is derived from the sale of coal under long-term coal supply agreements (those with initial terms of one year or longer and which often include price reopener and/or extension provisions) and contracts with terms of less than one year, including sales made on a spot basis. The Company’s revenue from coal sales is realized and earned when control passes to the customer. Under the typical terms of the Company’s coal supply agreements, title and risk of loss transfer to the customer at the mine or port, where coal is loaded to the transportation source(s) that serves each of the Company’s mines. The Company incurs certain “add-on” taxes and fees on coal sales. Reported coal sales include taxes and fees charged by various federal and state governmental bodies and the freight charged on destination customer contracts. The Company’s U.S. thermal operating platform primarily sells thermal coal to electric utilities in the U.S. under long-term contracts, with a portion sold into the seaborne markets as conditions warrant. A significant portion of the coal production from the U.S. thermal mining segments is sold under long-term supply agreements, and customers of those segments continue to pursue long-term sales agreements in recognition of the importance of reliability, service and predictable coal prices to their operations. The terms of coal supply agreements result from competitive bidding and extensive negotiations with customers. Consequently, the terms of those agreements may vary in many respects, including price adjustment features, price reopener terms, coal quality requirements, quantity parameters, permitted sources of supply, treatment of environmental constraints, extension options, force majeure and termination and assignment provisions. The Company’s seaborne operating platform is primarily export focused with customers spread across several countries, with a portion of the metallurgical and thermal coal sold within Australia. Generally, revenues from individual countries vary year by year based on electricity and steel demand, the strength of the global economy, governmental policies and several other factors, including those specific to each country. A majority of these sales are executed through annual and multi-year international coal supply agreements that contain provisions requiring both parties to renegotiate pricing periodically. Industry commercial practice, and the Company’s typical practice, is to negotiate pricing for seaborne metallurgical coal contracts on a quarterly, spot or index basis and seaborne thermal coal contracts on an annual, spot or index basis. The portion of sales volume under contracts with a duration of less than one year has increased in recent years. In the case of periodically negotiated pricing, the Company may deliver coal under provisional pricing until a final agreed-upon price is determined. The resulting make-whole settlements are recognized when reasonably estimable. Contract pricing is set forth on a per ton basis, and revenue is generally recorded as the product of price and volume delivered. Many of the Company’s coal supply agreements contain provisions that permit the parties to adjust the contract price upward or downward at specified times. These contract prices may be adjusted based on inflation or deflation and/or changes in the factors affecting the cost of producing coal, such as taxes, fees, royalties and changes in the laws regulating the mining, production, sale or use of coal. In a limited number of contracts, failure of the parties to agree on a price under those provisions may allow either party to terminate the contract. The Company sometimes experiences a reduction in coal prices in new long-term coal supply agreements replacing some of its expiring contracts. Coal supply agreements also typically contain force majeure provisions allowing temporary suspension of performance by the Company or the customer during the duration of specified events beyond the control of the affected party. Most of the coal supply agreements contain provisions requiring the Company to deliver coal meeting quality thresholds for certain characteristics such as Btu, sulfur content, ash content, grindability and ash fusion temperature. Failure to meet these specifications could result in economic penalties, including price adjustments, the rejection of deliveries or termination of the contracts. Moreover, some of these agreements allow the Company’s customers to terminate their contracts in the event of changes in regulations affecting the industry that restrict the use or type of coal permissible at the customer’s plant or increase the price of coal beyond specified limits. Additional revenues may include realized and unrealized gains and losses on coal-related derivative instruments, revenues from customer contract-related payments, and other insignificant items including royalties related to coal lease agreements, sales agency commissions, farm income and property and facility rentals. Royalty income generally results from the lease or sublease of mineral rights to third parties, with payments based upon a percentage of the selling price or an amount per ton of coal produced. The Company previously disclosed such revenue as “Other revenues” in its consolidated statements of operations, but for the current and comparative periods has combined all revenue within the “Revenues” caption. Discontinued Operations and Assets Held for Sale The Company classifies items within discontinued operations in the consolidated financial statements when the operations and cash flows of a particular component of the Company have been (or will be) eliminated from the ongoing operations of the Company as a result of a disposal (by sale or otherwise) and represents a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on the entity’s operations and financial results. Refer to Note 6. “Discontinued Operations” for additional details related to discontinued operations. Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash and cash equivalents are stated at cost, which approximates fair value. Cash equivalents consist of highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less. Accounts Receivable The timing of revenue recognition, billings and cash collections results in accounts receivable from customers. Customers are invoiced as coal is shipped or at periodic intervals in accordance with contractual terms. Invoices typically include customary adjustments for the resolution of price variability related to prior shipments, such as coal quality thresholds. Payments are generally received within thirty days of invoicing. Inventories Coal is reported as inventory at the point in time the coal is extracted from the mine. Raw coal represents coal stockpiles that may be sold in current condition or may be further processed prior to shipment to a customer. Saleable coal represents coal stockpiles which require no further processing prior to shipment to a customer. Coal inventory is valued at the lower of average cost or net realizable value. Coal inventory costs include labor, supplies, equipment (including depreciation thereto) and operating overhead and other related costs incurred at or on behalf of the mining location. Net realizable value considers the projected future sales price of the particular coal product, less applicable selling costs, and, in the case of raw coal, estimated remaining processing costs. The valuation of coal inventory is subject to several additional estimates, including those related to ground and aerial surveys used to measure quantities and processing recovery rates. Materials and supplies inventory is valued at the lower of average cost or net realizable value, less a reserve for obsolete or surplus items. This reserve incorporates several factors, such as anticipated usage, inventory turnover and inventory levels. Property, Plant, Equipment and Mine Development Property, plant, equipment and mine development are recorded at cost. Interest costs applicable to major asset additions are capitalized during the construction period. There was no capitalized interest in any of the periods presented. Expenditures which extend the useful lives of existing plant and equipment assets are capitalized. Maintenance and repairs are charged to operating costs as incurred. Costs incurred to develop coal mines or to expand the capacity of operating mines are capitalized. Maintenance and repair costs incurred to maintain current production capacity at a mine are charged to operating costs as incurred. Costs to acquire computer hardware and the development and/or purchase of software for internal use are capitalized and depreciated over the estimated useful lives. Coal reserves are recorded at cost, or at fair value in the case of nonmonetary exchanges of reserves or business acquisitions. Depletion of coal reserves and amortization of advance royalties is computed using the units-of-production method utilizing only proven and probable reserves (as adjusted for recoverability factors) in the depletion base. Mine development costs are principally amortized over the estimated lives of the mines using the straight-line method. Depreciation of plant and equipment is computed using the straight-line method over the shorter of the asset’s estimated useful life or the life of the mine. The estimated useful lives by category of assets are as follows:
|  |  | Years
Building and improvements |  |  | up to 27
Machinery and equipment |  |  | up to 27
Leasehold improvements |  |  | Shorter of Useful Life or Remaining Life of Lease
Equity Investments The Company applies the equity method to investments in joint ventures when it has the ability to exercise significant influence over the operating and financial policies of the joint venture. Investments accounted for under the equity method are initially recorded at cost and any difference between the cost of the Company’s investment and the underlying equity in the net assets of the joint venture at the investment date is amortized over the lives of the related assets that gave rise to the difference. The Company’s pro-rata share of the operating results of joint ventures and basis difference amortization is reported in the consolidated statements of operations in “Income from equity affiliates.” Similarly, the Company’s pro-rata share of the cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment of its equity method investments whose functional currency is not the U.S. dollar is reported in the consolidated balance sheet as a component of “Accumulated other comprehensive income,” with periodic changes thereto reflected in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income. The Company monitors its equity method investments for indicators that a decrease in investment value has occurred that is other than temporary. Examples of such indicators include a sustained history of operating losses and adverse changes in earnings and cash flow outlook. In the absence of quoted market prices for an investment, discounted cash flow projections are used to assess fair value, the underlying assumptions to which are generally considered unobservable Level 3 inputs under the fair value hierarchy. If the fair value of an investment is determined to be below its carrying value and that loss in fair value is deemed other than temporary, an impairment loss is recognized. No such impairment losses were recorded in any period presented. For the remaining investments, the Company will adjust the carrying value of its investments to fair value based on observable market transactions. The Company also monitors such investments for indicators of impairment should no observable market transactions exist. Asset Retirement Obligations The Company’s asset retirement obligation (ARO) liabilities primarily consist of spending estimates for surface land reclamation and support facilities at both surface and underground mines in accordance with applicable reclamation laws and regulations in the U.S. and Australia as defined by each mining permit. The Company estimates its ARO liabilities for final reclamation and mine closure based upon detailed engineering calculations of the amount and timing of the future cash spending for a third party to perform the required work. Spending estimates are escalated for inflation and then discounted at the credit-adjusted, risk-free rate. The Company records an ARO asset associated with the discounted liability for final reclamation and mine closure. The obligation and corresponding asset are recognized in the period in which the liability is incurred. The ARO asset is amortized on the units-of-production method over its expected life and the ARO liability is accreted to the projected spending date. As changes in estimates occur (such as mine plan revisions, changes in estimated costs or changes in timing of the performance of reclamation activities), the revisions to the obligation and asset are recognized at the appropriate credit-adjusted, risk-free rate. The Company also recognizes an obligation for contemporaneous reclamation liabilities incurred as a result of surface mining. Contemporaneous reclamation consists primarily of grading, topsoil replacement and re-vegetation of backfilled pit areas. Contingent Liabilities From time to time, the Company is subject to legal and environmental matters related to its continuing and discontinued operations and certain historical, non-coal producing operations. In connection with such matters, the Company is required to assess the likelihood of any adverse judgments or outcomes, as well as potential ranges of probable losses. A determination of the amount of reserves required for these matters is made after considerable analysis of each individual issue. The Company accrues for legal and environmental matters within “Operating costs and expenses” when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. The Company provides disclosure surrounding loss contingencies when it believes that it is at least reasonably possible that a material loss may be incurred or an exposure to loss in excess of amounts already accrued may exist. Adjustments to contingent liabilities are made when additional information becomes available that affects the amount of estimated loss, which information may include changes in facts and circumstances, changes in interpretations of law in the relevant courts, the results of new or updated environmental remediation cost studies and the ongoing consideration of trends in environmental remediation costs. Accrued contingent liabilities exclude claims against third parties and are not discounted. The current portion of these accruals is included in “Accounts payable and accrued expenses” and the long-term portion is included in “Other noncurrent liabilities” in the consolidated balance sheets. In general, legal fees related to environmental remediation and litigation are charged to expense. The Company includes the interest component of any litigation-related penalties within “Interest expense” in the consolidated statements of operations. Income Taxes Income taxes are accounted for using a balance sheet approach. The Company accounts for deferred income taxes by applying statutory tax rates in effect at the reporting date of the balance sheet to differences between the book and tax basis of assets and liabilities. A valuation allowance is established if it is “more likely than not” that the related tax benefits will not be realized. Significant weight is given to evidence that can be objectively verified including history of tax attribute expiration and cumulative income or loss. In determining the appropriate valuation allowance, the Company considers the projected realization of tax benefits based on expected levels of future taxable income, available tax planning strategies, reversals of existing taxable temporary differences and taxable income in carryback years. The Company recognizes the tax benefit from uncertain tax positions only if it is “more likely than not” the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized from such a position are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. To the extent the Company’s assessment of such tax positions changes, the change in estimate will be recorded in the period in which the determination is made. Tax-related interest and penalties are classified as a component of income tax expense. Postretirement Health Care and Life Insurance Benefits The Company accounts for postretirement benefits other than pensions by accruing the costs of benefits to be provided over the employees’ period of active service. These costs are determined on an actuarial basis. The Company’s consolidated balance sheets reflect the accumulated postretirement benefit obligations of its postretirement benefit plans. The Company accounts for changes in its postretirement benefit obligations as a settlement when an irrevocable action has been effected that relieves the Company of its actuarially-determined liability to individual plan participants and removes substantial risk surrounding the nature, amount and timing of the obligation’s funding and the assets used to effect the settlement. See Note 17. “Postretirement Health Care and Life Insurance Benefits” for information related to postretirement benefits. Pension Plans The Company sponsors non-contributory defined benefit pension plans accounted for by accruing the cost to provide the benefits over the employees’ period of active service. These costs are determined on an actuarial basis. The Company’s consolidated balance sheets reflect the funded status of the defined benefit pension plans. See Note 18. “Pension and Savings Plans” for information related to pension plans. Restructuring Activities From time to time, the Company initiates restructuring activities in connection with its repositioning efforts to appropriately align its cost structure or optimize its coal production relative to prevailing market conditions. Costs associated with restructuring actions can include early mine closures, voluntary and involuntary workforce reductions, office closures and other related activities. Costs associated with restructuring activities are recognized in the period incurred. Included as a component of “Operating costs and expenses” in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations for the year ended December 31, 2018, the period April 2 through December 31, 2017 and the year ended December 31, 2016 were aggregate restructuring charges of $1.2 million, $7.6 million and $15.5 million, respectively, primarily associated with voluntary and involuntary workforce reductions. There were no restructuring charges during the period January 1 through April 1, 2017. Derivatives The Company recognizes at fair value all contracts meeting the definition of a derivative as assets or liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets, with the exception of certain coal trading contracts for which the Company has elected to apply a normal purchases and normal sales exception. With respect to derivatives used in hedging activities, the Company assesses, both at inception and at least quarterly thereafter, whether such derivatives are highly effective at offsetting the changes in the anticipated exposure of the hedged item. The effective portion of the change in the fair value of derivatives designated as a cash flow hedge is recorded in “Accumulated other comprehensive income” in the consolidated balance sheets until the hedged transaction impacts reported earnings, at which time any gain or loss is reclassified to earnings. To the extent that periodic changes in the fair value of derivatives deemed highly effective exceeds such changes in the hedged item, the ineffective portion of the periodic non-cash changes are recorded in earnings in the period of the change. If the hedge ceases to qualify for hedge accounting, the Company prospectively recognizes changes in the fair value of the instrument in earnings in the period of the change. The potential for hedge ineffectiveness may be present in the design of certain of the Company’s cash flow hedge relationships. Gains or losses from derivative financial instruments designated as fair value hedges are recognized immediately in earnings, along with the offsetting gain or loss related to the underlying hedged item. The Company’s asset and liability derivative positions are offset on a counterparty-by-counterparty basis if the contractual agreement provides for the net settlement of contracts with the counterparty in the event of default or termination of any one contract. Non-derivative contracts and derivative contracts for which the Company has elected to apply the normal purchases and normal sales exception are accounted for on an accrual basis. Business Combinations The Company accounts for business combinations using the purchase method of accounting. The purchase method requires the Company to determine the fair value of all acquired assets, including identifiable intangible assets and all assumed liabilities. The total cost of acquisitions is allocated to the underlying identifiable net assets, based on their respective estimated fair values. Determining the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed requires management’s judgment and the utilization of independent valuation experts, and often involves the use of significant estimates and assumptions, including assumptions with respect to future cash inflows and outflows, discount rates and asset lives, among other items. Impairment of Long-Lived Assets The Company evaluates its long-lived assets held and used in operations for impairment as events and changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets might not be recoverable. Factors that would indicate potential impairment to be present include, but are not limited to, a sustained history of operating or cash flow losses, an unfavorable change in earnings and cash flow outlook, prolonged adverse industry or economic trends and a significant adverse change in the extent or manner in which a long-lived asset is being used or in its physical condition. The Company generally does not view short-term declines in thermal and metallurgical coal prices as a triggering event for conducting impairment tests because of historic price volatility. However, the Company generally does view a sustained trend of depressed coal pricing (for example, over periods exceeding one year) as an indicator of potential impairment. Assets are grouped at the lowest level for which there are identifiable cash flows that are largely independent of the cash flows of other groups of assets. For its active mining operations, the Company generally groups such assets at the mine level, or the mining complex level for mines that share infrastructure, with the exception of impairment evaluations triggered by mine closures. In those cases involving mine closures, the related assets are evaluated at the individual asset level for remaining economic life based on transferability to ongoing operating sites and for use in reclamation-related activities, or for expected salvage. For its development and exploration properties and portfolio of surface land and coal reserve holdings, the Company considers several factors to determine whether to evaluate those assets individually or on a grouped basis for purposes of impairment testing. Such factors include geographic proximity to one another, the expectation of shared infrastructure upon development based on future mining plans and whether it would be most advantageous to bundle such assets in the event of sale to a third party. When indicators of impairment are present, the Company evaluates its long-lived assets for recoverability by comparing the estimated undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated by those assets under various assumptions to their carrying amounts. If such undiscounted cash flows indicate that the carrying value of the asset group is not recoverable, impairment losses are measured by comparing the estimated fair value of the asset group to its carrying amount. As quoted market prices are unavailable for the Company’s individual mining operations, fair value is determined through the use of an expected present value technique based on the income approach, except for non-strategic coal reserves, surface lands and undeveloped coal properties excluded from the Company’s long-range mine planning. In those cases, a market approach is utilized based on the most comparable market multiples available. The estimated future cash flows and underlying assumptions used to assess recoverability and, if necessary, measure the fair value of the Company’s long-lived mining assets are derived from those developed in connection with the Company’s planning and budgeting process. The Company believes its assumptions to be consistent with those a market participant would use for valuation purposes. The most critical assumptions underlying the Company’s projections and fair value estimates include those surrounding future tons sold, coal prices for unpriced coal, production costs (including costs for labor, commodity supplies and contractors), transportation costs, foreign currency exchange rates and a risk-adjusted, after-tax cost of capital (all of which generally constitute unobservable Level 3 inputs under the fair value hierarchy), in addition to market multiples for non-strategic coal reserves, surface lands and undeveloped coal properties excluded from the Company’s long-range mine planning (which generally constitute Level 2 inputs under the fair value hierarchy). Refer to Note 5. “Asset Impairment” for details regarding impairment charges related to long-lived assets of $30.5 million and $247.9 million recognized during the period January 1 through April 1, 2017 and the year ended December 31, 2016, respectively. There were no impairment charges related to long-lived assets during the year ended December 31, 2018 or the period April 2 through December 31, 2017. Fair Value For assets and liabilities that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the consolidated financial statements, the Company defines fair value 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. Foreign Currency Functional currency is determined by the primary economic environment in which an entity operates, which for the Company’s foreign operations is generally the U.S. dollar because sales prices in international coal markets and the Company’s sources of financing those operations are denominated in that currency. Accordingly, substantially all of the Company’s consolidated foreign subsidiaries utilize the U.S. dollar as their functional currency. Monetary assets and liabilities are remeasured at year-end exchange rates while non-monetary items are remeasured at historical rates. Income and expense accounts are remeasured at the average rates in effect during the year, except for those expenses related to balance sheet amounts that are remeasured at historical exchange rates. Gains and losses from foreign currency remeasurement related to tax balances are included as a component of “Income tax provision (benefit),” while all other remeasurement gains and losses are included in “Operating costs and expenses” in the consolidated statements of operations. The total impact of foreign currency remeasurement on the consolidated statements of operations was a net gain of $1.4 million, $0.7 million and $10.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2018, the period April 2 through December 31, 2017 and the period January 1 through April 1, 2017, respectively, and a net loss of $7.4 million for the year ended December 31, 2016. The Company owns a 50% equity interest Middlemount Coal Pty Ltd. (Middlemount), which owns the Middlemount Mine in Queensland, Australia. Middlemount utilizes the Australian dollar as its functional currency. Accordingly, the assets and liabilities of that equity investee are translated to U.S. dollars at the year-end exchange rate and income and expense accounts are translated at the average rate in effect during the year. The Company’s pro-rata share of the translation gains and losses of the equity investee are recorded as a component of “Accumulated other comprehensive income” in the consolidated balance sheets. Australian dollar denominated stockholder loans to the Middlemount Mine, which are long term in nature, are considered part of the Company’s net investment in that operation. Accordingly, foreign currency gains or losses on those loans are recorded as a component of foreign currency translation adjustment. The Company recorded foreign currency translation losses of $5.9 million and $1.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2016, respectively, and gains of $1.4 million and $5.5 million for the periods April 2 through December 31, 2017 and January 1 through April 1, 2017, respectively. Share-Based Compensation The Company accounts for share-based compensation at the grant date fair value of awards and recognizes the related expense over the service period of the awards. See Note 20. “Share-Based Compensation” for information related to share-based compensation. Exploration and Drilling Costs Exploration expenditures are charged to operating costs as incurred, including costs related to drilling and study costs incurred to convert or upgrade mineral resources to reserves. Advance Stripping Costs Pre-production. At existing surface operations, additional pits may be added to increase production capacity in order to meet customer requirements. These expansions may require significant capital to purchase additional equipment, expand the workforce, build or improve existing haul roads and create the initial pre-production box cut to remove overburden (that is, advance stripping costs) for new pits at existing operations. If these pits operate in a separate and distinct area of the mine, the costs associated with initially uncovering coal (that is, advance stripping costs incurred for the initial box cuts) for production are capitalized and amortized over the life of the developed pit consistent with coal industry practices. Post-production. Advance stripping costs related to post-production are expensed as incurred. Where new pits are routinely developed as part of a contiguous mining sequence, the Company expenses such costs as incurred. The development of a contiguous pit typically reflects the planned progression of an existing pit, thus maintaining production levels from the same mining area utilizing the same employee group and equipment. Use of Estimates in the Preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements These consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP. In doing so, estimates and assumptions are made that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. These estimates are based on historical experience and on various other assumptions deemed reasonable under the circumstances, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources. The Company’s actual results may differ materially from these estimates. Significant estimates inherent in the preparation of these consolidated financial statements include, but are not limited to, accounting for sales and cost recognition, postretirement benefit plans, environmental receivables and liabilities, asset retirement obligations, evaluation of long-lived assets for impairment, income taxes including deferred tax assets, fair value measurements and contingencies.

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