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Basis Of Presentation Basis of Presentation (Policies)
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Fair Value Measurement, Policy
The following tables present the Company’s assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis and are categorized using the fair value hierarchy. The fair value hierarchy has three levels based on the reliability of the inputs used to determine fair value.
Level Input:
 
Input Definitions:
 
 
 
Level I
 
Inputs are unadjusted, quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets at the
measurement date.
 
 
Level II
 
Inputs other than quoted prices included in Level I that are observable for the asset or liability through
corroboration with market data at the measurement date.
 
 
Level III
 
Unobservable inputs that reflect management’s best estimate of what market participants would use in
pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date.
The availability of observable inputs can vary from asset to asset and is affected by a wide variety of factors, including, for example, the type of asset, whether the asset is new and not yet established in the marketplace, and other characteristics particular to the transaction. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised by the Company in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level III. In certain cases, the inputs used to measure fair value may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy.  In such cases, for disclosure purposes, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the fair value measurement in its entirety falls is determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety.
The fair value of financial instruments is generally determined by reference to quoted market values. In cases where quoted market prices are not available, fair value is based on estimates using present value or other valuation techniques, as appropriate. The fair value of interest rate swaps is determined based upon a discounted cash flow approach.
The Company measures financial instruments at fair value on a recurring basis and recognizes transfers within the fair value hierarchy at the end of the fiscal quarter in which the change in circumstances that caused the transfer occurred.
Equity Method Investments, Policy
Equity Method Investments
At March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the Company had various equity method investments aggregating $55 million and $74 million, respectively, which are recorded within other non-current assets on the accompanying Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets. The $55 million investment balance at March 31, 2018 included $47 million for the Company's investment in Guaranteed Rate Affinity, LLC ("Guaranteed Rate Affinity"). The Company's interest in PHH Home Loans, LLC ("PHH Home Loans") was sold to a subsidiary of PHH Corporation in the first quarter of 2018 and the Company received net cash proceeds of $19 million, reducing the investment balance to zero. The $74 million investment balance at December 31, 2017 included $48 million for the Company's investment in Guaranteed Rate Affinity and $19 million for the Company's investment in PHH Home Loans.
For the first quarter of 2018, the Company recorded equity losses of $4 million at the Title and Settlement Services segment primarily related to costs associated with the ramp up of operations of Guaranteed Rate Affinity, including $2 million of amortization of intangible assets recorded in purchase accounting. For the first quarter of 2017, the Company recorded equity losses of $3 million primarily related to its investment in PHH Home Loans.
The Company received $1 million of cash dividends during both the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017. The Company invested an additional $4 million into Guaranteed Rate Affinity during the three months ended March 31, 2018.
Income Tax, Policy
Income Taxes
The Company's provision for income taxes in interim periods is computed by applying its estimated annual effective tax rate against the income before income taxes for the period.  In addition, non-recurring or discrete items are recorded in the period in which they occur.  The provision for income taxes was a benefit of $19 million and $9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. There were no changes to the net benefit recorded during the year ended December 31, 2017 relating to the 2017 Tax Act which was a provisional amount that reflected the Company’s reasonable estimate at the time.
Derivatives, Policy
Derivative Instruments
The Company records derivatives and hedging activities on the balance sheet at their respective fair values. The Company uses foreign currency forward contracts largely to manage its exposure to changes in foreign currency exchange rates associated with its foreign currency denominated receivables and payables.  The Company primarily manages its foreign currency exposure to the Euro, British Pound, Swiss Franc and Canadian Dollar. The Company has not elected to utilize hedge accounting for these forward contracts; therefore, any change in fair value is recorded in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. However, the fluctuations in the value of these forward contracts generally offset the impact of changes in the value of the underlying risk that they are intended to economically hedge. As of March 31, 2018, the Company had outstanding foreign currency forward contracts in an asset position with a fair value of $1 million and a notional value of $26 million. As of December 31, 2017, the Company had outstanding foreign currency forward contracts in a liability position with a fair value of less than $1 million and a notional value of $25 million.
The Company also enters into interest rate swaps to manage its exposure to changes in interest rates associated with its variable rate borrowings. Interest rate swaps with a notional value of $425 million expired February 10, 2018. As of March 31, 2018, the Company had interest rate swaps with an aggregate notional value of $1,050 million to offset the variability in cash flows resulting from the term loan facilities as follows:
Notional Value (in millions)
Commencement Date
Expiration Date
$600
August 2015
August 2020
$450
November 2017
November 2022

The swaps help to protect our outstanding variable rate borrowings from future interest rate volatility. The Company has not elected to utilize hedge accounting for these interest rate swaps; therefore, any change in fair value is recorded in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.
The fair value of derivative instruments was as follows:
Not Designated as Hedging Instruments
 
Balance Sheet Location
 
March 31, 2018
 
December 31, 2017
Interest rate swap contracts
 
Other non-current assets
 
$
9

 
$
—

 
Other current and non-current liabilities
 
6

 
13


The effect of derivative instruments on earnings was as follows:
Derivative Instruments Not Designated as Hedging Instruments
 
Location of Gain Recognized for Derivative Instruments
 
Gain Recognized on Derivatives
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
2018
 
2017
Interest rate swap contracts
 
Interest expense
 
$
(12
)
 
$
(1
)
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy
Restricted Cash
Restricted cash primarily relates to amounts specifically designated as collateral for the repayment of outstanding borrowings under the Company’s securitization facilities. Such amounts approximated $6 million and $7 million at March 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively.
Stock Repurchase Policy
Stock Repurchases
The Company may repurchase shares of its common stock under authorizations made from its Board of Directors. Shares repurchased are retired and not displayed separately as treasury stock on the consolidated financial statements. The par value of the shares repurchased and retired is deducted from common stock and the excess of the purchase price over par value is first charged against any available additional paid-in capital with the balance charged to retained earnings. Direct costs incurred to repurchase the shares are included in the total cost of the shares.
The Company's Board of Directors authorized a share repurchase program of up to $275 million, $300 million and $350 million of the Company's common stock in February 2016, 2017 and 2018, respectively.
As of March 31, 2018, the Company had repurchased and retired 20.2 million shares of common stock for an aggregate of $275 million under the February 2016 share repurchase program and $299 million under the February 2017 share repurchase program at a total weighted average market price of $28.36 per share, including 3.7 million shares of common stock repurchased during the first quarter of 2018 for $99 million at a weighted average market price of $26.58 per share. As of March 31, 2018, $351 million remained available for repurchase under the share repurchase programs.
Dividends Policy
In August 2016, the Company’s Board of Directors approved the initiation of a quarterly cash dividend policy of $0.09 per share on its common stock. The Board declared and paid a quarterly cash dividend of $0.09 per share of the Company’s common stock during the first quarter of 2018.
The declaration and payment of any future dividend will be subject to the discretion of the Board of Directors and will depend on a variety of factors, including the Company’s financial condition and results of operations, contractual restrictions, including restrictive covenants contained in the Company’s credit agreements, and the indentures governing the Company’s outstanding debt securities, capital requirements and other factors that the Board of Directors deems relevant.
Pursuant to the Company’s policy, the dividends payable in cash are treated as a reduction of additional paid-in capital since the Company is currently in a retained deficit position.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy
Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements
In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2014-09 (Topic 606) "Revenue from Contracts with Customers" (the "new revenue standard"). The objective of the new revenue standard is to provide a single, comprehensive revenue recognition model for all contracts with customers to improve comparability within industries, across industries, and across capital markets. The new revenue standard contains principles that an entity will apply to determine the measurement of revenue and the timing of revenue recognition. The Company rewrote its current revenue recognition accounting policies based on the five-step model provided in the new revenue standard, assessed the redesign of internal controls, as well as evaluated the expanded disclosure requirements. After a review of the Company's revenue streams, the Company determined that the new revenue standard did not have a material impact on financial results as the majority of the Company's revenue is recognized at the completion of a homesale transaction which did not result in a change in the timing of recognition of revenue transactions under the new revenue standard. The Company adopted the new revenue standard on January 1, 2018 using the modified retrospective transition method in which the cumulative effect of applying the new revenue standard was recognized as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings. See Note 2, "Revenue Recognition" for further details.
In February 2018, the FASB issued a new standard which permits companies to reclassify certain income tax effects resulting from the 2017 Tax Act, called "stranded tax effects", from accumulated other comprehensive income ("AOCI") to retained earnings. According to the new guidance, the reclassification amount should include the effect of the change in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate on the gross deferred tax amounts and related valuation allowances, if any, at the date of enactment of the 2017 Tax Act related to items remaining in AOCI. The guidance is effective for all companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption is permitted. The Company early adopted this standard in the first quarter of 2018 which resulted in a debit to Accumulated other comprehensive loss and a credit to Accumulated deficit for $9 million. The Company’s accounting policy for releasing income tax effects from AOCI is to release those effects when our entire portfolio of the type of item is liquidated.
Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements
The Company considers the applicability and impact of all Accounting Standards Updates. ASUs not listed below were assessed and determined to be either not applicable or are expected to have minimal impact on our consolidated financial position or results of operations.
In February 2016, the FASB issued its new standard on leases which requires virtually all leases to be recognized on the balance sheet. Lessees will recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for all leases (other than leases that meet the definition of a short-term lease). The liability will be equal to the present value of lease payments. The asset will be based on the liability, subject to adjustment, such as for initial direct costs. For income statement purposes, the FASB retained a dual model, requiring leases to be classified as either operating or finance leases. Operating leases will result in straight-line expense, similar to current operating leases, while finance leases will result in a front-loaded expense pattern, similar to current capital leases. Classification will be based on criteria that are largely similar to those applied in current lease accounting, but without explicit bright lines. The new standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. The new leasing standard requires modified retrospective transition, which requires application of the new guidance at the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the year of adoption. In January 2018, the FASB issued a proposed ASU that would allow entities to elect a simplified transition approach which would require applying the provisions of the new guidance at the effective date (e.g., January 1, 2019) as opposed to the earliest period presented under the modified retrospective approach (January 1, 2017). While the Company is still evaluating the impact of the standard on its consolidated financial statements, it does expect that the right to use asset and lease liability recorded on its Consolidated Balance Sheets will be material. The Company disclosed its future lease obligations in Note 13. "Commitments and Contingencies" of the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2017. The Company is in the process of evaluating its policies and internal controls as well as implementing a new lease management system which will be utilized to account for leases under the new guidance once adopted.