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Basis of Presentation (Policies) | 9 Months Ended
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Feb. 29, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Principles of consolidation | Principles of consolidation The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Scholastic Corporation (the “Corporation”) and all wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries (collectively, “Scholastic” or the “Company”). Intercompany transactions are eliminated in consolidation. These financial statements have not been audited but reflect those adjustments consisting of normal recurring items that management considers necessary for a fair presentation of financial position, results of operations, comprehensive income (loss) and cash flows. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and related notes in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2015 (the “Annual Report”). The Company’s fiscal year is not a calendar year. Accordingly, references in this document to fiscal 2015 relate to the twelve-month period ended May 31, 2015.
Seasonality | Seasonality The Company’s Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution school-based book fair and book club channels and most of its Education businesses operate on a school-year basis; therefore, the Company’s business is highly seasonal. As a result, the Company’s revenues in the first and third quarters of the fiscal year generally are lower than its revenues in the other two fiscal quarters. Typically, school-based channel and magazine revenues are minimal in the first quarter of the fiscal year as schools are not in session. Trade sales can vary through the year due to varying release dates of published titles. The Company generally experiences a loss from operations in the first and third quarters of each fiscal year.
Use of estimates | Use of estimates The Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Regulation S-X. The preparation of these financial statements involves the use of estimates and assumptions by management, which affects the amounts reported in the condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience, current business factors, and various other assumptions believed to be reasonable under the circumstances, all of which are necessary in order to form a basis for determining the carrying values of assets and liabilities. Actual results may differ from those estimates and assumptions. On an on-going basis, the Company evaluates the adequacy of its reserves and the estimates used in calculations, including, but not limited to:
• | Accounts receivable reserves for returns
• | Accounts receivable allowance for doubtful accounts
• | Pension and other post-retirement obligations
• | Uncertain tax positions
• | Inventory reserves
• | Cost of goods sold from book fair operations during interim periods determined based on estimated gross profit rates
• | Sales taxes
• | Royalty accruals and related advance reserves
• | Customer reward programs
• | Impairment testing for goodwill for assessment and measurement, intangibles and other long-lived assets and investments
• | Assets and liabilities acquired in business combinations.
New Accounting Pronouncements | New Accounting Pronouncements ASU 2016-02 In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the "FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update (the "ASU") 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). This ASU includes a lessee accounting model that recognizes two types of leases - finance leases and operating leases. This ASU requires that a lessee recognize on the balance sheet assets and liabilities for all leases with lease terms of more than 12 months. Lessees will need to recognize almost all leases on the balance sheet as a right-of-use asset and a lease liability. It will be critical to identify leases embedded in a contract to avoid misstating the lessee’s balance sheet. For income statement purposes, the FASB retained the dual model, requiring leases to be classified as either operating or finance. The recognition, measurement, and presentation of expenses and cash flows arising from a lease by a lessee will depend on its classification as a finance or operating lease. For short-term leases of 12 months or less, lessees are permitted to make an accounting election by class of underlying asset not to recognize right-of-use assets or lease liabilities. If the alternative is elected, lease expense would be recognized generally on the straight-line basis over the respective lease term. Accounting by lessors was not significantly impacted by this update. Changes to lessor accounting focused on conformance with certain changes made to lessee accounting and to align with the recently released revenue recognition guidance. The amendments in this ASU will take effect for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Earlier application is permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. The Company is evaluating the adoption methodology and the impact of this update on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows. ASU 2015-17 In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes. This ASU eliminates the current requirement for entities to present deferred tax liabilities and assets as current and noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position and instead requires that deferred income tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position. For public business entities, the amendments in this update are effective for financial statements issued for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those annual periods. Earlier application is permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. The Company will elect an early application for its fiscal year ending May 31, 2016, and will present the net deferred tax assets as noncurrent and reclassify any current deferred tax assets in its consolidated financial position on a retrospective basis. ASU 2015-16 In September 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-16, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments. This ASU eliminates the requirement under the current guidance that an acquirer retrospectively adjust provisional amounts recognized in a business combination during the measurement period. The measurement period is up to one year from the date of the acquisition. The update requires that an acquirer recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined, and that the acquirer records, in the same period's financial statements, the effect on earnings of changes in depreciation, amortization, or other income effects, if any, as a result of the change to the provisional amounts, calculated as if the accounting had been completed at the acquisition date. The financial statements should also separately present on the face of the income statement, or disclose in the footnotes, the amount of adjustments recorded in the current period by line item that would have been recorded in prior periods had the adjustment been made at the date of acquisition. The amendments in this update are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, including interim periods within those fiscal years, and should be applied prospectively to provisional amount adjustments that occur after the effective date. Earlier application is permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. The Company has not chosen early adoption for fiscal 2016 and therefore the amendments in this update will be effective beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. The Company does not expect the amendments in this update to have a material impact on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows. ASU 2015-11 In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory, as part of its Simplification Initiative. The update is designed to reduce the complexity related to the subsequent measurement of inventory. It changes the measurement principle for inventory from the lower of cost or market to the lower of cost and net realizable value. The new update requires entities that measure inventory using any method other than last-in, first-out or the retail inventory method to measure inventory at the lower of cost and net realizable value. If net realizable value of inventory is lower than inventory cost, the difference is recognized as a loss in earnings in the period in which it occurs. For public business entities, the amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The amendments should be applied prospectively and earlier application is permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. The Company has not chosen early adoption for fiscal 2016 and therefore the amendments in this update will be effective beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. The Company does not expect the amendments in this update to have a material impact on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows. ASU 2014-09 and ASU 2015-14: In May 2014, the FASB announced that it is amending the FASB Accounting Standards Codification by issuing Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, at the same time as the International Accounting Standards Board (the "IASB") is issuing International Financial Reporting Standards 15, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The issuance of this authoritative guidance completes the joint effort by the FASB and the IASB to clarify the principles for recognizing revenue and improve financial reporting by creating common revenue recognition guidance. The authoritative guidance provides that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. To achieve that core principle, an entity should apply the following steps:
• | Step 1: Identify the contract(s) with a customer.
• | Step 2: Identify the performance obligations in the contract.
• | Step 3: Determine the transaction price.
• | Step 4: Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract.
• | Step 5: Recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation.
Additionally, the guidance requires improved disclosures to help users of financial statements better understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue that is recognized. The update provides guidance for transactions that are not otherwise addressed comprehensively in authoritative guidance (for example, service revenue, contract modifications, and licenses of intellectual property). The amendments in this update are to be applied on a retrospective basis, either to each prior reporting period presented or by presenting the cumulative effect of applying the update recognized at the date of initial application. In August 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2015-14-Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date, which deferred the effective date established in ASU 2014-09. The amendments in ASU 2014-09 are now effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those reporting periods. Early application is not permitted. The Company is evaluating the adoption methodology and the impact of this update on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

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