B. Accounting changes
New standards to be implemented
In December 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position (FSP) Financial Accounting Standard (FAS) 132(R)-1 “Employers’ Disclosures about Postretirement Benefit Plan Assets.” This FSP amends SFAS No. 132(R), “Employers’ Disclosures about Pensions and Other Postretirement Benefits” to require more detailed disclosures about the fair value measurements of employers’ plan assets including (a) investment policies and strategies; (b) major categories of plan assets; (c) information about valuation techniques and inputs to those techniques, including the fair value hierarchy classifications (as defined by SFAS No. 157) of the major categories of plan assets; (d) the effects of fair value measurements using significant unobservable inputs (Level 3) on changes in plan assets; and (e) significant concentrations of risk within plan assets. The disclosures required by the FSP will be made in the December 31, 2009 Consolidated Financial Statements. This Statement does not impact the consolidated financial results as it is disclosure-only in nature.
In November 2008, the FASB ratified the Emerging Issues Task Force (EITF) Issue 08-7, “Accounting for Defensive Intangible Assets.” A defensive intangible asset is an asset acquired in a business combination or in an asset acquisition that an entity does not intend to actively use. According to the guidance, defensive intangible assets are considered to be a separate unit of account and valued based on their highest and best use from the perspective of an external market participant. EITF 08-7 is effective January 1, 2009. The adoption of this EITF issue is not expected to have an impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.
In June 2008, the FASB issued FSP EITF 03-6-1, “Determining Whether Instruments Granted in Share-Based Payment Transactions Are Participating Securities,” which will become effective in 2009 via retrospective application. Under the FSP, unvested share-based payment awards that contain non-forfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents are participating securities and, therefore, are included in computing earnings per share (EPS) pursuant to the two-class method. The two-class method determines earnings per share for each class of common stock and participating securities according to dividends or dividend equivalents and their respective participation rights in undistributed earnings. Restricted Stock Units (RSUs) granted to employees prior to December 31, 2007 are considered participating securities as they receive non-forfeitable dividend equivalents at the same rate as common stock. RSUs granted after December 31, 2007 do not receive dividend equivalents and are not considered participating securities. The company will adopt the FSP in fiscal year 2009. The implementation of the FSP is expected to decrease diluted EPS by $0.04 and $0.03 for the years ended December 31, 2008 and December 31, 2007, respectively. Basic EPS is expected to decrease by $0.05 in each of the years ended December 31, 2008 and 2007.
In March 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 161, “Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities — an amendment of FASB Statement No. 133.” SFAS No. 161 expands the current disclosure requirements of SFAS No. 133, “Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities,” such that entities must now provide enhanced disclosures on a quarterly basis regarding how and why the entity uses derivatives; how derivatives and related hedged items are accounted for under SFAS No. 133 and how derivatives and related hedged items affect the entity’s financial position, financial results and cash flow. Pursuant to the transition provisions of the Statement, the company will adopt SFAS No. 161 in fiscal year 2009 and will present the required disclosures in the prescribed format on a prospective basis. This Statement does not impact the consolidated financial results as it is disclosure-only in nature.
In February 2008, the FASB issued FSP FAS 157-2, “Effective Date of FASB Statement No. 157.” FSP FAS 157-2 delayed the effective date of SFAS No. 157 “Fair Value Measurements” from 2008 to 2009 for all nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial liabilities, except those that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis (at least annually). The adoption of the provisions of SFAS No. 157 related to nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial liabilities is not expected to have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements. See the “Standards Implemented” section of this note for a further discussion of SFAS No. 157.
In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 160, “Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements — an amendment of ARB No. 51.” This Statement requires that the noncontrolling interest in the equity of a subsidiary be accounted for and reported as equity, provides revised guidance on the treatment of net income and losses attributable to the noncontrolling interest and changes in ownership interests in a subsidiary and requires additional disclosures that identify and distinguish between the interests of the controlling and noncontrolling owners. Pursuant to the transition provisions of SFAS No. 160, the company will adopt the Statement on January 1, 2009 via retrospective application of the presentation and disclosure requirements. The company does not expect the adoption of this Statement to have a material effect on the Consolidated Financial Statements.
In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 141(R), “Business Combinations,” which will become effective in 2009 via prospective application to business combinations. This Statement requires that the acquisition method of accounting be applied to a broader set of business combinations, amends the definition of a business combination, provides a definition of a business, requires an acquirer to recognize an acquired business at its fair value at the acquisition date and requires the assets and liabilities assumed in a business combination to be measured and recognized at their fair values as of the acquisition date (with limited exceptions). The company will adopt this Statement in fiscal year 2009 and its effects on future periods will depend on the nature and significance of business combinations subject to this statement.
Standards implemented
In September 2006, the FASB finalized SFAS No. 157 which became effective January 1, 2008 except as amended by FSP FAS 157-2 as previously described and FSP FAS 157-1 and FSP FAS 157-3 as discussed below. This Statement defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosures about fair value measurements; however, it does not require any new fair value measurements. On January 1, 2008, the provisions of this Statement were applied prospectively to fair value measurements and disclosures of (a) financial assets and financial liabilities and (b) nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial liabilities which are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis (at least annually). The adoption of this Statement did not have a material effect on the Consolidated Financial Statements for fair value measurements made for the year ended December 31, 2008. See note D, “Fair Value,” for additional information.
In February 2008, the FASB issued FSP FAS 157-1, “Application of FASB Statement No. 157 to FASB Statement No. 13 and Other Accounting Pronouncements That Address Fair Value Measurements for Purposes of Lease Classification or Measurement under Statement 13.” FSP FAS 157-1 removed leasing from the scope of SFAS No. 157. In October 2008, the FASB issued FSP FAS 157-3, “Determining the Fair Value of a Financial Asset When the Market for That Asset is Not Active.” FSP FAS 157-3 clarified the application of SFAS 157 in a market that is not active and provided an example to illustrate key considerations in determining the fair value of a financial asset when the market for that financial asset is not active. FSP FAS 157-3 became effective immediately upon issuance, and its adoption did not have an effect on the Consolidated Financial Statements.
In February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, “The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, Including an amendment of FASB Statement No. 115,” which became effective January 1, 2008. SFAS No. 159 permits entities to measure eligible financial assets, financial liabilities and firm commitments at fair value, on an instrument-by-instrument basis, that are otherwise not permitted to be accounted for at fair value under other generally accepted accounting principles. The fair value measurement election is irrevocable and subsequent changes in fair value must be recorded in earnings. The company adopted this Statement as of January 1, 2008 but has not applied the fair value option to any eligible assets or liabilities. Thus, the adoption of this Statement did not affect the Consolidated Financial Statements.
In the first quarter of 2007, the company adopted SFAS No. 156, “Accounting for Servicing of Financial Assets — an amendment of FASB Statement No. 140,” that provides guidance on accounting for separately recognized servicing assets and servicing liabilities. In accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 156, separately recognized servicing assets and servicing liabilities must be initially measured at fair value, if practicable. Subsequent to initial recognition, the company may use either the amortization method or the fair value measurement method to account for servicing assets and servicing liabilities within the scope of this Statement. The adoption of this Statement did not have a material effect on the Consolidated Financial Statements.
On January 1, 2007, the company adopted SFAS No. 155, “Accounting for Certain Hybrid Financial Instruments — an amendment of FASB Statements No. 133 and 140,” which permits fair value remeasurement for any hybrid financial instrument that contains an embedded derivative that otherwise would require bifurcation in accordance with the provisions of SFAS No. 133, “Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities.” The adoption of this Statement did not have a material effect on the Consolidated Financial Statements.
The company adopted FASB Interpretation No. 48, “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes — an Interpretation of FASB Statement No. 109” (FIN 48) on January 1, 2007. FIN 48 clarifies the accounting and reporting for uncertainties in income tax law. This Interpretation prescribes a comprehensive model for the financial statement recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in income tax returns. The cumulative effect of adopting FIN 48 was a decrease in tax reserves and an increase of $117 million to the January 1, 2007 retained earnings balance.
Effective December 31, 2006, the company adopted SFAS No. 158, “Employer’s Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans, an Amendment of FASB Statements No. 87, 88, 106 and 132(R),” which requires the recognition of the funded status of the retirement-related benefit plans in the Consolidated Statement of Financial Position and the recognition of the changes in that funded status in the year in which the changes occur through gains and (losses) not affecting retained earnings, net of applicable tax effects. The provisions of SFAS No. 158 were adopted pursuant to the transition provisions therein. The company measures defined benefit plan assets and obligations as of December 31 and SFAS No. 158 did not affect the company’s existing valuation practices. The adoption of SFAS No. 158 had a significant non-cash impact on the company’s 2006 reported financial position and stockholders’ equity, reducing equity by $9.5 billion, net of tax. The adoption of SFAS No. 158 had no impact on the company’s existing debt covenants, credit ratings or financial flexibility.
In September 2006, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued Staff Accounting Bulletin (SAB) No. 108, codified as SAB Topic 1.N, “Considering the Effects of Prior Year Misstatements when Quantifying Misstatements in Current Year Financial Statements.” SAB No. 108 describes the approach that should be used to quantify the materiality of a misstatement and provides guidance for correcting prior-year errors. The company early adopted SAB No. 108 in the third quarter of 2006 and accordingly, follows SAB No. 108 requirements when quantifying financial statement misstatements. The adoption of SAB No. 108 did not require any changes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
In the third quarter of 2006, the company adopted FSP FIN 46(R)-6, “Determining the Variability to Be Considered in Applying FASB Interpretation No. 46(R).” FSP FIN No. 46(R)-6 clarifies that the variability to be considered in applying FASB Interpretation 46(R) shall be based on an analysis of the design of the variable interest entity. The adoption of this FSP did not have a material effect on the Consolidated Financial Statements.
In the first quarter of 2006, the company adopted SFAS No. 154, “Accounting Changes and Error Corrections — a replacement of APB Opinion No. 20 and FASB Statement No. 3.” SFAS No. 154 changed the requirements for the accounting for and reporting of a voluntary change in accounting principle. The adoption of this statement did not affect the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Beginning January 2006, the company adopted SFAS No. 151, “Inventory Costs — an amendment of ARB No. 43, Chapter 4.” SFAS No. 151 requires certain abnormal expenditures to be recognized as expenses in the current period versus being capitalized in inventory. It also requires that the amount of fixed production overhead allocated to inventory be based on the normal capacity of the production facilities. The adoption of this statement did not have a material effect on the Consolidated Financial Statements.
