Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

v3.10.0.1
Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation
Basis of Presentation. Brunswick Corporation (Brunswick or the Company) has prepared its consolidated financial statements pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Certain previously reported amounts have been reclassified to conform with current period presentation. As stated in Note 3 – Discontinued Operations, Brunswick's results as discussed in the financial statements reflect continuing operations only, unless otherwise noted.

Principles of Consolidation
Principles of Consolidation. Brunswick's consolidated financial statements include the accounts of all majority owned and controlled domestic and foreign subsidiaries. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

Use of Estimates
Use of Estimates. The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (GAAP) requires management to make certain estimates. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates. These estimates affect:

•The reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements;
•
The disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements; and
•The reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods.

Estimates in these consolidated financial statements include, but are not limited to:

•Allowances for doubtful accounts;
•Inventory valuation reserves;
•Variable consideration related to recorded revenue;
•Reserves related to repurchase and recourse obligations;
•Warranty related reserves;
•Losses on litigation and other contingencies;
•Environmental reserves;
•Insurance reserves;
•Valuation of goodwill and other intangible assets;
•Impairments of long-lived assets;
•Reserves related to restructuring, exit and integration activities;
•Postretirement benefit liabilities;
•Valuation allowances on deferred tax assets; and
•Income tax reserves.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and Cash Equivalents. The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. These investments include, but are not limited to, investments in money market funds, bank deposits, federal government and agency debt securities and commercial paper.
Investments in Marketable Securities
Investments in Marketable Securities. The Company classifies investments in debt securities that are not considered to be cash equivalents as Short-term investments in marketable securities as discussed in Note 10 – Investments. Short-term investments in marketable securities have a stated maturity of twelve months or less from the balance sheet date. These securities are considered as available-for-sale and are reported at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses on these debt securities are recorded net of tax as a component of Accumulated other comprehensive loss in Unrealized investment losses within Shareholders' equity. Declines in market value from the original cost deemed to be "other-than-temporary" are charged to Other expense, net in the period in which the loss occurs. The Company considers both the duration for which a decline in value has occurred and the extent of the decline in its determination of whether a decline in value has been “other than temporary.” Realized gains and losses are calculated based on the specific identification method and are included in Other expense, net in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Restricted Cash
Restricted Cash. The Company considers the cash deposited in a trust that is pledged as collateral against certain workers' compensation-related obligations to be restricted cash.
Accounts and Notes Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
Accounts and Notes Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts. The Company carries its accounts and notes receivable at their face amounts less an allowance for doubtful accounts. On a regular basis, the Company records an allowance for uncollectible receivables based upon known bad debt risks and past loss history, customer payment practices and economic conditions. Actual collection experience may differ from the current estimate of net receivables. A change to the allowance for doubtful accounts may be required if a future event or other change in circumstances results in a change in the estimate of the ultimate collectability of a specific account.

The Company treats the sale of receivables in which the Company retains an interest as a secured obligation. Accordingly, the short-term portion of the receivables sold that are subject to recourse is recorded in Accounts and notes receivable and Accrued expenses in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Inventories
Inventories. Inventories are valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value, with net realizable value equal to the estimated selling price less the estimated costs to transact. Approximately 57 percent of the Company's inventories were determined by the first-in, first-out method (FIFO) at both December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017. Remaining inventories valued at the last-in, first-out method (LIFO) were $135.5 million and $124.9 million lower than the FIFO cost of inventories at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Inventory cost includes material, labor and manufacturing overhead. There were no liquidations of LIFO inventory layers in 2018, 2017 or 2016.
Property
Property. Property, including major improvements and product tooling costs, is recorded at cost. Product tooling costs principally comprise the cost to acquire and construct various long-lived molds, dies and other tooling the Company uses in its manufacturing processes. Design and prototype development costs associated with product tooling are expensed as incurred. Maintenance and repair costs are also expensed as incurred. Depreciation is recorded over the estimated service lives of the related assets, principally using the straight-line method. Buildings and improvements are depreciated over a useful life of five to forty years. Equipment is depreciated over a useful life of two to twenty years. Product tooling costs are amortized over the shorter of the useful life of the tooling or the anticipated life of the applicable product, for a period up to eight years. The Company capitalizes interest on qualifying assets during the construction period and capitalized $2.2 million and $4.6 million in the periods ending December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The Company presents capital expenditures on a cash basis within the Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows. There were $65.5 million and $31.0 million of unpaid capital expenditures within Accounts payable as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The Company includes gains and losses recognized on the sale and disposal of property in either Selling, general and administrative expenses or Restructuring, exit, integration and impairment charges as appropriate.
Software Development Costs
Software Development Costs. The Company expenses all software development and implementation costs incurred until the Company has determined that the software will result in probable future economic benefit and management has committed to funding the project. Once this is determined, external direct costs of material and services, payroll-related costs of employees working on the project and related interest costs incurred during the application development stage are capitalized. These capitalized costs are amortized over three to seven years. All other related costs, including training costs and costs to re-engineer business processes, are expensed as incurred.

Goodwill and Other Intangibles
Goodwill. Goodwill results from the excess of purchase price over the net assets of businesses acquired. All three of the Company's reporting units, which are also the Company's reportable segments, have a goodwill balance.

The Company reviews goodwill for impairment annually and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the fair value of a reporting unit may be below its carrying value. As part of the annual test, the Company may perform a qualitative, rather than quantitative, assessment to determine whether the fair values of its reporting units are “more likely than not” to be greater than their carrying values. In performing this qualitative analysis, the Company considers various factors, including the effect of market or industry changes and the reporting units' actual results compared to projected results.

If the fair value of a reporting unit does not meet the "more likely than not" criteria discussed above, the impairment test for goodwill is a quantitative, two-step process. The first step compares the fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying value. If the fair value exceeds the carrying value, goodwill is not considered impaired. If the carrying amount exceeds the fair value, the second step is performed to measure the amount of the impairment loss, if any. In this second step, the implied fair value goodwill is compared with the carrying amount of the goodwill. If the carrying amount of the goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of that goodwill, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess, not to exceed the carrying amount of the goodwill.

The Company calculates the fair value of its reporting units considering both the income approach and the guideline public company method. The income approach calculates the fair value of the reporting unit using a discounted cash flow approach utilizing a Gordon Growth model. Internally forecasted future cash flows, which the Company believes reasonably approximate market participant assumptions, are discounted using a weighted average cost of capital (Discount Rate) developed for each reporting unit. The Discount Rate is developed using market observable inputs, as well as considering whether or not there is a measure of risk related to the specific reporting unit’s forecasted performance. Fair value under the guideline public company method is determined for each unit by applying market multiples for comparable public companies to the unit’s financial results. The key uncertainties in these calculations are the assumptions used in determining the reporting unit’s forecasted future performance, including revenue growth and operating margins, as well as the perceived risk associated with those forecasts in determining the Discount Rate, along with selecting representative market multiples.

For 2018 and 2017, the Company performed a quantitative test for the Fitness reporting unit. For 2018, 2017 and 2016, with the exception of the Fitness reporting unit in 2018 and 2017, the Company's reporting units met the "more likely than not" criteria; as a result, the Company was not required to perform the quantitative test.

The Company did not record any goodwill impairments in 2018, 2017 or 2016.

Other intangible assets. The Company's primary intangible assets are customer relationships and trade names acquired in business combinations. Intangible assets are initially valued using a methodology commensurate with the intended use of the asset. The customer relationships including those acquired in the Power Products acquisition, which constitute the majority of the Company's customer relationships, were valued using the an income approach, specifically the multi-period excess earnings method (MPEEM). The fair value of trade names, including the Power Products trade names, is measured using a relief-from-royalty (RFR) approach, which assumes the value of the trade name is the discounted cash flows of the amount that would be paid to third parties had the Company not owned the trade name and instead licensed the trade name from another company. Higher royalty rates are assigned to premium brands within the marketplace based on name recognition and profitability, while other brands receive lower royalty rates. The basis for future sales projections for both the RFR and MPEEM are based on internal revenue forecasts by brand, which the Company believes represent reasonable market participant assumptions. The future cash flows are discounted using an applicable Discount Rate as well as any potential risk premium to reflect the inherent risk of holding a standalone intangible asset.

The key uncertainties in the RFR and MPEEM calculations, as applicable, are: assumptions used in developing internal revenue growth and customer expense forecasts, assumed customer attrition rates, the selection of an appropriate royalty rate, as well as the perceived risk associated with those forecasts in determining the Discount Rate.

The costs of amortizable intangible assets are recognized over their expected useful lives, typically between three and sixteen years, using the straight-line method. Intangible assets that are subject to amortization are evaluated for impairment using a process similar to that used to evaluate long-lived assets described below. Intangible assets not subject to amortization are assessed for impairment at least annually and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that it is more likely than not that an asset may be impaired. The impairment test for indefinite-lived intangible assets consists of a comparison of the fair value of the intangible asset with its carrying amount. An impairment loss is recognized for the amount by which the carrying value exceeds the fair value of the asset.

For the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company recorded $22.1 million and $13.9 million, respectively, of indefinite-lived intangible asset impairments related to the Cybex trade name. As of December 31, 2018, as a result of changes in operating strategy, the Cybex trade name is deemed to be a definite-lived intangible asset, with $2.6 million remaining within Other intangibles, net to be fully amortized by December 31, 2020. Refer to Note 4 – Restructuring, Exit, Integration and Impairment Activities for further details. The Company did not record impairments for indefinite-lived intangible assets in 2016.

Equity Investments
Equity Investments. For investments in which the Company owns or controls from 20 percent to 50 percent of the voting shares, the Company uses the equity method of accounting. The Company's share of net earnings or losses from equity method investments is included in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company carries other investments, for which the Company does not have the ability to exercise significant influence, at fair value, with changes in fair value recognized in net income. For equity investments that do not have a readily determinable fair value, the Company measures the investment at cost less impairment, plus or minus observable price changes. The Company periodically evaluates the carrying value of its investments.
Long-Lived Assets
Long-Lived Assets. The Company continually evaluates whether events and circumstances have occurred that indicate the remaining estimated useful lives of its definite-lived intangible assets and other long-lived assets may warrant revision or that the remaining balance of such assets may not be recoverable. Once an impairment indicator is identified, the Company tests for recoverability of the related asset group using an estimate of undiscounted cash flows over the asset group's remaining life. If an asset group's carrying value is not recoverable, the Company records an impairment loss based on the excess of the carrying value of the asset group over the long-lived asset group's fair value. Fair value is determined using observable inputs, including the use of appraisals from independent third parties, when available, and, when observable inputs are not available, based on the Company's assumptions of the data that market participants would use in pricing the asset, based on the best information available in the circumstances. Specifically, the Company uses discounted cash flows to determine the fair value of the asset when observable inputs are unavailable. The Company tested its long-lived asset balances for impairment as indicators arose during 2018, 2017 and 2016, resulting in impairment charges of $13.1 million, $31.0 million and $2.4 million, respectively, which are recognized either in Restructuring, exit, integration and impairment charges or Selling, general and administrative expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Other Long-Term Assets
Other Long-Term Assets. Other long-term assets consists mainly of long-term receivables originated by the Company and assigned to third parties, long-term pension assets and other long-term receivables and deposits. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, amounts assigned to third parties totaled $41.1 million and $30.2 million, respectively. The assignment of these instruments does not meet sale criteria as a result of the Company's contingent obligation to repurchase the receivables in the event of customer non-payment and therefore is treated as a secured obligation. Accordingly, these amounts were recorded in the Consolidated Balance Sheets under Other long-term assets and Long-term liabilities – Other.

Revenue Recognition
Revenue Recognition. Revenue is recognized as performance obligations under the terms of contracts with customers are satisfied; this occurs when control of promised goods (engines, engine parts and accessories, boats, and fitness equipment) is transferred to the customer. The Company recognizes revenue related to the sale of extended warranty contracts that extend the coverage period beyond the standard warranty period over the life of the extended warranty period.

Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration expected to be entitled in exchange for transferring goods or providing services. The Company has excluded sales, value add, and other taxes collected concurrent with revenue-producing activities from the determination of the transaction price for all contracts. The Company has elected to account for shipping and handling activities that occur after the customer has obtained control of a good as a fulfillment activity. For all contracts with customers, the Company has not adjusted the promised amount of consideration for the effects of a significant financing component as the period between the transfer of the promised goods and the customer's payment is expected to be one year or less.
Advertising Costs
Advertising Costs. The Company records advertising and promotion costs in Selling, general and administrative expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations in the period when the advertising first takes place.
Foreign Currency
Foreign Currency. The functional currency for the majority of Brunswick's operations is the U.S. dollar. All assets and liabilities of operations with a functional currency other than the U.S. dollar are translated at period end current rates. The resulting translation adjustments are recorded in Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax. Revenues and expenses of operations with a functional currency other than the U.S. dollar are translated at the average exchange rates for the period. Transaction gains and losses resulting from changes in foreign currency exchange rates are recorded in either Cost of sales or Other expense, net in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Trademark Licensing Agreement
Trademark Licensing Agreement. On September 18, 2014, the Company completed the sale of its retail bowling business to AMF Bowling Centers, Inc. (AMF) and entered into a trademark licensing agreement, allowing AMF to use the Company's retail trademarks and trade names over a five year period from the date of sale. As a result, the Company recorded deferred income of $20.7 million related to this agreement, which will be recognized as Other expense, net in the Consolidated Statements of Operations over five years.

Share-Based Compensation
Share-Based Compensation. The Company records amounts for all share-based compensation, including grants of stock appreciation rights (SARs), non-vested stock awards and performance-based share awards over the vesting period in the Consolidated Statements of Operations based upon their fair values at the date of the grant. Share-based compensation costs are included in Selling, general and administrative expense in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Research and Development
Research and Development. Research and development costs are expensed as incurred.
Derivatives
Derivatives. The Company uses derivative financial instruments to manage its risk associated with movements in foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates. These instruments are used in accordance with guidelines established by the Company's management and are not used for trading or speculative purposes. The Company records all derivatives on the Consolidated Balance Sheets at fair value.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements
Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

Presentation of Benefit Costs: In March 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2017-07, Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost, which amended the Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) related to the income statement presentation of the components of net periodic benefit cost for an entity’s sponsored defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans. The amendment requires entities to present the current-service-cost component with other current compensation costs in the income statement within income from operations and present the other components outside of income from operations. The Company adopted this amendment retrospectively during the first quarter of 2018. The Company reclassified $4.3 million and $5.5 million from Cost of sales and Selling, general and administrative expense, respectively, to Other expense, net for the year ended December 31, 2017. The Company reclassified $7.3 million and $8.1 million from Cost of sales and Selling, general and administrative expense, respectively, to Other expense, net for the year ended December 31, 2016. Additionally, Pension settlement charge is excluded as a component of operating earnings for all periods presented. The Company elected to apply the practical expedient that permits the use of previously disclosed service cost and other costs from the prior year postretirement benefits footnote in the comparative periods as appropriate estimates when retrospectively changing the presentation of these costs.

Revenue Recognition: In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (new revenue standard), which outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers. On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted the new revenue standard and all related amendments for all contracts using the modified retrospective method. The Company did not elect to separately evaluate contract modifications occurring before the adoption date. The Company recognized the cumulative effect of initially applying the new revenue standard as an adjustment to the January 1, 2018 balance of retained earnings. Prior period information has not been restated and continues to be reported under the accounting standards in effect for those periods.

The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with the terms of sale, primarily upon shipment to customers. Under the new revenue standard, estimated costs associated with retail sales promotions anticipated to be offered to customers within the Company's Boat segment are recognized at the time of sale, whereas under previous guidance, these promotions were recorded at the later of when the program was communicated to the customer or the time of sale. In addition, certain Fitness segment customer contracts offer incentives in the form of rebates settled with free product. These rebates are deemed to be separate performance obligations under the new revenue standard, and the revenue associated with the product rebates is deferred and recognized upon customer redemption. Under previous guidance, these product rebates were recorded in Cost of sales at the time of product sale. These impacts result in a change in the timing of when certain promotions and rebates are recorded, however, the total amount of cumulative revenue recognized over the life of the contract remains unchanged.
The cumulative effect of the changes made to the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheets as of January 1, 2018 for the adoption of the new revenue standard was as follows:
(in millions)
Balance as of December 31, 2017
 
Adjustments Due to ASC 606
 
Balance as of January 1, 2018
Assets
 
 
 
 
 
Accounts and notes receivable
$
485.3

 
$
1.2

 
$
486.5

Deferred income tax asset
165.6

 
9.3

 
174.9

 
 
 
 
 
 
Liabilities
 
 
 
 
 
Accrued expenses
609.0

 
39.1

 
648.1

 
 
 
 
 
 
Shareholders' equity
 
 
 
 
 
Retained earnings
$
1,966.8

 
$
(28.6
)
 
$
1,938.2

The impact to the Company's Consolidated Statements of Operations and Consolidated Balance Sheets as of and for the year ended December 31, 2018 as a result of applying the new revenue standard was as follows:
 
Year Ended December 31, 2018
(in millions)
As Reported
 
Effect of Change
 
Balances without adoption of ASC 606
Net sales
$
5,159.2

 
$
(15.6
)
 
$
5,143.6

Cost of sales
3,838.2

 
(5.5
)
 
3,832.7

 
 
 
 
 
 
   Earnings before income taxes
322.2

 
(10.1
)
 
312.1

Income tax provision
59.1

 
(2.0
)
 
57.1

Net earnings from continuing operations
$
263.1

 
$
(8.1
)
 
$
255.0

 
As of December 31, 2018
 
As Reported
 
Effect of Change
 
Balances without adoption of ASC 606
Assets
 
 
 
 
 
Accounts and notes receivable
$
550.7

 
$
(1.2
)
 
$
549.5

Deferred income tax asset
96.1

 
(6.8
)
 
89.3

 
 
 
 
 
 
Liabilities
 
 
 
 
 
Accrued expenses
687.4

 
(29.3
)
 
658.1

 
 
 
 
 
 
Shareholders' equity
 
 
 
 
 
Retained earnings
$
2,135.7

 
$
21.3

 
$
2,157.0


Recently Issued Accounting Standards

Defined Benefit Plan Disclosures: In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14, Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans, which modifies the disclosure requirements for employers that sponsor defined benefit pension or other postretirement plans. The amendment is effective for interim and annual periods ending after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this ASC amendment, but does not expect it will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

Cloud Computing Arrangements: In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, Customer's Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement that is a Service Contract, which aligns the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred in a hosting arrangement that is a service contract with the requirements for capitalizing implementation costs incurred to develop or obtain internal-use software. The amendment is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this ASC amendment, but does not expect it will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

Tax Effects in Other Comprehensive Income: In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (AOCI), which permits companies to reclassify the disproportionate income tax effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 on items within AOCI to retained earnings. The ASU also requires certain new disclosures. The amendment is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this ASC amendment, but does not expect it will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

Hedge Accounting: In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities, to simplify the application of hedge accounting and to better align an entity's risk management activities with the financial reporting of hedging relationships. The amendment is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this ASC amendment, but does not expect it will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

Recognition of Leases: In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases, (new leasing standard), which amended the ASC to require lessees to recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for all leases with terms greater than twelve months. Lessees will recognize expenses similar to current lease accounting. The amendment is to be applied using a modified retrospective method with certain practical expedients, and is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company plans to elect the practical expedients upon transition that will retain the lease classification and initial direct costs for any leases that exist prior to adoption. The Company will also not reassess whether any contracts entered into prior to adoption are leases.

In July, 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, Leases - Targeted Improvements, which amended the ASC to provide relief from implementing certain aspects of the new leasing standard. The amendment provides an additional (and optional) transition method to adopt the new leasing standard where an entity initially applies the new leasing standard at the adoption date and recognizes a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. The Company plans to elect this option and as a result, will not restate its consolidated financial statements on the date of initial application. The Company anticipates the adoption of the standard will result in the recognition of approximately $100 million in right-of-use assets and associated lease obligations on the consolidated balance sheets and will not materially impact results on the consolidated statements of operations.