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Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
(Dollars in millions, except per-share data and unless otherwise indicated)
Note 1 – Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
References herein to “we,” “us,” “our,” the “Company,” and Xerox refer to Xerox Corporation and its consolidated subsidiaries unless the context specifically requires otherwise.
Description of Business and Basis of Presentation
We are a technology and services enterprise and a leader in the global document market. We develop, manufacture, market, service and finance a complete range of document equipment, software, solutions and services.
Basis of Consolidation
The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Xerox Corporation and all of our controlled subsidiary companies. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Investments in business entities in which we do not have control, but we have the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies (generally 20% to 50% ownership), are accounted for using the equity method of accounting. Upon the sale of stock of a subsidiary, we recognize a gain or loss in our Consolidated Statements of Income equal to our proportionate share of the corresponding increase or decrease in that subsidiary’s equity. Operating results of acquired businesses are included in the Consolidated Statements of Income from the date of acquisition.
We consolidate variable interest entities if we are deemed to be the primary beneficiary of the entity. Operating results for variable interest entities in which we are determined to be the primary beneficiary are included in the Consolidated Statements of Income from the date such determination is made.
For convenience and ease of reference, we refer to the financial statement caption “(Loss) Income before Income Taxes and Equity Income” as “pre-tax loss” or “pre-tax income,” throughout the notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Use of Estimates
The preparation of our Consolidated Financial Statements, in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America, requires that we make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, as well as 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 period. Significant estimates and assumptions are used for, but not limited to: (i) allocation of revenues and fair values in leases and other multiple element arrangements; (ii) accounting for residual values; (iii) economic lives of leased assets; (iv) allowance for doubtful accounts; (v) inventory valuation; (vi) restructuring and related charges; (vii) asset impairments; (viii) depreciable lives of assets; (ix) useful lives of intangible assets; (x) pension and post-retirement benefit plans; (xi) income tax reserves and valuation allowances and (xii) contingency and litigation reserves. Future events and their effects cannot be predicted with certainty; accordingly, our accounting estimates require the exercise of judgment. The accounting estimates used in the preparation of our Consolidated Financial Statements will change as new events occur, as more experience is acquired, as additional information is obtained and as our operating environment changes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
The following table summarizes certain significant charges that require management estimates:
| Year Ended December 31, | ||||||||||
|
(in millions) |
2008 | 2007 | 2006 | |||||||
|
Restructuring provisions and asset impairments |
$ | 429 | $ | (6 | ) | $ | 385 | |||
|
Amortization of intangible assets ($4 for patents included in cost of sales) |
58 | 46 | 45 | |||||||
|
Provisions for receivables |
199 | 131 | 76 | |||||||
|
Provisions for obsolete and excess inventory |
115 | 66 | 69 | |||||||
|
Provisions for litigation and regulatory matters |
781 | (6 | ) | 89 | ||||||
|
Depreciation and obsolescence of equipment on operating leases |
298 | 269 | 230 | |||||||
|
Depreciation of buildings and equipment |
257 | 262 | 277 | |||||||
|
Amortization of internal use and product software |
56 | 79 | 84 | |||||||
|
Pension benefits – net periodic benefit cost |
174 | 235 | 355 | |||||||
|
Other post-retirement benefits – net periodic benefit cost |
77 | 102 | 117 | |||||||
|
Deferred tax asset valuation allowance provisions |
17 | 14 | 12 | |||||||
Changes in Estimates
In the ordinary course of accounting for items discussed above, we make changes in estimates as appropriate, and as we become aware of circumstances surrounding those estimates. Such changes and refinements in estimation methodologies are reflected in reported results of operations in the period in which the changes are made and, if material, their effects are disclosed in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements.
New Accounting Standards and Accounting Changes
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities
In March 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 161 “Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities an amendment of FASB Statement No. 133”. The new standard requires additional disclosures regarding a company’s derivative instruments and hedging activities by requiring disclosure of the fair values of derivative instruments and their gains and losses in a tabular format. It also requires disclosure of derivative features that are credit risk – related as well as cross-referencing within the notes to the financial statements to enable financial statement users to locate important information about derivative instruments, financial performance and cash flows. We adopted this standard effective as of December 31, 2008. The only impact from this standard was to require us to expand our disclosures regarding our derivative instruments. Refer to Note 13 – Financial Instruments for additional information.
Fair Value Accounting
In 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements” (“FAS 157”). We adopted the provisions of FAS 157 on January 1, 2008. FAS 157 defines fair value, establishes a market-based framework or hierarchy for measuring fair value and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. FAS 157 is applicable whenever another accounting pronouncement requires or permits assets and liabilities to be measured at fair value. FAS 157 does not expand or require any new fair value measures; however, the application of this statement may change current practice. FAS 157 does not apply to fair value measurements for purposes of lease classification or measurement under SFAS No. 13, “Accounting for Leases”. In February 2008, the FASB decided that an entity need not apply this standard to nonfinancial assets and liabilities that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a nonrecurring basis until 2009. Accordingly, our adoption of this standard in 2008 was limited to financial assets and liabilities, which primarily affects the valuation of our derivative contracts. The adoption of FAS 157 did not have a material effect on our financial condition or results of operations. We do not believe the full adoption of FAS 157 with respect to our nonfinancial assets and liabilities will have a material effect on our financial condition or results of operations. Nonfinancial assets and liabilities for which we have not applied the provisions of FAS 157 primarily include those measured at fair value in impairment testing and those initially measured at fair value in a business combination.
In 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” (“FAS 159”). FAS 159 became effective for us on January 1, 2008. FAS 159 permits entities to choose to measure many financial instruments and certain other items at fair value. Entities that elect the fair value option will report unrealized gains and losses in earnings at each subsequent reporting date. The fair value option may be elected on an instrument-by-instrument basis, with few exceptions. FAS 159 also establishes presentation and disclosure requirements to facilitate comparisons between companies that choose different measurement attributes for similar assets and liabilities. FAS 159 did not have an effect on our financial condition or results of operations as we did not elect this fair value option, nor is it expected to have a material impact on future periods as the election of this option for our financial instruments is expected to be at most, limited.
Business Combinations and Noncontrolling Interests
In 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 141 (revised 2007), “Business Combinations” (“FAS 141(R)”). FAS 141(R) requires the acquiring entity in a business combination to recognize the full fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in the transaction (whether a full or partial acquisition); establishes the acquisition-date fair value as the measurement objective for all assets acquired and liabilities assumed; requires expensing of most transaction and restructuring costs; and requires the acquirer to disclose the information needed to evaluate and understand the nature and financial effect of the business combination. FAS 141(R) applies prospectively to business combinations for which the acquisition date is on or after January 1, 2009. The impact of FAS No. 141(R) on our consolidated financial statements will depend upon the nature, terms and size of the acquisitions we consummate after the effective date.
In 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 160, “Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements – an amendment of Accounting Research Bulletin No. 51” (“FAS 160”). FAS 160 requires reporting entities to present noncontrolling (minority) interests as equity (as opposed to as a liability) and provides guidance on the accounting for transactions between an entity and noncontrolling interests. As of December 31, 2008, we had approximately $120 in noncontrolling interests classified in other long-term liabilities. FAS 160 applies prospectively as of January 1, 2009, except for the presentation and disclosure requirements which will be applied retrospectively for all periods presented.
Benefit Plans Accounting
In 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 158, “Employers’ Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans, an amendment of FASB Statements No. 87, 88, 106 and 132(R)” (“FAS 158”) which requires the recognition of an asset or liability for the funded status of defined pension and other postretirement benefit plans in the statement of financial position of the sponsoring entity. The funded status of a benefit plan is measured as the difference between plan assets at fair value and the benefit obligation. The initial incremental recognition of the funded status under FAS 158 of our defined pension and other post retirement benefit plans, as well as subsequent changes in our funded status that are not included in net periodic benefit cost will be reflected in shareholders’ equity and other comprehensive loss, respectively. As of December 31, 2006, the net unfunded status of our benefit plans was $2,842 and recognition of this net unfunded status upon the adoption of FAS 158 resulted in an after-tax charge to equity of $1,024. Prior to the adoption of FAS 158, we recorded an after-tax credit to our minimum pension liability of $131, for a total equity charge in 2006 related to the funded status of our benefit plans of $893. Amounts recognized in accumulated other comprehensive loss are adjusted as they are subsequently recognized as a component of net periodic benefit cost. The method of calculating net periodic benefit cost did not change from existing guidance. Refer to Note 14 – Employee Benefit Plans for additional information.
The funded status recognition and certain disclosure provisions of FAS 158 were effective as of our fiscal year ending December 31, 2006. FAS 158 also requires the consistent measurement of plan assets and benefit obligations as of the date of our fiscal year-end statement of financial position effective for the year ending December 31, 2008. Since several of our international plans had a September 30th measurement date, this standard required us to change that measurement date to December 31st in 2008. The adoption of this requirement by our international plans did not have a material effect on our financial condition or results of operations. The effect of adoption by our international plans resulted in a January 1, 2008 opening retained earnings charge of $16, deferred tax asset increase of $4, pension asset reduction of $9, a pension liability increase of $6 and a credit to accumulated other comprehensive loss of $5.
FAS 158 was not effective for our equity investment in Fuji Xerox (“FX”) until their annual year-end of March 31, 2007. Upon FX’s adoption of FAS 158, we recorded a $5 charge to equity representing our share of their after-tax charge to equity for the unfunded status of their benefit plans. We also recorded a $44 after-tax charge to equity for our portion of a minimum pension liability adjustment recorded by FX prior to their adoption of FAS 158 for a total equity charge in 2007 related to the funded status of FX’s benefit plans of $49.
Other Accounting Changes
In December 2008, the FASB issued Staff Position No. FAS 140-4 and FIN 46(R)-8, “Disclosures by Public Entities (Enterprises) about Transfers of Financial Assets and Interests in Variable Interest Entities” (“FSP FAS 140-4 and FIN 46(R)-8”). This FSP required additional disclosures about transfers of financial assets and about an entity’s involvement with variable interest entities. The FSP is effective for our fiscal year ended December 31, 2008. Adoption of this FSP affects disclosures only and therefore has no impact on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. Since our transfers of financial assets and involvement with variable interest entities are not material, we do not expect a material disclosure requirement from this standard.
In April 2008, the FASB issued Staff Position No. FAS 142-3, “Determination of Useful Life of Intangible Assets” (“FSP FAS 142-3”). FSP FAS 142-3 amends the factors that should be considered in developing renewal or extension assumptions used to determine the useful life of a recognized intangible asset under FAS 142, “Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets.” FSP FAS 142-3 also requires expanded disclosures related to the determination of intangible asset useful lives. This standard applies prospectively to intangible assets acquired and/or recognized on or after January 1, 2009. We do not believe that the adoption of this standard will have a material effect on our financial condition or results of operations.
In 2007, the FASB’s Emerging Issues Task Force issued EITF Issue No. 06-10, “Accounting for Deferred Compensation and Postretirement Benefit Aspects of Collateral Assignment Split-Dollar Life Insurance Arrangements” (“EITF 06-10”). EITF 06-10 provides that an employer should recognize a liability for the postretirement benefit related to collateral assignment split-dollar life insurance arrangements in accordance with either SFAS No. 106, “Employers’ Accounting for Postretirement Benefits Other Than Pensions,” or Accounting Principles Board Opinion No. 12, “Omnibus Opinion.” We recorded a $11 after-tax charge to retained earnings in 2008 reflecting the cumulative effect upon adoption of EITF 06-10. The standard is not expected to have a material impact on results of operations in the future.
In 2006, the FASB ratified the consensus reached on EITF Issue No. 06-2, “Accounting for Sabbatical Leave and Other Similar Benefits Pursuant to FASB Statement No. 43” (“EITF 06-2”). EITF 06-2 clarifies recognition guidance on the accrual of employees’ rights to compensated absences under a sabbatical or other similar benefit arrangement. We recorded a $7 after-tax charge to Retained earnings in 2007 reflecting our share of the cumulative effect recorded by Fuji Xerox upon adoption of EITF 06-2. This was adjusted by a $2 credit in 2008. With the exception of this charge, the adoption of EITF 06-2 did not impact the Company as we do not have a similar benefit arrangement.
Summary of Accounting Policies
Revenue Recognition
We generate revenue through the sale and rental of equipment, service and supplies and income associated with the financing of our equipment sales. Revenue is recognized when earned. More specifically, revenue related to sales of our products and services is recognized as follows:
Equipment: Revenues from the sale of equipment, including those from sales-type leases, are recognized at the time of sale or at the inception of the lease, as appropriate. For equipment sales that require us to install the product at the customer location, revenue is recognized when the equipment has been delivered to and installed at the customer location. Sales of customer installable products are recognized upon shipment or receipt by the customer according to the customer’s shipping terms. Revenues from equipment under other leases and similar arrangements are accounted for by the operating lease method and are recognized as earned over the lease term, which is generally on a straight-line basis.
Service: Service revenues are derived primarily from maintenance contracts on our equipment sold to customers and are recognized over the term of the contracts. A substantial portion of our products are sold with full service maintenance agreements for which the customer typically pays a base service fee plus a variable amount based on usage. As a consequence, other than the product warranty obligations associated with certain of our low end products in the Office segment, we do not have any significant product warranty obligations, including any obligations under customer satisfaction programs.
Revenues associated with outsourcing services as well as professional and value-added services are generally recognized as such services are performed. In those service arrangements where final acceptance of a system or solution by the customer is required, revenue is deferred until all acceptance criteria have been met. Costs associated with service arrangements are generally recognized as incurred. Initial direct costs of an arrangement are capitalized and amortized over the contractual service period. Long-lived assets used in the fulfillment of the arrangements are capitalized and depreciated over the shorter of their useful life or the term of the contract. Losses on service arrangements are recognized in the period that the contractual loss becomes probable and estimable.
Sales to distributors and resellers: We utilize distributors and resellers to sell certain of our products to end-users. We refer to our distributor and reseller network as our two-tier distribution model. Sales to distributors and resellers are generally recognized as revenue when products are sold to such distributors and resellers. Distributors and resellers participate in various cooperative marketing and other programs, and we record provisions for these programs as a reduction to revenue when the sales occur. We also similarly account for our estimates of sales returns and other allowances when the sales occur based on our historical experience.
Supplies: Supplies revenue generally is recognized upon shipment or utilization by customers in accordance with the sales terms.
Software: Software included within our equipment and services is generally considered incidental and is therefore accounted for as part of the equipment sales or services revenues. Software accessories sold in connection with our equipment sales as well as free-standing software revenues are accounted for in accordance with AICPA Statement of Position No. 97-2, “Software Revenue Recognition” (“SOP 97-2”). In most cases, these software products are sold as part of multiple element arrangements and include software maintenance agreements for the delivery of technical service as well as unspecified upgrades or enhancements on a when-and-if-available basis. In those software accessory and free-standing software arrangements that include more than one element, we allocate the revenue among the elements based on vendor-specific objective evidence (“VSOE”) of fair value. VSOE of fair value is based on the price charged when the deliverable is sold separately by us on a regular basis and not as part of the multiple-element arrangement. Revenue allocated to software is normally recognized upon delivery while revenue allocated to the software maintenance element is recognized ratably over the term of the arrangement.
Revenue Recognition for Leases: Our accounting for leases involves specific determinations under FAS 13, which often involve complex provisions and significant judgments. The two primary criteria of FAS 13 which we use to classify transactions as sales-type or operating leases are 1) a review of the lease term to determine if it is equal to or greater than 75% of the economic life of the equipment and 2) a review of the present value of the minimum lease payments to determine if they are equal to or greater than 90% of the fair market value of the equipment at the inception of the lease. Our leases in our Latin America operations have historically been recorded as operating leases given the cancellability of the contract or because the recoverability of the lease investment is deemed not to be predictable at lease inception.
The critical elements that we consider with respect to our lease accounting are the determination of the economic life and the fair value of equipment, including the residual value. For purposes of determining the economic life, we consider the most objective measure to be the original contract term, since most equipment is returned by lessees at or near the end of the contracted term. The economic life of most of our products is five years since this represents the most frequent contractual lease term for our principal products and only a small percentage of our leases have original terms longer than five years. We continually evaluate the economic life of both existing and newly introduced products for purposes of this determination. Residual values, if any, are established at lease inception using estimates of fair value at the end of the lease term.
The vast majority of our leases that qualify as sales-type are non-cancelable and include cancellation penalties approximately equal to the full value of the lease receivables. A portion of our business involves sales to governmental units. Governmental units are those entities that have statutorily defined funding or annual budgets that are determined by their legislative bodies. Certain of our governmental contracts may have cancellation provisions or renewal clauses that are required by law, such as 1) those dependant on fiscal funding outside of a governmental unit’s control, 2) those that can be cancelled if deemed in the best interest of the governmental unit’s taxpayers or 3) those that must be renewed each fiscal year, given limitations that may exist on entering into multi-year contracts that are imposed by statute. In these circumstances, we carefully evaluate these contracts to assess whether cancellation is remote. The evaluation of a lease agreement with a renewal option includes an assessment as to whether the renewal is reasonably assured based on the apparent intent and our experience of such governmental unit. We further ensure that the contract provisions described above are offered only in instances where required by law. Where such contract terms are not legally required, we consider the arrangement to be cancelable and account for the lease as an operating lease.
After the initial lease of equipment to our customers, we may enter subsequent transactions with the same customer whereby we extend the term. Revenue from such lease extensions is typically recognized over the extension period.
Revenue Recognition Under Bundled Arrangements: We sell the majority of our products and services under bundled lease arrangements, which typically include equipment, service, supplies and financing components for which the customer pays a single negotiated fixed minimum monthly payment for all elements over the contractual lease term. These arrangements typically also include an incremental, variable component for page volumes in excess of contractual page volume minimums, which are often expressed in terms of price per page. The fixed minimum monthly payments are multiplied by the number of months in the contract term to arrive at the total fixed minimum payments that the customer is obligated to make (“fixed payments”) over the lease term. The payments associated with page volumes in excess of the minimums are contingent on whether or not such minimums are exceeded (“contingent payments”). The minimum contractual committed page volumes are typically negotiated to equal the customer’s estimated page volume at lease inception. In applying our lease accounting methodology, we only consider the fixed payments for purposes of allocating to the relative fair value elements of the contract. Contingent payments, if any, are inherently uncertain and therefore are recognized as revenue in the period when the customer exceeds the minimum copy volumes specified in the contract. Revenues under bundled arrangements are allocated considering the relative fair values of the lease and non-lease deliverables included in the bundled arrangement based upon the estimated relative fair values of each element. Lease deliverables include maintenance and executory costs, equipment and financing, while non-lease deliverables generally consist of the supplies and non-maintenance services. Our revenue allocation for the lease deliverables begins by allocating revenues to the maintenance and executory costs plus profit thereon. The remaining amounts are allocated to the equipment and financing elements.
Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand, including money-market funds, and investments with original maturities of three months or less.
Restricted Cash and Investments
Several of our secured financing arrangements and other contracts, require us to post cash collateral or maintain minimum cash balances in escrow. In addition, as more fully discussed in Note 16 – Contingencies, various litigation matters in Brazil require us to make cash deposits as a condition of continuing the litigation. These cash amounts are reported in our Consolidated Balance Sheets, depending on when the cash will be contractually released. At December 31, 2008 and 2007, such restricted cash amounts were as follows (in millions):
| December 31, | ||||||
| 2008 | 2007 | |||||
|
Escrow and cash collections related to secured borrowing arrangements |
$ | 16 | $ | 41 | ||
|
Tax and other litigation deposits in Brazil |
167 | 200 | ||||
|
Other restricted cash |
20 | 23 | ||||
|
Total |
$ | 203 | $ | 264 | ||
Of these amounts, $20 and $45 were included in Other current assets and $183 and $219 were included in Other long-term assets, as of December 31, 2008 and 2007, respectively.
Provisions for Losses on Uncollectible Receivables
The provisions for losses on uncollectible trade and finance receivables are determined principally on the basis of past collection experience applied to ongoing evaluations of our receivables and evaluations of the default risks of repayment. Allowances for doubtful accounts receivable were $131 and $128, as of December 31, 2008 and 2007, respectively. Allowances for doubtful accounts on finance receivables were $198 and $203 at December 31, 2008 and 2007, respectively.
Inventories
Inventories are carried at the lower of average cost or market. Inventories also include equipment that is returned at the end of the lease term. Returned equipment is recorded at the lower of remaining net book value or salvage value. Salvage value consists of the estimated market value (generally determined based on replacement cost) of the salvageable component parts, which are expected to be used in the remanufacturing process. We regularly review inventory quantities and record a provision for excess and/or obsolete inventory based primarily on our estimated forecast of product demand, production requirements and servicing commitments. Several factors may influence the realizability of our inventories, including our decision to exit a product line, technological changes and new product development. The provision for excess and/or obsolete raw materials and equipment inventories is based primarily on near term forecasts of product demand and include consideration of new product introductions as well as changes in remanufacturing strategies. The provision for excess and/or obsolete service parts inventory is based primarily on projected servicing requirements over the life of the related equipment populations.
Cost of sales in 2008 included a charge of $39 associated with an Office segment product line equipment and residual value write-off. The write-off was the result of a late 2008 change in strategy reflecting our decision to discontinue the remanufacture of end-of-lease returned inventory from a certain Office segment product line following an assessment of the current and expected market for these products.
Land, Buildings and Equipment and Equipment on Operating Leases
Land, buildings and equipment are recorded at cost. Buildings and equipment are depreciated over their estimated useful lives. Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of the lease term or the estimated useful life. Equipment on operating leases is depreciated to estimated salvage value over the lease term. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method. Significant improvements are capitalized and maintenance and repairs are expensed. Refer to Note 5 – Inventories and Equipment on Operating Leases, Net and Note 6 – Land, Buildings and Equipment, Net for further discussion.
Internal Use Software
We capitalize direct costs associated with developing, purchasing or otherwise acquiring software for internal use and amortize these costs on a straight-line basis over the expected useful life of the software, beginning when the software is implemented. Useful lives of the software generally vary from 3 to 5 years. Amortization expense was $50, $76, and $73 for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively. Capitalized costs were $288 and $270 as of December 31, 2008 and 2007, respectively.
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets
Goodwill is tested for impairment annually or more frequently if an event or circumstance indicates that an impairment loss may have been incurred. Application of the goodwill impairment test requires judgment, including the identification of reporting units, assignment of assets and liabilities to reporting units, assignment of goodwill to reporting units, and determination of the fair value of each reporting unit. We estimate the fair value of each reporting unit using a discounted cash flow methodology. This requires us to use significant judgment including estimation of future cash flows, which is dependent on internal forecasts, estimation of the long-term rate of growth for our business, the useful life over which cash flows will occur, determination of our weighted average cost of capital, and relevant market data.
Other intangible assets primarily consist of assets obtained in connection with business acquisitions, including installed customer base and distribution network relationships, patents on existing technology and trademarks. We apply an impairment evaluation whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying value of our intangible assets may not be recoverable. Other intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated economic lives. We believe that the straight-line method of amortization reflects an appropriate allocation of the cost of the intangible assets to earnings in proportion to the amount of economic benefits obtained annually by the Company. Refer to Note 8 – Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Net for further information.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
We review the recoverability of our long-lived assets, including buildings, equipment, internal-use software and other intangible assets, when events or changes in circumstances occur that indicate that the carrying value of the asset may not be recoverable. The assessment of possible impairment is based on our ability to recover the carrying value of the asset from the expected future pre-tax cash flows (undiscounted and without interest charges) of the related operations. If these cash flows are less than the carrying value of such asset, an impairment loss is recognized for the difference between estimated fair value and carrying value. Our primary measure of fair value is based on discounted cash flows.
Treasury Stock
We account for repurchased common stock under the cost method and include such treasury stock as a component of our Common shareholders’ equity. Retirement of Treasury stock is recorded as a reduction of Common stock and Additional paid-in-capital at the time such retirement is approved by our Board of Directors.
Research, Development and Engineering (“R,D&E”)
Research, development and engineering costs are expensed as incurred. R,D&E was $884, $912 and $922, for the three years ended December 31, 2008, respectively. Research and development (“R&D”) costs were $750 in 2008, $764 in 2007 and $761 in 2006. Sustaining engineering costs are incurred with respect to on-going product improvements or environmental compliance after initial product launch. Our sustaining engineering costs were $134, $148, and $161, for the three years ended December 31, 2008, respectively.
Restructuring Charges
Costs associated with exit or disposal activities, including lease termination costs and certain employee severance costs associated with restructuring, plant closing or other activity, are recognized when they are incurred. In those geographies where we have either a formal severance plan or a history of consistently providing severance benefits representing a substantive plan, we recognize severance costs when they are both probable and reasonably estimable.
Pension and Post-Retirement Benefit Obligations
We sponsor pension plans in various forms in several countries covering substantially all employees who meet eligibility requirements. Post-retirement benefit plans cover U.S. and Canadian employees for retirement medical costs. We employ a delayed recognition feature in measuring the costs of pension and post-retirement benefit plans. This requires changes in the benefit obligations and changes in the value of assets set aside to meet those obligations to be recognized not as they occur, but systematically and gradually over subsequent periods. All changes are ultimately recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost, except to the extent they may be offset by subsequent changes. At any point, changes that have been identified and quantified but not recognized as components of net periodic benefit cost, are recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax.
Several statistical and other factors that attempt to anticipate future events are used in calculating the expense, liability and asset values related to our pension and post-retirement benefit plans. These factors include assumptions we make about the discount rate, expected return on plan assets, rate of increase in healthcare costs, the rate of future compensation increases, and mortality, among others. Actual returns on plan assets are not immediately recognized in our income statement, due to the delayed recognition requirement. In calculating the expected return on the plan asset component of our net periodic pension cost, we apply our estimate of the long-term rate of return to the plan assets that support our pension obligations, after deducting assets that are specifically allocated to Transitional Retirement Accounts (which are accounted for based on specific plan terms).
For purposes of determining the expected return on plan assets, we utilize a calculated value approach in determining the value of the pension plan assets, as opposed to a fair market value approach. The primary difference between the two methods relates to systematic recognition of changes in fair value over time (generally two years) versus immediate recognition of changes in fair value. Our expected rate of return on plan assets is then applied to the calculated asset value to determine the amount of the expected return on plan assets to be used in the determination of the net periodic pension cost. The calculated value approach reduces the volatility in net periodic pension cost that results from using the fair market value approach.
The discount rate is used to present value our future anticipated benefit obligations. In estimating our discount rate, we consider rates of return on high quality fixed-income investments included in various published bond indexes, adjusted to eliminate the effects of call provisions and differences in the timing and amounts of cash outflows related to the bonds, as well as, the expected timing of pension and other benefit payments. In the U.S. and the U.K., which comprise approximately 80% of our projected benefit obligation, we consider the Moody’s Aa Corporate Bond Index and the International Index Company’s iBoxx Sterling Corporate AA Cash Bond Index, respectively, in the determination of the appropriate discount rate assumptions. Refer to Note 14 – Employee Benefit Plans for further information.
Each year, the difference between the actual return on plan assets and the expected return on plan assets as well as increases or decreases in the benefit obligation as a result of changes in the discount rate are added to, or subtracted from, any cumulative actuarial gain or loss that arose in prior years. This resultant amount is the net actuarial gain or loss recognized in Accumulated other comprehensive loss and is subject to subsequent amortization to net periodic pension cost in future periods over the remaining service lives of the employees participating in the pension plan.
Foreign Currency Translation
The functional currency for most foreign operations is the local currency. Net assets are translated at current rates of exchange, and income, expense and cash flow items are translated at average exchange rates for the applicable period. The translation adjustments are recorded in Accumulated other comprehensive loss. The U.S. Dollar is used as the functional currency for certain subsidiaries that conduct their business in U.S. Dollars or operate in hyperinflationary economies. A combination of current and historical exchange rates is used in remeasuring the local currency transactions of these subsidiaries and the resulting exchange adjustments are included in income. Aggregate foreign currency losses were $34, $8 and $39 in 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively, and are included in Other expenses, net in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income.
Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss (“AOCL”)
AOCL is composed of the following for the three years ending December 31, 2008 (in millions):
| December 31, | ||||||||||||
| 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | ||||||||||
|
Income (loss): |
||||||||||||
|
Cumulative translation adjustments |
$ | (1,395 | ) | $ | (31 | ) | $ | (532 | ) | |||
|
Benefit plans net actuarial losses and prior service credits (includes our share of Fuji Xerox) |
(1,021 | ) | (735 | ) | (1,097 | ) | ||||||
|
Minimum pension liabilities |
— | — | (20 | ) | ||||||||
|
Other unrealized gains |
— | 1 | 2 | |||||||||
|
Total Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss |
$ | (2,416 | ) | $ | (765 | ) | $ | (1,647 | ) | |||
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