And this one coming down the pike
Changes in Revenue Recognition Standard
. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09 Revenue from Contracts with Customers
(Topic 606), which outlines a comprehensive revenue recognition model and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance. The new standard defines a five-step approach for recognizing revenue, which may require a company to use more judgment and make more estimates than under the current guidance. Amongst the elements in the new standard are requirements for an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers and make expanded disclosures. Under the new standard, our current practice of reporting revenue from per-unit royalty based arrangements one quarter in arrears, when reported by licensees, will no longer be accepted. Instead, the new standard will require us to estimate per-unit royalty-based revenue shipped in the quarter for which we are reporting our results of operations. In addition, the new standard will require us to make a variety of additional estimates and judgments that are subject to risks and complexities, including identifying performance obligations in the contract, estimating the amount of
variable consideration to include in the transaction price, and allocating the transaction price to each separate performance obligation. The new standard may also impact the timing of revenue recognition associated with various revenues including, but not limited to, arrangements with guaranteed minimums and fixed fees as well as recoveries. Such changes to our reporting practices could significantly affect our results of operations to the extent that actual revenues differ significantly from estimated revenues, or that we are required to accelerate recognition of revenue under certain arrangements, potentially causing the amount of revenue we recognize to vary materially from quarter to quarter. While the adoption of the new standard will not change the cash flows we receive from our contracts with customers, the changes to our reporting practices and the potential fluctuations in our reported revenue could cause a
decline and/or fluctuations in the price of our common stock.
Although permitted, we do not intend to early-adopt the new standard, but will adopt it beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2019.
14 |
