Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In January 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-01, “Income Statement—Extraordinary and Unusual Items (Subtopic 225-20): Simplifying Income Statement Presentation by Eliminating the Concept of Extraordinary Items.”  The amendments in this ASU eliminate from U.S. GAAP the concept of extraordinary items. Subtopic 225-20, Income Statement - Extraordinary and Unusual Items, required that an entity separately classify, present, and disclose extraordinary events and transactions.  Presently, an event or transaction is presumed to be an ordinary and usual activity of the reporting entity unless evidence clearly supports its classification as an extraordinary item.  If an event or transaction meets the criteria for extraordinary classification, an entity is required to segregate the extraordinary item from the results of ordinary operations and show the item separately in the income statement, net of tax, after income from continuing operations. The entity also is required to disclose applicable income taxes and either present or disclose earnings-per-share data applicable to the extraordinary item.  The amendments in this ASU are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015.  Early adoption is permitted provided that the guidance is applied from the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption.  The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2015-01 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-02, “Amendments to the Consolidation Analysis.”  The amendments in this ASU amend the consolidation requirements in ASC 810, Consolidation, and significantly change the consolidation analysis required under U.S. GAAP.  Under this guidance, limited partnerships will be considered variable interest entities (“VIEs”) unless the limited partners have either substantive kick-out or participating rights; this amendment will result in more partnerships being considered VIEs, but it will be less likely that a general partner will consolidate a limited partnership.  The amendments also change the effect that fees paid to a decision maker or service provider have on the consolidation analysis; it is less likely that the fees themselves will be considered a variable interest, that an entity will be a VIE, or that consolidation will result.  The changes modify how a reporting entity considers how its variable interests affect its consolidation process; the related party tiebreaker test and mandatory consolidation by one of the related parties will have to be performed less frequently than under current U.S. GAAP.  For entities other than limited partnerships, the amendments clarify how to determine whether the equity holders have power over the entity and could affect whether the entity is a VIE.  The amendments are expected to result in the deconsolidation of many entities.  The amendments in this ASU are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015.  Early adoption is permitted provided that the guidance is applied from the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption.  The Company is currently assessing the impact that ASU 2015-02 will have on its consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, “Interest – Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs.”  The ASU does not change the existing recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs but requires that debt issuance costs related to a debt liability recorded on the balance sheet be present in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability.  The amendments should be disclosed consistent with the disclosure requirement of a change in accounting principle and applied on a retrospective basis.  This ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015.  Early adoption is permitted.  The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2015-03 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.