BASIS OF PRESENTATION | BASIS OF PRESENTATION Principles of Consolidation and Reporting These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Northrop Grumman Corporation and subsidiaries (herein referred to as “Northrop Grumman,” the “company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). Material intercompany accounts, transactions and profits are eliminated in consolidation. Investments in equity securities and joint ventures where the company has significant influence, but not control, are accounted for using the equity method. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for interim reporting. These financial statements include adjustments of a normal recurring nature considered necessary by management for a fair presentation of the company’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows. The results reported in these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the entire year. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the information contained in the company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015 (2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K) and the Form 8-K that we filed with the SEC on April 27, 2016, which recasts the disclosures in certain portions of the 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K to reflect changes in the company’s organizational structure and reportable segments. The quarterly information is labeled using a calendar convention; that is, first quarter is consistently labeled as ending on March 31, second quarter as ending on June 30 and third quarter as ending on September 30. It is the company’s long-standing practice to establish actual interim closing dates using a “fiscal” calendar, in which we close our books on a Friday near these quarter-end dates in order to normalize the potentially disruptive effects of quarterly closings on business processes. This practice is only used at interim periods within a reporting year. Accounting Estimates The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP). The preparation thereof requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingencies at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of sales and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates have been prepared using the most current and best available information; however, actual results could differ materially from those estimates. Revenue Recognition The majority of our sales are derived from long-term contracts with the United States (U.S.) Government for the production of goods, the provision of services, or in some cases, a combination of both. In accounting for these contracts, we utilize either the cost-to-cost method or the units-of-delivery method of percentage-of-completion accounting, with cost-to-cost being the predominant method. The company estimates profit on contracts as the difference between total estimated sales and total estimated cost at completion and recognizes that profit either as costs are incurred (cost-to-cost) or as units are delivered (units-of-delivery). The company classifies sales as product or service depending upon the predominant attributes of the contract. Net Estimate-At-Completion (EAC) Adjustments - We recognize changes in estimated contract sales, costs or profits using the cumulative catch-up method of accounting. This method recognizes, in the current period, the cumulative effect of the changes on current and prior periods as net EAC adjustments; sales and profit in future periods of contract performance are recognized as if the revised estimates had been used since contract inception. If it is determined that a loss will result from the performance of a contract, the entire amount of the estimable future loss is charged against income in the period the loss is identified. Loss provisions are first offset against costs included in unbilled accounts receivable or inventoried costs, and any remaining amounts are reflected in current liabilities. Significant EAC adjustments on a single contract could have a material effect on the company’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial position or results of operations. When such adjustments occur, we generally disclose the nature, underlying conditions and financial impact of the adjustments. No discrete event or adjustment to an individual contract was material to the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements. The following table presents the effect of aggregate net EAC adjustments: Three Months Ended September 30 Nine Months Ended September 30 $ in millions, except per share data 2016 2015 2016 2015 Operating Income $ 121 $ 112 $ 387 $ 461 Net Earnings (1) 79 73 252 300 Diluted earnings per share (1) 0.44 0.39 1.39 1.55 (1) Based on statutory tax rates Contract sales may include estimated amounts not contractually agreed to by the customer, including cost or performance incentives (such as award and incentive fees), un-priced change orders, contract claims and requests for equitable adjustment (REAs). Further, as contracts are performed, change orders can be a regular occurrence and may be un-priced until negotiated with the customer. Un-priced change orders, contract claims (including change orders unapproved as to both scope and price) and REAs are included in estimated contract sales when management believes it is probable the un-priced change order, claim and/or REA will result in additional contract revenue and the amount can be reliably estimated based on the facts and circumstances known to us at the time. During July 2016, the company entered into a contract modification with the U.S. government on an Aerospace Systems program, which resolved most of the REAs disclosed in our 2015 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Amounts recognized related to claims and REAs as of September 30, 2016 were not material individually or in aggregate. As of September 30, 2016 , the company does not have any contract terminations in process that we anticipate will have a material effect on our unaudited condensed consolidated financial position, or our annual results of operations and/or cash flows. Related Party Transactions For all periods presented, the company had no material related party transactions. Accounting Standards Updates On March 30, 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting . The company adopted ASU 2016-09 during the first quarter of 2016. Among other things, ASU 2016-09 requires that entities recognize excess tax benefits and deficiencies related to employee share-based payment transactions as income tax expense or benefit. ASU 2016-09 also eliminates the requirement to reclassify excess tax benefits and deficiencies from operating activities to financing activities in the statement of cash flows. As a result of adoption, the company recognized a $1 million and $85 million tax benefit during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 , respectively. Adoption also resulted in an $85 million increase in operating cash flows and a corresponding $85 million reduction in financing cash flows for the nine months ended September 30, 2016 . On February 25, 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) . ASU 2016-02 supersedes existing lease guidance, including Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 840 - Leases . Among other things, ASU 2016-02 requires recognition of a right-of-use asset and liability for future lease payments for contracts that meet the definition of a lease. ASU 2016-02 will be effective January 1, 2019, although early adoption is permitted, and it must be applied using a modified retrospective approach. We are currently evaluating the timing of adoption as well as the effect ASU 2016-02 will have on the company’s consolidated financial position, annual results of operations and/or cash flows. On May 28, 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers . ASU 2014-09 supersedes existing revenue recognition guidance, including ASC 605-35, Revenue Recognition - Construction-Type and Production-Type Contracts. ASU 2014-09 outlines a single set of comprehensive principles for recognizing revenue under U.S. GAAP. Among other things, it requires companies to identify contractual performance obligations and determine whether revenue should be recognized at a point in time or over time. These concepts, as well as other aspects of ASU 2014-09, may change the method and/or timing of revenue recognition for certain of our contracts. We expect to adopt ASU 2014-09 in 2018 and apply it retrospectively to all periods presented. Our evaluation of the effect ASU 2014-09 will have on the company’s consolidated financial position, annual results of operations and/or cash flows is expected to be complete by the end of 2016. Other accounting standards updates effective after September 30, 2016 are not expected to have a material effect on the company’s unaudited condensed consolidated financial position, annual results of operations and/or cash flows. Reclassifications The company adopted ASU 2015-03, Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs , during the first quarter of 2016. As a result, we now present capitalized debt issuance costs as a reduction in the carrying amount of long-term debt. This change resulted in a reclassification of $30 million of other non-current assets reported in our 2015 consolidated statement of financial position to long-term debt, which reduced our previously reported total assets and total liabilities as of December 31, 2015. Shareholders’ Equity The company records the difference between the cost of shares repurchased and their par value as well as tax withholding in excess of related stock compensation expense as a reduction of paid-in capital to the extent available and then as a reduction of retained earnings. Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss The components of accumulated other comprehensive loss are as follows: $ in millions September 30, December 31, Unamortized benefit plan costs, net of tax benefit of $3,166 as of September 30, 2016 and $3,350 as of December 31, 2015 $ (4,939 ) $ (5,241 ) Cumulative translation adjustment (101 ) (82 ) Net unrealized gain on marketable securities and cash flow hedges, net of tax 2 3 Total accumulated other comprehensive loss $ (5,038 ) $ (5,320 ) Unamortized benefit plan costs consist primarily of net after-tax actuarial losses totaling $5.1 billion and $5.5 billion as of September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 , respectively. Net actuarial gains or losses are re-determined annually or upon remeasurement events and principally arise from changes in the interest rate used to discount our benefit obligations and differences between expected and actual returns on plan assets. Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings related to the amortization of benefit plan costs were $101 million and $302 million , net of taxes, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 , respectively, and were $96 million and $288 million , net of taxes, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015 , respectively. The reclassifications represent the amortization of net actuarial losses and prior service credits for the company’s retirement benefit plans, and are included in the computation of net periodic pension cost. See Note 8 for further information. Reclassifications from accumulated other comprehensive loss to net earnings, relating to cumulative translation adjustments, marketable securities and effective cash flow hedges for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 , respectively, were not material. |