Significant Accounting Policies | Significant Accounting Policies The Variable Interest Entity (VIE) Arrangements Laureate consolidates in its financial statements certain internationally based educational organizations that do not have shares or other equity ownership interests. Although these educational organizations may be considered not-for-profit entities in their home countries and they are operated in compliance with their respective not-for-profit legal regimes, we believe they do not meet the definition of a not-for-profit entity under GAAP, and therefore we treat them as “for-profit” entities for accounting purposes. These entities generally cannot declare dividends or distribute their net assets to the entities that control them. Under ASC 810-10, “Consolidation,” we have determined that these institutions are VIEs and that Laureate is the primary beneficiary of these VIEs because we have, as further described herein: (1) the power to direct the activities of the VIEs that most significantly affect their educational and economic performance and (2) the right to receive economic benefits from contractual and other arrangements with the VIEs that could potentially be significant to the VIEs. We account for the acquisition of the right to control a VIE in accordance with ASC 805, “Business Combinations.” The VIEs in Brazil, for 2019, and Mexico include several not-for-profit foundations that had insignificant revenues and operating expenses. Selected Consolidated Statements of Operations information for VIEs that are included in continuing operations was as follows, net of the charges related to the above-described contractual arrangements: For the three months ended March 31, 2020 2019 Selected Statements of Operations information: Revenues, by segment: Brazil $ — $ — Mexico 5 — Andean 36,466 56,450 Revenues 36,471 56,450 Depreciation and amortization 5,924 6,096 Operating loss, by segment: Brazil — (18) Mexico (168) (97) Andean (32,305) (27,220) Operating loss (32,473) (27,335) Net loss attributable to Laureate Education, Inc. (30,675) (24,200) The following table reconciles the Net loss attributable to Laureate Education, Inc. as presented in the table above, to the amounts in our Consolidated Statements of Operations: For the three months ended March 31, 2020 2019 Net (loss) income attributable to Laureate Education, Inc.: Variable interest entities $ (30,675) $ (24,200) Other operations (82,630) (45,211) Corporate and eliminations 212,920 260,654 Net income (loss) attributable to Laureate Education, Inc. $ 99,615 $ 191,243 The following table presents selected assets and liabilities of the consolidated VIEs. Except for Goodwill, the assets in the table below include the assets that can be used only to settle the obligations for the VIEs. The liabilities in the table are liabilities for which the creditors of the VIEs do not have recourse to the general credit of Laureate. March 31, 2020 December 31, 2019 VIE Consolidated VIE Consolidated Balance Sheets data: Cash and cash equivalents $ 145,502 $ 546,675 $ 157,003 $ 339,629 Current assets held for sale 18,900 72,415 16,050 83,800 Other current assets 258,350 692,935 173,072 519,498 Total current assets 422,752 1,312,025 346,125 942,927 Goodwill 140,673 1,501,042 159,957 1,701,495 Tradenames 55,434 1,069,084 61,691 1,119,454 Other intangible assets, net — 1,045 — 1,431 Operating lease right-of-use assets, net 62,851 768,747 65,761 861,878 Long-term assets held for sale 62,257 216,316 52,519 305,973 Other long-term assets 237,135 1,628,823 262,579 1,582,470 Total assets 981,102 6,497,082 948,632 6,515,628 Current liabilities held for sale 11,784 60,602 11,741 64,204 Other current liabilities 255,367 1,250,759 130,602 1,006,600 Long-term operating leases, less current portion 53,156 712,564 56,571 792,358 Long-term liabilities held for sale 39,199 70,988 29,666 124,914 Long-term debt and other long-term liabilities 36,010 1,820,398 28,619 1,711,106 Total liabilities 395,516 3,915,311 257,199 3,699,182 Total stockholders' equity 585,586 2,569,808 691,433 2,804,151 Total stockholders' equity attributable to Laureate Education, Inc. 585,586 2,583,122 691,433 2,816,963 The amounts classified as held-for-sale assets and liabilities in the table above relate to a VIE that is included in our Central America segment. Chile - Higher Education Law On May 29, 2018, a new Higher Education Law (the New Law) was enacted. Among other things, the New Law prohibits conflicts of interests and related party transactions involving universities and their controlling parties, with certain exceptions. These exceptions include the provision of services that are educational in nature or essential for the university’s purposes. The New Law established a Superintendency of Higher Education, with authority to regulate institutions of higher education and promulgate regulations and procedures implementing the New Law. As of May 29, 2019, the New Law’s provisions regarding related party transactions came into force and the Superintendent has since issued further interpretive guidance and regulations. Immediately prior to these provisions coming into force, each of the Chilean non-profit universities and the relevant Laureate services provider reached an agreement to terminate the prior network services agreement in favor of an open bidding process, wherein unrelated third parties and Laureate-related providers were invited to compete in the provision of the range of services that are essential to the fulfillment of each of their academic missions. Each of the Chilean non-profit universities has completed all of the bidding and contractual processes subsequent to the May 2019 contract terminations. The Company participated in these open bid processes, conducted by a third party, and was judged to have submitted the superior bid in many of them. Awarded contracts entered into force once the applicable university’s board approved them or in January 2020, in the case of some of the educational services, due to the academic calendar. Within the ordinary regulatory course of supervision, the Company and the Chilean non-profit universities will continue to interact with the Superintendent to maintain compliance with the New Law. We do not believe that the New Law will change our relationship with our two technical-vocational institutions in Chile that are for-profit entities. Additionally, we will continue to evaluate our accounting treatment of the Chilean non-profit universities to determine whether we can continue to consolidate them. COVID-19 The outbreak of COVID-19 has caused domestic and global disruption in operations for institutions of higher education. The long-term effect to the Company of the COVID-19 pandemic depends on numerous factors, including, but not limited to, the effect on student enrollment, tuition pricing, and collections in future periods, which cannot be fully quantified at this time. As of March 31, 2020 and through the date of this Form 10-Q, the Company evaluated its accounting estimates that require consideration of forecasted financial information, based on current information reasonably available to us. The forecast also includes certain estimates and assumptions around macroeconomic conditions and the timing of campuses reopening. While this evaluation did not result in a material effect to the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2020, future evaluations could result in a material effect, including potential impairments, depending on the eventual impact to the Company of the COVID-19 pandemic, including but not limited to, its effect on student enrollment, tuition pricing, and collections in future periods. Recently Adopted Accounting Standards Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2016-13 (ASU 2016-13), Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued ASU 2016-13, which sets forth a “current expected credit loss” (CECL) model and requires companies to measure all expected credit losses for financial instruments held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable supportable forecasts. ASU 2016-13 applies to financial instruments that are not measured at fair value, including receivables that result from revenue transactions. This ASU was effective for Laureate beginning on January 1, 2020 and did not have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements. Laureate adopted this ASU using the modified retrospective transition method. Under this transition method, the new standard is applied from January 1, 2020 without restatement of comparative period amounts. The impact of transitioning to the new standard was immaterial and no adjustment was recorded to retained earnings for the cumulative effect of adopting this ASU on January 1, 2020. Results for reporting periods beginning after January 1, 2020 are presented under Topic 326 while prior period amounts continue to be reported in accordance with previously applicable GAAP . ASU No. 2017-04 (ASU 2017-04), Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04 in order to simplify the test for goodwill impairment by eliminating Step 2, which measures a goodwill impairment loss by comparing the implied fair value of a reporting unit's goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill. Under the amendments in this ASU, an entity should perform its annual goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount and should recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit's fair value. However, the loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. This ASU was effective for Laureate beginning on January 1, 2020 and the adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on our Consolidated Financial Statements. The Company's next annual goodwill impairment test will occur as of October 1, 2020. |