Proctor and Gamble 2009 Annual Report Download - page 47

Management’s Discussion and Analysis The Procter & Gamble Company 45
Revenue Recognition
Most of our revenue transactions represent sales of inventory. We
recognize revenue when title, ownership and risk of loss transfer to
the customer, which can be on the date of shipment or the date of
receipt by the customer. The revenue recorded is presented net of sales
and other taxes we collect on behalf of governmental authorities and
includes shipping and handling costs, which generally are included in
the list price to the customer. A provision for payment discounts and
product return allowances is recorded as a reduction of sales within the
same period that the revenue is recognized. We offer sales incentives
to customers and consumers through various programs, consisting
primarily of customer pricing allowances, merchandising funds and
consumer coupons. The cost of these programs is recognized as
incurred and recorded as a reduction of sales. Given the nature of our
business, revenue recognition practices do not contain estimates that
materially affect results of operations.
Income Taxes
Our annual tax rate is determined based on our income, statutory tax
rates and the tax impacts of items treated differently for tax purposes
than for financial reporting purposes. Tax law requires certain items
to be included in the tax return at different times than the items are
reflected in the financial statements. Some of these differences are
permanent, such as expenses that are not deductible in our tax return,
and some differences are temporary, reversing over time, such as
depreciation expense. These temporary differences create deferred tax
assets and liabilities.
Deferred tax assets generally represent the tax effect of items that can
be used as atax deduction or credit in futureyears for which we have
already recorded the tax benefit in our income statement. Deferred tax
liabilities generally represent tax expense recognized in our financial
statements for which payment has been deferred, or the tax effect of
expenditures for which a deduction has already been taken in our tax
return but has not yet been recognized in our financial statements or
assets recorded at fair value in business combinations for which there
was no corresponding tax basis adjustment.
Inherent in determining our annual tax rate are judgments regarding
business plans, planning opportunities and expectations about future
outcomes. Realization of certain deferred tax assets is dependent upon
generating sufficient taxable income in the appropriate jurisdiction prior
to the expiration of the carry-forward periods. Although realization is
not assured, management believes it is more likely than not that our
deferred tax assets, net of valuation allowances, will be realized.
We operate in multiple jurisdictions with complex regulatory environ-
ments subject to different interpretations by the taxpayer and respective
governmental taxing authorities. In certain of these jurisdictions we
may take positions that management believes are supportable, but
are potentially subject to successful challenge by the applicable taxing
authority. We evaluate our tax positions and establish liabilities in
accordance with the applicable accounting guidance on uncertainty
in income taxes. We review these tax uncertainties in light of the
changing facts and circumstances, such as the progress of tax audits,
and adjust them accordingly. We have a number of audits in process
in various jurisdictions. Although the resolution of these tax positions
is uncertain, based on currently available information, we believe that
the ultimate outcomes will not have a material adverse effect on our
financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Because there are a number of estimates and assumptions inherent in
calculating the various components of our tax provision, certain
changes or future events such as changes in tax legislation, geographic
mix of earnings, completion of tax audits or earnings repatriation plans
could have an impact on those estimates and our effective tax rate.
Employee Benefits
We sponsor various post-employment benefits throughout the world.
These include pension plans, both defined contribution plans and
defined benefit plans, and other post-employment benefit (OPEB) plans,
consisting primarily of health care and life insurance for retirees. For
accounting purposes, the defined benefit and OPEB plans require
assumptions to estimate the projected and accumulated benefit
obligations, including the following variables: discount rate; expected
salary increases; certain employee-related factors, such as turnover,
retirement age and mortality; expected return on assets and health
care cost trend rates. These and other assumptions affect the annual
expense and obligations recognized for the underlying plans. Our
assumptions reflect our historical experiences and management’s
best judgment regarding future expectations. In accordance with
U.S. GAAP, the net amount by which actual results differ from our
assumptions is deferred. If this net deferred amount exceeds 10% of
the greater of plan assets or liabilities, a portion of the deferred
amount is included in expense for the following year. The cost or
benefit of plan changes, such as increasing or decreasing benefits for
prior employee service (prior service cost), is deferred and included in
expense on a straight-line basis over the average remaining service
period of the employees expected to receive benefits.
The expected return on plan assets assumption is important, since many
of our defined benefit plans and our primary OPEB plan are funded.
The process for setting the expected rates of return is described in
Note 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. For 2009, the average
return on assets assumptions for pension plan assets andOPEB assets
were 7.4% and 9.3%, respectively. A change in the rate of return of
0.5% for both pension and OPEB assets would impact annual benefit
expense by less than $40million after tax.
Since pension and OPEB liabilities are measured on a discounted basis,
the discount rate is a significant assumption. Discount rates used for
our U.S. defined benefit and OPEB plans are based on a yield curve
constructed from a portfolio of high quality bonds for which the timing
and amount of cash outflows approximate the estimated payouts of
the plan. For our international plans, the discount rates are set by
benchmarking against investment grade corporate bonds rated AA
or better. The average discount rate on the defined benefit pension
plans of 6.0% represents a weighted average of local rates in countries
where such plans exist. A 0.5% change in the discount rate would
impact annual after-tax defined benefit pension expense by less than