Raytheon 2003 Annual Report Download - page 23

P21 333 RAYTHEON COMPANY 333
333 CRITICAL ACCOUNTING POLICIES
The Company has identified the following accounting policies that
require significant judgment. The Company believes its judgments
related to these accounting policies are appropriate.
Sales under long-term government contracts are recorded
under the percentage of completion method. Incurred costs and
estimated gross margins are recorded as sales as work is per-
formed based on the percentage that incurred costs bear to esti-
mated total costs using the Company’s estimates of costs and
contract value. Cost estimates include direct and indirect costs
such as labor, materials, warranty, and overhead. Some contracts
contain incentive provisions based upon performance in relation to
established targets which are included at estimated realizable
value. Contract change orders and claims are included when they
can be reliably estimated and realization is probable. Due to the
long-term nature of many of the Company’s programs, developing
estimates of costs and contract value often requires significant
judgment. Factors that must be considered in estimating the work
to be completed and ultimate contract recovery include labor pro-
ductivity and availability, the nature and complexity of the work to
be performed, the impact of change orders, availability of materials,
the impact of delayed performance, availability and timing of fund-
ing from the customer, award fee estimations, and the recoverabil-
ity of claims. In 2003, 2002, and 2001, operating income as a
percent of net sales for the defense businesses did not vary by
more than 1.5 percent. If operating income as a percent of net
sales for the defense businesses had been higher or lower by
1.5 percent in 2003, the Company’s operating income would have
changed by approximately $250 million.
The Company uses lot accounting for new commercial aircraft
introductions at Raytheon Aircraft. Lot accounting involves select-
ing an initial lot size at the time a new aircraft begins to be delivered
and measuring an average cost over the entire lot for each aircraft
sold. The costs attributed to aircraft delivered are based on the
estimated average cost of all aircraft in the lot and are determined
under the learning curve concept which anticipates a predictable
decrease in unit costs from cost reduction initiatives and as tasks
and production techniques become more efficient through repeti-
tion. Once production costs stabilize, which is expected by the
time the initial lot has been completed, the use of lot accounting is
discontinued. The selection of lot size is a critical judgment. The
Company determines lot size based on several factors, including
the size of firm backlog, the expected annual production for the air-
craft, and experience on similar new aircraft. The size of the initial
lot for the Beechcraft Premier I, the only aircraft the Company
is currently utilizing lot accounting for, is 200 units. In 2003,
the Company recorded a pretax charge of $22 million to reflect
the expected loss on the initial lot. A five percent increase in
the remaining estimated cost to produce the aircraft would reduce
the Company’s operating income by approximately $20 million.
The valuation of used aircraft in inventories, which are stated at
cost, but not in excess of realizable value, requires significant judg-
ment. As part of the assessment of realizable value, the Company
must evaluate many factors including current market conditions,
future market conditions, the age and condition of the aircraft, and
availability levels for the aircraft in the market. A five percent
decrease in the aggregate realizable value of used aircraft in inven-
tory at December 31, 2003, would result in an impairment charge
of approximately $20 million. The valuation of aircraft materials and
parts which support the worldwide fleet of aircraft, which are
stated at cost, but not in excess of realizable value, also requires
significant judgment. As part of the assessment of realizable value,
the Company must evaluate many factors including the expected
useful life of the aircraft, some of which have remained in service for
up to 50 years. A five percent decrease in the aggregate realizable
value of aircraft materials and purchased parts at December 31,
2003, would result in an impairment charge of approximately
$15 million.
The Company evaluates the recoverability of long-lived assets
upon indication of possible impairment by measuring the carrying
amount of the assets against the related estimated undiscounted
cash flows. When an evaluation indicates that the future undis-
counted cash flows are not sufficient to recover the carrying value
of the assets, the asset is adjusted to its estimated fair value. The
determination of what constitutes an indication of possible impair-
ment, the estimation of future cash flows, and the determination of
estimated fair value are all significant judgments. In addition,
the Company performs an annual goodwill impairment test in the
fourth quarter of each year. The Company estimates the fair value
of reporting units using a discounted cash flow model based on the
Company’s most recent five-year plan and compares the estimated
fair value to the net book value of the reporting unit, including good-
will. Preparation of forecasts for use in the five-year plan involve
significant judgments. Changes in these forecasts could affect the
estimated fair value of certain of the Company’s reporting units and
could result in a goodwill impairment charge in a future period.
The Company has pension plans covering the majority of its
employees, including certain employees in foreign countries. The
selection of the assumptions used to determine pension expense
or income involves significant judgment. The Company’s long-term
return on asset (ROA) and discount rate assumptions are consid-
ered to be the key variables in determining pension expense or
income. To develop the long-term ROA assumption, the Company
considered the current level of expected returns on risk-free invest-
ments, the historical level of the risk premium associated with the