New Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) and subsequently issued additional updates to Topic 842. The updated guidance requires lessees to recognize a lease liability and a right-of-use asset, measured at the present value of the future minimum lease payments, at the lease commencement date. Recognition, measurement and presentation of expenses will depend on classification as a finance or operating lease. The amendments also require certain quantitative and qualitative disclosures. ASU 2016-02 is effective for all interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. As currently issued, the update requires entities to recognize and measure leases at the beginning of the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach or allows entities to initially apply the new lease standard at the adoption date and recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. The Company has performed a comprehensive review in order to determine what changes were required to support the adoption of this new standard. During the first quarter of 2019, the Company will complete its implementation of its processes and policies to support the new lease accounting and reporting requirements. The Company plans to adopt the new standard on the adoption date with an application date of January 1, 2019 and recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings, if any, in the period of adoption. Based on its lease portfolio as of January 1, 2019, the Company preliminarily estimates the impact of adopting ASU 2016-02 to increase both its total assets and total liabilities in the range of $150 million to $200 million. The Company does not anticipate the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its consolidated statements of income. The Company continues to finalize the implementation of new processes and the assessment of the impact of this adoption on its consolidated financial statements; therefore, the preliminary estimated impacts disclosed can change and the final impact will be known once the adoption is completed during the first quarter of 2019.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instrument — Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. This ASU changes the impairment model for most financial assets, requiring the use of an expected loss model which requires entities to estimate the lifetime expected credit loss on financial assets measured at amortized cost. Such credit losses will be recorded as an allowance to offset the amortized cost of the financial asset, resulting in a net presentation of the amount expected to be collected on the financial asset. In addition, credit losses relating to available-for-sale debt securities will now be recorded through an allowance for credit losses rather than as a direct write-down to the security. The amendments in this update are effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company is evaluating the potential impact of this adoption on its consolidated financial statements.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Intangibles — Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. This ASU simplifies the test for goodwill impairment by removing Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Companies will now perform the goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, recognizing an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value not to exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. An entity still has the option to perform the qualitative assessment for a reporting unit to determine if the quantitative impairment test is necessary. The amendments in this update are effective for goodwill impairment tests in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted for goodwill impairment tests performed after January 1, 2017. The Company is evaluating the potential impact of this adoption on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging: Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. This ASU improves the financial reporting of hedging relationships to better portray the economic results of an entity’s risk management activities in its financial statements and makes certain targeted improvements to simplify the application of existing hedge accounting guidance. The amendments in this update are effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-02, Income Statement — Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220). This ASU allows a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for tax effects of items within accumulated other comprehensive income, or stranded tax effects, resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and requires certain disclosures about those stranded tax effects. The amendments in this update are effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and the Company will elect to not reclassify the income tax effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings.

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-07, Compensation — Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting. This ASU expands the scope of Topic 718 to include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from nonemployees. The amendments in this update are effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework — Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. This ASU modifies the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements in Topic 820 based on the consideration of costs and benefits to promote the appropriate exercise and discretion by entities when considering fair value measurement disclosures and to clarify that materiality is an appropriate consideration of entities and their auditors when evaluating disclosure requirements. The amendments in this update are effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. The Company is evaluating the potential impact of this adoption on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-14, Compensation — Retirement Benefits — Defined Benefit Plans — General (Subtopic 715-20): Disclosure Framework — Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans. This ASU removes disclosures that are no longer considered cost beneficial, clarifies the specific requirements of disclosures, and adds disclosure requirements identified as relevant. The amendments in this update are effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The Company is evaluating the potential impact of this adoption on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU No. 2018-15, Intangibles — Goodwill and Other — Internal-Use Software (Subtopic 350-40): Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That Is a Service Contract. This ASU clarifies the accounting for implementation costs of a hosting arrangement that is a service contract and aligns that accounting, regardless of whether the arrangement conveys a license to the hosted software. The amendments in this update are effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. The Company is evaluating the potential impact of this adoption on its consolidated financial statements.

Foreign Currency Translation and Transactions

In the majority of the countries that the Company operates, the functional currency is the local currency. The Company’s foreign subsidiaries’ asset and liability accounts are translated for consolidated financial reporting purposes into U.S. dollar amounts at year-end exchange rates. Revenue and expense accounts are translated at the average rates during the year. Foreign exchange translation adjustments are included in accumulated other comprehensive loss on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses, which include the cost of foreign currency derivative contracts and the related settlement gains and losses but excluding certain foreign currency derivatives designated as cash flow hedges as discussed in Note 11, Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities, are included in selling, general, and administrative expenses within the accompanying consolidated statements of income. The Company recorded net foreign currency transaction losses of $17.3 million, $13.7 million, and $11.4 million, for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with a maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents are comprised primarily of foreign and domestic bank accounts, and money market funds. These cash and cash equivalents are valued based on Level 1 inputs which consist of quoted prices in active markets. To reduce its credit risk, the Company monitors the credit standing of the financial institutions that hold the Company’s cash and cash equivalents.

The Company has a cash pooling arrangement with a financial institution for cash management purposes. This cash pooling arrangement allows certain of the Company’s participating subsidiaries to withdraw cash from this financial institution based upon the Company’s aggregate cash deposits held by subsidiaries who participate in the cash pooling arrangement. To the extent any participating location on an individual basis is in an overdraft position, these overdrafts will be recorded as liabilities and reflected as financing activities in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statement of cash flows, respectively. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company did not owe any amounts to this financial institution.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company applies the provisions of FASB authoritative guidance as it applies to its financial and non-financial assets and liabilities. The FASB authoritative guidance clarifies the definition of fair value, prescribes methods for measuring fair value, establishes a fair value hierarchy based on the inputs used to measure fair value, and expands disclosures about fair value measurements.

The Company has estimated the fair value of its financial instruments using the following methods and assumptions:

The Company applies the provisions of FASB ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, or ASC 820, for its financial and non-financial assets and liabilities. ASC 820 defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. ASC 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value into three broad levels as follows:

Level 1 inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the reporting entity has the ability to access at the measurement date.

Level 2 inputs include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, and inputs that are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data by correlation or other means.

Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs for the asset or liability.

The Company measures certain assets and liabilities at fair value as discussed throughout the notes to its consolidated financial statements. Foreign exchange currency contracts are valued using standard calculations and models primarily based on inputs such as observable forward rates, spot rates, and foreign currency exchange rates at the reporting period ended date.

Debt Issuance Costs

Debt issuance costs represent fees and expenses related to the borrowing of the Company’s long-term debt and are amortized over the term of the related debt using the effective interest method. Debt issuance costs, except for the Company’s revolving credit facility, are recorded as a reduction to debt (contra-liability) within the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. Total amortization expense related to debt issuance costs were $7.3 million, $8.4 million, and $7.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the Company’s remaining unamortized debt issuance costs were $26.5 million and $26.2 million, respectively.

Goodwill and marketing-related intangible assets with indefinite lives are evaluated on an annual basis for impairment or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired. For goodwill, the Company performed a qualitative assessment during the fourth quarter of 2018 and determined that it is not likely that the fair value of each reporting unit is less than its respective carrying value. If it is determined that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount or if a qualitative assessment is not performed, then the Company would perform the two-step goodwill impairment test as required, in which it would use a discounted cash flow approach to estimate the fair value of a reporting unit. If the fair value of the reporting unit is less than the carrying value, then the implied fair value of the goodwill must be determined. If the implied fair value of the goodwill is less than its carrying value, then a goodwill impairment amount is recorded for the difference. For the marketing-related intangible assets, the Company performed a qualitative assessment during the fourth quarter of 2018 and determined that it is not likely that the fair value of the assets is less than their carrying value. If it is determined that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the assets is less than their carrying amount or if a qualitative assessment is not performed, then the Company would perform the quantitative impairment test as required, in which it would use a discounted cash flow model under the relief-from-royalty method in order to determine the fair value. If the fair value is less than its carrying value, then an impairment amount is recorded for the difference. During the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, there were no additions to goodwill or marketing-related intangible assets or impairments of goodwill or marketing-related intangible assets. As of both December 31, 2018 and 2017, the marketing-related intangible asset balance was $310.0 million which consisted of the Company’s trademark, trade name, and marketing franchise. As of December 31, 2018 and 2017, the goodwill balance was $92.9 million and $96.9 million, respectively. The decrease in goodwill during the year ended December 31, 2018 was due to cumulative translation adjustments.

Income Taxes

Income tax expense includes income taxes payable for the current year and the change in deferred income tax assets and liabilities for the future tax consequences of events that have been recognized in the Company’s financial statements or income tax returns. A valuation allowance is recognized to reduce the carrying value of deferred income tax assets if it is believed to be more likely than not that a component of the deferred income tax assets will not be realized.

The Company accounts for uncertainty in income taxes in accordance with FASB authoritative guidance which clarifies the accounting and reporting for uncertainties in income taxes recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements. This guidance prescribes a comprehensive model for the financial statement recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosure of uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in income tax returns.

On December 22, 2017, the U.S. enacted the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act which contained several key tax provisions that affected the Company, including, but not limited to, a one-time mandatory transition tax on accumulated foreign earnings, changes in the sourcing and calculation of foreign income, and a reduction of the corporate income tax rate to 21% effective January 1, 2018. The Company was required to recognize the effect of the tax law changes in the period of enactment, such as determining the transition tax, remeasuring its U.S. deferred tax assets and liabilities as well as reassessing the net realizability of its deferred tax assets and liabilities. In December 2017, the SEC staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118, Income Tax Accounting Implications of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which allowed the Company to record provisional amounts during a measurement period not to extend beyond one year of the enactment date. See Note 12, Income Taxes, for a further description on income taxes and the impact of the U.S. Tax Reform. The Company has made an accounting policy election to account for global intangible low-taxed income as a period cost if and when incurred.

Distributor Compensation – U.S.

In the U.S., distributor compensation, including Royalty overrides, is capped if the Company does not meet an annual requirement as described in the consent order discussed in more detail in Note 7, Contingencies. On a periodic basis, the Company evaluates if this requirement will be achieved by year-end to determine if a cap on distributor compensation will be required, and then determines the appropriate amount of distributor compensation expense, which may vary in each reporting period. The Company determined that the cap to distributor compensation will not be applicable for the year ended December 31, 2018 as the annual requirement was met.

Operating Leases

The Company leases most of its physical properties under operating leases. Certain lease agreements generally include rent holidays and tenant improvement allowances. The Company recognizes rent holiday periods on a straight-line basis over the lease term beginning when the Company has the right to the leased space. The Company also records tenant improvement allowances and rent holidays as deferred rent liabilities and amortizes the deferred rent over the terms of the lease to rent expense.

Other Operating Income

To encourage local investment and operations, governments in various China provinces conduct grant programs. The Company applied for and received several such grants in China. Government grants are recorded into income when a legal right to the grant exists, there is a reasonable assurance that the grant proceeds will be received, and the substantive conditions under which the grants were provided have been met. Generally, these substantive conditions are the Company maintaining operations and paying certain taxes in the relevant province and obtaining government approval by completing an annual application process. The Company believes the continuing obligation with respect to the funds is a general requirement that they are used only for its business in China. The Company recognized government grant income of approximately $29.8 million, $50.8 million, and $34.2 million during the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively, in other operating income within its consolidated statements of income, related to its regional headquarters and distribution centers within China. The Company intends to continue applying for government grants in China when programs are available; however, there is no assurance that the Company will receive grants in future periods.

On October 30, 2016, an arbitration tribunal awarded the Company approximately $29.7 million in connection with the re-audit of the Company’s 2010 to 2012 financial statements after the resignation of KPMG as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm. This amount has been recognized in other operating income within the Company’s consolidated statement of income for the year ended December 31, 2016.

Advertising

Advertising costs, including Company sponsorships, are expensed as incurred and amounted to approximately $41.1 million, $55.7 million, and $64.8 million for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively. These expenses are included in selling, general, and administrative expenses within the Company’s consolidated statements of income.

Revenue Recognition

As a result of applying ASC 606, the impact to the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2018 was as follows:

As a result of applying ASC 606, the impact to the Company’s consolidated statement of cash flows as of December 31, 2018 was not material.

The Company’s net sales consist of product sales. In general, the Company's performance obligation is to transfer its products to its Members. The Company generally recognizes revenue when product is delivered to its Members. For China Independent Service Providers and for third-party importers utilized in certain other countries where sales historically have not been material, the Company recognizes revenue based on the Company’s estimate of when the service provider or third-party importer sells the products because the Company is deemed to be the principal party of these product sales under ASC 606 due to the additional selling and operating requirements relating to pricing of products, conducting business with physical locations, and other selling and marketing activities required of the service providers and third-party importers; this timing difference relating to the Company recognizing revenues when these third-party entities sell the products compared to when the Company delivers the products to them did not have a material impact to the Company’s consolidated net sales for the periods presented.

The Company’s Members, excluding its China Independent Service Providers, may receive distributor allowances, which are comprised of discounts, rebates and wholesale commission payments from the Company. Distributor allowances resulting from the Company’s sales of its products to its Members are recorded against net sales because the distributor allowances represent discounts from the suggested retail price.

The Company compensates its sales leader Members with royalty overrides for services rendered, relating to the development, retention, and management of their sales organizations. Royalty overrides are payable based on achieved sales volume. Royalty overrides are classified as an operating expense reflecting the services provided to the Company. The Company compensates its China Independent Service Providers and third-party importers utilized in certain other countries for providing marketing, selling, and customer support services. Under ASC 606, as the Company is the principal party of the product sales as described above, the service fees payable to China Independent Service Providers and the compensation received by third-party importers for the services they provide are recorded in selling, general, and administrative expenses within the Company’s consolidated statements of income. For the periods presented under ASC 605, the service fees payable to its China Independent Service Providers were similarly recognized in selling, general, and administrative expenses within the Company’s consolidated statements of income as they are under ASC 606. However, under ASC 605, the compensation received by third-party importers for the services they provide, which represents the discount provided to them, was recorded as a reduction to net sales, which differs from the treatment under ASC 606 as described above. This change in the accounting treatment under ASC 606 of the compensation for services provided by the Company’s third-party importers did not impact the Company’s consolidated net income and was not material to the Company’s consolidated net sales for the periods presented.

The Company recognizes revenue when it delivers products to its United States Members; distributor allowances, inclusive of discounts and wholesale commissions, are recorded as a reduction to net sales; and royalty overrides are classified as an operating expense.

Shipping and handling services relating to product sales are recognized as fulfillment activities on the Company’s performance obligation to transfer products and are therefore recorded within net sales as part of product sales and are not considered as separate revenues under ASC 606. Shipping and handling revenues related to product sales were $248.0 million, $227.4 million, and $244.2 million for the years ended December 31, 2018, 2017, and 2016, respectively, and represent less than 6% of the Company’s consolidated net sales during each of those years. Shipping and handling costs paid by the Company are included in cost of sales.

The Company presents sales taxes collected from customers on a net basis.

The Company generally receives the net sales price in cash or through credit card payments at the point of sale.

The Company records advance sales deposits when payment is received but revenue has not yet been recognized. In the majority of the Company’s markets, advance sales deposits are generally recorded to income when the product is delivered to its Members. Additionally, advance sales deposits also include deferred revenues due to the timing of revenue recognition for products sold through China Independent Service Providers. The estimated deferral period for advance sales deposits is generally within one week. During the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company recognized substantially all of the revenues that were included within advance sales deposits as of December 31, 2017 and any remaining such balance was not material as of December 31, 2018. Advance sales deposits are included in other current liabilities on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. See Note 14, Detail of Certain Balance Sheet Accounts, for further information.

In general, if a Member returns product to the Company on a timely basis, they may obtain replacement product from the Company for such returned products. In addition, in general the Company maintains a buyback program pursuant to which it will repurchase products sold to a Member who has decided to leave the business. Allowances for product returns, primarily in connection with the Company’s buyback program, are provided at the time the sale is recorded. This accrual is based upon historical return rates for each country and the relevant return pattern, which reflects anticipated returns to be received over a period of up to 12 months following the original sale. Allowances for product returns were $4.9 million and $3.9 million as of December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

The Company’s products are grouped in five principal categories: weight management; targeted nutrition; energy, sports, and fitness; outer nutrition; and literature and promotional items. However, the effect of economic factors on the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue recognition and cash flows are similar among all five product categories. The Company defines its operating segments through six geographic regions. The effect of economic factors on the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue recognition and cash flows are similar among the regions with the Company’s Primary Reporting Segment. See Note 10, Segment Information, for further information on the Company’s reportable segments and the Company’s presentation of disaggregated revenue by reportable segment.

Share-Based Payments

The Company accounts for share-based compensation in accordance with FASB authoritative guidance which requires the measurement of share-based compensation expense for all share-based payment awards made to employees. The Company measures share-based compensation cost at the grant date, based on the fair value of the award. The Company recognizes share-based compensation expense for service condition awards on a straight-line basis over the employee’s requisite service period. The Company recognizes share-based compensation expense for performance condition awards over the vesting term using the graded vesting method.

The Company is a nutrition company that sells a wide range of weight management; targeted nutrition; energy, sports, and fitness; and outer nutrition products. The Company’s products are manufactured by the Company in its Changsha, Hunan, China extraction facility; Suzhou, China facility; Nanjing, China facility; Lake Forest, California facility; and Winston-Salem, North Carolina facility, as well as by third-party providers, and then are sold to Members who consume and sell Herbalife products to retail consumers or other Members. Revenues reflect sales of products by the Company to its Members and are categorized based on geographic location.

As of December 31, 2018, the Company sold products in 94 countries throughout the world and was organized and managed by six geographic regions: North America, Mexico, South & Central America, EMEA, Asia Pacific, and China. The Company defines its operating segments as those geographical operations. The Company aggregates its operating segments, excluding China, into a reporting segment, or the Primary Reporting Segment, as management believes that the Company’s operating segments have similar operating characteristics and similar long term operating performance. In making this determination, management believes that the operating segments are similar in the nature of the products sold, the product acquisition process, the types of customers to whom products are sold, the methods used to distribute the products, the nature of the regulatory environment, and their economic characteristics. China has been identified as a separate reporting segment as it does not meet the criteria for aggregation. The Company reviews its net sales and contribution margin by operating segment, and reviews its assets and capital expenditures on a consolidated basis and not by operating segment. Therefore, net sales and contribution margin are presented by reportable segment and assets and capital expenditures by segment are not presented.