UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549



FORM 10-Q



☒   QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934



For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2017



OR



☐   TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934





Commission file number:  1-3247



CORNING INCORPORATED

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)





607-974-9000

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)



Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports) and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.



Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).



Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, smaller reporting company or an emerging growth company.  See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.



If an emerging growth company, indicated by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.



Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).



Indicate the number of shares outstanding of each of the issuer’s classes of common stock, as of the latest practicable date.



 

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INDEX





 

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CORNING INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF INCOME (LOSS)

(Unaudited; in millions, except per share amounts)











The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

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CORNING INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME

(Unaudited; in millions)









The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.

 

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CORNING INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(Unaudited; in millions, except share and per share amounts)







The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements. 

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CORNING INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(Unaudited; in millions)









The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated financial statements. 

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CORNING INCORPORATED AND SUBSIDIARY COMPANIES

NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

(Unaudited)

 

1.   Significant Accounting Policies



Basis of Presentation



In these notes, the terms “Corning,” “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our” mean Corning Incorporated and its subsidiary companies.



The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) for interim financial information.  Certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been omitted or condensed.  These interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with Corning’s consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2016 (“2016 Form 10-K”).



The unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments which, in the opinion of management, are necessary for a fair statement of the results of operations, financial position and cash flows for the interim periods presented.  All such adjustments are of a normal recurring nature.  The results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results which may be expected for any other interim period or for the full year.



On January 1, 2017, Corning adopted ASU 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, the impacts of which include the recording of cumulative tax benefits of $233 million in beginning retained earnings and cash flow reclassifications that were not significant.  



Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current-year presentation.  These reclassifications had no impact on our results of operations, financial position, or changes in shareholders’ equity. 



New Accounting Standards



In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, as a new Topic, Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 606.  The new revenue recognition standard relates to revenue from contracts with customers, which, along with amendments issued in 2015 and 2016, will supersede nearly all current U.S. GAAP guidance on this topic and eliminate industry-specific guidance.  The underlying principle is to use a five-step analysis of transactions to recognize revenue when promised goods or services are transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that is expected to be received for those goods or services.  Corning has evaluated its material contracts, and has concluded that the impact of adopting the standard on its financial statements and related disclosure will not be material.  The standard, as amended, will be effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period.  We expect to adopt the standard on a modified retrospective basis in 2018.



Corning’s equity affiliates are currently evaluating their material contracts, and have not concluded on the potential impact of adopting ASU 2014-09 on their financial statements and related disclosure.



In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which supersedes all existing guidance on accounting for leases in ASC Topic 840.  ASU 2016-02 is intended to provide enhanced transparency and comparability by requiring lessees to record right-of-use assets and corresponding lease liabilities on the balance sheet.  ASU 2016-02 will continue to classify leases as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the statement of income.  ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years.  Early adoption is permitted.  ASU 2016-02 is required to be applied with a modified retrospective approach to each prior reporting period presented with various optional practical expedients.  We are currently assessing the potential impact of adopting ASU 2016-02 on our financial statements and related disclosures.



In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments.  ASU 2016-15 refines how companies classify certain aspects of the cash flow statement in regards to debt prepayment, settlement of debt instruments, contingent consideration payments, proceeds from insurance claims and life insurance policies, distribution from equity method investees, beneficial interests in securitization transactions and separately identifiable cash flows.  ASU 2016-15 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and for interim periods within those fiscal years.  We are currently assessing the potential impact of adopting ASU 2016-15 on our financial statements and related disclosures, but the effect is not expected to be material.

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In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory, which reduces the complexity in the accounting standards by allowing the recognition of current and deferred income taxes for an intra-entity asset transfer, other than inventory, when the transfer occurs.  Historically, recognition of the income tax consequence was not recognized until the asset was sold to an outside party.  This amendment should be applied on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment directly to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption.  ASU 2016-16 is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods within those annual reporting periods.  Early adoption is permitted for all entities as of the beginning of an annual reporting period for which financial statements (interim or annual) have not been issued or made available for issuance.  That is, earlier adoption should be in the first interim period if an entity issues interim financial statements.  We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2016-16 on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.



In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other (Topic 350).  ASU 2017-04 simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill by removing the second step of the two-step impairment test.  The amendment requires an entity to perform its annual, or interim goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount.  An impairment charge should be recognized 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.  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 amendment should be applied on a prospective basis.  ASU 2017-04 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years.  Early adoption is permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017.  The Company has decided to early adopt the ASU on January 1, 2017.



In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-07, Compensation—Retirement Benefits (Topic 715): Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost. ASU 2017-07 requires entities to (1) disaggregate the current-service-cost component from the other components of net benefit cost (the “other components”) and present it with other current compensation costs for related employees in the income statement and (2) present the other components elsewhere in the income statement and outside of income from operations if that subtotal is presented. In addition, the ASU requires entities to disclose the income statement lines that contain the other components if they are not presented on appropriately described separate lines. The amendment should be applied retrospectively for the presentation of the service cost component and prospectively for the capitalization of the service cost component. ASU 2017-07 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted at the beginning of any annual period for which an entity’s financial statements have not been issued or made available for issuance. We are currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2017-07 on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.



2.   Restructuring, Impairment and Other Charges



2016 Activity



For the three months ended March 31, 2016, we recorded charges of $80 million, pre-tax, for employee related costs, asset disposals, and exit costs associated with some minor restructuring activities in all of the segments.  Cash payments for employee-related and exit activity related to the 2016 restructuring activities were substantially completed in 2016. 

 

3.   Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees



Asbestos Claims



Corning and PPG Industries, Inc. each owned 50% of the capital stock of Pittsburgh Corning Corporation (“PCC”).  PCC filed for Chapter 11 reorganization in 2000 and the Modified Third Amended Plan of Reorganization for PCC (the “Plan”) became effective in April 2016.  At December 31, 2015, the Company’s liability under the Plan was estimated to be $528 million.  At December 31, 2016, this estimated liability was $290 million, due to the Company’s contribution, in the second quarter of 2016, of its equity interests in PCC and Pittsburgh Corning Europe N.V. in the total amount of $238 million, as required by the Plan.  The remaining $290 million liability is for the series of fixed payments required by the Plan.  At December 31, 2016 and March 31, 2017, the total amount of the payments due in years 2018 through 2022 is $220 million and is classified as a non-current liability.  The remaining $70 million payment is due in the second quarter of 2017 and is classified as a current liability. 



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Non-PCC Asbestos Claims Insurance Litigation



Corning is a defendant in certain cases alleging injuries from asbestos unrelated to PCC (the “non-PCC asbestos claims”) which had been stayed pending the confirmation of the Plan.  The stay was lifted on August 25, 2016.  Corning previously established a $150 million reserve for these non-PCC asbestos claims.  The estimated reserve represents the undiscounted projection of claims and related legal fees over the next 20 years.  The amount may need to be adjusted in future periods as more data becomes available; however, we cannot estimate any lesser or greater liabilities at this time.  At December 31, 2016 and March 31, 2017, the amount of the reserve for these non-PCC asbestos claims was $149 million.



Several of Corning’s insurers have commenced litigation in state courts for a declaration of the rights and obligations of the parties under insurance policies related to Corning’s asbestos claims.  Corning has resolved these issues with a majority of its relevant insurers, and is vigorously contesting these cases with the remaining relevant insurers.  Management is unable to predict the outcome of the litigation with these remaining insurers.





Other Commitments and Contingencies



We are required, at the time a guarantee is issued, to recognize a liability for the fair value or market value of the obligation it assumes.  In the normal course of our business, we do not routinely provide significant third-party guarantees.  Generally, any third party guarantees provided by Corning are limited to certain financial guarantees including stand-by letters of credit and performance bonds, and the incurrence of contingent liabilities in the form of purchase price adjustments related to attainment of milestones.  When provided, these guarantees have various terms, and none of these guarantees are individually significant.



As of March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, contingent guarantees totaled a notional value of $283 million and $267 million, respectively.  We believe a significant majority of these contingent guarantees will expire without being funded.  We also were contingently liable for purchase obligations of $243 million and $231 million, at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively.



Product warranty liability accruals were considered insignificant at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016.



Corning is a defendant in various lawsuits, including environmental and product-related suits, and is subject to various claims that arise in the normal course of business.  In the opinion of management, the likelihood that the ultimate disposition of these matters will have a material adverse effect on Corning’s consolidated financial position, liquidity, or results of operations, is remote.  Other than certain asbestos related claims, there are no other material loss contingencies related to litigation.



Corning has been named by the Environmental Protection Agency (“the Agency”) under the Superfund Act, or by state governments under similar state laws, as a potentially responsible party for 17 active hazardous waste sites.  Under the Superfund Act, all parties who may have contributed any waste to a hazardous waste site, identified by the Agency, are jointly and severally liable for the cost of cleanup unless the Agency agrees otherwise.  It is Corning’s policy to accrue for its estimated liability related to Superfund sites and other environmental liabilities related to property owned by Corning based on expert analysis and continual monitoring by both internal and external consultants.  At March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, Corning had accrued approximately $42 million (undiscounted) and $43 million (undiscounted), respectively, for the estimated liability for environmental cleanup and related litigation.  Based upon the information developed to date, management believes that the accrued reserve is a reasonable estimate of the Company’s liability and that the risk of an additional loss in an amount materially higher than that accrued is remote.



The ability of certain subsidiaries and affiliated companies to transfer funds is limited by provisions of foreign government regulations, affiliate agreements and certain loan agreements.  At March 31, 2017, the amount of equity subject to such restrictions for consolidated subsidiaries and affiliated companies was not significant.  While this amount is legally restricted, it does not result in operational difficulties since we have generally permitted subsidiaries to retain a majority of equity to support their growth programs.

 

4.   Debt



Based on borrowing rates currently available to us for loans with similar terms and maturities, the fair value of long-term debt was $3.9 billion at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, compared to recorded book values of $3.7 billion at March 31, 2017 and $3.6 billion at December 31, 2016.  The Company measures the fair value of its long-term debt using Level 2 inputs based primarily on current market yields for its existing debt traded in the secondary market.



Corning did not have outstanding commercial paper at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016.

 

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5.   Income Taxes



Our benefit for income taxes and the related effective income tax benefit were as follows (in millions):





For the three months ended March 31, 2017, the effective income tax benefit differed from the U.S. statutory rate of 35% primarily due to the following benefits:





For the three months ended March 31, 2016, the effective income tax benefit differed from the U.S. statutory rate of 35% primarily due to the following benefits:





Corning continues to indefinitely reinvest substantially all of its foreign earnings, with the exception of an immaterial amount of current earnings that have very low or no tax cost associated with their repatriation.  Our current analysis indicates that we have sufficient U.S. liquidity, including borrowing capacity, to fund foreseeable U.S. cash needs without requiring the repatriation of foreign cash.  One time or unusual items may impact our ability or intent to keep our foreign earnings and cash indefinitely reinvested. While it remains impracticable to calculate the tax cost of repatriating our total unremitted foreign earnings, such cost could be material to the results of operations of Corning in a particular period.

 

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6.   Earnings (Loss) per Common Share



The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common share (in millions, except per share amounts):





 

7.   Available-for-Sale Investments



At March 31, 2017, the company held $28 million in asset-backed securities which are classified as short-term investment because we expect to sell them within the next twelve months. At December 31, 2016 the asset-backed securities were classified as long-term investments with a fair value of $29 million. The Company’s investments in available-for-sale securities are held at fair value with amortized cost of $31 million and $32 million at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively.



For the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016, proceeds from sales and maturities of short-term investments totaled approximately $0 million and $121 million, respectively.

 

8.   Inventories, Net of Inventory Reserves



Inventories, net of inventory reserves comprise the following (in millions):



 

9.   Investments



On May 31, 2016, Corning completed the strategic realignment of its equity investment in Dow Corning Corporation (“Dow Corning”) pursuant to the Transaction Agreement announced in December 2015.  Under the terms of the Transaction Agreement, Corning exchanged with Dow Corning its 50% stock interest in Dow Corning for 100% of the stock of a newly formed entity, which holds an equity interest in Hemlock Semiconductor Group (“HSG”) and approximately $4.8 billion in cash.



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Prior to realignment, HSG, a wholly-owned and consolidated subsidiary of Dow Corning, was an indirect equity investment of Corning.  Upon completion of the exchange, Corning now has a direct equity investment in HSG.  Because our ownership percentage in HSG did not change as a result of the realignment, the investment in HSG is recorded at its carrying value, which had a negative carrying value of $383 million at the transaction date.  The negative carrying value resulted from a one-time charge to this entity in 2014 for the permanent abandonment of certain assets.  Excluding this charge, the entity is profitable and is expected to recover its equity in the near term.



Investments comprise the following (in millions):





 

Hemlock Semiconductor Group



Summarized income statement information for HSG is as follows for the three months ended March 31, 2017: net sales $280 million, gross profit $28 million and net income attributable to HSG $159 million. HSG’s net income in the first quarter of 2017 includes pre-tax gains on settlements of long-term sales agreements in the amount of $144 million (after tax and non-controlling interests, Corning’s share was approximately $72 million).



10.  Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets



The carrying amount of goodwill by segment for the periods ended March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016 is as follows (in millions):









Corning’s gross goodwill balances for the periods ended March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016 each were $8.1 billion. Accumulated impairment losses were $6.5 billion for the periods ended March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, and were generated primarily through goodwill impairments related to the Optical Communications segment.



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Other intangible assets are as follows (in millions):





Corning’s amortized intangible assets are primarily related to the Optical Communications and Life Sciences segments.  The net carrying amount of intangible assets increased during the first quarter of 2017, primarily due to acquisitions of $42 million of other intangible assets and foreign currency translation adjustments of $3 million, offset by amortization of $17 million.



Amortization expense related to these intangible assets is estimated to be $72 million for 2017, $73 million for 2018, $72 million for 2019 and  $69 million annually from 2020 to 2022.

 

11.  Employee Retirement Plans



The following table summarizes the components of net periodic benefit cost for Corning’s defined benefit pension and postretirement health care and life insurance plans (in millions):

 

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12.  Other Liabilities



Other liabilities follow (in millions):







Asbestos Claims



Corning and PPG each owned 50% of the capital stock of PCC.  Over a period of more than two decades, PCC and several other defendants were named in numerous lawsuits involving claims alleging personal injury from exposure to asbestos.  Refer to Note 3 (Commitments, Contingencies and Guarantees) to the consolidated financial statements for additional information on the asbestos claims.

 

13.  Hedging Activities



Undesignated Hedges

The table below includes a total gross notional value for translated earnings contracts of $15.4 billion and $16.7 billion at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively.  The translated earnings contracts include average rate forwards of $13.9 billion and $14.7 billion and zero-cost collars of $1.6 billion and $2.0 billion at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively.  The majority of the average rate forward contracts hedge a significant portion of the Company’s exposure to the Japanese yen for 2017-2022 with gross notional values of $12.8 billion and $13.6 billion at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. The average rate forward contracts also partially hedge the impacts of the South Korean won, New Taiwan dollar, Chinese yuan, Euro and British pound translation on the Company’s projected net income. With respect to the zero-cost collars, the gross notional amount includes the value of both the put and call options.  However, due to the nature of the zero-cost collars, either the put or the call option can be exercised at maturity.  The total net notional value of the zero-cost collars was $0.8 billion and $1.0 billion at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively.



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The following tables summarize the notional amounts and respective fair values of Corning’s derivative financial instruments on a gross basis for March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016 (in millions):





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The following table summarizes the effect of derivative financial instruments on Corning’s consolidated financial statements for the three months ended March 31, 2017 and 2016 (in millions):