| Accounting Policies | ACCOUNTING POLICIES Basis of presentation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Kellanova (the Company), formerly Kellogg Company, those of the subsidiaries that it controls due to ownership of a majority voting interest (Kellanova or the Company). On October 2, 2023, the Company completed the separation of its North America cereal business resulting in two independent companies, Kellanova and WK Kellogg Co. As a result of the distribution, Kellanova shareholders of record on September 21, 2023, received one share of WK Kellogg Co common stock for every four shares of Kellanova common stock. In accordance with applicable accounting guidance, the results of WK Kellogg Co are presented as discontinued operations in the consolidated statements of operations and, as such, have been excluded from both continuing operations and segment results for all periods presented. Further, the Company reclassified the assets and liabilities of WK Kellogg Co as assets and liabilities of discontinued operations in the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2022. The consolidated statements of comprehensive income, equity and cash flows are presented on a consolidated basis for both continuing operations and discontinued operations. All amounts, percentages and disclosures for all periods presented reflect only the continuing operations of Kellanova unless otherwise noted. See Note 2 for additional information. The Company continually evaluates its involvement with variable interest entities (VIEs) to determine whether it has variable interests and is the primary beneficiary of the VIE. When these criteria are met, the Company is required to consolidate the VIE. The Company’s share of earnings or losses of nonconsolidated affiliates is included in its consolidated operating results using the equity method of accounting when it is able to exercise significant influence over the operating and financial decisions of the affiliate. The Company records investments in equity securities at fair value if it is not able to exercise significant influence over the operating and financial decisions of the affiliate. The Company's investments in equity securities without a readily determinable fair value are recorded at original cost with adjustments for fair value only when observable price changes from orderly transactions for the investment are identified. Our investments in unconsolidated affiliates and equity securities without a readily determinable fair value are evaluated, at least annually, for indicators of an other-than-temporary impairment. Intercompany balances and transactions are eliminated. The Company’s fiscal year normally ends on the Saturday closest to December 31 and as a result, a 53rd week is added approximately every sixth year. The Company’s 2023, 2022 and 2021 fiscal years each contained 52 weeks and ended on December 30, 2023, December 31, 2022, and January 1, 2022, respectively. Certain prior period amounts have been updated to conform to the current period presentation. Use of estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the periods reported. The Company's critical estimates include those related to promotional expenditures, goodwill and other intangible assets, retirement benefits, and income taxes. Actual results could differ from those estimates and could be impacted from macroeconomic conditions. Cash and cash equivalents Highly liquid investments with remaining stated maturities of three months or less when purchased are considered cash equivalents and recorded at cost. Accounts receivable Accounts receivable consists principally of trade receivables, which are recorded at the invoiced amount, net of allowances for expected credit losses and prompt payment discounts. Trade receivables do not bear interest. The allowance for expected credit losses represents management’s estimate of the amount of probable credit losses in existing accounts receivable, as determined from a review of past due balances, historical loss information, and an evaluation of customer accounts for potential future losses. Account balances are written off against the allowance when management determines the receivable is uncollectible. For the fiscal years ended 2023 and 2022 the Company did not have off-balance sheet credit exposure related to its customers. Please refer to Note 3 for information on sales of accounts receivable. Inventories Inventories are valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Cost is determined on an average cost basis. Property The Company’s property consists mainly of plants and equipment used for manufacturing activities. These assets are recorded at cost and depreciated over estimated useful lives using straight-line methods for financial reporting and accelerated methods, where permitted, for tax reporting. Major property categories are depreciated over various periods as follows (in years): manufacturing machinery and equipment 15-30; office equipment 5; computer equipment and capitalized software 3-7; building components 20; building structures 10-50. Cost includes interest associated with significant capital projects. Plant and equipment are reviewed for impairment when conditions indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. Such conditions include an extended period of idleness or a plan of disposal. Assets to be disposed of at a future date are depreciated over the remaining period of use. Assets to be sold are written down to realizable value at the time the assets are being actively marketed for sale and a sale is expected to occur within one year. There were no material assets held for sale at the fiscal year-end 2023 or 2022. Goodwill and other intangible assets The Company reviews our operating segment and reporting unit structure annually or as significant changes in the organization occur and assesses goodwill impairment risk throughout the year by performing a qualitative review of entity-specific, industry, market and general economic factors affecting our reporting units with goodwill. Annually during the fourth quarter, in conjunction with our annual budgeting process, the Company may perform qualitative testing, or depending on factors such as prior-year test results, current year developments, current risk evaluations and other practical considerations, the Company may instead perform a quantitative impairment test. In our quantitative testing, the Company compares a reporting unit’s estimated fair value with its carrying value. The reporting unit’s fair value is estimated using a combination of a market multiples and discounted cash flow methodologies. The market multiples approach is based on either sales or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization for companies that are comparable to the Company’s reporting units. The discounted cash flow approach incorporates assumptions surrounding planned growth rates, market-based discount rates and estimates of residual value. The assumptions used for the impairment test are consistent with those utilized by a market participant performing similar valuations for the Company’s reporting units. These estimates are made using various inputs including historical data, current and anticipated market conditions, management plans, and market comparables. If the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, the Company considers the reporting unit impaired and reduces its carrying value of goodwill such that the reporting unit’s new carrying value is the estimated fair value. Similarly, the Company assesses indefinite-life intangible assets impairment risk throughout the year by performing a qualitative review and assessing events and circumstances that could affect the fair value or carrying value of these intangible assets. Annually during the fourth quarter, in conjunction with our annual budgeting process, the Company may perform qualitative testing, or depending on factors such as prior-year test results, current year developments, current risk evaluations and other practical considerations, the Company may instead perform a quantitative impairment test. In the quantitative testing, the Company compares an intangible asset’s estimated fair value with its carrying value with the intangible asset’s fair value being determined using estimates of future cash flows to be generated from that asset based on estimates of future sales, as well as assumptions surrounding earnings growth rates, royalty rates and discount rates consistent with rates used by market participants. These estimates are made using various inputs including historical data, current and anticipated market conditions, management plans, and market comparables. If the carrying value of the asset exceeds its fair value, we consider the asset impaired and reduce its carrying value to the estimated fair value. We amortize definite-life intangible assets over their estimated useful lives, which materially approximates the pattern of economic benefit and evaluate them for impairment as we do other long-lived assets. Accounts payable The Company establishes competitive market-based terms with our suppliers, regardless of whether they participate in supplier finance programs, which generally range from 0 to 150 days dependent on their respective industry and geography. The Company has agreements with third parties to provide accounts payable tracking systems which facilitate participating suppliers’ ability to monitor and, if elected, sell payment obligations from the Company to designated third-party financial institutions. Participating suppliers may, at their sole discretion, make offers to sell one or more payment obligations of the Company prior to their scheduled due dates at a discounted price to participating financial institutions. The Company has no economic interest in the sale of these suppliers’ receivables and no direct financial relationship with the financial institutions concerning these services. The Company’s obligations to its suppliers, including amounts due and scheduled payment dates, are not impacted by suppliers’ decisions to sell amounts under the arrangements. However, the Company’s right to offset balances due from suppliers against payment obligations is restricted by the agreements for those payment obligations that have been sold by suppliers. The payment of these obligations by the Company is included in cash used in operating activities in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. As of December 30, 2023, $825 million of the Company’s outstanding payment obligations had been placed in the accounts payable tracking system. As of December 31, 2022, $932 million of the Company’s outstanding payment obligations had been placed in the accounts payable tracking system. Revenue recognition The Company recognizes sales upon delivery of its products to customers. Revenue, which includes shipping and handling charges billed to the customer, is reported net of applicable discounts, returns, allowances, and various government withholding taxes. Methodologies for determining these provisions are dependent on local customer pricing and promotional practices, which range from contractually fixed percentage price reductions to reimbursement based on actual occurrence or performance. Where applicable, future reimbursements are estimated based on a combination of historical patterns and future expectations regarding specific in-market product performance. The Company recognizes revenue from the sale of food products which are sold to retailers through direct sales forces, broker and distributor arrangements. The Company also recognizes revenue from the license of our trademarks granted to third parties who use these trademarks on their merchandise and revenue from hauling services provided to third parties within certain markets. Revenue from these licenses and hauling services is not material to the Company. Contract balances recognized in the current period that are not the result of current period performance are not material to the Company. The Company also does not incur costs to obtain or fulfill contracts. The Company does not adjust the promised amount of consideration for the effects of significant financing components as the Company expects, at contract inception, that the period between the transfer of a promised good or service to a customer and when the customer pays for that good or service will be one year or less. The Company accounts for shipping and handling activities that occur before the customer has obtained control of a good as fulfillment activities recorded in cost of goods sold (COGS) rather than as a promised service. The Company excludes from the measurement of transaction price all taxes assessed by a governmental authority that are both imposed on and concurrent with a specific revenue-producing transaction and collected by the Company from a customer for sales taxes. Performance obligations The Company recognizes revenue when (or as) performance obligations are satisfied by transferring control of the goods to customers. Control is transferred upon delivery of the goods to the customer. The customer is invoiced with payment terms which are commensurate with the customer’s credit profile. Shipping and/or handling costs that occur before the customer obtains control of the goods are deemed to be fulfillment activities and are accounted for as fulfillment costs. The Company assesses the goods and services promised in its customers’ purchase orders and identifies a performance obligation for each promise to transfer a good or service (or bundle of goods or services) that is distinct. To identify the performance obligations, the Company considers all the goods or services promised, whether explicitly stated or implied based on customary business practices. For a purchase order that has more than one performance obligation, the Company allocates the total consideration to each distinct performance obligation on a relative standalone selling price basis. Significant Judgments The Company offers various forms of trade promotions and the methodologies for determining these provisions are dependent on local customer pricing and promotional practices, which range from contractually fixed percentage price reductions to provisions based on actual occurrence or performance. Where applicable, future provisions are estimated based on a combination of historical patterns and future expectations regarding specific in-market product performance. The Company's promotional activities are conducted either through the retail trade or directly with consumers and include activities such as in-store displays and events, feature price discounts, consumer coupons, contests and loyalty programs. The costs of these activities are generally recognized at the time the related revenue is recorded, which normally precedes the actual cash expenditure. The recognition of these costs therefore requires management judgment regarding the volume of promotional offers that will be redeemed by either the retail trade or consumer. These estimates are made using various techniques including historical data on performance of similar promotional programs. Differences between estimated expense and actual redemptions are normally immaterial in relation to net sales and recognized as a change in management estimate in a subsequent period. The liability associated with these promotions was recorded in accrued advertising and promotion. The Company classifies promotional expenditures to its customers, the cost of consumer coupons, and other cash redemption offers in net sales. Advertising and promotion The Company expenses production costs of advertising the first time the advertising takes place. Advertising expense is classified in selling, general and administrative (SGA) expense. The Company also classifies consumer promotional expenditures in SGA expense. These promotional expenses are estimated using various techniques including historical cash expenditure and redemption experience and patterns. Differences between estimated expense and actual redemptions are normally immaterial and recognized as a change in management estimate in a subsequent period. The liability associated with these advertising and promotional activities is recorded in accrued advertising and promotion. The cost of promotional package inserts is recorded in cost of goods sold (COGS). Research and development The costs of research and development (R&D) are expensed as incurred and are classified in SGA expense. R&D includes expenditures for new product and process innovation, as well as significant technological improvements to existing products and processes. The Company’s R&D expenditures primarily consist of internal salaries, wages, consulting, and supplies attributable to time spent on R&D activities. Other costs include depreciation and maintenance of research facilities and equipment, including assets at manufacturing locations that are temporarily engaged in pilot plant activities. Stock-based compensation The Company uses stock-based compensation, including stock options, restricted stock, restricted stock units, and executive performance shares, to provide long-term performance incentives for its global workforce. The Company classifies pre-tax stock compensation expense in SGA and COGS within its corporate operations. Expense attributable to awards of equity instruments is recorded in capital in excess of par value in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Certain of the Company’s stock-based compensation plans contain provisions that prorate vesting of awards upon retirement, disability, or death of eligible employees and directors. A stock-based award is considered vested for expense attribution purposes when the employee’s retention of the award is no longer contingent on providing subsequent service. Accordingly, the Company recognizes compensation cost immediately for awards granted to retirement-eligible individuals or over the period from the grant date to the date retirement eligibility is achieved, if less than the stated vesting period. The Company recognizes compensation cost for stock option awards that have a graded vesting schedule on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period for the entire award. Income taxes The Company recognizes uncertain tax positions based on a benefit recognition model. Provided that the tax position is deemed more likely than not of being sustained, the Company recognizes the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50 percent likely of being ultimately realized upon settlement. The tax position is derecognized when it is no longer more likely than not of being sustained. The Company classifies income tax-related interest and penalties as interest expense and SGA expense, respectively, on the Consolidated Statement of Income. The current portion of the Company’s unrecognized tax benefits is presented in the Consolidated Balance Sheet in other current assets and other current liabilities, and the amounts expected to be settled after one year are recorded in other assets and other liabilities. Management monitors the Company’s ability to utilize certain future tax deductions, operating losses and tax credit carryforwards, prior to expiration as well as the reinvestment assertion regarding our undistributed foreign earnings. Changes resulting from management’s assessment will result in impacts to deferred tax assets and the corresponding impacts on the effective income tax rate. Valuation allowances were recorded to reduce deferred tax assets to an amount that will, more likely than not, be realized in the future. Derivative Instruments The fair value of derivative instruments is recorded in other current assets, other assets, other current liabilities or other liabilities. Derivative instruments are classified on the Consolidated Balance Sheet based on the contractual maturity of the instrument or the timing of the underlying cash flows of the instrument for derivatives with contractual maturities beyond one year. Any collateral associated with derivative instruments is classified as other assets or other current liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet depending on whether the counterparty collateral is in an asset or liability position. Margin deposits related to exchange-traded commodities are recorded in accounts receivable, net on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. On the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows, cash flows associated with derivative instruments are classified according to the nature of the underlying hedged item. Cash flows associated with collateral and margin deposits on exchange-traded commodities are classified as investing cash flows when the collateral account is in an asset position and as financing cash flows when the collateral account is in a liability position. Gains and losses representing either hedge ineffectiveness, hedge components excluded from the assessment of effectiveness, or hedges of translational exposure are recorded in the Consolidated Statement of Income in other income (expense), net (OIE) or interest expense. Cash flow hedges. Qualifying derivatives are accounted for as cash flow hedges when the hedged item is a forecasted transaction. Gains and losses on these instruments are recorded in other comprehensive income until the underlying transaction is recorded in earnings. When the hedged item is realized, gains or losses are reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (AOCI) to the Consolidated Statement of Income on the same line item as the underlying hedged transaction. Fair value hedges. Qualifying derivatives are accounted for as fair value hedges when the hedged item is a recognized asset, liability, or firm commitment. Gains and losses on these instruments are recorded in earnings, offsetting gains and losses on the hedged item. Net investment hedges. Qualifying derivative and nonderivative financial instruments are accounted for as net investment hedges when the hedged item is a nonfunctional currency investment in a subsidiary. Gains and losses on these instruments are included in foreign currency translation adjustments in AOCI. Derivatives not designated for hedge accounting. Gains and losses on these instruments are recorded in the Consolidated Statement of Income, on the same line item as the underlying hedged item. Foreign currency exchange risk. The Company is exposed to fluctuations in foreign currency cash flows related primarily to third-party purchases, intercompany transactions and when applicable, nonfunctional currency denominated third-party debt. The Company is also exposed to fluctuations in the value of foreign currency investments in subsidiaries and cash flows related to repatriation of these investments. Additionally, the Company is exposed to volatility in the translation of foreign currency denominated earnings to U.S. dollars. Management assesses foreign currency risk based on transactional cash flows and translational volatility and may enter into forward contracts, options, and currency swaps to reduce fluctuations in long or short currency positions. Forward contracts and options are generally less than 18 months duration. For foreign currency cash flow and fair value hedges, the assessment of effectiveness is generally based on changes in spot rates. Changes in time value are reported in OIE. Interest rate risk. The Company is exposed to interest rate volatility with regard to future issuances of fixed rate debt and existing and future issuances of variable rate debt. The Company periodically uses interest rate swaps, including forward-starting swaps, to reduce interest rate volatility and funding costs associated with certain debt issues, and to achieve a desired proportion of variable versus fixed rate debt, based on current and projected market conditions. Fixed-to-variable interest rate swaps are accounted for as fair value hedges and the assessment of effectiveness is based on changes in the fair value of the underlying debt, using incremental borrowing rates currently available on loans with similar terms and maturities. Price risk. The Company is exposed to price fluctuations primarily as a result of anticipated purchases of raw and packaging materials, fuel, and energy. The Company has historically used the combination of long-term contracts with suppliers, and exchange-traded futures and option contracts to reduce price fluctuations in a desired percentage of forecasted raw material purchases over a duration of generally less than 18 months. Pension benefits, nonpension postretirement and postemployment benefits The Company sponsors a number of U.S. and foreign plans to provide pension, health care, and other welfare benefits to retired employees, as well as salary continuance, severance, and long-term disability to former or inactive employees. The recognition of benefit expense is based on actuarial assumptions, such as discount rate, long-term rate of compensation increase, and long-term rate of return on plan assets and health care cost trend rate. Service cost is reported in COGS and SGA expense on the Consolidated Statement of Income. All other components of net periodic pension cost are included in OIE. Postemployment benefits. The Company recognizes an obligation for postemployment benefit plans that vest or accumulate with service. Obligations associated with the Company’s postemployment benefit plans, which are unfunded, are included in other current liabilities and other liabilities on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. All gains and losses are recognized over the average remaining service period of active plan participants. Postemployment benefits that do not vest or accumulate with service or benefits to employees in excess of those specified in the respective plans are expensed as incurred. Pension and nonpension postretirement benefits. The Company recognizes actuarial gains and losses in operating results in the year in which they occur. Experience gains and losses are recognized annually as of the measurement date, which is the Company’s fiscal year-end, or when remeasurement is otherwise required under generally accepted accounting principles. The Company uses the fair value of plan assets to calculate the expected return on plan assets. Reportable segments are allocated service cost. All other components of pension and postretirement benefit expense, including interest cost, expected return on assets, prior service cost, and experience gains and losses are considered unallocated corporate costs and are not included in the measure of reportable segment operating results. See Note 18 for more information on reportable segments. Management reviews the Company’s expected long-term rates of return annually; however, the benefit trust investment performance for one particular year does not, by itself, significantly influence this evaluation. For defined benefit pension and postretirement plans, the Company records the net overfunded or underfunded position as a pension asset or pension liability on the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Leases The Company leases certain warehouses, equipment, vehicles, and office space primarily through operating lease agreements. Finance lease obligations and activity are not material to the Consolidated Financial Statements. Lease obligations are primarily for real estate assets, with the remainder related to manufacturing and distribution related equipment, vehicles, information technology equipment, and rail cars. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the balance sheet. A portion of the Company's real estate leases include future variable rental payments that include inflationary adjustment factors. The future variability of these adjustments is unknown and therefore not included in the minimum lease payments. The Company's lease agreements do not contain any material residual value guarantees or material restrictive covenants. The leases have remaining terms which range from less than 1 year to 17 years and the majority of leases provide the Company with the option to exercise one or more renewal terms. The length of the lease term used in recording lease assets and lease liabilities is based on the contractually required lease term adjusted for any options to renew or early terminate the lease that are reasonably certain of being executed. The Company combines lease and non-lease components together in determining the minimum lease payments for the majority of leases. The Company has elected to not combine lease and non-lease components for assets controlled indirectly through third party service-related agreements that include significant production related costs. The Company has closely analyzed these agreements to ensure any embedded costs related to the securing of the leased asset is properly segregated and accounted for in measuring the lease assets and liabilities. The majority of the leases do not include a stated interest rate, and therefore the Company's periodic incremental borrowing rate is used to determine the present value of lease payments. This rate is calculated based on a collateralized rate for the specific currencies used in leasing activities and the borrowing ability of the applicable Company legal entity. Accounting standards to be adopted in future periods Income Taxes: Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures: In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-09 to expand the disclosure requirements for income taxes, specifically related to the rate reconciliation and income taxes paid. It will take effect for public entities fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted.The Company is currently assessing the impact of any incremental disclosures required by this ASU and the planned timing of adoption. Segment Reporting: Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures. In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07, which focuses on enhancing reportable segment disclosures under Segment Reporting (Topic 280). This new standard is designed to enhance the transparency of significant segment expenses on an interim and annual basis. It will take effect for public entities fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, with the option for earlier adoption at any time before the specified date, with retrospective requirements. The Company is currently assessing the impact of any incremental disclosures required by this ASU and the planned timing of adoption. Accounting standards adopted during the period Supplier Finance Programs: Disclosure of Supplier Finance Program Obligations. In September 2022, the FASB issued an ASU to improve the disclosures of supplier finance programs. Specifically, the ASU requires disclosure of key terms of the supplier finance programs and a rollforward of the related obligations. The amendments in this ASU do not affect the recognition, measurement, or financial statement presentation of obligations covered by supplier finance programs. The ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2022, except for the amendment on rollforward information, which is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023. Early adoption is permitted. The Company has historically presented information regarding the nature and amount of outstanding Accounts Payable obligations confirmed into supplier finance programs within the Accounting Policies note of the financial statements. The Company adopted the ASU in the first quarter of 2023 and plans to include the rollforward information in the first quarter of 2024. |
