PBI » Topics » Recent Accounting Pronouncements

These excerpts taken from the PBI 10-Q filed May 7, 2009.

3. Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In September 2006, the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 157, Fair Value Measurements (“SFAS 157”), to define how the fair value of assets and liabilities should be measured in accounting standards where it is allowed or required. In addition to defining fair value, the Statement established a framework within GAAP for measuring fair value and expanded required disclosures surrounding fair value measurements. In February 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position (FSP) FAS 157-2, Effective Date of FASB Statement No. 157, which delayed the effective date by one year for all nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial liabilities, except those that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis. In October 2008, the FASB issued FSP FAS 157-3, Determining the Fair Value of a Financial Asset When the Market for That Asset Is Not Active, to clarify the application of SFAS 157 in a market that is not active and provides an example to illustrate key considerations in determining the fair value of a financial asset when the market for that financial asset is not active. This FSP was effective immediately. In April 2009, the FASB issued FSP FAS 157-4, Determining Fair Value When the Volume and Level of Activity for the Asset or Liability Have Significantly Decreased and Identifying Transactions That Are Not Orderly, to provide additional guidance for estimating fair value when the volume and level of activity for the asset or liability have significantly decreased. This FSP will be effective for interim and annual reporting periods ending after June 15, 2009. We adopted SFAS 157 for financial assets and financial liabilities on January 1, 2008, and the adoption did not have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. We adopted SFAS 157 for nonfinancial items on January 1, 2009, and the adoption did not have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. We currently do not have any financial assets that are valued using inactive markets, and as such are not impacted by the issuances of FSP 157-3 and FSP 157-4. See Note 17 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for additional discussion on fair value measurements.

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PITNEY BOWES INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Unaudited; tabular dollars in thousands, except for per share data)

In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 141(R), Business Combinations (“SFAS 141(R)”). SFAS 141(R) establishes principles and requirements for how a company (a) recognizes and measures in their financial statements the identifiable assets acquired, the liabilities assumed, and any noncontrolling interest (previously referred to as minority interest); (b) recognizes and measures the goodwill acquired in a business combination or a gain from a bargain purchase; and (c) determines what information to disclose to enable users of the financial statements to evaluate the nature and financial effects of a business combination. SFAS 141(R) requires fair value measurements at the date of acquisition, with limited exceptions specified in the Statement. Some of the major impacts of this new standard include expense recognition for transaction costs and restructuring costs. SFAS 141(R) was effective for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2008 and is applied prospectively. The adoption of this Statement has not had a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows during the first quarter of 2009.

In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 160, Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements, an amendment of ARB No. 51 (“SFAS 160”). SFAS 160 addresses the accounting and reporting for the outstanding noncontrolling interest (previously referred to as minority interest) in a subsidiary and for the deconsolidation of a subsidiary. It also establishes additional disclosures in the consolidated financial statements that identify and distinguish between the interests of the parent’s owners and of the noncontrolling owners of a subsidiary. This Statement is effective for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2008. SFAS 160 requires retroactive adoption of the presentation and disclosure requirements for existing minority interests. All other requirements of SFAS 160 are applied prospectively. We adopted the presentation and disclosure requirements of SFAS 160 on a retrospective basis in the first quarter of 2009.

In March 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 161, Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities (“SFAS 161”). SFAS 161 requires enhanced disclosures about (a) how and why an entity uses derivative instruments, (b) how derivative instruments and related hedged items are accounted for under SFAS No. 133, Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities, and its related interpretations, and (c) how derivative instruments and related hedged items affect an entity’s financial position, financial performance, and cash flows. This Statement is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after November 15, 2008. This Statement encourages, but does not require, comparative disclosures for earlier periods at initial adoption. The adoption of this Statement requires us to present currently disclosed information in a tabular format and also expands our disclosures concerning where derivatives are reported on the balance sheet and where gains/losses are recognized in the results of operations. The Company has complied with the disclosure requirements of this Statement in the first quarter of 2009. See Note 17 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for the additional disclosures.

In April 2008, the FASB issued FASB FSP No. 142-3, Determination of the Useful Life of Intangible Assets (“FSP FAS 142-3”). FSP FAS 142-3 removed the requirement of SFAS No. 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (“SFAS 142”), for an entity to consider, when determining the useful life of an acquired intangible asset, whether the intangible asset can be renewed without substantial cost or material modification to the existing terms and conditions associated with the intangible asset. FSP FAS 142-3 replaces the previous useful life assessment criteria with a requirement that an entity considers its own experience in renewing similar arrangements. If the entity has no relevant experience, it would consider market participant assumptions regarding renewal. This should lead to greater consistency between the useful life of recognized intangibles under SFAS 142 and the period of expected cash flows used to measure fair value of such assets under SFAS No. 141(R), Business Combinations. FSP FAS 142-3 is being applied prospectively beginning January 1, 2009. The adoption of this Statement has not had a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows during the first quarter 2009.

In November 2008, the Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) issued EITF Issue No. 08-7, Accounting for Defensive Intangible Assets. EITF Issue No. 08-7 clarifies the accounting for certain separately identifiable assets, which an acquirer does not intend to actively use but intends to hold to prevent its competitors from obtaining access to them. EITF Issue No. 08-7 requires an acquirer to account for a defensive intangible asset as a separate unit of accounting, which should be amortized to expense over the period the asset diminishes in value. The provisions of EITF Issue No. 08-7 were adopted prospectively on January 1, 2009. This EITF Issue did not impact our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows during the first quarter 2009.

In December 2008, the FASB issued FSP FAS 132(R)-1, Employers’ Disclosures about Postretirement Benefit Plan Assets, which amends Statement No. 132(R) to require more detailed disclosures about employer’s plan assets, including investment strategies, major categories of assets, concentrations of risk within plan assets and valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of assets. The FSP is effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2009. The Company will comply with the additional disclosure requirements.

7


PITNEY BOWES INC.
NOTES TO CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(Unaudited; tabular dollars in thousands, except for per share data)

In April 2009, the FASB issued FSP No. FAS 107-1 and APB 28-1, Interim Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments. This FSP amends FASB Statement No. 107, Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments, to require disclosures about fair value of financial instruments for interim reporting periods of publicly traded companies as well as in annual financial statements. This FSP also amends APB Opinion No. 28, Interim Financial Reporting, to require those disclosures in summarized financial information at interim reporting periods. This FSP shall be effective for interim reporting periods ending after June 15, 2009. The Company will comply with the additional disclosure requirements beginning in the second quarter of 2009.

In April 2009, the FASB issued FSP No. FAS 115-2 and FAS 124-2, Recognition and Presentation of Other-Than-Temporary Impairments. This FSP amends the other-than-temporary impairment guidance in U.S. GAAP for debt securities to make the guidance more operational and to improve the presentation and disclosure of other-than-temporary impairments on debt and equity securities in the financial statements. The FSP does not amend existing recognition and measurement guidance related to other-than-temporary impairments of equity securities. The FSP shall be effective for interim and annual reporting periods ending after June 15, 2009. The Company currently does not have any financial assets that are other-than-temporary impaired.

In April 2009, the SEC released Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 111 (“SAB 111”), which amends SAB Topic 5-M. SAB 111 notes that FSP No. 115-2 and FAS 124-2 were scoped to debt securities only, and the FSP referred readers to SEC SAB Topic 5-M for factors to consider with respect to other-than-temporary impairments for equity securities. With the amendments in SAB 111, debt securities are excluded from the scope of Topic 5-M, but the SEC staff’s views on equity securities are still included within the topic. The Company currently does not have any financial assets that are other-than-temporary impaired.

In April 2009, the FASB issued FSP No. FAS 141(R)-1, Accounting for Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed in a Business Combination That Arise from Contingencies, to address some of the application issues under SFAS 141(R). The FSP deals with the initial recognition and measurement of an asset acquired or a liability assumed in a business combination that arises from a contingency provided the asset or liability’s fair value on the date of acquisition can be determined. When the fair value can’t be determined, the FSP requires using the guidance under SFAS No. 5, Accounting for Contingencies, and FASB Interpretation (FIN) No. 14, Reasonable Estimation of the Amount of a Loss. This FSP was effective for assets or liabilities arising from contingencies in business combinations for which the acquisition date is on or after January 1, 2009. The adoption of this FSP has not had a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows during the first quarter of 2009.

4. Discontinued Operations

The following table shows selected financial information included in discontinued operations for the three months ended March 31, 2009 and 2008, respectively:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three Months Ended March 31,

 

 

 


 

 

 

2009

 

2008

 

 

 


 


 

Discontinued Operations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pre-tax income

 

$

9,773

 

$

 

Tax provision

 

 

(7,150

)

 

(3,832

)

 

 



 



 

Gain (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax

 

$

2,623

 

$

(3,832

)

 

 



 



 

The net gain for the three months ended March 31, 2009 relates to $9.8 million pre-tax income, less tax of $3.8 million, for a bankruptcy settlement, which was partially offset by the accrual of interest on uncertain tax positions. We received a bankruptcy settlement for unsecured claims pertaining to the leasing of certain aircraft. These leasing transactions were originally executed by our former Capital Services business, which was sold in 2006. At the time of the Capital Services sale, we retained the rights to the bankruptcy claims. Since these claims were attributable to our former Capital Services business, we recorded the gain on this settlement in discontinued operations. The net loss for the three months ended 2008 relates to the accrual of interest on uncertain tax positions.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In September 2006, the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 157, Fair Value Measurements (“SFAS 157”), to define how the fair value of assets and liabilities should be measured in accounting standards where it is allowed or required. In addition to defining fair value, the Statement established a framework within GAAP for measuring fair value and expanded required disclosures surrounding fair value measurements. In February 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position (FSP) FAS 157-2, Effective Date of FASB Statement No. 157, which delayed the effective date by one year for all nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial liabilities, except those that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis. In October 2008, the FASB issued FSP FAS 157-3, Determining the Fair Value of a Financial Asset When the Market for That Asset Is Not Active, to clarify the application of SFAS 157 in a market that is not active and provides an example to illustrate key considerations in determining the fair value of a financial asset when the market for that financial asset is not active. This FSP was effective immediately. In April 2009, the FASB issued FSP FAS 157-4, Determining Fair Value When the Volume and Level of Activity for the Asset or Liability Have Significantly Decreased and Identifying Transactions That Are Not Orderly, to provide additional guidance for estimating fair value when the volume and level of activity for the asset or liability have significantly decreased. This FSP will be effective for interim and annual reporting periods ending after June 15, 2009. We adopted SFAS 157 for financial assets and financial liabilities on January 1, 2008, and the adoption did not have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. We adopted SFAS 157 for nonfinancial items on January 1, 2009, and the adoption did not have a

30


material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. We currently do not have any financial assets that are valued using inactive markets, and as such are not impacted by the issuances of FSP 157-3 and FSP 157-4. See Note 17 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for additional discussion on fair value measurements.

In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 141(R), Business Combinations (“SFAS 141(R)”). SFAS 141(R) establishes principles and requirements for how a company (a) recognizes and measures in their financial statements the identifiable assets acquired, the liabilities assumed, and any noncontrolling interest (previously referred to as minority interest); (b) recognizes and measures the goodwill acquired in a business combination or a gain from a bargain purchase; and (c) determines what information to disclose to enable users of the financial statements to evaluate the nature and financial effects of a business combination. SFAS 141(R) requires fair value measurements at the date of acquisition, with limited exceptions specified in the Statement. Some of the major impacts of this new standard include expense recognition for transaction costs and restructuring costs. SFAS 141(R) was effective for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2008 and is applied prospectively. The adoption of this Statement has not had a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows during the first quarter of 2009.

In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 160, Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements, an amendment of ARB No. 51 (“SFAS 160”). SFAS 160 addresses the accounting and reporting for the outstanding noncontrolling interest (previously referred to as minority interest) in a subsidiary and for the deconsolidation of a subsidiary. It also establishes additional disclosures in the consolidated financial statements that identify and distinguish between the interests of the parent’s owners and of the noncontrolling owners of a subsidiary. This Statement is effective for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2008. SFAS 160 requires retroactive adoption of the presentation and disclosure requirements for existing minority interests. All other requirements of SFAS 160 are applied prospectively. We adopted the presentation and disclosure requirements of SFAS 160 on a retrospective basis in the first quarter of 2009.

In March 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 161, Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities (“SFAS 161”). SFAS 161 requires enhanced disclosures about (a) how and why an entity uses derivative instruments, (b) how derivative instruments and related hedged items are accounted for under SFAS No. 133, Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities, and its related interpretations, and (c) how derivative instruments and related hedged items affect an entity’s financial position, financial performance, and cash flows. This Statement is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after November 15, 2008. This Statement encourages, but does not require, comparative disclosures for earlier periods at initial adoption. The adoption of this Statement requires us to present currently disclosed information in a tabular format and also expands our disclosures concerning where derivatives are reported on the balance sheet and where gains/losses are recognized in the results of operations. The Company has complied with the disclosure requirements of this Statement in the first quarter of 2009. See Note 17 to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for the additional disclosures.

In April 2008, the FASB issued FASB FSP No. 142-3, Determination of the Useful Life of Intangible Assets (“FSP FAS 142-3”). FSP FAS 142-3 removed the requirement of SFAS No. 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (“SFAS 142”), for an entity to consider, when determining the useful life of an acquired intangible asset, whether the intangible asset can be renewed without substantial cost or material modification to the existing terms and conditions associated with the intangible asset. FSP FAS 142-3 replaces the previous useful life assessment criteria with a requirement that an entity considers its own experience in renewing similar arrangements. If the entity has no relevant experience, it would consider market participant assumptions regarding renewal. This should lead to greater consistency between the useful life of recognized intangibles under SFAS 142 and the period of expected cash flows used to measure fair value of such assets under SFAS No. 141(R), Business Combinations. FSP FAS 142-3 is being applied prospectively beginning January 1, 2009. The adoption of this Statement has not had a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows during the first quarter 2009.

In November 2008, the Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) issued EITF Issue No. 08-7, Accounting for Defensive Intangible Assets. EITF Issue No. 08-7 clarifies the accounting for certain separately identifiable assets, which an acquirer does not intend to actively use but intends to hold to prevent its competitors from obtaining access to them. EITF Issue No. 08-7 requires an acquirer to account for a defensive intangible asset as a separate unit of accounting, which should be amortized to expense over the period the asset diminishes in value. The provisions of EITF Issue No. 08-7 were adopted prospectively on January 1, 2009. This EITF Issue did not impact our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows during the first quarter 2009.

In December 2008, the FASB issued FSP FAS 132(R)-1, Employers’ Disclosures about Postretirement Benefit Plan Assets, which amends Statement No. 132(R) to require more detailed disclosures about employer’s plan assets, including investment strategies, major categories of assets, concentrations of risk within plan assets and valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of assets. The FSP is effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2009. The Company will comply with the additional disclosure requirements.

31


In April 2009, the FASB issued FSP No. FAS 107-1 and APB 28-1, Interim Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments. This FSP amends FASB Statement No. 107, Disclosures about Fair Value of Financial Instruments, to require disclosures about fair value of financial instruments for interim reporting periods of publicly traded companies as well as in annual financial statements. This FSP also amends APB Opinion No. 28, Interim Financial Reporting, to require those disclosures in summarized financial information at interim reporting periods. This FSP shall be effective for interim reporting periods ending after June 15, 2009. The Company will comply with the additional disclosure requirements beginning in the second quarter of 2009.

In April 2009, the FASB issued FSP No. FAS 115-2 and FAS 124-2, Recognition and Presentation of Other-Than-Temporary Impairments. This FSP amends the other-than-temporary impairment guidance in U.S. GAAP for debt securities to make the guidance more operational and to improve the presentation and disclosure of other-than-temporary impairments on debt and equity securities in the financial statements. The FSP does not amend existing recognition and measurement guidance related to other-than-temporary impairments of equity securities. The FSP shall be effective for interim and annual reporting periods ending after June 15, 2009. The Company currently does not have any financial assets that are other-than-temporary impaired.

In April 2009, the SEC released Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 111 (“SAB 111”), which amends SAB Topic 5-M. SAB 111 notes that FSP No. 115-2 and FAS 124-2 were scoped to debt securities only, and the FSP referred readers to SEC SAB Topic 5-M for factors to consider with respect to other-than-temporary impairments for equity securities. With the amendments in SAB 111, debt securities are excluded from the scope of Topic 5-M, but the SEC staff’s views on equity securities are still included within the topic. The Company currently does not have any financial assets that are other-than-temporary impaired.

In April 2009, the FASB issued FSP No. FAS 141(R)-1, Accounting for Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed in a Business Combination That Arise from Contingencies, to address some of the application issues under SFAS 141(R). The FSP deals with the initial recognition and measurement of an asset acquired or a liability assumed in a business combination that arises from a contingency provided the asset or liability’s fair value on the date of acquisition can be determined. When the fair value can’t be determined, the FSP requires using the guidance under SFAS No. 5, Accounting for Contingencies, and FASB Interpretation (FIN) No. 14, Reasonable Estimation of the Amount of a Loss. This FSP was effective for assets or liabilities arising from contingencies in business combinations for which the acquisition date is on or after January 1, 2009. The adoption of this FSP has not had a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows during the first quarter of 2009.

This excerpt taken from the PBI 10-Q filed Nov 7, 2008.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In September 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 157, Fair Value Measurements (“SFAS 157”), to define how the fair value of assets and liabilities should be measured in accounting standards where it is allowed or required. In addition to defining fair value, the Statement established a framework within GAAP for measuring fair value and expanded required disclosures surrounding fair value measurements. In February 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position (FSP) No. FAS 157-2, Effective Date of FASB Statement No. 157, which delayed the effective date by one year for all nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial liabilities, except those that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis. In October 2008, the FASB issued FSP 157-3, Determining the Fair Value of a Financial Asset When the Market for That Asset Is Not Active. This FSP is effective immediately and includes those periods for which financial statements have not been issued. We adopted this Statement for financial assets and financial liabilities on January 1, 2008, and the adoption did not have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. We do not expect the adoption of this Statement for nonfinancial items effective January 1, 2009 to have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. We currently do not have any financial assets that are valued using inactive markets, and as such are not impacted by the issuance of FSP 157-3. See Note 16, “Fair Value Measurements,” to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for additional discussion on fair value measurements.

In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 141(R), Business Combinations (“SFAS 141(R)”). SFAS 141(R) establishes principles and requirements for how a company (a) recognizes and measures in their financial statements the identifiable assets acquired, the liabilities assumed, and any noncontrolling interest (previously referred to as minority interest); (b) recognizes and measures the goodwill acquired in a business combination or a gain from a bargain purchase; and (c) determines what information to disclose to enable users of the financial statements to evaluate the nature and financial effects of a business combination. SFAS 141(R) requires fair value measurements at the date of acquisition, with limited exceptions specified in the Statement. Some of the major impacts of this new standard include expense recognition for transaction costs and restructuring costs. SFAS 141(R) is effective for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2008 and will be applied prospectively. The most significant impacts of adopting SFAS 141 (R) will be the requirement for us to expense transaction and restructuring costs. We do not expect the adoption of this Statement to have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 160, Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements, an amendment of ARB No. 51 (“SFAS 160”). SFAS 160 addresses the accounting and reporting for the outstanding noncontrolling interest (previously referred to as minority interest) in a subsidiary and for the deconsolidation of a subsidiary. It also establishes additional disclosures in the consolidated financial statements that identify and distinguish between the interests of the parent’s owners and of the noncontrolling owners of a subsidiary. SFAS 160 requires changes in ownership interest that do not result in deconsolidation to be accounted for as equity transactions. This Statement requires

32


that a parent recognize a gain or loss in net income when a subsidiary is deconsolidated. This gain or loss is measured using the fair value of the noncontrolling equity investment. This Statement is effective for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2008. SFAS 160 requires retroactive adoption of the presentation and disclosure requirements for existing minority interests. All other requirements of SFAS 160 are applied prospectively. We do not expect the adoption of this Statement to have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

In March 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 161, Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities (“SFAS 161”). SFAS 161 requires enhanced disclosures about (a) how and why an entity uses derivative instruments, (b) how derivative instruments and related hedged items are accounted for under SFAS No. 133, Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities, and its related interpretations, and (c) how derivative instruments and related hedged items affect an entity’s financial position, financial performance, and cash flows. This Statement is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after November 15, 2008. This Statement encourages, but does not require, comparative disclosures for earlier periods at initial adoption. The adoption of this Statement will require us to present currently disclosed information in a tabular format and will also expand our disclosures concerning where derivatives are reported on the balance sheet and where gains/losses are recognized in the results of operations. The Company will comply with the disclosure requirements of this Statement beginning with the first quarter of 2009.

In April 2008, the FASB issued FSP No. 142-3, Determination of the Useful Life of Intangible Assets (“FSP FAS 142-3”). FSP FAS 142-3 removed the requirement of SFAS No. 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (“SFAS 142”), for an entity to consider, when determining the useful life of an acquired intangible asset, whether the intangible asset can be renewed without substantial cost or material modification to the existing terms and conditions associated with the intangible asset. FSP FAS 142-3 replaces the previous useful-life assessment criteria with a requirement that an entity considers its own experience in renewing similar arrangements. If the entity has no relevant experience, it would consider market participant assumptions regarding renewal. This should lead to greater consistency between the useful life of recognized intangibles under SFAS 142 and the period of expected cash flows used to measure fair value of such assets under SFAS No. 141, “Business Combinations”. FSP FAS 142-3 will be applied prospectively beginning January 1, 2009. We do not expect the adoption of this Statement to have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

In May 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 162, The Hierarchy of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“SFAS 162”). SFAS 162 identifies the sources of accounting principles and the framework for selecting the principles to be used in the preparation of financial statements of nongovernmental entities that are presented in conformity with GAAP. SFAS 162 will be effective 60 days after the SEC approves the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) amendments to auditing standards (AU Section 411). We do not expect the adoption of this Statement to result in a change in current practice.

In September 2008, the FASB issued FSP FAS 133-1 and FIN 45-4, Disclosures about Credit Derivatives and Certain Guarantees: An Amendment of FASB Statement No. 133 and FASB Interpretation No. 45; and Clarification of the Effective Date of FASB Statement No. 161. The FSP amends SFAS 133 to require a seller of credit derivatives, including credit derivatives embedded in a hybrid instrument, to provide certain disclosures for each statement of financial position presented. These disclosures are required even if the likelihood of having to make payments is remote. To make the disclosures consistent with the disclosures that will now be required for credit derivatives, FIN 45-4 was issued to require guarantors to disclose the current status of the payment/performance risk of the guarantee. This FSP also clarifies that SFAS 161 is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after November 15, 2008. The FSP is effective for reporting periods after November 15, 2008 for the amendments and on September 12, 2008 for the effective date of SFAS 161. The Company does not sell credit derivatives. The Company will comply with the additional disclosure requirement for guarantees beginning in the fourth quarter of 2008.

This excerpt taken from the PBI 10-Q filed Aug 7, 2008.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In September 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 157, Fair Value Measurements (“FAS 157”), to define how the fair value of assets and liabilities should be measured in accounting standards where it is allowed or required. In addition to defining fair value, the Statement established a framework within GAAP for measuring fair value and expanded required disclosures surrounding fair value measurements. In February 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position (FSP) No. FAS 157-2, Effective Date of FASB Statement No. 157, which delayed the effective date by one year for all nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial liabilities, except

30



MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

those that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis. We adopted this Statement for financial assets and financial liabilities on January 1, 2008, and the adoption did not have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. We continue to evaluate the impact of adopting this Statement for the nonfinancial items deferred until January 1, 2009.

In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 141(R), Business Combinations (“SFAS 141(R)”). SFAS 141(R) establishes principles and requirements for how a company (a) recognizes and measures in their financial statements the identifiable assets acquired, the liabilities assumed, and any noncontrolling interest (previously referred to as minority interest); (b) recognizes and measures the goodwill acquired in a business combination or a gain from a bargain purchase; and (c) determines what information to disclose to enable users of the financial statements to evaluate the nature and financial effects of a business combination. SFAS 141(R) requires fair value measurements at the date of acquisition, with limited exceptions specified in the Statement. Some of the major impacts of this new standard include expense recognition for transaction costs and restructuring costs. FAS 141(R) is effective for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2008 and will be applied prospectively. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting this Statement.

In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 160, Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements, an amendment of ARB No. 51 (“SFAS 160”). SFAS 160 addresses the accounting and reporting for the outstanding noncontrolling interest (previously referred to as minority interest) in a subsidiary and for the deconsolidation of a subsidiary. It also establishes additional disclosures in the consolidated financial statements that identify and distinguish between the interests of the parent’s owners and of the noncontrolling owners of a subsidiary. SFAS 160 requires changes in ownership interest that do not result in deconsolidation to be accounted for as equity transactions. This Statement requires that a parent recognize a gain or loss in net income when a subsidiary is deconsolidated. This gain or loss is measured using the fair value of the noncontrolling equity investment. This Statement is effective for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2008. SFAS 160 requires retroactive adoption of the presentation and disclosure requirements for existing minority interests. All other requirements of SFAS 160 are applied prospectively. We do not expect the adoption of this Statement to have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

In March 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 161, Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities (“SFAS 161”). SFAS 161 requires enhanced disclosures about (a) how and why an entity uses derivative instruments, (b) how derivative instruments and related hedged items are accounted for under SFAS No. 133, Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities, and its related interpretations, and (c) how derivative instruments and related hedged items affect an entity’s financial position, financial performance, and cash flows. This Statement is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after November 15, 2008. This Statement encourages, but does not require, comparative disclosures for earlier periods at initial adoption. The adoption of this Statement will require us to present currently disclosed information in a tabular format and will also expand our disclosures concerning where derivatives are reported on the balance sheet and where gains/losses are recognized in the results of operations. The Company will comply with the disclosure requirements of this Statement beginning with the first quarter of 2009.

In April 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position (“FSP”) No. 142-3, Determination of the Useful Life of Intangible Assets (“FSP FAS 142-3”). FSP FAS 142-3 removed the requirement of SFAS No. 142, Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (“SFAS 142”), for an entity to consider, when determining the useful life of an acquired intangible asset, whether the intangible asset can be renewed without substantial cost or material modification to the existing terms and conditions associated with the intangible asset. FSP FAS 142-3 replaces the previous useful-life assessment criteria with a requirement that an entity considers its own experience in renewing similar arrangements. If the entity has no relevant experience, it would consider market participant assumptions regarding renewal. This should lead to greater consistency between the useful life of recognized intangibles under SFAS 142 and the period of expected cash flows used to measure fair value of such assets under SFAS No. 141, “Business Combinations“. FSP FAS 142-3 will be applied prospectively beginning January 1, 2009. We do not expect the adoption of this Statement to have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

31



MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

In May 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 162, The Hierarchy of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“SFAS 162”).

SFAS 162 identifies the sources of accounting principles and the framework for selecting the principles to be used in the preparation of financial statements of nongovernmental entities that are presented in conformity with GAAP. SFAS 162 will be effective 60 days after the SEC approves the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) amendments to auditing standards (AU Section 411). We do not expect the adoption of this Statement to result in a change in current practice.

This excerpt taken from the PBI 10-Q filed May 8, 2008.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In September 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (“SFAS”) No. 157, Fair Value Measurements (SFAS 157) (“FAS 157”), to define how the fair value of assets and liabilities should be measured in accounting standards where it is allowed or required. In addition to defining fair value, the statement established a framework within GAAP for measuring fair value and expanded required disclosures surrounding fair-value measurements. In February 2008, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position (FSP) No. FAS 157-2, Effective Date of FASB Statement No. 157, which

23


MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

delayed the effective date by one year for all nonfinancial assets and nonfinancial liabilities, except those that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis. We adopted this statement for financial assets and financial liabilities on January 1, 2008, and the adoption did not have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows. We continue to evaluate the impact of adopting this statement for the nonfinancial items deferred until January 1, 2009.

In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 141(R), Business Combinations (“FAS 141(R)”). FAS 141(R) establishes principles and requirements for how a company (a) recognizes and measures in their financial statements the identifiable assets acquired, the liabilities assumed, and any noncontrolling interest (previously referred to as minority interest); (b) recognizes and measures the goodwill acquired in a business combination or a gain from a bargain purchase; and (c) determines what information to disclose to enable users of the financial statements to evaluate the nature and financial effects of a business combination. FAS141(R) requires fair value measurements at the date of acquisition, with limited exceptions specified in the Statement. Some of the major impacts of this new standard include expense recognition for transaction costs and restructuring costs. FAS 141(R) is effective for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2008 and will be applied prospectively. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting this Statement.

In December 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 160, Noncontrolling Interests in Consolidated Financial Statements, an amendment of ARB No. 51 (“FAS 160”). FAS 160 addresses the accounting and reporting for the outstanding noncontrolling interest (previously referred to as minority interest) in a subsidiary and for the deconsolidation of a subsidiary. It also establishes additional disclosures in the consolidated financial statements that identify and distinguish between the interests of the parent’s owners and of the noncontrolling owners of a subsidiary. FAS 160 requires changes in ownership interest that do not result in deconsolidation to be accounted for as equity transactions. This Statement requires that a parent recognize a gain or loss in net income when a subsidiary is deconsolidated. This gain or loss is measured using the fair value of the noncontrolling equity investment. This Statement is effective for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2008. FAS 160 requires retroactive adoption of the presentation and disclosure requirements for existing minority interests. All other requirements of FAS 160 are applied prospectively. We do not expect the adoption of this statement to have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

In March 2008, the FASB issued SFAS No. 161, Disclosures about Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities (“FAS 161”). FAS 161 requires enhanced disclosures about (a) how and why an entity uses derivative instruments, (b) how derivative instruments and related hedged items are accounted for under SFAS No. 133, Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities, and its related interpretations, and (c) how derivative instruments and related hedged items affect an entity’s financial position, financial performance, and cash flows. This statement is effective for financial statements issued for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after November 15, 2008. This statement encourages, but does not require, comparative disclosures for earlier periods at initial adoption. We are evaluating the impact of adopting this statement.

This excerpt taken from the PBI 10-Q filed Nov 8, 2007.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued FASB Interpretation (FIN) No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes, which supplements Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 109, Accounting for Income Taxes, by defining the confidence level that a tax position must meet in order to be recognized in the financial statements. FIN 48 requires the tax effect of a position to be recognized only if it is “more-likely-than-not” to be sustained based solely on its technical merits as of the reporting date. If a tax position is not considered more-likely-than-not to be sustained based solely on its technical merits, no benefits of the position are recognized. This is a different standard for recognition than was previously required. The more-likely-than-not threshold must continue to be met in each reporting period to support continued recognition of a benefit. At adoption, companies must adjust their financial statements to reflect only those tax positions that are more-likely-than-not to be sustained as of the adoption date. Any necessary adjustment is recorded directly to opening retained earnings in the period of adoption and reported as a change in accounting principle. We adopted the provisions of FIN 48 on January 1, 2007 which resulted in a decrease to opening retained earnings of $84.4 million, with a corresponding increase in our tax liabilities.

30


MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

In September 2006, the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 157, Fair Value Measurements (SFAS 157), to define how the fair value of assets and liabilities should be measured in accounting standards where it is allowed or required. In addition to defining fair value, the statement establishes a framework within GAAP for measuring fair value and expands required disclosures surrounding fair value measurements. While it will change the way companies currently measure fair value, it does not establish any new instances where fair value measurement is required. SFAS 157 defines fair value as an amount that a company would receive if it sold an asset or paid to transfer a liability in a normal transaction between market participants in the same market where the company does business. It emphasizes that the value is based on assumptions that market participants would use, not necessarily only the company that might buy or sell the asset. In September 2007, the FASB decided to scope out SFAS No. 13, Accounting for Leases, from this standard on fair value measurement. SFAS 157 is effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption allowed. We continue to evaluate the impact of adopting this Statement.

In February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, which permits entities to choose to measure many financial assets and financial liabilities at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses on items for which the fair value option has been elected are reported in earnings. SFAS 159 is effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007. We continue to evaluate the impact of adopting this Statement.

This excerpt taken from the PBI 10-Q filed Aug 6, 2007.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued FASB Interpretation (FIN) No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes, which supplements Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 109, Accounting for Income Taxes, by defining the confidence level that a tax position must meet in order to be recognized in the financial statements. FIN 48 requires the tax effect of a position to be recognized only if it is “more-likely-than-not” to be sustained based solely on its technical merits as of the reporting date. If a tax position is not considered more-likely-than-not to be sustained based solely on its technical merits, no benefits of the position are recognized. This is a different standard for recognition than was previously required. The more-likely-than-not threshold must continue to be met in each reporting period to support continued recognition of a benefit. At adoption, companies must adjust their financial statements to reflect only those tax positions that are more-likely-than-not to be sustained as of the adoption date. Any necessary adjustment is recorded directly to opening retained earnings in the period of adoption and reported as a change in accounting principle. We adopted the provisions of FIN 48 on January 1, 2007 which resulted in a decrease to opening retained earnings of $84.4 million, with a corresponding increase in our tax liabilities.

In September 2006, the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 157, Fair Value Measurements (SFAS 157), to define how the fair value of assets and liabilities should be measured in more than 40 other accounting standards where it is allowed or required. In addition to defining fair value, the statement establishes a framework within GAAP for measuring fair value and expands required disclosures surrounding fair-value measurements. While it will change the way companies currently measure fair value, it does not establish any new instances where fair-value measurement is required. SFAS 157 defines fair value as an amount that a company would receive if it sold an asset or paid to transfer a liability in a normal transaction between market participants in the same market where the company does business. It emphasizes that the value is based on assumptions that market participants would use, not necessarily only the company that might buy or sell the asset. SFAS 157 is effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption allowed. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting this Statement.

In February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, which permits entities to choose to measure many financial assets and financial liabilities at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses on items for which the fair value option has been elected are reported in earnings. SFAS 159 is effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting this Statement.

28


MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

This excerpt taken from the PBI 10-Q filed May 4, 2007.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued FASB Interpretation (FIN) No. 48, Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes, which supplements Statement of Financial Accounting Standard No. 109, Accounting for Income Taxes, by defining the confidence level that a tax position must meet in order to be recognized in the financial statements. FIN 48 requires the tax effect of a position to be recognized only if it is “more-likely-than-not” to be sustained based solely on its technical merits as of the reporting date. If a tax position is not considered more-likely-than-not to be sustained based solely on its technical merits, no benefits of the position are recognized. This is a different standard for recognition than was previously required. The more-likely-than-not threshold must continue to be met in each reporting period to support continued recognition of a benefit. At adoption, companies must adjust their financial statements to reflect only those tax positions that are more-likely-than-not to be sustained as of the adoption date. Any necessary adjustment is recorded directly to opening retained earnings in the period of adoption and reported as a change in accounting principle. We adopted the provisions of FIN 48 on January 1, 2007 which resulted in a decrease to opening retained earnings of $84.4 million, with a corresponding increase in our tax liabilities.

21


     MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

In September 2006, the FASB issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standards (SFAS) No. 157, Fair Value Measurements (SFAS 157), to define how the fair value of assets and liabilities should be measured in more than 40 other accounting standards where it is allowed or required. In addition to defining fair value, the statement establishes a framework within GAAP for measuring fair value and expands required disclosures surrounding fair-value measurements. While it will change the way companies currently measure fair value, it does not establish any new instances where fair-value measurement is required. SFAS 157 defines fair value as an amount that a company would receive if it sold an asset or paid to transfer a liability in a normal transaction between market participants in the same market where the company does business. It emphasizes that the value is based on assumptions that market participants would use, not necessarily only the company that might buy or sell the asset. SFAS 157 is effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption allowed. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting this Statement.

In February 2007, the FASB issued SFAS No. 159, The Fair Value Option for Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, which permits entities to choose to measure many financial assets and financial liabilities at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses on items for which the fair value option has been elected are reported in earnings. SFAS 159 is effective for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting this Statement.

This excerpt taken from the PBI 10-Q filed Nov 9, 2006.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

          In December 2004, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (SFAS) No. 123(R) (revised 2004), “Share-Based Payment.” SFAS 123(R) supersedes Accounting Principles Board (APB) Opinion No. 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees.” The revised statement addresses the accounting for share-based payment transactions with employees and other third parties, eliminates the ability to account for share-based transactions using APB No. 25 and requires that the compensation costs relating to such transactions be recognized in the condensed consolidated financial statements. SFAS 123(R) requires compensation cost to be recognized immediately for awards granted to retirement eligible employees or over the period from the grant date to the date retirement eligibility is achieved, if that is expected to occur during the nominal vesting period. Prior to our adoption of SFAS 123(R), we used the nominal vesting period approach to determine the pro forma stock-based compensation expense for all awards. SFAS 123(R) also requires additional disclosures relating to the income tax and cash flow effects resulting from share-based payments. We adopted the provisions of SFAS 123(R) on January 1, 2006 using the modified retrospective application. See Note 14 for further disclosures related to our stock-based compensation.

          In June 2005, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position (FSP) No. FAS 143-1, “Accounting for Electronic Equipment Waste Obligations,” that provides guidance on how commercial users and producers of electronic equipment should recognize and measure asset retirement obligations associated with the European Directive 2002/96/EC on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (the Directive). The adoption of this FSP did not have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows for those European Union (EU) countries that enacted the Directive into country-specific laws.

          In June 2006, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation (FIN) No. 48, “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes,” that provides guidance on the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in financial statements. The interpretation will be adopted by us on January 1, 2007. We are continuing to evaluate the impact of adopting FIN 48.

          In July 2006, the FASB issued FSP No. FAS 13-2, “Accounting for a Change or Projected Change in the Timing of Cash Flows Relating to Income Taxes Generated by a Leveraged Lease Transaction,” that provides guidance on how a change or a potential change in the timing of cash flows relating to income taxes generated by a leveraged lease transaction affects the accounting by a lessor for the lease. FSP No. FAS 13-2 will be adopted by us on January 1, 2007. We are continuing to evaluate the impact of adopting this FSP.

          In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 157, “Fair Value Measurements” (SFAS 157), to define how the fair value of assets and liabilities should be measured in more than 40 other accounting standards where it is allowed or required. In addition to defining fair value, the statement establishes a framework within Generally Accepted Accounting Principles for measuring fair value and expands required disclosures surrounding fair-value measurements. While it will change the way companies currently measure fair value, it does not establish any new instances where fair-value measurement is required. SFAS 157 defines fair value as an amount that a company would receive if it sold an asset or paid to transfer a liability in a normal transaction between market participants in the same market where the company does business. It emphasizes that the value is based on assumptions that market participants would use, not necessarily only the company that might buy or sell the asset. SFAS 157 takes effect for fiscal years beginning after November 15, 2007, and interim periods within those fiscal years, with early adoption allowed. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting this Statement.

          In September 2006, the FASB issued SFAS No. 158, “Employers’ Accounting for Defined Benefit Pension and Other Postretirement Plans an amendment of FASB Statements No. 87, 88, 106 and 132(R)” (SFAS 158) to require recognition of the overfunded or underfunded status of pension and other postretirement benefit plans on the balance sheet. Under SFAS 158, gains and losses, prior service costs and credits, and any remaining transition amounts under SFAS 87 and SFAS 106 that have not yet been recognized through net periodic benefit cost will be recognized in accumulated other comprehensive income, net of tax effects, until they are amortized as a component of net periodic cost. We will adopt the provisions of SFAS 158 on December 31, 2006. The adoption of SFAS 158 is expected to reduce stockholders’ equity at December 31, 2006 by approximately $410 million; however, the final amount will depend on an actuarial estimate prepared as of December 31, 2006. SFAS 158 does not affect our results of operations or cash flows.

31


MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF
FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

This excerpt taken from the PBI 10-Q filed Aug 8, 2006.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements

     In December 2004, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued SFAS No. 123(R) (revised 2004), “Share-Based Payment.” SFAS No. 123(R) supersedes Accounting Principles Board (APB) Opinion No. 25, “Accounting for Stock Issued to Employees.” The revised statement addresses the accounting for share-based payment transactions with employees and other third parties, eliminates the ability to account for share-based transactions using APB No. 25 and requires that the compensation costs relating to such transactions be recognized in the condensed consolidated financial statements. SFAS No. 123(R) requires compensation cost to be recognized immediately for awards granted to retirement eligible employees or over the period from the grant date to the date retirement eligibility is achieved, if that is expected to occur during the nominal vesting period. Prior to our adoption of SFAS No. 123(R), we used the nominal vesting period approach to determine the pro forma stock-based compensation expense for all awards. SFAS No. 123(R) also requires additional disclosures relating to the income tax and cash flow effects resulting from share-based payments. We adopted the provisions of SFAS No. 123(R) on January 1, 2006 using the modified retrospective application. See Note 14 for further disclosures related to our stock-based compensation.

     In June 2005, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position (FSP) No. FAS 143-1, “Accounting for Electronic Equipment Waste Obligations,” that provides guidance on how commercial users and producers of electronic equipment should recognize and measure asset retirement obligations associated with the European Directive 2002/96/EC on Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (the “Directive”). The adoption of this FSP did not have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows for those European Union (EU) countries that enacted the Directive into country-specific laws. We are currently evaluating the impact of applying this FSP in the remaining countries in future periods and do not expect the adoption of this provision to have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

     In June 2006, the FASB issued FASB Interpretation (FIN) No. 48, “Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes,” that provides guidance on the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in financial statements. The interpretation will be adopted by us on January 1, 2007. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting FIN 48; however, we do not expect the adoption of this provision to have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

     In July 2006, the FASB issued FASB Staff Position (FSP) No. FAS 13-2, “Accounting for a Change or Projected Change in the Timing of Cash Flows Relating to Income Taxes Generated by a Leveraged Lease Transaction,” that provides guidance on how a change or a potential change in the timing of cash flows relating to income taxes generated by a leveraged lease transaction affects the accounting by a lessor for the lease. This staff position will be adopted by us on January 1, 2007. We are currently evaluating the impact of adopting this FSP; however, we do not expect the adoption of this provision to have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Regulatory Matters

     There have been no significant changes to the regulatory matters disclosed in our 2005 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Other Regulatory Matters

     In May 2006, we reached a tentative settlement with the IRS governing all outstanding tax audit issues in dispute for tax years through 2000. These disputed items related primarily to the tax treatment of corporate owned life insurance (COLI) and related interest expense, the tax effect of the sale of certain preferred share holdings and the tax treatment of certain lease transactions. We are currently in discussions with the IRS to come to agreement, document the settlement in writing and complete the associated tax calculations. As a result of this tentative settlement with the IRS, we recorded $61 million of additional tax expense of which $41 million relates to the Capital Services business and was included in discontinued operations in the current period and $20 million which is included in continuing operations in the current period. These amounts are our best estimate of the impact of the tentative settlement on our results of operations. While the accrual currently reflects our best estimate, ongoing negotiations and final settlement with the IRS could result in a revision to the estimate. As a result of the tentative IRS settlement and the sales of the Imagistics and Capital Services businesses, we anticipate we will pay approximately $1.1 billion of additional tax, net of $330 million of IRS tax bonds previously posted.

     We have accrued our best estimate of the probable tax, interest and penalties that we believe is appropriate given the likelihood of tax adjustments in all open tax years. However, the resolution of such matters could have a material effect on our results of operations, financial position and cash flow.

31


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