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OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
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OVERVIEW AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES OVERVIEW AND ORGANIZATION PayPal Holdings, Inc. (“PayPal,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) was incorporated in Delaware in January 2015 and is a leading technology platform and digital payments company that enables digital and mobile payments on behalf of merchants and consumers worldwide. PayPal is committed to democratizing financial services to improve the financial health of individuals and to increase economic opportunity for entrepreneurs and business of all sizes around the world. Our goal is to enable our merchants and consumers to manage and move their money anywhere in the world, anytime, on any platform, and using any device when sending payments or getting paid. We also facilitate person-to-person (“P2P”) payments through our PayPal, Venmo, and Xoom products and services and simplify and personalize shopping experiences for our consumers through our Honey Platform. Our combined payment solutions, including our core PayPal, PayPal Credit, Braintree, Venmo, Xoom, iZettle, and Hyperwallet products and services, comprise our proprietary Payments Platform. The terms “we,” “our,” “us,” “the Company,” and “PayPal” mean PayPal Holdings, Inc. and, unless otherwise expressly stated or the context requires, its subsidiaries. We operate globally and in a rapidly evolving regulatory environment characterized by a heightened focus by regulators globally on all aspects of the payments industry, including countering terrorist financing, anti-money laundering, privacy, cybersecurity, and consumer protection. The laws and regulations applicable to us, including those enacted prior to the advent of digital and mobile payments, are continuing to evolve through legislative and regulatory action and judicial interpretation. New or changing laws and regulations, including the changes to their interpretation and implementation, as well as increased penalties and enforcement actions related to non-compliance, could have a material adverse impact on our business, results of operations, and financial condition. We monitor these areas closely and are focused on designing compliant solutions for our customers. SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Basis of presentation and principles of consolidation The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of PayPal and our wholly- and majority-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Noncontrolling interest reported as a component of equity on our consolidated balance sheets represents the equity interests not owned by PayPal and is recorded for consolidated entities we control and of which we own less than 100%. Noncontrolling interest is not presented separately on our consolidated statements of income as the amount is de minimis. Investments in entities where we have the ability to exercise significant influence, but not control, over the investee are accounted for using the equity method of accounting. For such investments, our share of the investee’s results of operations is included in other income (expense), net on our consolidated statements of income and our investment balance is included in long-term investments on our consolidated balance sheets. Investments in entities where we do not have the ability to exercise significant influence over the investee are accounted for at fair value or cost minus impairment, if any, adjusted for changes resulting from observable price changes, which are included in other income (expense), net on our consolidated statements of income. Our investment balance is included in long-term investments on our consolidated balance sheets. We determine at the inception of each investment, and re-evaluate if certain events occur, whether an entity in which we have made an investment is considered a variable interest entity (“VIE”). If we determine an investment is a VIE, we then assess if we are the primary beneficiary, which would require consolidation. As of December 31, 2020, none of these VIEs qualified for consolidation as the structures of these entities do not provide us with the ability to direct the activities that would significantly impact their economic performance. The carrying value of our investments that are VIEs was de minimis and included as non-marketable equity securities accounted for using the equity method of accounting in long-term investments on our consolidated balance sheets. Our maximum exposure to loss, including the carrying value of the investments and any future funding commitments, was $105 million as of December 31, 2020. In the opinion of management, these consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, which are necessary for a fair statement of the consolidated financial statements for all periods presented. Certain amounts for prior years have been reclassified to conform to the financial statement presentation as of and for the year ended December 31, 2020. Reclassifications Beginning with the fourth quarter of 2020, we reclassified certain cash flows related to customer balances from cash flows from operating activities to cash flows from investing activities and cash flows from financing activities within the consolidated statements of cash flows. Prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. These changes have no impact on our previously reported consolidated net income, financial position, net change in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash, or total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash as reported on our consolidated statements of cash flows. The current period presentation classifies all changes in funds receivable and customer accounts and funds payable and amounts due to customers consistently on our consolidated statement of cash flows as cash flows from investing activities and cash flows from financing activities, respectively, regardless of which product the cash flows relate to on our Payments Platform. The current period presentation provides a more meaningful representation of the cash flows related to the movement of customer funds due to the restrictions on and use of those funds. The following tables present the effects of the changes on the presentation of these cash flows to the previously reported consolidated statements of cash flows: Year Ended December 31, 2019 (In millions) As Previously Reported (1) Adjustments Reclassified Net cash provided by (used in): Operating activities (2) $ 4,561 $ (490) $ 4,071 Investing activities (3) (5,733) (9) (5,742) Financing activities (4) 3,688 499 4,187 Effect of exchange rates on cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash (6) — (6) Net increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash $ 2,510 $ — $ 2,510 (1) As reported in our 2019 Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 6, 2020. (2) Financial statement lines impacted in operating activities were “Funds receivable” and “Funds payable and amounts due to customers,” which increased by $9 million and decreased by $499 million, respectively, to arrive at the reclassified amounts. (3) Financial statement line impacted in investing activities was “Funds receivable.” (4) Financial statement line impacted in financing activities was “Funds payable and amounts due to customers.” Year Ended December 31, 2018 (In millions) As Previously Reported (1) Adjustments Reclassified Net cash provided by (used in): Operating activities (2) $ 5,483 $ (3) $ 5,480 Investing activities (3) 840 (19) 821 Financing activities (4) (1,262) 22 (1,240) Effect of exchange rates on cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash (113) — (113) Net increase in cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash $ 4,948 $ — $ 4,948 (1) As reported in our 2019 Form 10-K filed with the SEC on February 6, 2020. (2) Financial statement lines impacted in operating activities were “Funds receivable” and “Funds payable and amounts due to customers,” which increased by $19 million and decreased by $22 million, respectively, to arrive at the reclassified amounts. (3) Financial statement line impacted in investing activities was “Funds receivable.” (4) Financial statement line impacted in financing activities was “Funds payable and amounts due to customers.” Use of estimates The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. On an ongoing basis, we evaluate our estimates, including those related to provisions for transaction and credit losses, loss contingencies, income taxes, revenue recognition, and the valuation of goodwill and intangible assets. We base our estimates on historical experience and various other assumptions which we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances. These estimates may change as new events occur, and as additional information surrounding the continued impact of the novel coronavirus (“COVID-19”) pandemic becomes available. Actual results could differ from these estimates and any such differences may be material to our financial statements. Cash and cash equivalents Cash and cash equivalents are short-term, highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less when purchased and are composed of primarily bank deposits, government and agency securities, and commercial paper. Investments Short-term investments include time deposits, government and agency securities, and corporate debt securities with original maturities of greater than three months but less than one year when purchased or maturities of less than one year on the reporting date. Long-term investments include time deposits, government and agency securities, corporate debt securities, and asset-backed securities with maturities exceeding one year, and our strategic investments. Government and agency securities, corporate debt securities, and asset-backed securities are classified as available-for-sale and are reported at fair value using the specific identification method. Unrealized gains and losses are reported as a component of other comprehensive income (loss), net of related estimated tax provisions or benefits. We elect to account for foreign currency denominated available-for-sale investments underlying funds receivable and customer accounts, short-term investments, and long-term investments under the fair value option as further discussed in “Note 9—Fair Value Measurement of Assets and Liabilities.” The changes in fair value related to initial measurement and subsequent changes in fair value are included in earnings as a component of other income (expense), net. Our strategic investments consist of marketable equity securities, which are publicly traded, and non-marketable equity securities, which are investments in privately held companies. Marketable equity securities have readily determinable fair values with changes in fair value recorded in other income (expense), net. Non-marketable equity securities include investments that do not have a readily determinable fair value, as well as equity method investments. The investments that do not have readily determinable fair value are measured at cost minus impairment, if any, adjusted for changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for an identical or similar investment in the same issuer (the “Measurement Alternative”). All gains and losses on these investments, realized and unrealized, are recorded in other income (expense), net on our consolidated statements of income. Our investments where we have the ability to exercise significant influence, but not control, over the investee are accounted for as equity method investments and our share of the investee’s results of operations is included in other income (expense), net. We assess whether an impairment loss on our non-marketable equity securities and an other-than-temporary impairment loss on our equity method investments (and available-for-sale debt securities, prior to 2020) has occurred due to declines in fair value or other market conditions. If any impairment is identified for non-marketable equity securities or impairment is considered other-than-temporary for our equity method investments (and available-for-sale debt securities, prior to 2020), we write down the investment to its fair value and record the corresponding charge through other income (expense), net in our consolidated statements of income. With respect to our available-for-sale debt securities, prior to 2020, this assessment took into account the severity and duration of the decline in value, our intent to sell the security, whether it was more likely than not we would be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis, and whether we expected to recover the entire amortized cost basis of the security (that is, whether a credit loss existed). Beginning in 2020, our available-for-sale debt securities in an unrealized loss position will be written down to fair value through a charge to other income (expense), net in our consolidated statements of income if we intend to sell the security or it is more likely than not we will be required to sell the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis. For the remaining available-for-sale debt securities in an unrealized loss position, if we identify that the decline in fair value has resulted from credit losses, taking into consideration changes to the rating of the security by rating agencies, implied yields versus benchmark yields, and the extent to which fair value is less than amortized cost, among other factors, we will estimate the present value of cash flows expected to be collected. If the present value of cash flows expected to be collected is less than the amortized cost basis, a credit loss exists and an allowance for credit losses is recorded, limited by the amount that the fair value is less than the amortized cost basis. Any portion of impairment not related to credit losses is recognized in other comprehensive income. Loans and interest receivable, net Loans and interest receivable, net represents merchant receivables originated under our PayPal Working Capital (“PPWC”) product and PayPal Business Loan (“PPBL”) product and consumer loans originated under our PayPal Credit and installment credit products. In the U.S., we partner with an independent chartered financial institution that extends credit to merchants using our PPWC product or PPBL product and purchase the related receivables extended by the independent chartered financial institution. For our merchant credit products outside the U.S., we extend working capital advances in the U.K. and loans in Germany through our Luxembourg banking subsidiary, and working capital loans in Australia through an Australian subsidiary. In the U.S., we extend installment loans to consumers through a U.S. subsidiary. For our international consumer credit products, we extend credit through our Luxembourg banking subsidiary. As part of our arrangement with the independent chartered financial institution in the U.S., we sell back a participation interest in the pool of merchant receivables. The independent chartered financial institution has no recourse against us related to their participation interests for failure of debtors to pay when due. The participation interests held by the chartered financial institution have the same priority to the interests held by us and are subject to the same credit, prepayment, and interest rate risk associated with this pool of merchant receivables. All risks of loss are shared pro rata based on participation interests held among all participating stakeholders. We account for the asset transfer as a sale and derecognize the portion of the participation interests for which control has been surrendered. For this arrangement, gains or losses on the sale of the participation interests are not material as the carrying amount of the participation interest sold approximates the fair value at …
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