Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.WBD
Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. New Standards Disclosure
Accounting and Reporting Pronouncements Adopted
Income Taxes
In December 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2023-09 “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures” (“ASU 2023-09”) updating the disclosure requirements for income taxes, primarily through standardization and disaggregation of rate reconciliation categories and income taxes paid by jurisdiction. The amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024, with early adoption permitted. The amendments should be applied prospectively; however, retrospective application is permitted. The Company prospectively adopted the guidance effective January 1, 2025 and has provided the required annual disclosures in Note 16 and Note 18.
Accounting and Reporting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted
Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses
In November 2024, the FASB issued guidance updating the disclosure requirements for income statement expenses, primarily through disaggregation of certain types of expenses presented on the income statement. The amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2026 and for interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2027. Early adoption is permitted. The amendments may be applied either: (1) prospectively to financial statements issued for reporting periods after the effective date, or (2) retrospectively to all prior periods presented in the financial statements. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on its disclosures.
Credit Losses
In July 2025, the FASB issued guidance which provides a practical expedient to simplify the estimation of expected credit losses by assuming that current conditions as of the balance sheet do not change for the remaining life of the asset. This guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2025. Early adoption is permitted, and the standard is to be applied prospectively. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.
Accounting for Internal-Use Software
In September 2025, the FASB issued guidance which amends the existing standard for internal-use software to remove all references to prescriptive and sequential software development project stages. Under this guidance, eligible software development costs will begin capitalization when management has authorized and committed to funding the software project, and it is probable that the project will be completed, and the software will be used to perform the function intended. This guidance may be applied prospectively, retrospectively, or with a modified transition approach, and is effective for all annual periods beginning after December 15, 2027, and for interim periods within those annual reporting periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption of this standard will have on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.
Derivatives and Hedging and Revenue from Contracts with Customers
In September 2025, the FASB issued guidance that amends existing standards for derivatives and hedging (“Topic 815”) and revenue from contracts with customers (“Topic 606”). The guidance refines the scope of Topic 815 to clarify which contracts are subject to derivative accounting. The guidance also provides clarification under Topic 606 for share-based payments from a customer in a revenue contract. This guidance may be applied prospectively or with a modified retrospective approach, and is effective for all annual periods beginning after December 15, 2026, and for interim periods within those annual reporting periods. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption of this standard will have on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.
Derivatives and Hedging: Hedge Accounting Improvements
In November 2025, the FASB issued guidance that improves hedge accounting guidance by clarifying certain aspects and aligning hedge accounting more closely with the economics of an entity’s risk management activities. The update is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2026, and for interim periods within those annual reporting periods, with early adoption permitted. The updates should be applied prospectively for all hedging relationships as of the date of adoption. The Company does not expect a material impact on our financial statements.
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Feb 27, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Feb 27, 2025 | |
| 2023 | Feb 23, 2024 | |
| 2022 | Feb 24, 2023 | |
| 2021 | Feb 24, 2022 | |
| 2020 | Feb 22, 2021 | |
| 2019 | Feb 27, 2020 | |
| 2018 | Mar 1, 2019 | |
| 2017 | Feb 28, 2018 | |
| 2016 | Feb 14, 2017 | |
| 2015 | Feb 18, 2016 | |
About New Standards Disclosures
New accounting standards disclosures describe recently adopted pronouncements and those not yet effective, along with management's assessment of their expected impact. This section provides an early warning system for upcoming changes to how a company reports its financial results, often years before the new rules take effect.
Key signals: when management describes a not-yet-adopted standard's impact as "material" or "still being evaluated," it signals potential significant changes to reported metrics upon adoption. Watch for standards that affect a company's core operations — for example, revenue recognition changes for software companies or lease accounting changes for retailers with large store footprints. The transition method chosen (full retrospective versus modified retrospective) affects comparability with prior periods. Companies that delay adoption to the latest permitted date may be struggling with implementation complexity. Compare the disclosed impact assessments against peers in the same industry to gauge whether management's expectations are reasonable.