SONIC CORP - 10-Q filing on 2011-07-08

Basis of Presentation	9 Months Ended
May 31, 2011
Basis of Presentation	Â
Basis of Presentation	1. Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States ("U.S.") generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements of Sonic Corp. (the "Company). In the opinion of management, these financial statements reflect all adjustments of a normal recurring nature, including recurring accruals, necessary for the fair presentation of the Company's financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods presented in conformity with GAAP. In certain situations, recurring accruals, including franchise royalties, are based on more limited information at interim reporting dates than at the Company's fiscal year end due to the abbreviated reporting period. Actual results may differ from these estimates. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2010 included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, and the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended November 30, 2010, and February 28, 2011. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for a full year or any other interim period. Principles of Consolidation The accompanying financial statements include the accounts of the Company, its wholly owned subsidiaries and its Company-owned Drive-Ins. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Reclassifications Certain amounts reported in previous years, which are not material, have been combined and reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. The Company buys and sells Company-owned Drive-Ins as a part of its ongoing business operations. Gains and losses derived from these transactions have historically been reported net in other revenues on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. Beginning in the third quarter of fiscal year 2010, the Company reported these net gains and losses in other operating income. The Company has reclassified amounts previously reported in prior fiscal periods to conform to the current year presentation. The Company has historically classified bonuses related to management at Company-owned Drive-Ins as a component of other operating expenses within costs and expenses for Company-owned Drive-Ins on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. Beginning in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2010, the Company reported these amounts in payroll and other employee benefits. The Company has reclassified amounts previously reported in prior fiscal periods to conform to the current year presentation. New Accounting Pronouncements In May 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2011-04, "Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS")." This pronouncement was issued to provide a consistent definition of fair value and ensure that the fair value measurement and disclosure requirements are similar between U.S. GAAP and IFRS. ASU 2011-04 changes certain fair value measurement principles and enhances the disclosure requirements particularly for Level 3 fair value measurements. This pronouncement is effective for reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2011, with early adoption prohibited. The new guidance will require prospective application. The Company is currently evaluating the effect that the provisions of this pronouncement will have on its financial statements. In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-05, "Presentation of Comprehensive Income" which was issued to enhance comparability between entities that report under U.S. GAAP and IFRS, and to provide a more consistent method of presenting non-owner transactions that affect an entity's equity. ASU 2011-05 eliminates the option to report other comprehensive income and its components in the statement of changes in stockholders' equity and requires an entity to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement or in two separate but consecutive statements. This pronouncement is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. Early adoption of the new guidance is permitted and full retrospective application is required. The Company is currently evaluating the effect that the provisions of this pronouncement will have on its financial statements.

Basis of Presentation

9 Months Ended

May 31, 2011

1. Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with United States ("U.S.") generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") and with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and notes required by GAAP for complete financial statements of Sonic Corp. (the "Company). In the opinion of management, these financial statements reflect all adjustments of a normal recurring nature, including recurring accruals, necessary for the fair presentation of the Company's financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the interim periods presented in conformity with GAAP. In certain situations, recurring accruals, including franchise royalties, are based on more limited information at interim reporting dates than at the Company's fiscal year end due to the abbreviated reporting period. Actual results may differ from these estimates. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto for the fiscal year ended August 31, 2010 included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K, and the Company's Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q for the periods ended November 30, 2010, and February 28, 2011. Interim results are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for a full year or any other interim period.

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying financial statements include the accounts of the Company, its wholly owned subsidiaries and its Company-owned Drive-Ins. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Reclassifications

Certain amounts reported in previous years, which are not material, have been combined and reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.

The Company buys and sells Company-owned Drive-Ins as a part of its ongoing business operations. Gains and losses derived from these transactions have historically been reported net in other revenues on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. Beginning in the third quarter of fiscal year 2010, the Company reported these net gains and losses in other operating income. The Company has reclassified amounts previously reported in prior fiscal periods to conform to the current year presentation.

The Company has historically classified bonuses related to management at Company-owned Drive-Ins as a component of other operating expenses within costs and expenses for Company-owned Drive-Ins on the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income. Beginning in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2010, the Company reported these amounts in payroll and other employee benefits. The Company has reclassified amounts previously reported in prior fiscal periods to conform to the current year presentation.

New Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2011-04, "Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards ("IFRS")." This pronouncement was issued to provide a consistent definition of fair value and ensure that the fair value measurement and disclosure requirements are similar between U.S. GAAP and IFRS. ASU 2011-04 changes certain fair value measurement principles and enhances the disclosure requirements particularly for Level 3 fair value measurements. This pronouncement is effective for reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2011, with early adoption prohibited. The new guidance will require prospective application. The Company is currently evaluating the effect that the provisions of this pronouncement will have on its financial statements.

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-05, "Presentation of Comprehensive Income" which was issued to enhance comparability between entities that report under U.S. GAAP and IFRS, and to provide a more consistent method of presenting non-owner transactions that affect an entity's equity. ASU 2011-05 eliminates the option to report other comprehensive income and its components in the statement of changes in stockholders' equity and requires an entity to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement or in two separate but consecutive statements. This pronouncement is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011. Early adoption of the new guidance is permitted and full retrospective application is required. The Company is currently evaluating the effect that the provisions of this pronouncement will have on its financial statements.