Significant Accounting Policies

3 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 2011

Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Significant Accounting Policies

(3) Significant Accounting Policies:

Revenue Recognition — For our firearm products, we recognize revenue when the following four basic criteria have been met: (1) persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists; (2) delivery has occurred or services have been provided; (3) the fee is fixed or determinable; and (4) collection is reasonably assured. For our security solutions products and services, we recognize revenue from fixed-price contracts using the percentage-of-completion method, measured by the percentage of costs incurred to date to our total expected costs for each contract.

Product sales account for a substantial portion of our firearm revenue. We recognize revenue from firearm product sales when the earnings process is complete and the risks and rewards of ownership have transferred to the customer, which is generally upon shipment. We also provide tooling, forging, heat treating, finishing, plating, and engineering support services to customers. We recognize this revenue when the services are accepted by the customer, when no further contingencies or material performance obligations exist, and when collectability is reasonably assured, thereby earning us the right to receive and retain payments for services performed and billed.

We determine percentage-of-completion by comparing the cost incurred to date to the estimated total cost required to complete the project. We consider costs incurred to date to be the most reliable, available measure of progress on these projects. We make adjustments to estimates to complete in the periods in which facts resulting in a change become known. When the estimate indicates that a loss will be incurred, we record the loss in the period in which it is identified. When reliable estimates cannot be made, we recognize revenue upon completion. Significant judgment is involved in the estimation process for each contract. Different assumptions could yield materially different results. Delays in the installation process could negatively affect operations in a given period by increasing volatility in revenue recognition. Recognition of revenue in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires us to make judgments that affect the timing and amount of reported revenue.

We recognize trademark licensing revenue for individual licensees on a quarterly basis based on historical experience and expected cash receipts from licensees. This revenue consists of minimum royalties and/or a percentage of a licensee’s sales on licensed products. Under our current licensing agreements, this revenue is payable on a calendar quarter basis. We recognize non-refundable license fees received upon the initial signing of license agreements as revenue when no future obligation is required on our part. As a result of a combination of uncertain factors regarding existing licensees, including current and past payment performance, market acceptance of the licensee’s product, and insufficient historical experience, we believe that reasonable assurance of collectability does not exist based on the results and past payment performance of licensees in general. Therefore, we do not recognize minimum royalty payments upon contract signing, but instead record royalty revenue monthly when the minimum royalty can be reasonably estimated for that month and payment is assured.

Use of Estimates — The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires us to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the financial statement dates and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. Our significant estimates include gross margin and percentage of completion on in-process security solutions projects, accruals for warranty, product liability, workers’ compensation, environmental liability, excess and obsolete inventory, forfeiture rates on stock-based awards, asset impairments, and medical claims payable. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Accounting for Acquisitions — Our accounting for acquisitions involves significant judgments and estimates, including the fair value of certain forms of consideration; the fair value of acquired intangible assets, which involve projections of future revenue and cash flows, the fair value of other acquired assets and assumed liabilities, including potential contingencies; and the useful lives and, as applicable, the reporting unit of the assets. Our financial position or results of operations may be materially impacted by changes in our initial assumptions and estimates relating to prior or future acquisitions. Additionally, we determine the fair value of the reporting unit, for purposes of the first step in our annual goodwill impairment test, based on an income approach. If prior or future acquisitions are not accretive to our results of operations as expected or our market value declines dramatically, we may be required to complete the second step, which requires significant judgments and estimates and which may result in material impairment charges in the period in which they are determined (see Valuation of Long-lived Tangible and Intangible Assets and Goodwill below).

Segment Information — Information regarding our segments is presented in Note 17.

Valuation of Long-lived Tangible and Intangible Assets and Goodwill — We have significant long-lived tangible and intangible assets, which are susceptible to valuation adjustments as a result of changes in various factors or conditions. The most significant long-lived tangible and intangible assets are fixed assets, developed technology, patents, trademarks, and tradenames. We amortize all finite-lived intangible assets either on a straight-line basis or based upon patterns in which we expect to utilize the economic benefits of such assets. With the exception of goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite lives, we initially determine the values of intangible assets by a risk-adjusted, discounted cash flow approach. We assess the potential impairment of identifiable intangible assets and fixed assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying values may not be recoverable and at least annually. Factors we consider important, which could trigger an impairment of such assets, include the following:

• significant underperformance relative to historical or projected future operating results;

• significant changes in the manner or use of the assets or the strategy for our overall business;

• significant negative industry or economic trends;

• significant decline in our stock price for a sustained period; and

• a decline in our market capitalization below net book value.

Future adverse changes in these or other unforeseeable factors could result in an impairment charge that would materially impact future results of operations and financial position in the reporting period identified.

We test goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite lives for impairment on an annual basis as of the end of our third fiscal quarter and between annual tests if indicators of potential impairment exist. The impairment test compares the fair value of the reporting unit to its carrying amount, including goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite lives, to assess whether impairment is present. We have reviewed the provisions of ASC 280-10 with respect to the criteria necessary to evaluate the number of reporting units that exist. Based on our review of the Segment Reporting Topic, ASC 280-10-50, we have determined that we operate in three reporting units: one for our Springfield, Massachusetts and Houlton, Maine facilities; a second for our Rochester, New Hampshire facility; and a third for SWSS. We have determined that we operate in two segments: one for our firearm companies and a second for our security solutions subsidiary, SWSS. As of July 31, 2011, we had no goodwill recorded on our books.

We periodically review long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in business circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable or that the useful lives of those assets are no longer appropriate. Each impairment test is based on a comparison of the undiscounted cash flows to the recorded carrying value for the asset. If impairment is indicated, the asset is written down to its estimated fair value based on a discounted cash flow analysis. No impairment charges were taken during the three months ended July 31, 2011 and 2010 based on the review of long-lived assets. See Note 6 — Intangible Assets.

We utilize an income approach, with discounted cash flows, to estimate the fair value of each reporting unit. We selected this method because we believe that it most appropriately measures our income producing assets. We considered using the market approach and the cost approach, but concluded that they were not appropriate in valuing our reporting units given the lack of relevant and available market comparisons. The income approach is based on the projected cash flows that are discounted to their present value using discount rates that consider the timing and risk of the forecasted cash flows. We believe that this approach is appropriate because it provides a fair value estimate based upon a reporting unit’s expected long-term operating cash performance. This approach also mitigates the impact of the cyclical trends that occur in our industries. Fair value is estimated using internally developed forecasts and assumptions. The discount rate used is the average estimated value of a market participant’s cost of capital and debt, derived using customary market metrics. Other significant assumptions include terminal value margin rates, future capital expenditures, and changes in future working capital requirements. We also compare and reconcile our overall fair value to our market capitalization. While there are inherent uncertainties related to the assumptions used and to our application of these assumptions to this analysis, we believe that the income approach provides a reasonable estimate of the fair value of our reporting units. The foregoing assumptions were consistent with our long-term performance, with limited exceptions. We believe that our future investments for capital expenditures as a percent of revenue will decline in future years due to our improved utilization resulting from lean initiatives, and we believe that days sales outstanding will decline with any increase in revenues. We also have assumed that through this economic downturn, our markets have not contracted for the long term; however, it may be a number of years before they fully recover. These assumptions could deviate materially from actual results.

Significant judgments and estimates are involved in determining the useful lives of our long-lived assets, determining what reporting units exist, and assessing when events or circumstances would require an interim impairment analysis of goodwill or other long-lived assets to be performed. Changes in our organization or our management reporting structure, as well as other events and circumstances, including technological advances, increased competition, and changing economic or market conditions, could result in (a) shorter estimated useful lives, (b) additional reporting units, which may require alternative methods of estimating fair values or greater disaggregation or aggregation in our analysis by reporting unit, and (c) other changes in previous assumptions or estimates. A change in the weighted average cost of capital, for example, could materially change the valuation and, if increased, could cause an impairment. In turn, this could have an additional impact on our consolidated financial statements through accelerated amortization and impairment charges.