Note 2 - Summary of Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Notes to Financial Statements

Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

2. Summary of Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries that are consolidated in conformity with U.S. GAAP. All intercompany amounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Concentration of Credit Risk

The Company maintains the majority of its domestic cash in one commercial bank in multiple operating and investment accounts. Balances on deposit are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) up to specified limits. Balances in excess of FDIC limits are uninsured.

One customer accounted for approximately 9% and 11% of accounts receivable at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. No one customer accounted for greater than 5%, 6%, and 6%, of net sales during the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, or 2017, respectively.

Accounts Receivable

Receivables are recorded at their face value amount less an allowance for doubtful accounts. The Company estimates and records an allowance for doubtful accounts based on specific identification and historical experience. The Company writes off uncollectible accounts against the allowance for doubtful accounts after all collection efforts have been exhausted. Sales are generally made on an unsecured basis, and certain balances are protected by credit insurance.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market, with cost determined generally using the first-in, first-out method.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are recorded at cost and are being depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, which are summarized below (in years). Costs of leasehold improvements are amortized over the lesser of the term of the lease (including renewal option periods) or the estimated useful lives of the improvements. Finance lease right of use assets are included in property and equipment. Refer to Note 10, "Leases," to the consolidated financial statements for the Company's lease disclosure.

Land improvements	8	–	20
Buildings and improvements	10	–	40
Machinery and equipment	3	–	15
Dies and tools	3	–	10
Vehicles	3	–	6
Office equipment and systems	3	–	15
Leasehold improvements	2	–	20

Total depreciation expense was $32,265, $25,296, and $23,127 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively.

Goodwill and Other Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets

Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over fair value of identifiable net assets acquired from business acquisitions. Goodwill is not amortized, but is reviewed for impairment on an annual basis and between annual tests if indicators of impairment are present. The Company evaluates goodwill for impairment annually as of October 31 or more frequently when an event occurs or circumstances change that indicates the carrying value may not be recoverable. The Company has the option to assess goodwill for impairment by performing either a qualitative assessment or quantitative test. The qualitative assessment determines whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If the Company determines that it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, then the quantitative test is not required to be performed. If the Company determines that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, the Company is required to perform the quantitative test. In the quantitative test, the calculated fair value of the reporting unit is compared to its book value including goodwill. If the fair value of the reporting unit is in excess of its book value, the related goodwill is not impaired. If the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its book value, an impairment loss is recognized in an amount equal to that excess, limited to the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit.

Other indefinite-lived intangible assets consist of certain tradenames. The Company tests the carrying value of these tradenames annually as of October 31, or more frequently when an event occurs or circumstances change that indicates the carrying value may not be recoverable, by comparing the assets’ fair value to its carrying value. Fair value is measured using a relief-from-royalty approach, which assumes the fair value of the tradename is the discounted cash flows of the amount that would be paid had the Company not owned the tradename and instead licensed the tradename from another company.

The Company performed the required annual impairment tests for goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets for the fiscal years 2019, 2018 and 2017, and found no impairment.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company periodically evaluates the carrying value of long-lived assets (excluding goodwill and indefinite-lived tradenames). Long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. If the sum of the expected future undiscounted cash flows is less than the carrying amount of an asset, a loss is recognized for the difference between the fair value and carrying value of the asset.

Debt Issuance Costs

Debt discounts and direct costs incurred in connection with the issuance of long-term debt are deferred and recorded as a reduction of outstanding debt and amortized to interest expense using the effective interest method over the terms of the related credit agreements. $4,712, $4,749, and $3,516 of deferred financing costs and original issue discount were amortized to interest expense during fiscal years 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. Excluding the impact of any future long-term debt issuances or prepayments, estimated amortization to interest expense for the next five years is as follows: 2020 - $2,598; 2021 - $2,640; 2022 - $2,689; 2023 - $2,579; 2024 - $2,508.

Income Taxes

The Company is a C Corporation and therefore accounts for income taxes pursuant to the liability method. Accordingly, the current or deferred tax consequences of a transaction are measured by applying the provision of enacted tax laws to determine the amount of taxes payable currently or in future years. Deferred income taxes are provided for temporary differences between the income tax bases of assets and liabilities and their carrying amounts for financial reporting purposes. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, the Company considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the years in which those temporary differences become deductible. The Company considers taxable income in prior carryback years, the scheduled reversal of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income and tax planning strategies, as appropriate, in making this assessment.

Revenue Recognition

The Company’s revenues primarily consist of product sales to its customers. The Company considers the purchase orders, which in some cases are governed by master sales agreements, to be the contracts with the customers. For each contract, the Company considers the commitment to transfer products, each of which is distinct, to be the identified performance obligations. Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration the Company expects to be entitled in exchange for the transfer of product, which is generally the price stated in the contract specific for each item sold, adjusted for the value of expected returns, discounts, rebates, or other promotional incentives or allowances offered to our customers. Expected returns for damaged or defective product are estimated using the expected value method based upon historical product return experience. Discounts and rebates offered to customers are typically defined in the master sales agreements with customers and, therefore, are recorded using the most likely amount method based on the terms of the contract. Promotional incentives are defined programs offered for short, specific periods of time and are estimated using the expected value method based upon historical experience. The Company does not expect the transaction price for revenue recognized will be subject to a significant revenue reversal. As the Company’s product sale contracts and standard payment terms have a duration of less than one year, it uses the practical expedient applicable to such contracts and does not consider the time value of money. Sales, use, value add and other similar taxes assessed by governmental authorities and collected concurrent with revenue-producing activities are excluded from revenue. The Company has elected to recognize the cost for freight activities when control of the product has transferred to the customer as an expense within cost of goods sold in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income. Product revenues are recognized at the point in time when control of the product is transferred to the customer, which typically occurs upon shipment or delivery to the customer. To determine when control has transferred, the Company considers if there is a present right to payment and if legal title, physical possession, and the significant risks and rewards of ownership of the asset has transferred to the customer. As substantially all of the Company’s product revenues are recognized at a point in time, the amount of unsatisfied performance obligations at each period end is not material. The Company’s contracts have an original expected duration of one year or less. As a result, the Company has elected to use the practical expedient to not disclose its remaining performance obligations.

At the request of certain customers, the Company will warehouse inventory billed to the customer but not delivered. Unless all revenue recognition criteria have been met, the Company does not recognize revenue on these transactions until the customer takes possession of the product.

While the Company’s standard payment terms are less than one year, the specific payment terms and conditions in its customer contracts vary. In some cases, customers prepay for their goods; in other cases, after appropriate credit evaluation, an open credit line is granted and payment is due in arrears. Contracts with payment in arrears are recognized in the consolidated balance sheets as accounts receivable upon revenue recognition, while contracts where customers pay in advance are recognized as customer deposits and recorded in other accrued liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets until revenue is recognized. The balance of customer deposits (contract liabilities) was $9,952 and $14,174 at December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively. During the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company recognized revenue of $9,589 related to amounts included in the December 31, 2018 customer deposit balance. The Company typically recognizes revenue within one year of the receipt of the customer deposit.

The Company offers standard warranty coverage on substantially all products that it sells and accounts for this standard warranty coverage as an assurance warranty. As such, no transaction price is allocated to the standard warranty, and the Company records a liability for product warranty obligations at the time of sale to a customer based upon historical warranty experience. Refer to Note 11, “Product Warranty Obligations,” to the consolidated financial statements for further information regarding the Company’s standard warranties.

The Company also sells extended warranty coverage for certain products, which it accounts for as service warranties. In most cases, the extended warranty is sold as a separate contract. As such, extended warranty sales are considered a separate performance obligation, and the extended warranty transaction is separate and distinct from the product. The extended warranty transaction price is initially recorded as deferred revenue in the consolidated balance sheets and amortized on a straight-line basis to net sales in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income over the life of the contracts following the standard warranty period. For extended warranty contracts that the Company sells under a third-party marketing agreement, it is required to pay fees to the third-party service provider and classifies these fees as costs to obtain a contract. The contract costs are deferred and recorded as other assets in the consolidated balance sheets. The deferred contract costs are amortized to net sales in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income consistent with how the related deferred revenue is recognized. Refer to Note 11, “Product Warranty Obligations,” to the consolidated financial statements for further information regarding the Company’s extended warranties.

In addition to extended warranties, the Company offers other services, including remote monitoring, installation and maintenance services in limited circumstances. Total service revenues account for less than three percent of revenue during the year ended December 31, 2019.

Refer to Note 7, “Segment Reporting,” to the consolidated financial statements for the Company’s disaggregated revenue disclosure. The information discussed above is applicable to each of the Company’s product classes.

Advertising and Co-Op Advertising

Expenditures for advertising, included in selling and service expenses in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income, are expensed as incurred. Expenditures for advertising production costs are expensed when the related advertisement is first run. Total expenditures for advertising were $44,153, $34,792, and $45,926 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively.

Research and Development

The Company expenses research and development costs as incurred. Total expenditures incurred for research and development were $68,394, $50,019, and $42,869 for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2018, and 2017, respectively.

Foreign Currency Translation and Transactions

Balance sheet amounts for non-U.S. Dollar functional currency businesses are translated into U.S. Dollars at the rates of exchange in effect at the end of the fiscal year. Income and expenses incurred in a foreign currency are translated at the average rates of exchange in effect during the year. The related translation adjustments are made directly to accumulated other comprehensive loss, a component of stockholders’ equity, in the consolidated balance sheets. Gains and losses from foreign currency transactions are recognized as incurred in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

ASC 820-10, Fair Value Measurement, defines fair value, establishes a consistent framework for measuring fair value, and expands disclosure for each major asset and liability category measured at fair value on either a recurring basis or nonrecurring basis. ASC 820-10 clarifies that fair value is an exit price, representing the amount that would be received in the sale of an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or liability. As a basis for considering such assumptions, the pronouncement establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value as follows: (Level 1) observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets; (Level 2) inputs, other than the quoted prices in active markets, that are observable either directly or indirectly; and (Level 3) unobservable inputs in which there is little or no market data, which require the reporting entity to develop its own assumptions.

The Company believes the carrying amount of its financial instruments (cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued liabilities, short-term borrowings and ABL facility borrowings), excluding Term Loan borrowings, approximates the fair value of these instruments based upon their short-term nature. The fair value of Term Loan borrowings, which have an aggregate carrying value of $812,953, was approximately $833,092 (Level 2) at December 31, 2019, as calculated based on independent valuations whose inputs and significant value drivers are observable.

For the fair value of the assets and liabilities measured on a recurring basis, refer to the fair value table in Note 5, “Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities,” to the consolidated financial statements. The fair value of all derivative contracts is classified as Level 2. The valuation techniques used to measure the fair value of derivative contracts, all of which have counterparties with high credit ratings, were based on quoted market prices or model driven valuations using significant inputs derived from or corroborated by observable market data. The fair value of derivative contracts considers the Company’s credit risk in accordance with ASC 820-10.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the 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. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities

The Company records all derivatives in accordance with ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging, which requires derivative instruments be reported in the consolidated balance sheets at fair value and establishes criteria for designation and effectiveness of hedging relationships. The Company is exposed to market risk such as changes in commodity prices, foreign currencies and interest rates. The Company does not hold or issue derivative financial instruments for trading purposes. Refer to Item 7A of this Annual Report on Form 10-K for further information on the Company’s derivatives.

Share-Based Compensation

Share-based compensation expense, including stock options and restricted stock awards, is generally recognized on a straight-line basis over the vesting period based on the fair value of awards which are expected to vest. The fair value of all share-based awards is estimated on the date of grant. Refer to Note 17, “Share Plans,” to the consolidated financial statements for further information on the Company’s share-based compensation plans and accounting.

New Accounting Pronouncements

New Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which represents a new credit loss standard that will change the impairment model for most financial assets and certain other financial instruments. Specifically, this guidance will require entities to utilize a new “expected loss” model as it relates to trade and other receivables. In addition, entities will be required to recognize an allowance for estimated credit losses on available-for-sale debt securities, regardless of the length of time that a security has been in an unrealized loss position. This guidance will be effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those annual reporting periods, and early adoption is permitted. The Company has established a project plan and an implementation team to adopt and apply the new standard. The Company is in the process of implementing necessary changes to accounting policies, processes, and controls to enable compliance with this new standard. The Company continues to evaluate the impact the adoption of this standard will have on its consolidated financial statements, and does not believe this new standard will have a material impact.

There are several other new accounting pronouncements issued by the FASB. Each of these pronouncements, as applicable, has been or will be adopted by the Company. Management does not believe any of these accounting pronouncements has had or will have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). This guidance was issued to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by requiring the recognition of lease assets and lease liabilities in the balance sheet and by disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. The Company adopted this standard using the modified retrospective approach as of the date of adoption, meaning no prior period balances were impacted by the adoption. Additionally, the Company elected to adopt the standard using the package of practical expedients permitted under the standard’s transition guidance, which allowed the Company to carry forward its historical lease classifications, and embedded lease and initial direct cost assessments. The adoption of the standard had a material impact on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet primarily related to the recognition of right-of-use (ROU) assets and lease liabilities for operating leases. However, the adoption did not have a material impact on the consolidated statement of comprehensive income and statement of cash flows. Refer to Note 10, “Leases,” for further information regarding the Company’s leases.

On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASU 2018-02, Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income. This guidance was issued to address the impact of the change in the U.S. federal corporate income tax rate from the 2017 U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) on items recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI). This guidance allows companies to reclassify to retained earnings the stranded tax effects lodged in AOCI as a result of the Tax Act. Upon adoption of the ASU, the Company elected to not reclassify the stranded income tax effects from AOCI to retained earnings.

On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging – Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities. This guidance was issued to improve the financial reporting of hedging relationships to better portray the economic results of an entity’s risk management activities in its financial statements and to make certain targeted improvements to simplify the application of the hedge accounting guidance. The adoption of this standard did not have an impact on the Company’s hedging strategies, and did not have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations and financial position.

On April 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASU 2018-15, Intangibles – Goodwill and Other – Internal-Use Software: Customer’s Accounting for Implementation Costs Incurred in a Cloud Computing Arrangement That is a Service Contract. This guidance was issued to address the diversity in practice related to the accounting for costs of implementation activities performed in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract. The Company adopted this standard prospectively, impacting all implementation costs incurred after adoption. The adoption did not have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations and financial position.