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Accounting Policies (Policies)
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2024
Accounting Policies

1.  In the opinion of the Company, the accompanying unaudited interim financial statements contain all adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial position of the Company as of March 31, 2024 (unaudited) and December 31, 2023 (audited) and the results of operations and changes in cash flows for the indicated periods.  Certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been omitted from these unaudited financial statements in accordance with applicable rules. Please refer to the financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles 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 financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.  The results of operations for the three month period ended March 31, 2024 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year.

 

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures, which requires a public entity to disclose its significant segment expense categories and amounts for each reportable segment.  The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024.  The Company is evaluating the impact of this ASU.  

 

In December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, to enhance the transparency and decision usefulness of income tax disclosures providing investors with information to better assess how an entity’s operations and related tax risks and tax planning and operational opportunities affect its tax rate and prospects for future cash flows. The new guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 31, 2024.  The Company is evaluating the impact that it will have on our consolidated financial statements and disclosures.
Risks and Uncertainties

2.  The Company extends credit on the basis of terms that are customary within our markets to various companies doing business primarily in the automotive industry.  The Company has a concentration of credit risk primarily within the automotive industry and in the Midwestern United States.  The Company has established an allowance for accounts that may become uncollectible in the future.  This estimated allowance is based primarily on management's evaluation of the financial condition of the customer and historical experience.  The Company monitors its accounts receivable and charges to expense an amount equal to its estimate of potential credit losses.  The Company considers a number of factors in determining its estimates, including the length of time its trade accounts receivable are past due, the Company's previous loss history and the customer's current ability to pay its obligation.  The Company also considers current economic conditions, the economic outlook and industry-specific factors in its evaluation.  Accounts receivable balances are charged off against the allowance when it is determined that the receivable will not be recovered.
Commitments and Contingencies

3.  The Company is, from time to time, involved in litigation, including environmental claims and contract disputes, in the normal course of business.  While it is not possible at this time to establish the ultimate amount of liability with respect to contingent liabilities, including those related to legal proceedings, management is of the opinion that the aggregate amount of any such liabilities, for which provision has not been made, will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial position, liquidity, results of operations or cash flows.

 

The Company recognizes a provision if it is probable that an outflow of cash or other economic resources that can be reliably measured will be required to settle the provision. In determining the likelihood and timing of potential cash outflows, management needs to make estimates, the assessment of which is based in part on internal and external financial and legal guidance and other related factors. For contingencies, the Company is required to exercise significant judgement to determine whether the risk of loss is possible but not probable. Contingencies involve inherent uncertainties including, but not limited to, negotiations between affected parties, among other factors, and the amount of actual loss may be significantly more or less that what was provided for with respect to such contingencies.

 

The Company was recently notified by one of its customers that certain fasteners manufactured by the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, H&L Tool Company Inc., may not conform to customer specifications.  These fasteners become part of an assembly that is ultimately used in the braking system of certain vehicles.  Based on information provided to the Company by the customer and the Company’s internal review, which is ongoing, we understand that it was necessary for the customer to identify and sort the non-conforming parts in its inventory and take certain other related actions as a result of the alleged non-conforming parts. The customer has also indicated that its end customer has incurred costs relating to the alleged defective part, including costs to repair certain of the vehicles that included these non-conforming fasteners.  Based on discussions with our customer as to the scope of the actions taken by the customer to date and the Company’s own internal analysis to date, we determined an estimate of $243,000 as a contingent liability in our financial statements during the three months ended March 31, 2024, in anticipation of potential reimbursement of certain expenses that the customer may have incurred as a result of the non-conforming parts. Our discussions with the customer and our internal review process are ongoing, and the ultimate amount of such liability, if any, may be more or less than the amount reflected in the financial statements for the first quarter of 2024.

 

The Company may also incur additional potentially significant costs related to this issue, which could materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.  At this time, the Company is continuing its investigation and cannot quantify potential additional financial liability, if any, due to the ultimate costs that may or may not be incurred by the parties involved in this matter, and the allocation of those costs among the parties involved. It is not possible at this time to establish the ultimate amount of any such contingent liabilities, including those related to any legal proceedings that may result related to this matter. Accordingly, no additional amount has been accrued in our financial statements at March 31, 2024.
Revenue

4.  Revenue—The Company operates in the fastener industry and is in the business of producing and selling rivets, cold-formed fasteners and parts, screw machine products, automatic rivet setting machines and parts and tools for such machines.  Revenue is recognized when control of the promised goods or services is transferred to our customers, generally upon shipment of goods or completion of services, in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to receive in exchange for those goods or services.  For certain assembly equipment segment transactions, revenue is recognized based on progress toward completion of the performance obligation using a labor-based measure.  Labor incurred and specific material costs are compared to milestone payments per sales contract.  Based on our experience, this method most accurately reflects the transfer of goods under such contracts.  During the first quarter of 2024, the Company realized revenue of $106,500 related to such contracts and has a remaining performance obligation of $16,600 which is expected to be recognized in the next three months.

 

Sales taxes we may collect concurrent with revenue producing activities are excluded from revenue.  Revenue is recognized net of certain sales adjustments to arrive at net sales as reported on the statement of operations.  These adjustments primarily relate to customer returns and allowances, which vary over time.  The Company records a liability and reduction in sales for estimated product returns based upon historical experience.  If we determine that our obligation under warranty claims is probable and subject to reasonable determination, an estimate of that liability is recorded as an offset against revenue at that time.  As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 reserves for warranty claims were not material.  Cash received by the Company prior to transfer of control is recorded as unearned revenue.

 

Shipping and handling fees billed to customers are recognized in net sales, and related costs as cost of sales, when incurred.

 

Sales commissions are expensed when incurred because the amortization period is less than one year.  These costs are recorded within selling and administrative expenses in the statement of operations.

 
Income Taxes

5.  The Company’s effective tax rates were approximately 22.9% and 20.9% for the first quarter of 2024 and 2023, respectively.

 

The Company’s federal income tax returns for the 2020 through 2023 tax years are subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”).  Management does not anticipate any adjustments that would result in a material change to the results of operations or financial condition of the Company.  No statutes of limitation have been extended on any of the Company’s federal income tax filings. The statute of limitations on the Company’s 2020 through 2023 federal income tax returns will expire on September 15, 2024 through 2027, respectively.

 

The Company’s state income tax returns for the 2020 through 2023 tax years remain subject to examination by various state authorities with the latest closing period on October 31, 2027.  The Company is not currently under examination by any state authority for income tax purposes and no statutes of limitation for state income tax filings have been extended.
Inventories

6.  Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value, cost being determined by the first-in, first-out method.
Segment Reporting

7.  Segment Information—The Company operates in two business segments as determined by its products.  The fastener segment includes rivets, cold-formed fasteners and parts and screw machine products.  The assembly equipment segment includes automatic rivet setting machines and parts and tools for such machines.