Note 2 - Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2013

Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Revenues include construction, engineering and installation revenues that are recognized using the percentage-of-completion method of accounting in the ratio of costs incurred to estimated final costs. Revenues from change orders, extra work and variations in the scope of work are recognized when it is probable that they will result in additional contract revenue and when the amount can be reliably estimated. During the first nine months of 2013, the Company recorded revenue related to claims in its discontinued operations, which has been determined to be probable and reasonably estimated. The amount of this revenue is immaterial to the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Contract costs include all direct material and labor costs and those indirect costs related to contract performance, such as indirect labor, supplies, tools and equipment costs. The Company expenses all pre-contract costs in the period these costs are incurred. Since the financial reporting of these contracts depends on estimates, which are assessed continually during the term of these contracts, recognized revenues and profit are subject to revisions as the contract progresses to completion. Revisions in profit estimates are reflected in the period in which the facts that give rise to the revision become known. If material, the effects of any changes in estimates are disclosed in the notes to the consolidated financial statements. When estimates indicate that a loss will be incurred on a contract, a provision for the expected loss is recorded in the period in which the loss becomes evident. Revenues from change orders, extra work and variations in the scope of work are recognized when it is probable that they will result in additional contract revenue and when the amount can be reliably estimated. Any revenue recognized is only to the extent costs have been recognized in the period. Additionally, the Company expenses all costs for unpriced change orders in the period in which they are incurred.

Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations Policy [Policy Text Block]

For the Company’s international subsidiaries, the local currency is generally the functional currency. Assets and liabilities of these subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars using rates in effect at the balance sheet date while revenues and expenses are translated into U.S. dollars using average exchange rates. The cumulative translation adjustment resulting from changes in exchange rates are included in the consolidated balance sheets as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in total stockholders’ equity. Net foreign exchange transaction gains (losses) are included in other income (expense) in the consolidated statements of operations.

The Company’s accumulated other comprehensive income is comprised of three main components: (i) currency translation; (ii) derivatives; and (iii) gains and losses associated with the Company’s defined benefit plan in the United Kingdom.

Equity Method Investments, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Investments in entities in which the Company does not have control or is not the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity, and for which the Company has 20% to 50% ownership or has the ability to exert significant influence, are accounted for by the equity method.

Consolidation, Variable Interest Entity, Policy [Policy Text Block]

The Company evaluates all transactions and relationships with variable interest entities (“VIE”) to determine whether the Company is the primary beneficiary of the entities in accordance with FASB ASC 810, Consolidation.

The Company’s overall methodology for evaluating transactions and relationships under the VIE requirements includes the following two steps:


•	determine whether the entity meets the criteria to qualify as a VIE; and


•	determine whether the Company is the primary beneficiary of the VIE.

In performing the first step, the significant factors and judgments that the Company considers in making the determination as to whether an entity is a VIE include:


•	the design of the entity, including the nature of its risks and the purpose for which the entity was created, to determine the variability that the entity was designed to create and distribute to its interest holders;


•	the nature of the Company’s involvement with the entity;


•	whether control of the entity may be achieved through arrangements that do not involve voting equity;


•	whether there is sufficient equity investment at risk to finance the activities of the entity; and


•	whether parties other than the equity holders have the obligation to absorb expected losses or the right to receive residual returns.

If the Company identifies a VIE based on the above considerations, it then performs the second step and evaluates whether it is the primary beneficiary of the VIE by considering the following significant factors and judgments:


•	whether the entity has the power to direct the activities of a variable interest entity that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance; and


•	whether the entity has the obligation to absorb losses of the entity that could potentially be significant to the variable interest entity or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the variable interest entity.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

ASU No. 2013-1 updates standard ASU No. 2011-11 and provides guidance to implement the balance sheet offsetting disclosures that require the presentation of gross and net information about transactions that are (1) offset in the financial statements or (2) subject to an enforceable master netting arrangement or similar agreement, regardless of whether the transactions are actually offset in the statement of financial position. The disclosure requirements are effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013, and interim periods within those annual periods. Refer to Note 10 for discussion of the new accounting pronouncement.

ASU No. 2013-2 generally provides guidance to improve the reporting of reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income to various components in the income statement. This standard requires an entity to present either parenthetically on the face of the financial statements or in the notes, significant amounts reclassified from each component of accumulated other comprehensive income and the income statement line items affected by the reclassification. ASU 2013-2 was effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2012. The Company evaluated this pronouncement effective January 1, 2013 and determined reclassifications out of accumulated other comprehensive income to various components in the income statement is immaterial to the financial statements to the Company. Refer to Note 10 for discussion of the new accounting pronouncement.

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for consolidation to describe the significant judgments and assumptions made in determining whether a variable interest held by the entity requires the variable interest entity to be consolidated and (or) disclose information about its involvement with the variable interest entity; the methodology used by the entity for determining whether or not it is the primary beneficiary of the variable interest entity; and the significant factors considered and judgments made in determining that the power to direct the activities that significantly impact the economic performance of the variable interest entity are shared (as defined).

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- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for the equity method of accounting for investments in common stock or other interests including unconsolidated subsidiaries, corporate joint ventures, noncontrolling interests in real estate ventures, limited partnerships, and limited liability companies. The accounting policy may include information such as: (1) initially recording an investment in the stock of an investee at cost; (2) adjusting the carrying amount of the investment to recognize the investor's share of the earnings or losses of the investee after the date of acquisition; and (3) adjustments to reflect the investor's share of changes in the investee's capital (dividends). This disclosure may also include a detailed description of the policy for determining the amount of equity method losses recognized after an investment has been reduced to zero as a result of previous losses, reasons for not using the equity method when the investor company owns 20 percent or more of the voting stock of the investee's company (including identification of the significant investee), reasons for using the equity method when the ownership percentage is less than 20 percent, and discussion of recognition of equity method losses when an investor's total investment in an investee includes, in addition to an investment in common stock, other investments such as preferred stock and loans to the investee. An entity also may describe how such investments are assessed for impairment.

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- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for (1) transactions denominated in a currency other than the reporting enterprise's functional currency, (2) translating foreign currency financial statements that are incorporated into the financial statements of the reporting enterprise by consolidation, combination, or the equity method of accounting, and (3) remeasurement of the financial statements of a foreign reporting enterprise in a hyperinflationary economy.

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- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for revenue recognition. If the entity has different policies for different types of revenue transactions, the policy for each material type of transaction is generally disclosed. If a sales transaction has multiple element arrangements (for example, delivery of multiple products, services or the rights to use assets) the disclosure may indicate the accounting policy for each unit of accounting as well as how units of accounting are determined and valued. The disclosure may encompass important judgment as to appropriateness of principles related to recognition of revenue. The disclosure also may indicate the entity's treatment of any unearned or deferred revenue that arises from the transaction.

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