Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

1.   SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

BASIS OF CONSOLIDATION:    The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Friedman Industries, Incorporated and its subsidiary (collectively, the “Company”). All material intercompany amounts and transactions have been eliminated.

REVENUE RECOGNITION:    Revenues are recognized upon shipment of products. The terms of shipments made by the Company are free on board shipping point.

TRADE RECEIVABLES:    The Company’s receivables are recorded when billed, advanced or accrued and represent claims against third parties that will be settled in cash. The carrying value of the Company’s receivables, net of the allowance for doubtful accounts and cash discounts allowed, represents their estimated net realizable value. The Company estimates its allowance for doubtful accounts based on historical collection trends, the age of outstanding receivables and existing economic conditions. Trade receivables are generally considered past due after 30 days from invoice date. Past-due receivable balances are written-off when the Company’s internal collection efforts have been unsuccessful in collecting the amount due.

INVENTORIES:    Inventories consist of prime coil, non-standard coil and tubular materials. Prime coil inventory consists primarily of raw materials, non-standard coil inventory consists primarily of finished goods and tubular inventory consists of both raw materials and finished goods. Inventories are valued at the lower of cost or replacement market. Cost for prime coil inventory is determined under the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method. At March 31, 2012 and March 31, 2011, replacement cost exceeded LIFO cost by approximately $8,880,000 and $10,860,000, respectively. Cost for non-standard coil inventory is determined using the specific identification method. Cost for tubular inventory is determined using the weighted average method. Obsolete or slow-moving inventories are not significant based on the Company’s review of inventories. Accordingly, no allowance has been provided for such items.

The following is a summary of inventory by product group:

	March 31
	2012		2011
Prime coil inventory	$	8,562,607	$	7,239,465
Non-standard coil inventory		1,853,445		1,722,224
Tubular raw material		6,859,871		6,086,291
Tubular finished goods		19,477,757		19,631,290
	$	36,753,680	$	34,679,270

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT:    Property, plant and equipment is stated at cost. Depreciation is calculated primarily by the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the various classes of assets as follows:

Buildings	20 years
Machinery and equipment	10 years
Yard improvements	5 to 10 years
Loaders and other rolling stock	5 to 10 years

Interest costs related to construction projects were not capitalized as part of the cost of fixed assets for the years presented. The Company reviews its long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amount may not be recoverable. No impairments were necessary at March 31, 2012 or 2011.

Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred.

SHIPPING COSTS:    Sales are credited for freight billed to customers and freight costs are charged to cost of products sold.

SUPPLEMENTAL CASH FLOW INFORMATION:    The Company paid no interest in 2012 or 2011. The Company paid income taxes of approximately $4,329,000 and $3,738,000 in fiscal 2012 and 2011, respectively. In fiscal 2012 and 2011, noncash financing activity consisted of accrued dividends of $3,535,710 and $5,711,533, respectively.

INCOME TAXES:    The Company accounts for income taxes under the liability method, whereby the Company recognizes, on a current and long-term basis, deferred tax assets and liabilities which represent differences between the financial and income tax reporting bases of its assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on temporary differences between income and expenses reported for financial reporting and tax reporting. The Company has assessed, using all available positive and negative evidences, the likelihood that the deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable income.

The Company has also analyzed tax positions taken on tax returns filed and does not believe that any are more likely than not to be overturned by the respective tax jurisdiction. Therefore, no liability for uncertain tax positions has been recognized.

USE OF ESTIMATES:    The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS:    Since the Company’s financial instruments are considered short-term in nature, their carrying values approximate fair value.

EARNINGS PER SHARE:    Net income per basic common share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Net income per diluted common share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares and potential common shares outstanding during the period. Potential common shares result from the assumed exercise of outstanding common stock options having a dilutive effect using the treasury stock method.

ECONOMIC RELATIONSHIP:    U.S. Steel Tubular Products, Inc. (“USS”) and Nucor Steel Company supply a significant amount of steel products to the Company. Loss of either of these mills as a source of supply could have a material adverse effect on the Company. Additionally, the Company derives revenue by selling a substantial amount of its manufactured pipe to USS. Total sales to USS were approximately 24% and 20% of total Company sales in fiscal 2012 and 2011, respectively. Loss of USS as a customer could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business. Other than USS, no customer accounted for 10% or more of total sales in the two years ended March 31, 2012.

The Company’s sales are concentrated primarily in the midwestern, southwestern, and southeastern sections of the United States and are primarily to customers in the steel distributing and fabricating industries. The Company performs periodic credit evaluations of the financial conditions of its customers and generally does not require collateral. Generally, receivables are due within 30 days.

NEW ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS:

There were no new accounting pronouncements that affected the financial statements and disclosures of the Company for the fiscal years ended March 31, 2012 or 2011.