Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 27, 2014

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Consolidation

Consolidation: The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Moog Inc. and all of our U.S. and foreign subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Fiscal Year

Fiscal Year: Our fiscal year ends on the Saturday that is closest to September 30. The consolidated financial statements include 52 weeks for the years ended September 27, 2014, September 28, 2013 and September 29, 2012.

Operating Cycle

Operating Cycle: Consistent with industry practice, aerospace and defense related inventories, unbilled recoverable costs and profits on long-term contract receivables, customer advances and contract loss reserves include amounts relating to contracts having long production and procurement cycles, portions of which are not expected to be realized or settled within one year.

Foreign Currency Translation

Foreign Currency Translation: Assets and liabilities of subsidiaries that prepare financial statements in currencies other than the U.S. dollar are translated using rates of exchange as of the balance sheet date and the statements of earnings are translated at the average rates of exchange for each reporting period.

Use Of Estimates

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 reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates and assumptions.

Percentage of Completion Method for Contracts

Percentage of completion method for contracts: Revenue representing 34%, 33% and 32% of 2014, 2013 and 2012 sales, respectively, was accounted for using the percentage of completion, cost-to-cost method of accounting. This method of revenue recognition is predominantly used within the Aircraft Controls and Space and Defense Controls segments due to the contractual nature of the business activities, with the exception of their respective aftermarket activities. The contractual arrangements are either firm fixed-price or cost-plus contracts and are primarily with the U.S. Government or its prime subcontractors, foreign governments or commercial aircraft manufacturers, including Boeing and Airbus. The nature of the contractual arrangements includes customers’ requirements for delivery of hardware as well as funded nonrecurring development work in anticipation of follow-on production orders.

Revenue on contracts using the percentage of completion, cost-to-cost method of accounting is recognized as work progresses toward completion as determined by the ratio of cumulative costs incurred to date to estimated total contract costs at completion, multiplied by the total estimated contract revenue, less cumulative revenue recognized in prior periods. Changes in estimates affecting sales, costs and profits are recognized in the period in which the change becomes known using the cumulative catch-up method of accounting, resulting in the cumulative effect of changes reflected in the period. Estimates are reviewed and updated quarterly for substantially all contracts. A significant change in an estimate on one or more contracts could have a material effect on our results of operations.

Occasionally, it is appropriate to combine or segment contracts. Contracts are combined in those limited circumstances when they are negotiated as a package in the same economic environment with an overall profit margin objective and constitute, in essence, an agreement to do a single project. In such cases, revenue and costs are recognized over the performance period of the combined contracts as if they were one. Contracts are segmented in limited circumstances if the customer had the right to accept separate elements of the contract and the total amount of the proposals on the separate components approximated the amount of the proposal on the entire project. For segmented contracts, revenue and costs are recognized as if they were separate contracts over the performance periods of the individual elements or phases.

Contract costs include only allocable, allowable and reasonable costs, as determined in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulations and the related Cost Accounting Standards for applicable U.S. Government contracts, and are included in cost of sales when incurred. The nature of these costs includes development engineering costs and product manufacturing costs including direct material, direct labor, other direct costs and indirect overhead costs. Contract profit is recorded as a result of the revenue recognized less costs incurred in any reporting period. Amounts representing performance incentives, penalties, contract claims or change orders are considered in estimating revenues, costs and profits when they can be reliably estimated and realization is considered probable. Revenue recognized on contracts for unresolved claims or unapproved contract change orders was not material for 2014, 2013 or 2012.

For contracts with anticipated losses at completion, a provision for the entire amount of the estimated remaining loss is charged against income in the period in which the loss becomes known. Contract losses are determined considering all direct and indirect contract costs, exclusive of any selling, general or administrative cost allocations that are treated as period expenses. Loss reserves are more common on firm fixed-price contracts that involve, to varying degrees, the design and development of new and unique controls or control systems to meet the customers’ specifications.

Revenue Recognition

As units are delivered or services are performed: In 2014, 66% of our sales were recognized as units were delivered or as service obligations were satisfied. Revenue is recognized when the risks and rewards of ownership and title to the product are transferred to the customer. When engineering or similar services are performed, revenue is recognized upon completion of the obligation including any delivery of engineering drawings or technical data. This method of revenue recognition is predominantly used within the Industrial Systems, Components and Medical Devices segments, as well as with aftermarket activity. Profits are recorded as costs are relieved from inventory and charged to cost of sales and as revenue is recognized. Inventory costs include all product manufacturing costs such as direct material, direct labor, other direct costs and indirect overhead cost allocations.

Revenue Recognition: We recognize revenue using either the percentage of completion method for contracts or as units are delivered or services are performed.

Shipping and Handling Cost

Shipping and Handling Costs: Shipping and handling costs are included in cost of sales.

Research and Development

Research and Development: Research and development costs are expensed as incurred and include salaries, benefits, consulting, material costs and depreciation.

Bid And Proposal Costs

Bid and Proposal Costs: Bid and proposal costs are expensed as incurred and classified as selling, general and administrative expenses.

Equity-Based Compensation

Equity-Based Compensation: Equity-based compensation expense is included in selling, general and administrative expenses.

Earnings Per Share

Earnings Per Share: Basic and diluted weighted-average shares outstanding are as follows:

	2014	2013	2012
Basic weighted-average shares outstanding	44,362,412	45,335,336	45,246,960
Dilutive effect of equity-based awards	590,025	488,384	471,364
Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding	44,952,437	45,823,720	45,718,324

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents: All highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less are considered cash equivalents.

Allowance For Doubtful Accounts

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts: The allowance for doubtful accounts is based on our assessment of the collectibility of customer accounts. The allowance is determined by considering factors such as historical experience, credit quality, age of the accounts receivable balances and current economic conditions that may affect a customer’s ability to pay.

Inventories

Inventories: Inventories are stated at the lower-of-cost-or-market with cost determined on the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method of valuation.

Property, Plant And Equipment

Property, Plant and Equipment: Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. Plant and equipment are depreciated principally using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, generally 40 years for buildings, 15 years for building improvements, 12 years for furniture and fixtures, 10 years for machinery and equipment, 8 years for tooling and test equipment and 3 to 5 years for computer hardware and software. Leasehold improvements are amortized on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease or the estimated useful life of the asset, whichever is shorter.

Goodwill

Goodwill:We test goodwill for impairment at the reporting unit level on an annual basis or more frequently if an event occurs or circumstances change that indicate that the fair value of a reporting unit is likely to be below its carrying amount.

We may elect to perform a qualitative assessment that considers economic, industry and company-specific factors for all or selected reporting units. If, after completing this assessment, it is determined that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, we proceed to a quantitative test. We may also elect to perform a quantitative test instead of a qualitative test for any or all of our reporting units.

Quantitative testing requires a comparison of the fair value of each reporting unit to its carrying value. We use the discounted cash flow method to estimate the fair value of our reporting units. The discounted cash flow method incorporates various assumptions, the most significant being projected revenue growth rates, operating margins and cash flows, the terminal growth rate and the weighted-average cost of capital. If the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value, goodwill is considered impaired and any loss must be measured. To determine the amount of the impairment loss, the implied fair value of goodwill is determined by assigning a fair value to all of the reporting unit's assets and liabilities, including any unrecognized intangible assets, as if the reporting unit had been acquired in a business combination at fair value. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit goodwill exceeds the implied fair value of that goodwill, an impairment loss would be recognized in an amount equal to that excess.

We recorded a $38,200 goodwill impairment charge in 2013 in our Medical Devices reporting unit. There were no impairment charges recorded in 2014 or 2012.

Acquired Intangible Assets

Acquired Intangible Assets: Acquired identifiable intangible assets are recorded at cost and are amortized over their estimated useful lives.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets: Long-lived assets, including acquired identifiable intangible assets, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of those assets may not be recoverable. We use undiscounted cash flows to determine whether impairment exists and measure any impairment loss using discounted cash flows. In 2014, we recorded a $739 impairment charge in our Industrial Systems segment related to intangible assets from a product line we decided to exit. We also recorded a $1,296 impairment charge in our Medical Devices segment related to equipment from a product line we are no longer pursuing. Both of these charges are included as restructuring in the consolidated statements of earnings. There were no impairment charges recorded in 2013 or 2012.

Product Warranties

Product Warranties: In the ordinary course of business, we warrant our products against defect in design, materials and workmanship typically over periods ranging from twelve to sixty months. We determine warranty reserves needed by product line based on historical experience and current facts and circumstances. Activity in the warranty accrual is summarized as follows:

	2014			2013			2012
Warranty accrual at beginning of year	$	17,429		$	18,859		$	19,247
Additions from acquisitions	—			—			233
Warranties issued during current year	12,611			9,019			9,842
Adjustments to pre-existing warranties	(2,037		)	(1,911		)	(460		)
Reductions for settling warranties	(7,759		)	(8,507		)	(10,016		)
Foreign currency translation	(291		)	(31		)	13
Warranty accrual at end of year	$	19,953		$	17,429		$	18,859

Financial Instruments

Financial Instruments: Our financial instruments consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, receivables, notes payable, accounts payable, long-term debt, interest rate swaps and foreign currency forwards. The carrying values for our financial instruments approximate fair value with the exception at times of long-term debt. We do not hold or issue financial instruments for trading purposes.

We carry derivative instruments on the consolidated balance sheets at fair value, determined by reference to quoted market prices. The accounting for changes in the fair value of a derivative instrument depends on whether it has been designated and qualifies as part of a hedging relationship and, if so, the reason for holding it. Our use of derivative instruments is generally limited to cash flow hedges of certain interest rate risks and minimizing foreign currency exposure on foreign currency transactions, which are typically designated in hedging relationships, and intercompany balances, which are not designated as hedging instruments. Cash flows resulting from forward contracts are accounted for as hedges of identifiable transactions or events and classified in the same category as the cash flows from the items being hedged.

Reclassification, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Reclassifications: Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year's presentation. The Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows has been restated to segregate income taxes from accrued expenses