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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2014

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Myers Industries, Inc. and all wholly owned subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”). All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. All subsidiaries that are not wholly owned and are not included in the consolidated operating results of the Company are immaterial investments which have been accounted for under the equity and cost method. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures at the date of the financial statements and the reported amount of revenues and expenses during the reported period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Reclassification

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting Pronouncements Not Yet Adopted

In April 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2014-08, Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity. This guidance states that the disposal of a component of an entity is to be reported in discontinued operations only if the disposal represents a strategic shift that has (or will have) a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results. The pronouncement also requires additional disclosures regarding individually significant disposals of components that do not meet the criteria to be recognized as a discontinued operation as well as additional and expanded disclosures. This ASU will be effective for the Company for applicable transactions occurring after January 1, 2015. We will prospectively apply the guidance to applicable transactions. The Lawn and Garden transaction described in Note 4 is not subject to this guidance.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, to clarify the principles used to recognize revenue for all entities. Under ASU 2014-09, a company will recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The new guidance is effective for the Company on January 1, 2017 with early adoption not permitted. Entities can transition to the standard either retrospectively or as a cumulative effect adjustment as of the adoption date. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements as well as the method by which the Company will adopt the new standard.

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, Disclosure of Uncertainties About an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern. The new standard provides guidance on determining when and how to disclose going-concern uncertainties in the financial statements. Under ASU 2014-15, management will be required to perform interim and annual assessments of the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year of the date the financial statements are issued. ASU 2014-15 is effective for annual periods ending after December 15, 2016, and interim periods thereafter, with early adoption permitted. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have an impact on the Company’s financial statement disclosures.

Translation of Foreign Currencies

All asset and liability accounts of consolidated foreign subsidiaries are translated at the current exchange rate as of the end of the accounting period and income statement items are translated monthly at an average currency exchange rate for the period. The resulting translation adjustment is recorded in other comprehensive income (loss) as a separate component of shareholders' equity.

Fair Value Measurement

The Company follows guidance included in ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures ("ASC 820"), for its financial assets and liabilities, as required. The guidance established a common definition for fair value to be applied to U.S. GAAP requiring the use of fair value, established a framework for measuring fair value, and expanded disclosure requirements about such fair value measurements. The guidance did not require any new fair value measurements, but rather applied to all other accounting pronouncements that require or permit fair value measurements. Under ASC 820, the hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value is divided into three levels:


Level 1:	Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.


Level 2:	Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities, unadjusted quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active or inputs that are observable either directly or indirectly.


Level 3:	Unobservable inputs for which there is little or no market data or which reflect the entity’s own assumptions.

The fair value of the Company’s cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses are considered to have a fair value which approximates carrying value due to the nature and relative short maturity of these assets and liabilities.

The fair value of debt under the Company’s Loan Agreement approximates carrying value due to the floating rates and relative short maturity (less than 90 days) of the revolving borrowings under this agreement. The fair value of the Company’s fixed rate senior unsecured notes was estimated using market observable inputs for the Company’s comparable peers with public debt, including quoted prices in active markets and interest rate measurements which are considered level 2 inputs. At December 31, 2014, the aggregate fair value of the Company's $100.0 million fixed rate senior unsecured notes was estimated at $106.8 million.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk primarily consist of trade accounts receivable. The concentration of accounts receivable credit risk is generally limited based on the Company’s diversified operations, with customers spread across many industries and countries. The Company’s largest single customer in 2014 accounts for approximately 5% of total sales with only one other customer greater than 3%. Outside of the United States, only Brazil and Canada, which account for approximately 8% and 6% of total sales, respectively, are significant to the Company’s operations. In addition, management has established certain requirements that customers must meet before credit is extended. The financial condition of customers is continually monitored and collateral is usually not required. The Company evaluates the collectability of accounts receivable based on a combination of factors. In circumstances where the Company is aware of a specific customer’s inability to meet its financial obligations, a specific allowance for doubtful accounts is recorded against amounts due to reduce the net recognized receivable to the amount the Company reasonably believes will be collected. Additionally, the Company also reviews historical trends for collectability in determining an estimate for its allowance for doubtful accounts. If economic circumstances change substantially, estimates of the recoverability of amounts due the Company could be reduced by a material amount. Expense (income) related to bad debts was approximately $0.4 million, $0.5 million and $(0.8) million for the years 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. Deductions from the allowance for doubtful accounts, net of recoveries, were approximately $0.9 million, $0.8 million and $0.1 million for the years 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. Approximately 30 percent of our inventories are valued using the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method of determining cost. All other inventories are valued at the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method of determining cost.

If the FIFO method of inventory cost valuation had been used exclusively by the Company, inventories would have been $6.8 million, $8.1 million and $8.7 million higher than reported at December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively. The liquidation of LIFO inventories decreased cost of sales and increased income from continuing operations before income taxes by less than $0.4 million in 2014, and $0.1 million and $0.4 million in 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment are carried at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. The Company provides for depreciation and amortization on the basis of the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets as follows:



Buildings	20 to 40 years
Machinery and Equipment	3 to 10 years
Vehicles	1 to 3 years
Leasehold Improvements	5 to 10 years

At December 31, 2014, the Company had approximately $2.1 million and $3.1 million of capitalized software costs included in machinery and equipment on the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Financial Position in 2014 and 2013, respectively. Amortization expense related to capitalized software costs was approximately $0.3 million and $0.1 million in 2014 and 2013, respectively.

Long-Lived Assets

The Company reviews its long-lived assets and identifiable intangible assets with finite lives for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Determination of potential impairment related to assets to be held and used is based upon undiscounted future cash flows resulting from the use and ultimate disposition of the asset. For assets held for disposal, the amount of potential impairment may be based upon appraisal of the asset, estimated market value of similar assets or estimated cash flow from the disposition of the asset. Refer to Note 4 for discussion of the Lawn and Garden business 2014 impairment charge.

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenues from the sale of products, net of actual and estimated returns, at the point of passage of title and risk of loss, which is generally at time of shipment, and collectability of the fixed or determinable sales price is reasonably assured.

Shipping and Handling

Shipping and handling expenses are primarily classified as selling expenses in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company incurred shipping and handling costs of approximately $19.4 million, $17.1 million and $16.6 million for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Stock Based Compensation

The Company has stock plans that provide for the granting of stock-based compensation to employees and to non-employee directors. Shares are issued upon exercise from authorized, unissued shares. The Company records the costs of the plan under the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation — Stock Compensation. For transactions in which we obtain employee services in exchange for an award of equity instruments, we measure the cost of the services based on the grant date fair value of the award. The Company recognizes the cost over the period during which an employee is required to provide services in exchange for the award, referred to as the requisite service period (usually the vesting period).

Income Taxes

Income taxes are accounted for under the liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those differences are expected to be received or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.

The Company evaluates its tax positions in accordance with ASC 740, Income Taxes ("ASC 740"). ASC 740 provides detailed guidance for the financial statement recognition, measurement and disclosure of uncertain tax positions recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements. Income tax positions must meet a more-likely-than-not recognition threshold at the effective date to be recognized under ASC 740. The Company recognizes potential accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax expense.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid instruments purchased with a maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are stated at cost, which approximates market value. The Company maintains operating cash and reserves for replacement balances in financial institutions which, from time to time, may exceed federally insured limits. The Company periodically assesses the financial condition of these institutions and believes that the risk of loss is minimal.