Significant accounting policies

12 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2011

Significant accounting policies [Abstract]

Significant accounting policies

Note 1 — Significant accounting policies

Consolidation — The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Nordson Corporation and majority-owned and controlled subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of estimates — The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and notes. Actual amounts could differ from these estimates.

Fiscal year — Our fiscal year ends on October 31.

Revenue recognition — Most of our revenues are recognized upon shipment, provided that persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the sales price is fixed or determinable, collectibility is reasonably assured, and title and risk of loss have passed to the customer. In October 2009, the FASB issued an accounting standard update on multiple deliverable arrangements, which we adopted effective November 1, 2010. This accounting standard update establishes a relative selling price hierarchy for determining the selling price of a deliverable based on vendor specific objective evidence (VSOE) if available, third-party evidence (TPE) if vendor-specific objective evidence is not available, or best estimated selling price (BESP) if neither vendor-specific objective evidence nor third-party evidence is available. Our multiple deliverable arrangements include installation, installation supervision, training, and spare parts, which tend to be completed in a short period of time, at an insignificant cost, and utilizing skills not unique to us, and, therefore, are typically regarded as inconsequential or perfunctory. Revenue for undelivered items is deferred and included within accrued liabilities in the accompanying balance sheet. Revenues deferred in 2011, 2010 and 2009 were not material. The requirements of this standard did not significantly change our units of accounting or how we allocate arrangement consideration to various units of accounting. The adoption of this standard had no material impact on our financial position or results of operations.

Shipping and handling costs — Amounts billed to customers for shipping and handling are recorded as revenue. Shipping and handling expenses are included in cost of sales.

Advertising costs — Advertising costs are expensed as incurred and were $9,008, $8,267 and $6,512 in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Research and development — Research and development costs are expensed as incurred and were $26,997, $23,835 and $25,528 in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Earnings per share — Basic earnings per share are computed based on the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during each year, while diluted earnings per share are based on the weighted-average number of common shares and common share equivalents outstanding. Common share equivalents consist of shares issuable upon exercise of stock options computed using the treasury stock method, as well as nonvested (restricted) stock and deferred stock-based compensation. Options whose exercise price is higher than the average market price are excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share because the effect would be anti-dilutive. Options for 71 common shares were excluded from the 2011 calculation, and for 2010, options for 17 common shares were excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share, because their effect would have been anti-dilutive. When a loss is reported the denominator of diluted earnings per share cannot be adjusted for the dilutive impact of stock options and awards because doing so will result in anti-dilution. Therefore, for 2009, basic weighted-average shares outstanding are used in calculating diluted earnings per share.

Cash and cash equivalents — Highly liquid instruments with maturities of 90 days or less at date of purchase are considered to be cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents are carried at cost.

Marketable securities — Marketable securities consist primarily of short-term notes with maturities greater than 90 days at date of purchase, and all contractual maturities were within one year or could be callable within one year. Our marketable securities are classified as available for sale and are recorded at quoted market prices that approximate cost.

Allowance for doubtful accounts — An allowance for doubtful accounts is maintained for estimated losses resulting from the inability of customers to make required payments. The amount of the allowance is determined principally on the basis of past collection experience and known factors regarding specific customers. Accounts are written off against the allowance when it becomes evident that collection will not occur.

Inventories — Inventories are valued at the lower of cost or market. Cost was determined using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method for 26 percent of consolidated inventories at October 31, 2011, and 25 percent at October 31, 2010. The first-in, first-out (FIFO) method is used for all other inventories. Consolidated inventories would have been $6,779 and $7,855 higher than reported at October 31, 2011 and October 31, 2010, respectively, had the FIFO method, which approximates current cost, been used for valuation of all inventories. LIFO liquidations in 2009 increased cost of goods sold by $85.

Property, plant and equipment and depreciation — Property, plant and equipment are carried at cost. Additions and improvements that extend the lives of assets are capitalized, while expenditures for repairs and maintenance are expensed as incurred. Plant and equipment are depreciated for financial reporting purposes using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets or, in the case of property under capital leases, over the terms of the leases. Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of the lease term or their useful lives. Useful lives are as follows:

Land improvements	15-25 years
Buildings	20-40 years
Machinery and equipment	3-12 years
Enterprise management systems	5-13 years

Depreciation expense is included in cost of sales and selling and administrative expenses.

Internal use software costs are expensed or capitalized depending on whether they are incurred in the preliminary project stage, application development stage or the post-implementation stage. Amounts capitalized are amortized over the estimated useful lives of the software beginning with the project’s completion. All re-engineering costs are expensed as incurred. Interest costs on significant capital projects are capitalized. No interest was capitalized in 2011, 2010 or 2009.

Goodwill and intangible assets — Goodwill is the excess of cost of an acquired entity over the amounts assigned to assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination. The majority of goodwill relates to and is assigned directly to specific reporting units. Goodwill is not amortized but is subject to annual impairment testing. Our annual impairment testing is performed as of August 1. Testing is done more frequently if an event occurs or circumstances change that would indicate the fair value of a reporting unit is less than the carrying amount of those assets.

Other amortizable intangible assets, which consist primarily of patent/technology costs, customer relationships, noncompete agreements, and trade names, are amortized over their useful lives on a straight-line basis. At October 31, 2011, the weighted average useful lives for each major category of amortizable intangible assets were:

Patent/technology costs	13.5 years
Customer relationships	19.5 years
Noncompete agreements	7.4 years
Trade names	18.1 years

Foreign currency translation — The financial statements of subsidiaries outside the United States are generally measured using the local currency as the functional currency. Assets and liabilities of these subsidiaries are translated at the rates of exchange at the balance sheet dates. Income and expense items are translated at average monthly rates of exchange. The resulting translation adjustments are included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), a separate component of shareholders’ equity. Generally, gains and losses from foreign currency transactions, including forward contracts, of these subsidiaries and the United States parent are included in net income. Gains and losses from intercompany foreign currency transactions of a long-term investment nature are included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).

Accumulated other comprehensive loss — Accumulated other comprehensive loss at October 31, 2011 and 2010, consisted of:

	2011			2010
Translation adjustments	$	37,040		$	36,478
Pension and postretirement benefit plan adjustments		(117,052	)		(102,784	)
	$	(80,012	)	$	(66,306	)

Warranties — Our standard warranty program provides for repair or replacement of defective products within a specified time period (generally one year) measured from the date of delivery or first use. The estimate for future warranty-related costs is calculated based on actual historical return rates. Based on analysis of return rates and other factors, warranty provisions are adjusted as necessary. The liability for warranty costs is included in other accrued liabilities in the Consolidated Balance Sheet.

Following is a reconciliation of the product warranty liability for 2011 and 2010:

	2011			2010
Balance at beginning of year	$	5,242		$	4,587
Accruals for warranties		7,217			6,068
Warranty assumed from acquisition		72			60
Warranty of divested product lines		—			(201	)
Warranty payments		(6,017	)		(5,210	)
Currency adjustments		14			(62	)
Balance at end of year	$	6,528		$	5,242

Presentation — Certain amounts for 2010 and 2009 have been reclassified to conform to 2011 presentation.