ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Jan. 31, 2019

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Accounting

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("U.S. GAAP") for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments consisting of normal recurring accruals considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three months ended January 31, 2019 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ending October 31, 2019.

The condensed consolidated balance sheet at October 31, 2018 has been derived from the audited consolidated financial statements at that date, but does not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. For further information, reference is made to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended October 31, 2018.

New Accounting Pronouncements

New Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2017-09, Scope of Modification Accounting, which amends the requirements related to accounting for changes to stock compensation awards. The guidance is effective for annual periods,and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2017, our fiscal 2019. The Company adopted this guidance during the first quarter of fiscal 2019, and it did not have an impact on our consolidated financial statements. The impact this guidance will have on our future consolidated financial statements will depend on the nature and extent of future changes, if any, to the terms and conditions of the Company's Stock Incentive Plan.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which changes the criteria for recognizing revenue. ASU 2014-09 was amended by ASU 2015-14 to defer the effective date by one year. The guidance also modifies the related disclosure requirements, clarifies guidance for multiple-element arrangements and provides guidance for transactions that were not addressed fully in previous guidance. The guidance, as amended, is effective for annual reporting periods, and interim periods within those annual reporting periods, beginning after December 15, 2017, our fiscal 2019. The Company adopted this guidance using the modified retrospective transition method during the first quarter of fiscal 2019, and it did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements. Under the modified retrospective method, prior periods were not adjusted. Additionally, based on our contract assessments, no cumulative-effect adjustment was made to the opening balance of retained earnings. For further information regarding the Company's revenue, refer to Part I, Item 1, Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements, Note 2 - Revenue.

In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07, Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which expands the scope of Topic 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation, to include all share-based payment transactions in which a grantor acquires goods or services to be used or consumed in a grantor's own operations by issuing share-based payment awards. The guidance is effective for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2018, our fiscal 2020. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases. The guidance is intended to increase transparency and comparability among companies by requiring an entity that is a lessee to recognize on the balance sheet the right-of-use assets and lease liabilities arising from all leases with terms, as defined by the guidance, of greater than twelve months. The guidance also requires disclosure of key information about leasing arrangements. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods, and interim periods within those annual reporting periods, beginning after December 15, 2018, our fiscal 2020. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements.

Earnings Per Share

Certain share-based payment awards described in Note 4 - Stock Compensation Plans above entitling holders to receive non-forfeitable dividends before vesting are considered participating securities and thus are included in the calculation of basic earnings per share, to the extent they are dilutive. These awards are included in the calculation of basic earnings per share under the two-class method. The two-class method allocates earnings for the period between common shareholders and other security holders. The participating awards receiving dividends are allocated the same amount of income as if they were vested shares.

Fair Value Of Financial Instruments

The Company holds certain items that are required to be disclosed at fair value, primarily debt instruments. Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. A three-level hierarchy is followed for disclosure to show the extent and level of judgment used to estimate fair value measurements:

Level 1 – Inputs used to measure fair value are unadjusted quoted prices that are available in active markets for the identical assets or liabilities as of the reporting date.

Level 2 – Inputs used to measure fair value, other than quoted prices included in Level 1, are either directly or indirectly observable as of the reporting date through correlation with market data, including quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets and quoted prices in markets that are not active. Level 2 also includes assets and liabilities that are valued using models or other pricing methodologies that do not require significant judgment since the input assumptions used in the models, such as interest rates and volatility factors, are corroborated by readily observable data from actively quoted markets for substantially the full term of the financial instrument.

Level 3 – Inputs used to measure fair value are unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and reflect the use of significant management judgment. These values are generally determined using pricing models for which the assumptions utilize management’s estimates of market participant assumptions.

Commitments and Contingencies

The Company is involved in various other claims and litigation incidental to its business. Although the outcome of these matters cannot be determined with certainty, management, upon the advice of counsel, is of the opinion that the final outcome of currently pending matters, other than those discussed above, should not have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated results of operations or financial position.

The Company recognizes the costs of legal defense for the legal proceedings to which it is a party in the periods incurred. After a considerable analysis of each case, the Company has determined that no accrual is required for any of the foregoing matters as of January 31, 2019. Future reserves may be required if losses are deemed reasonably estimable and probable due to changes in the Company’s assumptions, the effectiveness of legal strategies, or other factors beyond the Company’s control. Future results of operations may be materially affected by the creation of reserves or by accruals of losses to reflect any adverse determinations in these legal proceedings.