NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Nature of Operations. STERIS Corporation, an Ohio corporation, together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and markets infection prevention, contamination control, microbial reduction, and surgical support products and services for healthcare, pharmaceutical, scientific, research, industrial, and governmental Customers throughout the world. As used in this annual report, STERIS Corporation and its subsidiaries together are called “STERIS,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our,” unless otherwise noted.

We operate in three reportable business segments: Healthcare, Life Sciences, and STERIS Isomedix Services (“Isomedix”). We describe our operating segments in note 12. Our fiscal year ends on March 31. References in this Annual Report to a particular “year” or “year-end” mean our fiscal year. The significant accounting policies applied in preparing the accompanying consolidated financial statements of the Company are summarized below:

Principles of Consolidation. The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries. We eliminate inter-company accounts and transactions when we consolidate these accounts.

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 related notes to financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates. On an ongoing basis, we revise the estimates and assumptions as new information becomes available.

Cash Equivalents and Supplemental Cash Flow Information. Cash equivalents are all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased. We invest our excess cash in short-term instruments including money market funds and time deposits with major banks and financial institutions. We select investments in accordance with the criteria established in our investment policy. Our investment policy specifies, among other things, maturity, credit quality and concentration restrictions with the objective of preserving capital and maintaining adequate liquidity.

Information supplementing our Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows is as follows:



Years Ended March 31,	2012		2011		2010
Cash paid during the year for:
Interest	$	12,496	$	12,496	$	13,360
Income taxes	52,213		64,372		61,988
Cash received during the year for income tax refunds	408		3,067		4,864

Revenue Recognition. We recognize revenue for products when ownership passes to the Customer, which is based on contract or shipping terms and for services when the service is provided to the Customer. Our Customers include end users as well as dealers and distributors who market and sell our products. Our revenue is not contingent upon resale by the dealer or distributor. We have no further obligations related to bringing about resale and our standard return and restocking fee policies are applied. Revenues are reported net of sales and value-added taxes collected from Customers.

We also have individual Customer contracts that offer discounted pricing. Dealers and distributors may be offered sales incentives in the form of rebates. We reduce revenue for discounts and estimated returns, rebates, and other similar allowances in the same period the related revenues are recorded. Returns, rebates, and similar allowances are estimated based on historical experience and trend analysis.

In transactions that contain multiple elements, such as when products, maintenance services, and other services are combined, we recognize revenue as each product is delivered or service is provided to the Customer. We allocate the total arrangement consideration to each element based on its relative fair value, based on the price for the product or service when it is sold separately.

We offer preventative maintenance agreements to our Customers with contract terms of one to five years which require us to maintain and repair our products during this time. Amounts received under these Customer contracts are initially recorded as deferred service revenues and then recognized as service revenues ratably over the contract term.

Accounts Receivable. Accounts receivable are presented at their face amount, less allowances for sales returns and uncollectible accounts. Accounts receivable consist of amounts billed and currently due from Customers and amounts earned but unbilled. We generally obtain and perfect security interest in products sold in the United States when we have a concern with the Customer's risk profile.

We maintain an allowance for uncollectible accounts receivable for estimated losses in the collection of amounts owed by Customers. We estimate the allowance based on analyzing a number of factors, including amounts written off historically, Customer payment practices, and general economic conditions. We also analyze significant Customer accounts on a regular basis and record a specific allowance when we become aware of a specific Customer’s inability to pay. As a result, the related accounts receivable are reduced to an amount that we reasonably believe is collectible.

We maintain an allowance for sales returns based upon known returns and estimated returns for both capital equipment and consumables. We estimate returns of capital equipment and consumables based upon recent historical experience less the estimated inventory value of the returned goods.

Inventories, net. Inventories are stated at the lower of their cost or market value. We determine cost based upon a combination of the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) and first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) cost methods. For inventories valued using the LIFO method, we believe that the use of the LIFO method results in a matching of current costs and revenues. Inventories valued using the LIFO method represented approximately 37.7% and 37.3% of total inventories at March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively. Inventory costs include material, labor, and overhead. If we had used only the FIFO method of inventory costing, inventories would have been $18,158 and $17,551 higher than those reported at March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

We review the net realizable value of inventory on an ongoing basis, considering factors such as deterioration, obsolescence, and other items. We record an allowance for estimated losses when the facts and circumstances indicate that particular inventories will not be usable. If future market conditions vary from those projected, and our estimates prove to be inaccurate, we may be required to write-down inventory values and record an adjustment to cost of revenues.

Property, Plant, and Equipment. Our property, plant, and equipment consists of land and land improvements, buildings and leasehold improvements, machinery and equipment, information systems, radioisotope (cobalt-60), and construction in progress. Property, plant, and equipment are presented at cost less accumulated depreciation and depletion. We capitalize additions and improvements. Repairs and maintenance are charged to expense as they are incurred.

Land is not depreciated and construction in progress is not depreciated until placed in service. Depreciation of most assets is computed on the cost less the estimated salvage value by using the straight-line method over the estimated remaining useful lives. Depletion of radioisotope is computed using the annual decay factor of the material, which is similar to the sum-of-the-years-digits method.

We generally depreciate or deplete property, plant, and equipment over the useful lives presented in the following table:



Asset Type	Useful Life (years)
Land improvements	3-40
Buildings and leasehold improvements	2-50
Machinery and equipment	3-35
Information Systems	2-17
Radioisotope (cobalt-60)	20

When we sell, retire, or dispose of property, plant, and equipment, we remove the asset’s cost and accumulated depreciation from our Consolidated Balance Sheets. We recognize the net gain or loss on the sale or disposition in the Consolidated Statements of Income in the period when the transaction occurs.

Interest. We capitalize interest costs incurred during the construction of long-lived assets. We capitalized interest costs of $705 and $574 for the years ended March 31, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Total interest expense for the years ended March 31, 2012, 2011, and 2010 was $12,065, $12,000, and $13,171, respectively.

Identifiable Intangible Assets. Our identifiable intangible assets include product technology rights, trademarks, licenses, and Customer relationships. We record these assets at cost, or when acquired as part of a business acquisition, at estimated fair value. We generally amortize identifiable intangible assets over periods ranging from 5 to 20 years using the straight-line method.

Investments. Investments in marketable securities are stated at fair value. Unrealized gains and losses on marketable securities classified as available-for-sale are recorded in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss).

Asset Impairment Losses. Property, plant, equipment, and identifiable intangible assets are reviewed for impairment when indicators of impairment exist and circumstances indicate that the carrying value of such assets may not be recoverable. Impaired assets are recorded at the lower of carrying value or estimated fair value. We conduct this review on an ongoing basis and, if an impairment exists, we record the loss in the Consolidated Statements of Income during that period.

Acquisitions of Business. Assets acquired and liabilities assumed in a business combination are accounted for at fair value on the date of acquisition. Costs related to the acquisition are expensed as incurred.

Goodwill. We perform our annual impairment test for goodwill in the third quarter of each year. We have early-adopted the provisions of accounting standards update titled "Intangibles - Goodwill and Other: Testing Goodwill for Impairment," which permits us to consider qualitative indicators of the fair value of a reporting unit when it is unlikely that a reporting unit has impaired goodwill. We may also utilize a discounted cash flow analysis that requires certain assumptions and estimates be made regarding market conditions and our future profitability. In those circumstances we test goodwill for impairment by reviewing the book value compared to the fair value at the reporting unit level. We calculate the fair value of our reporting units based on the present value of estimated future cash flows. Considerable management judgment is necessary to evaluate the impact of operating and macroeconomic changes and to estimate future cash flows to measure fair value. Assumptions used in our impairment evaluations, such as forecasted growth rates and cost of capital, are consistent with internal projections and operating plans. We believe such assumptions and estimates are also comparable to those that would be used by other marketplace participants.

SYSTEM 1 Rebate Program. The Accrued SYSTEM 1 Rebate Program (the “Rebate Program”), initially recognized during the first quarter of fiscal 2011, is based upon the quantity of SYSTEM 1 processors eligible for rebates and the estimated value of rebates to be provided upon their return. The rebate portion of the Rebate Program is recognized as contra-revenue consistent with other returns and allowances offered to Customers. The estimated costs to facilitate the disposal of the returned SYSTEM 1 processors is recognized as cost of revenues. Both components are recorded as current liabilities. The key assumptions involved in the estimates associated with the Rebate Program included: the number and age of SYSTEM 1 processors eligible for rebates under the Rebate Program, the number of Customers that would elect to participate in the Rebate Program, the proportion of Customers that would choose each rebate option, and the estimated per unit costs of disposal.

The number and age of SYSTEM 1 processors was estimated based on our historical sales and service records and we initially assumed that 100% of eligible Customers would elect to participate in the Rebate Program. As of March 31, 2012, based upon actual experience to date we estimated that approximately 83% of eligible Customers will ultimately elect to participate in the Rebate Program. In order to estimate the portion of Customers that will choose each available rebate option, we first assessed trends in sales of the proprietary consumable products utilized in the SYSTEM 1 processor. Order and quote data for fiscal 2011 and fiscal 2012 provide indications of the proportion of Customers that are expected to choose each of the other rebate options. The per unit costs associated with disposal are estimated based on the service hours involved and existing freight and disposal contracts.

Self-Insurance Liabilities. We record a liability for self-insured risks that we retain for general and product liabilities, workers’ compensation, and automobile liabilities based on actuarial calculations. We use our historical loss experience and actuarial methods to calculate the liability. This liability includes estimates for both losses and incurred but not reported claims. We review the assumptions used to calculate the estimated liability at least annually to evaluate the adequacy of the amount recorded. We maintain insurance policies to cover losses greater than our estimated liability, which are subject to the terms and conditions of those policies.

We are also self-insured for employee medical claims. We estimate a liability for incurred but not reported claims based upon recent claims experience.

Benefit Plans. We sponsor defined benefit pension and other post-retirement welfare benefit plans for certain current and former employees. We determine our costs and obligations related to these plans by evaluating input from third-party professional advisors. These costs and obligations are affected by assumptions including the discount rate, expected long-term rate of return on plan assets, the annual rate of change in compensation for eligible employees, estimated changes in costs of healthcare benefits, and other factors. We review the assumptions used on an annual basis.

We recognize an asset for the overfunded status or a liability for the underfunded status of defined benefit pension and post-retirement benefit plans in our consolidated balance sheets. This amount is measured as the difference between the fair value of plan assets and the benefit obligation (the projected benefit obligation for pension plans and the accumulated post-retirement benefit obligation for other post-retirement benefit plans). Changes in the funded status of the plans are recorded in other comprehensive income in the year they occur. We measure plan assets and obligations as of the balance sheet date.

We provide additional information about our pension and other post-retirement welfare benefits plans in note 10 to our consolidated financial statements titled, “Benefit Plans.”

Fair Value of Financial Instruments. Except for long-term debt, our financial instruments are highly liquid or have short-term maturities.

We provide additional information about the fair value of our financial instruments in note 18 titled, “Fair Value Measurements.”

Foreign Currency Translation. Most of our international operations use their local currency as their functional currency. Financial statements of international subsidiaries are translated into U.S. dollars using the exchange rate at each balance sheet date for assets and liabilities and a weighted average exchange rate for each period for revenues, expenses, gains and losses. Translation adjustments for international subsidiaries whose local currency is their functional currency are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) within shareholders’ equity. Transaction gains and losses resulting from fluctuations in currency exchange rates on transactions denominated in currencies other than the functional currency are recognized as incurred in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income, except for certain inter-company balances designated as long-term investments.

Forward and Swap Contracts. We enter into foreign currency forward contracts to hedge assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies, including inter-company transactions. We do not use derivative financial instruments for speculative purposes. These contracts are marked to market, with gains and losses recognized within “Selling, general, and administrative expenses” or "Cost of revenues" in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income.

Warranty. Warranties are provided on the sale of certain of our products and services and an accrual for estimated future claims is recorded at the time revenue is recognized. We estimate warranty expense based primarily on historical warranty claim experience.

Shipping and Handling. We record shipping and handling costs in costs of revenues. Shipping and handling costs charged to Customers are recorded as revenues in the period the product revenues are recognized.

Advertising Expenses. Costs incurred for communicating, advertising and promoting our products are generally expensed when incurred as a component of Selling, General and Administrative Expense. We incurred $5,857, $6,013, and $6,468 of advertising costs during the years ended March 31, 2012, 2011, and 2010, respectively.

Research and Development. We incur research and development costs associated with commercial products and expense these costs as incurred. If a Customer reimburses us for research and development costs, the costs are charged to the related contracts as costs of revenues.

Income Taxes. Our income tax expense includes United States federal, state and local, and foreign income taxes, and is based on reported pre-tax income. We defer income taxes for all temporary differences between pre-tax financial and taxable income and between the book and tax basis of assets and liabilities. We record valuation allowances to reduce net deferred tax assets to an amount that we expect will more-likely-than-not be realized. In making such a determination, we consider all available information, including scheduled reversals of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income, tax planning strategies, and recent financial operations. In the event we were to determine that we would be able to realize our deferred income tax assets in the future in excess of their net recorded amount, we would make an adjustment to the valuation allowance which would reduce the provision for income taxes and the effective tax rate.

We evaluate uncertain tax positions in accordance with a two-step process. The first step is recognition: The determination of whether or not it is more-likely-than-not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination, including resolution of any related appeals or litigation processes, based on the technical merits of the position. In evaluating whether a tax position has met the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold, we presume that the position will be examined by the appropriate tax authority and that the tax authority will have full knowledge of all relevant information. The second step is measurement: A tax position that meets the more-likely-than-not threshold is measured to determine the amount of benefit to recognize in the financial statements. The measurement process requires the determination of the range of possible settlement amounts and the probability of achieving each of the possible settlements. The tax position is measured at the largest amount of benefit that is greater than fifty percent likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. No tax benefits are recognized for positions that do not meet the more-likely-than-not threshold. Tax positions that previously failed to meet the more-likely-than-not threshold should be recognized in the first subsequent financial reporting period in which that threshold is met. Previously recognized tax positions that no longer meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold should be derecognized in the first subsequent financial reporting period in which the threshold is no longer met.

We describe income taxes further in note 9 to our consolidated financial statements titled, “Income Taxes.”

Share-Based Compensation. We describe share-based compensation in note 15 to our consolidated financial statements titled, “Share-Based Compensation.” We measure the cost of employee services received in exchange for an award of equity instruments based on the grant-date fair value of the award. We record liability awards at fair value each reporting period and the change in fair value is reflected as share-based compensation expense in our Consolidated Statements of Income. The expense is classified as cost of goods sold, selling, general and administrative expenses or research and development expenses in a manner consistent with the employee’s compensation and benefits. These costs are recognized in the Consolidated Statement of Income over the period during which an employee is required to provide service in exchange for the award. Excess tax benefits realized from the exercise of stock options are reported as a financing cash inflow.

Restructuring. We have recognized restructuring expenses as incurred. In addition, the property, plant, and equipment associated with the related facilities were assessed for impairment as performed on an annual basis. Asset impairment and accelerated depreciation expenses primarily relate to inventory write-downs for rationalized products and adjustments in the carrying value of the closed facilities to their estimated fair value. In addition, the remaining useful lives of other property, plant, and equipment associated with the related operations were reevaluated based on the respective restructuring plan, resulting in the acceleration of depreciation and amortization of certain assets.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards Impacting the Company

In September 2011, the FASB issued an accounting standard update titled “Testing Goodwill for Impairment,” which allows an entity the option of performing a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is necessary to perform the current two-step annual impairment test. The guidance permits an entity to assess qualitative factors to determine if it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds the carrying amount to determine if the two-step impairment test is required. The guidance does not change how goodwill is calculated or the requirement to test goodwill annually for impairment. The new guidance is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption permitted. The early adoption of this standard did not have an impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In June 2011, the FASB issued new guidance titled "Comprehensive Income," which altered the presentation of comprehensive income. More specifically, the updated guidance permits an entity to present components of net income and other comprehensive income in either one continuous statement, referred to as the statement of comprehensive income, or in two separate, but consecutive statements. The guidance now eliminates the current option to report other comprehensive income and its components in the statement of changes in equity. These changes to the presentation of comprehensive income do not change the components that are recognized in net income or other comprehensive income under current accounting guidance. This guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2011 and will become effective for us at the beginning of our first quarter of fiscal 2013. The adoption of this standard will not have an impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In April 2011, the FASB issued new guidance titled "Fair Value Measurement," intended to achieve common fair value measurement and disclosure requirements between GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. This new guidance amends current fair value measurement and disclosure guidance to include increased transparency regarding valuation inputs and investment categorization. This new guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2011 and was adopted and applied during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012. The adoption of this standard did not have an impact on our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In December 2010, the FASB issued an accounting standard update titled “When to Perform Step 2 of the Goodwill Impairment Test for Reporting Units with Zero or Negative Carrying Amounts," amending Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 350, “Intangibles - Goodwill and Other.” This guidance amends the ASC requiring entities that have a reporting unit with zero or negative carrying value to assess whether qualitative factors indicate that it is more likely than not that an impairment of goodwill exists. If the entity concludes that it is more likely than not that an impairment exists, the entity must then measure the goodwill impairment. The new guidance, amending the ASC is effective for fiscal 2012 and was applied during our annual goodwill impairment testing in the third quarter of fiscal 2012 and did not impact our results.

In October 2009, the FASB issued an accounting standard update titled “Multiple-Deliverable Revenue Arrangements,” amending Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 605, “Revenue Recognition.” This guidance amends the ASC requiring entities to eliminate the residual method of allocation for multiple-deliverable revenue arrangements, requiring arrangement consideration be allocated at the inception of an arrangement to all deliverables using the relative selling price method. The guidance also established a selling price hierarchy for determining the selling price of a deliverable, which includes: (1) vendor-specific objective evidence if available, (2) third-party evidence if vendor-specific objective evidence is not available, and (3) estimated selling price if neither vendor-specific nor third-party evidence is available. The guidance was adopted and applied prospectively for multiple element revenue arrangements that are new or materially modified beginning on or after April 1, 2011. The adoption of this guidance did not impact our financial position or results of operations.