Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Aug. 31, 2017

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Our principal products are specialty tapes, laminates, adhesives, sealants, coatings and chemical intermediates that are sold by our salespeople, manufacturers' representatives and distributors. In our Industrial Materials segment, these products consist of:

(i)

insulating and conducting materials for the manufacture of electrical and telephone wire and cable, electrical splicing, and terminating and repair tapes, which are marketed to wire and cable manufacturers;

(ii)

laminated film foils, including EMI/RFI shielding tapes, used in communication and local area network (LAN) cables;

(iii)

moisture protective coatings, which are sold to the electronics industry for circuitry manufacturing, including circuitry used in automobiles and home appliances;

(iv)

laminated durable papers, including laminated paper with an inner security barrier used in personal and mail‑stream privacy protection, which are sold primarily to the envelope converting and commercial printing industries;

(v)

pulling and detection tapes used in the installation, measurement and location of fiber optic cables, water and natural gas lines, and power, data and video cables for commercial buildings;

(vi)

cover tapes with reliable adhesive and anti‑static properties essential to delivering semiconductor components via tape and reel packaging;

(vii)

Advanced adhesives, sealants, and coatings for automotive and industrial applications that require specialized bonding, encapsulating, environmental protection, or thermal management functionality;

(viii)

polymeric microspheres utilized by various industries to allow for weight and density reduction and sound dampening;

(ix)

water-based polyurethane dispersions utilized for various coating products; and

(x)

composite strength elements utilized in wind energy generation.

In the Company’s Construction Materials segment, these products consist of:

(i)

protective pipe coating tapes and other protectants for valves, regulators, casings, joints, metals, concrete and wood, which are sold to oil companies, gas utilities, and pipeline companies for utilization in both the construction and maintenance of oil and gas, water and wastewater pipelines;

(ii)

waterproofing membranes for highway bridge deck metal supported surfaces, which are sold to municipal transportation authorities, and high-performance polymeric asphalt additives;

(iii)

fluid applied coating and lining systems for use in the water and wastewater industry; and

(iv)

expansion and control joint systems designed for roads, bridges, stadiums and airport runways.

Basis of Presentation

The financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly‑owned subsidiaries. Investments in unconsolidated companies which are at least 20% owned are carried under the equity method since acquisition or investment. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. The Company uses the U.S. dollar as the functional currency for financial reporting. Certain reclassifications have been made to the prior year amounts to conform to the current year’s presentation.

On April 3, 2017, Chase executed an agreement with an unrelated party to sell all inventory, machinery and equipment and intangible assets of the Company’s fiber optic cable components product line for proceeds of $3,858 net of transaction costs and following certain working capital adjustments. The resulting pre-tax gain on sale of $2,013 was recognized in the third quarter of fiscal 2017 as gain on sale of businesses within the consolidated statement of operations. Further, the purchaser entered a multiyear lease for a portion of the manufacturing space at the Company’s Granite Falls, NC facility. Chase will provide ongoing manufacturing and administrative support to the purchaser for which the Company will receive additional consideration upon the performance of services. The Company’s fiber optic cable components product line was formerly a part of the Company’s Industrial Materials operating segment.

On September 30, 2016, the Company acquired certain assets of Resin Designs, LLC (“Resin Designs”), an advanced adhesives and sealants manufacturer, with locations in Woburn, MA and Newark, CA. The business was acquired for a purchase price of $30,270 after final working capital adjustments and excluding acquisition-related costs. As part of this transaction, Chase acquired all working capital and fixed assets of the business, and entered multiyear leases at both locations. The Company expensed $584 of acquisition-related costs during the first quarter of fiscal 2017 associated with this acquisition. The purchase was funded entirely with available cash on hand. Resin Designs is a formulator of customized adhesive and sealant systems used in high-reliability electronic applications. The acquisition broadens the Company’s adhesives and sealants product offering and manufacturing capabilities, and expands its market reach. Since the effective date of the acquisition, the financial results of Resin Designs’ operations have been included in the Company’s financial statements within the electronic and industrial coatings product line, contained within the Industrial Materials operating segment. Purchase accounting was completed in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017 with no material adjustments made to the initial amounts recorded.

On June 23, 2016, the Company acquired all the capital stock of Spray Products (India) Private Limited for $1,161, net of cash acquired. The acquired business works closely with our HumiSeal manufacturing operation in Winnersh, Wokingham, England. The acquisition in India enhances the Company’s ability to provide technical, sales, manufacturing, chemical handling, and packaging services in the region. Since the effective date for this acquisition, the financial results of the business have been included in the Company's financial statements within the Company’s Industrial Materials operating segment in the electronic and industrial coatings product line. Purchase accounting was completed in the quarter ended August 31, 2016. Effective December 2016, Spray Products (India) Private Limited was renamed HumiSeal India Private Limited.

In November 2015, the Company sold its RodPack® wind energy business, contained within its structural composites product line, to an otherwise unrelated party for proceeds of $2,186. The Company’s structural composites product line is a part of the Company’s Industrial Materials operating segment. The Company will provide ongoing development support to the Buyer for which it will receive additional consideration upon the completion of services.

On January 30, 2015, the Company acquired two product lines from Henkel Corporation (the “Seller”) for a purchase price of $33,285, after working capital adjustments and excluding any acquisition-related costs. As part of this transaction, Chase acquired the Seller’s polymeric microspheres product line, sold under the Dualite® brand, located in Greenville, SC, and obtained exclusive distribution rights and intellectual property related to the Seller’s polyurethane dispersions product line, operating in Elgin, IL. We refer to these collectively as our specialty chemical intermediates product line. Under the agreement, Chase entered into a ten-year facility operating lease at the Seller’s Greenville, SC location. The Seller will perform certain manufacturing and application services for Chase at the Seller’s Elgin, IL location for three years following the acquisition. The purchase was funded entirely with available cash on hand. Since the effective date of this acquisition, the financial results of the specialty chemical intermediates product line have been included in the Company's financial statements within the Company’s Industrial Materials operating segment. Purchase accounting was completed in the third quarter of fiscal 2015 with no material adjustments made to the initial amounts recorded in the prior fiscal quarter.

As part of the Company’s purchase of NEPTCO in June 2012, it also acquired NEPTCO’s 50% ownership stake in its financially controlled joint venture, NEPTCO JV LLC (the “JV”). Because of the Company’s controlling financial interest, the JV’s assets, liabilities and results of operations have been consolidated within the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements since the date of acquisition. An offsetting amount equal to 50% of net assets and net (income) loss of the JV was also recorded within the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements to noncontrolling interest, representing the joint venture partner’s 50% ownership stake and pro rata share in the net results of the JV. On October 31, 2014, the Company purchased the 50% noncontrolling membership interest of the JV owned by its otherwise unrelated joint venture partner. The Company continues to fully consolidate the assets, liabilities and results of operations of the JV, but no longer records an offsetting amount for a noncontrolling interest after October 31, 2014. The ($95) recorded in the Consolidated Statement of Operations as Net (income) loss attributable to noncontrolling interest for the year ended August 31, 2015, represents the now-former joint venture partner’s share of the results of operations of the JV for the period from September 1, 2014 through October 31, 2014.

The Company has evaluated events and transactions subsequent to the balance sheet date. Based on this evaluation, and other than the cash dividend announced on October 30, 2017 of $0.80 per share to shareholders of record on November 9, 2017 payable on December 6, 2017, the Company is not aware of any other events or transactions that occurred subsequent to the balance sheet date, but prior to filing, that would require recognition or disclosure in its Consolidated Financial Statements.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents consist primarily of demand deposit accounts or investment instruments that meet high credit quality standards such as money market funds, government securities, or commercial paper. The Company considers all highly liquid debt instruments purchased with a maturity of three months or less from date of purchase to be cash equivalents.

Accounts Receivable

The Company evaluates the collectability of accounts receivable balances based on a combination of factors. In cases where the Company is aware of circumstances that may impair a specific customer’s ability to meet its financial obligations to it, a specific allowance against amounts due to the Company is recorded, and thereby reduces the net recognized receivable to the amount the Company reasonably believes will be collected. For all other customers, the Company recognizes allowances for doubtful accounts based on the length of time the receivables are past due, industry and geographic factors, the current business environment and its historical experience. Receivables are written off against these reserves in the period they are determined to be uncollectable.

Inventory

The Company values inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value using the first in, first out (FIFO) method. Management assesses the recoverability of inventory based on types and levels of inventory held, forecasted demand and changes in technology. These assessments require management judgments and estimates, and valuation adjustments for excess and obsolete inventory may be recorded based on these assessments. The Company estimates excess and obsolescence exposures based upon assumptions about future demand, product transitions and market conditions, and records reserves to reduce inventories to their estimated net realizable value. The failure to accurately forecast demand may lead to additional excess and obsolete inventory and future charges.

Goodwill

The Company accounts for goodwill in accordance with ASC Topic 350, “Intangibles — Goodwill and Other.” The Company identified several reporting units within each of its two operating segments. These are used to evaluate the possible impairment of goodwill annually each fourth quarter and whenever events or circumstances indicate the carrying value of goodwill may not be recoverable. In fiscal 2017, the Company early adopted ASU No. 2017-04 “Intangibles - Goodwill and Other Topics (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment.” We assess goodwill for impairment by comparing the fair value of the reporting unit to its carrying amount. If the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, an impairment loss, limited to the amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit, is recorded. Fair values for reporting units are determined based on the income approach (discounted cash flow method).

Intangible Assets

Intangible assets consist of patents, agreements, formulas, trade names, customer relationships and trademarks. The Company capitalizes costs related to patent applications and technology agreements. The costs of these assets are amortized over the lesser of the useful life of the asset or its statutory life. Capitalized costs are periodically reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost and depreciated using the straight‑line method over the assets’ estimated useful lives. Expenditures for maintenance repairs and minor renewals are charged to expense as incurred. Betterments and major renewals are capitalized. Upon retirement or other disposition of assets, related allowances for depreciation and amortization are eliminated from the accounts and any resulting gain or loss is included in the determination of income or loss. The estimated useful lives of property, plant and equipment are as follows:


Buildings and improvements	15	to	40	years
Machinery and equipment	3	to	10	years

Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the lesser of the useful life or the term of the lease.

Restricted Investments and Deferred Compensation

The Company has a non-qualified deferred savings plan that covers its Board of Directors and a separate plan covering selected employees. Participants may elect to defer a portion of their compensation for payment in a future tax year. The plans are funded by trusteed assets that are restricted to the payment of deferred compensation or satisfaction of the Company’s general creditors. The Company’s restricted investments and corresponding deferred compensation liability under the plans were $964 and $1,637 at August 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. The Company accounts for the restricted investments as available for sale by recording unrealized gains or losses in other comprehensive income as a component of stockholders’ equity.

Split-Dollar Life Insurance Arrangements

The liability related to these postretirement benefits was calculated as the present value of future premiums to be paid by the Company reduced by the present value of the expected proceeds to be returned to the Company upon the insured’s death. For August 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company did not recognize a liability related to these postretirement obligations as no future premium payments were anticipated.

Revenues

Revenue

The Company recognizes revenue when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, performance of its obligation is complete, its price to the buyer is fixed or determinable, and the Company is reasonably assured of collecting. These four transaction elements are typically met at the time of shipment or upon receipt by the customer, based on contractual terms. If a loss is anticipated on any contract, a provision for the entire loss is made immediately. Revenue recognition involves judgments and assessments of expected returns, and the likelihood of nonpayment by customers. The Company analyzes various factors, including a review of specific customer contracts and shipment terms, historical experience, creditworthiness of customers and current market and economic conditions in determining when to recognize revenue. Changes in judgments on these factors could impact the timing and amount of revenue recognized with a resulting impact on the timing and amount of operating income. For certain products, consigned inventory is maintained at customer locations, and revenue is typically recognized in the period that the consigned inventory is consumed. Royalty revenue is recognized based on licensee production statements received from the authorized manufacturers. Billed shipping and handling fees are recorded as sales revenue with the associated costs recorded within cost of products and services sold.

The Company’s warranty policy provides that the products (or materials) delivered will meet its standard specifications for the products or any other specifications as may be expressly agreed to at time of purchase. All warranty claims must be received within 90 days from the date of delivery, unless some other period has been expressly agreed to within the terms of the sales agreement. The Company’s warranty costs have historically been insignificant. The Company records a current liability for estimated warranty claims with a corresponding charge to cost of products and services sold based upon current and historical experience and upon specific claims issues as they arise.

In addition, the Company offers certain sales incentives based on sales levels as they are earned.

Research and Product Development Costs

Research and product development costs are expensed as incurred and include primarily engineering salaries, overhead and materials used in connection with research and development projects. Research and development expense amounted to $3,696, $2,792 and $2,690 for the years ended August 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and was recorded within selling, general and administrative expenses.

Pension Plan

The Company accounts for its pension plans following the requirements of ASC Topic 715, “Compensation —Retirement Benefits” (“ASC 715”). ASC 715 requires an employer to: (a) recognize in its statement of financial position the funded status of a benefit plan; (b) measure defined benefit plan assets and obligations as of the end of the employer’s fiscal year (with limited exceptions); and (c) recognize as a component of other comprehensive income, net of tax, the gains or losses and prior service costs or credits that arise but are not recognized as components of net periodic benefit costs pursuant to prior existing guidance.

Stock Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation

In accordance with the accounting for stock-based compensation guidance, ASC Topic 718 “Compensation – Stock Compensation” (“ASC 718”), the Company measures and recognizes compensation expense for all share‑based payment awards made to employees and directors based on estimated fair values. This includes restricted stock, restricted stock units and stock options. The guidance allows for the continued use of the simplified method as the Company has concluded that its historical share option exercise experience does not provide a reasonable basis for estimating expected term.

Stock‑based compensation expense recognized in fiscal years 2017, 2016 and 2015 was $2,212, $1,333 and $1,120, respectively.

The fair value of options granted was estimated on the date of grant using the Black‑Scholes option pricing model with the following weighted average assumptions for the years ending August 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015:


	2017		2016		2015
Expected dividend yield	1.5	%	1.7	%	1.8	%
Expected life	6.0	years	6.0	years	6.0	years
Expected volatility	38.7	%	41.2	%	39.0	%
Risk-free interest rate	1.3	%	1.7	%	2.5	%

Expected volatility is determined by looking at a combination of historical volatility over the past six years as well as implied future volatility.

Translation of Foreign Currency

The financial position and results of operations of the Company’s HumiSeal Europe Ltd and Chase Protective Coatings Ltd businesses are measured using the British pound as the functional currency. The financial position and results of operations of the Company’s HumiSeal Europe SARL business in France are measured using euros as the functional currency. The financial position and results of the Company’s HumiSeal India Private Limited (formerly Spray Products (India) Private Limited) business in India are measured using the Indian rupee as the functional currency. The functional currency for all our other operations is the U.S. dollar. Revenue and expenses of these international businesses have been translated at average exchange rates. Foreign currency translation gains and losses are determined using current exchange rates for monetary items and historical exchange rates for other balance sheet items, and are recorded as a change in other comprehensive income (a component of shareholders’ equity). Transaction gains and losses generated from the remeasurement of assets and liabilities denominated in currencies other than the functional currency of these international operations are included in other income (expense) on the consolidated statements of operations and were $307, $2,152 and ($134) for the fiscal years ended August 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method. Under this method, a deferred tax asset or liability is determined based upon the differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities as measured by the enacted tax rates that will be in effect when these differences reverse. Tax credits are recorded as a reduction in income taxes. Valuation allowances are provided if, based upon the weight of available evidence, it is more likely than not that some or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.

The Company estimates contingent income tax liabilities based on the guidance for accounting for uncertain tax positions as prescribed in ASC Topic 740, “Income Taxes.” See Note 7 for more information on the Company’s income taxes.

Net Income Per Share

The Company has unvested share‑based payment awards with a right to receive nonforfeitable dividends, which are considered participating securities under ASC Topic 260, “Earnings Per Share” (“ASC 260”). The Company allocates earnings to participating securities and computes earnings per share using the two-class method.

Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive income is defined as the change in equity of a business enterprise during a period from transactions and other events and circumstances from non‑owner sources, including foreign currency translation adjustments, unrealized gains and losses on marketable securities and adjustments related to the change in the funded status of the pension plans.

Non-controlling Interest

Noncontrolling Interest

A legal entity is subject to the consolidation rules of ASC Topic 810, “Consolidations” (“ASC 810”) if the total equity investment at risk is not sufficient to permit the legal entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support or the equity investors lack certain specified characteristics of a controlling financial interest. Based on the criteria in ASC 810, the Company determined that its joint venture agreement qualified as a variable interest entity (“VIE”) prior to the purchase of its former joint venture partner’s 50% noncontrolling membership interest. The purpose of the joint venture was to combine the elements of NEPTCO’s and the otherwise unrelated joint venture partner’s fiber optic strength element businesses. Under ASC 810, a reporting entity shall consolidate a VIE when that reporting entity has a variable interest (or combination of variable interests) that provides the reporting entity with a controlling financial interest. The reporting entity shall be deemed to have a controlling financial interest in a VIE if it has both of the following characteristics: a) the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance; and b) the obligation to absorb losses or right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE. The reporting entity that consolidates a VIE is called the “primary beneficiary” of that VIE. The Company determined that it was the primary beneficiary of the VIE primarily due to Chase directing the activities that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance, which is the actual management and operation of the joint venture and having the obligation to absorb losses and the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE through our equity investment in the VIE. As a result, the Company has consolidated the operations of the joint venture in its Consolidated Financial Statements. On October 31, 2014 (the first quarter of fiscal 2015), the Company purchased the 50% noncontrolling membership interest of the JV owned by its joint venture partner, thus making the JV a wholly-owned entity.

Segments

ASC Topic 280 “Segment Reporting” of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) codification establishes standards for reporting information about operating segments. The Company is organized into two operating segments, an Industrial Materials segment and a Construction Materials segment. The segments are distinguished by the nature of the products we manufacture and how they are delivered to their respective markets.

The Industrial Materials segment includes specified products that are used in, or integrated into, another company’s product, with demand typically dependent upon general economic conditions. Industrial Materials products include insulating and conducting materials for wire and cable manufacturers, moisture protective coatings for electronics, laminated durable papers, laminates for the packaging and industrial laminate markets, custom manufacturing services, pulling and detection tapes used in the installation, measurement and location of fiber optic cables and water and natural gas lines, cover tapes essential to delivering semiconductor components via tape and reel packaging, composite materials and elements, polymeric microspheres, and polyurethane dispersions. Beginning June 23, 2016, and September 30, 2016, respectively, the Industrial Materials segment includes the acquired operations of HumiSeal India Private Limited (formerly Spray Products (India) Private Limited) and of Resin Designs, LLC. Both were obtained through acquisition and included in the Company’s electronic and industrial coatings product line. Prior to the April 3, 2017 sale of the business, the segment’s products also included glass-based strength elements, designed to allow fiber optic cables to withstand mechanical and environmental strain and stress.

The Construction Materials segment is principally composed of project-oriented product offerings that are primarily sold and used as “Chase” branded products. Construction Materials products include protective coatings for pipeline applications, coating and lining systems for use in liquid storage and containment applications, adhesives and sealants used in architectural and building envelope waterproofing applications, high-performance polymeric asphalt additives, and expansion and control joint systems for use in the transportation and architectural markets.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers,” which will replace most of the existing revenue recognition guidance under U.S. GAAP. The core principle of the ASU is that an entity should recognize revenue for the transfer of goods or services equal to the amount that it expects to be entitled to receive for those goods or services. The ASU requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments. In March, April and May 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-08 “Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net),” ASU 2016-10 “Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing,” and ASU 2016-12, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients” all of which provide further clarification to be considered when implementing ASU 2014-09. The ASU will be effective for the Company beginning September 1, 2018 (fiscal 2019), including interim periods in its fiscal year 2019, and allows for either retrospective or modified retrospective methods of adoption. The Company, which is in the initial phase of its adoption plan, is in the process of determining the method of adoption and assessing the impact of this ASU on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows; preliminary indications are that Chase will utilize the modified retrospective method of adoption.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842).” Under the new guidance, lessees will be required to recognize the following for all leases (with the exception of short-term leases) at the commencement date: (a) a lease liability, which is a lessee’s obligation to make lease payments arising from a lease, measured on a discounted basis; and (b) a right-of-use asset, which represents the lessee’s right to use, or control the use of, a specified asset for the lease term. Changes were made to align lessor accounting with the lessee accounting model and ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers.” The ASU will be effective for the Company beginning September 1, 2019 (fiscal 2020). Early application is permitted. Lessees must apply a modified retrospective transition approach for leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the application of this ASU on our Consolidated Financial Statements and disclosures thereto.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230).” This ASU provides guidance on the presentation and classification of specific cash flow items to improve consistency within the statement of cash flows. The effective date for adoption of this guidance will be our fiscal year beginning September 1, 2018 (fiscal 2019), with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the effect that ASU No. 2016-15 will have on its financial statements and related disclosures.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, “Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business.” The new guidance dictates that, when substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired (or disposed of) is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets, it should be treated as an acquisition or disposal of an asset. The guidance will be effective for the fiscal year beginning on September 1, 2018 (fiscal 2019), including interim periods within that year, with early adoption permitted. The effect ASU No. 2017-01 will have on the financial statements and related disclosures of the Company will be dependent on the nature of potential future acquisitions and divestitures.

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-07, “Compensation — Retirement Benefits (Topic 715): Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost.” This ASU applies to all employers that offer to their employees defined benefit pension plans, other postretirement benefit plans, or other types of benefits accounted for under Topic 715, Compensation — Retirement Benefits. The ASU requires that an employer report the service cost component in the same line item or items as other compensation costs arising from services rendered by the pertinent employees during the period. The other components of net benefit cost are required to be presented in the income statement separately from the service cost component and outside a subtotal of income from operations, if one is presented. If a separate line item or items are used to present the other components of net benefit cost, that line item or items must be appropriately described. If a separate line item or items are not used, the line item or items used in the income statement to present the other components of net benefit cost must be disclosed. The ASU also allows only the service cost component to be eligible for capitalization when applicable (e.g., as a cost of internally manufactured inventory or a self-constructed asset). The required effective date for adoption of this guidance for the Company will be our fiscal year beginning September 1, 2018 (fiscal 2019), including interim periods within that annual period. Early adoption is permitted as of the beginning of an annual period for which financial statements (interim or annual) have not been issued or made available for issuance. The Company is currently evaluating the effect that ASU No. 2017-07 will have on its financial statements and related disclosures.

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, "Scope of Modification Accounting." This ASU provides guidance about which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting in Topic 718. ASU 2017-09 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 (our fiscal year 2019), including interim periods within that reporting period. The Company is currently in the process of evaluating the impact of ASU 2017-09 on our financial position and result of operations.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-15 “Presentation of Financial Statements: Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40)” which provides guidance on determining when and how to disclose going-concern uncertainties in the financial statements. The new standard requires management to perform interim and annual assessments of an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year of the date the financial statements are issued. An entity must provide certain disclosures if “conditions or events raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern.” The guidance applies to all entities and is effective for annual periods ending after December 15, 2016, and interim periods thereafter (fiscal year 2017 for the Company). The adoption of ASU 2014-15, which occurred in the first quarter of fiscal 2017, did not have a material effect on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-03, "Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs," which requires that debt issue costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented on the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the amount of the debt liability, consistent with debt discounts and premiums. Amortization of such costs is still reported as interest expense. ASU 2015-03 is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2015 (fiscal year 2017 for the Company). In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-15, "Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issue Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements." ASU 2015-15 supplements the requirements of ASU 2015-03 by allowing an entity to defer and present debt issue costs related to a line of credit arrangement as an asset and subsequently amortize the deferred costs ratably over the term of the line of credit arrangement. The adoption of ASU 2015-03 and ASU 2015-15, which occurred in the first quarter of fiscal 2017, did not have a material effect on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, “Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718), Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting.” This ASU simplifies the accounting for stock-based payment transactions including the accounting for income taxes, forfeitures, statutory tax withholding requirements and classification in the statement of cash flows. The required effective date for adoption of this guidance will be our fiscal year beginning September 1, 2017 (fiscal 2018), with early adoption allowed. The updated standard no longer requires cash flows related to excess tax benefits to be presented as a financing activity separate from other income tax cash flows. The update also allows entities to repurchase more of an employee's shares for tax withholding purposes without triggering liability accounting, clarifies that all cash payments to taxing authorities made on an employee's behalf for withheld shares should be presented as a financing activity on the statement of cash flows, and provides for an accounting policy election to account for forfeitures as they occur. The Company early adopted this standard as of September 1, 2016 and during the year ended August 31, 2017 recognized an excess tax benefit from stock-based compensation of $1,917, within income tax expense on the consolidated statement of operations (adopted prospectively). The adoption did not impact the existing classification of the awards. Excess tax benefits from stock based compensation are now classified in net income in the statement of cash flows instead of being separately stated in financing activities for fiscal 2017 (adopted prospectively). Given the Company’s historical practice of including employee withholding taxes paid within financing activities in the statement of cash flows, no prior period reclassifications are required by the clarifications on classification provided by ASU No. 2016-09. Due primarily to the inclusion of the excess tax benefit, the effective tax rate for the year ended August 31, 2017 decreased to 31.0%, compared to effective tax rates of 34.5% and 35.9% recognized for fiscal 2016 and 2015, respectively; further, the Company anticipates the potential for increased periodic volatility in future effective tax rates based on the continued application of the ASU No. 2016-09. Following the adoption of the new standard, the Company has elected to account for forfeitures as they occur.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, “Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment.” This ASU simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill and eliminates Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Per ASU No. 2017-04, the annual, or interim, goodwill impairment test is performed by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount, and an impairment charge should be recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value; however, the loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. In addition, income tax effects from any tax-deductible goodwill on the carrying amount of the reporting unit should be considered when measuring the goodwill impairment loss, if applicable. The amendments also eliminate the requirements for any reporting unit with a zero or negative carrying amount to perform a qualitative assessment and, if it fails that qualitative test, to perform Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test. An entity still has the option to perform the qualitative assessment for a reporting unit to determine if the quantitative impairment test is necessary. The amendments are to be applied on a prospective basis. The required effective date for adoption of this guidance for the Company will be our fiscal year beginning September 1, 2020 (fiscal 2021), with early adoption permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017. The Company early adopted this standard during the second quarter of fiscal 2017; the adoption did not have a material effect on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements or related disclosures.