Significant accounting policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

In the ordinary course of business, the Company is exposed to the impact of changes in interest rates and foreign currency fluctuations. The Company’s objective is to limit the impact of such movements on earnings and cash flows. In order to achieve this objective, the Company seeks to balance its non-U.S. dollar denominated income and expenditures. During 2016, 2015 and 2014, the Company made use of a cross-currency swap agreement to manage cash flow exposure generated from foreign currency fluctuations.

The financial statements for operations outside the United States are generally maintained in their local currency. All foreign currency denominated balance sheet accounts, except shareholders’ equity, are translated to U.S. dollars at year end exchange rates and revenue and expense items are translated at weighted average rates of exchange prevailing during the year. Gains and losses resulting from the translation of foreign currency are recorded in the accumulated other comprehensive loss component of shareholders’ equity. Transactional foreign currency gains and losses, including those generated from intercompany operations, are included in other expense, net and were losses of less than $0.1 million, $3.5 million and $2.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.

Financial instruments and concentration of credit risk

Financial instruments that could subject the Company to a concentration of credit risk consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents and accounts receivable. Generally, the cash is held at large financial institutions and our cash equivalents consist of highly liquid money market funds. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of customers, generally does not require collateral, and maintains a reserve for potential credit losses. The Company believes that a concentration of credit risk related to the accounts receivable is limited because the customers are geographically dispersed and the end users are diversified across several industries.

Net sales to our customers based in Europe were approximately $60 million in 2016, which results in a substantial portion of our trade accounts receivable balance as of December 31, 2016. It is at least reasonably possible that changes in global economic conditions and/or local operating and economic conditions in the regions these distributors operate, or other factors, could affect the future realization of these accounts receivable balances.

Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

In 2016, restricted cash consists of amounts held in escrow as of December 31, 2016, to fund the payment of settlement amounts for Charges related to U.S. Government resolutions, as further discussed in Note 12.In 2015, restricted cash consisted of cash held at certain subsidiaries, the distribution or transfer of which was restricted under the Company’s previous 2010 credit facility. The 2010 credit facility matured and was replaced in 2015 as described in Note 8. All credit party subsidiaries had access to this cash for operational and debt repayment purposes.

Research and development costs

Expenditures related to the collaborative arrangement with MTF are expensed based on the terms of the related agreement. Payments to MTF totaled $1.3 million in 2016, there were no payments made in 2015, and totaled $0.3 million in 2014. Expenditures for research and development are expensed as incurred.

Recently adopted accounting standards update (“ASU”)

Topic

Description of Guidance

Impact to the Company's Financial Statements

Employee Share-based Payments

(ASU 2016-09)

Simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, accounting for forfeitures, and classification on the statement of cash flows.

During the quarter ended September 30, 2016, the Company early adopted this new accounting standard with an effective date of January 1, 2016. Under the new standard, all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies are recognized as income tax expense or benefit in the income statement as discrete items in the reporting period in which they occur. The Company has applied the guidance related to the classification of excess tax benefits on the statement of cash flows on a retrospective basis. Additionally, the Company has elected to account for forfeitures as they occur and recorded the impact on previously reported periods through a $1.4 million cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings and a $0.6 million adjustment to net assets as of January 1, 2016. Further, the Company has applied the guidance for employee taxes paid to tax authorities when shares are withheld to satisfy the employer’s statutory income tax withholding obligation on a retrospective basis. The adoption resulted in decreases of $0.4 million and $0.2 million in net cash provided by financing activities and increases of $0.4 million and $0.2 million in net cash from operating activities for the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. The adoption did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income (loss) for the year ended December 31, 2016.

Recently issued accounting standards [UPDATED 1/31. CHECK ASUs AGAIN AT LATER DATE]

Recently issued accounting standards

Topic	Description of Guidance	Effective Date	Status of Company's Evaluation
Revenue Recognition (ASU 2014-09, as amended)	Requires entities to recognize revenue in a way that depicts the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. Applied either retrospectively or as a cumulative effect adjustment as of the adoption date.	January 1, 2018	The Company is continuing to evaluate the impact this ASU will have on the consolidated financial statements. The Company completed an initial impact assessment and believes adopting this ASU will materially impact the timing of revenue recognition, primarily for implant product sales to stocking distributors, which are currently accounted for using the sell-through method. Specifically, the Company believes the revenue associated with these sales will be recorded at the time of the sale instead of deferring recognition until cash is received. The Company expects to adopt this new guidance using the modified retrospective transition method.
Inventory (ASU 2015-11)	Requires an entity to measure inventory at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Net realizable value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation.	January 1, 2017	The Company is currently evaluating the ASU and does not expect it to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
Financial Instruments (ASU 2016-01)	Requires entities to measure equity investments, except in limited circumstances, at fair value and recognize any changes in fair value in net income. Applied prospectively.	January 1, 2018	The Company is currently evaluating the impact this ASU may have on its consolidated financial statements.
Leases (ASU 2016-02)	Requires a lessee to recognize lease assets and lease liabilities for leases classified as operating leases. Applied using a modified retrospective approach.	January 1, 2019	The Company is currently evaluating the impact this ASU may have on its consolidated financial statements; however, we expect this guidance will result in current operating leases being reflected as lease obligations on the consolidated balance sheet.
Income Taxes (ASU 2016-16)	Reduces complexity by requiring the recognition of current and deferred income taxes for an intra-entity asset transfer, other than inventory, when the transfer occurs. Applied using a modified retrospective approach.	January 1, 2018	The Company is currently evaluating the impact this ASU may have on its consolidated financial statements.
Statement of Cash Flows (ASU 2016-18)	Reduces diversity in classification and presentation of restricted cash, including transfers between cash and restricted cash, on the statement of cash flows. Applied retrospectively.	January 1, 2018	The Company is currently evaluating the impact this ASU may have on its consolidated statement of cash flows.
Intangibles — Goodwill and Other (ASU 2017-04)	Simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill by eliminating Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Any potential impairment charge will be recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit's fair value. Applied prospectively.	January 1, 2020	The Company is currently evaluating the impact this ASU may have on its consolidated statement of cash flows.