ALLOWANCE FOR DOUBTFUL ACCOUNTS (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Allowances for doubtful accounts, policy

The Company maintains allowances for doubtful accounts for estimated losses resulting from the inability of the Company’s customers to make required payments.  The Company considers the following factors when determining if collection is reasonably assured: customer creditworthiness, past transaction history with the customer, current expectations of future economic and industry trends, changes in customer payment terms and management’s expectations.  Allowances for doubtful accounts are determined based on historical experience and an evaluation of the current composition of accounts receivable.  The Company grants credit to certain professional service provider and jobber customers who meet the Company’s pre-established credit requirements.  Concentrations of credit risk with respect to these receivables are limited because the Company’s customer base consists of a large number of relatively small customers, spreading the credit risk across a broad base regarded as a single class of financing receivable by the Company.  The Company also controls this credit risk through credit approvals, credit limits and accounts receivable and credit monitoring procedures.  Generally, the Company does not require security when credit is granted to customers.  Credit is granted to customers on a short-term basis, consisting primarily of daily, weekly or monthly accounts.  Credit losses are provided for in the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements and have consistently been within management’s expectations.

Amounts receivable from suppliers, policy

The Company receives concessions from its suppliers through a variety of programs and arrangements, including allowances for new stores and warranties, volume purchase rebates and co-operative advertising.  Co-operative advertising allowances that are incremental to the Company’s advertising program, specific to a product or event and identifiable for accounting purposes are reported as a reduction of advertising expense in the period in which the advertising occurred.  All other supplier concessions are recognized as a reduction to the cost of sales.  Amounts receivable from suppliers also include amounts due to the Company for changeover merchandise and product returns.  The Company regularly reviews supplier receivables for collectability and assesses the need for a reserve for uncollectable amounts based on an evaluation of the Company’s suppliers’ financial positions and corresponding abilities to meet financial obligations.