
2.	Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and all majority-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated. Equity investments in which the Company exercises significant influence but does not control and is not the primary beneficiary are accounted for using the equity method.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles 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 revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Significant estimates are associated with accounts receivable, inventories, intangible assets, goodwill, deferred income taxes and warranty obligations. Although the Company regularly assesses these estimates, actual results could differ from those estimates. Changes in estimates are recorded in the period in which they become known.

Foreign Currency Translation

Some transactions of the Company and its subsidiaries are made in currencies different from their functional currency. Foreign currency gains (losses) on these transactions or balances are recorded in “Other (income) expense, net” when incurred. Net foreign currency transaction losses included in income (loss) before income taxes and equity in earnings (losses) of joint ventures totaled $0.1 million, $0.3 million and $0.6 million for the years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. For non-U.S. subsidiaries, assets and liabilities are translated at period-end exchange rates, and income statement items are translated at the average exchange rates for the period. The local currency for the majority of foreign subsidiaries is considered to be the functional currency and, accordingly, translation adjustments are reported in “Accumulated other comprehensive income”. Foreign currency translation adjustments are one of the components in the calculation of comprehensive net income (loss).

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash and highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less. At September 30, 2011 and 2010, cash equivalents were $9.6 million and $21.1 million, respectively. Cash equivalents are held at cost which approximates fair value due to their short-term maturities and varying interest rates.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk consist primarily of trade receivables and temporary and long-term cash investments in treasury bills and commercial paper. The Company restricts its investments to U.S. government and corporate securities, and mutual funds that invest in U.S. government securities. The Company’s customers are concentrated in the semiconductor industry, and relatively few customers account for a significant portion of the Company’s revenues. The Company’s top ten largest customers account for approximately 55% of revenues for the year ended September 30, 2011. Two of the Company’s customers accounted for 15% and 13%, respectively, of revenues for the year ended September 30, 2011. The Company regularly monitors the creditworthiness of its customers and believes that it has adequately provided for exposure to potential credit losses.

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Trade accounts receivable are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest. The allowance for doubtful accounts is the Company’s best estimate of the amount of probable credit losses in its existing accounts receivable. The Company determines the allowance based on historical write-off experience. The Company reviews its allowance for doubtful accounts quarterly. Past due balances are reviewed individually for collectibility. Account balances are charged off against the allowance when the Company feels it is probable the receivable will not be recovered. The Company does not have any off-balance-sheet credit exposure related to its customers.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market, cost being determined using a standard costing system which approximates cost based on a first-in, first-out method. The Company provides inventory reserves for excess, obsolete or damaged inventory based on changes in customer demand, technology and other economic factors.

Fixed Assets, Intangible Assets and Impairment of Long-lived Assets

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method. Depreciable lives are summarized below:


Buildings			20 - 40 years
Computer equipment and software			2 - 7 years
Machinery and equipment			2 - 10 years
Furniture and fixtures			3 - 10 years

Leasehold improvements and equipment held under capital leases are amortized over the shorter of their estimated useful lives or the term of the respective leases. Equipment used for demonstrations to customers is included in machinery and equipment and is depreciated over its estimated useful life. Repair and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred.

The Company has developed software for internal use. In accordance with U.S. GAAP, internal and external labor costs incurred during the application development stage are capitalized. Costs incurred prior to application development and post implementation are expensed as incurred. Training and data conversion costs are expensed as incurred.

When an asset is retired, the cost of the asset disposed of and the related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts, and any resulting gain or loss is included in the determination of operating profit (loss).

As a result of the Company’s acquisitions, the Company has identified general intangible assets other than goodwill. General intangible assets other than goodwill are valued based on estimates of future cash flows and amortized over their estimated useful life.

Patents include capitalized direct costs associated with obtaining patents as well as assets that were acquired as a part of business combinations. Capitalized patent costs are amortized using the straight-line method over the estimated economic life of the patents. As of September 30, 2011 and 2010, the net book value of the Company’s patents was $0.8 million and $0.9 million, respectively.

Intangibles assets other than goodwill are tested for impairment when indicators of impairment are present. For purposes of this test, long-lived assets are grouped with other assets and liabilities at the lowest level for which identifiable cash flows are largely independent of the cash flows of other assets and liabilities. When the Company determines that indicators of potential impairment exist, the next step of the impairment test requires that the potentially impaired long-lived asset group is tested for recoverability. The test for recoverability compares the undiscounted future cash flows of the long-lived asset group to its carrying value. The future cash flow period is based on the future service life of the primary asset within the long-lived asset group. If the carrying values of the long-lived asset group exceed the future cash flows, the assets are considered to be potentially impaired. The next step in the impairment process is to determine the fair value of the individual net assets within the long-lived asset group. If the aggregate fair values of the individual net assets of the group are less than their carrying values, an impairment is recorded equal to the excess of the aggregate carrying value of the group over the aggregate fair value. The loss is allocated to each asset within the group based on their relative carrying values, with no asset reduced below its fair value.

The amortizable lives of intangible assets, including those identified as a result of purchase accounting, are summarized as follows:


Patents			7 - 15 years
Completed technology			2 - 10 years
License agreements			5 years
Trademarks and trade names			2 - 6 years
Non-competition agreements			3 - 5 years
Customer relationships			4 - 13 years

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the excess of purchase price over the fair value of net tangible and identifiable intangible assets of the businesses the Company acquired. The Company performs an annual impairment test of its goodwill on September 30 of each fiscal year unless interim indicators of impairment exist (see Note 7).

The testing of goodwill for impairment is performed at a level referred to as a reporting unit. A reporting unit is either the “operating segment level” or one level below, which is referred to as a “component”. The level at which the impairment test is performed requires an assessment as to whether the operations below the operating segment constitute a self-sustaining business, testing is generally required to be performed at this level. The Company currently has three reporting units that have goodwill, including two reporting units that are part of the Brooks Product Solutions operating segment and the sole reporting unit included in the Brooks Life Science Systems operating segment.

The Company determines the fair value of its reporting units using the Income Approach, specifically the Discounted Cash Flow Method (“DCF Method”). The DCF Method includes five year future cash flow projections, which are discounted to present value, and an estimate of terminal values, which are also discounted to present value. Terminal values represent the present value an investor would pay today for the rights to the cash flows of the business for the years subsequent to the discrete cash flow projection period. The Company considers the DCF Method to be the most appropriate valuation indicator as the DCF analyses are based on management’s long-term financial projections. Given the dynamic nature of the cyclical semiconductor equipment market, management’s projections as of the valuation date are considered more objective since other market metrics for peer companies fluctuate over the cycle.

Goodwill impairment testing is a two-step process. The first step of the goodwill impairment test, used to identify potential impairment, compares the fair value of each reporting unit to its respective carrying amount, including goodwill. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount, goodwill of the reporting unit is not considered impaired. If the reporting unit’s carrying amount exceeds the fair value, the second step of the goodwill impairment test must be completed to measure the amount of the impairment loss, if any. The second step compares the implied fair value of goodwill with the carrying value of goodwill. The implied fair value is determined by allocating the fair value of the reporting unit to all of the assets and liabilities of that unit, the excess of the fair value over amounts assigned to its assets and liabilities is the implied fair value of goodwill. The implied fair value of goodwill determined in this step is compared to the carrying value of goodwill. If the implied fair value of goodwill is less than the carrying value of goodwill, an impairment loss is recognized equal to the difference.

Pension Plans

The Company sponsors a defined benefit pension plan in the U.S. and two non-U.S. defined benefit pension plans. The cost and obligations of these arrangements are calculated using many assumptions to estimate the benefits that the employee earns while working, the amount of which cannot be completely determined until the benefit payments cease. Major assumptions used in the accounting for these employee benefit plans include the discount rate, expected return on plan assets and rate of increase in employee compensation levels. Assumptions are determined based on Company data and appropriate market indicators in consultation with third-party actuaries, and are evaluated each year as of the plans’ measurement date.

Revenue Recognition

Product revenues are associated with the sale of hardware systems, components and spare parts as well as product license revenue. Service revenues are associated with service contracts, repairs, upgrades and field service. Shipping and handling fees, if any, billed to customers are recognized as revenue. The related shipping and handling costs are recognized in cost of sales.

Revenue from product sales that does not include significant customization is recorded upon delivery and transfer of risk of loss to the customer provided there is evidence of an arrangement, fees are fixed or determinable, collection of the related receivable is reasonably assured and, if applicable, customer acceptance criteria have been successfully demonstrated. Customer acceptance provisions include final testing and acceptance carried out prior to shipment. These pre-shipment testing and acceptance procedures ensure that the product meets the published specification requirements before the product is shipped. When significant on site customer acceptance provisions are present in the arrangement, revenue is recognized upon completion of customer acceptance testing.

Revenue from product sales that does include significant customization, which primarily include life science automation systems, is recorded using the percentage of completion method whereby revenue is recorded as work progresses based on a percentage that incurred costs to date bear to total estimated costs. In addition, contracts are reviewed on a regular basis to determine whether a loss exists. A loss will be accrued in the period in which estimated contract revenue is less than the current estimate of total contract costs.

Revenue associated with service agreements is generally recognized ratably over the term of the contract. Revenue from repair services or upgrades of customer-owned equipment is recognized upon completion of the repair effort and upon the shipment of the repaired item back to the customer. In instances where the repair or upgrade includes installation, revenue is recognized when the installation is completed.

Warranty

The Company offers warranties on the sales of certain of its products and records an accrual for estimated future claims. Such accruals are based upon historical experience and management’s estimate of the level of future claims.

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development costs are charged to expense when incurred.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company measures compensation cost for all employee stock awards at fair value on date of grant and recognizes compensation expense over the service period for awards expected to vest. The fair value of restricted stock is determined based on the number of shares granted and the excess of the quoted price of the Company’s common stock over the exercise price of the restricted stock on the date of grant, if any, and the fair value of stock options is determined using the Black-Scholes valuation model. Such value is recognized as expense over the service period, net of estimated forfeitures. The estimation of stock awards that will ultimately vest requires significant judgment. The Company considers many factors when estimating expected forfeitures, including types of awards, employee class, and historical experience. In addition, for stock-based awards where vesting is dependent upon achieving certain operating performance goals, the Company estimates the likelihood of achieving the performance goals. Actual results, and future changes in estimates, may differ substantially from the Company’s current estimates. Restricted stock with market-based vesting criteria is valued using a lattice model.

During the year ended September 30, 2011, the Company granted 366,000 shares of restricted stock to members of senior management of which 183,000 shares vest over the service period and the remaining 183,000 shares vest upon the achievement of certain financial performance goals which will be measured at the end of fiscal year 2013. Total compensation on these awards is a maximum of $4.5 million. Awards subject to service criteria are being recorded to expense ratably over the vesting period. Awards subject to performance criteria are expensed over the related service period when attainment of the performance condition is considered probable. The total amount of compensation recorded will depend on the Company’s achievement of performance targets. Changes to the projected attainment of performance targets during the vesting period may result in an adjustment to the amount of cumulative compensation recorded as of the date the estimate is revised.

The following table reflects compensation expense recorded during the years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009 (in thousands):


	Year Ended September 30,
	2011		2010		2009

Stock options	$	—	$	170	$	292
Restricted stock		6,248		5,944		5,092
Employee stock purchase plan		504		453		433

	$	6,752	$	6,567	$	5,817

Valuation Assumptions for Stock Options and Employee Stock Purchase Plans

No stock options were granted for the years ended September 30, 2011, 2010 and 2009.

The fair value of shares issued under the employee stock purchase plan was estimated on the commencement date of each offering period using the Black-Scholes option-pricing model with the following assumptions:


	Year Ended September 30,
	2011		2010		2009

Risk-free interest rate		0.2%		0.2%		0.7	%
Volatility		50%		58%		70	%
Expected life		6 months		6 months		6 months
Dividend yield		0% - 3%		0%		0	%

Expected volatilities are based on historical volatilities of the Company’s common stock; the expected life represents the weighted average period of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding giving consideration to vesting schedules and the Company’s historical exercise patterns; and the risk-free rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant for periods corresponding with the expected life of the option. Dividend yields are projected based on the Company’s history of dividends declared, and management’s intention for future dividend declarations.

Equity Incentive Plans

The Company’s equity incentive plans are intended to attract and retain employees and to provide an incentive for them to assist the Company to achieve long-range performance goals and to enable them to participate in the long-term growth of the Company. The equity incentive plans consist of plans under which employees may be granted options to purchase shares of the Company’s stock, restricted stock and other equity incentives. Stock options generally had a vesting period of four years and are exercisable for a period not to exceed seven years from the date of issuance. Restricted stock awards generally vest over two to four years, with certain restricted stock awards vesting immediately. At September 30, 2011, a total of 5,266,210 shares were reserved and available for the issuance of awards under the plans.

Income Taxes

The Company records income taxes using the asset and liability method. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective income tax bases, and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. The Company’s consolidated financial statements contain certain deferred tax assets which have arisen primarily as a result of operating losses, as well as other temporary differences between financial and tax accounting. A valuation allowance is established if the likelihood of realization of the deferred tax assets is not considered more likely than not based on an evaluation of objective verifiable evidence. Significant management judgment is required in determining the Company’s provision for income taxes, the Company’s deferred tax assets and liabilities and any valuation allowance recorded against those net deferred tax assets. The Company evaluates the weight of all available evidence to determine whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the net deferred income tax assets will not be realized.

The calculation of our tax liabilities involves dealing with uncertainties in the application of complex tax regulations. We recognize liabilities for uncertain tax positions based on a two-step process. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates that it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained on audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation processes, if any. If we determine that a tax position will more likely than not be sustained on audit, the second step requires us to estimate and measure the tax benefit as the largest amount that is more than 50% likely to be realized upon ultimate settlement. It is inherently difficult and subjective to estimate such amounts, as we have to determine the probability of various possible outcomes. We re-evaluate these uncertain tax positions on a quarterly basis. This evaluation is based on factors such as changes in facts or circumstances, changes in tax law, new audit activity, and effectively settled issues. Determining whether an uncertain tax position is effectively settled requires judgment. Such a change in recognition or measurement would result in the recognition of a tax benefit or an additional charge to the tax provision.

Earnings (Loss) Per Share

Basic earnings (loss) per share is calculated based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings (loss) per share is calculated based on the weighted average number of common shares and dilutive common equivalent shares assumed outstanding during the period. Shares used to compute diluted earnings (loss) per share exclude common share equivalents if their inclusion would have an anti-dilutive effect.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company’s financial instruments include cash and cash equivalents, marketable securities, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses. The carrying amounts of these items reported in the balance sheets approximate their fair value at September 30, 2011 and 2010. In the case of marketable securities, measurement is based on quoted market prices.

Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications have been made in the 2010 and 2009 consolidated financial statements to conform to the 2011 presentation.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2009, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued an amendment to the accounting and disclosure requirements for the consolidation of variable interest entities (“VIEs”), which requires a qualitative approach to identifying a controlling financial interest in a VIE, and requires ongoing assessment of whether an entity is a VIE and whether an interest in a VIE makes the holder the primary beneficiary of the VIE. On October 1, 2010 the Company adopted this standard, which had no impact on its financial position or results of operations.

In December 2010, the FASB issued an amendment to the accounting requirements of goodwill, which requires a qualitative approach to considering impairment for a reporting unit with zero or negative carrying value. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2010. The Company does not believe that the adoption of this standard will have a material impact on its financial position or results of operations.

In December 2010, the FASB issued an amendment to the accounting requirements of business combinations, which establishes accounting and reporting standards for pro forma revenue and earnings of the combined entity for the current and comparable reporting periods. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2010. The Company does not believe that the adoption of this standard will have a material impact on its financial position or results of operations.

In May 2011, the FASB issued updated accounting guidance related to fair value measurements and disclosures that result in common fair value measurements and disclosures between GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. This guidance includes amendments that clarify the intent about the application of existing fair value measurements and disclosures, and change a principle or requirement for fair value measurements or disclosures. This guidance is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company does not believe that the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on its financial position or results of operations.

In June 2011, the FASB issued an amendment to the accounting guidance for presentation of comprehensive income. Under the amended guidance, a company may present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. This authoritative guidance eliminates the option to present the components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of changes in stockholder’s equity. The amendment is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. Other than a change in presentation, the Company does not believe that the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on its financial position or results of operations.

In September 2011, the FASB issued new guidance intended to simplify goodwill impairment testing. Entities will be allowed to perform a qualitative assessment on goodwill impairment to determine whether a quantitative assessment is necessary. This new guidance is effective for goodwill impairment tests performed in interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The Company does not believe that the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on its financial position or results of operations.