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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Superior Industries International, Inc.’s (referred to herein as the “Company,” “Superior,” or “we” and “our”) principal business is the design and manufacture of aluminum wheels for sale to original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”) in North America and Europe and to the aftermarket in Europe. We employ approximately 7,700 full-time employees, operating in eight manufacturing facilities in North America and Europe. We are one of the largest aluminum wheel suppliers to global OEMs and one of the leading European aluminum wheel aftermarket manufacturers and suppliers. Our OEM aluminum wheels accounted for approximately 94 percent of our sales in 2022 and are primarily sold for factory installation on vehicle models manufactured by BMW (including Mini), Ford, GM, Honda, Jaguar-Land Rover, Lucid Motors, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz Group, Nissan, PSA, Renault, Stellantis, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, VW Group (Volkswagen, Audi, SEAT, Skoda, Porsche, Bentley) and Volvo. We sell aluminum wheels to the European aftermarket under the brands ATS, RIAL, ALUTEC and ANZIO. North America and Europe represent the principal markets for our products, but we have a diversified global customer base consisting of North American, European and Asian OEMs. We have determined that our North American and European operations should be treated as separate reportable segments as further described in Note 5, “Business Segments.”

Presentation of Consolidated Financial Statements

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions are eliminated in consolidation.

Accounting estimates are an integral part of the consolidated financial statements. These estimates require the use of judgments and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses in the periods presented. We believe that the accounting estimates employed are appropriate and the resulting balances are reasonable; however, due to the inherent uncertainties in developing estimates, actual results could differ from the original estimates, requiring adjustments to these balances in future periods.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents generally consist of cash, certificates of deposit, fixed deposits and money market funds with original maturities of three months or less.

Derivative Financial Instruments and Hedging Activities

Our derivatives are over-the-counter customized derivative instruments and are not exchange traded. We account for our derivative instruments as either assets or liabilities and adjust them to fair value each period. For derivative instruments that hedge the exposure to variability in expected future cash flows that are designated as cash flow hedges, the gain or loss on the derivative instrument is recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income or loss in shareholders’ equity or deficit until the hedged item is recognized in earnings, at which point accumulated gains or losses are recognized in earnings and classified with the underlying hedged transaction. Derivatives that do not qualify or have not been designated as hedges are adjusted to fair value through earnings in the financial statement line item to which the derivative relates (refer to Note 4, “Derivative Financial Instruments” for additional information pertaining to our derivative instruments).

We enter into contracts to purchase certain commodities used in the manufacture of our products, such as aluminum, natural gas and electricity. These contracts are considered to be derivative instruments under U.S. GAAP; however, these purchase contracts are not accounted for as derivatives because they qualify for the normal purchase normal sale exemption.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable primarily consists of amounts that are due and payable from our customers for the sale of aluminum wheels. We evaluate the collectability of receivables each reporting period and record an allowance for doubtful accounts representing our estimate of probable losses. Additions to the allowance are charged to bad debt expense reported in selling, general and administrative expenses.

Inventory

Inventories, which are categorized as raw materials, work-in-process or finished goods, are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. The cost of inventories is measured using the FIFO (first-in, first-out) method or the average cost method. Inventories are reviewed to determine if inventory quantities are in excess of forecasted usage or if they have become obsolete.

Aluminum is the primary material component in our inventories. The Company had three aluminum suppliers in 2022 and two aluminum suppliers in 2021 which individually exceeded 10 percent of total aluminum purchases and, in the aggregate, represented 61.4 percent and 56.2 percent of our total aluminum purchases, respectively.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment are carried at cost, less accumulated depreciation. The cost of additions, improvements and interest during construction, if any, are capitalized. Our maintenance and repair costs are charged to expense when incurred. Depreciation is calculated generally on the straight-line method based on the estimated useful lives of the assets.


Classification		Expected Useful Life
Buildings		15 to 50 years
Machinery and equipment		3 to 20 years
Leasehold Improvements		Lease term

When property, plant and equipment is replaced, retired or otherwise disposed of, the cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed and any resulting gain or loss on the disposition of an operating asset is included in income or loss from operations and is classified as a part of selling, general and administrative expenses. Any gain or loss on the disposition of a nonoperating asset, as well as any casualty gain or loss, is included in other income or expense.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The carrying amount of long-lived assets to be held and used in the business is evaluated for impairment whenever facts and circumstances suggest that the carrying value of the assets may not be recoverable. An impairment loss occurs when the carrying value of an asset group (including the carrying value of liabilities associated with the long-lived assets within the asset group) exceeds the undiscounted cash flows expected to be realized from the use and eventual disposition of the respective long-lived assets. An asset group is the unit of accounting for a long-lived asset or group of long-lived assets which represents the lowest level for which identifiable cash flows are largely independent of the cash flows of other asset groups. Fair value is determined primarily by discounting the estimated expected cash flows. If the carrying amount of an asset group is impaired, a loss is recognized based on the amount by which the carrying value exceeds fair value. The Company’s asset groups consist of the North American and European reportable segments.

Intangible Assets

Intangible assets are finite-lived assets consisting of brand names, technology and customer relationships. Finite-lived intangible assets are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives (since the pattern in which the asset will be consumed cannot be reliably determined).

Foreign Currency Transactions and Translation

The assets and liabilities of foreign subsidiaries that use local currency as their functional currency are translated to U.S. dollars based on the current exchange rate prevailing at each balance sheet date and any resulting translation adjustments are included in accumulated other comprehensive income or loss. The assets and liabilities of foreign subsidiaries whose local currency is not their functional currency are remeasured from their local currency to their functional currency and then translated to U.S. dollars. Revenues and expenses are translated into U.S. dollars using the average exchange rates prevailing for each period presented.

Gains and losses arising from foreign currency transactions and the effects of remeasurement discussed in the preceding paragraph are recorded in other income or expense. We recognized foreign currency transaction and remeasurement gains of $1.35 million and $0.3 million in 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue is recognized when performance obligations under our contracts are satisfied. Generally, this occurs upon shipment when control of products transfers to our customers. At this point, revenue is recognized in an amount reflecting the consideration we expect to be entitled to under the terms of our contract.

The Company maintains long-term business relationships with our OEM customers and aftermarket distributors; however, there are no definitive long-term volume commitments under these arrangements. Volume commitments are limited to near-term customer requirements authorized under purchase orders or production releases generally with delivery periods of approximately one month. Sales do not involve any significant financing component since customer payment is generally due 40-60 days after shipment. Contract assets and liabilities consist of customer receivables and deferred revenues related to tooling.

At contract inception, the Company assesses goods and services promised in its contracts with customers and identifies a performance obligation for each promise to deliver a good or service (or bundle of goods or services) that is distinct. Principal performance obligations under our customer contracts consist of the manufacture and delivery of aluminum wheels, including production wheels, service wheels and replacement wheels. As a part of the manufacture of the wheels, we develop tooling necessary to produce the wheels. Accordingly, tooling costs, which are explicitly recoverable from our customers, are capitalized as preproduction costs and amortized to cost of sales over the average life of the vehicle wheel program. Similarly, customer reimbursement for tooling costs is deferred and amortized to net sales over the average life of the vehicle wheel program.

In the normal course of business, the Company’s warranties are limited to product specifications and the Company does not accept product returns unless the item is defective as manufactured. Accordingly, warranty costs are treated as a cost of fulfillment subject to accrual, rather than a performance obligation. The Company establishes provisions for both estimated returns and warranty when revenue is recognized. In addition, the Company does not typically provide customers with the right to a refund but provides for product replacement.

Prices allocated to production, service and replacement wheels are based on prices established in our customer purchase orders which represent the standalone selling price. Prices for service and replacement wheels are commensurate with production wheels with adjustment for any special packaging. In addition, prices are subject to adjustment for changes in commodity prices for aluminum, alloy premium and silicon, as well as production efficiencies and wheel weight variations from specifications used in pricing. These price adjustments are treated as variable consideration. Customer tooling reimbursement is generally based on quoted prices or cost not to exceed quoted prices.

We estimate variable consideration by using the “most likely” amount estimation approach. For commodity prices, initial estimates are based on the commodity index at contract inception. Changes in commodity prices are monitored and revenue is adjusted as changes in the commodity index occur. Prices incorporate the wheel weight price component based on product specifications. Weights are monitored, and prices are adjusted as variations arise. In North America OEM price adjustments due to manufacturing efficiencies are generally recognized as and when negotiated with customers. Contracts with European OEMs generally include annual price reductions based on expected manufacturing efficiencies over the life of the vehicle wheel program which are accrued as revenue is recognized. Customer contract prices are generally adjusted quarterly to incorporate price adjustments.

Under the Company’s policies, shipping costs are treated as a cost of fulfillment. In addition, the Company does not disclose remaining performance obligations under its contracts since contract terms are substantially less than a year (generally less than one month). Our revenue recognition practices and related transactions and balances are further described in Note 2, “Revenue.”

Stock-Based Compensation

We account for stock-based compensation using the estimated fair value recognition method. We recognize these compensation costs on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the award, which is generally the vesting term of three years. Refer to Note 17, “Stock-Based Compensation” for additional information concerning our stock-based compensation awards.

Income Taxes

We account for income taxes using the asset and liability method. The asset and liability method requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for expected future tax consequences of temporary differences that currently exist between the tax basis and financial reporting basis of our assets and liabilities. We calculate current and deferred tax provisions based on estimates and assumptions that could differ from actual results reflected on the income tax returns filed during the following years. Adjustments based on filed returns are recorded when identified in the subsequent years.

The effect on deferred taxes of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that the tax rate change is enacted. The ability to realize deferred tax assets depends on the ability to generate sufficient taxable income in the future. A valuation allowance is provided for deferred income tax assets when, in our judgment, based upon currently available information and other factors, it is more likely than not that all or a portion of such deferred income tax assets will not be realized. The assessment regarding whether a valuation allowance is required or should be adjusted is based on an evaluation of possible sources of taxable income and considers all available positive and negative evidence factors. Our accounting for the valuation of deferred tax assets represents our best estimate of future events. We believe that the determination to record a valuation allowance to reduce a deferred income tax asset is a significant accounting estimate because it is based, among other things, on an estimate of taxable income, which is susceptible to change and may or may not occur, and because the impact of adjusting a valuation allowance may be material. In determining when to release the valuation allowance established against our net deferred income tax assets, we consider all available evidence, both positive and negative.

We account for uncertain tax positions utilizing a two-step approach to evaluate tax positions. Step one, recognition, requires evaluation of the tax position to determine if based solely on technical merits it is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination. Step two, measurement, is addressed only if a position is more likely than not to be sustained. In step two, the tax benefit is measured as the largest amount of benefit, determined on a cumulative probability basis, which is more likely than not to be realized upon ultimate settlement with tax authorities. If a position does not meet the more likely than not threshold for recognition in step one, no benefit is recorded until the first subsequent period in which the more likely than not standard is met, the issue is resolved with the taxing authority, or the statute of limitations expires. Positions previously recognized are derecognized when we subsequently determine the position no longer is more likely than not to be sustained. Evaluation of tax positions, their technical merits, and measurements using cumulative probability are highly subjective management estimates. Actual results could differ materially from these estimates.

In 2022 and 2021, we have provided deferred income taxes for the estimated U.S. federal and state income tax, foreign income tax and applicable withholding taxes on unremitted earnings of subsidiaries.

Cash Paid for Interest and Taxes and Non-Cash Investing Activities

Cash Paid for Interest and Taxes and Noncash Investing Activities

Cash paid for interest was $38.2 million and $36.7 million, respectively, for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021. Cash paid for income taxes was $8.0 million and $10.5 million for the years ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, we had purchased but not yet paid for equipment of $9.3 million and $11.2 million, respectively, which are included in accounts payable and accrued expenses in our consolidated balance sheets.

Adoption of New Accounting Standards and Accounting Standards Issued but Not Yet Adopted

Adoption of New Accounting Standards

ASU 2021-10, “Government Assistance (Topic 832): Disclosures by Business Entities about Government Assistance.” As of January 1, 2022, we adopted this standard on a prospective basis. The standard requires entities to disclose information about any transactions with a government that are accounted for by applying a grant or contribution accounting model by analogy. Disclosures under ASU 2021-10 include: information about the nature of the transactions and the related accounting policy used to account for the transactions, the financial statement line items affected by the transactions, the amounts applicable to each financial statement line item and significant terms and conditions of the transactions, including commitments and contingencies. The adoption of this accounting standard did not have a material effect on our financial statements or disclosures since we have not received any significant governmental assistance.

Accounting Standards Issued But Not Yet Adopted

Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued ASU 2016-13 which requires entities to use a new impairment model based on current expected credit losses (“CECL”) rather than incurred losses. Under CECL, estimated credit losses would incorporate relevant information about past events, current conditions and reasonable and supportable forecasts and any expected credit losses would be recognized at the end of the period. As a smaller reporting company (as defined under SEC regulations), the Company is required to adopt the standard January 1, 2023. We do not expect that adoption of the standard will result in any cumulative adjustment nor have any material effect on our financial statements or disclosures since our credit losses have been (and are expected to remain) immaterial due to the financial strength of our OEM customers and the relatively short term nature of our contractual terms with our OEM and aftermarket customers.

Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2022-04, Liabilities—Supplier Finance Programs (Subtopic 405-50): Disclosure of Supplier Finance Program Obligations.” In September 2022, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued ASU 2022-04 which requires that a buyer in a supplier finance program disclose the key terms of the program, including a description of the payment terms. For the obligations that the buyer has confirmed as valid to the finance provider or intermediary, the buyer must disclose: the amount outstanding that remains unpaid by the buyer as of the end of each year, a description of where those obligations are presented in the balance sheet and a rollforward of those obligations during the year, including the amount of obligations confirmed and the amount of obligations subsequently paid. This standard becomes effective for fiscal years beginning January 1, 2023, including interim periods within those fiscal years, except for the amendment on rollforward information, which is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023. Early adoption is permitted. In adopting this standard, disclosures currently included in management's discussion and analysis regarding supply chain financing will be incorporated into the notes to the consolidated financial statements along with disclosure of payment terms under the program, as well as a roll forward of the amounts owed to the financial institution which has discounted supplier receivables.

Fair Value Measurements

The Company applies fair value accounting for all financial assets and liabilities and nonfinancial assets and liabilities that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements on a recurring basis, while other assets and liabilities are measured at fair value on a nonrecurring basis, such as an asset impairment. Fair value is estimated by applying the following hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value into three levels and bases the categorization within the hierarchy upon the lowest level of input that is available and significant to the fair value measurement:

Level 1 - Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 - Observable inputs other than quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in inactive markets, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the assets or liabilities.

Level 3 - Inputs that are generally unobservable and typically reflect management’s estimate of assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability.

The carrying amounts for cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate their fair values due to the short period of time until maturity.

Derivatives, Methods of Accounting, Hedging Derivatives

We use derivatives to partially offset our exposure to foreign currency, interest rate, aluminum and other commodity price risks. We may enter into forward contracts, option contracts, swaps, collars or other derivative instruments to offset some of the risk on expected future cash flows and on certain existing assets and liabilities. However, we may choose not to hedge certain exposures for a variety of reasons including, but not limited to, accounting considerations and the prohibitive economic cost of hedging particular exposures. There can be no assurance the hedges will fully offset the financial impact resulting from movements in foreign currency exchange rates, interest rates, and aluminum or other commodity prices.

To help mitigate gross margin and cash flow fluctuations due to changes in foreign currency exchange rates, certain of our subsidiaries, whose functional currency is the U.S. dollar or the Euro, hedge a portion of their forecasted foreign currency costs denominated in the Mexican Peso and Polish Zloty, respectively. We may hedge portions of our forecasted foreign currency exposure up to 48 months.

We account for our derivative instruments as either assets or liabilities and adjust them to fair value each period. For derivative instruments that hedge the exposure to variability in expected future cash flows and are designated as cash flow hedges, the gain or loss on the derivative instrument is recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”) or loss in shareholders’ equity or deficit until the hedged item is recognized in earnings, at which point accumulated gains or losses are recognized in earnings and classified with the underlying hedged transaction. Derivatives that do not qualify or have not been designated as hedges are adjusted to fair value through earnings in the financial statement line item to which the derivative relates.

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