Note 1 - Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

Notes to Financial Statements

Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

1. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies:

The Company

Geospace Technologies Corporation (“Geospace”) designs and manufactures instruments and equipment used by the oil and gas industry to acquire seismic data in order to locate, characterize and monitor hydrocarbon producing reservoirs. Geospace also designs and manufactures Adjacent Markets products including industrial products, imaging equipment, and provides contract manufacturing services, and Emerging Market products consisting of border and perimeter security products. Geospace and its subsidiaries are referred to collectively as the “Company”.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying financial statements present the consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows of the Company in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("U.S. GAAP"). All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires the use of estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. The Company considers many factors in selecting appropriate operational and financial accounting policies and controls and in developing the estimates and assumptions that are used in the preparation of these financial statements. The Company continually evaluates its estimates, including those related to revenue recognition, bad debt reserves, collectability of rental revenue, inventory obsolescence reserves, self-insurance reserves, product warranty reserves, useful lives of long-lived assets, impairment of long-lived assets, impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets, contingent consideration and deferred income tax assets. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. While management believes current estimates are reasonable and appropriate, actual results may differ from these estimates under different conditions or assumptions.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with an original or remaining maturity at the time of purchase of three months or less to be cash equivalents.  At September 30, 2023 and 2022, the Company had restricted cash of $0.2 million on deposit with a bank, which serves as collateral on employee issued credit cards. At September 30, 2023, cash and cash equivalents included $3.8 million held by the Company’s foreign subsidiaries and branch offices, including $2.5 million held by its subsidiary in the Russian Federation. In response to sanctions imposed by the United States and others on Russia, the Russian government has imposed restrictions on companies' abilities to repatriate or otherwise remit cash from their Russian-based operations to locations outside of Russia. As a result, this cash can be used in our Russian operations, but the Company may be unable to transfer it out of Russia without incurring substantial costs, if at all. In addition, if the Company were to repatriate the cash held by its Russian subsidiary, it would be required to accrue and pay taxes on any amount repatriated.  During fiscal year 2023, in light of recent volatility in the financial markets, the Company entered into an IntraFi Cash Service ("ICS") Deposit Placement Agreement with IntraFi Network LLC through its primary bank, Woodforest National Bank.  The ICS program offers access to unlimited Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation ("FDIC') insurance on the Company's domestically held cash in excess of $5.0 million, thereby mitigating its risk of falling outside of FDIC coverage limits.

Concentrations of Risk

Credit

The Company maintains its cash in bank deposit accounts that, at times, exceed federally insured limits. Management of the Company believes that the financial strength of the financial institutions holding such deposits minimizes the credit risk of such deposits.

The Company sells products to customers throughout the United States and various foreign countries. The Company’s normal credit terms for trade receivables are 30 days. In certain situations, credit terms may be extended to 60 days or longer. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and generally does not require collateral for its trade receivables. Additionally, the Company provides long-term financing in the form of promissory notes and sales-type leases when competitive conditions require such financing. In such cases, the Company may require collateral. Allowances are recognized for potential credit losses. Two customers comprised 26.7% and 11.7% of the Company’s revenue during fiscal year 2023. At September 30, 2023, the Company had trade accounts and financing receivables from these customers of $3.5 million and $4.8 million, respectively.  One customer comprised 29.3% of the Company’s revenue during fiscal year 2022. At September 30, 2022, the Company had trade accounts and financing receivables from this customer of $5.5 million.

Supplier

Certain models of the Company’s oil and gas marine wireless products require a timing device it purchases from a United States manufacturer. The Company currently does not possess the ability to manufacture this component and has no other reliable source for this device. If this manufacturer were to discontinue its production of this timing device, were to become unwilling to contract with the Company on competitive terms or were unable to supply the component in sufficient quantities to meet its requirements, the Company’s ability to compete in the marine wireless marketplace could be impaired, which could adversely affect its financial performance. The device is used in certain models of the Company’s rental equipment. Product sales requiring this device represented approximately 4% and 11% of the Company's revenue in fiscal year 2023 and  2022, respectively.

The Company purchases all of its thermal film from one manufacturer for its imaging products. Except for the film sold to the Company by this manufacturer, the Company knows of no other source for thermal film that performs as well in its imaging equipment. If the manufacturer were to discontinue producing thermal film, were to become unwilling to contract with the Company on competitive terms or were unable to supply thermal film in sufficient quantities to meet its requirements, the Company’s ability to compete in the direct thermal imaging marketplace could be impaired, which could adversely affect its financial performance. Thermal film sales represented approximately 5% and 8% of the Company’s revenue in fiscal year 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Armed Conflict Between Russia and Ukraine

A portion of the Company's oil and gas product manufacturing is conducted through its wholly-owned subsidiary Geospace Technologies Eurasia LLC, ("GTE") which is based in the Russian Federation. In February 2022, the Russian Federation launched a full-scale military invasion of Ukraine. Although the length and impact of the ongoing military conflict is highly unpredictable, the conflict in Ukraine could lead to market disruptions, including significant volatility in commodity prices, credit and capital markets, as well as supply chain interruptions in addition to any direct impact on the Company's operations in Russia. As a result of the invasion, the governments of several western nations, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, implemented new and/or expanded economic sanctions and export restrictions against Russia, Russian-backed separatist regions in Ukraine, certain banks, companies, government officials, and other individuals in Russia and Belarus.  The implementation of theses sanctions and exports restrictions, in combinations with the withdrawal of numerous private companies from the Russian market, which has had, and is likely to continue to have, a negative impact on the Company's business in the region.  The rapid changes in rules and implementation of new rules on imports and exports of goods involving Russia has also led to serious delays in getting goods to or from Russia as port authorities struggle to keep up with the changing environment. If imports of these products from the Russian Federation are restricted by government regulation, the Company may be forced to find other sources for the manufacturing of these products at potentially higher costs. Likewise, restrictions on the Company's ability to send products to GTE, may force our subsidiary to have to find other sources for the manufacturing of these products at potentially higher costs.  However, the Company's exports to GTE have historically been limited. The risk of doing business in the Russian Federation and other economically or politically volatile areas could adversely affect the Company's operations and earnings.

The Company is actively monitoring the situation in Ukraine and Russia and assessing its impact on its business, including GTE. The net carrying value of GTE on the Company's consolidated balance sheet at September 30, 2023 was $5.8 million. GTE generated $1.8 million in revenue from domestic sales and the Company imported $3.8 million of products from GTE in fiscal year 2023. The Company has no way to predict the duration, progress or outcome of the military conflict in Ukraine. The extent and duration of the military action, sanctions, and resulting market disruptions could be significant and could potentially have substantial impact on the global economy and the Company's business for an unknown period of time.

Inventories

The Company records a write-down of its inventories when the cost basis of any manufactured product, including any estimated future costs to complete the manufacturing process, exceeds its net realizable value. Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Cost is determined on the first-in, first-out method, except that certain of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries use an average cost method to value their inventories.

The Company periodically reviews the composition of its inventories to determine if market demand, product modifications, technology changes, excessive quantities on-hand and other factors hinder our ability to recover its investment in such inventories. The Company’s assessment is based upon historical product demand, estimated future product demand and various other judgments and estimates. Inventory obsolescence reserves are recorded when such assessments reveal that portions or components of the Company’s inventory investment will not be realized in its operating activities.

The Company reviews it inventories for classification purposes. The value of inventories not expected to be realized in cash, sold or consumed during its next operating cycle are classified as non-current assets.

Property, Plant and Equipment and Rental Equipment

Property, plant and equipment and rental equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation expense is calculated using the straight-line method over the following estimated useful lives:

	Years
Rental equipment		2 - 5
Property, plant and equipment:
Machinery and equipment		3 - 15
Buildings and building improvements		10 - 50
Other		5 - 10

Expenditures for renewals and betterments are capitalized. Repairs and maintenance expenditures are charged to expense as incurred. The cost and accumulated depreciation of assets sold or otherwise disposed of are removed from the accounts and any gain or loss thereon is reflected in the statements of operations.

Impairment of Long-lived Assets

The Company’s long-lived assets are reviewed for impairment whenever an event or change in circumstances indicates the carrying amount of an asset or group of assets may not be recoverable. The impairment review, if necessary, includes a comparison of expected future cash flows (undiscounted and without interest charges) to be generated by an asset group with the associated carrying value of the related assets. If the carrying value of the asset group exceeds the expected future cash flows, an impairment loss is recognized to the extent that the carrying value of the asset group exceeds its fair value.

At September 30, 2023, in light of the Company's historical operating losses on its Emerging Markets reporting unit, the Company assessed the carrying value of the long-lived assets of its Emerging Markets asset group and determined that the undiscounted cash flows exceeded the carrying value. As a result, no impairment charges were necessary to the Company's long-lived assets of this asset group.

Goodwill

The Company conducts its evaluation of goodwill at the reporting unit level on an annual basis as of September 30 and more frequently if events or circumstances indicate that the carrying value of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value. The guidance on the testing of goodwill for impairment provides the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine if the fair value of a reporting unit exceeds its carrying amount. If, based on the qualitative assessment of events or circumstances, an entity determines it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is more than its carrying amount then it is not necessary to perform a quantitative assessment. However, if an entity concludes otherwise, then a quantitative assessment must be performed. If, based on the quantitative assessment, the Company determines that the fair value of a reporting unit is less that its carrying amount, a goodwill impairment is recognized equal to the difference between the carrying amount of the reporting unit and its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of the goodwill.

Other Intangible Assets

Intangible assets are carried at cost, net of accumulated amortization. The estimated useful life of the Company’s other intangible assets are evaluated each reporting period to determine whether events or circumstances warrant a revision to the remaining amortization period. If the estimate of an intangible asset’s remaining useful life is changed, the amortization period should be changed prospectively. Amortization expense is calculated using the straight-line method over the following estimated useful lives:

	Years
Developed technology		18
Trade names		5
Customer relationships		4
Non-compete agreements		4

Revenue Recognition

See Note 2 to these consolidated financial statements.

Research and Development Costs

The Company expenses research and development costs as incurred. Research and development costs include salaries, employee benefit costs, department supplies, direct project costs and other related costs.

Product Warranties

Most of the Company’s products do not require installation assistance or sophisticated instructions. The Company offers a standard product warranty obligating it to repair or replace equipment with manufacturing defects. The Company maintains a reserve for future warranty costs based on historical experience or, in the absence of historical product experience, management’s estimates. Reserves for future warranty costs are included within other current liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets.

Changes in the product warranty reserve are reflected in the following table (in thousands):

Balance at October 1, 2021	$	379
Accruals for warranties issued during the year		1,431
Settlements made (in cash or in kind) during the year		(1,286	)
Balance at September 30, 2022		524
Accruals for warranties issued during the year		1,655
Settlements made (in cash or in kind) during the year		(1,521	)
Balance at September 30, 2023	$	658

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company accounts for stock-based compensation, including grants of restricted awards and unqualified stock options in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, which requires that all share-based payments (to the extent that they are compensatory) be recognized as an expense in the Company’s consolidated statements of operations based on their fair values on the award date and the estimated number of shares it ultimately expects to vest.

The Company recognizes stock-based compensation expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the award. The Company’s stock-based compensation plan and awards are more fully described in Note 14 to these consolidated financial statements.

Foreign Currency Gains and Losses

The assets and liabilities of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries and branch offices that have a foreign currency as their functional currency have been translated into U.S. dollars using the exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date. Results of operations have been translated using the average exchange rates during the year. Resulting translation adjustments have been recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss in stockholders’ equity. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in the statements of operations as they occur. Transaction gains and losses on intra-entity foreign currency transactions and balances, including advances and demand notes payable on which settlement is not planned or anticipated in the foreseeable future, are recorded in “accumulated other comprehensive loss” on our consolidated balance sheets.

Fair Value

Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or the amount paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants (an exit price) at the measurement date. U.S. GAAP has established a fair value hierarchy which prioritizes the inputs to the valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three levels. These levels are determined based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Level 1 represents unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities. Level 2 represents quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets (other than those included in Level 1) which are observable, either directly or indirectly. Level 3 represents valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or significant value drivers are unobservable. Also see Note 4 to these consolidated financial statements.

Income Taxes

Income taxes are presented in accordance with the Accounting Standards Codification Topic 740 (“Topic 740”) guidance for accounting for income taxes. The estimated future tax effects of temporary differences between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and amounts reported in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets, as well as operating loss and tax credit carrybacks and carryforwards are recorded. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities (temporary differences) and are measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. The Company periodically reviews the recoverability of tax assets recorded on the balance sheet and provides valuation allowances if it is more likely than not that such assets will not be realized.

The Company follows the guidance of Topic 740 to analyze all tax positions that are less than certain. Topic 740 prescribes a recognition threshold and measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. In accordance with Topic 740, the Company recognizes in its financial statements the impact of a tax position if that position is “more likely than not” to be sustained on audit, based on the technical merits of the position. The Company’s estimate of the potential outcome of any uncertain tax issue is subject to management’s assessment of relevant risks, facts, and circumstances existing at that time.  The Company classifies interest and penalties associated with the payment of income taxes, if any, in the Other Income (Expense) section of its consolidated statements of operations.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2016, the FASB issued guidance surrounding credit losses for financial instruments that replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology in U.S. GAAP.  The new impairment model requires immediate recognition of estimated credit losses expected to occur for most financial assets and certain other financial instruments. For available-for-sale debt securities with unrealized losses, credit losses will be recognized as allowances rather than reductions in the amortized cost of the securities. As a smaller reporting company, the Company must adopt this standard on October 1, 2023. The standard’s provisions will be applied as a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the first effective reporting period. The Company will adopt this standard on October 1, 2023 and does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.