Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

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

Reclassifications

Certain amounts previously presented in the consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. Such reclassifications had no effect on net income, stockholders’ equity or cash flows.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America 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 bad debt reserves, inventory obsolescence reserves, percentage-of-completion revenue recognition, self-insurance reserves, product warranty reserves, long-lived assets, intangible assets 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. 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.

Short-term Investments

The Company classifies its short-term investments consisting of corporate bonds, government bonds and other such similar investments as available-for-sale securities. Available-for-sale securities are carried at fair market value with net unrealized holding gains and losses reported each period as a component of comprehensive income in stockholders’ equity. The Company’s short-term investments have contractual maturities ranging from July 2015 to October 2016. See Note 2 for additional information.

Concentrations of Credit Risk

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 when competitive conditions require such financing. In such cases, the Company may require collateral. Allowances are recognized for potential credit losses. At September 30, 2014, the Company had three customers comprising 22.8%, 15.6% and 14.2% of its trade accounts receivable. At September 30, 2013, the Company had one customer comprising 25.4% of its trade accounts receivable. The Company had two customers comprising 71.8% and 27.1% of its notes receivable balance at September 30, 2014. The Company had two customers comprising 60.0% and 39.1% of its notes receivable balance at September 30, 2013. One customer comprised 26.4% of the Company’s revenues during fiscal year 2014. One customer comprised 36.5% of the Company’s revenues during fiscal year 2013. One customer comprised 17.7% of the Company’s revenues during fiscal year 2012.

One of our wholly-owned subsidiaries, Geospace Technologies Eurasia, is located in the Russian Federation. In addition, we operate a branch office, Geospace Technologies Sucursal Sudamericana, in Colombia. Our financial results for these entities may be affected by factors such as changes in foreign currency exchange rates, weak economic conditions or changes in the political climate. Our consolidated balance sheets at September 30, 2014 reflected approximately $11.4 million and $1.8 million of net working capital related to our Russian and Colombian operations, respectively. Both of these entities receive a portion of their revenues and pay a majority of their expenses primarily in their local currency. During the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, our Russian subsidiary received approximately $10.2 million and $7.7 million, respectively of its revenues in U.S. dollars as a result of intercompany sales to our subsidiary located in the United States. To the extent that transactions of these entities are settled in their local currency, a devaluation of these currencies versus the U.S. dollar could reduce any contribution from these entities to our consolidated results of operations and total comprehensive income as reported in U.S. dollars. We do not hedge the market risk with respect to our operations in these countries; therefore, such risk is a general and unpredictable risk of future disruptions in the valuation of such currencies versus U.S. dollars to the extent such disruptions result in any reduced valuation of these foreign entities’ net working capital or future contributions to our consolidated results of operations.

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 market value. Cost is determined on the first-in, first-out method, except that the Company’s subsidiary in the Russian Federation uses an average cost method to value its inventories.

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		3-5
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.

Patents

Patents are amortized over the legal life of the patent or the estimated useful life of the patent, whichever is shorter. At September 30, 2014, the Company’s patents were fully amortized. No patent amortization expense was incurred during fiscal year 2014. Patent amortization expense was approximately $0.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively, during each of fiscal years 2013 and 2012.

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.

Goodwill

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014, the Company follows the simplified procedures for analyzing goodwill impairment. The guidance on the testing of goodwill for impairment provides the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine if the annual two-step test of goodwill for impairment must be performed. If, based on the qualitative assessment of events or circumstances, an entity determines it is more likely than not that the goodwill fair value is more than its carrying amount then it is not necessary to perform the two-step impairment test. However, if an entity concludes otherwise, then the two-step impairment test must be performed to identify potential impairment and to measure the amount of goodwill impairment, if any. The Company determined that it is more likely than not that the fair value of its goodwill was more than its carrying amount of $1.8 million and the two-step process was not necessary for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014.

Revenue Recognition

The Company primarily derives revenue from the sale of its manufactured products, including revenues derived from the sale of its manufactured rental equipment. In addition, the Company generates revenue from the short-term rental under operating leases of its manufactured products. Except for revenues recognized using the percentage-of-completion method discussed below, the Company recognizes revenue from product sales, including the sale of used rental equipment, when (i) title passes to the customer, (ii) the customer assumes risks and rewards of ownership, (iii) the product sales price has been determined, (iv) collectability of the sales price is reasonably assured and (v) product delivery occurs as directed by the customer. Except for certain of the Company’s permanent reservoir monitoring products, the Company’s products are generally sold without any customer acceptance provisions and the Company’s standard terms of sale do not allow customers to return products for credit. The Company recognizes rental revenues as earned over the rental period. Rentals of the Company’s equipment generally range from daily rentals to rental periods of up to six months or longer. Revenues from engineering services are recognized as services are rendered over the duration of a project, or as billed on a per hour basis. Field service revenues are recognized when services are rendered and are generally priced on a per day rate.

Revenue Recognition – Percentage of Completion

The Company utilizes the percentage-of-completion method (the “POC Method”) to recognize revenues and costs on contracts having the following characteristics:

·	the order/contract requires significant custom designs for customer specific applications;

·	the product design requires significant engineering efforts;

·	the order/contract requires the customer to make progress payments during the contract term; and

·	the order/contract requires at least 90 days of engineering and manufacturing effort.

The POC Method requires the Company’s senior management to make estimates, at least quarterly, of the (i) total expected costs of the contract, (ii) manufacturing progress against the contract and (iii) the estimated cost to complete the contract. These estimates impact the amount of revenue and gross profit the Company recognizes for each reporting period. Significant estimates that may affect the future cost to complete a contract include the cost and availability of raw materials and component parts, engineering services, manufacturing equipment, labor, manufacturing capacity, factory productivity, contract penalties and disputes, product warranties and other contingent factors. Change orders are included in the total estimated contract revenue when it is probable that the change order will result in additional value that can be reliably estimated and realized. The Company defers recognition of the entire amount of revenue or portion thereof associated with unapproved change orders if there is substantial uncertainty as to amounts involved or ultimate realization. The cumulative impact of periodic revisions to the future cost to complete a contract will be reflected in the period in which these changes become known, including, to the extent required, the recognition of losses at the time such losses are known and estimable. Due to the various estimates inherent in the POC Method, actual final results at the conclusion of a contract could differ from management’s previous estimates.

The Company analyzes a variety of indicators to determine manufacturing progress, including actual costs incurred to date compared to total estimated costs and actual quantities produced to date compared to total contract quantities.

Cost of sales includes direct contract costs, such as materials and labor, and indirect costs that are attributable to a contract’s production activity. The timing of when the Company invoices its customer is dependent upon the completion of certain production milestones as defined in the contract. Cumulative contract costs and estimated earnings to date in excess of cumulative billings are reported as a current asset on the consolidated balance sheet as “costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings.” Cumulative billings in excess of cumulative costs and estimated earnings are reported as a current liability on the consolidated balance sheet as “billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings.” Any uncollected billed revenue, including contract retentions, is included in trade accounts receivable, net.

Deferred Revenue

The Company records deferred revenue when funds are received prior to the recognition of the associated revenue.

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 accrued expenses and 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, 2011	$	2,123
Accruals for warranties issued during the year		1,354
Settlements made (in cash or in kind) during the year		(1,169	)
Balance at September 30, 2012		2,308
Accruals for warranties issued during the year		681
Settlements made (in cash or in kind) during the year		(1,037	)
Balance at September 30, 2013		1,952
Accruals for warranties issued during the year		324
Settlements made (in cash or in kind) during the year		(1,325	)
Balance at September 30, 2014	$	951

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company expenses the grant date fair value of equity awards over the requisite service period. The Company uses the Black-Scholes model to value its new stock option grants. The share-based payment framework also requires the Company to estimate forfeitures in calculating the expense related to stock-based compensation. In addition, the share-based payment framework requires the Company to reflect the benefits of tax deductions in excess of recognized compensation cost to be reported as a financing cash inflow.

During fiscal year 2014, the Company issued 197,000 shares of restricted stock. The weighted average grant date fair value of the shares issued was $95.18 per share. No restricted stock was issued during fiscal years 2013 and 2012. No stock options were granted during fiscal years 2014, 2013 and 2012.

The Company recorded stock-based compensation expense of $4.1 million, $0.5 million and $0.8 million for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Foreign Currency Gains and Losses

The assets and liabilities of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries 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 income (loss) in stockholders’ equity. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in the statement of operations as they occur.

Shipping and Handling Costs

Amounts billed to a customer in a sales transaction related to reimbursable shipping and handling costs are included in revenues and the associated costs incurred by the Company for reimbursable shipping and handling expenses are reported in cost of sales. The Company had shipping and handling expenses of $0.9 million, $1.4 million and $1.0 million for each of the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012, respectively.

Income Taxes

Income taxes are presented in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) 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.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Income taxes are presented in accordance with FASB guidance for accounting for income taxes. In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2014-09 “Revenue from Contracts with Customer (Topic 606).” The amendment applies a new five-step revenue recognition model to be used in recognizing revenues associated with customer contracts. The amendment requires disclosure sufficient to enable readers of financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers, including qualitative and quantitative disclosures, significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from the costs to obtain or fulfill the contract. The standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period. The Company is currently evaluating the new guidance to determine the impact on its consolidated financial statements.