1.Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The consolidated balance sheet of Geospace Technologies Corporation and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) at September 30, 2015 was derived from the Company’s audited consolidated financial statements at that date. The consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2015 and the consolidated statements of operations, comprehensive loss and cash flows for the three months ended December 31, 2015 and 2014 were prepared by the Company without audit. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting of normal recurring adjustments, necessary to present fairly the consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows were made. The results of operations for the three months ended December 31, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for a full year or of future operations.

Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements presented in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America were omitted pursuant to the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The accompanying consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the Company’s fiscal year ended September 30, 2015.

Reclassifications

Certain amounts previously presented in the consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. During the three months ended December 31, 2015, the Company elected to early adopt Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”), Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2015-17-Income Taxes (Topic 740) requiring all deferred tax assets and liabilities to be classified as non-current on the balance sheet. The purpose of this adoption was to simplify the presentation of deferred income taxes. The accompanying balance sheet as of September 30, 2015 has been retrospectively adjusted to reflect the adoption of this standard. The effect of the adjustment at September 30, 2015 was a $6.4 million decrease in current assets, a $10,000 decrease in current liabilities, a $3.0 million increase in non-current deferred tax assets and a $3.4 million decrease in non-current deferred tax liabilities. Such reclassification had no effect on net loss, 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, self-insurance reserves, product warranty reserves, impairment of long-lived 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 accumulated other comprehensive loss in stockholders’ equity. See note 2 for additional information.

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 certain of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries use an average cost method to value their inventories.

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 December 31, 2015, management reviewed the recoverability of the carrying value of the Company’s long-lived assets based on future undiscounted cash flows and determined that no such impairment of these assets was necessary as the expected future cash flows exceeded the carrying value of the assets.

Revenue Recognition – Products and Services

The Company primarily derives revenue from the sale of its manufactured products, including revenue 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. 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 the 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 reservoir characterization 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 revenue 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. Revenue 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 revenue are recognized when services are rendered and are generally priced on a per day rate.

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

Balance at October 1, 2015........................	$	2,326
Accruals for warranties issued during the period..........		201
Settlements made (in cash or in kind) during the period.....		(1,428	)
Balance at December 31, 2015......................	$	1,099

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In November 2015, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued guidance requiring all deferred tax assets and liabilities, and any related valuation allowance, to be classified as non-current on the balance sheet. The classification change for all deferred taxes as non-current simplifies entities’ processes as it eliminates the need to separately identify the net current and net non-current deferred tax asset or liability in each jurisdiction and allocate valuation allowances. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period. The guidance can be applied retrospectively or prospectively and early adoption is permitted. The Company elected to retrospectively adopt the accounting standard in our first quarter of fiscal 2016. Prior periods in our consolidated financial statements were retrospectively adjusted.

In July 2015, the FASB issued guidance requiring management to measure inventory at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Net realizable value is the estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. The pronouncement is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period and should be applied retrospectively, with early application permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

In August 2014, the FASB issued guidance requiring management to evaluate whether there are conditions and events that raise substantial doubt about the entity's ability to continue as a going concern and to provide disclosures in certain circumstances. The new guidance was issued to reduce diversity in the timing and content of footnote disclosures. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim reporting periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2016. The Company will continue to evaluate any significant impacts of this guidance on consolidated financial statement disclosures.

In May 2014, the FASB issued guidance requiring entities to recognize revenue from contracts with customers by applying a five-step model in accordance with the core principle to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. In addition, this guidance specifies the accounting for some costs to obtain or fulfill a contract with a customer and expands disclosure requirements for revenue recognition. In August 2015, the FASB issued guidance deferring the effective date of this guidance to annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods therein. Entities have the option to adopt this guidance either retrospectively or through a modified retrospective transition method. This new standard will supersede existing revenue guidance and affect the Company's revenue recognition process and the presentations or disclosures of the Company's consolidated financial statements and footnotes. The Company is currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on its consolidated financial statements.