XML 17 R6.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.5.0.2
Significant Accounting Policies
9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Significant Accounting Policies

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 June 30, 2016 and the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2016 and 2015, and the consolidated statements of cash flows for the nine months ended June 30, 2016 and 2015 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 and nine months ended June 30, 2016 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 our previously reported 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 management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amount of assets, liabilities, revenue and expenses 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, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities which are not readily available from other sources.  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 June 30, 2016, management reviewed the recoverability of the carrying value of the Company’s long-lived assets based on future undiscounted cash flows and determined that the carrying value of certain rental assets exceeded the expected future cash flows.  As a result, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $1.0 million in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations for the three and nine months ended June 30, 2016.  No such impairment of remaining long-lived 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 is recognized as services are rendered over the duration of a project, or as billed on a per hour basis.  Field service revenue is recognized when services are rendered and is 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

 

 

411

 

Settlements made (in cash or in kind) during the period

 

 

(2,106

)

Balance at June 30, 2016

 

$

631

 

 

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2016, the FASB issued guidance surrounding credit losses for financial instruments that replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology in current U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”).  The new impairment model requires immediate recognition of estimated credit losses expected to occur for most financial assets and certain other instruments.  For available-for-sale debt securities with unrealized losses, the losses will be recognized as allowances rather than reductions in the amortized cost of the securities.  The standard is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those annual periods.  Early adoption for fiscal year beginning after December 15, 2018 is permitted.  Entities will apply the standard’s provisions as a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the first effective reporting period.  The Company does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a material effect upon its consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued guidance to simplify key components of employee share-based payment accounting.  The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period.  Several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment award transactions are simplified, including: (a) income tax consequences; (b) classification of awards as either equity or liabilities; and (c) classification on the statement of cash flows.  The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material effect upon its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued guidance requiring a lessee to recognize assets and liabilities for leases with lease terms of more than 12 months.  Consistent with current GAAP, the recognition, measurement and presentation of expense and cash flows arising from a lease by a lessee primarily will depend on its classification as a finance or operating lease.  However, unlike current GAAP, which requires only capital leases to be recognized on the balance sheet, this new guidance will require both types of leases to be recognized on the balance sheet.  The guidance also requires disclosures to help investors and other financial statement users to better understand the amount, timing and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases.  These disclosures include qualitative and quantitative requirements, providing additional information about the amounts recorded in the financial statements.  The guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim reporting periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2018 and is to be applied using the modified retrospective approach.  The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material effect upon its consolidated financial statements.

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 does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material effect upon its consolidated financial statements.

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.