SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements of the Company include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries and any partially owned subsidiaries that the Company has the ability to control. Significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

The results of the Company's European subsidiaries are included in the consolidated financial statements, and are presented on a one-month lag to allow for the timely preparation of consolidated financial information. The effect of this lag in presentation is not material to the consolidated financial statements.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Examples include, but are not limited to, revenue recognition; income tax exposures; the carrying value of goodwill and property, plant, and equipment; bad debts; customer receivable allowances; inventory obsolescence and product warranties. Actual results may differ from such estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents include cash on hand and highly liquid investments with maturities of three months or less at the date of purchase.

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenue when the earnings process is complete. This occurs when risk and title transfers, collectability is reasonably assured, and pricing is fixed and determinable. Accordingly, revenue is recognized when risk and title are transferred to the client, which primarily occurs at the time of shipment. Taxes on revenue producing transactions are not included in sales. Based on historical experience, accruals are made at the time of sale to estimate for sales returns and other allowances.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

The Company maintains allowances for doubtful accounts for estimated losses resulting from the inability of its customers to make required payments. The allowance is determined through an analysis of the aging of accounts receivable and assessments of risk that are based on historical trends. The Company evaluates the past-due status of its customer receivables based on the contractual terms of sale. If the financial condition of the Company's customers were to deteriorate, additional allowances may be required. Accounts receivable are charged against the allowance for doubtful accounts when the Company determines that the likelihood of recovery is remote, and the Company no longer intends to expend resources to attempt collection.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. Cost is determined using the first-in, first-out method. The Company reserves for inventory that, in its judgment, is impaired or obsolete. Obsolescence may be caused by the discontinuance of a product line, changes in product material specifications, replacement products in the marketplace and other competitive influences.

Property, Plant, and Equipment

Property, plant, and equipment are stated at cost, less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. The useful lives are as follows:



Category		Useful Life (in years)
Leasehold improvements ⁽¹⁾		Various
Buildings		45-60
Office equipment		3-10
Machinery and equipment		4-12

(1) Useful lives for leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the economic lives or the term of the lease.

The Company reviews the carrying values of its property and equipment for possible impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable based on undiscounted estimated cash flows expected to result from its use and eventual disposition. The factors considered by the Company in performing this assessment include current operating results, business trends affecting the use of certain assets and other economic factors. In assessing the recoverability of the carrying value of property and equipment, the Company must make assumptions regarding future cash flows and other factors. If these estimates or the related assumptions change in the future, the Company may be required to record an impairment loss for these assets.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

The Company records the excess of purchase price over the fair value of the tangible and identifiable intangible assets acquired as goodwill. Goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite lives are tested for impairment at least annually, as of October 1, and whenever events or circumstances occur indicating that a possible impairment may have been incurred. Intangible assets with finite lives are amortized over their useful lives.

The Company assesses whether goodwill impairment exists using both the qualitative and quantitative assessments. The qualitative assessment involves determining whether events or circumstances exist that indicate it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, including goodwill. If based on this qualitative assessment the Company determines it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, or if the Company elects not to perform a qualitative assessment, a quantitative assessment is performed using a two-step approach to determine whether a goodwill impairment exists at the reporting unit.

In the first step, the Company compares the estimated fair value of each reporting unit to its carrying value. If the estimated fair value of the reporting unit exceeds its carrying value, goodwill is not impaired and no further testing is required. If the estimated fair value of the reporting unit is less than the carrying value, the Company must perform the second step of the impairment test to measure the amount of impairment loss, if any. In the second step, the reporting unit's estimated fair value is allocated to all of the assets and liabilities of the reporting unit, including any unrecognized intangible assets, in a hypothetical analysis that calculates the implied fair value of goodwill in the same manner as if the reporting unit was being acquired in a business combination. If the implied fair value of the reporting unit's goodwill is less than the carrying value, the difference is recorded as an impairment loss.

The Company estimates the fair value of its reporting units using a combination of the fair values derived from both the income approach and the market approach. Under the income approach, the Company calculates the fair value of a reporting unit based on the present value of estimated future cash flows. Cash flow projections are based on management's estimates of revenue growth rates and operating margins, taking into consideration industry and market conditions. The discount rate used is based on the weighted-average cost of capital adjusted for the relevant risk associated with business-specific characteristics and the uncertainty related to the business's ability to execute on the projected cash flows. The market approach estimates fair value based on market multiples of revenue and earnings derived from comparable publicly-traded companies with similar operating and investment characteristics as the reporting unit.

The Company assesses whether indefinite-lived intangible assets impairment exists using both the qualitative and quantitative assessments. The qualitative assessment involves determining whether events or circumstances exist that indicate it is more likely than not that the fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset is less than its carrying amount. If based on this qualitative assessment, the Company determines it is more likely than not that the fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset is less than its carrying amount or if the Company elects not to perform a qualitative assessment, a quantitative assessment is performed to determine whether an indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment exists. The Company tests the indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment by comparing the carrying value to the fair value based on current revenue projections of the related operations, under the relief from royalty method. Any excess of the carrying value over the amount of fair value is recognized as an impairment. Any such impairment would be recognized in the reporting period in which it has been identified.

Finite-lived assets such as customer relationships, non-compete agreements, and licenses are amortized over their estimated useful lives. The Company reviews the carrying values of these assets for possible impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable based on undiscounted estimated cash flows expected to result from its use and eventual disposition. The Company continually evaluates the reasonableness of the useful lives of these assets.

Business Combinations

The purchase price of an acquired company is allocated between tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed from the acquired business based on their estimated fair values, with the residual of the purchase price recorded as goodwill. The results of operations of the acquired business are included in the Company's operating results from the date of acquisition.

Deferred Financing Fees

Financing fees that are incurred by the Company in connection with the issuance of debt are deferred and amortized to interest expense over the life of the underlying indebtedness. Deferred financing fees are included in the Company's consolidated balance sheets within other noncurrent assets.

Shipping and Handling

Amounts billed to clients for shipping and handling of products are classified as sales. Costs incurred by the Company for shipping and handling are classified as cost of sales.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development expenses are expensed as incurred, and are included as a component of selling, general, and administrative expenses. Research and development expenses, were $20.7 million for 2015, $19.2 million for 2014, and $17.8 million for 2013.

Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes using the asset and liability approach, which requires deferred tax assets and liabilities be recognized using enacted tax rates to measure the effect of temporary differences between book and tax bases on recorded assets and liabilities. Valuation allowances are recorded to reduce deferred tax assets, if it is more likely than not some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be recognized. The need to establish valuation allowances against deferred tax assets is assessed quarterly. The Company recorded a valuation allowance primarily for net operating loss carryforwards in foreign tax jurisdictions where the Company incurred historical tax losses from operations or acquired tax losses through acquisitions, and has determined that it is more likely than not these deferred tax assets will not be recognized. The primary factors used to assess the likelihood of realization are forecasts of future taxable income and available tax planning strategies that could be implemented to realize the net deferred tax assets.

The Company evaluates tax positions to determine whether the benefits of tax positions are more likely than not to be sustained upon audit based on the technical merits of the tax position. For tax positions that are more likely than not to be sustained upon audit, the Company recognizes the largest amount of the benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. For tax positions that are not more likely than not to be sustained upon audit, the Company does not recognize any portion of the benefit. If the more likely than not threshold is not met in the period for which a tax position is taken, the Company may subsequently recognize the benefit of that tax position if the tax matter is effectively settled, the statute of limitations expires, or if the more likely than not threshold is met in a subsequent period.

The Company recognizes tax related interest and penalties in income tax expense and accrues for interest and penalties in other noncurrent liabilities.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company uses the following valuation techniques to measure fair value for its financial assets and financial liabilities:



Level 1		Inputs are unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2		Inputs are quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in an active market, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, inputs other than quoted prices that are observable and market-corroborated inputs which are derived principally from or corroborated by observable market data.

Level 3		Inputs are derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs or value drivers are unobservable.

Fair value is the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Company and its subsidiaries use, as appropriate, a market approach (generally, data from market transactions), an income approach (generally, present value techniques and option-pricing models), and/or a cost approach (generally, replacement cost) to measure the fair value of an asset or liability. These valuation approaches incorporate inputs such as observable, independent market data and/or unobservable data that management believes are predicated on the assumptions market participants would use to price an asset or liability. These inputs may incorporate, as applicable, certain risks such as nonperformance risk, which includes credit risk.

Derivative Financial Instruments

From time to time, the Company enters into foreign currency hedges to manage its exposure to foreign exchange rates associated with short-term operating receivables of a Canadian subsidiary that are payable by the U.S. operations. The terms of these contracts are typically less than a year.

The Company does not hold or issue derivative financial instruments for trading or speculative purposes. The Company recognizes derivatives as either assets or liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheet and measures those instruments at fair value. Changes in the fair value of such contracts are reported in earnings as a component of “Other income, net.”

Commitments and Contingencies

The Company establishes reserves for the estimated cost of environmental, legal and other contingencies when such expenditures are probable and reasonably estimable. A significant amount of judgment is required to estimate and quantify the ultimate exposure in these matters. The Company engages outside experts as deemed necessary or appropriate to assist in the evaluation of exposure. From time to time, as information becomes available regarding changes in circumstances for ongoing issues as well as information regarding emerging issues, the potential liability is reassessed and reserve balances are adjusted as necessary. Revisions to the estimates of potential liability, and actual expenditures related to commitments and contingencies, could have a material impact on the results of operations or financial position.

Warranty

The Company generally offers a warranty for its products. The specific terms and conditions of those warranties vary depending upon the product sold. The Company estimates the costs that may be incurred under its warranties and records a liability in the amount of such costs at the time product revenue is recognized. Factors that affect the Company's warranty liability include historical product-failure experience and estimated repair costs for identified matters. The Company regularly assesses the adequacy of its recorded warranty liabilities and adjusts the amounts as necessary.

Concentration of Credit Risk

The Company's accounts receivables are comprised primarily of independent dealers and direct customers. The Company monitors and manages the credit risk associated with the individual dealers and direct customers. The independent dealers are responsible for assessing and assuming the credit risk of their customers, and may require their customers to provide deposits or other credit enhancement measures. Historically the Company has had a concentration of federal and local government receivables; however, they carry minimal credit risk.

Foreign Currency Translation

Results of foreign operations are translated into U.S. dollars using average exchange rates during the year, while assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollars using the exchange rates as of the balance sheet dates. The resulting translation adjustments are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).

Transaction gains and losses resulting from exchange rate changes on transactions denominated in currencies other than the functional currency of the applicable subsidiary are included in the consolidated statements of operations, within other (income) expense, net, in the year in which the change occurs.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company measures the cost of employee services received in exchange for an award of equity instruments based on the grant-date fair value of the award. Forfeitures are estimated based on historical experience.

Stock Options

The fair value of stock options is estimated at the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, which requires management to make certain assumptions of future expectations based on historical and current data. The assumptions include the expected term of the options, risk-free interest rate, expected volatility, and dividend yield. The expected term represents the expected amount of time that options granted are expected to be outstanding, based on historical and forecasted exercise behavior. The risk-free rate is based on the rate at grant date of zero-coupon U.S. Treasury Notes with a term equal to the expected term of the option. Expected volatility is estimated based on the historical volatility of the Company's stock price. The Company's dividend yield is based on historical data. The Company recognizes compensation expense using the straight-line method over the vesting period.

Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units

The fair value of restricted stock and restricted stock units, excluding market-based restricted stock units that are discussed below, is based upon the closing market price of the Company's common stock on the date of grant. The Company recognizes compensation expense using the straight-line method over the vesting period.

The fair value of the market-based restricted stock units is estimated at the date of grant using a lattice pricing model, which requires management to make certain assumptions based on both historical and current data. These awards vest based upon the performance of the Company's stock price relative to a peer group. The assumptions included in the model include, but are not limited to, risk-free interest rate, expected volatility of the Company's and the peer group's stock prices, and dividend yield. The risk-free rate is based upon the applicable U.S. Treasury Note rate. Expected volatility is estimated based on the historical volatility of the companies' stock prices. The dividend yield is based on the Company's historical data.

Pension and Other Postretirement Benefits

The Company sponsors two defined benefit pension plans and two other post-employment benefit plans ("OPEB"). Several statistical and other factors, which attempt to anticipate future events, are used in calculating the expense and liability related to the plans. Key factors include assumptions about the expected rates of return on plan assets, discount rates, and health care cost trend rates. The Company considers market and regulatory conditions, including changes in investment returns and interest rates, in making these assumptions.

The Company determines the expected long-term rate of return on plan assets based on aggregating the expected rates of return for each component of the plan's asset mix. The Company uses historic plan asset returns combined with current market conditions to estimate the rate of return. The expected rate of return on plan assets is a long-term assumption and generally does not change annually. The discount rate reflects the market rate for high-quality fixed income debt instruments as of the Company's annual measurement date and is subject to change each year.

Unrecognized actuarial gains and losses are recognized over the expected remaining service life of the employee group. Unrecognized actuarial gains and losses arise from several factors, including experience and assumption changes with respect to the obligations of the pension and OPEB plans, and from the difference between expected returns and actual returns on plan assets. These unrecognized gains and losses are systematically recognized as a change in future net periodic pension expense in accordance with the appropriate accounting guidance relating to defined benefit pension and other postretirement plans.

Key assumptions used in determining the amount of the obligation and expense recorded for the OPEB plans include the assumed discount rate and the assumed rate of increases in future health care costs. In estimating the health care cost trend rate, the Company considers actual health care cost experience, future benefit structures, industry trends and advice from its actuaries. The Company assumes that the relative increase in health care costs will generally trend downward over the next several years, reflecting assumed increases in efficiency and cost-containment initiatives in the health care system.

In accordance with the appropriate accounting guidance, the Company has recognized the funded status (i.e., the difference between the fair value of plan assets and the projected benefit obligation) of the defined benefit pension and postretirement benefit plans in the consolidated balance sheets. To record the unfunded status of the plans, the Company recorded an additional liability and an adjustment to accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of tax. Other changes in the benefit obligation including net actuarial loss (gain), prior service cost (credit) or curtailment (gain) loss are recognized in other comprehensive income.

The actuarial assumptions the Company used in determining the pension and OPEB retirement benefits may differ materially from actual results due to changing market and economic conditions, higher or lower withdrawal rates, or longer or shorter life spans of participants. While the Company believes that the assumptions used are appropriate, differences in actual experience or changes in assumptions may materially affect the financial position or results of operations.

As of December 31, 2015, the Company changed the method it uses to estimate the interest cost component of net periodic benefit cost for pension and other postretirement benefits. This change will result in a decrease in the interest cost component for 2016, compared to the previous method. Historically, the Company estimated the interest cost component utilizing a single weighted-average discount rate derived from the yield curve used to measure the benefit obligation at the beginning of the period. The Company has elected to utilize a full yield curve approach in the estimation of this component by applying the specific spot rates along the yield curve used in the determination of the benefit obligation to the relevant projected cash flows. The Company has made this change to provide a more precise measurement of interest cost by improving the correlation between projected benefit cash flows to the corresponding spot yield curve rates. This change will not affect the measurement of the total benefit obligation at the annual measurement date, as the change in interest cost is completely offset by deferred actuarial (gains)/losses that will arise at the next annual measurement date. As this change is treated as a change in estimate inseparable from a change in accounting principle, the impact is reflected prospectively, and historical measurements of interest cost are not affected. This change in estimate is anticipated to reduce the Company's annual net periodic benefit expense in 2016 by approximately $2.7 million.

Segment Information

Accounting Standards Codification 280, Segment Reporting, defines that a segment for reporting purposes is based on the financial performance measures that are regularly reviewed by the “Chief Operating Decision Maker” to assess segment performance and to make decisions about a public entity's allocation of resources. Based on this guidance, the Company reports its segment results based on the following reportable segments: (i) Office; (ii) Studio; and (iii) Coverings. The Office segment serves corporate, government, healthcare, retail and other customers in the United States and Canada providing a portfolio of office furnishing solutions including systems, seating, storage, and KnollExtra ergonomic accessories, and other products. The Studio segment includes KnollStudio^®, Knoll Europe, which sells Office and KnollStudio^® products, and Holly Hunt Enterprises, Inc. The KnollStudio^® portfolio includes a range of lounge seating; side, café and dining chairs; barstools; and conference, dining and occasional tables. HOLLY HUNT^® produces and showcases custom made product including indoor and outdoor furniture, lighting, rugs, textiles and leathers. The Coverings segment includes, KnollTextiles^®, Spinneybeck^®, and Edelman^®Leather. These businesses serve a wide range of customers offering high-quality textiles, felt, and leather.

Reclassifications

Certain amounts in the prior years' consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to the current-year presentation.

New Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. This ASU supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Accounting Standards Codification 605, Revenue Recognition, and most industry-specific guidance throughout the Accounting Standards Codification. The standard requires that an entity recognizes revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and for interim periods therein. The guidance permits the use of either a full retrospective or modified retrospective transition method. The Company has not yet selected a transition method and is currently evaluating the impact of the amended guidance on the consolidated financial position, results of operations and related disclosures.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-03 - Interest—Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30). This ASU simplifies the presentation of debt issuance costs by requiring that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct reduction from the carrying amount of the debt liability, which is consistent with the treatment of debt discounts. The new guidance should be applied on a retrospective basis, and upon transition, an entity is required to comply with the applicable disclosures necessary for a change in accounting principle. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and for interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company does not expect the impact of the adoption of this ASU to have a material impact on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11 - Inventory (Topic 330), which amends existing guidance for measuring inventories. This amendment will require the Company to measure inventories recorded using the first-in, first-out method at the lower of cost and net realizable value. This amendment does not change the methodology for measuring inventories recorded using the last-in, first-out method. This amendment will be effective for the Company on January 1, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect the impact of the adoption of this ASU to have a material impact on its consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes. The amendments in this ASU require that deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position. The amendments in this ASU are effective for financial statements issued for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods. Earlier application is permitted for all entities as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. The amendments in this ASU may be applied either prospectively to all deferred tax liabilities and assets or retrospectively to all periods presented. The Company does not expect the impact of the adoption of this ASU to have a material impact on its consolidated financial position.