SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING AND BUSINESS POLICIES (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING AND BUSINESS POLICIES [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

The Company’s financial statements are prepared in accordance with the accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“USGAAP”). The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries.

All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation; none affected net income.

Foreign Currency

Foreign Currency

The financial statements of the Company’s Canadian subsidiaries are measured using local currencies as their functional currencies. Assets and liabilities are translated into U.S. dollars at current exchange rates, while income and expenses are translated at average exchange rates. Translation gains and losses are reported in other comprehensive income (loss) in the statements of consolidated comprehensive income.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions in determining the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary in order to make the financial statements not misleading have been included. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company’s presentation of cash includes cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are defined as short-term investments with maturity dates of 90 days or less at time of purchase.

Receivables and Credit Risk

Receivables and Credit Risk

Trade receivables consist primarily of uncollateralized customer obligations due under normal trade terms, which usually require payment within 30 days of the invoice date. However, these payment terms are extended in select cases and many customers do not pay within stated trade terms.

The Company has trade receivables from a diversified customer base located primarily in the Rocky Mountain, Northeastern, Midwestern, Southeastern and Southwestern regions of the United States, and Canada. The Company believes no significant concentration of credit risk exists. The Company evaluates the creditworthiness of its customers' financial positions and monitors accounts on a regular basis, but generally does not require collateral. Provisions to the allowance for doubtful accounts are made monthly and adjustments are made periodically (as circumstances warrant) based upon management’s best estimate of the collectability of all such accounts. The Company writes-off uncollectible trade accounts receivable when the accounts are determined to be uncollectible. No customer represents more than 10% of consolidated sales.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company is required to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. USGAAP establishes a fair value hierarchy based on the level of independent, objective evidence surrounding the inputs used to measure fair value. A financial instrument’s categorization within the fair value hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. USGAAP prioritizes the inputs into three levels that may be used to measure fair value:

Level 1

Level 1 applies to assets or liabilities for which there are quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2

Level 2 applies to assets or liabilities for which there are inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in markets with insufficient volume or infrequent transactions (less active markets); or model-derived valuations in which significant inputs are observable or can be derived principally from, or corroborated by, observable market data.

Level 3

Level 3 applies to assets or liabilities for which there are unobservable inputs to the valuation methodology that are significant to the measurement of the fair value of the assets or liabilities.

See Note 4 for further information regarding the Company’s financial instruments.

Inventories

Inventories

Inventories consist principally of finished goods and are priced at lower of cost or market, cost being determined using the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method. Reserves are provided against inventories for estimated obsolescence based upon the aging of the inventories and market trends.

Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are carried on the basis of cost. Expenditures for major additions and betterments are capitalized. Depreciation of property and equipment is computed using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives. Maintenance and repairs of depreciable assets are charged against earnings as incurred. Additions and improvements are capitalized. When properties are retired or otherwise disposed of, the cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and gains or losses are credited or charged to earnings.

The principal estimated useful lives used in determining depreciation are as follows:

Buildings	20-39 years
Building improvements	10-20 years
Furniture, fixtures and equipment	3-20 years
Leasehold improvements	Shorter of estimated useful life or related lease term

Impairment of Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Impairment of Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

The Company tests goodwill and other indefinite lived intangible assets for impairment on an annual basis and when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. The Company assigns the carrying value of these intangible assets to its "reporting units" and applies the test for goodwill at the reporting unit level. A reporting unit is defined as an operating segment or one level below a segment (a "component") if the component is a business and discrete information is prepared and reviewed regularly by segment management.

The Company’s goodwill impairment assessment first requires evaluating qualitative factors to determine if a reporting unit's carrying value would more likely than not exceed its fair value. If the Company concludes, based on the qualitative assessment, that a reporting unit's carrying value would more likely than not exceed its fair value, the Company would perform a two-step quantitative test for that reporting unit. When a quantitative assessment is performed, the first step is to identify a potential impairment, and the second step measures the amount of the impairment loss, if any. Goodwill is deemed to be impaired if the carrying amount of a reporting unit’s goodwill exceeds its estimated fair value. No impairment of goodwill was required in 2013, 2012 or 2011.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Excluding Goodwill

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets, Excluding Goodwill

The Company tests long-lived assets or asset groups for recoverability on an annual basis and when events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amount may not be recoverable. Circumstances which could trigger a review include, but are not limited to: significant decreases in the market price of the asset; significant adverse changes in the business climate or legal factors; accumulation of costs significantly in excess of the amount originally expected for the acquisition or construction of the asset; current period cash flow or operating losses combined with a history of losses or a forecast of continuing losses associated with the use of the asset; and current expectation that the asset will more likely than not be sold or disposed significantly before the end of its estimated useful life. Recoverability is assessed based on the carrying amount of the asset and its fair value which is generally determined based on the sum of the undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use and the eventual disposal of the asset, as well as specific appraisal in certain instances. An impairment loss is recognized when the carrying amount is not recoverable and exceeds fair value.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-based Compensation

The Company uses restricted stock for share-based compensation programs. The Company measures compensation cost with respect to equity instruments granted as stock-based payments to employees based upon the estimated fair value of the equity instruments at the date of the grant. The cost as measured is recognized as expense over the period which an employee is required to provide services in exchange for the award.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

For binding agreements to fabricate tangible assets to customer specifications, the Company recognizes revenues using the percentage of completion method. Under this method, revenues are recognized as costs are incurred and include estimated profits calculated on the basis of the relationship between costs incurred and total estimated costs at completion. If at any time expected costs exceed the value of the contract, the loss is recognized immediately. Revenues of approximately $12.7 million, $15.9 million, and $9.8 million were recognized on contracts in process for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012, and 2011, respectively. The typical time span of these contracts is approximately one to two years. At December 31, 2013 and 2012, $5.1 million and $8.5 million, respectively, of unbilled costs and estimated earnings are included in accounts receivable.

For other sales, the Company recognizes revenues when an agreement is in place, the price is fixed, title for product passes to the customer or services have been provided and collectability is reasonably assured. Revenues are recorded net of sales taxes.

The Company reserves for potential customer returns based upon the historical level of returns.

Shipping and Handling Costs

Shipping and Handling Costs

The Company classifies shipping and handling charges billed to customers as sales. Shipping and handling charges paid to others are classified as a component of cost of sales.

Self-insured Insurance and Medical Claims

Self-insured Insurance and Medical Claims

We generally retain up to $100,000 of risk for each claim for workers compensation, general liability, automobile and property loss. We accrue for the estimated loss on the self-insured portion of these claims. The accrual is adjusted quarterly based upon reported claims information. The actual cost could deviate from the recorded estimate.

We generally retain up to $250,000 of risk on each medical claim for our employees and their dependents. We accrue for the estimated outstanding balance of unpaid medical claims for our employees and their dependents. The accrual is adjusted monthly based on recent claims experience. The actual claims could deviate from recent claims experience and be materially different from the reserve.

The accrual for these claims at December 31, 2013 and 2012 was approximately $2.1 million and $1.8 million, respectively.

Purchase accounting

Purchase Accounting

DXP estimates the fair value of assets, including property, machinery and equipment and their related useful lives and salvage values, intangibles and liabilities when allocating the purchase price of an acquisition. The fair value estimates are developed using the best information available. Third party valuation specialists assist in valuing the Company’s significant acquisitions.

Cost of Sales and Selling, General and Administrative Expense

Cost of Sales and Selling, General and Administrative Expense

Cost of sales includes product and product related costs, inbound freight charges, internal transfer costs and depreciation. Selling, general and administrative expense includes purchasing and receiving costs, inspection costs, warehousing costs, depreciation and amortization. DXP’s gross margins may not be comparable to those of other entities, since some entities include all of the costs related to their distribution network in cost of sales and others like DXP exclude a portion of these costs from gross margin, including the costs in a line item, such as selling, general and administrative expense.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

The Company utilizes the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are computed for differences between the financial statement and income tax bases of assets and liabilities. Such deferred income tax asset and liability computations are based on enacted tax laws and rates applicable to periods in which the differences are expected to reverse. Valuation allowances are established to reduce deferred income tax assets to the amounts expected to be realized.

Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive Income

Comprehensive income includes net income, foreign currency translation adjustments, unrecognized gains (losses) on postretirement and other employment-related plans, changes in fair value of certain derivatives, and unrealized gains and losses on certain investments in debt and equity securities. The Company’s other comprehensive (loss) income is comprised of changes in the market value of an investment with quoted market prices in an active market for identical instruments and translation adjustments from translating foreign subsidiaries to the reporting currency.

Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes

Accounting for Uncertainty in Income Taxes

In July 2006, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued authoritative guidance which requires that a position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return be recognized in the financial statements when it is more likely than not (i.e. a likelihood of more than fifty percent) that the position would be sustained upon examination by tax authorities. A recognized tax position is then measured at the largest amount of benefit that is greater than fifty percent likely of being realized upon ultimate settlement. The Company and its subsidiaries file income tax returns in the U.S. federal jurisdiction and various states. With few exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to U. S. federal, state and local tax examination by tax authorities for years prior to 2007. The Company's policy is to recognize interest related to unrecognized tax benefits as interest expense and penalties as operating expenses. The Company believes that it has appropriate support for the income tax positions taken and to be taken on its tax returns and that its accruals for tax liabilities are adequate for all open years based on an assessment of many factors including past experience and interpretations of tax law applied to the facts of each matter.