Stock-Based Compensation (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Disclosure Of Compensation Related Costs Sharebased Payments [Abstract]

Share-based Compensation

As of March 31, 2014, the Company has one stock-based compensation plan, the 2005 Stock Incentive Plan (the “Plan”). The Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee of the Company’s Board of Directors. Stock-based compensation is granted to officers, directors and certain key employees in accordance with the provisions of the Plan. The Plan provides for grants of stock options, stock appreciation rights (“SARs”), restricted stock and performance share awards. As of March 31, 2014, the total aggregate number of shares of the Company’s common stock that may be issued under the Plan is 3,150,000.

The Company recognizes stock-based compensation expense ratably over the period from grant date to the earlier of: (1) the vesting date of the award, or (2) the date the grantee is eligible to retire without forfeiting the award. For performance-based restricted stock, expense is recognized ratably over the performance and vesting period of each tranche based on management’s judgment of the ultimate award that is likely to be paid out based on the achievement of the predetermined performance measures.

Contract Termination Costs

Contract Termination Costs

In anticipation of relocating its corporate headquarters, the Company entered into a lease agreement in 2005. The Company reconsidered and decided not to move its headquarters. The lease obligates the Company to lease 55,047 square feet of office space through June 30, 2019. As of March 31, 2014, the Company has executed subleases for 41,701 square feet of the leased space, 16,969 of which expires on December 31, 2014, and is currently marketing the remaining portion of the space to find a suitable tenant. The Company estimates that the present value of the estimated future sublease receipts, net of transaction costs, will be less than the Company’s remaining minimum lease payment obligations under its lease and has recorded a liability for the expected shortfall. During the three months ended March 31, 2014, due primarily to an increase in available commercial office space, the Company revised its estimate of future sublease receipts and recorded a charge of $0.6 million to selling, general and administrative expenses.

To estimate future sublease receipts, the Company has assumed that existing subleases will be renewed or new subleases will be executed at rates consistent with rental rates in the current subleases or estimated market rates. However, management cannot be certain that the timing of future subleases or the rental rates contained in future subleases will not differ from current estimates. Factors such as the availability of commercial office space, poor market conditions and subtenant preferences will influence the terms achieved in future subleases. The inability to sublet the office space in the future or unfavorable changes to key management assumptions used in the estimate of the future sublease receipts may result in material charges to selling, general and administrative expenses in future periods.

Product Warranty

Product Warranty

The Company warrants that its products will be free from material defects in workmanship and materials. This warranty generally extends for a period of 25 years for residential use and 10 years for commercial use. (With respect to TrexTrim™ and Trex Reveal^® Railing, the warranty period is 25 years for both residential and commercial use.) With respect to the Company’s Transcend^®, Enhance^®, Select^® and Universal Fascia product, the Company further warrants that the product will not fade in color more than a certain amount and will be resistant to permanent staining from food substances or mold (provided the stain is cleaned within seven days of appearance). This warranty extends for a period of 25 years for residential use and 10 years for commercial use. If there is a breach of such warranties, the Company has an obligation either to replace the defective product or refund the purchase price.

Historically, the Company has not had material numbers of claims submitted or settled under the provisions of its product warranties, with the exception of claims related to material produced at its Nevada facility prior to 2007 that exhibits surface flaking. The Company continues to receive and settle surface flaking claims and maintains a warranty reserve to provide for the settlement of these claims. Estimating the warranty reserve for surface flaking claims requires management to estimate (1) the number of claims to be settled with payment and (2) the average cost to settle each claim, both of which are subject to variables that are difficult to estimate.

To estimate the number of claims to be settled with payment, the Company utilizes actuarial techniques to quantify both the expected number of claims to be received and the percentage of those claims that will ultimately require payment. Estimates for both of these elements (number and percentage of claims that will ultimately require payment) are quantified using a range of assumptions derived from the recent claim count history and the identification of factors influencing the claim counts, including the downward trend in received claims due to the passage of time since production of the suspect material. For each of the various parameters used in the analysis, the assumed values in the actuarial valuation produce results that represent the Company’s best estimate for the ultimate number of claims to be settled with payment. The cost per claim varies due to a number of factors, including the size of affected decks, the type of replacement material used, the cost of production of replacement material and the method of claim settlement.