1.	NATURE OF BUSINESS AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

EPAM Systems, Inc. (the Company or EPAM) is a leading provider of complex software engineering solutions and a leader in Central and Eastern European IT services delivery. The Company provides these solutions to primarily Fortune Global 2000 companies in multiple verticals, including Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and Technology, Banking and Financial services, Business Information and Media, Travel and Consumer.

Since EPAM’s inception in 1993, the Company has focused on providing software product development services, software engineering and vertically-oriented custom development solutions through its global delivery model. This has served as a foundation for the Company’s other solutions, including custom application development, application testing, platform-based solutions, application maintenance and support, and infrastructure management.

The Company is incorporated in Delaware with headquarters in Newtown, PA, with multiple delivery centers located in Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Hungary, Kazakhstan and Poland, and client management locations in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia and Kazakhstan.

Emerging growth company status — In April 2012, several weeks after EPAM’s initial public offering in February 2012, President Obama signed into law the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “JOBS Act”). The JOBS Act contains provisions that relax certain requirements for “emerging growth companies” that otherwise apply to larger public companies. For as long as a company retains emerging growth company status, which may be until the fiscal year-end after the fifth anniversary of its initial public offering, it will not be required to (1) provide an auditor’s attestation report on its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting, otherwise required by Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, (2) comply with any new or revised financial accounting standard applicable to public companies until such standard is also applicable to private companies, (3) comply with certain new requirements adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, (4) provide certain disclosure regarding executive compensation required of larger public companies or (5) hold shareholder advisory votes on matters relating to executive compensation.

EPAM is classified as an emerging growth company under the JOBS Act and is eligible to take advantage of the accommodations described above for as long as it retains this status. However, EPAM has elected not to take advantage of the transition period described in (2) above, which is the exemption provided in Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (in each case as amended by the JOBS Act) for complying with new or revised financial accounting standards. EPAM will therefore comply with new or revised financial accounting standards to the same extent that a non-emerging growth company is required to comply with such standards.

Principles of Consolidation — The consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of EPAM Systems, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

Use of Estimates — The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions. These estimates and assumptions affect reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements, as well as revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The Company bases its estimates and judgments on historical experience, knowledge of current conditions and its beliefs of what could occur in the future, given available information. Actual results could differ from those estimates, and such differences may be material to the financial statements.

Revenue Recognition — The Company recognizes revenue when realized or realizable and earned, which is when the following criteria are met: persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists; delivery has occurred; the sales price is fixed or determinable; and collectability is reasonably assured. If there is an uncertainty about the project completion or receipt of payment for the consulting services, revenues are deferred until the uncertainty is sufficiently resolved. At the time revenues are recognized, we provide for client incentive programs and reduce revenues accordingly.

The Company defers amounts billed to its clients for revenues not yet earned. Such amounts are anticipated to be recorded as revenues as services are performed in subsequent periods. Unbilled revenues represent services provided which are billed subsequent to the period end in accordance with the contract terms.

The majority of the Company’s revenues (84.1% of revenues in 2012, 86.1% in 2011 and 85.2% in 2010) is generated under time-and-material contracts whereby revenues are recognized as services are performed with the corresponding cost of providing those services reflected as cost of revenues when incurred. The majority of the revenues are billed on an hourly, daily or monthly basis whereby actual time is charged directly to the client.

Revenues from fixed-price contracts (13.7% of revenues in 2012, 11.0% in 2011 and 12.3% in 2010) are determined using the proportional performance method. In instances where final acceptance of the product, system, or solution is specified by the client, revenues are deferred until all acceptance criteria have been met. In absence of a sufficient basis to measure progress towards completion, revenue is recognized upon receipt of final acceptance from the client. The complexity of the estimation process and factors relating to the assumptions, risks and uncertainties inherent with the application of the proportional performance method of accounting affects the amounts of revenues and related expenses reported in our consolidated financial statements. A number of internal and external factors can affect our estimates, including labor hours and specification and testing requirement changes. In order to estimate the amount of revenue for the period under the proportional performance method, the Company determines the percentage of actual labor hours incurred as compared to estimated total labor hours and applies that percentage to the consideration allocated to the deliverable. The cumulative impact of any revision in estimates is reflected in the financial reporting period in which the change in estimate becomes known. Our fixed price contracts are generally recognized over a period of twelve months or less.

The Company enters into multiple element arrangements with our clients under time-and-material and fixed-fee contracts. In October 2009, the FASB issued a new accounting standard which provides guidance for arrangements with multiple deliverables. We adopted this standard effective January 1, 2010 for all new or amended contracts, and it did not have a material effect on our financial condition or consolidated results of operations, or change our units of accounting and how we allocate the arrangement consideration to various units of accounting. These arrangements consist of development services and other service deliverables that qualify for separate units of accounting. These other services include maintenance and support services for our time and material contracts and separately priced warranties for our fixed-fee contracts. These deliverables qualify for multiple units of accounting and therefore arrangement consideration is allocated among the units of accounting based on their relative selling price. The relative selling price is based on the price charged for the deliverable when it is sold separately. For multiple element arrangements under time-and-material contracts, revenue is recognized as services are performed for each deliverable. For arrangements under fixed-fee contracts, revenue is recognized upon delivery of development services under the proportional performance method and on a straight-line basis over the warranty period. The warranty period is generally six months to two years.

The Company reports gross reimbursable “out-of-pocket” expenses incurred as both revenues and cost of revenues in the consolidated statements of income.

Cost of revenues (exclusive of depreciation and amortization) — Consists principally of salaries, employee benefits and stock compensation expense, reimbursable and non-reimbursable travel costs and subcontractor fees.

Selling, general and administrative expenses — Consist of expenses associated with promoting and selling the Company’s services and include such items as sales and marketing personnel salaries, stock compensation expense and related fringe benefits, commissions, travel, and the cost of advertising and other promotional activities. General and administrative expenses include other operating items such as officers’ and administrative personnel salaries, marketing personnel salaries, stock compensation expense and related fringe benefits, legal and audit expenses, insurance, provision for doubtful accounts, and operating lease expenses.

Cash and Cash Equivalents — Cash equivalents are short-term, highly liquid investments that are readily convertible into cash, with maturities of three months or less at the date acquired. As of December 31, 2012 and 2011 all amounts are in cash.

Restricted Cash — Restricted cash represents cash that is restricted by agreements with third parties for special purposes (see Note 4).

Accounts Receivable — Accounts receivable are recorded at net realizable value. The Company maintains an allowance for doubtful accounts for estimated losses resulting from the inability of its clients to make required payments. The allowance for doubtful accounts is determined by evaluating the relative credit-worthiness of each client, historical collections experience and other information, including the aging of the receivables.

Recoveries of losses from accounts receivable written off in prior years are presented within income from operations on the Company’s consolidated statements of income. Collections in respect of prior year write-offs amounted to $0 for the year ended December 31, 2012, and $0 and $1,686 in each of the two years ended December 2011 and 2010, respectively.

The table below summarizes movements in qualifying accounts for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010:


	Balance at Beginning of Period		Charged to Costs and Expenses		Deductions/ Other			Balance at End of Year
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts (billed and unbilled):
Fiscal Year 2010	$	3,246	$	1,493	$	(3,068	)	$	1,671
Fiscal Year 2011		1,671		1,234		(655	)		2,250
Fiscal Year 2012		2,250		1,244		(1,291	)		2,203

Property and Equipment — Property and equipment acquired in the ordinary course of the Company’s operations are stated at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is calculated on the straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets generally ranging from 3 to 50 years. Leasehold improvements are amortized on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the term of the lease or the estimated useful life of the improvement. Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred, while renewals and betterments are capitalized.

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets — Goodwill is measured as the excess of the cost of an acquisition over the sum of the amounts assigned to tangible and intangible assets acquired less liabilities assumed. The determination of the fair value of the intangible assets acquired involves certain judgments and estimates. These judgments can include, but are not limited to, the cash flows that an asset is expected to generate in the future and the appropriate weighted average cost of capital.

The Company does not amortize goodwill but performs a test for impairment annually, or when indications of potential impairment exist, utilizing a fair value approach at the reporting unit level. The Company determines fair value using the income approach which estimates the fair value of its reporting units based on the future discounted cash flows. In testing for a potential impairment of goodwill, the Company estimates the fair value of its reporting units to which goodwill relates and estimates the carrying value (book value) of the assets and liabilities related to those reporting units.

As a result of an operating loss in the Other reporting unit for the three months ended June 30, 2011, the Company performed a goodwill impairment test. In assessing impairment in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification, (“ASC”) No. 350, “Intangibles-Goodwill and Other,” the Company determined that the fair value of the Other reporting unit, based on the total of the expected future discounted cash flows directly related to the reporting unit, was below the carrying value of the reporting unit. The Company completed the second step of the goodwill impairment test, resulting in an impairment charge of $1,697.

In the fourth quarter of fiscal 2012, 2011 and 2010, the Company completed its annual impairment testing of goodwill and determined there was no impairment.

The Company amortizes other intangible assets with determinable lives over their estimated useful lives. The Company records an impairment charge on these assets when it determines that their carrying value may not be recoverable. The carrying value is not recoverable if it exceeds the undiscounted future cash flows resulting from the use of the asset and its eventual disposition. When there exists one or more indicators of impairment, the Company measures any impairment of intangible assets based on the excess of the carrying value of the asset over its fair value. Its fair value is determined based on a projected discounted cash flow method using a discount rate determined by the Company’s management to be commensurate with the risk inherent in its business model. The Company’s estimates of future cash flows attributable to its other intangible assets require significant judgment based on the Company’s historical and anticipated results.

All of the Company’s intangible assets have finite lives and the Company did not incur any impairments of its intangible assets for the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets — Long-lived assets, such as property, plant, and equipment are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. The assessment for potential impairment is based primarily on the Company’s ability to recover the carrying value of its long-lived assets from expected future cash flows from its operations on an undiscounted basis at each reporting date. If such assets are determined to be impaired, the impairment recognized is the amount by which the carrying value of the assets exceeds the fair value of the assets. Property and equipment to be disposed of by sale is carried at the lower of the then current carrying value or fair value less estimated costs to sell. The Company did not incur any impairments of long-lived assets for 2012, 2011, or 2010.

FASB ASC Topic 820 establishes a three-tiered fair value hierarchy that prioritizes inputs to valuation techniques used in fair value calculations. The fair value test for impairment of long-lived assets is classified as a Level 3 measurement under FASB ASC Topic 820.

Income Taxes — The provision for income taxes includes federal, state, local and foreign taxes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences of temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amounts and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the year in which the temporary differences are expected to be reversed. Changes to enacted tax rates would result in either increases or decreases in the provision for income taxes in the period of changes. The Company evaluates the realizability of deferred tax assets and recognizes a valuation allowance when it is more likely than not that all, or a portion of, deferred tax assets will not be realized.

The realization of deferred tax assets is primarily dependent on future earnings. Any reduction in estimated forecasted results may require that we record valuation allowances against deferred tax assets. Once a valuation allowance has been established, it will be maintained until there is sufficient positive evidence to conclude that it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will be realized. A pattern of sustained profitability will generally be considered as sufficient positive evidence to reverse a valuation allowance. If the allowance is reversed in a future period, the income tax provision will be correspondingly reduced. Accordingly, the increase and decrease of valuation allowances could have a significant negative or positive impact on future earnings. See Note 10 to the consolidated financial statements for further information.

Changes in tax laws and rates may affect recorded deferred tax assets and liabilities and our effective tax rate in the future. The American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012 (the “Act”) was signed into law on January 2, 2013. Because a change in tax law is accounted for in the period of enactment, certain provisions of the Act benefiting the Company’s 2012 U.S. federal taxes, including the Subpart F controlled foreign corporation look-through exception cannot be recognized in the Company’s 2012 financial results and instead will be reflected in the Company’s 2013 financial results.

Earnings per Share

Basic EPS is computed by dividing the net income applicable to common stockholders for the period by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the same period. Our Series A-1 Preferred, Series A-2 Preferred, and Series A-3 Preferred Stock, that had been outstanding and convertible into common stock until February 13, 2012 (the date of our IPO), and our puttable common stock were considered participating securities since these securities had non-forfeitable rights to dividends or dividend equivalents during the contractual period and thus required the two-class method of computing EPS. When calculating diluted EPS, the numerator is computed by adding back the undistributed earnings allocated to the participating securities in arriving at the basic EPS and then reallocating such undistributed earnings among our common stock, participating securities and the potential common shares that result from the assumed exercise of all dilutive options. The denominator is increased to include the number of additional common shares that would have been outstanding had the options been issued.

Foreign Currency Translation — Assets and liabilities of consolidated foreign subsidiaries, whose functional currency is the local currency, are translated to U.S. dollars at period end exchange rates. Revenues and expenses are translated to U.S. dollars at daily exchange rates. The adjustment resulting from translating the financial statements of such foreign subsidiaries to U.S. dollars is reflected as a cumulative translation adjustment and reported as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income.

The Company reports the effect of exchange rate changes on cash balances held in foreign currencies as a separate item in the reconciliation of the changes in cash and cash equivalents during the period. Transaction gains and losses are included in the period in which they occur.

Risks and Uncertainties — Principally, all of the Company’s IT delivery centers and a majority of its employees are located in Central and Eastern Europe. As a result, the Company may be subject to certain risks associated with international operations, risks associated with the application and imposition of protective legislation and regulations relating to import and export, or otherwise resulting from foreign policy or the variability of foreign economic or political conditions. Additional risks associated with international operations include difficulties in enforcing intellectual property rights, the burdens of complying with a wide variety of foreign laws, potential geo-political and other risks associated with potentially adverse tax consequences, tariffs, quotas and other barriers.

Concentration of Credit — The Company maintains its cash with financial institutions. As of December 31, 2012, $76.2 million of total cash was held in CIS countries, with $50.6 million of that in Belarus. Banking and other financial systems in the CIS are less developed and regulated than in some more developed markets, and legislation relating to banks and bank accounts is subject to varying interpretations and inconsistent application. Banks in the CIS generally do not meet the banking standards of more developed markets, and the transparency of the banking sector lags behind international standards. Furthermore, bank deposits made by corporate entities in CIS are not insured. As a result, the banking sector remains subject to periodic instability. Another banking crisis, or the bankruptcy or insolvency of banks through which the Company receives or with which it holds funds, particularly in Belarus, may result in the loss of its deposits or adversely affect its ability to complete banking transactions in the CIS, which could materially adversely affect the Company’s business and financial condition.

For the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 the top five clients accounted for 31.0%, 32.0% and 29.7% of revenues, respectively. For the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 the top ten clients accounted for 44.4%, 44.6% and 42.6% of revenues, respectively. There were no customers which accounted for over 10% of revenues in 2012. One client, Thomson Reuters, accounted for $35.9 million, or 10.7% and $26.0 million, or 11.7%, of revenues in 2011 and 2010, respectively. Accounts receivable and unbilled revenues for this client were 15.9% and 15.0% of total accounts receivable and unbilled revenues as of December 31, 2011, respectively.

During the years ended December 31, 2012, 2011 and 2010 the Company incurred subcontractor costs of $3,535, $4,545 and $12,219, respectively, to a vendor for staffing, consulting, training, recruiting and other logistical / support services provided for the Company’s delivery and development operations in Eastern Europe. Such costs are included in cost of revenues and sales, general and administrative expenses, as appropriate, in the accompanying consolidated statements of income and comprehensive income.

Foreign currency risk — The Company generates revenues in various global markets based on client contracts obtained in non-U.S. dollar currencies, principally, Euros, British pounds and Russian Rubles. The Company incurs expenditures in non-U.S. dollar currencies, principally in Hungarian Forints, Euros, and Russian Rubles associated with the IT delivery centers located in Central and Eastern Europe. The Company is exposed to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates primarily on accounts receivable and unbilled revenues from sales in these foreign currencies, and cash flows for expenditures in foreign currencies. The Company doesn’t use derivative financial instruments to hedge the risk of foreign exchange volatility.

Interest rate risk — The Company’s exposure to market risk for changes in interest rates relates primarily to the Company’s cash and cash equivalents and the LIBOR+1.25% rate long-term credit facility (see Note 7). The Company doesn’t use derivative financial instruments to hedge the risk of interest rate volatility.

Fair value of financial instruments — The Company’s financial instruments consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and term deposits, accounts receivable, accounts payable and other current assets and liabilities. The fair values of these instruments approximate their carrying values due to their short-term nature.

Accounting for Stock-Based Employee Compensation Plans — Stock-based compensation expense for awards of equity instruments to employees and non-employee directors is determined based on the grant-date fair value of the awards ultimately expected to vest. The Company recognizes these compensation costs on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the award, which is generally the option vesting term of four years (See Note 14).

The Company estimates forfeitures at the time of grant and revises its estimates, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures or vesting differ from those estimates. Such revisions could have a material effect on the Company’s operating results. The assumptions used in the valuation model are based on subjective future expectations combined with management judgment. If any of the assumptions used in the valuation model changes significantly, stock-based compensation for future awards may differ materially compared to the awards previously granted.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements — In May 2011, the Financial Accounting Standard Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU” or “Update”) No. 2011-04, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRS” which is intended to create consistency between U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). The amendments include clarification on the application of certain existing fair value measurement guidance and expanded disclosures for fair value measurements that are estimated using significant unobservable (Level 3) inputs. This guidance was effective prospectively for public entities for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption by public entities prohibited. The adoption of this standard did not have a material effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-05, “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Presentation of Comprehensive Income” which requires comprehensive income to be reported in either a single statement or in two consecutive statements reporting net income and other comprehensive income. The amendment does not change what items are reported in other comprehensive income. Additionally, in December 2011, the FASB issued ASU No. 2011-12, “Comprehensive Income (Topic 220): Deferral of the Effective Date for Amendments to the Presentation of Reclassifications of Items Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income in Accounting Standards Update No. 2011-05” which indefinitely defers the requirement in ASU No. 2011-05 to present reclassification adjustments out of accumulated other comprehensive income by component in both the statement in which net income is presented and the statement in which other comprehensive income is presented. During the deferral period, the existing requirements in U.S. GAAP for the presentation of reclassification adjustments must continue to be followed. These standards were effective for interim and annual financial periods beginning after December 15, 2011 and are to be applied retrospectively, with early adoption permitted. As these standards impact presentation requirements only, the adoption of this guidance did not have a material effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

In September 2011, the FASB issued new guidance allowing companies testing goodwill for impairment to have the option of performing a qualitative assessment before calculating the fair value of the reporting unit (i.e. the first step of the goodwill impairment test). If companies determine, on the basis of qualitative factors, that the fair value of the reporting unit is more likely than not less than the carrying amount, the two-step impairment test would be required. This update is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this standard effective October 1, 2011. The adoption of this standard did not have a material effect on the Company’s financial condition, consolidated results of operations or disclosures.

In testing its reporting units for goodwill impairment as of December 31, 2012 and 2011, the Company bypassed the qualitative assessment option and proceeded directly to performing the first step of the two-step goodwill impairment test. The Company may resume performing the qualitative assessment in any subsequent period.

In October 2012, the FASB issued ASU No. 2012-04, “Technical Corrections and Improvements” which clarifies the Codification or corrects unintended application of guidance and includes amendments identifying when the use of fair value should be linked to the definition of fair value in Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement. Amendments to the Codification without transition guidance are effective upon issuance effective for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2012. The Company is currently evaluating the effect of the adoption of this pronouncement on its financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

In January 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-01, “Clarifying the Scope of Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities”. The ASU clarifies that ordinary trade receivables and receivables are not in the scope of ASU 2011-11, “Disclosures about Offsetting Assets and Liabilities”. ASU 2011-11 applies only to derivatives, repurchase agreements and reverse purchase agreements, and securities borrowing and securities lending transactions that are either offset in accordance with specific criteria contained in the Codification or subject to a master netting arrangement or similar agreement. The ASU if effective for fiscal years beginning on or after January 1, 2013, and interim periods within those annual periods and requires retrospective application for all comparative periods presented. The Company doesn’t expect the adoption of this standard to have a material effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.

In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-02, which adds new disclosure requirements for items reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”). The ASU is intended to help entities improve the transparency of changes in other comprehensive income (OCI) and items reclassified out of AOCI in their financial statements. It does not amend any existing requirements for reporting net income or OCI in the financial statements. New disclosure requirements are effective for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2012 and should be applied prospectively. As the new ASU impacts presentation requirements only, the Company doesn’t expect the adoption of this standard to have a material effect on the Company’s financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.