Background and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

6 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Background and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

1. BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Description of Business - Advanced Drainage Systems, Inc. and subsidiaries (collectively referred to as “ADS” or the “Company”), incorporated in Delaware, designs, manufactures and markets high performance thermoplastic corrugated pipe and related water management products, primarily in North and South America and Europe. ADS’s broad product line includes corrugated high density polyethylene (or “HDPE”) pipe, polypropylene (or “PP”) pipe and related water management products.

On July 31, 2019, the Company completed its acquisition (the “Acquisition”) of Infiltrator Water Technologies Ultimate Holdings, Inc. (“Infiltrator Water Technologies”). Infiltrator Water Technologies is a leading national provider of plastic leach field chambers and systems, septic tanks and accessories, primarily for use in residential applications. Infiltrator Water Technologies’ products are used in on-site septic wastewater treatment systems in the United States and Canada. Infiltrator Water Technologies manufactures and sells StormTech and ARC Septic Chambers to certain entities affiliated with ADS. See “Note 3. Acquisitions” for additional information on the Acquisition.

The Company is managed and reports results of operations in three reportable segments: Pipe, Infiltrator Water Technologies and International. The Company also reports its Allied Products and all other business segments as Allied Products and Other.

Historically, sales of the Company’s products have been higher in the first and second quarters of each fiscal year due to favorable weather and longer daylight conditions accelerating construction activity during these periods. Seasonal variations in operating results may also be impacted by inclement weather conditions, such as cold or wet weather, which can delay projects.

Basis of Presentation - The Company prepares its Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). The Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of March 31, 2019 was derived from audited financial statements included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2019 (“Fiscal 2019 Form 10-K”). The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contain all adjustments, of a normal recurring nature, necessary to present fairly its financial position as of September 30, 2019 and the results of operations and cash flows for the three and six months ended September 30, 2019. The interim Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements, including the notes thereto, filed in the Company’s Fiscal 2019 Form 10-K.

Principles of Consolidation - The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements include the Company, its wholly-owned subsidiaries, its majority-owned subsidiaries and variable interest entities (“VIEs”) of which the Company is the primary beneficiary. The Company uses the equity method of accounting for equity investments where it exercises significant influence but does not hold a controlling financial interest. Such investments are recorded in Other assets in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and the related equity earnings from these investments are included in Equity in net loss of unconsolidated affiliates in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Recent Accounting Guidance

Recently Adopted Accounting Guidance

Leases - In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued an accounting standard update (“ASU”) which amends the guidance for leases (“ASC 842”). This standard contains principles that will require an entity to recognize most leases on the balance sheet by recording a right-of-use asset and a lease liability, unless the lease is a short-term lease that has an accounting lease term of twelve

months or less. The standard also contains other changes to the current lease guidance that may result in changes to how entities determine which contractual arrangements qualify as a lease, the accounting for executory costs, such as property taxes and insurance, as well as which lease origination costs will be capitalizable. In July 2018, the FASB amended ASC 842 to provide another transition method, allowing a cumulative effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings during the period of adoption. The Company adopted these standards effective April 1, 2019 using the transition method in the July 2018 ASU which does not require adjustments to comparative periods or require modified disclosures for those periods and includes transition relief practical expedients. “Note 5. Leases” for further information on the adoption of the new lease ASUs.

Hedge Accounting - In August 2017, the FASB issued an ASU which expanded an entity’s ability to apply hedge accounting for non-financial and financial risk components and provided a simplified approach for fair value hedging of interest rate risk. The standard also refined how entities assess hedge effectiveness. The Company adopted this standard effective April 1, 2019. The new standard did not have an impact on the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Recent Accounting Guidance Not Yet Adopted

Measurement of Credit Losses - In June 2016, the FASB issued an ASU which provides amended guidance on the measurement of credit losses on financial instruments, including trade receivables. This standard requires the use of an impairment model referred to as the current expected credit loss model. This standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those years, and early adoption is permitted for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company expects to adopt this standard effective April 1, 2020. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this standard on the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.

Except for the pronouncements described above, there have been no new accounting pronouncements issued or adopted since the filing of the Fiscal 2019 Form 10-K that have significance, or potential significance, to the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.