Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Accounting Policies Policies

Estimates

Estimates - The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the 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. The most sensitive and significant accounting estimates relate to customer rebates, valuation allowances for deferred income tax assets, obsolete and slow-moving inventories, potentially uncollectible accounts receivable, pension liability and accruals for income taxes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation - The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries, all of which are wholly owned by the Company. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions are eliminated in consolidation.

Translation of Foreign Currency

Translation of Foreign Currency - For foreign operations whose functional currencies are not U.S. dollars, assets and liabilities are translated at rates in effect at the end of the year; revenues and expenses are translated at average rates in effect during the year. Resulting translation adjustments are made directly to accumulated other comprehensive loss. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are recognized in operating results. Foreign currency transaction losses, which are included in other expense, net, were $202,587 in 2015 and $117,347 in 2014.

Cash Equivalents

Cash Equivalents - Investments with an original maturity of three months or less, as well as time deposits and certificates of deposit that are readily redeemable at the date of purchase, are considered cash equivalents.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts Receivable - Accounts receivable are shown less an allowance for doubtful accounts of $104,760 at December 31, 2015 and $128,318 at December 31, 2014.

Inventories

Inventories - Inventories are stated at the lower of cost, determined by the first-in, first-out method, or market.

Property, Plant and Equipment and Depreciation

Property, Plant and Equipment and Depreciation – Property, plant and equipment is recorded at cost. Depreciation is computed by the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, which range from 3 to 30 years.

Intangible Assets

Intangible Assets– Intangible assets with finite useful lives are recorded at cost upon acquisition, and amortized over the term of the related contract or useful life, as applicable. Intangible assets held by the Company with finite useful lives include patents and trademarks. Patents and trademarks are amortized over their estimated useful lives. The weighted average amortization period for intangible assets at December 31, 2015 was 8 years. The Company periodically reviews the values recorded for intangible assets to assess recoverability from future operations whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that their carrying amounts may not be recoverable. At December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company assessed the recoverability of its long-lived assets and believed that there were no events or circumstances present that would that would require a test of recoverability on those assets. As a result, there was no impairment of the carrying amounts of such assets and no reduction in their estimated useful lives.

Deferred Income Taxes

Deferred Income Taxes - Deferred income taxes are provided for the differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities, and on operating loss carryovers, using tax rates in effect in years in which the differences are expected to reverse.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition – The Company recognizes revenue from the sales of its products when ownership transfers to the customers, which occurs either at the time of shipment or upon delivery based upon contractual terms with the customer. The Company recognizes customer program costs, including rebates, cooperative advertising, slotting fees and other sales related discounts, as a reduction to sales.

Research and Development

Research and Development – Research and development costs ($690,000 in 2015 and $665,000 in 2014) are expensed as incurred.

Shipping Costs

Shipping Costs – The costs of shipping product to our customers ($4,597,663 in 2015 and $4,399,364 in 2014) are included in selling, general and administrative expenses.

Advertising Costs

Advertising Costs – The Company expenses the production costs of advertising the first time that the related advertising takes place. Advertising costs ($1,717,456 in 2015 and $1,660,687 in 2014) are included in selling, general and administrative expenses.

Subsequent Events

Subsequent Events - The Company has evaluated events and transactions subsequent to December 31, 2015 through the date the consolidated financial statements were included in this Form 10-K and filed with the SEC.

Concentration

Concentration – The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and generally does not require collateral for the extension of credit. Allowances for credit losses are provided and have been within management's expectations. In 2015 and 2014, the Company had two customers that individually exceeded 10% of consolidated net sales. Net sales to these customers amounted to approximately 12% for each in 2015 and approximately 14% and 12% in 2014.

Recently issued accounting standards

Recently Issued Accounting Standards  

In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14, which defers the effective date of ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) by one year. ASU 2015-14 is a comprehensive new revenue recognition model requiring a company to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount reflecting the consideration it expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. As a result, the ASU is now effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2017, which for us is the first quarter of 2018. Earlier application is permitted for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim reporting periods within those years, which for us is the first quarter of 2017. We do not expect this ASU to have a material impact on our financial position, results of operations or disclosures.

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, "Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory" (Topic 330). The new guidance changes the subsequent measurement of inventory from lower of cost or market to lower of cost and net realizable value. ASU 2015-11 should be applied on a prospective basis and is effective for the Company beginning in the first fiscal quarter of 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of this guidance to have a material impact on its financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, "Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes" (Topic 740), which simplifies the presentation of deferred income taxes. This ASU requires that deferred tax assets and liabilities be classified as non-current in a statement of financial position. ASU 2015-17 may be adopted either prospectively or retrospectively and is effective for reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, with early adoption permitted. The Company expects the adoption of this ASU to result in a reclassification of its net current deferred tax asset to the net non-current deferred tax asset on it consolidated balance sheet.