Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies (Policy)

12 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 2015

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Principles Of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of Donaldson Company, Inc., all majority-owned subsidiaries, along with the majority stake in IFIL USA.  All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.  The Company’s three joint ventures that are not majority-owned are accounted for under the equity method.

Use Of Estimates

Use of Estimates The preparation of Financial Statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (U.S.) (U.S. GAAP) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Foreign Currency Translation

Foreign Currency Translation For substantially all foreign operations, local currencies are considered the functional currency.  Assets and liabilities of non-U.S. dollar functional currency entities are translated to U.S. dollars at year-end exchange rates and the resulting gains and losses arising from the translation of net assets located outside the U.S. are recorded as a cumulative translation adjustment, a component of Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) (AOCI) in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.  Elements of the Consolidated Statements of Earnings are translated at average exchange rates in effect during the year.  Realized and unrealized foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in Other income, net in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings.  Foreign currency transaction gains of $2.1 million,$1.7 million, and $0.2 million are included in Other income, net in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings in Fiscal 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively.

Cash Equivalents

Cash Equivalents The Company considers all highly liquid temporary investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.  Cash equivalents are carried at cost that approximates market value.

Short-Term Investments

Short-Term Investments As of July 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company’s short-term investments consisted exclusively of time deposits with durations longer than 3 months, but less than 1 year.  These investments are carried at cost, which approximates their estimated fair value.  Classification of the Company’s investments as current or non-current is dependent upon management’s intended holding period, the investment’s maturity date, and liquidity considerations based on market conditions.  If management intends to hold the investments for longer than one year as of the balance sheet date, they are classified as non-current.

Accounts Receivable And Allowance For Doubtful Accounts

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Trade accounts receivables are recorded at the invoiced amount and do not bear interest.  The allowance for doubtful accounts is the Company’s best estimate of the amount of credit losses in its existing accounts receivable.  The Company determines the allowance based on historical write-off experience in the industry, regional economic data, and evaluation of specific Customer accounts for risk of loss.  The Company reviews its allowance for doubtful accounts monthly.  Past due balances over 90 days and over a specified amount are reviewed individually for collectability.  All other balances are reviewed on a pooled basis by type of receivable.  Account balances are charged off against the allowance when the Company feels it is probable the receivable will not be recovered.  The Company does not have any off-balance-sheet credit exposure related to its Customers.

Inventories

Inventories Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. U.S. inventories are valued using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method, while the non-U.S. inventories are valued using the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. Inventories valued at LIFO were approximately 34.2 percent of total inventories at July 31, 2015 and 2014. For inventories valued under the LIFO method, the FIFO cost exceeded the LIFO carrying values by $41.6 million and $37.9 million at July 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Results of operations for all periods presented were not materially affected by the liquidation of LIFO inventory. The components of inventory are as follows (thousands of dollars):

	At July 31,
	2015		2014
Raw materials	$	113,335	$	112,522
Work in process		22,602		17,256
Finished products		129,018		123,573
Total inventories	$	264,955	$	253,351

Property, Plant And Equipment

Property, Plant, and Equipment Property, plant, and equipment are stated at cost. Additions, improvements, or major renewals are capitalized, while expenditures that do not enhance or extend the asset’s useful life are charged to expense as incurred. Depreciation is computed under the straight-line method. Depreciation expense was $66.9 million in Fiscal 2015, $62.0 million in Fiscal 2014, and $58.8 million in Fiscal 2013. The estimated useful lives of property, plant, and equipment are 10 to 40 years for buildings, including building improvements, and three to ten years for machinery and equipment. The components of property, plant, and equipment are as follows (thousands of dollars):

	At July 31,
	2015			2014
Land	$	20,029		$	20,558
Buildings		272,616			273,599
Machinery and equipment		783,136			753,637
Construction in progress		52,350			51,394
Less accumulated depreciation		(657,520	)		(647,523	)
Total property, plant, and equipment, net	$	470,611		$	451,665

Internal-Use Software

Internal-Use Software The Company capitalizes direct costs of materials and services used in the development and purchase of internal-use software.  Amounts capitalized are amortized on a straight-line basis over a period of five to seven years and are reported as a component of machinery and equipment within property, plant, and equipment.

Goodwill And Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of net assets acquired in business combinations under the purchase method of accounting.  Other intangible assets, consisting primarily of patents, trademarks, and Customer relationships and lists, are recorded at cost and are amortized on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives of 3 to 20 years.  Goodwill is assessed for impairment annually or if an event occurs or circumstances change that would indicate the carrying amount may be impaired.  The impairment assessment for goodwill is done at a reporting unit level.  Reporting units are one level below the operating segment level, but can be combined when reporting units within the same operating segment have similar economic characteristics.  An impairment loss generally would be recognized when the carrying amount of the reporting unit’s net assets exceeds the estimated fair value of the reporting unit. 

Recoverability Of Long-Lived Assets

Recoverability of Long-Lived Assets The Company reviews its long-lived assets, including identifiable intangibles, for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable.  If impairment indicators are present and the estimated future undiscounted cash flows are less than the carrying value of the assets, the carrying value is reduced.  The Company recorded an impairment charge of $2.9 million in Fiscal 2015 for a partially completed facility in Xuzhou, China and there were no significant impairment charges recorded in Fiscal 2014, or Fiscal 2013.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes The provision for income taxes is computed based on the pre-tax income reported for financial statement purposes.  Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the expected future tax consequences attributed to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis.  Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using the enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to reverse.  Valuation allowances are recorded to reduce deferred tax assets when it is more-likely-than-not that a tax benefit will not be realized.

Earnings Per Share

The following table presents information necessary to calculate basic and diluted earnings per share:

	2015		2014		2013
	(thousands, except per share amounts)
Weighted average shares – basic		137,750		145,594		148,274
Diluted share equivalents		1,632		2,047		2,181
Weighted average shares – diluted		139,382		147,641		150,455
Net earnings for basic and diluted earnings per share computation	$	208,111	$	260,224	$	247,377
Net earnings per share – basic	$	1.51	$	1.79	$	1.67
Net earnings per share – diluted	$	1.49	$	1.76	$	1.64

Treasury Stock

Treasury Stock Repurchased common stock is stated at cost (determined on an average cost basis) and is presented as a reduction of shareholders’ equity.

Research And Development

Research and Development Research and development costs are charged against earnings in the year incurred.  Research and development expenses include basic scientific research and the application of scientific advances to the development of new and improved products and their uses.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation The Company offers stock-based employee compensation plans, which are more fully described in Note I.  Stock-based employee compensation cost is recognized using the fair-value based method.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition Revenue is recognized when both product ownership and the risk of loss have transferred to the Customer, the Company has no remaining obligations, the selling price is fixed and determinable, and collectability is reasonably assured.  Although the majority of the Company’s sales agreements contain standard terms and conditions, there are also agreements that contain multiple elements or non-standard terms and conditions.  For the Company's Gas Turbine Systems (GTS) sales, which typically consists of multiple shipments of components that will comprise the entire GTS project, it must carefully monitor the transfer of title related to each portion of a system sale and may defer recognition of revenue until all terms specified in the contract are met.  The Company records estimated discounts and rebates as a reduction of sales in the same period revenue is recognized.  Shipping and handling costs for Fiscal 2015, 2014, and 2013 totaled $63.2 million, $64.2 million, and $66.2 million, respectively, and are classified as a component of selling, general, and administrative expenses.

Product Warranties

Product Warranties The Company provides for estimated warranty costs at the time of sale and accrues for specific items at the time their existence is known and the amounts are determinable.  The Company estimates warranty costs using standard quantitative measures based on historical warranty claim experience and evaluation of specific Customer warranty issues.  For a warranty reserve reconciliation see Note M.

Derivative Instruments And Hedging Activities

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities The Company recognizes all derivatives on the balance sheet at fair value.  Derivatives that are not designated as hedges are adjusted to fair value through income.  If the derivative is designated as a hedge, depending on the nature of the hedge, changes in the fair value of derivatives are either offset against the change in fair value of the hedged assets, liabilities, or firm commitments through earnings, or recognized in shareholders’ equity through other comprehensive income until the hedged item is recognized.  Gains or losses related to the ineffective portion of any hedge are recognized through earnings in the current period.

New Accounting Standards Recently Adopted

New Accounting StandardsRecently Adopted In February 2013, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update 2013-04, Liabilities (Topic 405):Obligations Resulting from Joint and Several Liability Arrangements for Which the Total Amount of the Obligation is Fixed at the Reporting Date (“ASU 2013-04”), which amended guidance related to obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount of the obligations is fixed at the reporting date.  The guidance was effective for the Company beginning the first quarter of Fiscal 2015.  The adoption of ASU 2013-04 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.  For additional information, refer to Note L.

New Accounting Standards Not Yet Adopted

New Accounting Standards Not Yet AdoptedIn May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) (ASU 2014-09),  which amended revenue recognition guidance to clarify the principles for recognizing revenue from contracts with Customers.  The guidance requires an entity to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to Customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which an entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services.  The guidance also requires expanded disclosures relating to the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with Customers.  Additionally, qualitative and quantitative disclosures are required about Customer contracts, significant judgments and changes in judgments, and assets recognized from the costs to obtain or fulfill a contract.  This accounting guidance is effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of Fiscal 2019 using one of two prescribed retrospective methods.  Early adoption is permitted.  The Company is evaluating the impact that ASU 2014-09 will have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In June 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-12, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718):  Accounting for Share-Based Payments When the Terms of an Award Provide That a Performance Target Could be Achieved after the Requisite Service Period (ASU 2014-12), which amended guidance related to share-based payments where terms of the award provide that a performance target could be achieved after the requisite service period.  This guidance is effective for the Company beginning the first quarter of Fiscal 2018.  The Company is evaluating the impact that ASU 2014-12 will have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, Interest – Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30):Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs (ASU 2015-03), which amended guidance requiring the issuance of debt costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented on the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the amount of the debt liability, consistent with debt discounts and premiums.  This accounting guidance is effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of Fiscal 2017, with early adoption permitted.  The Company is evaluating the impact that ASU 2015-03 will have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. 

In May 2015, FASB issued ASU 2015-07, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 850): Disclosures for Investments in Certain Entities That Calculate Net Asset Value per Share (ASU 2015-07), which amended guidance requiring a Company to categorize investments for which fair values are measured using the net asset value (NAV) per share practical expedient.  ASU 2015-07 also limits the disclosures to investments for which the entity has elected to measure the fair value using the practical expedient.  This accounting guidance is effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of Fiscal 2017, with early adoption permitted.  The Company is evaluating the impact that ASU 2015-07 will have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. 

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, Inventory (Topic 330):  Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory (ASU 2015-11), which amended the guidance requiring Company’s not using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method to measure inventory at the lower of cost and net realizable rather than the lower of cost or market.  This accounting guidance is effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of Fiscal 2017, with early adoption permitted.  The Company is evaluating the impact that ASU 2015-11 will have on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.