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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Organization, operations, and basis of consolidation
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of L.B. Foster Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, joint ventures, and partnerships in which a controlling interest is held. Inter-company transactions and accounts have been eliminated. The Company utilizes the equity method of accounting for companies where its ownership is less than or equal to 50% and significant influence exists.
L.B. Foster Company (“Company”) provides products and services for the rail industry and solutions to support critical infrastructure projects. The Company’s innovative engineering and product development solutions inspire the safety, reliability, and performance of it’s customer’s challenging requirements. The Company maintains locations in North America, Europe, and Asia. The Company is organized and operates in two business segments: Rail Technologies and Services (“Rail”) and Infrastructure Solutions. The Rail segment is comprised of several manufacturing and distribution businesses that provide a variety of products and services for freight and passenger railroads and industrial companies throughout the world. The Infrastructure Solutions segment is composed of precast concrete products, piling, fabricated bridge, protective coating, threading and precision measurement offerings across North America.
Use of estimates
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“U.S. GAAP”) requires management to make estimates, judgements, and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates and changes in these estimates are recorded when known.
Significant accounting policies
Cash and cash equivalents
The Company considers cash and other instruments with maturities of three months or less when purchased to be cash and cash equivalents. The Company invests available funds in a manner to preserve investment principal and maintain liquidity, while seeking the highest yield available.
Cash and cash equivalents held in non-domestic accounts were $6,995 and $13,660 as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Included in non-domestic cash equivalents are investments in bank term deposits of approximately $18 and $17 as of December 31, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The carrying amounts approximated fair value due to the short maturity of the instruments.
Inventory
Inventory is valued at the lower of average cost or net realizable value. Slow-moving inventory is reviewed and adjusted regularly, based upon product knowledge, physical inventory observation, inventory turnover, and the age of the inventory. Inventory contains product costs, including inbound freight, direct labor, overhead costs relating to the manufacturing and distribution of products, and absorption costs representing the excess manufacturing or production costs over the amounts charged to the cost of sales or services.
Property, plant, and equipment
Depreciation and amortization are provided on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of 7 to 40 years for buildings and 2 to 50 years for machinery and equipment. Leasehold improvements are amortized over 7 to 19 years, which represent the lives of the respective leases or the lives of the improvements, whichever is shorter. Depreciation expense is recorded within “Cost of goods sold,” “Cost of services sold,” and “Selling and administrative expenses” on the Consolidated Statements of Operations based upon the particular asset’s use. The Company reviews a long-lived asset for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. The Company recognizes an impairment loss if the carrying amount of a long-lived asset is not recoverable and exceeds its fair value. There were no property, plant, and equipment impairments recorded for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018.
Maintenance, repairs, and minor renewals are charged to operations as incurred. Major renewals and betterments that substantially extend the useful life of the property are capitalized at cost. Upon the sale or other disposition of assets, the costs and related accumulated depreciation and amortization are removed from the accounts and the resulting gain or loss, if any, is reflected in “Other (income) expense - net” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Allowance for doubtful accounts
On January 1, 2020, the Company adopted ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments” (“ASU 2016-13”), and all the related amendments using the modified retrospective approach, which did not result in any changes to the previously reported financial information. The updates related to ASU 2016-13 were applied to assets held as of January 1, 2020.
In accordance with adoption of the new standard, the Company evaluated and revised its policies surrounding the allowance for credit losses for trade receivables. The Company established the allowance for credit losses by calculating the amount to reserve based on the age of a given trade receivable and considering historical collection patterns and bad debt expense experience, in addition to any other relevant subjective adjustments to individual receivables made by management. The Company also considered current and expected future market and other conditions. Trade receivables are pooled within the calculation based on a range of ages, which appropriately groups receivables of similar credit risk together.
The established reserve thresholds to calculate the allowance for credit loss are based on and supported by historic collection patterns and bad debt expense incurred by the Company, as well as the expectation that collection patterns and bad debt expense will continue to adhere to patterns observed in recent years, which was formed based on trends observed as well as current and expected future conditions, including the estimated effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Management maintains high-quality credit review practices as well as positive customer relationships that further mitigate credit risk. Management monitors and reviews the contributing factors to the Company’s reserve, and makes any appropriate revisions as they become necessary. Reserves for uncollectible accounts are recorded as part of “Selling and administrative expenses” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Goodwill and other intangible assets
Goodwill is the cost of an acquisition less the fair value of the identifiable net assets of the acquired business. Goodwill is tested annually for impairment or more often if there are indicators of impairment within a reporting unit. A reporting unit is an operating segment or a component of an operating segment for which discrete financial information is available and reviewed by management on a regular basis. The goodwill impairment test involves comparing the fair value of a reporting unit to its carrying value, including goodwill. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss equal to the excess amount up to the goodwill balance is recorded as a component of operations. The Company performs its annual impairment tests in the fourth quarter.
The Company’s fourth quarter 2020 annual test included the assessment of a quantitative analysis to determine whether it was more likely than not that the fair value of each reporting unit is less than its carrying value. The quantitative assessment considers fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. The Company’s quantitative analysis considered and evaluated each of the three traditional approaches to value: the income approach, the market approach, and the asset approach. The Company primarily relied on the discounted cash flow method within the income approach to value the reporting units. There was no goodwill impairment recognized during the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018. The Company continues to monitor the recoverability of the long-lived assets associated with certain reporting units of the Company and the long-term financial projections of the businesses. Sustained declines in the markets the Company serves may result in future long-lived asset impairment.
The Company has no indefinite-lived intangible assets. The Company reviews a long-lived intangible asset for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. All intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives. There were no definite-lived intangible asset impairments during the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018.
Environmental remediation and compliance
Environmental remediation costs are accrued when a liability is probable and costs are estimable. Environmental compliance costs, which principally include the disposal of waste generated by routine operations, are expensed as incurred. Capitalized environmental costs, when appropriate, are depreciated over their useful life. Reserves are not reduced by potential claims for recovery and are not discounted. Claims for recovery are recognized as agreements are reached with third parties or as amounts are received. Reserves are periodically reviewed throughout the year and adjusted to reflect current remediation progress, prospective estimates of required activity, and other factors that may be relevant, including changes in technology or regulations. See Note 18 for additional information regarding the Company’s outstanding environmental and litigation reserves.
Revenue recognition
The Company’s revenues are comprised of product and service sales, including products and services provided under long-term agreements with its customers. All revenue is recognized when the Company satisfies its performance obligations under the respective contract, either implicit or explicit, by transferring the promised product or rendering a service to its customer either when or as its customer obtains control of the product or the service is rendered. Deferred revenue consists of customer billings or payments received for which the revenue recognition criteria have not yet been met as well as contract liabilities (billings in excess of costs) on over time contracts. Advance payments from customers typically relate to contracts for which the Company has significantly fulfilled its obligations, but due to the Company’s continuing involvement with the project, revenue is precluded from being recognized until the performance obligation is met for the customer. See Note 4 for additional information.
Product warranty
The Company maintains a current warranty liability for the repair or replacement of defective products. For certain manufactured products, an accrual is made on a monthly basis as a percentage of cost of sales based upon historical experience. For long-lived construction products, a warranty is established when the claim is known and quantifiable. The product warranty accrual is periodically adjusted based on the identification or resolution of known individual product warranty claims or due to changes in the Company’s historical warranty experience. As of December 31, 2020 and 2019, the product warranty reserve was $1,249 and $1,222, respectively. See Note 18 for additional information regarding the product warranty.
Income taxes
Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred taxes are measured using enacted tax laws and rates expected to be in effect when such differences are recovered or settled. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred taxes is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date of the change. The Company has also elected to record global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) as period costs if and when incurred.
The Company makes judgments regarding the recognition of deferred tax assets and the future realization of these assets. As prescribed by ASC 740, “Income Taxes” and applicable guidance, valuation allowances must be provided for those deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not (a likelihood of more than 50%) that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The guidance requires the Company to evaluate positive and negative evidence regarding the recoverability of deferred tax assets. The determination of whether the positive evidence outweighs the negative evidence and quantification of the valuation allowance requires the Company to make estimates and judgments of future financial results. The Company has concluded that for purposes of quantifying valuation allowances, it would be appropriate to consider the reversal of taxable temporary differences related to indefinite-lived intangible assets when assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets that upon reversal, would give rise to operating losses that do not expire.
The Company evaluates all tax positions taken on its federal, state, and foreign tax filings to determine if the position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination. For positions that meet the more likely than not to be sustained criteria, the largest amount of benefit to be realized upon ultimate settlement is determined on a cumulative probability basis. A previously recognized tax position is derecognized when it is subsequently determined that a tax position no longer meets the more likely than not threshold to be sustained. The evaluation of the sustainability of a tax position and the expected tax benefit is based on judgment, historical experience, and various other assumptions. Actual results could differ from those estimates upon subsequent resolution of identified matters. The Company accrues interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in its provision for income taxes.
Foreign currency translation
The assets and liabilities of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries are measured using the local currency as the functional currency and are translated into U.S. dollars at exchange rates as of the balance sheet date. Income statement amounts are translated at the weighted-average rates of exchange during the year. The translation adjustment is accumulated as a separate component of “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” within its Consolidated Balance Sheets. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in “Other income or expense.” For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018, foreign currency transaction gain of approximately $32, loss of $202, and gain of $483, respectively, were included in “Other (income) expense - net” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.
Research and development
The Company expenses research and development costs as costs are incurred. For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2019, and 2018, research and development expenses were $2,643, $2,614, and $2,646, respectively, and were principally related to the Company’s friction management and railroad monitoring system products within the Rail segment.
Reclassifications
Certain accounts in the prior year consolidated financial statements have been reclassified for comparative purposes principally to conform to the presentation in the current year period, including discontinued operations and the change in business segments.
Recently issued accounting guidance
In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, “Reference Rate Reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the Effects of Reference Rate Reform on Financial Reporting” (“ASU 2020-04”), which provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying U.S. GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by the discontinuation of the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”) or by another reference rate expected to be discontinued. The amendments are effective for all entities as of March 12, 2020 through December 31, 2022. The Company is currently evaluating the impacts of the provisions of ASU 2020-04 on its financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.
Recently adopted accounting guidance
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13. ASU 2016-13 added a new impairment model (known as the current expected credit loss (“CECL”) model) that is based on expected losses rather than incurred losses. Under the new guidance, an entity recognizes as an allowance its estimate of expected credit losses and presents financial assets measured at amortized cost basis at the net amount expected to be collected upon inception. The CECL model applies to trade receivables, other receivables, and most debt instruments. The CECL model does not have a minimum threshold for recognition of impairment losses, and entities must measure expected credit losses on assets that have a low risk of loss. The Company adopted the provisions of ASU 2016-13 on January 1, 2020, using the modified retrospective approach as of the beginning of the period of adoption. In accordance with the standard, the Company evaluated its allowance for credit losses for trade receivables and contract assets, the only assets held by the Company that were included within the scope of the standard. The adoption of ASU 2016-13 had no material effect on the Company’s financial position
or results of operations, and no adjustment to Retained earnings as of January 1, 2020 was recorded. The Company has presented the disclosures required by this new standard in Note 6 and Note 7.
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-15, “Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software” (“ASU 2018-15”). ASU 2018-15 requires capitalization of certain implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement that qualifies as a service contract. The amendments in ASU 2018-15 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and for interim periods therein with early adoption permitted. The adoption of ASU 2018-15 had no impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.