Financial Statements (Policy)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

Financial Statements [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation [Policy Text Block]

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X.  Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements.  In the opinion of management, all estimates and adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included.  However, actual results could differ from those estimates.  The results of operations for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ending December 31, 2014.  Amounts included in the balance sheet as of December 31, 2013 were derived from our audited balance sheet.  This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and footnotes thereto included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013. In this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, references to “Foster,” “we,” “us,” “our,” and the “Company” refer collectively to L.B. Foster and its consolidated subsidiaries.

Recently issued accounting standards [Policy Text Block]

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606),” (“ASU 2014-09”), which supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Accounting Standards Codification 605, “Revenue Recognition.” ASU 2014-09 is based on the principle that revenue is recognized to depict the transfer of goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. It also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. ASU 2014-09 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period. The Company is currently evaluating its implementation approach and assessing the impact of ASU 2014-09 on our financial position and results of operations.

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-15, “Presentation of Financial Statements - Going Concern - Disclosures of Uncertainties about an entity's Ability to Continue as a Going Concern.” ASU 2014-15 provides new guidance related to management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern by incorporating and expanding upon certain principles that are currently in U.S. auditing standards and to provide related footnote disclosures. This new guidance is effective for the annual period ending after December 15, 2016, and for annual periods and interim periods thereafter. The requirements of ASU 2014-15 are not expected to have a significant impact on the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements.