Basis of Presentation

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2014

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation

1. Basis of Presentation

The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements represent United Stationers Inc. (“USI”) with its wholly owned subsidiary United Stationers Supply Co. (“USSC”), and USSC’s subsidiaries (collectively, “United” or the “Company”). The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States and include the accounts of USI and its subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. The Company operates in a single reportable segment as a leading distributor of business essentials.

The accompanying Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements are unaudited, except for the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2013, which was derived from the December 31, 2013 audited financial statements. The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements have been prepared in accordance with the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements, prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. Accordingly, the reader of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should refer to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 for further information.

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary to present fairly the financial position of United at March 31, 2014 and the results of operations and cash flows for the three months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013. The results of operations for the three months ended March 31, 2014 should not necessarily be taken as indicative of the results of operations that may be expected for the entire year.

Inventory

Approximately 75% and 76% of total inventory as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively has been valued under the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) accounting method. The remaining inventory is valued under the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) accounting method. Inventory valued under the FIFO and LIFO accounting methods is recorded at the lower of cost or market. If the Company had valued its entire inventory under the lower of FIFO cost or market, inventory would have been $111.9 million and $112.4 million higher than reported as of March 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively.

The quarterly change in the LIFO reserve as of March 31, 2014 and March 31, 2013 resulted in a $0.5 million decrease and a $1.4 million increase, respectively, in cost of sales. The change in the LIFO reserve as of March 31, 2014 resulted in a $0.5 million decrease in cost of goods sold which included LIFO liquidations relating to decrements in the Company’s office products and furniture pools. These decrements resulted in liquidation of LIFO inventory quantities carried at lower costs in prior years as compared with the cost of current year purchases. This liquidation resulted in LIFO income of $4.0 million which was partially offset by LIFO expense of $3.5 million related to current inflation for an overall net decrease in cost of sales of $0.5 million as referenced above.

New Accounting Pronouncements

In July 2013, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2013-11, Income Taxes (Topic 740)—Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists (ASU 2013-11). This ASU requires that an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion of an unrecognized tax benefit, be presented in the financial statements as either a reduction to a deferred tax asset or separately as a liability depending on the existence, availability and/or use of an operating loss carry forward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carry forward. This ASU was effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of 2014. There was no impact on the Company’s financial condition or results of operations due to the adoption of this standard.