Basis of Presentation and Nature of Operations (Policies)

3 Months Ended

Feb. 28, 2014

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Basis of Presentation and Nature of Operations

Basis of Presentation and Nature of Operations

GenCorp Inc. (“GenCorp” or the “Company”) has prepared the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, including its accounts and the accounts of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q. The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet was derived from audited financial statements but does not include all of the disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”). These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and accompanying notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain reclassifications have been made to financial information for the prior year to conform to the current year’s presentation.

The Company believes the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments, including normal recurring accruals, necessary for a fair statement of its financial position, results of operations, and cash flows for the periods presented. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The preparation of the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. In addition, the operating results for interim periods may not be indicative of the results of operations for a full year.

The Company is a manufacturer of aerospace and defense products and systems with a real estate segment that includes activities related to the re-zoning, entitlement, sale, and leasing of the Company’s excess real estate assets. The Company’s continuing operations are organized into two segments:

Aerospace and Defense — includes the operations of the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary Aerojet Rocketdyne, Inc. (“Aerojet Rocketdyne”), a leading technology-based designer, developer and manufacturer of aerospace and defense products and systems for the United States (“U.S.”) government, including the Department of Defense (“DoD”), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (“NASA”), major aerospace and defense prime contractors as well as portions of the commercial sector. Aerojet Rocketdyne is a world-recognized engineering and manufacturing company that specializes in the development and production of propulsion systems for defense and space applications, armament systems for precision tactical systems and munitions, and is considered a domestic market leader in launch propulsion, in-space propulsion, missile defense propulsion, tactical missile propulsion and hypersonic propulsion systems.

Real Estate — includes the activities of the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary Easton Development Company, LLC (“Easton”) related to the re-zoning, entitlement, sale, and leasing of the Company’s excess real estate assets. The Company owns approximately 11,900 acres of land adjacent to U.S. Highway 50 between Rancho Cordova and Folsom, California east of Sacramento (“Sacramento Land”). The Company is currently in the process of seeking zoning changes and other governmental approvals on a portion of the Sacramento Land to optimize its value.

In July 2012, the Company signed a stock and asset purchase agreement (the “Original Purchase Agreement”) with United Technologies Corporation (“UTC”) to acquire the Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne division (the “Rocketdyne Business”) from UTC for $550 million (the “Acquisition”). The Rocketdyne Business was the largest liquid rocket propulsion designer, developer, and manufacturer in the U.S. On June 10, 2013, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) announced that it closed its investigation into the Acquisition under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, as amended. On June 12, 2013, the Company and UTC entered into an amended and restated stock and asset purchase agreement (the “Amended and Restated Purchase Agreement”), which amended and restated the Original Purchase Agreement, as amended. On June 14, 2013, the Company completed the acquisition of substantially all of the Rocketdyne Business pursuant to the Amended and Restated Purchase Agreement. The aggregate consideration to UTC was $411 million, paid in cash, which represents the initial purchase price of $550 million reduced by $55 million relating to the pending future acquisition of UTC’s 50% ownership interest of RD Amross, LLC (a joint venture with NPO Energomash of Khimki, Russia which sells RD-180 engines to RD Amross) and the portion of the UTC business that markets and supports the sale of RD-180 engines (the “RDA Acquisition”). The acquisition of UTC’s 50% ownership interest of RD Amross and UTC’s related business is contingent upon certain conditions including receipt of certain Russian governmental regulatory approvals, which may not be obtained. Pursuant to the terms of the Amended and Restated Purchase Agreement, either party to such agreement may terminate the obligations to consummate the RDA Acquisition on or after June 12, 2015; provided, however, that such termination date may be extended for up to four additional periods of three months each (with the final termination date extended until June 12, 2016). Subject to the terms of Amended and Restated Purchase Agreement, in order to extend the termination date, either party may request the extension by providing written notice to the other party at least five business days prior to the termination date, provided that the requesting party must have a reasonable belief at the time such notice is given that a certain authorization for completion of the RDA Acquisition from the Russian government will be forthcoming. The purchase price was further adjusted for changes in advance payments on contracts, capital expenditures and other net assets, and is subject further to post-closing adjustments (see Note 5).

On August 31, 2004, the Company completed the sale of its GDX Automotive (“GDX”) business. On November 30, 2005, the Company completed the sale of the Fine Chemicals business. The remaining subsidiaries after the sale of GDX and the Fine Chemicals business are classified as discontinued operations (see Note 12).

The Company’s fiscal year ends on November 30 of each year. The fiscal year of the Company’s subsidiary, Aerojet Rocketdyne, ends on the last Saturday of November. As a result of the 2013 calendar, Aerojet Rocketdyne had 13 weeks of operations in the first quarter of fiscal 2014 compared to 14 weeks of operations in the first quarter of fiscal 2013. The additional week of operations in the first quarter of fiscal 2013 accounted for $27.8 million in additional net sales.

A detailed description of the Company’s significant accounting policies can be found in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncement

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncement

In July 2013, the FASB issued an amendment to the accounting guidance related to the financial statement presentation of an unrecognized tax benefit when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss or a tax credit carryforward exists. The guidance requires an unrecognized tax benefit to be presented as a decrease in a deferred tax asset where a net operating loss, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists and certain criteria are met. The Company adopted this guidance beginning in the first quarter of fiscal 2014. As the accounting standard only impacted presentation, the new standard did not have an impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

In the Company’s Aerospace and Defense segment, recognition of profit on long-term contracts requires the use of assumptions and estimates related to the contract value or total contract revenue, the total cost at completion and the measurement of progress towards completion. Due to the nature of the programs, developing the estimated total cost at completion requires the use of significant judgment. Estimates are continually evaluated as work progresses and are revised as necessary. Factors that must be considered in estimating the work to be completed include labor productivity, the nature and technical complexity of the work to be performed, availability and cost volatility of materials, subcontractor and vendor performance, warranty costs, volume assumptions, anticipated labor agreements and inflationary trends, schedule and performance delays, availability of funding from the customer, and the recoverability of costs incurred outside the original contract included in any estimates to complete. The Company reviews contract performance and cost estimates for some contracts at least monthly and for others at least quarterly and more frequently when circumstances significantly change. When a change in estimate is determined to have an impact on contract profit, the Company will record a positive or negative adjustment to the statement of operations. Changes in estimates and assumptions related to the status of certain long-term contracts may have a material effect on the Company’s operating results. The following table summarizes the impact from changes in estimates and assumptions on the statement of operations on key contracts, representing 85% of the Company’s net sales over the first quarters of fiscal 2014 and 2013, accounted for under the percentage-of-completion method of accounting (in millions, except per share amounts):

	Three Months Ended
	February 28, 2014		February 28, 2013
Favorable effect of the changes in contract estimates on loss from continuing operations before income taxes	$	2.3	$	6.2
Favorable effect of the changes in contract estimates on net loss		1.5		3.6
Favorable effect of the changes in contract estimates on basic and diluted loss per share		0.03		0.06

A detailed description of the Company’s significant accounting policies can be found in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013.