Nature of Business and Significant Accounting Policies

Nature of Business - We have two reportable segments: Industrial and Water Treatment. The Industrial Group operates our Industrial segment and specializes in providing industrial chemicals, products and services to industries such as agriculture, chemical processing, electronics, energy, food, pharmaceutical, plating and power generation. The group also manufactures and sells certain food-grade products, including liquid phosphates, lactates and other blended products. The Water Treatment Group operates our Water Treatment segment and specializes in providing chemicals, equipment and solutions for potable water, municipal and industrial wastewater, industrial process water and non-residential swimming pool water. The group has the resources and flexibility to treat systems ranging in size from a single small well to a multi-million-gallon-per-day facility.

Fiscal Year - Our fiscal year is a 52/53-week year ending on the Sunday closest to March 31. Our fiscal years ended March 29, 2015 (“fiscal 2015”), March 30, 2014 (“fiscal 2014”), and March 31, 2013 (“fiscal 2013”) were 52 weeks. The fiscal year ending April 3, 2016 (“fiscal 2016”) will be 53 weeks.

Principles of Consolidation - The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Hawkins, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated.

Estimates - The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Revenue Recognition - We recognize revenue when there is evidence that the customer has agreed to purchase the product, the price and terms of the sale are fixed, the product has shipped and title has passed to our customer, performance has occurred, and collection of the receivable is reasonably assured.

Shipping and Handling - All shipping and handling amounts billed to customers are included in revenues. Costs incurred related to the shipping and the handling of products are included in cost of sales.

Fair Value Measurements - The financial assets and liabilities that are re-measured and reported at fair value for each reporting period include marketable securities, as well as contingent consideration payable related to the acquisition of Advance Chemical Solutions, Inc. (“ACS”). There are no fair value measurements with respect to nonfinancial assets or liabilities that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in our consolidated financial statements on a recurring basis.

Assets and liabilities measured at fair value are classified using the following hierarchy, which is based upon the transparency of inputs to the valuation as of the measurement date:

Level 1: Valuation is based on observable inputs such as quoted market prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets.

Level 2: Valuation is based on inputs such as quoted market prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets or other inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument.

Level 3: Valuation is based upon other unobservable inputs that are significant to the fair value measurement.

In making fair value measurements, observable market data must be used when available. When inputs used to measure fair value fall within different levels of the hierarchy, the level within which the fair value measurement is categorized is based on the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

Cash Equivalents - Cash equivalents include all liquid debt instruments (primarily cash funds and money market accounts) purchased with an original maturity of three months or less. The balances maintained at financial institutions may, at times, exceed federally insured limits.

Investments - Available-for-sale securities consist of certificates of deposit (“CD’s”) and municipal bonds and are valued at current market value, with the resulting unrealized gains and losses excluded from earnings and reported, net of tax, as a separate component of shareholders’ equity until realized. Any impairment loss to reduce an investment’s carrying amount to its fair market value is recognized in income when a decline in the fair market value of an individual security below its cost or carrying value is determined to be other than temporary.

Trade Receivables and Concentrations of Credit Risk - Financial instruments, which potentially subject us to a concentration of credit risk, principally consist of trade receivables. We sell our principal products to a large number of customers in many different industries. There are no concentrations of credit risk with a single customer from a particular service or geographic area that would significantly impact us in the near term. To reduce credit risk, we routinely assess the financial strength of our customers. We record an allowance for doubtful accounts to reduce our receivables to an amount we estimate is collectible from our customers. Estimates used in determining the allowance for doubtful accounts are based on historical collection experience, current trends, aging of accounts receivable and periodic evaluations of our customers’ financial condition. We invest our excess cash balances at times in CD’s, municipal bonds and money market accounts at two separate financial institutions where the cash balances may exceed federally insured limits. The institutions are two of the largest commercial banking institutions in the country and both have maintained strong credit ratings.

Inventories - Inventories, consisting primarily of finished goods, are primarily valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value, with cost for the vast majority of our inventory determined using the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method. The amount of inventory valued using the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method represents approximately 8% of the total FIFO inventory balance at March 29, 2015.

Property, Plant and Equipment - Property is stated at cost and depreciated or amortized over the lives of the assets, using the straight-line method. Estimated lives are: 10 to 40 years for buildings and improvements; 3 to 20 years for machinery and equipment; 3 to 10 years for transportation equipment; and 3 to 10 years for office furniture and equipment including computer systems. Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the lesser of their estimated useful lives or the remaining lease term.

Significant improvements that add to productive capacity or extend the lives of properties are capitalized. Costs for repairs and maintenance are charged to expense as incurred. When property is retired or otherwise disposed of, the cost and related accumulated depreciation or amortization are removed from the accounts and any related gains or losses are included in income.

We review the recoverability of long-lived assets to be held and used, such as property, plant and equipment, when events or changes in circumstances occur that indicate the carrying value of the asset group may not be recoverable, such as prolonged industry downturn or significant reductions in projected future cash flows. The assessment of possible impairment is based on our ability to recover the carrying value of the asset group from the expected future pre-tax cash flows (undiscounted) of the related operations. If these cash flows are less than the carrying value of such asset group, an impairment loss would be measured by the amount the carrying value exceeds the fair value of the long-lived asset group. The measurement of impairment requires us to estimate future cash flows and the fair value of long-lived assets. No long-lived assets were determined to be impaired during fiscal years 2015, 2014 or 2013.

Goodwill and Identifiable Intangible Assets - Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of acquired businesses over the fair value of identifiable tangible net assets and identifiable intangible assets purchased. Goodwill is tested at least annually for impairment, and is tested for impairment more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired. As of January 1, 2015, the company performed an analysis of qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform a two-step goodwill impairment test. Based on management’s analysis of qualitative factors, we determined that it was not necessary to perform a two-step goodwill impairment test for either reporting unit.

Our primary identifiable intangible assets include customer lists, trade secrets, non-compete agreements, trademarks, and trade names acquired in previous business acquisitions. Identifiable intangible assets with finite lives are amortized whereas identifiable intangible assets with indefinite lives are not amortized. The values assigned to the intangible assets with finite lives are being amortized on average over approximately 13 years. Identifiable intangible assets that are subject to amortization are evaluated for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. Identifiable intangible assets not subject to amortization are tested for impairment annually or more frequently if events warrant. The impairment test consists of a qualitative assessment to determine whether it is more likely than not that the asset is impaired. Based on management’s analysis of qualitative factors, we determined that it was not necessary to perform a quantitative impairment test for fiscal 2015.

Impairment assessments were also completed in the fourth quarters of fiscal 2014 and 2013, which resulted in no impairment charges for either of these fiscal years.

Income Taxes - In the preparation of our consolidated financial statements, the calculation of income taxes by management is based upon the estimated effective rate applicable to operating results for the full fiscal year. This includes estimating the current tax liability as well as assessing differences resulting from different treatment of items for tax and book accounting purposes. Differences that are temporary in nature result in deferred tax assets and liabilities, which are recorded on the balance sheet, while differences that are permanent in nature impact the income tax expense recorded on the income statement and impact the effective tax rate for the fiscal year. The deferred tax assets and liabilities are analyzed regularly and management assesses the likelihood that deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable income. We record any interest and penalties related to income taxes as income tax expense in the statements of income.

The effect of income tax positions are recognized only if those positions are more likely than not of being sustained. Changes in recognition or measurement are made as facts and circumstances change.

Stock-Based Compensation - We account for stock-based compensation on a fair value basis. The estimated grant date fair value of each stock-based award is recognized in expense over the requisite service period (generally the vesting period). Non-vested share awards are recorded as expense over the requisite service periods based on the market value on the date of grant.

Earnings Per Share - Basic earnings per share (“EPS”) are computed by dividing net income by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding. Diluted EPS are computed by dividing net income by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding including the incremental shares assumed to be issued upon the exercise of stock options and the incremental shares assumed to be issued as performance units and restricted stock. Basic and diluted EPS were calculated using the following:



	March 29, 2015	March 30, 2014	March 31, 2013
Weighted average common shares outstanding — basic	10,568,582	10,544,467	10,464,820
Dilutive impact of stock performance units, restricted stock, and stock options	64,972	55,288	76,322
Weighted average common shares outstanding — diluted	10,633,554	10,599,755	10,541,142

There were no shares or stock options excluded from the calculation of weighted average common shares for diluted EPS for fiscal 2015, 2014 or 2013.

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities - We do not have any freestanding or embedded derivatives and it is our practice to not enter into contracts that contain them.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued new accounting requirements for recognition of revenue from contracts with customers. The requirements of the new standard will be effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016 (our fiscal year ending April 1, 2018), and interim periods within those annual periods. We are currently evaluating the impact of this accounting pronouncement.