Nature of Business and Significant Accounting Policies

Nature of Business - We have three reportable segments: Industrial, Water Treatment and Health and Nutrition. The Industrial Group specializes in providing industrial chemicals, products and services to industries such as agriculture, chemical processing, electronics, energy, food, pharmaceutical, plating and power generation. This group also manufactures and sells certain food-grade products, including liquid phosphates, lactates and other blended products. The Water Treatment Group specializes in providing chemicals, equipment and solutions for potable water, municipal and industrial wastewater, industrial process water and non-residential swimming pool water. This 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. We established the Health and Nutrition segment of our business in December 2015 through our acquisition of Stauber Performance Ingredients (“Stauber”). Our Health and Nutrition Group specializes in providing ingredient distribution, processing and formulation solutions to manufacturers of nutraceutical, functional food and beverage, personal care, dietary supplement and other nutritional food and health and wellness products. This group offers a diverse product portfolio including minerals, botanicals and herbs, vitamins and amino acids, excipients, joint products, sweeteners and enzymes.

Fiscal Year - Our fiscal year is a 52 or 53-week year ending on the Sunday closest to March 31. Our fiscal years ended April 1, 2018 (“fiscal 2018”) and April 2, 2017 (“fiscal 2017”) were 52 weeks. Our fiscal year ended April 3, 2016 (“fiscal 2016”) was 53 weeks. The fiscal year ending March 31, 2019 (“fiscal 2019”) will be 52 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 are an interest rate swap and marketable securities. 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. Our cash balances are held 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.

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.

Inventories - Inventories, consisting primarily of finished goods, are primarily valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value, with cost for approximately 67% of our inventory determined using the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method. Cost for the other 33% of our total inventory is determined using the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method.

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; and 3 to 10 years for transportation equipment and 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 2018, 2017 or 2016.

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. Our annual test for impairment is as of the first day of our fourth fiscal quarter. As of January 1, 2018, we performed an analysis of qualitative factors for our Industrial and Water Treatment reporting units to determine whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of either of these reporting units was less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform a quantitative goodwill impairment test. Based on management’s analysis of qualitative factors, we determined that it was not necessary to perform a quantitative goodwill impairment test for either the Industrial or Water Treatment reporting units.

We performed a quantitative goodwill impairment test for our Health and Nutrition reporting unit. This test, used to identify potential impairment, compares the fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying amount, including indefinite-lived intangible assets. If the fair value exceeds the carrying amount, the goodwill is not considered impaired. If the carrying amount exceeds the fair value, the reporting unit’s goodwill is considered impaired, and we must recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value. The fair value of our Health and Nutrition reporting was less than the carrying value as of January 1, 2018, and accordingly we recorded an impairment charge of $39.1 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018. The impairment charge was a result of changes in expectations for future growth as part of our fourth quarter long-term strategic planning process to align with historical experience in recent periods and expected changes in future product mix.

Our primary identifiable intangible assets include customer lists, trade secrets, non-competition 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 14 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 2018 for our Industrial and Water Treatment reporting units. We completed a quantitative assessment for our Health and Nutrition reporting unit during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 and concluded that no impairment was required because the expected future pre-tax cash flows (undiscounted) from the asset group exceed the carrying value of the assets.

Impairment assessments were also completed in the fourth quarters of fiscal 2017 and 2016, which resulted in no impairment charges for either of these fiscal years.

Income Taxes - The Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method, which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements. Under this method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined on the basis of the differences between the financial statements and tax basis of assets and liabilities using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities is recognized in income tax expense in the period that includes the enactment date. 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 consolidated statements of income.

The effects 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. See note 12 for further information regarding the recording of a liability and offsetting receivable regarding an uncertain tax position taken by Stauber prior to its acquisition by us.

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 as performance units and restricted stock. Basic and diluted EPS were calculated using the following:



	April 1, 2018	April 2, 2017	April 3, 2016
Weighted average common shares outstanding — basic	10,607,422	10,536,347	10,524,730
Dilutive impact of stock performance units and restricted stock	36,297	59,763	53,312
Weighted average common shares outstanding — diluted	10,643,719	10,596,110	10,578,042

There were no shares or stock options excluded from the calculation of weighted average common shares for diluted EPS for fiscal 2018, 2017, or 2016.

Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities - We are subject to interest rate risk associated with our variable rate debt. During fiscal 2017, we entered into an interest rate swap which was has been designated as a cash flow hedge, the purpose of which is to eliminate the cash flow impact of interest rate changes on a portion of our variable-rate debt starting in September 2017. The hedge was measured at fair value on the contract date and subsequently remeasured to fair value at each reporting date. Changes in the fair value of a derivative that is highly effective, and that is designated and qualifies as a cash flow hedge, are recorded in other comprehensive income, until the consolidated statement of income is affected by the variability in cash flows of the designated hedged item. To the extent that the hedge is ineffective, changes in the fair value are recognized in the Statement of Income.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2018-02 which allows a reclassification from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Tax Act”). Hawkins early adopted this standard during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2018 and reclassified approximately $0.1 million from other comprehensive income to retained earnings.

In December 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) staff issued Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (“SAB 118”) to address the application of U.S. GAAP related to the enactment of the Tax Act. This guidance was adopted in the third quarter of fiscal 2018. Additional information regarding our adoption of this guidance is contained in Note 12.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, which provides accounting guidance intended to improve the accounting for share-based payment transactions. This guidance outlines new provisions intended to simplify various aspects related to accounting for share-based payments and their presentation in the financial statements. We adopted this guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2018. We will continue to estimate forfeitures as we determine compensation cost each period. The primary impact on our consolidated financial statements is the recognition of excess tax benefits in the provision for income taxes rather than additional paid-in capital, which may result in increased volatility in the reported amounts of income tax expense and net income.

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, which requires companies to change the measurement principal for inventory measured using the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) or average cost method from the lower of cost or market to the lower of cost and net realizable value. Treatment of inventory valued under the last-in, last-out (“LIFO”) method is unchanged by this guidance. We adopted this guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2018 and there was no impact to our financial position or results of operations.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04 which simplifies the accounting for goodwill impairment. The guidance removes step two of the goodwill impairment test, which required a hypothetical purchase price allocation. We adopted this guidance in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2017.