OUR BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

6 Months Ended

Mar. 29, 2013

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

NOTE 1. OUR BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Our Business

IEC Electronics Corp. ("IEC", "we", "our", “us”, “Company”) is a premier provider of electronic contract manufacturing services (“EMS”) to advanced technology companies. We specialize in the custom manufacture of high reliability, complex circuit cards and system-level assemblies; a wide array of cable and wire harness assemblies capable of withstanding extreme environments; and precision sheet metal components. We excel where quality and reliability are of paramount importance and when low-to-medium volume, high-mix production is the norm. We utilize state-of-the-art, automated circuit card assembly equipment together with a full complement of high-reliability manufacturing stress testing methods. With our customers at the center of everything we do, we have created a high-intensity, rapid response culture capable of reacting and adapting to their ever-changing needs. Our customer-centric approach offers a high degree of flexibility while simultaneously complying with rigorous quality and on-time delivery standards. While many EMS services are viewed as commodities, we believe we set ourselves apart through an uncommon mix of capabilities including:

§ A technology center that combines dedicated prototype manufacturing with an on-site Materials Analysis Lab, enabling the seamless transition of complex electronics from design to production.

§ In-house, custom, functional testing and troubleshooting of complex system-level assemblies in support of end-order fulfillment.

§ A laboratory that enables us to assist customers in mitigating the risk of purchasing counterfeit parts through our subsidiary, Dynamic Research and Testing Laboratories, LLC (“DRTL”).

§ Build-to-print precision sheet metal and complex wire harness assemblies supporting just-in-time delivery of critical end-market, system-level electronics.

§ A Lean/Six Sigma continuous improvement program supported by a team of Six Sigma Blackbelts delivering best-in-class results.

§ Proprietary software-driven Web Portal providing customers real-time access to a wide array of operational data.

Generally Accepted Accounting Principles

IEC's financial statements and accompanying notes are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”), as set forth in the Financial Accounting Standards Board's (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”).

Fiscal Calendar

The Company’s fiscal year ends on September 30th, and the first three quarters generally end on the Friday closest to the last day of the calendar quarter.

Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of IEC and its wholly owned subsidiaries: IEC Electronics Wire and Cable, Inc. (“Wire and Cable”); IEC Electronics Corp.-Albuquerque ("Albuquerque"); Southern California Braiding, Inc. (“SCB”) and DRTL. The Celmet unit operates as a division of IEC. All significant intercompany transactions and accounts are eliminated in consolidation.

Unaudited Financial Statements

The accompanying unaudited financial statements for the six months ended March 29, 2013 and March 30, 2012 have been prepared in accordance with GAAP for interim financia1 information. In the opinion of management, all adjustments required for a fair presentation of the information have been made. The accompanying financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K/A for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2012, including Note 18 – Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) in which the results for the quarters ended in fiscal 2012 were restated. The fiscal 2012 financial information presented in these unaudited consolidated financial statements for comparative purposes reflects the impact of the restatement.

Reclassifications

Prior year financial statement amounts are reclassified as necessary to conform to the current year presentation. Such reclassifications generally involve transfers of individual accounts from one financial statement line-item to another, without affecting income before or after taxes.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company's cash and cash equivalents principally represent deposit accounts with Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company ("M&T"), a banking corporation headquartered in Buffalo, NY. In the six month period of the prior fiscal year, cash receipts and disbursements were used to repay or draw on IEC’s revolving credit facility and cash balances were de minimis.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

The Company establishes an allowance for doubtful accounts receivable based on the age of outstanding invoices and management's evaluation of collectability. Accounts are written off after all reasonable collection efforts have been exhausted and management concludes that likelihood of collection is remote.

Inventory Valuation

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market value under the first-in, first-out method. The Company regularly assesses slow-moving, excess and obsolete inventory and maintains balance sheet reserves in amounts required to reduce the recorded value of inventory to lower of cost or market.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment (“PP&E”) are stated at cost and are depreciated over various estimated useful lives using the straight-line method. Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred, while renewals and improvements are capitalized. At the time of retirement or other disposition of PP&E, cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any gain or loss is recorded in earnings.

Depreciable lives generally used for PP&E are presented in the table below. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the lease term or estimated useful life of the improvement.

	Estimated
PP&E Lives	Useful Lives
	(years)
Land improvements	10
Buildings and improvements	5 to 40
Machinery and equipment	3 to 5
Furniture and fixtures	3 to 7

Intangible Assets

Intangible assets (other than goodwill) are those that lack physical substance and are not financial assets. Such assets held by IEC were acquired in connection with business combinations and represent economic benefits associated with acquired customer relationships, a non-compete agreement, and a property tax abatement. Values assigned to individual intangible assets are amortized using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives.

Reviewing Long-Lived Assets for Potential Impairment

ASC 360-10 (Property, Plant and Equipment) and 350-30 (Intangibles) require the Company to test long-lived assets (PP&E and definitive lived assets) for recoverability whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. If carrying value exceeds undiscounted future cash flows attributable to an asset, it is considered impaired and the excess of carrying value over fair value must be charged to earnings. No impairment charges were recorded by IEC during fiscal 2012 or fiscal 2013.

Goodwill

Goodwill represents the excess of cost over fair value of net assets acquired in a business combination.   Under ASC 350, goodwill is not amortized but is reviewed for impairment at least annually or when events or circumstances indicate that carrying value may exceed fair value. The Company may elect to precede a quantitative review for impairment with a qualitative assessment of the likelihood that fair value of a particular reporting unit exceeds carrying value. If the qualitative assessment leads to a conclusion that it is more than 50 percent likely that fair value exceeds carrying value, no further testing is required. In the event of a less favorable outcome, we are required to proceed with quantitative testing.

The quantitative process entails comparing the overall fair value of the unit to which goodwill relates to carrying value.  If fair value exceeds carrying value, no further assessment of potential impairment is required.  If fair value of the unit is less than carrying value, a valuation of the unit's individual assets and liabilities is required to determine whether or not goodwill is impaired. Goodwill impairment losses are charged to earnings.

Most of IEC's recorded goodwill relates to SCB, acquired in December 2010, and a lesser portion relates to Celmet, which was acquired in July 2010.  No goodwill impairment has been experienced to date by either unit.

Leases

At the inception of a lease covering equipment or real estate, the lease agreement is evaluated under criteria discussed in ASC 840-10-25 (Leases). Leases meeting one of four key criteria are accounted for as capital leases and all others are treated as operating leases. Under a capital lease, the discounted value of future lease payments becomes the basis for recognizing an asset and a borrowing, and lease payments are allocated between debt reduction and interest. For operating leases, payments are recorded as rent expense. Criteria for a capital lease include (i) transfer of ownership during the lease term; (ii) existence of a bargain purchase option under terms that make it likely to be exercised; (iii) a lease term equal to 75 percent or more of the economic life of the leased property; and (iv) minimum lease payments that equal or exceed 90 percent of the fair value of the property.

In June 2008, IEC entered into a sale-leaseback arrangement with M&T under which fixed assets with a net book value of $2.0 million and an original cost of $15.6 million were sold to M&T and were leased back under a five-year operating lease. The sold assets were removed from the accounts and a minimal loss on the transaction is being amortized over the lease term.

Legal Contingencies

When legal proceedings are brought or claims are made against us and the outcome is uncertain, ASC 450-10 (Contingencies) requires that we determine whether it is probable that an asset has been impaired or a liability has been incurred. If such impairment or liability is probable and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated, the loss must be charged to earnings. No material charges for legal contingencies have been recorded by IEC during fiscal 2012 or fiscal 2013.

When it is considered probable that a loss has been incurred, but the amount of loss cannot be estimated, disclosure but not accrual of the probable loss is required. Disclosure of a loss contingency is also required when it is reasonably possible, but not probable, that a loss has been incurred.

Grants from Outside Parties

Grants from outside parties are recorded as other long-term liabilities and are amortized over the same period during which the associated fixed assets are depreciated.

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company actively monitors its exposure to interest rate risk and from time to time uses derivative financial instruments to manage the impact of this risk. The Company uses derivatives only for purposes of managing risk associated with underlying exposures. The Company does not trade or use instruments with the objective of earning financial gains on the interest rate, nor does the Company use derivative instruments where it does not have underlying exposures. The Company manages its hedging position and monitors the credit ratings of counterparties and does not anticipate losses due to counterparty nonperformance. Management believes its use of derivative instruments to manage risk is in the Company’s best interest. However, the Company’s use of derivative financial instruments may result in short-term gains or losses and increased earnings volatility. The Company’s instruments are recorded in the consolidated balance sheets at fair value in other assets or other long-term liabilities.

Fair Value Measurements

Under ASC 825 (Financial Instruments), the Company is required to disclose the fair value of financial instruments for which it is practicable to estimate value. The Company’s financial instruments consist of cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued liabilities, borrowings and an interest rate swap agreement. IEC believes that recorded value approximates fair value for all cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued liabilities.

ASC 820 (Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures) defines fair value, establishes a framework for measurement, and prescribes related disclosures. ASC 820 defines fair value as the price that would be received upon sale of an asset or would be paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction. Inputs used to measure fair value are categorized under the following hierarchy:

Level 1: Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company can access at the measurement date.

Level 2: Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs are observable market data.

Level 3: Model-derived valuations in which one or more significant inputs are unobservable.

The Company deems a transfer between levels of the fair value hierarchy to have occurred at the beginning of the reporting period.

Revenue Recognition

The Company’s revenue is principally derived from the sale of electronic products built to customer specifications, but also from other value-added support services and repair work. Revenue from product sales is recognized when (i) goods are shipped or title and risk of ownership have passed, (ii) the price to the buyer is fixed or determinable, and (iii) realization is reasonably assured.

Service revenue is generally recognized once the service has been rendered. For material management arrangements, revenue is generally recognized as services are rendered. Under such arrangements, some or all of the following services may be provided: design, bid, procurement, testing, storage or other activities relating to materials the customer expects to incorporate into products that it manufactures. Material management revenue amounted to less than 5% of total revenue in fiscal 2012 and fiscal 2013.

Provisions for discounts, allowances, rebates, estimated returns and other adjustments are recorded in the period the related sales are recognized.

Stock-Based Compensation

ASC 718 (Stock Compensation) requires that compensation expense be recognized for equity awards based on fair value as of the date of grant. For stock options, the Company uses the Black-Scholes pricing model to estimate grant date fair value. Costs associated with stock awards are recorded over requisite service periods, generally the vesting period. If vesting is contingent on the achievement of performance objectives, fair value is accrued over the period the objectives are expected to be achieved only if it is considered probable that the objectives will be achieved. The Company also has an employee stock purchase plan that provides for a discounted stock purchase price. Compensation expense related to the discount is recognized as employees contribute to the plan.

Income Taxes and Deferred Taxes

ASC 740 (Income Taxes) requires recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements or tax returns, but not in both. Deferred tax assets are also established for tax benefits associated with tax loss and tax credit carryforwards. Such deferred balances reflect tax rates that are scheduled to be in effect, based on currently enacted legislation, in the years the book/tax differences reverse and tax loss and tax credit carryforwards are expected to be realized. An allowance is established for any deferred tax asset for which realization is not likely.

ASC 740 also prescribes the manner in which a company measures, recognizes, presents, and discloses in its financial statements uncertain tax positions that the company has taken or expects to take on a tax return. The Company recognizes tax benefits from uncertain tax positions only if it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained following examination by taxing authorities, based on technical merits of the position. The Company believes that it has no material uncertain tax positions.

Any interest or penalties incurred are reported as interest expense. The Company’s income tax filings are subject to audit by various tax jurisdictions and current open years are fiscal 2009 through fiscal 2012. The Company is currently under federal income tax audit for fiscal 2011 and does not expect a material impact on the financial statements.

Earnings Per Share

Basic earnings per common share are calculated by dividing income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of shares outstanding during each period. Diluted earnings per common share add to the denominator incremental shares resulting from the assumed exercise of all potentially dilutive stock options, as well as restricted (non-vested) stock, restricted stock units (“RSU’s”) and anticipated issuance through the employee stock purchase plan. Options, restricted stock and RSU’s are primarily held by management and certain employees. A summary of shares used in earnings per share (“EPS”) calculations follows.

	Three Months Ended				Six Months Ended
	March 29,		March 30,		March 29,		March 30,
Shares for EPS Calculation	2013		2012		2013		2012
Weighted average shares outstanding		9,675,089		9,666,920		9,661,304		9,656,431
Incremental shares		76,135		371,486		65,179		295,296
Diluted shares		9,751,224		10,038,406		9,726,483		9,951,727
Options excluded from diluted shares as the effect of including these shares would have been anti-dilutive		65,000		142,500		65,000		108,000

Dividends

IEC does not pay dividends on its common stock, as it is the Company's current policy to retain earnings for use in the business. Furthermore, the Company’s Fourth Amended and Restated Credit Facility Agreement with M&T includes certain restrictions on paying cash dividends.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, income and expenses and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Actual results may differ from management’s estimates.

Statements of Cash Flows

The Company presents operating cash flows using the indirect method of reporting under which non-cash income and expense items are removed from net income.

Comprehensive Income

IEC has no items of other comprehensive income (“OCI”) in any period presented in the accompanying financial statements, and in accordance with ASC 220-10-15, is not required to present captions for OCI or comprehensive income in the statements.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

FASB Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2011-04, "Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and IFRS," was issued in May 2011 to be effective for interim or annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The update changes the wording for certain measurement and disclosure requirements relating to fair value determinations under U.S. GAAP in order to make them more consistent with International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). While many of the modifications are not expected to change the application of U.S. GAAP, additional disclosure requirements relating to the use of Level 3 inputs in determining fair value do apply to IEC. The Company uses such inputs in valuing certain assets acquired in business combinations, and, since its adoption of this update, has provided additional information regarding the sensitivity of derived values to changes in the inputs related to future acquisitions.

Accounting Standards Update 2012-02, “Intangibles—Goodwill and Other: Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment,” was issued July 27, 2012 and is effective for annual and interim fiscal years beginning after December 25, 2012. The Update simplifies the guidance for testing the decline in the realizable value (impairment) of indefinite-lived intangible assets other than goodwill. The amendments allow an organization the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the quantitative impairment test. An organization electing to perform a qualitative assessment is no longer required to calculate the fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset unless the organization determines, based on a qualitative assessment, that it is “more likely than not” that the asset is impaired. The Company does not anticipate a significant impact upon adoption.

Accounting Standards Update 2012-04, “Technical Corrections and Improvements,” was issued October 2012 and for public entities, the amendments that are subject to the transition guidance will be effective for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2012. The amendments in this Update cover a wide range of Topics in the Codification. These amendments are presented in two sections—Technical Corrections and Improvements (Section A) and Conforming Amendments Related to Fair Value Measurements (Section B). The amendments in this Update represent changes to clarify the Codification, correct unintended application of guidance, or make minor improvements to the Codification that are not expected to have a significant effect on current accounting. This Update is not intended to significantly change U.S. GAAP and the Company does not anticipate a significant impact upon adoption.

FASB Accounting Standards Update 2013-02, "Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income," was issued on February 5, 2013 to be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2012. This guidance is the culmination of the board’s redeliberation on reporting reclassification adjustments from accumulated other comprehensive income (“AOCI”). The update requires an entity to separately present the amount reclassified out of AOCI income for each component of AOCI and to disclose, for each affected line item in the income statement, the amount of AOCI that has been reclassified into that line item. If the reclassification does not go directly to an income statement line it is acceptable to cross reference that amount to another footnote that provides the required disclosure. The new requirements impact disclosure only and will take effect for the Company at the beginning of fiscal 2014.