DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS AND BASIS OF PRESENTATION (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2018

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP”) for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, these financial statements do not include all the information and footnotes required by US GAAP for complete financial statements. As such, they should be read together with Griffon’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2017, which provides a more complete explanation of Griffon’s accounting policies, financial position, operating results, business properties and other matters. In the opinion of management, these financial statements reflect all adjustments considered necessary for a fair statement of interim results. Griffon’s HBP operations are seasonal; for this and other reasons, the financial results of the Company for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results for the full year.

The condensed consolidated balance sheet information at September 30, 2017 was derived from the audited financial statements included in Griffon’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2017.

The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Griffon and all subsidiaries. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated on consolidation.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with US GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. These estimates may be adjusted due to changes in economic, industry or customer financial conditions, as well as changes in technology or demand. Significant estimates include allowances for doubtful accounts receivable and returns, net realizable value of inventories, restructuring reserves, valuation of goodwill and intangible assets, percentage of completion method of accounting, pension assumptions, useful lives associated with depreciation and amortization of fixed and intangible assets, warranty reserves, sales incentive accruals, stock based compensation assumptions, income taxes and tax valuation reserves, environmental reserves, legal reserves, insurance reserves and the valuation of assets and liabilities of discontinued operations, acquisition assumptions used and the accompanying disclosures. These estimates are based on management’s best knowledge of current events and actions Griffon may undertake in the future. Actual results may ultimately differ from these estimates.

Certain amounts in the prior year have been reclassified to conform to current year presentation.

Fair Value Measurements

FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

The carrying values of cash and equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts and notes payable, and revolving credit and variable interest rate debt approximate fair value due to either the short-term nature of such instruments or the fact that the interest rate of the revolving credit and variable rate debt is based upon current market rates.

Applicable accounting guidance establishes a fair value hierarchy requiring the Company to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. A financial instrument’s categorization within the hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The accounting guidance establishes three levels of inputs that may be used to measure fair value, as follows:


•	Level 1 inputs are measured and recorded at fair value based upon quoted prices in active markets for identical assets.

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Level 2 inputs include inputs other than Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices in active markets for similar assets and liabilities, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of assets or liabilities.


•	Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs in which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out or average) or market.

New Accounting Pronouncements

The Company has implemented all new accounting pronouncements that are in effect and that may impact its financial statements, and does not believe that there are any other new accounting pronouncements that have been issued that might have a material impact on its financial position or results of operations.