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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
Kewaunee Scientific Corporation and subsidiaries (collectively the "Company") design, manufacture, and install laboratory, healthcare, and technical furniture products. The Company's products include steel, wood, and laminate furniture, fume hoods, biological safety cabinets, laminar flow and ductless fume hoods, adaptable modular and column systems, movable workstations and carts, epoxy resin worksurfaces, sinks and accessories and related design services. The Company's sales are made through purchase orders and contracts submitted by customers, dealers and agents, a national stocking distributor, and competitive bids submitted by the Company and its subsidiaries located in Singapore, India, and China. See Note 11, Restructuring Costs for details on the closure of the Company's China operations in fiscal year 2020. The majority of the Company's products are sold to customers located in North America, primarily within the United States. The Company's laboratory products are used in chemistry, physics, biology and other general science laboratories in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, industrial, chemical, commercial, educational, government and health care markets. Technical products are used in facilities manufacturing computers and light electronics and by users of computer and networking furniture. Laminate casework is used in educational, healthcare and industrial applications.
Principles of Consolidation The Company's consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Kewaunee Scientific Corporation and its international subsidiaries. A brief description of each subsidiary, along with the amount of the Company's controlling financial interests, as of April 30, 2021 is as follows: (1) Kewaunee Labway Asia Pte. Ltd., a commercial sales organization for the Company's products in Singapore, is 100% owned by the Company; (2) Kewaunee Scientific Corporation Singapore Pte. Ltd., a holding company in Singapore, is 100% owned by the Company; (3) Kewaunee Labway India Pvt. Ltd., a manufacturing, assembly and commercial sales operation for the Company's products in Bangalore, India, is 95% owned by the Company; (4) Koncepo Scientech International Pvt. Ltd., a laboratory design and strategic advisory and construction management services firm, located in Bangalore, India, is 80% owned by the Company; (5) Kewaunee Scientific (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., a commercial sales organization for the Company's products in China, is 100% owned by the Company; (6) Kequip Global Lab Solutions Pvt. Ltd. is 70% owned by Kewaunee Scientific Corporation Singapore Pte. Ltd. All intercompany balances, transactions, and profits have been eliminated. Included in the consolidated financial statements are net assets of $11,126,000 and $12,422,000 at April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively, of the Company's subsidiaries. Net sales by the Company's subsidiaries in the amounts of $36,434,000 and $32,437,000 were included in the consolidated statements of operations for fiscal years 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Reclassifications The Company reclassified certain amounts in the consolidated balance sheet for the period ended April 30, 2020 and the consolidated statements of cash flows for the year ended April 30, 2020 to conform to the current period presentation. There was no impact to the consolidated statements of operations or statements of stockholders' equity for fiscal year 2020.
Cash and Cash Equivalents Cash and cash equivalents consist of cash on hand and highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less. During the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, the Company had cash deposits in excess of FDIC insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses from such deposits.
In accordance with ASU 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows: Restricted Cash, the Company includes restricted cash along with the cash balance for presentation in the consolidated statements of cash flows. The reconciliation between the consolidated balance sheet and the consolidated statement of cash flows at April 30 is as follows:
$ in thousands20212020
Cash and cash equivalents$5,206 $4,365 
Restricted cash525 850 
Total cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash$5,731 $5,215 
Restricted Cash Restricted cash includes bank deposits of subsidiaries used for performance guarantees against customer orders.
Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts Accounts receivable are stated at the amount owed by the customer, net of allowances for estimated doubtful accounts. The Company evaluates the collectability of its trade accounts receivable based on a number of factors. In circumstances where management is aware of a customer's inability to meet its financial obligations to the Company, or a project dispute makes it unlikely that all of the receivable owed by a customer will be collected, a specific reserve for bad debts is estimated and recorded to reduce the recognized receivable to the estimated amount the Company believes will ultimately be collected. In addition to specific customer identification of potential bad debts, a general reserve for bad debts is estimated and recorded based on past loss history and an overall assessment of past due trade accounts receivable amounts outstanding. Accounts are written off when it is clearly established that the receivable is a bad debt. Recoveries of receivables previously written off are recorded when received.
The activity in the allowance for doubtful accounts for each of the years ended April 30 was:
$ in thousands20212020
Balance at beginning of year$606 $361 
Bad debt provision53 364 
Doubtful accounts written off (net)(23)(119)
Balance at end of year$636 $606 
Unbilled Receivables Accounts receivable include unbilled receivables that represent amounts earned which have not yet been billed in accordance with contractually stated billing terms. The amount of unbilled receivables at April 30, 2021 and 2020 was $6,929,000 and $6,131,000, respectively.
Inventories During fiscal year 2019, the Company elected to change the method of accounting for the inventory of its Domestic segment from the LIFO method to the FIFO method. Inventories at the Company's international subsidiaries had previously been and continue to be measured on the FIFO method.
Property, Plant and Equipment Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is determined for financial reporting purposes principally on the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the individual assets or, for leaseholds, over the terms of the related leases, if shorter. Property, plant and equipment consisted of the following at April 30:
$ in thousands20212020Useful Life
Land$41 $41 N/A
Building and improvements17,017 16,920 
10-40 years
Machinery and equipment41,746 40,898 
5-10 years
Total58,804 57,859 
Less accumulated depreciation(42,822)(41,587)
Net property, plant and equipment$15,982 $16,272 
The Company reviews the carrying value of property, plant and equipment for impairment whenever changes in circumstances or events indicate that such carrying value may not be recoverable. If projected undiscounted cash flows are not sufficient to recover the carrying value of the potentially impaired asset, the carrying value is reduced to estimated fair value. There were no impairments in fiscal years 2021 or 2020.
Other Assets Other assets at April 30, 2021 and 2020 included $2,649,000 and $2,485,000, respectively, of assets held in a trust account for non-qualified benefit plans and $108,000 and $87,000, respectively, of cash surrender values of life insurance policies. Life insurance policies are recorded at the amount that could be realized under the insurance contract as of the date of the Company's consolidated balance sheets with the change in cash surrender or contract value being recorded as income or expense during each period.
Use of Estimates The presentation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from these estimates. Significant estimates impacting the accompanying consolidated financial statements include the allowance for uncollectible accounts receivable, inventory valuation, self-insurance reserves, and pension liabilities.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments A financial instrument is defined as cash equivalents, evidence of an ownership interest in an entity, or a contract that creates a contractual obligation or right to deliver or receive cash or another financial instrument from another party. The Company's financial instruments consist primarily of cash and equivalents, mutual funds, cash surrender value of life insurance policies, term loans and short-term borrowings. The carrying value of these assets and liabilities approximate their fair value.
Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. Expanded disclosures about instruments measured at fair value require the Company to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value.
The fair value hierarchy is based on three levels of inputs, of which the first two are considered observable and the last unobservable, that may be used to measure fair value as follows:
Level 1    Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities as of the reporting date.
Level 2    Inputs other than Level 1 that are observable, either directly or indirectly, such as quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities; quoted prices 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 the assets or liabilities as of the reporting date.
Level 3    Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity and that are significant to the fair value of the assets or liabilities.
The following tables summarize the Company's fair value hierarchy for its financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring and nonrecurring basis as of April 30, 2021 and 2020 (in thousands):
2021
Level 1Level 2Level 3Total
Financial Assets
Trading securities held in non-qualified compensation plans (1)
$1,299 $ $ $1,299 
Cash surrender value of life insurance policies (1)
 1,458  1,458 
Total$1,299 $1,458 $ $2,757 
Financial Liabilities
Non-qualified compensation plans (2)
$ $3,169 $ $3,169 
Total$ $3,169 $ $3,169 
2020
Level 1Level 2Level 3Total
Financial Assets
Trading securities held in non-qualified compensation plans (1)
$2,485 $— $— $2,485 
Cash surrender value of life insurance policies (1)
— 87 — 87 
Total$2,485 $87 $— $2,572 
Financial Liabilities
Non-qualified compensation plans (2)
$— $2,899 $— $2,899 
Total$— $2,899 $— $2,899 

(1)The Company maintains two non-qualified compensation plans which include investment assets in a rabbi trust. These assets consist of marketable securities, which are valued using quoted market prices multiplied by the number of shares owned, and life insurance policies, which are valued at their cash surrender value.
(2)Plan liabilities are equal to the individual participants' account balances and other earned retirement benefits.
Revenue Recognition Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for transferring products. The Company recognizes revenue when control of a good or service promised in a contract (i.e., performance obligation) is transferred to a customer. Control is obtained when a customer has the ability to direct the use of and obtain substantially all of the remaining benefits from that good or service. The majority of the Company's revenues are recognized over time as the customer receives control as the Company performs work under a contract. However, a portion of the Company's revenues are recognized at a point-in-time as control is transferred at a distinct point in time per the terms of a contract. Sales taxes that are collected from customers and remitted to governmental authorities are accounted for on a net basis and therefore are excluded from net sales. Certain customers' cash discounts and volume rebates are offered as sales incentives. The discounts and volume rebates are recorded as a reduction in sales at the time revenue is recognized in an amount estimated based on historical experience and contractual obligations.
Deferred revenue consists of customer deposits and advance billings of the Company's products where sales have not yet been recognized. Accounts receivable includes retainage in the amounts of $1,668,000 and $1,928,000 at April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Shipping and handling costs are included in cost of product sales. Because of the nature and quality of the Company's products, any warranty issues are determined in a relatively short period after the sale and are infrequent in nature, and as such, warranty costs are immaterial to the Company's consolidated financial position and results of operations and are expensed as incurred.
Credit Concentration The Company performs credit evaluations of its customers. Revenues from three of the Company's domestic dealers represented in the aggregate approximately 40% and 37% of the Company's sales in fiscal years 2021 and 2020, respectively. Accounts receivable for two domestic customers represented approximately 20% and 27% of the Company's total accounts receivable as of April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Insurance The Company maintains a self-insured health-care program. The Company accrues estimated losses for claims incurred but not reported using actuarial models and assumptions based on historical loss experience. The Company has also purchased specific stop-loss insurance to limit claims above a certain amount. The Company adjusts insurance reserves, as needed, in the event that future loss experience differs from historical loss patterns.
Income Taxes In accordance with ASC 740, "Income Taxes," the Company uses the liability method in measuring the provision for income taxes and recognizing deferred tax assets and liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets. ASC 740 clarifies the financial statement recognition threshold and measurement attribute of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. Under ASC 740, the Company applies a more-likely-than-not recognition threshold for all tax uncertainties. ASC 740 only allows the recognition of those tax benefits that have a greater than 50% likelihood of being sustained upon examination by the taxing authorities. The Company did not have any significant uncertain tax positions at April 30, 2021 and 2020.
Research and Development Costs Research and development costs are charged to cost of products sold in the periods incurred. Expenditures for research and development costs were $1,406,000 and $1,816,000 for the fiscal years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020, respectively.
Advertising Costs Advertising costs are expensed as incurred, and include trade shows, training materials, sales, samples, and other related expenses and are included in operating expenses. Advertising costs for the years ended April 30, 2021 and 2020 were $174,000 and $332,000, respectively.
Derivative Financial Instruments The Company records derivatives on the consolidated balance sheets at fair value and establishes criteria for designation and effectiveness of hedging relationships. The nature of the Company's business activities involves the management of various financial and market risks, including those related to changes in interest rates. The Company does not enter into derivative instruments for speculative purposes. In May 2013, the Company entered into an interest rate swap agreement whereby the interest rate payable by the Company on $2,600,000 of outstanding long-term debt was effectively converted to a fixed interest rate of 4.37% for the period beginning August 1, 2017 and ending May 1, 2020. In May 2013, the Company entered into an interest rate swap agreement whereby the interest rate payable by the Company on $1,218,000 of outstanding long-term debt was effectively converted to a fixed interest rate of 3.07% for the period beginning November 3, 2014 and ending May 1, 2020. The Company entered into these interest rate swap arrangements to mitigate future interest rate risk associated with its long-term debt and has designated these as cash flow hedges. The Company terminated the interest rate swap arrangements in conjunction with the payoff of the outstanding long-term debt in September 2019. (See Note 4, Long-term Debt and Other Credit Arrangements.)
Foreign Currency Translation The financial statements of subsidiaries located in India and China, and of Kewaunee Scientific Corporation Singapore Pte. Ltd., are measured using the local currency as the functional currency. The financial position and operating results of Kewaunee Labway Asia Pte. Ltd. are measured using the U.S. dollar as its functional currency. Assets and liabilities of the Company's foreign subsidiaries using local currencies are translated into United States dollars at fiscal year-end exchange rates. Sales, expenses, and cash flows are translated at weighted average exchange rates for each period. Net translation gains or losses are included in other comprehensive income, a separate component of stockholders' equity. Gains and losses from foreign currency transactions of these subsidiaries are included in operating expenses.

Earnings Per Share Basic earnings per share is based on the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the year. Diluted earnings per share reflects the assumed exercise of outstanding stock options and the conversion of restricted stock units ("RSUs") under the Company's various stock compensation plans, except when RSUs and stock options have an antidilutive effect. There were 166,880 antidilutive RSUs and stock options outstanding at April 30, 2021. There were 121,311 antidilutive RSUs and stock options outstanding at April 30, 2020.

The following is a reconciliation of basic to diluted weighted average common shares outstanding:
Shares in thousands20212020
Weighted average common shares outstanding
Basic2,760 2,750 
Dilutive effect of stock options and RSUs — 
Weighted average common shares outstanding—diluted2,760 2,750 
Accounting for Stock Options and Other Equity Awards Compensation costs related to stock options and other stock awards granted by the Company are charged against operating expenses during their vesting period, under ASC 718, "Compensation—Stock Compensation." The Company granted 95,861 RSUs under the 2017 Omnibus Incentive Plan in fiscal year 2021 and 39,781 RSUs in fiscal year 2020. There were no stock options granted during fiscal years 2021 and 2020. (See Note 6, Stock Options and Share-Based Compensation)
New Accounting Standards In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, "Leases." This guidance establishes a right-of-use ("ROU") model that requires a lessee to record an ROU asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. A modified retrospective transition approach is required for lessees for capital and operating leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements, with certain practical expedients available. This guidance became effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company adopted this standard effective May 1, 2019. The adoption of ASU 2016-02 resulted in the recognition of ROU assets and corresponding lease liabilities on the Company's consolidated financial position. See Note 8, Leases, Commitments and Contingencies, for additional information on the adoption of this standard.
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, "Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments," which replaces the current incurred loss method used for determining credit losses on financial assets, including trade receivables, with an expected credit loss method. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2022. The Company will adopt this standard in fiscal year 2024. The Company does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial position or results of operations.
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, "Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment," which eliminates the requirement to calculate the implied fair value of goodwill to measure a goodwill impairment charge. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2019. The Company adopted this standard effective May 1, 2020. The adoption of this standard did not have a significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial position or results of operations.
In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, "Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income." This guidance provides the Company with an option to reclassify stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act ("2017 Tax Act") from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings. This guidance became effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this standard effective May 1, 2019 and did not elect to reclassify tax effects as a result of tax reform; therefore, the adoption did not have a significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial position or results of operations.
In March 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-09, "Compensation - Stock Compensation ("Topic 718"): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting" ("ASU 2018-09"). This ASU makes several modifications to Topic 718 related to the accounting for forfeitures, employer tax withholding on share-based compensation, and the financial statement presentation of excess tax benefits or deficiencies. ASU 2018-09 also clarifies the statement of cash flows presentation for certain components of share-based awards. The standard is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this standard effective May 1, 2019. The adoption of this standard did not have a significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial position or results of operations.
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, "Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement," which removes, modifies, and adds certain disclosure requirements related to fair value measurements in ASC Topic 820. The Company adopted this standard effective May 1, 2020. The adoption of this standard did not have a significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial position or results of operations.
In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-14, "Compensation -Retirement Benefits -Defined Benefit Plans -General (Subtopic 715-20) - Disclosure Framework - Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Defined Benefit Plans" ("ASU 2018-14"). The amendments in this update remove defined benefit plan disclosures that are no longer considered cost-beneficial, clarify the specific requirements of disclosures, and add disclosure requirements identified as relevant. ASU 2018-14 is effective for fiscal years ending after December 15, 2020. Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted this standard effective May 1, 2020. The adoption of this standard did not have a significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial position or results of operations.
In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-12, "Income Taxes ("Topic 740"): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes." This update simplifies the accounting for income taxes through certain targeted improvements to various subtopics within Topic 740. The amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2020.
The Company adopted this standard effective May 1, 2021. The adoption of this standard did not have a significant impact on the Company's consolidated financial position or results of operations.