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Accounting And Reporting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

The LGL Group, Inc. (the "Company"), incorporated in 1928 under the laws of the State of Indiana and reincorporated under the laws of the State of Delaware in 2007, is a diversified holding company with subsidiaries engaged in the design, manufacturing and marketing of highly-engineered, high reliability frequency and spectrum control products used to control the frequency or timing of signals in electronic circuits and in the design of high performance Frequency and Time Reference Standards that form the basis for timing and synchronization in various applications.

As of December 31, 2019, the subsidiaries of the Company are as follows:

		Owned By The LGL Group, Inc.
LGL Systems Acquisition Holding Company, LLC	*		62.2	%
M-tron Systems Holdings, LLC			100.0	%
M-tron Industries, Inc.			100.0	%
Piezo Technology, Inc.			100.0	%
Piezo Technology India Private Ltd.			99.9	%
M-tron Asia, LLC			100.0	%
M-tron Industries, Ltd.			100.0	%
GC Opportunities Ltd.			100.0	%
M-tron Services, Ltd.			100.0	%
Precise Time and Frequency, LLC			100.0	%
Lynch Systems, Inc.			100.0	%
* - Accounted for as an equity method investment

The Company operates through its two principal subsidiaries, M-tron Industries, Inc. ("MtronPTI"), which includes the operations of Piezo Technology, Inc. ("PTI") and M-tron Asia, LLC ("Mtron"), and Precise Time and Frequency, LLC ("PTF"). The Company has operations in Orlando, Florida; Yankton, South Dakota; Wakefield, Massachusetts; and Noida, India. MtronPTI also has sales offices in Sacramento, California; Austin, Texas; and Hong Kong.

The Company added three subsidiaries as part of an effort to reorganize the subsidiaries and to plan potential available strategies for investments or acquisitions. These were Mtron Systems Holdings, LLC, LGL Systems Acquisition Holdings Company, LLC (formerly: Mtron Systems Acquisition Holdings Company, LLC), and LGL Systems Acquisition Corp. (formerly: Mtron Systems Acquisition Corp.). Mtron Systems Holdings, LLC is an intermediate holding company set up to hold the assets and entities under MTron Industries, Inc. LGL Systems Acquisition Holding Company, LLC is the sponsor (the “Sponsor”) of LGL Systems Acquisition Corp., a special purpose acquisition company, commonly referred to as a “SPAC”, or blank check company, formed for the purpose of effecting a business combination in the aerospace, defense and communications industries (the “SPAC”). On November 7, 2019, the SPAC was deconsolidated as a result of an initial public offering (the “SPAC IPO”) which raised $172.5 million from outside investors (See note C).

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and entities for which it has control. Material intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated in consolidation.

The Company consolidates entities in which the Company has a controlling financial interest. The Company determines whether it has a controlling financial interest in an entity by first evaluating whether the entity is a variable interest entity (VIE).

A variable interest in a VIE is an investment that will absorb portions of the VIE’s expected losses and/or receive portions of the VIE’s expected residual returns. The Company’s variable interests in VIEs include limited membership interests and common equity.

VIE Consolidation Analysis

The enterprise with a controlling financial interest in a VIE is known as the primary beneficiary and consolidates the VIE. The Company determines whether it is the primary beneficiary of a VIE by performing an analysis that principally considers:

•

Which variable interest holder has the power to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact the VIE’s economic performance;

•

Which variable interest holder has the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE;

•

The VIE’s purpose and design, including the risks the VIE was designed to create and pass through to its variable interest holders;

•

The VIE’s capital structure;

•

The terms between the VIE and its variable interest holders and other parties involved with the VIE; and

•

Related-party relationships.

The Company reassesses its evaluation of whether an entity is a VIE when certain reconsideration events occur. The Company reassesses its determination of whether it is the primary beneficiary of a VIE on an ongoing basis based on current facts and circumstances.

Equity-Method Investments: When the Company does not have a controlling financial interest in an entity but can exert significant influence over the entity’s operating and financial policies, the investment is accounted for either (i) under the equity method of accounting or (ii) at fair value by electing the fair value option available under U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). Significant influence generally exists when the Company owns 20% to 50% of the entity’s common stock or in-substance common stock.

Uses of Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents consist of highly-liquid investments with no maturity or with a maturity of less than three months when purchased.

Marketable Securities

Marketable equity securities are categorized as available-for-sale securities and are reported at fair value, with the change in fair value being recorded in the consolidated statement of operations.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable, on a consolidated basis, consists principally of amounts due from both domestic and foreign customers. Credit is extended based on an evaluation of the customer's financial condition and collateral is not required. In relation to export sales, the Company requires letters of credit supporting a significant portion of the sales price prior to production to limit exposure to credit risk. Certain credit sales are made to industries that are subject to cyclical economic changes.

The Company maintains allowances for doubtful accounts for estimated losses resulting from the inability of its customers to make required payments. These allowances are maintained at a level that management believes is sufficient to cover potential credit losses. Estimates are based on historical collection experience, current trends, credit policy and the relationship between accounts receivable and revenues. In determining these estimates, the Company examines historical write-offs of its receivables and reviews each customer's account to identify any specific customer collection issues. If the financial condition of its customers were to deteriorate, resulting in an impairment of their ability to make payment, additional allowances might be required.

Inventories

Inventories are valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value using the FIFO (first-in, first-out) method.

The Company maintains a reserve for inventory based on estimated losses that result from inventory that becomes obsolete or for which the Company has excess inventory levels as of period end. In determining these estimates, the Company performs an analysis on current demand and usage for each inventory item over historical time periods. Based on that analysis, the Company reserves a percentage of the inventory amount within each time period based on historical demand and usage patterns of specific items in inventory.

Property, Plant and Equipment, Net

Property, plant and equipment are recorded at cost less accumulated depreciation and include expenditures for major improvements. Maintenance and repairs are charged to operations as incurred. Depreciation is computed for financial reporting purposes using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, which range from 5 years to 35 years for buildings and improvements, and from 3 to 10 years for other fixed assets. Property, plant and equipment are periodically reviewed for indicators of impairment. If any such indicators were noted, the Company would assess the appropriateness of the assets' carrying value and record any impairment at that time.

Depreciation expense from operations was approximately $418,000 for 2019 and $417,000 for 2018.

Warranties

The Company offers a standard one-year warranty. The Company tests its products prior to shipment in order to ensure that they meet each customer's requirements based upon specifications received from each customer at the time its order is received and accepted. The Company's customers may request to return products for various reasons, including, but not limited to, the customers' belief that the products are not performing to specification. The Company's return policy states that it will accept product returns only with prior authorization and if the product does not meet customer specifications, in which case the product would be replaced or repaired. To accommodate the Company's customers, each request for return is reviewed, and if and when it is approved, a return materials authorization ("RMA") is issued to the customer.

Each month, the Company records a specific warranty reserve for approved RMAs covering products that have not yet been returned. The Company does not maintain a general warranty reserve because, historically, valid warranty returns resulting from a product not meeting specifications or being non-functional have been de minimis. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, accrued warranty expense was $29,000 and $28,000, respectively.

Intangible Assets

Intangible assets are recorded at cost less accumulated amortization. Amortization is computed for financial reporting purposes using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, which range up to 10 years. The intangible assets consist of intellectual property and goodwill. The net carrying value of the amortizable intangible assets was $362,000 and $437,000 as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Goodwill, which is not amortizable, was $40,000 as of December 31, 2019 and 2018.

The estimated aggregate amortization expense for intangible assets, excluding goodwill, for each of the remaining years of the estimated useful life is as follows (in thousands):

2020	$	75
2021		75
2022		75
2023		75
2024		62
Total	$	362

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenue from the sale of its products in accordance with the criteria in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which are:

Step 1: Identify the contract(s) with a customer.

Step 2: Identify the performance obligations in the contract.

Step 3: Determine the transaction price.

Step 4: Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract.

Step 5: Recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation.

The Company meets these conditions upon the Company’s satisfaction of the performance obligation, usually at the time of shipment to the customer, because control passes to the customer at that time. Our standard terms for customers are net due within 30 days, with a few exceptions, none regularly exceeding 60 days.

The Company provides disaggregated revenue details by segment in Note L – Segment Information, and geographic markets in Note M – Domestic and Foreign Revenues.

The Company offers a limited right of return and/or authorized price protection provisions in its agreements with certain electronic component distributors who resell the Company's products to original equipment manufacturers or electronic manufacturing services companies. As a result, the Company estimates and records a reserve for future returns and other charges against revenue at the time of shipment consistent with the terms of sale. The reserve is estimated based on historical experience with each respective distributor. These reserves and charges are immaterial as the Company does not have a history of significant price protection adjustments or returns. The Company provides a standard assurance warranty that does not create a performance obligation.

Practical Expedients:

The Company applies the practical expedient for shipping and handling as fulfillment costs.

The Company expenses sales commissions as sales and marketing expenses in the period they are incurred.

Shipping Costs

Amounts billed to customers related to shipping and handling are classified as revenue, and the Company's shipping and handling costs are included in manufacturing cost of sales.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs are charged to operations as incurred. Such costs were approximately $2,004,000 and $1,947,000 in 2019 and 2018, respectively, and are included within engineering, selling and administrative expenses.

Advertising Expense

Advertising costs are charged to operations as incurred. Such costs were approximately $2,000 in 2019, compared with $24,000 in 2018, and are included within engineering, selling and administrative expenses.

Stock-Based Compensation

The Company measures the cost of employee services in exchange for an award of equity instruments based on the grant-date fair value of the award and recognizes the cost over the requisite service period, typically the vesting period.

The Company estimates the fair value of stock options on the grant date using the Black-Scholes-Merton option-pricing model. The Black-Scholes-Merton option-pricing model requires subjective assumptions, including future stock price volatility and expected time to exercise, which greatly affect the calculated values. There is no expected dividend rate. Historical Company information was the basis for the expected volatility assumption as the Company believes that the historical volatility over the life of the option is indicative of expected volatility in the future. The risk-free interest rate is based on the U.S. Treasury zero-coupon rates with a remaining term equal to the expected term of the option. The Company records any forfeitures in the period that the shares are forfeited.

Restricted stock awards are made at a value equal to the market price of the Company's common stock on the date of the grant.

Earnings Per Share

The Company computes earnings per share in accordance with ASC 260, Earnings Per Share. Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net earnings by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share adjusts basic earnings per share for the effects of stock options and other potentially dilutive financial instruments, only in the periods in which the effects are dilutive.

For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, there were options to purchase 25,000 shares and 15,606 shares, respectively, of common stock that were excluded from the diluted earnings per share computation because the impact of the assumed exercise of such stock options or warrants would have been anti-dilutive.

	Years Ended December 31,
	2019		2018
Weighted average shares outstanding - basic		4,883,923		4,748,609
Effect of diluted securities		93,672		126,422
Weighted average shares outstanding - diluted		4,977,595		4,875,031

Income Taxes

The Company's deferred income tax assets represent (a) temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amount and the tax basis of existing assets and liabilities that will result in deductible amounts in future years, and (b) the tax effects of net operating loss carry-forwards.

The Company periodically undertakes a review of its valuation allowance and it evaluates all positive and negative factors that may affect whether it is more likely than not that the Company would realize its future tax benefits from its deferred tax balances. Pursuant to ASC 740, Income Taxes, the Company determined, during the year ended December 31, 2019, that it is more likely than not that substantially all of our U.S. deferred tax assets including net operating loss carryforwards (“NOLs”) and tax credits can be utilized in the foreseeable future and that a previously recorded valuation allowance be reduced to record deferred tax assets at their expected net realizable value.

The Company recognizes interest and/or penalties, if any, related to income tax matters in income tax expense.

Concentration Risks

In 2019, the Company's largest customer, an electronics contract manufacturing company in the aerospace and defense markets, accounted for $5,522,000, or 17.3%, of the Company's total revenues, compared to $4,436,000, or 17.8%, in 2018. The Company’s second largest customer, a defense contract manufacturer, accounted for $3,187,000, or 10.0%, of the Company's total revenues, compared to $2,258,000, or 9.1%, in 2018.

A significant portion of the Company's accounts receivable is concentrated with a relatively small number of customers. As of December 31, 2019, four of the Company's largest customers accounted for approximately $1,841,000, or 40%, of accounts receivable. As of December 31, 2018, four of the Company's largest customers accounted for approximately $1,043,000, or 30%, of accounts receivable. The Company carefully evaluates the creditworthiness of its customers in deciding to extend credit, and utilizes letters of credit to further limit credit risk for export sales. As a result of these policies, the Company has experienced very low historical bad debt expense and believes the related risk to be minimal.

At various times throughout the year and at December 31, 2019 and 2018, some deposits held at financial institutions were in excess of federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses related to these balances.

Segment Information

The Company reports segment information in accordance with ASC 280, Segment Information ("ASC 280"). ASC 280 requires companies to report financial and descriptive information for each identified operating segment based on management's internal organizational decision-making structure. Management has identified the Company’s two segments as electronic components and electronic instruments.

Impairments of Long-Lived Assets

Long-lived assets, including intangible assets subject to amortization, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. Long-lived assets are grouped with other assets to the lowest level to which identifiable cash flows are largely independent of the cash flows of other groups of assets and liabilities. Management assesses the recoverability of the carrying cost of the assets based on a review of projected undiscounted cash flows. If an asset is held for sale, management reviews its estimated fair value less cost to sell. Fair value is determined using pertinent market information, including appraisals or broker's estimates, and/or projected discounted cash flows. In the event an impairment loss is identified, it is recognized based on the amount by which the carrying value exceeds the estimated fair value of the long-lived asset.

Financial Instruments

Cash and cash equivalents, trade accounts receivable, trade accounts payable, and accrued expenses are carried at cost, which approximates fair value due to the short-term maturity of these instruments.

Foreign Currency Translation

The assets and liabilities of international operations are re-measured at the exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date for monetary assets and liabilities and at historical rates for non-monetary assets and liabilities, with the related re-measurement gains or losses reported within the consolidated statement of operations. The results of international operations are re-measured at the monthly average exchange rates. The Company's foreign subsidiaries and respective operations' functional currency is the U.S. dollar. The Company has determined this based upon the majority of transactions with customers as well as inter-company transactions and parental support being based in U.S. dollars. The Company has recognized a re-measurement loss of $13,000 and $74,000, in 2019 and 2018, respectively, which is included within other income, net in the consolidated statements of operations.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)”, to require lessees to recognize all leases, with limited exceptions, on the balance sheet. The objective of this update is to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. Subsequently, the FASB issued ASU 2018-10, “Codification Improvements to Topic 842”, ASU 2018-11, “Targeted Improvements”, ASU 2018-20, “Narrow-Scope Improvements for Lessors”, and ASU 2019-01, “Codification Improvements”, to clarify and amend the guidance in ASU 2016-02. The Company’s adoption of the ASUs effective January 1, 2019 using the prospective basis resulted in the recording of lease assets and lease liabilities of $142,000 on the consolidated balance sheet during the first quarter of 2019. The Company has elected the practical expedient to exclude leases with terms less than one year from its calculations and disclosures.