Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Myers Industries, Inc. and all wholly owned subsidiaries (“Company”). All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. All subsidiaries that are not wholly owned and are not included in the consolidated operating results of the Company are immaterial investments which have been accounted for under the cost method. 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 disclosures at the date of the financial statements and the reported amount of revenues and expenses during the reported period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Reclassification

Certain prior year amounts in the accompanying consolidated financial statements have been reclassified in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles to conform to the current year’s presentation.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Updated (“ASU”) No. 2011-05, Comprehensive Income (Topic 220) – Presentation of Comprehensive Income. The new accounting standard will require companies to present the components of net income and other comprehensive income either as one continuous statement or two separate but consecutive statements. The update eliminates the option to report other comprehensive income and its components in the statement of changes in equity. On December 23, 2011, the FASB issued a final standard to defer the new requirement to present components of reclassifications of other comprehensive income on the face of the income statement. The Company does not believe the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements, as this guidance modifies presentation of other comprehensive income already disclosed in the financial statements. The Company plans to adopt this guidance beginning in the first quarter of 2012.

Translation of Foreign Currencies

All asset and liability accounts of consolidated foreign subsidiaries are translated at the current exchange rate as of the end of the accounting period and income statement items are translated monthly at an average currency exchange rate for the period. The resulting translation adjustment is recorded in other comprehensive income (loss) as a separate component of shareholders’ equity.

Fair Value Measurement

The Company follows guidance included in ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, for its financial assets and liabilities, as required. The guidance established a common definition for fair value to be applied to U.S. GAAP requiring the use of fair value, established a framework for measuring fair value, and expanded disclosure requirements about such fair value measurements. The guidance did not require any new fair value measurements, but rather applied to all other accounting pronouncements that require or permit fair value measurements. Under ASC 820, the hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value is divided into three levels:

Level 1: Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2: Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for similar assets or liabilities, unadjusted quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active or inputs that are observable either directly or indirectly.

Level 3: Unobservable inputs for which there is little or no market data or which reflect the entity’s own assumptions.

The fair value of the Company’s cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses are considered to have a fair value which approximates carrying value due to the nature and relative short maturity of these assets and liabilities.

The fair value of debt under the Company’s Credit Agreement approximates carrying value due to the floating interest rates and relative short maturity (less than 90 days) of the revolving borrowings under this agreement. The fair value of the Company’s $35 million fixed rate senior notes was estimated at $37.6 million at December 31, 2011 using market observable inputs for the Company’s comparable peers with public debt, including quoted prices in active markets and interest rate measurements which are considered level 2 inputs.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentration of credit risk primarily consist of trade accounts receivable. The concentration of accounts receivable credit risk is generally limited based on the Company’s diversified operations, with customers spread across many industries and countries. The Company’s largest single customer accounts for approximately four percent of total sales, with only one other customer greater than three percent. Outside of the United States, only Canada, which accounts for approximately nine percent of total sales, is significant to the Company’s operations. In addition, management has established certain requirements that customers must meet before credit is extended. The financial condition of customers is continually monitored and collateral is usually not required. The Company evaluates the collectability of accounts receivable based on a combination of factors. In circumstances where the Company is aware of a specific customer’s inability to meet its financial obligations, a specific allowance for doubtful accounts is recorded against amounts due to reduce the net recognized receivable to the amount the Company reasonably believes will be collected. Additionally, the Company also reviews historical trends for collectability in determining an estimate for its allowance for doubtful accounts. If economic circumstances change substantially, estimates of the recoverability of amounts due the Company could be reduced by a material amount. Expense related to bad debts was approximately $2,343, $1,117 and $861 for the years 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. Approximately 20 percent of our inventories are valued using the last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method of determining cost. All other inventories are valued at the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method of determining cost.

If the FIFO method of inventory cost valuation had been used exclusively by the Company, inventories would have been $9.6 million, $9.9 million and $9.4 million higher than reported at December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively. In 2011, 2010 and 2009, the liquidation of LIFO inventories decreased cost of sales and increased income before taxes by approximately $0.8 million, $0.7 million and $4.2 million, respectively.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment are carried at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. The Company provides for depreciation and amortization on the basis of the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets as follows:

Buildings	20 to 30 years
Machinery and Equipment	3 to 12 years
Vehicles	1 to 3 years
Leasehold Improvements	7 to 10 years

Long-Lived Assets

The Company reviews its long-lived assets and identifiable intangible assets with finite lives for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Determination of potential impairment related to assets to be held and used is based upon undiscounted future cash flows resulting from the use and ultimate disposition of the asset. For assets held for disposal, the amount of potential impairment may be based upon appraisal of the asset, estimated market value of similar assets or estimated cash flow from the disposition of the asset.

At December 31, 2011 and 2010, the Company had approximately $5.7 million and $5.0 million, respectively, of property, plant, and equipment held for sale, which represents the lower of net book value or estimated fair value based on level 2 inputs, and is included in other assets on the accompanying Consolidated Statement of Financial Position. In 2009, the Company recorded impairment charges of $5.5 million for impairment of certain property, plant and equipment as a result of restructuring its Material Handling, Lawn and Garden and Engineered Products businesses.

Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenues from the sale of products, net of actual and estimated returns, at the point of passage of title and risk of loss, which is generally at time of shipment, and collectability of the fixed or determinable sales price is reasonably assured.

Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

As of December 31, 2011, 2010, and 2009, the balance in the Company’s accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) is comprised of the following:

	2011			2010			2009
Foreign currency translation adjustments	$	9,994		$	12,234		$	8,821
Pension adjustments		(2,700	)		(2,070	)		(2,044	)
Total	$	7,294		$	10,164		$	6,777

Shipping and Handling

Shipping and handling expenses are primarily classified as selling expenses in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Income (Loss). The Company incurred shipping and handling costs of approximately $26.6 million, $24.5 million and $20.9 million for the years ended December 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Stock Based Compensation

The Company has stock plans that provide for the granting of stock-based compensation to employees and, in certain instances, to non-employee directors. Shares are issued upon exercise from authorized, unissued shares. The Company records the costs of the plan under the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation — Stock Compensation. For transactions in which we obtain employee services in exchange for an award of equity instruments, we measure the cost of the services based on the grant date fair value of the award. The Company recognizes the cost over the period during which an employee is required to provide services in exchange for the award, referred to as the requisite service period (usually the vesting period). Cash flows resulting from tax benefits for deductions in excess of compensation cost recognized are included in financing cash flows.

Income Taxes

Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those differences are expected to be received or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.

The Company evaluates its tax positions in accordance with ASC 740 Income Taxes (ASC 740). ASC 740 provides detailed guidance for the financial statement recognition, measurement and disclosure of uncertain tax positions recognized in an enterprise’s financial statements. Income tax positions must meet a more-likely-than-not recognition threshold at the effective date to be recognized under ASC 740. The Company recognizes potential accrued interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits within operations as income tax expense.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid instruments purchased with a maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are stated at cost, which approximates market value. The Company maintains operating cash and reserves for replacement balances in financial institutions which, from time to time, may exceed federally insured limits. The Company periodically assesses the financial condition of these institutions and believes that the risk of loss is minimal.

Cash flows used in investing activities excluded $1.8 million of accrued capital expenditures in 2011.