Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Aug. 31, 2011

Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies

Note 1.    Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Nature of Operations:    Actuant Corporation ("Actuant" or the "Company") is a global manufacturer of a broad range of industrial products and systems, organized into four reportable segments. The Industrial segment is primarily involved in the design, manufacture and distribution of branded hydraulic and mechanical tools to the maintenance, industrial, infrastructure and production automation markets. The Energy segment provides joint integrity products and services, as well as umbilical, rope and cable solutions to the global oil & gas, power generation and energy markets. The Electrical segment designs, manufactures and distributes a broad range of electrical products to the retail DIY, wholesale, original equipment manufacturer ("OEM"), solar, utility, marine and other harsh environment markets. The Engineered Solutions segment provides highly engineered position and motion control systems to OEMs in various vehicle markets, as well as a variety of other products to the industrial and agricultural markets.

Consolidation and Presentation:    The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. Actuant consolidates companies in which it owns or controls more than fifty percent of the voting shares. The results of companies acquired or disposed of during the fiscal year are included in the consolidated financial statements from the effective date of acquisition or until the date of divestiture. All intercompany balances, transactions and profits have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to current year presentation.

Cash Equivalents:    The Company considers all highly liquid investments with original maturities of 90 days or less to be cash equivalents.

Inventories:    Inventories are comprised of material, direct labor and manufacturing overhead, and are stated at the lower of cost or market. Inventory cost is determined using the last-in, first-out ("LIFO") method for a portion of the U.S. owned inventory (approximately 18% and 23% of total inventories in 2011 and 2010, respectively). The first-in, first-out or average cost methods are used for all other inventories. If the LIFO method were not used, inventory balances would be higher than the amounts in the consolidated balance sheets by approximately $5.5 million and $4.9 million at August 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

The nature of the Company's products is such that they generally have a very short production cycle. Consequently, the amount of work-in-process at any point in time is minimal. In addition, many parts or components are ultimately either sold individually or assembled with other parts making a distinction between raw materials and finished goods impractical to determine. Other locations maintain and manage their inventories using a job cost system where the distinction of categories of inventory by state of completion is also not available. As a result of these factors, it is neither practical nor cost effective to segregate the amounts of raw materials, work-in-process or finished goods inventories at the respective balance sheet dates, as segregation would only be possible as the result of physical inventories which are taken at dates different from the balance sheet dates.

Property, Plant and Equipment:    Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. Plant and equipment are depreciated on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the assets, ranging from ten to forty years for buildings and improvements and two to fifteen years for machinery and equipment. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the life of the related asset or the term of the lease, whichever is shorter.

Impairment of Long-Lived and Other Intangible Assets:    The Company evaluates whether events and circumstances have occurred that indicate the remaining estimated useful life of long-lived and finite-lived intangible assets may warrant revision or that the remaining balance of the asset may not be recoverable. The measurement of possible impairment is generally estimated by the ability to recover the balance of assets from expected future operating cash flows on an undiscounted basis. If impairment is determined to exist, any related impairment loss is calculated based on the fair value of the asset. See Note 6, "Impairment Charges" for details on long-lived asset impairment charges recognized in fiscal 2010 and 2009.

Product Warranty Costs:    The Company generally offers its customers a warranty on products sold, although warranty periods vary by product type and application. The acquisition of Mastervolt during fiscal 2011 has increased the required warranty reserve, as this business has a longer base warranty period. The reserve for future warranty claims is based on historical claim rates and current warranty cost experience. The following is a reconciliation of the changes in accrued product warranty for fiscal years 2011 and 2010 (in thousands):

	2011			2010
Beginning balance	$	7,868		$	8,989
Warranty reserves of acquired businesses		17,457			920
Provision for warranties		9,190			5,153
Warranty payments and costs incurred		(12,662	)		(5,959	)
Warranty reserves of divested businesses		—			(939	)
Impact of changes in foreign currency rates		1,854			(296	)
Ending balance	$	23,707		$	7,868

Revenue Recognition:    Customer sales are recognized as revenue when the risk of loss and title pass to the customer, which is generally upon shipment. Customer sales are recorded net of allowances for returns and discounts, which are recognized as a deduction from sales at the time of sale. The Company commits to one-time or on-going trade discounts and promotions with customers that require the Company to estimate and accrue the ultimate costs of such programs. The Company maintains an accrual at the end of each period for the earned, but unpaid costs related to the programs. The Company generally does not require collateral or other security for receivables and provides for an allowance for doubtful accounts based on historical experience and a review of its existing receivables. Accounts Receivable are stated net of an allowance for doubtful accounts of $7.2 million and $7.7 million at August 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively.

Shipping and Handling Costs:    The Company records costs associated with shipping its products within cost of products sold.

Research and Development Costs:    Research and development costs consist primarily of an allocation of overall engineering and development resources and are expensed as incurred. Such costs incurred in the development of new products or significant improvements to existing products were $17.7 million, $14.5 million and $16.2 million in fiscal 2011, 2010, and 2009 respectively. The Company also incurs significant costs in connection with fulfilling custom customer orders and executing customer applications that are not included in these research and development expense totals.

Other Income/Expense:    Other income and expense primarily consists of foreign exchange transaction (gains)/losses of $2.7 million, $1.5 million, and $(1.1) million in fiscal 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Short-term Borrowings:    Short-term borrowings consist of foreign and domestic subsidiary overdraft borrowings and the current portion of the Company's long-term debt. Certain of the Company's foreign subsidiaries are parties to unsecured non-committed lines of credit with various banks. Interest rates vary depending on the currency being borrowed.

Financing Costs:    Financing costs represent interest expense, financing fees and amortization of debt issuance costs, net of interest income.

Income Taxes:    The provision for income taxes includes federal, state, local and non-U.S. taxes on income. Tax credits, primarily for non-U.S. earnings and export programs, are recognized as a reduction of the provision for income taxes in the year in which they are available for tax purposes. Deferred taxes are provided on temporary differences between assets and liabilities for financial and tax reporting purposes as measured by enacted tax rates expected to apply when temporary differences are settled or realized. Future tax benefits are recognized to the extent that realization of those benefits is considered to be more likely than not. A valuation allowance is established for deferred tax assets for which realization is not more likely than not of being realized. The Company has not provided for any residual U.S. income taxes on unremitted earnings of non-U.S. subsidiaries as such earnings are intended to be indefinitely reinvested. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense.

Foreign Currency Translation:    The financial statements of the Company's foreign operations are translated into U.S. dollars using the exchange rate at each balance sheet date for assets and liabilities and an appropriate weighted average exchange rate for each applicable period for revenues and expenses. Translation adjustments are reflected in the consolidated balance sheets and consolidated statements of shareholders' equity caption "Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss."

Use of Estimates:    The Company has recorded reserves or allowances for customer returns and discounts, doubtful accounts, inventory, incurred but not reported medical claims, environmental matters, warranty claims, workers compensation claims, product and non-product litigation and incentive compensation. These reserves require the use of estimates and judgment. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. The Company believes that such estimates are made with consistent and appropriate methods. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

Accounting for Derivatives and Hedging Activities:    All derivatives are recognized on the balance sheet at their estimated fair value. On the date a derivative contract is entered into, the Company designates the derivative as a hedge of a recognized asset or liability (fair value hedge) or a hedge of a forecasted transaction or of the variability of cash flows to be received or paid related to a recognized asset or liability (cash flow hedge). The Company does not enter into derivatives for speculative purposes. Changes in the value of a fair value hedge are recorded in earnings along with the gain or loss on the hedged asset or liability, while changes in the value of cash flow hedges are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive loss, until earnings are affected by the variability of cash flows.

New Accounting Pronouncements:    In June 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) updated the disclosure requirements for comprehensive income. The updated guidance requires companies to disclose the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income or in two separate but consecutive statements. The updated guidance does not affect how earnings per share is calculated or presented. The amended guidance, which must be applied retroactively, is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2011, with earlier adoption permitted.

In September 2011, the FASB issued an amendment to existing guidance on the testing of goodwill for impairment. Under the revised guidance, entities testing goodwill for impairment have the option of performing a qualitative assessment before calculating the fair value of the reporting unit. If entities determine, on the basis of qualitative factors, that the fair value of the reporting unit is more likely than not less than the carrying amount, the two-step impairment test would be required. The amendment is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2011, with earlier adoption permitted.