1.	Significant accounting policies

Basis of presentation. The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. In the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. Operating results for the three months ended January 31, 2015 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the full year. For further information, refer to the consolidated financial statements and footnotes included in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended October 31, 2014.

Basis of consolidation. The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Nordson Corporation and its majority-owned and controlled subsidiaries. Investments in affiliates and joint ventures in which our ownership is 50% or less or in which we do not have control but have the ability to exercise significant influence, are accounted for under the equity method. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of estimates. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements. Actual amounts could differ from these estimates.

Revenue recognition. Most of our revenues are recognized upon shipment, provided that persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the sales price is fixed or determinable, collectibility is reasonably assured, and title and risk of loss have passed to the customer.

A relative selling price hierarchy exists for determining the selling price of deliverables in multiple deliverable arrangements. Vendor specific objective evidence (VSOE) is used, if available. Third-party evidence (TPE) is used if VSOE is not available, and best estimated selling price is used if neither VSOE nor TPE is available. Our multiple deliverable arrangements include installation, installation supervision, training, and spare parts, which tend to be completed in a short period of time, at an insignificant cost, and utilizing skills not unique to us, and, therefore, are typically regarded as inconsequential or perfunctory. Revenue for undelivered items is deferred and included within accrued liabilities in the accompanying balance sheet. Revenues deferred in 2015 and 2014 were not material.

Earnings per share. Basic earnings per share are computed based on the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during each year, while diluted earnings per share are based on the weighted-average number of common shares and common share equivalents outstanding. Common share equivalents consist of shares issuable upon exercise of stock options computed using the treasury stock method, as well as restricted shares and deferred stock-based compensation. Options whose exercise price is higher than the average market price are excluded from the calculation of diluted earnings per share because the effect would be anti-dilutive. 315 options were excluded from the 2015 calculation of diluted earnings per share and no options were excluded from the 2014 calculation of diluted earnings per share.