Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 29, 2018


A)	Basis of Presentation

The condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by The Middleby Corporation (the "company" or “Middleby”), pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"). The financial statements are unaudited and certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations, although the company believes that the disclosures are adequate to make the information not misleading. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and related notes contained in the company's 2017 Form 10-K. The company’s interim results are not necessarily indicative of future full year results for the fiscal year 2018.

In the opinion of management, the financial statements contain all adjustments, which are normal and recurring in nature, necessary to present fairly the financial position of the company as of September 29, 2018 and December 30, 2017, the results of operations for the three and nine months ended September 29, 2018 and September 30, 2017 and cash flows for the nine months ended September 29, 2018 and September 30, 2017.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires the company to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent liabilities at the date of the condensed consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses. Significant estimates and assumptions are used for, but are not limited to, allowances for doubtful accounts, reserves for excess and obsolete inventories, long-lived and intangible assets, warranty reserves, insurance reserves, income tax reserves, non-cash share-based compensation and post-retirement obligations. Actual results could differ from the company's estimates.

Non-Cash Share-Based Compensation


B)	Non-Cash Share-Based Compensation

The company estimates the fair value of market-based stock awards and stock options at the time of grant and recognizes compensation cost over the vesting period of the awards and options. Non-cash share-based compensation expense was $3.5 million and less than $0.1 million for the three months period ended September 29, 2018 and September 30, 2017, respectively.

Income Tax Contingencies


C)	Income Taxes

A tax provision of $73.0 million, at an effective rate of 24.7%, was recorded during the nine months period ended September 29, 2018, as compared to a $99.4 million tax provision at a 30.8% in the prior year period. In comparison to the prior year period, the tax provision reflects a lower federal tax rate of 21.0%, as opposed to 35.0% in 2017, partially offset by additional taxes due under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The 2017 tax provision was lower than the statutory rate of 35.0% primarily due to a discrete tax benefit recognized as a result of the adoption of ASU No. 2016-09, "Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Accounting".

Fair Value Measures


D)	Fair Value Measures

Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 820 "Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures" defines fair value as the price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date. ASC 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value into the following levels:

Level 1 – Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 – Inputs, other than quoted prices in active markets, that are observable either directly or indirectly.

Level 3 – Unobservable inputs based on our own assumptions.

The company’s financial liabilities that are measured at fair value and are categorized using the fair value hierarchy are as follows (in thousands):



	Fair Value Level 1		Fair Value Level 2		Fair Value Level 3		Total
As of September 29, 2018
Financial Assets:
Interest rate swaps	$	—	$	26,485	$	—	$	26,485

Financial Liabilities:
Contingent consideration	$	—	$	—	$	4,070	$	4,070

As of December 30, 2017
Financial Assets:
Interest rate swaps	$	—	$	10,266	$	—	$	10,266

Financial Liabilities:
Contingent consideration	$	—	$	—	$	1,780	$	1,780

- Definition

Disclosure of accounting policy for income taxes, which may include its accounting policies for recognizing and measuring deferred tax assets and liabilities and related valuation allowances, recognizing investment tax credits, operating loss carryforwards, tax credit carryforwards, and other carryforwards, methodologies for determining its effective income tax rate and the characterization of interest and penalties in the financial statements.

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