RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS	12 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2018
RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS [Abstract]
RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS	NOTE 23 - RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS In December 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission released Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (“SAB 118”) to address situations where the accounting under ASC Topic 740 – “Income Taxes” is incomplete for certain income tax effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was signed into law on December 22, 2017, and changed existing U.S. tax law. We adopted this guidance in our first quarter of fiscal year 2018. Please see Note 10 for a discussion of the effects of adopting this guidance. In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18 “Restricted Cash”, which requires that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. Therefore, amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-18 is effective for Photronics, Inc. in its first quarter of fiscal year 2019 and should be applied on a retrospective transition basis. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. We are currently evaluating the effect that this ASU will have on our consolidated financial statements. In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16 “Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory”, which eliminates the exception of recognizing, at the time of transfer, current and deferred income taxes for intra-entity asset transfers other than inventory. ASU 2016-16 is effective for Photronics, Inc. in the first quarter of fiscal year 2019 and should be applied on a modified retrospective transition basis. Early adoption is permitted as of the beginning of an annual reporting period for which interim or annual financial statements have not been issued or made available for issuance. We are currently evaluating the effect this ASU will have on our consolidated financial statements. In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13 “Measurement of Credit Losses”, the main objective of which is to provide more useful information about expected credit losses on financial instruments and other commitments of an entity to extend credit. In support of this objective, the ASU replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology, found in current GAAP, with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. This ASU requires a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is adopted. ASU 2016-13 is effective for Photronics, Inc. in its first quarter of fiscal year 2021, with early adoption permitted beginning in the first quarter of fiscal year 2019. We are currently evaluating the effect that this ASU will have on our consolidated financial statements. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016 – 09 “Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting”, which simplifies the accounting for share-based payment transactions including their income tax consequences, classification as either equity or liability awards, classification on the statement of cash flows, and other areas. The method of adoption varies with the different aspects of the Update. Adoption of this guidance in the first quarter of our fiscal year 2018 did not have a material impact on our financial statements. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02 “Leases (Topic 842)”, which requires lessees to recognize right-of-use assets and corresponding liabilities for all leases with an initial term in excess of twelve months. ASU 2016-02 was required to be adopted using a modified retrospective approach, which includes a number of practical expedients, that requires leases to be measured and recognized under the new guidance at the beginning of the earliest period presented. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11 “Targeted Improvements”, which allows the new leases standard to be initially applied at the adoption date through a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. These Updates are effective for Photronics, Inc. in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020, with early application permitted. We are currently evaluating the effect that these Updates will have on our consolidated financial statements. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09 “Revenue from Contracts with Customers”, which will supersede nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The core principle of this ASU is that revenue should be recognized for the amount of consideration expected to be received for promised goods or services transferred to customers. This ASU also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments, and assets recognized for costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14 which defers the effective date of ASU 2014-09 by one year and allows entities to early adopt, but no earlier than the original effective date. ASU 2014-09 will now be effective for Photronics, Inc. in the first quarter of our fiscal year 2019. This update allows for either full retrospective or modified retrospective adoption. In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-10 “Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing” which amends guidance previously issued on these matters in ASU 2014-09. The effective date and transition requirements of ASU 2016-10 are the same as those for ASU 2014-09. We adopted the new revenue and related guidance on November 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective approach, under which we will increase our accounts receivable by $0.6 million, record a contract asset of $4.6 million, and reduce our inventories balance by $3.7 million. The recognition and adjustments to these assets will be reflected in increases to our retained earnings and noncontrolling interest balances of $1.4 million and $0.2 million, respectively. The most significant impact of the new guidance is its requirement for us to recognize revenue as we manufacture products for which, in the event that the customer cancels the contract, we are entitled to reasonable compensation for work we have completed prior to cancellation. The guidance allows for a number of accounting policy elections and practical expedients. In addition to our above mentioned election to use the modified retrospective application method for adopting the guidance, those we have employed that are most significant to us are summarized below. Shipping and handling activities performed after control of a good is transferred to a customer We have elected to treat shipping and handling activities that occur after control of a good is transferred to a customer as activities to fulfill our promise to transfer goods to the customer. Thus, such activities will not be considered to be separate performance obligations under contracts with our customers. Non-recognition of financing component when we transfer goods to a customer and the period between when we transfer and when we are paid will be less than one year. We have elected the practical expedient that allows for the non-recognition, as a component of a customer contract, of a financing component when the period between when we transfer a good and when we are paid will be less than one year. Exclusion of sales and similar taxes collected from customers in the transaction price. Consistent with our practice before adoption of the new guidance, we will not recognize the sales tax and similar taxes we collect from customers as revenue. Use of an “input method” to measure our progress towards the transfer of control of performance obligations to customers As, in our judgment, an input method based on our efforts to satisfy our performance obligations will best serve to depict the transfer of control of our performance obligations to our customers, we have adopted an accounting policy to employ such a method. Our decision was based primarily on the facts that our photomasks are not physically transferred to customers until they are complete, and that we can employ our internal cost accumulation systems and methods, which are input-based to measure our progress towards the transfer of control of our performance obligations to customers. Non-disclosure of the transaction prices of unsatisfied or partially satisfied performance obligations For contracts that have an original expected duration of one year or less, we have elected the practical expedient that allows us not to disclose the aggregate transaction prices of unsatisfied or partially satisfied performance obligations that exist at the end of a reporting period.

NOTE 23 - RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

In December 2017, the Securities and Exchange Commission released Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (“SAB 118”) to address situations where the accounting under ASC Topic 740 – “Income Taxes” is incomplete for certain income tax effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which was signed into law on December 22, 2017, and changed existing U.S. tax law. We adopted this guidance in our first quarter of fiscal year 2018. Please see Note 10 for a discussion of the effects of adopting this guidance.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-18 “Restricted Cash”, which requires that a statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. Therefore, amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-18 is effective for Photronics, Inc. in its first quarter of fiscal year 2019 and should be applied on a retrospective transition basis. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. We are currently evaluating the effect that this ASU will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16 “Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory”, which eliminates the exception of recognizing, at the time of transfer, current and deferred income taxes for intra-entity asset transfers other than inventory. ASU 2016-16 is effective for Photronics, Inc. in the first quarter of fiscal year 2019 and should be applied on a modified retrospective transition basis. Early adoption is permitted as of the beginning of an annual reporting period for which interim or annual financial statements have not been issued or made available for issuance. We are currently evaluating the effect this ASU will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13 “Measurement of Credit Losses”, the main objective of which is to provide more useful information about expected credit losses on financial instruments and other commitments of an entity to extend credit. In support of this objective, the ASU replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology, found in current GAAP, with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to inform credit loss estimates. This ASU requires a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is adopted. ASU 2016-13 is effective for Photronics, Inc. in its first quarter of fiscal year 2021, with early adoption permitted beginning in the first quarter of fiscal year 2019. We are currently evaluating the effect that this ASU will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016 – 09 “Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting”, which simplifies the accounting for share-based payment transactions including their income tax consequences, classification as either equity or liability awards, classification on the statement of cash flows, and other areas. The method of adoption varies with the different aspects of the Update. Adoption of this guidance in the first quarter of our fiscal year 2018 did not have a material impact on our financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02 “Leases (Topic 842)”, which requires lessees to recognize right-of-use assets and corresponding liabilities for all leases with an initial term in excess of twelve months. ASU 2016-02 was required to be adopted using a modified retrospective approach, which includes a number of practical expedients, that requires leases to be measured and recognized under the new guidance at the beginning of the earliest period presented. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11 “Targeted Improvements”, which allows the new leases standard to be initially applied at the adoption date through a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. These Updates are effective for Photronics, Inc. in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020, with early application permitted. We are currently evaluating the effect that these Updates will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09 “Revenue from Contracts with Customers”, which will supersede nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States. The core principle of this ASU is that revenue should be recognized for the amount of consideration expected to be received for promised goods or services transferred to customers. This ASU also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments, and assets recognized for costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14 which defers the effective date of ASU 2014-09 by one year and allows entities to early adopt, but no earlier than the original effective date. ASU 2014-09 will now be effective for Photronics, Inc. in the first quarter of our fiscal year 2019. This update allows for either full retrospective or modified retrospective adoption. In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-10 “Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing” which amends guidance previously issued on these matters in ASU 2014-09. The effective date and transition requirements of ASU 2016-10 are the same as those for ASU 2014-09.

We adopted the new revenue and related guidance on November 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective approach, under which we will increase our accounts receivable by $0.6 million, record a contract asset of $4.6 million, and reduce our inventories balance by $3.7 million. The recognition and adjustments to these assets will be reflected in increases to our retained earnings and noncontrolling interest balances of $1.4 million and $0.2 million, respectively. The most significant impact of the new guidance is its requirement for us to recognize revenue as we manufacture products for which, in the event that the customer cancels the contract, we are entitled to reasonable compensation for work we have completed prior to cancellation.

The guidance allows for a number of accounting policy elections and practical expedients. In addition to our above mentioned election to use the modified retrospective application method for adopting the guidance, those we have employed that are most significant to us are summarized below.

Shipping and handling activities performed after control of a good is transferred to a customer

We have elected to treat shipping and handling activities that occur after control of a good is transferred to a customer as activities to fulfill our promise to transfer goods to the customer. Thus, such activities will not be considered to be separate performance obligations under contracts with our customers.

Non-recognition of financing component when we transfer goods to a customer and the period between when we transfer and when we are paid will be less than one year.

We have elected the practical expedient that allows for the non-recognition, as a component of a customer contract, of a financing component when the period between when we transfer a good and when we are paid will be less than one year.

Exclusion of sales and similar taxes collected from customers in the transaction price.

Consistent with our practice before adoption of the new guidance, we will not recognize the sales tax and similar taxes we collect from customers as revenue.

Use of an “input method” to measure our progress towards the transfer of control of performance obligations to customers

As, in our judgment, an input method based on our efforts to satisfy our performance obligations will best serve to depict the transfer of control of our performance obligations to our customers, we have adopted an accounting policy to employ such a method. Our decision was based primarily on the facts that our photomasks are not physically transferred to customers until they are complete, and that we can employ our internal cost accumulation systems and methods, which are input-based to measure our progress towards the transfer of control of our performance obligations to customers.

Non-disclosure of the transaction prices of unsatisfied or partially satisfied performance obligations

For contracts that have an original expected duration of one year or less, we have elected the practical expedient that allows us not to disclose the aggregate transaction prices of unsatisfied or partially satisfied performance obligations that exist at the end of a reporting period.