RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Jul. 28, 2019

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS [Abstract]

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Accounting Standards Updates to be Implemented

In June 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“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 model, found in current GAAP, with an expected credit loss model; the new model 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. We are currently evaluating the effect that this ASU will have on our consolidated 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 to be adopted using a modified retrospective approach, 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 “Leases (Topic 842) – Targeted Improvements” (“ASU 2018-11”), which provided entities with an additional (and optional) transition method to adopt the new leases standard. Under this optional transition method, an entity initially applies the new leases standard at its adoption date and recognizes the effects of adoption through cumulative-effect adjustments to its beginning balance sheet. We will utilize this optional method when we transition to the new leases guidance and, as a result, expect to recognize significant amounts of right-of-use assets and lease liabilities in our fiscal year 2020 beginning balance sheet. ASU 2016-02 included a number of practical expedients, which we are currently in the process of evaluating, that entities can elect to use as they transition to the new guidance. To date, an implementation team has been established to evaluate our lease portfolio, system process and policy change requirements. The Company has made progress in drafting new lease accounting policies, and is gathering the necessary data elements for the lease population.

Accounting Standards Updates Implemented

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 was effective for Photronics, Inc. in its first quarter of fiscal year 2019 and was applied on a retrospective transition basis. Our adoption of this Update did not materially impact our cash flows statement.

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 was effective for us in our first quarter of fiscal year 2019 and applied on a modified retrospective transition basis. Please see Note 8 for a discussion of the effects of adopting this guidance.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09 “Revenue from Contracts with Customers”, which superseded nearly all then 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 deferred the effective date of ASU 2014-09 by one year and allowed entities to early adopt, but no earlier than the original effective date. This update allowed for either full retrospective or modified retrospective adoption. In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-10 “Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing” which amended guidance previously issued on these matters in ASU 2014-09. The effective date and transition requirements of ASU 2016-10 were 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 increased our accounts receivable by $0.6 million, recognized contract assets of $4.6 million, reduced our inventories balance by $3.7 million, and recorded an accrual for income taxes of $0.3 million. The recognition of, and adjustments to, these items were reflected in increases to our retained earnings and noncontrolling interest balances of $1.1 million and $0.1 million, respectively. The most significant impact of the new guidance on our financial statements 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. Prior to our adoption of Topic 606, we recognized revenue when we shipped to customers or, under some arrangements, when the customers received the goods. The impact of the adoption of this guidance on our July 28, 2019, financial statements is presented in Note 6.

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 sales 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 input-based cost accumulation systems and methods 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.