Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2021

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation

(b)         Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated.

Use of Estimates

(c)         Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“US GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and judgments that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates and judgments.

Statements of Cash Flows

(d)         Statements of Cash Flows

For purposes of reporting cash flows, the Company considers all bank deposits and highly liquid debt instruments, such as United States Treasury bills and notes, with maturities, at the time of purchase, of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Cash equivalents are carried at cost plus accrued interest, which approximates fair market value. Supplemental cash flow information is presented below:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2021		2020		2019
Cash paid during the year for:
Interest	$	151	$	152	$	150
Income taxes	$	9,483	$	975	$	445

Revenue Recognition

(e)         Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenue for its Lime and Limestone Operations when (i) a contract with the customer exists and the performance obligations are identified; (ii) the price has been established; and (iii) the performance obligations have been satisfied, which is generally upon shipment. Revenues include external freight billed to customers with related costs accounted for as fulfillment costs and included in cost of revenues. The Company’s returns and allowances are minimal. External freight billed to customers included in revenues

was $34,307, $28,373 and $28,397 for 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, which approximates the amount of external freight included in cost of revenues. Sales taxes billed to customers are not included in revenues. For its natural gas interests, the Company recognizes revenue in the month of production and delivery.

The Company operates its Lime and Limestone Operations within a single geographic region and derives all revenues from that segment from the sale of lime and limestone products. See Note 9 for disaggregation of revenues by the Lime and Limestone Operations segment and Other, which the Company believes best depicts how the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows are affected by economic factors.

Concentration of Credit Risk and Trade Receivables

(f)         Concentration of Credit Risk and Trade Receivables

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to a concentration of credit risk consist principally of cash and cash equivalents, trade receivables and derivative financial instruments. The Company places its cash and cash equivalents with high-credit quality financial institutions and in highly rated commercial paper or United States Treasury bills and notes with maturities, at the time of purchase, of three months or less. The Company places its derivative financial instruments with financial institutions and other firms that management believes have high credit ratings. The Company’s cash and cash equivalents at commercial banking institutions normally exceed federally insured limits.

The majority of the Company’s trade receivables are unsecured. Payment terms for all trade receivables are based on the underlying purchase orders, contracts or purchase agreements. The Company estimates credit losses relating to trade receivables based on an assessment of the current and forecasted probability of collection, historical trends, economic conditions and other significant events that may impact the collectability of accounts receivables. Due to the relatively homogenous nature of its trade receivables, the Company does not believe there is any meaningful asset-specific differences within its accounts receivable portfolio that would require the portfolio to be grouped below the consolidated level for review of credit losses. Credit losses relating to trade receivables have generally been within management expectations and historical trends. Uncollected trade receivables are charged-off when identified by management to be unrecoverable. Trade receivables are presented net of the related allowance for doubtful accounts, which totaled $450 and $398 at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. Additions, adjustments for expected credit loss factors, and write-offs to the Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts during the years ended December 31 are as follows:

	2021		2020
Beginning balance	$	398	$	361
Additions		66		60
Adjustments for expected credit loss factors		(14)		—
Write-offs		—		(23)
Ending balance	$	450	$	398

Inventories, Net

(g)         Inventories, Net

Inventories are valued principally at the lower of cost, determined using the average cost method, or net realizable value. Costs for raw materials and finished goods include materials, labor and production overhead. A summary of inventories is as follows:

	December 31,
	2021		2020
Lime and limestone inventories:
Raw materials	$	3,232	$	4,279
Finished goods		2,677		2,866
		5,909		7,145
Service parts inventories		9,207		8,065
	$	15,116	$	15,210

Property, Plant and Equipment

(h)         Property, Plant and Equipment

For major constructed assets, the capitalized cost includes the price paid by the Company for labor and materials plus interest and internal and external project management costs that are directly related to the constructed assets. Machinery and equipment at December 31, 2021 and 2020 included $12,556 and $6,308, respectively, of construction in progress for various capital projects. No interest costs were capitalized for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020. At December 31, 2021 and 2020, accounts payable and accrued expenses included $1,369 and $380, respectively, of capitalized costs. Depreciation of property, plant and equipment is being provided for by the straight-line method over estimated useful lives as follows:

Buildings and building and leasehold improvements	3	-	25	years
Machinery and equipment	2	-	30	years
Furniture and fixtures	3	-	10	years
Automotive equipment	3	-	10	years

Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense as incurred; renewals and betterments are capitalized. When units of property are retired or otherwise disposed of, their cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts, and any resulting gain or loss is credited or charged to income.

The Company expenses all exploration costs as incurred as well as costs incurred at an operating quarry or mine, other than capital expenditures and inventory. Costs to acquire mineral reserves are capitalized upon acquisition. Development costs incurred to develop new mineral reserves, to expand the capacity of a quarry or mine, or to develop quarry or mine areas substantially in advance of current production are capitalized once proven and probable reserves exist and can be economically produced. For each quarry or mine, capitalized costs to acquire and develop mineral reserves are depleted using the units-of-production method based on the proven and probable reserves for such quarry or mine.

The Company reviews its long-lived assets for impairment and, when events or circumstances indicate the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable, the Company determines if impairment of value exists. If the estimated undiscounted future net cash flows are less than the carrying amount of the asset, an impairment exists, and an impairment loss must be calculated and recorded. If an impairment exists, the impairment loss is calculated based on the excess of the carrying amount of the asset over the asset’s fair value. Any impairment loss is treated as a permanent reduction in the carrying value of the asset.

During 2020 and 2019, the Company recognized impairment charges of $1,550 and $930 to adjust the carrying value of certain long-lived assets related to its natural gas interests. Continuing low prices for natural gas and natural gas liquids have reduced the estimates for future economically feasible production from the Company’s drilled wells, resulting in the Company’s determination that the estimated fair value of its natural gas assets was less than their carrying value in each year. Fair value was determined as the present value of the estimated future cash flows of the natural gas interests.

Asset Retirement Obligations

(i)         Asset Retirement Obligations

The Company recognizes legal obligations for reclamation and remediation associated with the retirement of long-lived assets at their fair value at the time the obligations are incurred (“AROs”). Over time, the liability for AROs is recorded at its present value each period through accretion expense, and the capitalized cost is depreciated over the useful life of the related asset. Upon settlement of the liability, the Company either settles the AROs for the recorded amount or recognizes a gain or loss. The Company’s AROs of $1,553 and $1,520 as of December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, are included in Other liabilities and Accrued expenses on the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheets. As of December 31, 2021, assets, net of accumulated depreciation, associated with the Company’s AROs totaled $720. During 2021 and 2020, the Company spent $58 and $52, respectively, on its AROs, and recognized accretion expense of $92, $90 and $86 in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, on its AROs.

The AROs were estimated based on studies and the Company’s process knowledge and estimates and are discounted using a credit adjusted risk-free interest rate. The AROs are adjusted when further information warrants an adjustment. The Company estimates annual expenditures of approximately $100 to $200 per year in years 2022 through 2026 relating to its AROs.

Accrued Expenses

(j)          Accrued Expenses

Accrued expenses consist of the following:

	December 31,
	2021		2020
Personnel related expenses	$	2,344	$	2,340
Income taxes		—		990
Other taxes		1,374		985
Other		1,138		1,494
	$	4,856	$	5,809

Environmental Expenditures

(k)         Environmental Expenditures

Environmental expenditures that relate to current operations are expensed or capitalized as appropriate. Expenditures that relate to an existing condition caused by past operations, and which do not contribute to current or future revenue generation, are expensed. Liabilities are recorded at their present value when environmental assessments and/or remedial efforts are probable, and the costs can be reasonably estimated. Generally, the timing of these accruals will coincide with completion of a feasibility study or the Company’s commitment to a formal plan of action.

The Company incurred capital expenditures related to environmental matters of $665 in 2021, $730 in 2020 and $1,156 in 2019.

Income and Dividends Per Share of Common Stock

(l)         Income and Dividends Per Share of Common Stock

On April 30, 2021, the shareholders approved an increase in the Company’s number of authorized shares of common stock from 15,000,000 to 30,000,000.

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted income per common share:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2021		2020		2019
Net income for basic and diluted income per common share	$	37,045	$	28,223	$	26,056
Weighted-average shares for basic income per common share		5,656,367		5,629,425		5,612,048
Effect of dilutive securities:
Employee and director stock options(1)		11,992		10,438		9,090
Adjusted weighted-average shares and assumed exercises for diluted income per common share		5,668,359		5,639,863		5,621,138
Basic net income per common share	$	6.55	$	5.01	$	4.64
Diluted net income per common share	$	6.54	$	5.00	$	4.64

(1) Excludes 600, 5,550 and 8,700 stock options in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, as antidilutive because the exercise price exceeded the average per share market price for the periods presented.

The Company paid $0.64, $0.64 and $5.89 of cash dividends per share of common stock in 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. The cash dividends for 2019 included a special dividend of $5.35 per share paid in 2019.

Stock-Based Compensation

(m)         Stock-Based Compensation

The Company expenses all stock-based payments to employees and directors, including grants of stock options and restricted stock, in the Company’s Consolidated Statements of Income based on their fair values. Compensation cost is recognized on a straight-line basis over the vesting period.

Income Taxes

(n)         Income Taxes

The Company utilizes the asset and liability approach in its reporting for income taxes. Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are computed for differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities that will result in taxable or deductible amounts in the future based on enacted tax laws and rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. Valuation allowances are established when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount more likely than not to be realized. Income tax related interest and penalties are included in income tax expense.

The Company also assesses individual tax positions to determine if they meet the criteria for some or all of the benefits of that position to be recognized in the Company’s financial statements. The Company only recognizes tax positions that meet the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold.

Comprehensive Income

(o)         Comprehensive Income

Accounting principles generally require that recognized revenue, expenses, gains and losses be included in net income. Certain changes in assets and liabilities, such as mark-to-market gains or losses of interest rate and foreign exchange hedges, are reported as a separate component of the stockholders’ equity section of the

balance sheet. Such items, along with net income, are components of comprehensive income.