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SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2015

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Atwood Oceanics, Inc. and all of its domestic and foreign subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States (“GAAP”) requires management to make extensive use of estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Accounts receivable

We record accounts receivable at the amount we invoice our customers. Our customers are major international corporate entities and government organizations with stable payment experience. Historically, our uncollectible accounts receivable have been immaterial, and typically, we do not require collateral for our receivables. We provide an allowance for uncollectible accounts, as necessary, on a specific identification basis. Our allowance for doubtful accounts at September 30, 2015 was $3.8 million and we had no allowance for doubtful accounts at September 30, 2014. Our provision for doubtful accounts for fiscal years September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013 was $3.7 million, $1.0 million and $3.9 million, respectively. The provision for doubtful accounts is reported as a component of Contract Drilling costs in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Concentrations of market and credit risk

All of our customers are in the oil and gas offshore exploration and production industry. This industry concentration has the potential to impact our overall exposure to market and credit risks, either positively or negatively, in that our customers could be affected by similar changes in economic, industry or other conditions. However, we believe that the credit risk posed by this industry concentration is offset by the creditworthiness of our customer base.

Inventories of material and supplies

Inventories consist of spare parts, material and supplies held for consumption and are stated principally at average cost, net of reserves for excess and obsolete inventory of $5.3 million and $5.5 million at September 30, 2015 and 2014, respectively. We maintain our reserves at between 3% and 5% of the balance to provide for non-recoverable costs.

Property and equipment

Property and equipment are recorded at historical cost. Interest costs related to property under construction are capitalized as a component of construction costs.

Once rigs and related equipment are placed in service, they are depreciated on the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives, with depreciation discontinued only during the period when a drilling unit is out-of-service while undergoing a significant upgrade that extends its useful life. Our estimated useful lives of our various classifications of assets are as follows:



	Years
Drilling vessels and related equipment	5-35
Drill pipe	3
Furniture and other	3-10

Maintenance, repairs and minor replacements are charged against income as incurred. Major replacements and upgrades are capitalized and depreciated over the remaining useful life of the asset, as determined upon completion of the work. The cost and related accumulated depreciation of assets sold, retired or otherwise disposed are removed from the accounts at the time of disposition and any resulting gain or loss is reflected in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the applicable periods.

Impairment of property and equipment

We evaluate our property and equipment whenever events or changes in circumstance indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. An impairment loss on our property and equipment exists when the estimated future cash flows are less than the carrying amount of the asset. If an asset is determined to be impaired, the loss is measured by the amount by which the carrying value of the asset exceeds its fair value. In determining an asset's fair value, we consider a number of factors such as estimated future cash flows, appraisals and current market value analysis.

Revenue recognition

We account for contract drilling revenue in accordance with accounting guidance and the terms of the underlying drilling contract. These contracts generally provide that revenue is earned and recognized on a daily rate (i.e. “day rate”) basis, and day rates are typically earned for a particular level of service over the life of a contract assuming collectability is reasonably assured. Day rate contracts can be performed for a specified period of time or the time required to drill a specified well or number of wells. Revenues from day rate contracts for drilling and other operations performed during the term of a contract (including during mobilization) are classified under contract drilling services.

Certain fees received as compensation for relocating drilling rigs from one major operating area to another, equipment and upgrade costs reimbursed by the customer, as well as receipt of advance billings of day rates are deferred and recognized as earned during the expected term of the related drilling contract, as are the day rates associated with such contracts. If receipt of such fees is not conditional, they will be recognized as earned on a straight-line method over the expected term of the related drilling contract. However, fees received upon termination of a drilling contract are generally recognized as earned during the period termination occurs as the termination fee is usually conditional based on the occurrence of an event as defined in the drilling contract, such as not obtaining follow on work to the contract in progress or relocation beyond a certain distance when the contract is completed.

At September 30, 2015 and 2014, deferred fees associated with mobilization, related equipment purchases and upgrades and receipt of advance billings of day rates totaled $4.7 million and $7.7 million, respectively. Deferred fees are classified as current or long-term deferred credits in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets based on the expected term of the applicable drilling contracts.

Reimbursable revenue

We recognize customer reimbursable revenues as we bill our customers for reimbursement of costs associated with certain equipment, materials and supplies, subcontracted services, employee bonuses and other expenditures, resulting in little or no net effect on operating income since such recognition is concurrent with the recognition of the respective reimbursable costs in operating and maintenance expense.

Deferred costs

We defer certain mobilization costs relating to moving a drilling rig to a new area incurred prior to the commencement of the drilling operations and customer requested equipment purchases. We amortize such costs on a straight-line basis over the expected term of the applicable drilling contract. Contract revenues and drilling costs are reported in the Consolidated Statements of Operations at their gross amounts.

At September 30, 2015 and 2014, deferred costs associated with mobilization and related equipment purchases totaled $3.1 million and $9.6 million, respectively. Deferred costs are classified as current or long-term deferred costs in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets based on the expected term of the applicable drilling contracts.

Deferred drydocking costs

Certifications from various regulatory bodies are required to operate our drilling rigs and well control systems and we must maintain such certifications through periodic inspections and surveys on an ongoing basis. We defer the periodic survey and drydock costs incurred in connection with obtaining regulatory certifications and we recognize such costs in Contract Drilling Expense over the period until the next survey using the straight-line method. At September 30, 2015 and 2014, deferred drydocking costs totaling $1.3 million and $2.6 million, respectively, were included in Deferred Costs and Other Assets in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Derivative financial instruments

From time to time we may enter into a variety of derivative financial instruments in connection with the management of our exposure to variability in interest rates and currency exchange rates. We do not engage in derivative transactions for speculative or trading purposes and we are not a party to leveraged derivatives.

We enter into interest rate swaps to limit our exposure to fluctuations and volatility in interest rates. Our credit facility exposes us to short-term changes in market interest rates as our interest obligations on these instruments are periodically re-determined based on the prevailing Eurodollar rate.

Our functional currency is the U.S. dollar and thus our international operations expose us to foreign currency risk associated with cash flows from transactions denominated in currencies other than our functional currency. From time to time, we enter into foreign currency forward exchange contracts to limit our exposure to fluctuations and volatility in currency exchange rates. We have outstanding foreign currency forward exchange contracts that were entered into to hedge a portion of our anticipated euro receipts associated with revenues earned on a drilling contract. These forward contracts are designated as cash flow hedging instruments.

We record our derivative contracts at fair value on our Consolidated Balance Sheets (See Note 5). Each quarter, changes in the fair values of our derivative instruments designated as hedging instruments will adjust the balance sheet asset or liability, with an offset to Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (“AOCI”) for the effective portion of the hedge. The effective portion of the cash flow hedge will remain in AOCI until it is reclassified into earnings in the period or periods during which the hedged transaction affects earnings or when it is probable that the hedged forecasted transaction will not occur by the end of the originally specified time period. Any changes in fair value resulting from ineffectiveness are recognized immediately into earnings. See our Consolidated Statement of Comprehensive Income for changes in our unrealized holding losses and reclassifications into earnings for fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013.

Foreign exchange

Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currency are re-measured to U.S. Dollars at the rate of exchange in effect at the end of the fiscal year, items of income and expense are re-measured at average monthly rates, and property and equipment and other nonmonetary amounts are re-measured at historical rates. Gains and losses on foreign currency transactions and re-measurements are generally related to and included in contract drilling costs in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. We recorded a foreign exchange loss of $2.7 million during fiscal year 2015, a loss of $3.0 million during fiscal year 2014 and a loss of $2.8 million during fiscal year 2013. The effect of exchange rate changes on cash held in foreign currencies was immaterial.

Income taxes

Deferred income taxes are recorded to reflect the tax consequences, if any, on future years of differences between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and their financial reporting amounts at each year-end given the provisions of enacted tax laws in each respective jurisdiction. We do not record deferred taxes on the basis differences of our drilling rigs working in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico as we do not believe these differences will result in additional U.S. income tax expense. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, based upon management’s estimates, it is more likely than not that a portion of the deferred tax assets will not be realized in a future period. In addition, we accrue for income tax contingencies, or uncertain tax positions, that we believe are more likely than not to be realized. See Note 8 for further discussion.

Earnings per common share

Basic earnings per share excludes dilution and is computed by dividing net income (loss) by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted earnings per share reflects the assumed effect of the issuance of additional shares in connection with the exercise of stock options and vesting of restricted stock.

Recently issued accounting pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued new guidance intended to change the criteria for recognition of revenue. The core principle of the guidance is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The guidance is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. We are currently evaluating what impact the adoption of this guidance will have on our financial statements or disclosures in our financial statements.

In April 2015, the FASB issued new guidance intended to simplify the presentation of debt issuance costs. This new guidance requires that debt issuance costs related to outstanding debt be netted against that liability in the balance sheet, consistent with the treatment of debt discounts. In August 2015, the FASB issued additional guidance to clarify that this presentation change does not address debt issuance costs related to line of credit arrangements. The new presentation guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015 and early adoption is permitted. We are adopting this guidance starting with the first quarter of fiscal 2016.

Fair value measurement

We have certain assets and liabilities that are required to be measured and disclosed at fair value. Fair value is defined as the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants on the measurement date.

The fair value hierarchy prioritizes inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three levels. Priority is given to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). Assets and liabilities measured at fair value are classified based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Our assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgment, which may affect the valuation of the fair value of assets and liabilities and their placement within the fair value hierarchy levels. The determination of the fair values, stated below, takes into account the market for our financial assets and liabilities, the associated credit risk and other considerations.

We have classified and disclosed fair value measurements using the following levels of the fair value hierarchy:

Level 1: Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets that are accessible at the measurement date for identical, unrestricted assets or liabilities.

Level 2: Quoted prices in markets that are not active, or inputs which are observable, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the asset or liability.

Level 3: Measurement based on prices or valuation models that require inputs that are both significant to the fair value measurement and less observable for objective sources (i.e., supported by little or no market activity).

Share-based compensation

Share-based compensation is recognized as an expense over the requisite service period on a straight-line basis. The total share-based compensation expense is based on the fair value of the award measured at the grant date.