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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Reliance Steel & Aluminum Co. and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as "Reliance", "the Company", "we", "our" or "us"). Our consolidated financial statements include the assets, liabilities and operating results of majority-owned subsidiaries. The ownership of the other interest holders of consolidated subsidiaries is reflected as noncontrolling interests. Our investments in unconsolidated subsidiaries are recorded under the equity method of accounting. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Accounting Estimates

Accounting Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles ("GAAP") requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, such as accounts receivable collectability, valuation of inventories, goodwill, long-lived assets, income tax and other contingencies, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Accounts Receivable and Concentrations of Credit Risk

Accounts Receivable and Concentrations of Credit Risk

Concentrations of credit risk with respect to trade receivables are limited due to the geographically diverse customer base and various industries into which our products are sold. Trade receivables are typically non-interest bearing and are initially recorded at cost. Sales to our recurring customers are generally made on open account terms while sales to occasional customers may be made on a C.O.D. basis when collectability is not assured. Past due status of customer accounts is determined based on how recently payments have been received in relation to payment terms granted. Credit is generally extended based upon an evaluation of each customer's financial condition, with terms consistent in the industry and no collateral required. Losses from credit sales are provided for in the financial statements and consistently have been within the allowance provided. The allowance is an estimate of the uncollectability of accounts receivable based on an evaluation of specific customer risks along with additional reserves based on historical and probable bad debt experience. Amounts are written off against the allowance in the period we determine that the receivable is uncollectible. As a result of the above factors, we do not consider ourselves to have any significant concentrations of credit risk.

Inventories

Inventories

The majority of our inventory is valued using the last-in, first-out ("LIFO") method, which is not in excess of market. Under this method, older costs are included in inventory, which may be higher or lower than current costs. This method of valuation is subject to year-to-year fluctuations in cost of material sold, which is influenced by the inflation or deflation existing within the metals industry as well as fluctuations in our product mix and on-hand inventory levels.

Fair Values of Financial Instruments

Fair Values of Financial Instruments

Fair values of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued expenses and other current liabilities, and the current portion of long-term debt approximate carrying values due to the short period of time to maturity. Fair values of long-term debt, which have been determined based on borrowing rates currently available to us, or to other companies with comparable credit ratings, for loans with similar terms or maturity, approximate the carrying amounts in the consolidated financial statements with the exception of our $1.1 billion publicly traded senior unsecured notes. The fair values of these senior unsecured notes based on quoted market prices as of December 31, 2013 and 2012 were approximately $1.14 billion and $675.1 million, respectively, compared to their carrying values of approximately $1.10 billion and $598.5 million, as of the end of each period, respectively. These estimated fair values are based on Level 2 inputs.

Cash Equivalents

Cash Equivalents

We consider all highly liquid instruments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. We maintain cash and cash equivalents with high-credit, quality financial institutions. The Company, by policy, limits the amount of credit exposure to any one financial institution. At times, cash balances held at financial institutions were in excess of federally-insured limits.

Goodwill

Goodwill

Goodwill is the excess of cost over the fair value of net assets of businesses acquired. Goodwill is not amortized but is tested for impairment at least annually. We have one operating segment and one reporting unit for goodwill impairment purposes.

We test for impairment of goodwill by assessing qualitative factors to determine if the fair value of the reporting unit is more likely than not below the carrying value of the reporting unit. We also calculate the fair value of the reporting unit using our market capitalization or the discounted cash flow method, as necessary, and compare the fair value to the carrying value of the reporting unit to determine if impairment exists. We perform the required annual goodwill impairment evaluation on November 1 of each year. No impairment of goodwill was determined to exist in any of the years presented.

Long-Lived Assets

Long-Lived Assets

Property, plant and equipment is recorded at cost (or at fair value for assets acquired in connection with business combinations) and the provision for depreciation of these assets is generally computed on the straight-line method at rates designed to distribute the cost of assets over the useful lives, estimated as follows:


Buildings		31¹/2 years
Machinery and equipment		3 - 20 years

Other intangible assets with finite useful lives are amortized over their useful lives. Other intangible assets deemed to have indefinite lives are not amortized but are subject to annual impairment tests. We recognized impairment losses of $14.9 million and $2.5 million related to one of our trade name intangible assets for the years ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively. No impairment of intangible assets with indefinite lives was determined to exist for the year ended December 31, 2011.

We review the recoverability of our long-lived assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. The estimated future cash flows are based upon, among other things, assumptions about future operating performance, and may differ from actual cash flows. Long-lived assets evaluated for impairment are grouped with other assets to the lowest level for which identifiable cash flows are largely independent of the cash flows of other groups of assets and liabilities. If the sum of the projected undiscounted cash flows (excluding interest) is less than the carrying value of the assets, the assets will be written down to the estimated fair value in the period in which the determination is made. Long-lived asset related impairment losses recognized during the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011 were not significant.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

We recognize revenue from product or processing sales upon concluding that all of the fundamental criteria for product revenue recognition have been met, such as a fixed or determinable sales price; reasonable assurance of collectability; and passage of title and risks of ownership to the buyer. Such criteria are usually met upon delivery to the customer for orders with FOB destination terms or upon shipment for orders with FOB shipping point terms, or after toll processing services are performed. Considering the close proximity of our customers to our metals service center locations, shipment and delivery of our orders generally occur on the same day. Billings for orders where the revenue recognition criteria are not met, which primarily include certain bill and hold transactions (in which our customers request to be billed for the material but request delivery at a later date), are recorded as deferred revenue.

Shipping and handling charges to our customers are included in Net sales. Costs incurred in connection with shipping and handling our products, which are related to third-party carriers are not material and are typically included in Cost of sales. Costs incurred in connection with shipping and handling our products that are performed by our personnel are typically included in operating expenses. For the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, shipping and handling costs included in Warehouse, delivery, selling, general and administrative expenses were approximately $284.8 million, $236.3 million, and $220.9 million, respectively.

Segment Information

Segment Information

We have one reportable segment, metals service centers. All of our recent acquisitions were metals service centers and did not result in new reportable segments. Although a variety of products or services are sold at our various locations, in total, sales were comprised of the following in each of the three years ended December 31:



Carbon steel	53	%	51	%	53	%
Aluminum	15	%	15	%	15	%
Stainless steel	14	%	15	%	15	%
Alloy steel	10	%	12	%	10	%
Toll processing	2	%	2	%	2	%
Other	6	%	5	%	5	%


Total	100	%	100	%	100	%

The following table summarizes consolidated financial information of our operations by geographic location based on where sales originated from:

	United States		Foreign Countries		Total

	(in millions)
Year Ended December 31, 2013
Net sales	$	8,682.2	$	541.6	$	9,223.8
Long-lived assets		4,296.6		305.5		4,602.1
Year Ended December 31, 2012
Net sales		7,861.3		581.0		8,442.3
Long-lived assets		3,270.9		309.4		3,580.3
Year Ended December 31, 2011
Net sales		7,647.4		487.3		8,134.7
Long-lived assets		3,035.1		296.1		3,331.2

Share-Based Compensation

Share-Based Compensation

All of our share-based compensation plans are considered equity plans. We calculate the fair value of stock option awards on the date of grant based on the closing market price of our common stock, using a Black-Scholes option-pricing model. The fair value of restricted stock grants is determined based on the fair value of our common stock on the date of the grant. The fair value of stock option and restricted stock awards is expensed on a straight-line basis over their respective vesting periods, net of estimated forfeitures. The share-based compensation expense recorded was $26.0 million, $23.0 million, and $21.3 million for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, and is included in the Warehouse, delivery, selling, general and administrative expense caption of our consolidated statements of income.

Environmental Remediation Costs

Environmental Remediation Costs

We accrue for losses associated with environmental remediation obligations when such losses are probable and reasonably estimable. Accruals for estimated losses from environmental remediation obligations generally are recognized no later than completion of the remediation feasibility study. Such accruals are adjusted as further information develops or circumstances change. Recoveries of environmental remediation costs from other parties are recorded as assets when their receipt is deemed probable. We are not aware of any environmental remediation obligations that would materially affect our operations, financial position or cash flows. See Note 14 for further discussion on our environmental remediation matters.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

We file a consolidated U.S. federal income tax return with our wholly owned domestic subsidiaries. The deferred tax assets and/or liabilities are determined by multiplying the differences between the financial reporting and tax reporting bases for assets and liabilities by the enacted tax rates expected to be in effect when such differences are recovered or settled. The effect on deferred taxes of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date of the change. The provision for income taxes reflects the taxes to be paid for the period and the change during the period in the deferred tax assets and liabilities. We evaluate on a quarterly basis whether, based on all available evidence, it is probable that the deferred income tax assets are realizable. Valuation allowances are established when it is estimated that it is more likely than not that the tax benefit of the deferred tax asset will not be realized.

We make a comprehensive review of our uncertain tax positions on a quarterly basis. Tax benefits are recognized when it is more-likely-than-not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination by the authorities. The benefit from a position that has surpassed the more-likely-than-not threshold is the largest amount of benefit that is more than 50% likely to be realized upon settlement. We recognize interest and penalties accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax expense.

Foreign Currencies

Foreign Currencies

The currency effects of translating the financial statements of our foreign subsidiaries, which operate in local currency environments, are included in other comprehensive income. Gains and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions are included in the results of operations in the Other income (expense), net caption and amounted to a net loss of $2.6 million for the year ended December 31 2013, a net gain of $1.7 million for the year ended December 31, 2012 and a net loss of $5.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2011.

Impact of Recently Issued Accounting Standards - Adopted

Impact of Recently Issued Accounting Standards—Adopted

Comprehensive Income Reporting and Disclosures—On January 1, 2013, we adopted changes issued by the FASB, which require additional disclosures for the reclassification of significant amounts from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) to net income. This guidance requires that the effect of certain significant amounts be presented either on the face of the consolidated statements of comprehensive income or in a single note. For other amounts, we are required to cross-reference disclosures that provide additional detail about those amounts. The adoption of these changes did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Intangible Assets Impairment—On October 1, 2012, we adopted changes issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") related to testing of indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment. The new guidance allows companies the option to assess qualitative factors to determine if it is more-likely-than-not that indefinite-lived intangible assets is impaired and whether it is necessary to perform a quantitative impairment test. The adoption of these changes did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Presentation of Comprehensive Income—On January 1, 2012, we adopted changes issued by the FASB, which require companies to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income, or in two separate but consecutive statements. We elected to adopt the two-statement option. This guidance eliminated the option to present the components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of equity. Other than the change in presentation, the adoption of these changes had no other impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures—On January 1, 2012, we adopted changes issued by the FASB to provide a consistent definition of fair value and to ensure that the fair value measurement and disclosure requirements are similar between U.S. generally accepted accounting principles and International Financial Reporting Standards. The new guidance changed certain fair value measurement principles and enhanced the disclosure requirements particularly for Level 3 fair value measurements. The adoption of these changes did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

Goodwill Impairment—On October 1, 2011, we adopted changes issued by the FASB related to testing goodwill for impairment. This guidance allows companies the option to assess qualitative factors to determine if it is more likely than not that goodwill is impaired and whether it is necessary to perform further impairment testing. The guidance also expands upon the examples of events and circumstances that an entity should consider between annual impairment tests in determining whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. The adoption of these changes did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

On January 1, 2011, we adopted changes issued by the FASB related to the calculation of the carrying amount of a reporting unit when performing the first step of a goodwill impairment test. More specifically, the changes require an entity to use an equity premise when performing the first step of a goodwill impairment test. If a reporting unit has a zero or negative carrying amount, the entity must assess and consider qualitative factors to determine whether it is more likely than not that goodwill impairment exists. The adoption of these changes did not have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.