Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2022

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Note 2 — Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”).

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, its wholly owned subsidiaries and those entities in which it has a controlling financial interest. The Company evaluates its relationship with other entities for consolidation and to identify whether such entities are variable interest entities (“VIE”) and to assess whether the Company is the primary beneficiary of such entities. Investments in affiliates in which Gentherm does not have control but does have the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies are accounted for under the equity method. When Gentherm does not have the ability to exercise significant influence (generally when ownership interest is less than 20%), investments in affiliates are measured at cost, less impairments, adjusted for observable price changes in orderly transactions for identical or similar investments of the same issuer.

Intercompany transactions and balances between consolidated businesses have been eliminated.

Use of Estimates

In preparing these consolidated financial statements, management was required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses. These estimates and assumptions are based on our historical experience, the terms of existing contracts, our evaluation of trends in the industry, information provided by our customers and suppliers and information available from other outside sources, as appropriate. These estimates and assumptions are subject to an inherent degree of uncertainty. We are not presently aware of any events or circumstances that would require us to update such estimates and assumptions or revise the carrying value of our assets or liabilities. Our estimates may change, however, as new events

occur and additional information is obtained. As a result, actual results may differ significantly from our estimates, and any such differences may be material to our financial statements.

Business combinations

In accordance with ASC Topic 805, “Business Combinations,” acquisitions are recorded using the acquisition method of accounting. The Company includes the operating results of acquired entities from their respective dates of acquisition. The Company recognizes and measures the identifiable assets acquired, liabilities assumed, and any non-controlling interest as of the acquisition date fair value. The excess, if any, of total consideration transferred in a business combination over the fair value of identifiable assets acquired, liabilities assumed and any non-controlling interest is recognized as goodwill. Costs incurred as a result of a business combination other than costs related to the issuance of debt or equity securities are recorded in the period the costs are incurred. During the measurement period, which may be up to one year from the acquisition date, the Company may record adjustments to assets acquired and liabilities assumed with the corresponding offset to goodwill.

Segment Reporting

The Company has two reportable segments: Automotive and Medical.

The Automotive reporting segment is comprised of the results from our global automotive businesses, including the design, development, manufacturing and sales of automotive climate comfort systems, automotive cable systems, lumbar and massage comfort solutions, valve system technologies, battery performance solutions, and automotive electronic and software systems.

The Medical reporting segment is comprised of the results from the patient temperature management business in the medical industry. Patient temperature management includes temperature management systems across multiple product categories addressing the needs of hyper-hypothermia therapy in intensive care, normothermia in surgical procedures and additional warming/cooling therapies utilized in acute care, ambulatory, clinics and home health.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue is recognized from agreements containing enforceable rights and obligations, when promised goods are delivered or services are completed. Taxes assessed by a governmental authority that are both imposed on and concurrent with a specific revenue-producing transaction, that are collected by the Company from a customer, are excluded from Product revenues. Shipping and handling fees billed to customers are included in Product revenues, while costs of shipping and handling are included in Cost of sales.

Automotive Revenues

The Company provides production parts to its customers under long-term supply agreements (“LTAs”). The duration of an LTA is generally consistent with the life cycle of a vehicle; however, a LTA does not reach the level of a performance obligation until Gentherm receives either a purchase order and/or a materials release from its customer for a specific number of production parts at a specified price, at which point an enforceable contract exists. Revenue is recognized when control of the production parts has transferred to the customer according to the terms of the contract, which typically occurs when the parts are shipped or delivered to the customer’s premises. Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration we expect to receive in exchange for transferring production parts.

Certain LTAs provide for annual price reductions over the production life of the vehicle. Agreements that are determined to provide customers with purchase option discounts that would not be received without entering into the contract are considered to contain a material right (for example, a discount given to a customer that is incremental to the range of discounts typically given to that class of customer). The material right represents a purchase option that provides the customer with the ability to purchase additional production parts at a set price in the future and is accounted for as a separate performance obligation. Under these circumstances, each transfer of production parts under the LTA requires allocation of the purchase price to the production part and the purchase option. As a practical alternative to estimating the standalone selling price of an option, the Company allocates transaction

price to the purchase option by reference to the production part volumes expected to be ordered and the consideration expected to be received over the life of the vehicle program.

The production part’s relative standalone selling price observed under the LTA is subtracted from the total amount of consideration expected to be received in exchange for transferring of parts under the current contract and the difference is allocated to the purchase option. Revenue from options containing a material right is recognized when the amounts billed to the customer for production parts transferred, under the LTA, is less than the standalone selling price of those production parts.

Medical Revenues

Revenues from our patient temperature management business unit are generated from the sale of products and equipment. Our medical products and equipment focus on body and blood temperature management. The Company sells medical products and equipment primarily through distributor and group purchasing organization agreements. These agreements allow member participants to the distributor or group purchasing organization to make purchases at discounted prices negotiated by the distributor or group purchasing organization. A rebate is incurred at the point in time a member participant purchases product covered under these types of agreements. Rebates are accounted for as variable consideration, using an expected value, probability weighted approach, based on the level of sales to the distributor and the time lag between the initial sale and the rebate claim in determining the transaction price of a contract. Revenue is recognized at the point in time the medical products or equipment is transferred to the customer.

Assets Recognized from the Costs to Obtain a Contract with a Customer

The Company has no material contract assets or contract liabilities as of December 31, 2022.

The Company recognizes an asset for the incremental costs of obtaining a contract with a customer if the benefits of those costs are expected to be realized for a period greater than one year. Total capitalized costs to obtain a contract were $2,239 and $1,946 as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively. These amounts are recorded in Other non-current assets and are being amortized into Product revenues over the expected production life of the applicable program. During the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, $78 and $174, respectively, was amortized into Product revenues.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with original maturities of less than 90 days to be cash equivalents. Cash balances in individual banks may exceed the federally insured limit by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The Company had Cash and cash equivalents of $108,620 and $161,496 held in foreign jurisdictions as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

Disclosures About Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The carrying amounts of financial instruments comprising cash and cash equivalents, short-term investments, accounts receivable, notes receivable and accounts payable approximate fair value because of the short maturities of these instruments. The carrying amount of the Company’s revolving credit note under the June 10, 2022 amended and restated credit agreement (“Credit Agreement”) approximates its fair value because interest charged on the loan balance is variable. See Note 14, “Fair Value Measurement,” for information about the techniques used to assess the fair value of financial assets and liabilities, including our fixed rate debt instruments.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Financial assets, which subject the Company to concentration of credit risk, consist primarily of cash equivalents, short-term investments, accounts receivable and notes receivable. Cash equivalents consist primarily of money market funds managed by major financial services companies. The credit risk for these cash equivalents is considered low. The Company does not require collateral from its customers. As of December 31, 2022, the Company’s Automotive customers, Adient and Lear both individually represented 18% and 17%, respectively, of the Company’s accounts receivable balance. As of December 31, 2021, the Company’s Automotive customers, Adient and Lear both individually represented 22% and 18%, respectively, of the Company’s accounts receivable balance.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable are stated at the invoiced amount, less allowance for doubtful accounts for estimated amounts not expected to be collected, and do not bear interest. The Company determines the allowances based on historical write-off experience by industry and regional economic data, current expectations of future credit losses and historical cash discounts. The Company’s accounts receivables are continually assessed for collectability and any allowance is recorded based upon the age of outstanding receivables, historical payment experience and customer creditworthiness. We write-off accounts receivable when they become uncollectible. The allowance for doubtful accounts was $1,220 and $1,399 as of December 31, 2022 and 2021, respectively.

The reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of the allowance for doubtful accounts is as follows:

	Year Ended December 31,
	2022			2021			2020
Balance at beginning of year	$	1,399		$	1,161		$	1,193
Charged to costs and expenses		1,088			1,066			1,298
Other activity		-			(12	)		33
Deductions from reserves		(1,267	)		(816	)		(1,363	)
Balance at end of year	$	1,220		$	1,399		$	1,161

Primarily in the Asia-Pacific region, the Company receives bank notes from certain customers to settle trade receivables. The collection of such bank notes is included in operating cash flows based on the substance of the underlying transactions, which are operating in nature. Bank notes held by the Company are classified as notes receivable within other current assets. The Company may hold such bank notes until maturity, exchange them with suppliers to settle liabilities, or sell them to third-party financial institutions in exchange for cash.

Inventory

The Company’s inventory is measured at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Raw materials, components and consumables are measured using the weighted average cost method. Work-in-process and finished goods are measured using the first-in first-out method. If the net realizable value expected on the reporting date is below cost, a write-down is recorded to adjust inventory to its net realizable value. We recognize a reserve for obsolete and slow-moving inventories based on estimates of future sales and an inventory item’s capacity to be repurposed for a different use. We consider the number of months' supply on hand based on current planned requirements, uncommitted future projections and historical usage in estimating the inventory reserve.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment, including additions and improvements, are recorded at cost less accumulated depreciation. Expenditures for general repairs and maintenance are charged to expense as incurred. When property or equipment is retired or otherwise disposed of, the related cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts. Gains or losses from retirements and disposals are recorded as Operating income or expense. The Company evaluates the recoverability of long-lived assets when events and circumstances indicate that the assets may be impaired and the undiscounted net cash flows estimated to be generated by those assets are less than their carrying value. If the net carrying value exceeds the fair value, an impairment loss exists and is calculated based on either estimated salvage value or estimated orderly liquidation value.

Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method. The estimated useful lives of the Company’s Property and equipment are as follows:

Asset Category	Useful Life
Buildings and improvements	1 to 30 years
Plant and equipment	10 years
Production tooling	2 to 10 years
Leasehold improvements	Term of lease
Information technology	1 to 5 years

The Company recognized depreciation expense of $33,730, $29,622 and $31,037 for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

Tooling

The Company incurs costs related to tooling used in the manufacture of products sold to its customers. In some cases, the Company enters into contracts with its customers whereby the Company incurs the costs to design, develop and purchase tooling and is then reimbursed by the customer under a reimbursement contract. Tooling costs that will be reimbursed by customers are included in Other current assets in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets at the lower of accumulated cost or the customer reimbursable amount. As of December 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company had $15,267 and $3,778, respectively, of reimbursable tooling costs capitalized. Company-owned tooling is included in Property and equipment and depreciated over its expected useful life, generally two to ten years.

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill and other intangible assets recorded in conjunction with business combinations are based on the Company’s estimate of fair value, as of the date of acquisition.

Amortization of other intangible assets is computed using the straight-line method. The fair value and corresponding useful lives for acquired intangible assets are listed below as follows:

Asset Category	Useful Life
Customer relationships	8 to 15 years
Technology	5 to 12 years
Product development costs	5 to 10 years
Trade names	Indefinite
Software development costs	4 to 5 years

Our business strategy largely centers on designing products based upon internally developed and purchased technology, and we protect certain technology with patents that have value to our business strategy. All costs associated with the development and issuance of new patents are expensed as incurred. Such costs are classified as research and development expenses in the accompanying consolidated statements of income.

Impairments of Other Intangible Assets and Goodwill

Goodwill is tested for impairment at least annually as of December 31 and whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. In conducting our annual impairment assessment testing, we first perform a qualitative assessment of whether it is more likely than not that a reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying amount. If not, no further goodwill impairment testing is performed. If it is more likely than not that a reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying amount, or if we elect not to perform a qualitative assessment of a reporting unit, we then compare the fair value of the reporting unit to the related net book value. If the net book value of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss is measured and recognized.

The Company utilizes an income approach to estimate the fair value of a reporting unit and a market valuation approach to further support this analysis (level 3). The income approach is based on projected debt-free cash flow that is discounted to the present value using discount factors that consider the timing and risk of cash flows. We believe that this approach is appropriate because it provides a fair value estimate based on the reporting unit’s expected long-term operating cash flow performance. This approach also mitigates the impact of cyclical trends that occur in our industry. Fair value is estimated using internally developed forecasts, as well as commercial and discount rate assumptions. The discount rate used is the value-weighted average of our estimated cost of equity and of debt (“cost of capital”) derived using both known and estimated customary market metrics. Our weighted average cost of capital is adjusted to reflect a risk factor, if necessary. Other significant assumptions include terminal value growth rates and terminal value margin rates. While there are inherent uncertainties related to the assumptions used and to management’s application of these assumptions to this analysis, we believe that the income approach provides a reasonable estimate of the fair value of a reporting unit.

The Company performs its indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment assessment annually as of December 31, and between annual assessments if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more likely than not reduce the fair value of a reporting unit below its carrying amount.

Investments in non-consolidated affiliates

During 2021, the Company’s Automotive segment invested $5,200 for an ownership interest in Carrar Ltd. (“Carrar”), an Israel-based technology developer of advanced thermal management systems for the electric mobility market. The Company determined that Carrar is a VIE; however, the Company does not have a controlling financial interest or have the power to direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of the investment. Therefore, the Company has concluded that it is not the primary beneficiary. Gentherm’s investment in Carrar is measured at cost, less impairments, adjusted for observable price changes in orderly transactions for identical or similar investments of the same issuer, and is recorded in Other non-current assets.

During 2021, the Company’s Automotive segment invested $2,357 for an ownership interest in Forciot Oy (“Forciot”), a Finland-based technology developer of sensors for touch, motion and force measurement. Gentherm’s investment in Forciot is measured at cost, less impairments, adjusted for observable price changes in orderly transactions for identical or similar investments of the same issuer, and is recorded in Other non-current assets.

In December 2021, the Company committed to make a $5,000 investment in Autotech Fund III, L.P., pursuant to a limited partnership agreement. As a limited partner, the Company will periodically make capital contributions toward this total commitment amount over the expected ten-year life of the fund. The Company has made contributions totaling approximately $495 to the Autotech Fund III, LP as of December 31, 2022. This fund focuses broadly on the automotive industry and compliments the Company’s innovation strategy.

Research and Development Expenses

Research and development activities are expensed as incurred. The Company groups development and prototype costs and related reimbursements in research and development.

Leases

The Company has operating leases for office, manufacturing and research and development facilities, as well as land leases for certain manufacturing facilities that are accounted for as operating leases. We also have operating leases for office equipment and automobiles. Excluding land leases, our leases have remaining lease terms ranging from less than 1 year to 9 years and may include options to extend the lease. Land leases have remaining lease terms that range from 3 to 40 years and some which specify that the end of the lease term is at the discretion of the lessee. We do not have lease arrangements with related parties.

The Company determines whether a contractual arrangement is or contains a lease at inception. Leases that are operating in nature are recognized in Operating lease right-of-use assets, Current lease liabilities and Non-current lease liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Finance leases are included in property and equipment, net, current maturities of long-term debt, and long-term debt on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.

Lease liabilities are measured initially at the present value of the sum of the future minimum rental payments at the commencement date of the lease. Lease payments that will vary in the future due to changes in facts and circumstances are excluded from the calculation of rental payments, unless those variable payments are based on an index or rate. Rental payments are discounted using an incremental borrowing rate, unless there is a rate implicit in the lease agreement. The incremental borrowing rate is based on the Company’s credit rating, determined on a fully collateralized loan basis from information available at commencement date, and the duration of the lease term (the “reference rate”). Judgment is used to assess the importance of risk factor inputs during the computation of the Company’s credit rating. For leases at foreign subsidiaries denominated in U.S. Dollars, a risk premium associated with the borrower subsidiary’s country is added to the reference rate. For significant leases at foreign subsidiaries denominated in a foreign currency, the U.S. Dollar risk free rate with a duration similar to that of the lease term is subtracted from the reference rate and a corresponding foreign currency risk free rate with a duration similar to that of the lease term is added to the reference rate.

Operating lease right-of-use assets are measured at the amount of the lease liability, adjusted for prepaid or accrued lease payments, lease incentive received, and initial direct costs incurred, as applicable. Periods covered by an option to extend the lease are initially included in the measurement of an operating lease right-of-use asset and lease liability only when it is reasonably certain we will exercise the option. Gentherm’s lease agreements do not contain residual value guarantees or impose restrictions or covenants on the Company.

For all classes of underlying assets, the Company accounts for leases that contain separate lease and non-lease components as containing a single lease component. The Company does not recognize lease right-of-use assets and lease liabilities from leases with an original lease term of 12 months or less and, instead, recognizes rent payments on a straight-line basis over the lease term in the consolidated statements of income.

Income Taxes

The Company records income tax expense using the liability method which specifies that deferred tax assets and liabilities be measured each year based on the difference between the financial statement and tax base of assets and liabilities at the applicable enacted tax rates. A valuation allowance is provided for deferred tax assets when management considers it more likely than not that the asset will not be realized. At December 31, 2022 and 2021, a valuation allowance has been provided for certain deferred tax assets which the Company has concluded are more likely than not to not be realized. If future annual taxable income were to be significantly less than current and projected levels, there is a risk that certain of our deferred tax assets not already provided for by the valuation allowance would expire prior to utilization.

The Company recognizes the financial statement benefit of a tax position only after determining that the relevant tax authority would more likely than not sustain the position following an audit. For tax positions meeting the more-likely-than-not threshold, the amount recognized in the financial statements is the largest benefit that has a greater than 50 percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement with the relevant tax authority. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to income tax matters in Income tax expense.

Derivative Financial Instruments – Hedge Accounting

All derivative instruments are required to be reported on the balance sheet at fair value unless the transactions qualify and are designated as normal purchases or sales. Changes in fair value are reported currently through earnings unless they meet hedge accounting criteria. The Company’s designated hedging relationships are formally documented at the inception of the hedge, and hedges must be highly effective in offsetting changes to future cash flows on hedged transactions both at the inception of a hedge and on an ongoing basis to be designated for hedge accounting treatment.

The Company accounts for its designated derivative financial instruments as cash flow hedges. For derivative contracts which are designated as a cash flow hedge, the effective portion of the change in the fair value of the derivative contract is recorded to Accumulated other comprehensive loss (“AOCI”) in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. When the underlying hedge transaction is realized, the gain or loss included in AOCI is recorded into earnings in the accompanying consolidated statements of income on the same line as the gain or loss on the hedged item attributable to the hedged risk. Any ineffective portion of the gain or loss is recognized in the accompanying consolidated statements of income under Foreign currency gain (loss) for foreign currency derivatives, and cost of goods sold for commodity derivatives. These hedging transactions and the respective correlations meet the requirements for hedge accounting.

Exposure to fluctuations in interest rates and certain commodity prices are managed by entering into swaps with various counterparties. The Company does not enter into derivative transactions for speculative or trading purposes. As part of the hedging program approval process, Gentherm identifies the specific financial risk which the derivative transaction will minimize, the appropriate hedging instrument to be used to reduce the risk and the correlation between the financial risk and the hedging instrument. Hedge positions, as well as the correlation between the transaction risks and the hedging instruments, are reviewed on an ongoing basis.

Earnings per Share

Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the respective period. The Company’s diluted earnings per share give effect to all potential shares of common stock outstanding during a period that do not have an anti-dilutive impact to the calculation. In computing the number of diluted shares outstanding, the treasury stock method is used in order to arrive at a net number of shares created upon the conversion of common stock equivalents.

Stock Based Compensation

Share based payments that involve the issuance of common stock to employees, including grants of employee stock options, restricted stock, and time-based and performance-based restricted stock units, are recognized in the consolidated financial statements as compensation expense based upon the fair value on the date of grant.

Share based payments that are satisfied only by the payment of cash, such as stock appreciation rights, are accounted for as liabilities. The liability is reported at market value of the vested portion of the underlying units. During each period, the change in the liability is recorded as compensation expense.