Simpson Manufacturing Co., Inc., through Simpson Strong-Tie Company Inc. and its other subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”), focuses on designing, manufacturing, and marketing systems and products to make buildings and structures safe and secure. The Company designs, engineers and is a leading manufacturer of wood construction products, including connectors, truss plates, fastening systems, fasteners and shearwalls, and concrete construction products, including adhesives, specialty chemicals, mechanical anchors, powder actuated tools and fiber reinforcing materials. The Company markets its products to the residential construction, industrial, commercial and infrastructure construction, remodeling and do-it-yourself markets.

The Company operates exclusively in the building products industry. The Company’s products are sold primarily in the United States, Canada, Europe and Pacific Rim. A portion of the Company’s business is therefore dependent on economic activity within the North America segment. The Company is dependent on the availability of steel, its primary raw material.

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Simpson Manufacturing Co., Inc. and its subsidiaries. Investments in 50% or less owned entities are accounted for using either cost or the equity method. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated.

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The Company’s actual results could differ from those estimates. Management believes that these consolidated financial statements include all normal and recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation under GAAP.

The Company evaluates the collectability of specific customer accounts that would be considered doubtful based on the customer’s financial condition, payment history, credit rating and other factors that the Company considers relevant, or accounts that the Company assigns for collection. The Company reserves for the portion of those outstanding balances that the Company believes it is not likely to collect based on historical collection experience. The Company also reserves 100% of the amounts that it deems uncollectable due to a customer’s deteriorating financial condition or bankruptcy. If the financial condition of the Company’s customers were to deteriorate, resulting in probable inability to make payments, additional allowances may be required.

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of cash in banks, short-term investments in money market funds and trade accounts receivable. The Company maintains its cash in demand deposit and money market accounts held primarily at 18 banks. At times, our cash and investments may be in excess of amounts insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). However, we have not experienced any losses on these accounts.

The Company applies net realizable value and obsolescence to the gross value of the inventory. The Company estimates net realizable value based on estimated selling price less further costs to completion and disposal. The Company impairs slow-moving products by comparing inventories on hand to projected demand. If the on-hand supply of a product exceeds projected demand or if the Company believes the product is no longer marketable, the product is considered obsolete inventory. The Company revalues obsolete inventory to its net realizable value and has consistently applied this methodology. When impairments are established, a new cost basis of the inventory is created. An unexpected change in market demand, building codes or buyer preferences could reduce the rate of inventory turnover and require the Company to recognize more obsolete inventory.

The Company provides product warranties for specific product lines and records estimated recall expenses in the period in which the recall occurs, none of which has been material to the Consolidated Financial Statements. In a limited number of circumstances, the Company may also agree to indemnify customers against legal claims made against those customers by the end users of the Company’s products. Historically, payments made by the Company, if any, under such agreements have not had a material effect on the Company’s consolidated results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

The Company accounts for investments and ownership interests under equity method accounting if the Company has the ability to exercise significant influence, but does not have a controlling financial interest. The Company records its interest in the net earnings of its equity method investees, along with adjustments for unrealized profits or losses within earnings or loss from equity interests in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company reviews for impairment whenever factors indicate that the carrying amount of the investment might not be recoverable. In such a case, the decrease in value is recognized in the period the impairment occurs in the Consolidated Statement of Operations.

In December 2016, the Company acquired a 25% equity interest in Ruby Sketch Pty Ltd. (“Ruby Sketch”), an Australian proprietary limited company, for $2.5 million. The Company has accounted for its ownership interest using the equity accounting method and recognized Ruby Sketch investment as an asset at cost. The Company has no obligation to make any additional capital contributions to Ruby Sketch. The carrying amount of the investment as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018 was $2.5 million.

Fair value is an exit price, representing the amount that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that is determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or a liability. Assets and liabilities recorded at fair value are measured and classified under a three-tier fair valuation hierarchy based on the observability of the inputs available in the market: Level 1 inputs are quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities; Level 2 inputs are quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets or inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly through market corroboration, for substantially the full term of the financial instrument; and Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs based on the Company’s assumptions used to measure assets and liabilities at fair value. The fair value hierarchy requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value.

As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the Company’s investments included in cash equivalents consisted of only money market funds, which are the Company’s primary financial instruments and carried at cost, approximating fair value, based on Level 1 inputs. The balance of the Company’s primary financial instruments as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 was $0.1 million and $0.2 million, respectively. The carrying amounts of trade accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate fair value due to the short-term nature of these instruments. The fair value of the Company’s contingent consideration related to acquisitions is classified as Level 3 within the fair value hierarchy as it is based on unobserved inputs such as management estimates and entity-specific assumptions and is evaluated on an ongoing basis.

acquired be recognized and measured at fair value on the acquisition date, which is the date that the acquirer obtains control of the acquired business. The amount by which the fair value of consideration transferred as the purchase price exceeds the net fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed is recorded as goodwill. Acquisitions that do not meet the definition of a business under the ASC are accounted for as asset acquisitions. Asset acquisitions are accounted for by allocating the cost of the acquisition to the individual assets acquired and liabilities assumed on a relative fair value basis. In a cost accumulation model, the cost of the acquisition, including certain transaction costs, is allocated to the assets acquired based on relative fair values. Goodwill is not recognized in an asset acquisition with any consideration in excess of net assets acquired allocated to acquired assets on a relative fair value basis.

Property, plant and equipment are carried at cost. Major renewals and betterments are capitalized. Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred. When assets are sold or retired, their costs and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts, and the resulting gains or losses are reflected in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations.

The “Intangibles—Goodwill and Other” topic of the FASB ASC provides guidance on capitalization of the costs incurred for computer software developed or obtained for internal use. The Company capitalizes qualified external costs and internal costs related to the purchase and implementation of software projects used for business operations and engineering design activities. Capitalized software costs primarily include purchased software, internal costs and external consulting fees. Capitalized software projects are amortized over the estimated useful lives of the software.

Software, including amounts capitalized for internally developed software is amortized on a straight-line basis over an estimated useful life of three to five years. Machinery and equipment is depreciated using accelerated methods over an estimated useful life of three to ten years. Buildings and site improvements are depreciated using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives, which range from 15 to 45 years. Leasehold improvements are amortized using the straight-line method over the shorter of the expected life or the remaining term of the lease. Purchased intangible assets with finite useful lives are amortized using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. The weighted-average amortization period for all amortizable intangibles on a combined basis is 5.6 years.

The Company’s Board of Directors (the "Board") has the authority to issue the authorized and unissued preferred stock in one or more series with such designations, rights and preferences as may be determined from time to time by the Board. Accordingly, the Board is empowered, without stockholder approval, to issue preferred stock with dividend, redemption, liquidation, conversion, voting or other rights that could adversely affect the voting power or other rights of the holders of the Company’s common stock.

Subject to the rights of holders of any preferred stock that may be issued in the future, holders of common stock are entitled to receive such dividends, if any, as may be declared from time to time by the Board out of legally available funds, and in the event of liquidation, dissolution or winding-up of the Company, to share ratably in all assets available for distribution. The holders of common stock have no preemptive or conversion rights. Subject to the rights of any preferred stock that may be issued in the future, the holders of common stock are entitled to one vote per share on any matter submitted to a vote of the stockholders. A director in an uncontested election is elected if the votes cast “for” such director’s election exceed the votes cast “against” such director’s election, except that, if a stockholder properly nominates a candidate for election to the Board, the candidates with the highest number of affirmative votes (up to the number of directors to be elected) are elected. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the common stock.

Comprehensive income is defined as net income plus other comprehensive income or loss. Other comprehensive income or loss consists of changes in cumulative translation adjustments and changes in unamortized pension adjustments recorded directly in accumulated other comprehensive income within stockholders’ equity.

The local currency is the functional currency for most of the Company’s operations in Europe, Canada, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. Assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated using the exchange rate on the balance sheet date. Revenues and expenses are translated using average exchange rates prevailing during the year. The translation adjustment resulting from this process is shown separately as a component of stockholders’ equity. Foreign currency transaction gains or losses are presented below operating income.

Generally, the Company’s revenue contract with a customer exists when goods are shipped, and services (if any) are rendered; and its related invoice is generated. The duration of the contract does not extend beyond the promised goods or services already transferred. The transaction price of each distinct promised product or service specified in the invoice is based on its relative stated standalone selling price. The Company recognizes revenue when it satisfies a performance obligation by transferring control over a product to a customer at a point in time. The Company’s shipping terms provide the primary indicator of the transfer of control. The Company’s general shipping terms are F.O.B. shipping point, where title and risk and rewards of ownership transfer at the point when the products leave the Company’s warehouse. The Company recognizes revenue based on the consideration specified in the invoice with a customer, excluding any sales incentives, discounts, and amounts collected on behalf of third parties (i.e., governmental tax authorities). Based on historical experience with the customer, the customer's purchasing pattern and its significant experience selling products, the Company concluded that a significant reversal in the cumulative amount of revenue recognized will not occur when the uncertainty (if any) is resolved (that is, when the total amount of purchases is known). Refer to Note 2 for additional information.

The types of costs included in cost of sales include material, labor, factory and tooling overhead, shipping, and freight costs. Major components of these expenses are material costs, such as steel, packaging and cartons, personnel costs, and facility costs, such as rent, depreciation and utilities, related to the production and distribution of the Company’s products. Inbound freight charges, purchasing and receiving costs, inspection costs, warehousing costs, internal transfer costs, and other costs of the Company’s distribution network are also included in cost of sales.

Product research and development costs, which are included in operating expenses and are charged against income as incurred, were $10.9 million, $10.8 million and $10.6 million in 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively. The types of costs included as product research and development expenses was revised in 2017 and prior years to include all related personnel costs including salary, benefits, retirement, stock-based compensation costs, as well as computer and software costs, professional fees, supplies, tools and maintenance costs. In 2019, 2018 and 2017, the Company incurred software development expenses related to its continued expansion into the plated truss market and some of the software development costs were capitalized. See "Note 8 — Property, Plant and Equipment." The Company amortizes acquired patents over their remaining lives and performs periodic reviews for impairment. The cost of internally developed patents is expensed as incurred.

Selling costs include expenses associated with selling, merchandising and marketing the Company’s products. Major components of these expenses are personnel, sales commissions, facility costs such as rent, depreciation and utilities, professional services, information technology costs, sales promotion, advertising, literature and trade shows.

The Company recognizes stock-based expense related to restricted stock awards on a straight-line basis, net of forfeitures, over the requisite service period of the awards, which is generally the vesting term of four years. Stock-based expense related to performance share grants are measured based on grant date fair value and expensed on a graded basis over the service period of the awards, which is generally a performance period of three years. The assumptions used to calculate the fair value of restricted stock grants are evaluated and revised, as necessary, to reflect market conditions and the Company’s experience.

Income taxes are calculated using an asset and liability approach. The provision for income taxes includes federal, state and foreign taxes currently payable and deferred taxes, due to temporary differences between the financial statement and tax bases of assets and liabilities. In addition, future tax benefits are recognized to the extent that realization of such benefits is more likely than not.

This method gives consideration to the future tax consequences of the deferred income tax items and immediately recognizes changes in income tax laws in the year of enactment. On December 22, 2017, the President of the United States signed into law the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 (the “Tax Reform Act”). Further information on the tax impacts of the Tax Reform Act is included in Note 15 — Income Taxes of the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, “Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” ASU 2016-13 amendments provide guidance on accounting for current expected credit losses on financial instruments that are not accounted for at fair value through net income, including loans held for investment, held-to-maturity debt securities, trade and other receivables, net investment in leases and other commitments to extend credit held by a reporting entity at each reporting date. The required measurement methodology is based on expected loss model that includes historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. ASU 2016-13 eliminates the probable incurred loss recognition in current GAAP. ASU 2016-13 is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2019. While the Company is continuing to assess the potential impacts of ASU 2016-13, it does not expect ASU 2016-13 to have a material effect on its consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (“ASU 2016-02”). The core requirement of ASU 2016-02 is to recognize assets and liabilities that arise from leases, including those leases classified as operating leases. The amendments require a lessee to recognize a liability to make lease payments (the lease liability) and a right-of-use asset ("ROU") representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term in the statement of financial position. In January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASU 2016-02 using the optional transition method. The Company elected and applied a few practical transition expedients including, not reassessing whether any expired or existing contracts are or contain leases; not reassessing the lease classification for any expired or existing leases and not reassessing initial direct costs for any existing leases. The Company has operating and finance leases for certain facilities, equipment, autos and data centers. The adoption of ASU 2016-02 resulted in the recognition of ROU assets and lease liabilities of approximately $34.3 million and $35.1 million, respectively on January 1, 2019. The adoption had no material impact on the condensed consolidated statement of operations or cash flows. See Note 10.