Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Jan. 31, 2016

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Organization

Organization—Mitcham Industries, Inc., a Texas corporation (the “Company”), was incorporated in 1987. The Company, through its wholly owned Canadian subsidiary, Mitcham Canada, ULC (“MCL”), its wholly owned Russian subsidiary, Mitcham Seismic Eurasia LLC (“MSE”), its wholly owned Hungarian subsidiary, Mitcham Europe Ltd. (“MEL”), its wholly owned Singaporean subsidiary Mitcham Marine Leasing Pte. Ltd. (“MML”), and its branch operations in Colombia and Peru, provides full-service equipment leasing, sales and service to the seismic industry worldwide. The Company, through its wholly owned Australian subsidiary, Seismic Asia Pacific Pty Ltd. (“SAP”), provides seismic, oceanographic and hydrographic leasing and sales worldwide, primarily in Southeast Asia and Australia. The Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Seamap International Holdings Pte, Ltd. (“Seamap”), and its wholly owned subsidiary, Klein Marine Systems, Inc. (“Klein”), designs, manufactures and sells a broad range of proprietary products for the seismic, hydrographic and offshore industries with product sales and support facilities based in New Hampshire, Singapore and the United Kingdom. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation.

Revenue Recognition of Leasing Arrangements

Revenue Recognition of Leasing Arrangements—The Company leases various types of seismic equipment to seismic data acquisition companies. All leases at January 31, 2016 and 2015 are for one year or less. Lease revenue is recognized ratably over the term of the lease. The Company does not enter into leases with embedded maintenance obligations. The standard lease provides that the lessee is responsible for maintenance and repairs to the equipment, excluding normal wear and tear. The Company occasionally provides technical advice to its customers without additional compensation as part of its customer service practices. Repairs or maintenance performed by the Company is charged to the lessee, generally on a time and materials basis. Repair and maintenance is recognized as incurred.

Revenue Recognition of Equipment Sales

Revenue Recognition of Equipment Sales—Revenues and cost of sales from the sale of equipment are recognized upon acceptance of terms and when delivery has occurred, unless there is a question as to collectability. In cases where the equipment sold is manufactured by others, the Company reports revenues at gross amounts billed to customers because the Company: (a) is the obligor in the sales arrangement; (b) has full latitude in pricing the product for sale; (c) has general inventory risk should there be a problem with the equipment being sold to the customer or if the customer does not complete payment for the items purchased; (d) has discretion in supplier selection if the equipment ordered is not unique to one manufacturer; and (e) assumes credit risk for the equipment sold to its customers.

Revenue Recognition of Long-term Projects

Revenue Recognition of Long-term Projects—From time to time, SAP and Klein enter into contracts whereby they assemble and sell certain marine equipment, primarily to governmental entities. Performance under these contracts generally occurs over a period of several months. Revenue and costs related to these contracts are accounted for under the percentage of completion method, based on estimated physical completion.

Revenue Recognition of Service Agreements

Revenue Recognition of Service Agreements—Seamap provides on-going support services pursuant to contracts that generally have a term of 12 months. The Company recognizes revenue from these contracts over the term of the contract. In some cases, the Company will provide support services on a time and material basis. Revenue from these arrangements is recognized as the services are provided. For certain new systems that Seamap sells, the Company provides support services for up to 12 months at no additional charge. Any amounts attributable to these support obligations are immaterial. Revenues from service contracts for each of the three years ended January 31, 2016 were not material. Due to immateriality, service revenues are not presented separately in the financial statements.

Contracts Receivable

Contracts Receivable—In connection with the sale of seismic equipment, the Company will, from time to time, accept a contract receivable as partial consideration. These contracts bear interest at a market rate and generally have terms of less than two years and are collateralized by a security interest in the equipment sold. Interest income on contracts receivable is recognized as earned, unless there is a question as to collectability in which case it is recognized when received.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts—Trade receivables are uncollateralized customer obligations due under normal trade terms. The carrying amount of trade receivables and contracts receivable is reduced by a valuation allowance that reflects management’s estimate of the amounts that will not be collected, based on the age of the receivable, payment history of the customer, general industry conditions, general financial condition of the customer and any financial or operational leverage the Company may have in a particular situation. Amounts are written-off when collection is deemed unlikely. Past due amounts are determined based on contractual terms. The Company generally does not charge interest on past due accounts.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and Cash Equivalents—The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less at the date of purchase to be cash equivalents.

Short-term Investments

Short-term Investments—The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity greater than three months, but less than twelve months, to be short-term investments.

Inventories

Inventories—Inventories are stated at the lower of average cost (which approximates first-in, first-out) or market. An allowance for obsolescence is maintained to reduce the carrying value of any materials or parts that may become obsolete. Inventories are periodically monitored to ensure that the allowance for obsolescence covers any obsolete items.

Seismic Equipment Lease Pool

Seismic Equipment Lease Pool—Seismic equipment held for lease consists primarily of recording channels and peripheral equipment and is carried at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is computed on the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the equipment, which are five to seven years for channel boxes and two to ten years for other peripheral equipment. As this equipment is subject to technological obsolescence and wear and tear, no salvage value is assigned to it. The Company continues to lease seismic equipment after it has been fully depreciated if it remains in acceptable condition and meets acceptable technical standards. This fully depreciated equipment remains in fixed assets on the Company’s books. The Company removes from its books the cost and accumulated depreciation of fully depreciated assets that are not expected to generate future revenues. Depreciation of equipment commences upon its initial deployment on a lease contract and continues uninterrupted from that point, regardless of whether the equipment is subsequently on a lease contract.

Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment—Property and equipment is carried at cost, net of accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is computed on the straight-line method over the related estimated useful lives. The estimated useful lives of equipment range from three to seven years. Buildings are depreciated over 30 years and property improvements are amortized over 10 years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the realized estimated useful life or the life of the respective leases. No salvage value is assigned to property and equipment.

Intangible Assets

Intangible Assets—Intangible assets are carried at cost, net of accumulated amortization. Amortization is computed on the straight-line method (for customer relationships, the straight-line method is not materially different from other methods that estimate run off of the underlying customer base) over the estimated life of the asset. Proprietary rights developed technology and amortizable trade names are amortized over a 10 to 15-year period. Customer relationships are amortized over an 8-year period. Patents are amortized over an 8 to 9-year period.

Impairment

Impairment—The Company reviews its long-lived assets, including its amortizable intangible assets, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. In reviewing for impairment, the carrying value of such assets is compared to the estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected from the use of the assets and their eventual disposition. If such cash flows are not sufficient to support the asset’s recorded value, an impairment charge is recognized to reduce the carrying value of the long-lived asset to its estimated fair value. The determination of future cash flows as well as the estimated fair value of long-lived assets involves significant estimates on the part of management. The Company performs an impairment test on goodwill on an annual basis.

Product Warranties

Product Warranties—Seamap provides its customers warranties against defects in materials and workmanship generally for a period of three months after delivery of the product. The Company maintains an accrual for potential warranty costs based on historical warranty claims. For the fiscal years ended January 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, warranty expense was not material.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes—The Company accounts for income taxes under the liability method, whereby the Company recognizes, on a current and long-term basis, deferred tax assets and liabilities which represent differences between the financial and income tax reporting bases of its assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on temporary differences between income and expenses reported for financial reporting and tax reporting. The Company has assessed, using all available positive and negative evidence, the likelihood that the deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable income.

The weight given to the potential effect of positive and negative evidence is commensurate with the extent to which it can be objectively verified. The preponderance of negative or positive evidence supports a conclusion regarding the need for a valuation allowance for some portion of, or all of, the deferred tax asset. The more significant types of evidence considered include the following:

• taxable income projections in future years;

• our history of taxable income within a particular jurisdiction;

• any history of the expiration of deferred tax assets without realization;

• whether the carry forward period is so brief that it would limit realization of tax benefits;

• other limitations on the utilization of tax benefits;

• future sales and operating cost projections that will produce more than enough taxable income to realize the deferred tax asset based on existing sales prices and cost structures;

• our earnings history exclusive of the loss that created the future deductible amount coupled with evidence indicating that the loss is an aberration rather than a continuing condition; and

• tax planning strategies that will create additional taxable income.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates—The preparation of the Company’s consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires the Company’s management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in these consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Estimates are used for, but not limited to, the allowance for doubtful accounts, lease pool valuations, valuation allowance on deferred tax assets, the evaluation of uncertain tax positions, estimated depreciable lives of fixed assets and intangible assets, valuation of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in business combinations impairment of fixed assets and intangible assets and the valuation of stock options. Future events and their effects cannot be perceived with certainty. Accordingly, these accounting estimates require the exercise of judgment. The accounting estimates used in the preparation of the consolidated financial statements will change as new events occur, as more experience is acquired, as additional information is obtained and as the Company’s operating environment changes. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

Substantial judgment is necessary in the determination of the appropriate levels for the Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts because of the extended payment terms the Company often offers to its customers and the limited financial wherewithal of certain of these customers. As a result, the Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts could change in the future, and such change could be material to the financial statements taken as a whole. The Company must also make substantial judgments regarding the valuation allowance on deferred tax assets.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Value of Financial Instruments—The Company’s financial instruments consist of accounts and contracts receivable, accounts payable and amounts outstanding under our credit facilities. Due to the short maturities of these financial instruments and the variable rates under our credit agreements, the Company believes that their fair value approximates their carrying amounts.

The Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) has issued guidance on the definition of fair value, the framework for using fair value to measure assets hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. These tiers include:

• Level 1: Defined as observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities as of the reporting date. Active markets are those in which transactions for the asset or liability occur in sufficient frequency and volume to provide pricing information on an ongoing basis.

• Level 2: Defined as pricing inputs other than quoted prices in active markets included in Level 1, which are either directly or indirectly observable as of the reporting date. Level 2 includes those financial instruments that are valued using models or other valuation methodologies. These models are primarily industry standard models that consider various assumptions, including quoted forward prices for commodities, time value, volatility factors and current and contractual prices for the underlying instruments, as well as other relevant economic measures.

• Level 3: Defined as pricing inputs that are unobservable form objective sources. These inputs may be used with internally developed methodologies that result in management’s best estimate of fair value.

The Company measures the fair values of goodwill, intangibles and other long-lived assets on a recurring basis if required by impairment tests applicable to these assets. The Company utilized Level 3 inputs to value goodwill, intangibles and other long-lived assets as of January 31, 2016. See Notes 7 and 8 to our consolidated financial statements.

Foreign Currency Translation

Foreign Currency Translation—All balance sheet accounts of the Canadian, Australian, certain Singaporean, United Kingdom and Russian subsidiaries have been translated at the current exchange rate as of the end of the accounting period. Statements of operations items have been translated at average currency exchange rates. The resulting translation adjustment is recorded as a separate component of comprehensive income within shareholders’ equity.

Change in Functional Currency

Change in Functional Currency—Effective February 1, 2014, MML, MEL, Mitcham Holdings, Ltd. (“MHL”) and our branch operation in Colombia changed their functional currency to the U.S. dollar from their local currencies. At that time it was determined that the economic environment had changed for these entities due to the following factors:

• The majority of customer contracts and cash receipts would be from that point forward denominated in U.S. dollars

• The majority of costs from that point forward would consist primarily of purchases and the sub-lease of equipment from related entities. All such inter-company transactions are denominated in U.S. dollars.

• Financing of these entities would be provided through inter-company borrowing arrangements that are denominated in U.S. dollars.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-Based Compensation—Stock-based compensation expense is recorded based on the grant date fair value of share-based awards. Restricted stock awards are valued at the closing price on the date of grant. Determining the grant date fair value for options requires management to make estimates regarding the variables used in the calculation of the grant date fair value. Those variables are the future volatility of our common stock price, the length of time an optionee will hold their options until exercising them (the “expected term”), and the number of options that will be forfeited before they are exercised (the “forfeiture rate”). We utilize various mathematical models in calculating the variables. Share-based compensation expense could be different if we used different models to calculate the variables.

Earnings Per Share

Earnings Per Share—Net income per basic common share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Net income per diluted common share is computed using the weighted average number of common shares and potential common shares outstanding during the period. Potential common shares result from the assumed exercise of outstanding common stock options having a dilutive effect using the treasury stock method, from unvested shares of restricted stock using the treasury stock method and from outstanding common stock warrants. For the fiscal years ended January 31, 2016, 2015 and 2014, the following table sets forth the number of potentially dilutive shares that may be issued pursuant to options, restricted stock and warrants outstanding used in the per share calculations.

	Years Ended January 31,
	2016		2015		2014
	(in thousands)
Stock options		13		223		389
Restricted stock		46		26		25
Total dilutive shares		59		249		414

Anti-dilutive weighted average shares of potential common stock of 501,000 for the fiscal year ended January 31, 2014 have been excluded from the effect of dilutive shares. For the fiscal years ended January 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively, potentially dilutive common shares, underlying stock options and unvested restricted stock were anti-dilutive and were therefore not considered in calculating diluted loss per share for those periods.

New Accounting Pronouncements

New Accounting Pronouncements

In March 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2016-9, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, to reduce complexity in accounting standards involving several aspects of the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. ASU No. 2016-9 will be effective during the fiscal year ended January 31, 2018. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of ASU No. 2016-9 on its financial statements.

In February 2016, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2016-2, Leases: (Topic 842), to provide guidance on recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements, specifically differentiating between different types of leases. ASU No. 2016-2 will be effective during the fiscal year ended January 31, 2019. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of ASU No. 2016-2 on its financial statements.

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-17, Income Taxes: (Topic 740), requiring that deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position. Effective January 31, 2016 the Company has adopted the provisions of ASU 2015-17 on a prospective basis. Accordingly, all net deferred tax assets are classified as long-term assets as of January 31, 2016 in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets. Amounts for prior periods have not been restated. The provisions of this pronouncement have been adopted in order to simplify the presentation of deferred income taxes.

In September 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-16, Business Combinations: (Topic 805), to provide guidance on the simplification of the accounting for adjustments made to provisional amounts recognized in a business combination, eliminating the requirement to retrospectively account for those adjustments. ASU 2015-16 requires that an acquirer recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. The amendment requires that the acquirer record, in the same period’s financial statements, the effect on earnings of changes in depreciation, amortization, or other income effects, if any, as a result of the change to the provisional amounts, calculated as if the accounting had been completed at the acquisition date. The amendment further requires presentation separately on the face of the income statement or disclosure in the notes to the financial statements of the portion of the amount recorded in current-period earnings by line item that would have been recorded in previous reporting periods if the adjustment to the provisional amounts had been recognized as of the acquisition date. ASU 2015-16 will be effective during the fiscal year ended January 31, 2017. The Company does not believe the adoption will have a material effect on its financial statements.

In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-15, Interest-Imputation of Interest: (Subtopic 835-30), to provide guidance on measurement of debt issuance costs associated with line-of-credit arrangements. ASU 2015-15 allows debt issuance costs associated with line-of-credit arrangements to be deferred and presented as an asset and subsequently amortized ratably over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement. ASU 2015-15 will be effective during the fiscal year ended January 31, 2017. The Company does not believe the adoption will have a material effect on its financial statements.

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-11, Inventory: (Topic 330), to provide guidance on measurement of inventory. ASU 2015-11 requires that inventories utilizing the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method be measured at lower of cost or net realizable value. ASU 2015-11 will be effective during the fiscal year ended January 31, 2018. The Company does not believe the adoption will have a material effect on its financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers: (Topic 606), to provide guidance on revenue recognition on contracts with customers to transfer goods or services or on contracts for the transfer of nonfinancial assets. ASU 2014-09 requires that revenue recognition on contracts with customers 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. ASU 2014-09 will be effective during the fiscal year ended January 31, 2019. The Company does not believe the adoption will have a material effect on its financial statements.