SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of consolidation

Basis of consolidation:

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Tootsie Roll Industries, Inc. and its wholly-owned and majority-owned subsidiaries (the Company), which are primarily engaged in the manufacture and sales of candy products. Non-controlling interests relating to majority-owned subsidiaries are reflected in the consolidated financial statements and all significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated. Certain amounts previously reported have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on previously reported net earnings.

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America 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 financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Revenue recognition

Revenue recognition:

The Company’s revenues, primarily net product sales, principally result from the sale of goods, reflect the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled, generally based on customer purchase orders. The Company records revenue based on a five-step model in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 606 which became effective January, 1, 2018. Adjustments for estimated customer cash discounts upon payment, discounts for price adjustments, product returns, allowances, and certain advertising and promotional costs, including consumer coupons, are variable consideration and are recorded as a reduction of product sales revenue in the same period the related product sales are recorded. Such estimates are calculated using historical averages adjusted for any expected changes due to current business conditions and experience. A net product sale is recorded when the Company delivers the product to the customer, or in certain instances, the customer picks up the goods at the Company’s distribution center, and thereby obtains control of such product. Amounts billed and due from our customers are classified as accounts receivables trade on the balance sheet and require payment on a short-term basis. Accounts receivable are unsecured. Shipping and handling costs of $49,288, $49,527, and $44,082 in 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively, are included in selling, marketing and administrative expenses. A minor amount of royalty income (less than 0.2% of our consolidated net sales) is also recognized from sales-based licensing arrangements, pursuant to which revenue is recognized as the third-party licensee sales occur. Rental income (less than 1% of our consolidated net sales) is not considered revenue from contracts from customers.

Leases

Leases:

The Company identifies leases by evaluating our contracts to determine if the contract conveys the right to use an identified asset for a stated period of time in exchange for consideration. The Company considers whether it can control the underlying asset and has the right to obtain substantially all of the economic benefits or outputs from the asset. Leases with terms greater than 12 months are classified as either operating or finance leases at the commencement date.  For these leases, we capitalize the present value of the minimum lease payments over the lease terms as a right-of-use asset with an offsetting lease liability. The discount rate used to calculate the present value of the minimum lease payments is typically our incremental borrowing rate, as the rate implicit in the lease is generally not known or determinable. The lease term includes any noncancelable period for which we have the right to use the asset. Currently, all capitalized leases are classified as operating leases and the Company records lease expense on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease.

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents:

The Company considers short-term debt securities with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Substantially all cash and cash equivalents are held at a major U.S. money center bank or its foreign branches (Bank of America), or its investment broker affiliate (Merrill Lynch). The Company also holds certificates of deposit (CDs) of U.S. banks selected by this investment broker based on their financial ratings; substantially all such CDs are invested in separate individual banks which are generally not in excess of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) limit of $250 per bank. The cash in the Company's U.S. banks (primarily Bank of America) is not fully insured by the FDIC due to the statutory limit of $250. The Company had approximately $9,415 and $15,327 of cash in foreign banks, principally foreign branches of a U.S. bank (Bank of America), at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The Company's cash in its foreign bank accounts is also not fully insured.

Investments

Investments:

Investments consist of various marketable securities with maturities of generally up to three years, and variable rate demand notes with interest rates that are generally reset weekly and the security can be “put” back and sold weekly. The Company classifies debt and equity securities as either available for sale or trading. Available for sale debt securities are not actively traded by the Company and are carried at fair value. The Company follows current fair value measurement guidance and unrealized gains and losses on these securities are excluded from earnings and are reported as a separate component of shareholders’ equity, net of applicable taxes, until realized or other-than-temporarily impaired. Trading securities related to deferred compensation arrangements are carried at fair value with gains or losses included in other income, net. The Company invests in trading securities to economically hedge changes in its deferred compensation liabilities.

The Company regularly reviews its investments to determine whether a decline in fair value below the cost basis is other-than-temporary. If the decline in fair value is judged to be other-than-temporary, the cost basis of the security is written down to fair value and the amount of the write-down is included in other income, net. Further information regarding the fair value of the Company’s investments is included in Note 10 of the Company’s Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Derivative instruments and hedging activities

Derivative instruments and hedging activities:

Authoritative guidance requires qualitative disclosures about objectives and strategies for using derivatives, quantitative disclosures about fair value amounts of derivative instruments and related gains and losses, and disclosures about credit-risk-related contingent features in derivative agreements.

From time to time, the Company enters into commodity futures and foreign currency forward contracts. Commodity futures are intended and are effective as hedges of market price risks associated with the anticipated purchase of certain raw materials (primarily sugar). Foreign currency forward contracts are intended and are effective as hedges of the Company’s exposure to the variability of cash flows, primarily related to the foreign exchange rate changes of products manufactured in Canada and sold in the United States, and periodic equipment purchases from foreign suppliers denominated in a foreign currency. The Company does not engage in trading or other speculative use of derivative instruments. Further information regarding derivative instruments and hedging activities is included in Note 11 of the Company’s Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Inventories

Inventories:

Inventories are stated at lower of cost or net realizable value. The cost of substantially all of the Company’s inventories ($55,409 and $50,338 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively) has been determined by the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method. The excess of current cost over LIFO cost of inventories approximates $19,174 and $17,062 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The cost of certain foreign inventories ($3,679 and $4,186 at December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively) has been determined by the first-in, first-out (FIFO) method. Rebates, discounts and other cash consideration received from vendors related to inventory purchases is reflected as a reduction in the cost of the related inventory item, and is, therefore, reflected in cost of sales when the related inventory item is sold.

Property, plant and equipment

Property, plant and equipment:

Depreciation is computed for financial reporting purposes by use of the straight-line method based on useful lives of 20 to 40 years for buildings and 5 to 20 years for machinery and equipment. Depreciation expense was $18,779, $18,669 and $18,991 in 2019, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Carrying value of long-lived assets

Carrying value of long-lived assets:

The Company reviews long-lived assets to determine if there are events or circumstances indicating that the amount of the asset reflected in the Company’s balance sheet may not be recoverable. When such indicators are present, the Company compares the carrying value of the long-lived asset, or asset group, to the future undiscounted cash flows of the underlying assets to determine if impairment exists. If applicable, an impairment charge would be recorded to write down the carrying value to its fair value. The determination of fair value involves the use of estimates of future cash flows that involve considerable management judgment and are based upon assumptions about expected future operating performance. The actual cash flows could differ from management’s estimates due to changes in business conditions, operating performance, and economic conditions. In fourth quarter 2019, 2018 and 2017, the Company recorded charges of $377, $1,125 and $2,371, respectively, relating to the impairment of assets of a foreign subsidiary which is included in selling, marketing and administrative expense. Except for the aforementioned, no impairment charges of long-lived assets were recorded by the Company during 2019, 2018 or 2017.

Postretirement health care benefits

Postretirement health care benefits:

The Company provides certain postretirement health care benefits to a group of “grandfathered” corporate office and management employees. The cost of these postretirement benefits is accrued during the employees’ working careers. See Note 7 of the Company’s Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements for additional information. The Company also provides split dollar life benefits to an executive officer. The Company records an asset equal to the cumulative insurance premiums paid that will be recovered upon the death of the covered executive officer or earlier under the terms of the plan. No premiums were paid in 2019, 2018 or 2017.

Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets

Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets:

In accordance with authoritative guidance, goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite lives are not amortized, but rather reviewed and tested for impairment at least annually unless certain interim triggering events or circumstances require more frequent testing. All trademarks have been assessed by management to have indefinite lives because they are expected to generate cash flows indefinitely. Management believes that all assumptions used for the impairment review and testing are consistent with those utilized by market participants performing similar valuations. No impairments of intangibles, including trademarks and goodwill, were recorded in 2019, 2018 or 2017.

Current accounting guidance provides entities an option of performing a qualitative assessment (a "step-zero" test) before performing a quantitative analysis. If the entity determines, on the basis of certain qualitative factors, that it is more-likely-than-not that the intangibles (goodwill and certain trademarks) are not impaired, the entity would not need to proceed to the two step impairment testing process (quantitative analysis) as prescribed in the guidance. During fourth quarter 2019, the Company performed a “step zero” test of its goodwill and certain trademarks, and concluded that there was no impairment based on this guidance. For the fair value assessment of certain trademarks where the “step-zero” analysis was not considered appropriate, impairment testing was performed in fourth quarter 2019 (and fourth quarter 2018) using discounted cash flows and estimated royalty rates. For these trademarks, holding all other assumptions constant at the test date, a 100 basis point increase in the discount rate or a 100 basis point decrease in the royalty rate would reduce the fair value of these trademarks by approximately 16% and 10%, respectively. Individually, a 100 basis point increase in the discount rate may result in potential impairment of up to $2 million.  A 100 basis point decrease in the royalty rate would not result in a potential impairment as of December 31, 2019. 

Income taxes

Income taxes:

Deferred income taxes are recorded and recognized for future tax effects of temporary differences between financial and income tax reporting. The Company records valuation allowances in situations where the realization of deferred tax assets is not more-likely-than-not.

Further information regarding U.S. tax reform (U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act) and other income tax matters are included in Note 4 of the Company’s Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Foreign currency translation

Foreign currency translation:

The U.S. dollar is used as the functional currency where a substantial portion of the subsidiary’s business is indexed to the U.S. dollar or where its manufactured products are principally sold in the U.S. All other foreign subsidiaries use the local currency as their functional currency. Where the U.S. dollar is used as the functional currency, foreign currency remeasurements are recorded as a charge or credit to other income, net in the statement of earnings. Where the foreign local currency is used as the functional currency, translation adjustments are recorded as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).

Restricted cash

Restricted cash:

Restricted cash comprises certain cash deposits of the Company’s majority-owned Spanish subsidiary with international banks that are pledged as collateral for letters of credit and bank borrowings.

VEBA trust

VEBA trust:

The Company maintains a VEBA trust managed and controlled by the Company, to fund the estimated future costs of certain employee health, welfare and other benefits. The Company made a $20,024 contribution to the VEBA trust in 2017 but no contributions were made to the trust in 2019 or 2018. The Company will be using the VEBA trust funds to pay the actual cost of such benefits through 2022. At December 31, 2019 and 2018, the VEBA trust held $12,085 and $15,921, respectively, of aggregate cash and cash equivalents. This asset value is included in prepaid expenses and long-term other assets in the Company’s Consolidated Statement of Financial Position. These assets are categorized as Level 1 within the fair value hierarchy.

Bank loans

Bank loans:

Bank loans consist of short term (less than 120 days) borrowings by the Company’s Spanish subsidiary that are held by international banks. The weighted-average interest rate as of December 31, 2019 and 2018 was 3.0% and 2.0%, respectively.

Comprehensive earnings

Comprehensive earnings:

Comprehensive earnings include net earnings, foreign currency translation adjustments and unrealized gains/losses on commodity and/or foreign currency hedging contracts, available for sale securities and certain postretirement benefit obligations.

Earnings per share

Earnings per share:

A dual presentation of basic and diluted earnings per share is not required due to the lack of potentially dilutive securities under the Company’s simple capital structure. Therefore, all earnings per share amounts represent basic earnings per share.

The Class B common stock has essentially the same rights as common stock, except that each share of Class B common stock has ten votes per share (compared to one vote per share of common stock), is not traded on any exchange,

is restricted as to transfer and is convertible on a share-for-share basis, at any time and at no cost to the holders, into shares of common stock which are traded on the New York Stock Exchange.

Use of estimates

Use of estimates:

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. Estimates are used when accounting for sales discounts, allowances and incentives, product liabilities, assets recorded at fair value, income taxes, depreciation, amortization, employee benefits, contingencies and intangible asset and liability valuations. Actual results may or may not differ from those estimates.

Recent accounting pronouncements

Recently adopted accounting pronouncements:

At the beginning of 2019, the Company adopted Accounting Standards Update No. 2016-02 (ASU 2016-02), Leases (Subtopic 842), which requires lessees to recognize all leases with a term greater than 12 months on the balance sheet as right-of-use assets and lease liabilities. Upon adoption, the impact was the recognition of $1,482 in right-of-use assets and lease liabilities for operating leases. Subsequent to adoption, the Company obtained $652 of right-of-use assets in exchange for $652 of lease liabilities held as operating leases. The Company adopted ASU 2016-02 utilizing the current-period adjustment method and did not recast comparative periods upon adoption of the new standard.  In addition, we elected certain practical expedients which permitted us to not reassess whether existing contracts are or contain leases, to not reassess the lease classification of any existing leases, to not reassess initial direct costs for any existing leases, and to not separate lease components for all classes of underlying assets.  The adoption of this ASU did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. 

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-12, guidance that amends hedge accounting. Under the new guidance, more hedging strategies are eligible for hedge accounting and the application of hedge accounting is simplified. The new guidance amends presentation and disclosure requirements, and how effectiveness is assessed. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those years. On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASU 2017-12. The adoption of this ASU did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Recently issued accounting pronouncements - not yet adopted

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, which replaces the current incurred loss impairment method with a new method that reflects expected credit losses. Under this new model an entity would recognize an impairment allowance equal to its current estimate of credit losses on financial assets measured at amortized cost. ASU 2016-13 is effective for public companies in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Based on the Company's analysis, ASU 2016-13 did not have a material impact on the Company's results of operations and financial condition upon adoption on January 1, 2020.