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Significant Accounting Policies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2021
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Significant Accounting Policies | Significant Accounting Policies Basis of Consolidation The accompanying consolidated financial statements reflect the results of operations, financial position and cash flows of AMETEK, Inc. (the “Company”), and include the accounts of the Company and subsidiaries, after elimination of all intercompany transactions in the consolidation. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates and assumptions. Cash Equivalents, Securities and Other Investments All highly liquid investments with maturities of three months or less when purchased are considered cash equivalents. Accounts Receivable The Company maintains allowances for estimated credit losses resulting from the inability of customers to meet their financial obligations to the Company. The Company recognizes an allowance for credit losses, on all accounts receivable and contract assets, which considers risk of future credit losses based on factors such as historical experience, contract terms, as well as general and market business conditions, country, and political risk. Balances are written off when considered uncollectible. Bad debt expense was $1.2 million in 2021, $3.6 million in 2020 and $2.8 million in 2019. At December 31, 2021 and 2020, the allowance for estimated credit losses was $11.2 million and $12.7 million, respectively. Inventories The Company uses the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method of accounting, which approximates current replacement cost, for approximately 89% of its inventories at December 31, 2021. The last-in, first-out (“LIFO”) method of accounting is used to determine cost for the remaining 11% of the Company’s inventory at December 31, 2021. For inventories where cost is determined by the LIFO method, the FIFO value would have been $29.8 million and $22.8 million higher than the LIFO value reported in the consolidated balance sheet at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The Company provides estimated inventory reserves for slow-moving and obsolete inventory based on current assessments about future demand, market conditions, customers who may be experiencing financial difficulties and related management initiatives. Business Combinations The Company allocates the purchase price of an acquired company, including when applicable, the acquisition date fair value of contingent consideration between tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed from the acquired business based on their estimated fair values, with the residual of the purchase price recorded as goodwill. The results of operations of the acquired business are included in the Company’s operating results from the date of acquisition. Property, Plant and Equipment Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. Expenditures for additions to plant facilities, or that extend their useful lives, are capitalized. The cost of minor tools, jigs and dies, and maintenance and repairs is charged to expense as incurred. Depreciation of plant and equipment is calculated principally on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the related assets. The range of lives for depreciable assets is generally three to 10 years for machinery and equipment, five to 27 years for leasehold improvements and 25 to 50 years for buildings. Depreciation expense was $108.5 million, $101.3 million and $101.4 million for the years ended December 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively. Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets Goodwill and other intangible assets with indefinite lives, primarily trademarks and trade names, are not amortized; rather, they are tested for impairment at least annually. The Company identifies its reporting units at the component level, which is one level below its operating segments. Generally, goodwill arises from acquisitions of specific operating companies and is assigned to the reporting unit in which the operating company resides. The Company’s reporting units are divisions that are one level below its operating segments and for which discrete financial information is prepared and regularly reviewed by segment management. The Company principally relies on a discounted cash flow analysis to estimate the fair value of each reporting unit, which considers forecasted cash flows discounted at an appropriate discount rate. The Company believes that market participants would use a discounted cash flow analysis to determine the fair value of its reporting units in a sale transaction. The annual goodwill impairment test requires the Company to make several assumptions and estimates concerning future levels of revenue growth, operating margins, depreciation, amortization and working capital requirements, which are based on the Company’s long-range plan and are considered level 3 inputs. The Company’s long-range plan is updated as part of its annual planning process and is reviewed and approved by management. The discount rate is an estimate of the overall after-tax rate of return required by a market participant whose weighted average cost of capital includes both equity and debt, including a risk premium. While the Company uses the best available information to prepare its cash flow and discount rate assumptions, actual future cash flows or market conditions could differ significantly resulting in future impairment charges related to recorded goodwill balances. The impairment test for indefinite-lived intangibles other than goodwill (primarily trademarks and trade names) consists of a comparison of the estimated fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset to the carrying value of the asset as of the impairment testing date. The Company estimates the fair value of its indefinite-lived intangibles using the relief from royalty method using level 3 inputs for revenue growth rates and royalty rates. The fair value derived from the relief from royalty method is measured as the discounted cash flow savings realized from owning such trademarks and trade names and not having to pay a royalty for their use. The Company completed its required annual impairment tests in the fourth quarter of 2021, 2020 and 2019 and determined that the carrying values of the Company’s goodwill were not impaired. The Company completed its required annual impairment tests in the fourth quarter of 2021, 2020 and 2019 and determined that the carrying values of the Company’s other intangible assets with indefinite lives were not impaired. Other intangible assets with finite lives are evaluated for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying value may not be recoverable. The carrying value of other intangible assets with finite lives is considered impaired when the total projected undiscounted cash flows from the asset group are less than the carrying value. In that event, a loss is recognized based on the amount by which the carrying value exceeds the fair value of those assets. Fair value is determined primarily using present value techniques based on projected cash flows from the asset group. Intangible assets, other than goodwill, with definite lives are amortized over their estimated useful lives. Patents and technology are being amortized over useful lives of nine to 20 years, with a weighted average life of 14 years. Customer relationships are being amortized over a period of ten to 20 years, with a weighted average life of 19 years. On a quarterly basis, the Company evaluates the reasonableness of the estimated useful lives of these intangible assets. Financial Instruments and Foreign Currency Translation Assets and liabilities of foreign operations are translated using exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date and their results of operations are translated using average exchange rates for the year. Certain transactions of the Company and its subsidiaries are denominated in currencies other than their functional currency. Exchange gains and losses from those transactions are included in operating results for the year. The Company makes infrequent use of derivative financial instruments. Forward contracts are entered into from time to time to hedge certain inventory purchases, export sales, debt or foreign currency transactions, thereby minimizing the Company’s exposure to raw material commodity price or foreign currency fluctuation. In instances where transactions are designated as hedges of an underlying item, the gains and losses on those transactions are included in accumulated other comprehensive income within stockholders’ equity to the extent they are effective as hedges. An evaluation of hedge effectiveness is performed by the Company on an ongoing basis and any changes in the hedge are made as appropriate. Revenue Recognition Revenue is derived from sales of products and services. The Company’s products and services are marketed and sold worldwide through two operating groups: EIG and EMG. See Note 15 Descriptive Information about Reportable Segments. The majority of the Company’s revenues on product sales were recognized at a point in time when the customer obtains control of the product. The transfer in control of the product to the customer was typically evidenced by one or more of the following: the customer having legal title to the product, the Company’s present right to payment, the customer’s physical possession of the product, the customer accepting the product, or the customer having the benefits of ownership or risk of loss. For a small percentage of sales where title and risk of loss transfers at the point of delivery, the Company recognized revenue upon delivery to the customer, which is the point that control transferred, assuming all other criteria for revenue recognition were met. Research and Development Research and development costs are included in Cost of sales as incurred and were $194.2 million in 2021, $158.9 million in 2020 and $161.9 million in 2019. Shipping and Handling Costs Shipping and handling costs are included in Cost of sales and were $86.1 million in 2021, $56.8 million in 2020 and $66.7 million in 2019. Share-Based Compensation The Company expenses the fair value of share-based awards made under its share-based plans in the consolidated financial statements over their requisite service period of the grants. Income Taxes The Company’s process of providing for income taxes and determining the related balance sheet accounts requires management to assess uncertainties, make judgments regarding outcomes and utilize estimates. The Company conducts a broad range of operations around the world and is therefore subject to complex tax regulations in numerous international taxing jurisdictions, resulting at times in tax audits, disputes and potential litigation, the outcome of which is uncertain. Management must make judgments currently about such uncertainties and determine estimates of the Company’s tax assets and liabilities. To the extent the final outcome differs, future adjustments to the Company’s tax assets and liabilities may be necessary. The Company recognizes interest and penalties accrued related to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense. The Company assesses the realizability of its deferred tax assets, taking into consideration the Company’s forecast of future taxable income, available net operating loss carryforwards and available tax planning strategies that could be implemented to realize the deferred tax assets. Based on this assessment, management must evaluate the need for, and amount of, valuation allowances against the Company’s deferred tax assets. To the extent facts and circumstances change in the future, adjustments to the valuation allowances may be required. The Company assesses the uncertainty in its tax positions, by applying a minimum recognition threshold which a tax position is required to meet before a tax benefit is recognized in the financial statements. Once the minimum threshold is met, using a more likely than not standard, a series of probability estimates is made for each item to properly measure and record a tax benefit. The tax benefit recorded is generally equal to the highest probable outcome that is more than 50% likely to be realized after full disclosure and resolution of a tax examination. The underlying probabilities are determined based on the best available objective evidence such as recent tax audit outcomes, published guidance, external expert opinion, or by analogy to the outcome of similar issues in the past. There can be no assurance that these estimates will ultimately be realized given continuous changes in tax policy, legislation and audit practice. The Company recognizes interest and penalties accrued related to uncertain tax positions in income tax expense. Pensions The Company has U.S. and foreign defined benefit and defined contribution pension plans. The most significant assumptions in determining the Company’s pension income or expense are the assumed pension liability discount rate and the expected return on plan assets. All unrecognized prior service costs, remaining transition obligations or assets and actuarial gains and losses have been recognized, net of tax effects, as a charge to accumulated other comprehensive income in stockholders’ equity and will be amortized as a component of net periodic pension cost. The Company uses a measurement date of December 31 (its fiscal year end) for its U.S. and foreign defined benefit plans. Earnings Per Share The calculation of basic earnings per share is based on the weighted average number of common shares considered outstanding during the periods. The calculation of diluted earnings per share reflects the effect of all potentially dilutive securities (principally outstanding stock options and restricted stock grants). The number of weighted average shares used in the calculation of basic earnings per share and diluted earnings per share was as follows for the years ended December 31:
| 2021 |  | 2020 |  | 2019
| (In thousands)
Weighted average shares: |  |  |  |  |
Basic shares | 230,955 |  |  | 229,435 |  |  | 227,759 |
Equity-based compensation plans | 1,858 |  |  | 1,715 |  |  | 1,636 |
Diluted shares | 232,813 |  |  | 231,150 |  |  | 229,395 |

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- Definition The entire disclosure for all significant accounting policies of the reporting entity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=123372394&loc=d3e18726-107790 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122369 + Details
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