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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2015
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Organization and Description of the Business | Organization and Description of the Business Federal Signal Corporation was founded in 1901 and was reincorporated as a Delaware corporation in 1969. References herein to the “Company,” “we,” “our” or “us” refer collectively to Federal Signal Corporation and its subsidiaries. Products manufactured and services rendered by the Company are divided into three major operating segments: Environmental Solutions Group, Safety and Security Systems Group and Fire Rescue Group. The individual operating businesses are organized under each segment because they share certain characteristics, including technology, marketing, distribution and product application, which create long-term synergies. The Company’s reportable segments are consistent with its operating segments. These segments are discussed in Note 10 – Segment Information.
Basis of Presentation and Consolidation | Basis of Presentation and Consolidation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements represent the consolidation of Federal Signal Corporation and its subsidiaries included herein and have been prepared by the Company pursuant to the rules and regulations of the United States (“U.S.”) Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations, although the Company believes that the disclosures are adequate to ensure the information presented is not misleading. These condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the Company’s accounting policies described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014, and should be read in conjunction with those consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto. These statements include all adjustments, including those of a normal recurring nature, that we considered necessary to present a fair statement of our results of operations, financial condition and cash flow. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The results reported in these condensed consolidated financial statements should not be regarded as necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the entire year. While we label our quarterly information using a calendar convention whereby our first, second and third quarters are labeled as ending on March 31, June 30 and September 30, respectively, it is our longstanding practice to establish interim quarterly closing dates based on a 13-week period ending on a Saturday, with our fiscal year ending on December 31. The effects of this practice are not material and exist only within a reporting year.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements and Accounting Changes | Recent Accounting Pronouncements and Accounting Changes In April 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-08, Presentation of Financial Statements (Topic 205) and Property, Plant and Equipment (Topic 360), Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity. This update revises the required criteria for reporting disposals as discontinued operations, whereby such disposals must represent strategic shifts that had (or will have) a major effect on an entity’s operations and financial results. The guidance also requires additional disclosures about discontinued operations, including expanded disclosure of any significant ongoing involvement. The new requirements are effective prospectively for all disposals that occur within fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2014, and for interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company’s adoption of the guidance on January 1, 2015 did not have an impact on its results of operations, financial condition or cash flow. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), which supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in ASC 605, Revenue Recognition. This ASU is based on the principle that revenue is recognized to depict the transfer of 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. The ASU also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments, and assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. The FASB decided to allow either a “full retrospective” adoption, in which the standard is applied to all periods presented in the financial statements, or a “modified retrospective” adoption, in which the guidance is applied retrospectively only to the most current period presented in the financial statements, with the cumulative effect of initially applying the new standard being recognized as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings. As originally proposed, this guidance was effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within that reporting period, and early adoption was not permitted. In April 2015, the FASB proposed to defer the effective date by one year, to annual reporting periods beginning on or after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. The FASB also voted to permit early adoption of the guidance but no earlier than the original effective date. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements. In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-03, Interest – Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30), which requires that debt issuance costs be presented in the balance sheets as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the related debt liability. The new requirement is effective for fiscal years beginning on or after December 15, 2015, and for interim periods within those fiscal years. Retrospective presentation is required for all comparable periods presented. The Company does not believe that the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
Use of Estimates | Use of Estimates The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect (i) the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, (ii) the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and (iii) the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Significant estimates and assumptions are used for, but are not limited to, revenue recognition, workers’ compensation and product liability reserves, asset impairment, pension and other post-retirement benefit obligations, income tax contingency accruals and valuation allowances, and litigation-related accruals. Actual results could differ from those estimates. There have been no changes to the Company’s significant accounting policies as disclosed in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014.

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