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Overview and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies) | 3 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Overview | Overview Powell Industries, Inc. (we, us, our, Powell or the Company) was incorporated in the state of Delaware in 2004 as a successor to a Nevada company incorporated in 1968. The Nevada corporation was the successor to a company founded by William E. Powell in 1947, which merged into the Company in 1977. Our major subsidiaries, all of which are wholly owned, include: Powell Electrical Systems, Inc.; Powell (UK) Limited; Powell Canada Inc. and Powell Industries International, B.V. We develop, design, manufacture and service custom-engineered equipment and systems for the distribution, control and monitoring of electrical energy designed to (1) distribute, monitor and control the flow of electrical energy and (2) provide protection to motors, transformers and other electrically powered equipment. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, we serve the transportation, energy, industrial and utility industries.
Basis of Presentation | Basis of Presentation These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Powell and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Rule 10-01 of Regulation S-X for interim financial information. Certain information and footnote disclosures, normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (U.S. GAAP), have been condensed or omitted pursuant to those rules and regulations. In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring adjustments, necessary to fairly state the financial position, results of operations and cash flows with respect to the interim consolidated financial statements have been included. The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results for the entire fiscal year. We believe that these financial statements contain all adjustments necessary so that they are not misleading. The year-end balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto of Powell and its subsidiaries included in Powell’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2014, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on December 3, 2014. References to Fiscal 2015, Fiscal 2014 and Fiscal 2013 used throughout this report shall mean our fiscal years ended September 30, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
Use of Estimates | Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying footnotes. The most significant estimates used in our financial statements affect revenue and cost recognition for construction contracts, the allowance for doubtful accounts, provision for excess and obsolete inventory, goodwill and other intangible assets, self-insurance, warranty accruals and income taxes. The amounts recorded for insurance claims, warranties, legal, income taxes and other contingent liabilities require judgments regarding the amount of expenses that will ultimately be incurred. We base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions, as well as the specific circumstances surrounding these contingent liabilities, in evaluating the amount of liability that should be recorded. Additionally, the recognition of deferred tax assets requires estimates related to future income and other assumptions regarding timing and future profitability. Estimates may change as new events occur, additional information becomes available or operating environments change. Actual results may differ from our estimates.
New Accounting Standards | New Accounting Standards In July 2013, the FASB issued accounting guidance on the presentation of an unrecognized tax benefit when a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists. The guidance states that an unrecognized tax benefit, or a portion of an unrecognized tax benefit, should be presented in the financial statements as a reduction to a deferred tax asset for a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward. To the extent a net operating loss carryforward, a similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward is not available at the reporting date under the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction to settle any additional income taxes that would result from the disallowance of a tax position or the tax law of the applicable jurisdiction does not require the entity to use, and the entity does not intend to use, the deferred tax asset for such purpose, the unrecognized tax benefit should be presented in the financial statements as a liability and should not be combined with deferred tax assets. This guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013, which would be our fiscal year ended September 30, 2015. This guidance should be applied prospectively to all unrecognized tax benefits that exist at the effective date. Retrospective application is permitted. The adoption of this guidance has not had a significant impact on our consolidated financial position or results of operations. In April 2014, the FASB issued an amendment to the financial reporting of discontinued operations. The amendments in this update changed the criteria for reporting discontinued operations while enhancing disclosures in this area. It also addresses sources of confusion and inconsistent application related to the financial reporting of discontinued operations guidance in U.S. GAAP. Under the new guidance, only disposals representing a strategic shift in operations that have a major effect on the organization’s operations and financial results should be presented as discontinued operations. Examples include a disposal of a major geographic area, a major line of business, or a major equity method investment. In addition, the new guidance requires expanded disclosures about discontinued operations that will provide financial statement users with more information about the assets, liabilities, income, and expenses of discontinued operations. The new guidance also requires disclosure of the pre-tax income attributable to a disposal of a significant part of an organization that does not qualify for discontinued operations reporting. This disclosure will provide users with information about the ongoing trends in a reporting organization’s results from continuing operations. The amendments in this update are effective in the first quarter of 2015, which would be our fiscal year end September 30, 2016. Early adoption is permitted for disposals that have not been previously reported as discontinued operations. In May 2014, the FASB issued a new standard on revenue recognition that supersedes previously issued revenue recognition guidance. This standard provides a five-step approach to be applied to all contracts with customers and requires expanded disclosures about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue (and the related cash flows) arising from customer contracts, significant judgments and changes in judgments used in applying the revenue model and the assets recognized from costs incurred to obtain or fulfill a contract. This new standard is effective for us beginning in fiscal year 2018. Early application is not permitted. The standard permits the use of either the retrospective or cumulative effect transition method therefore we are evaluating the effect that this new guidance will have on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. We have not yet selected a transition method nor have we determined the effect of the standard on our ongoing financial reporting. In June 2014, the FASB issued an amendment to the topic regarding share-based payments and instances where terms of an award provide that a performance target can be achieved after the requisite service period. This guidance has been provided to resolve the diversity in practice concerning employee share-based payments that contain performance targets that could be achieved after the requisite service period. The updated guidance requires that a performance target that affects vesting and that can be achieved after the requisite service period be treated as a performance condition. Compensation cost should be recognized in the period in which it becomes probable that the performance target will be achieved and is attributable to the periods for which service has been rendered. If the performance target becomes probable of being achieved before the end of the service period, the remaining unrecognized compensation cost for which requisite service has not yet been rendered is recognized prospectively over the remaining service period. The total amount of compensation cost recognized during and after the service period should reflect the number of awards that are expected to vest and should be adjusted to reflect those awards that ultimately vest. The updated guidance is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2015, with early adoption permitted. The adoption of this guidance is not expected to have a material impact on our consolidated financial position or results of operations.
Discontinued Operations | Discontinued operations In January 2014, we sold our wholly owned subsidiary Transdyn Inc. (Transdyn). For the quarter ended December 31, 2013, we have presented the results of these operations as income from discontinued operations, net of tax. See Note I.

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- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for any discontinued operations. The results of operations of a component of an entity that either has been disposed of or is classified as held for sale is reported in discontinued operations if both: (a) the operations and cash flows of the component have been (or will be) eliminated from the ongoing operations of the entity as a result of the disposal transaction and (b) the entity will not have any significant continuing involvement in the operations of the component after the disposal transaction. If the entity elects to allocate interest expense to a discontinued operation, it may disclose its accounting policy for this election and describe its method of allocation. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6367646&loc=d3e18780-107790 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 260 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6371337&loc=d3e3550-109257 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6360339&loc=d3e1361-107760 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 205 -SubTopic 20 -Section S99 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=26872618&loc=d3e7436-122677 + Details
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- Definition The entire disclosure for the nature of an entity's business, the major products or services it sells or provides and its principal markets, including the locations of those markets. If the entity operates in more than one business, the disclosure also indicates the relative importance of its operations in each business and the basis for the determination (for example, assets, revenues, or earnings). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6927468&loc=d3e6003-108592 + Details
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- Definition Disclosure of accounting policy for the use of estimates in the preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 9 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6927468&loc=d3e6143-108592 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6927468&loc=d3e6132-108592 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6927468&loc=d3e6061-108592 + Details
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