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Basis of Presentation (Policies) | 3 Months Ended
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Apr. 03, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Basis of Presentation | Basis of Presentation Novanta Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively referred to as “Novanta”, the “Company”, “we”, “us”, “our”) is a leading global supplier of core technology solutions that give medical and advanced industrial original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”) a competitive advantage. Novanta combines deep proprietary technology expertise and competencies in photonics, vision and precision motion with a proven ability to solve complex technical challenges. This enables Novanta to engineer core components and sub-systems that deliver extreme precision and performance, tailored to the customers’ demanding applications. The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements have been prepared by the Company in United States (“U.S.”) dollars and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), the instructions to Form 10-Q and the provisions of Regulation S-X pertaining to interim financial statements. Accordingly, certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the U.S. have been condensed or omitted. The interim consolidated financial statements and notes included in this report should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019. In the opinion of management, these interim consolidated financial statements include all adjustments and accruals of a normal and recurring nature necessary to fairly state the results of the interim periods presented. The results for interim periods are not necessarily indicative of results to be expected for the full year or for any future periods. The Company’s unaudited interim financial statements are prepared for each quarterly period ending on the Friday closest to the end of the calendar quarter, with the exception of the fourth quarter which always ends on December 31.
Use of Estimates | Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. Estimates and assumptions are reviewed on an on-going basis and the effects of revisions are reflected in the period in which they are deemed to be necessary. The Company evaluates its estimates based on historical experience, current conditions, including estimated economic implications of the COVID-19 pandemic, and various other assumptions that it believes are reasonable under the circumstances. The accounting estimates assessed included, but were not limited to, the Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts and credit losses, inventory and related reserves and the carrying value of the goodwill and other long-lived assets. While there was not a material change to the consolidated financial statements related these estimates as of and for the three months ended April 3, 2020, the Company’s future assessment of the magnitude and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other factors, could result in material impacts to the Company’s consolidated financial statements in future reporting periods.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements | Recent Accounting Pronouncements The following table provides a brief description of recent Accounting Standards Updates (“ASU”) issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”):
Standard |  | Description |  | Effective Date |  | Effect on the Financial Statements or Other Significant Matters
In December 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-12, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes.” |  | ASU 2019-12 simplifies the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles of Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 740, including: (i) the exception to the incremental approach for intraperiod tax allocation when there is a loss from continuing operations and income or a gain from other items; (ii) the exception to the requirement to recognize a deferred tax liability for equity method investments when a foreign subsidiary becomes an equity method investment (or vice-versa); and (iii) the exception for calculating income taxes in an interim period when a year-to-date loss exceeds the anticipated loss for the year. ASU 2019-12 also simplifies GAAP for other areas of ASC 740 by clarifying and amending the existing guidance. |  | January 1, 2021. Early adoption is permitted. |  | The Company is currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2019-12 on its consolidated financial statements.
In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” |  | ASU 2016-13 requires the measurement of all expected credit losses of financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Financial institutions and other organizations will now use forward looking information to better inform their credit loss estimates. |  | January 1, 2020. |  | The Company adopted ASU 2016-13 during the first quarter of 2020. The adoption of ASU 2016-13 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
In March 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-04, “Reference rate reform (Topic 848): Facilitation of the effects of reference rate reform on financial reporting.” |  | ASU 2020-04 provides optional expedients and exceptions for applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by reference rate reform if certain criteria are met. |  | Upon issuance. ASU 2020-04 is elective. |  | The Company is currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2020-04 on its consolidated financial statements.
Revenue Recognition | The Company recognizes revenue when control of promised goods or services is transferred to customers. The transfer of control generally occurs upon shipment when title and risk of loss pass to the customer. The vast majority of the Company’s revenue is generated from the sale of distinct products. Revenue is measured as the amount of consideration the Company expects to receive in exchange for such products, which is generally at contractually stated prices. Sales taxes and value added taxes collected concurrently with revenue generating activities are excluded from revenue. Performance Obligations Substantially all of the Company’s revenue is recognized at a point in time, upon shipment, rather than over time. At the request of its customers, the Company may perform professional services, generally for the maintenance and repair of products previously sold to those customers and for engineering services. Professional services for the maintenance and repair of products are typically short in duration, mostly less than one month, and generally involve a single distinct performance obligation. The related revenue is recognized at a point in time when control transfers to the customer upon completion of professional services. The consideration expected to be received in exchange for such services is typically the contractually stated amount. Certain engineering services are longer in duration and the related revenue is recognized over time, as the Company has a right to consideration from a customer, based on the corresponding value to the customer from the Company’s performance completed to date. Professional services aggregate to less than 3% of the Company’s consolidated revenue. The Company occasionally sells separately priced non-standard/extended warranty services or preventative maintenance plans with the sale of products. The transfer of control over the service plans is over time. The Company recognizes the related revenue ratably over the terms of the service plans. The transaction price of a contract is allocated to each performance obligation based on its relative standalone selling price. Standalone selling prices are generally determined based on the prices charged to customers or using the expected cost plus a margin. Shipping & Handling Costs The Company accounts for shipping and handling activities that occur after the transfer of control over the related goods as fulfillment activities rather than performance obligations. The shipping and handling fees charged to customers are recognized as revenue and the related costs are recorded in cost of revenue at the time of transfer of control. Warranties The Company generally provides warranties for its products. The standard warranty period is typically 12 months to 24 months for the Photonics and Precision Motion segments and 12 months to 36 months for the Vision segment. The standard warranty period for product sales is accounted for under the provisions of ASC 450, “Contingencies,” as the Company has the ability to ascertain the likelihood of the liability and can reasonably estimate the amount of the liability. A provision for the estimated cost related to warranty is recorded to cost of revenue at the time revenue is recognized. The Company’s estimate of costs to service the warranty obligations is based on historical experience and expectations of future conditions. To the extent that the Company’s experience in warranty claims or costs associated with servicing those claims differ from the original estimates, revisions to the estimated warranty liability are recorded at that time, with an offsetting adjustment to cost of revenue. Practical Expedients and Exemptions The Company expenses incremental direct costs of obtaining a contract when incurred if the expected amortization period is one year or less. These costs are recorded within selling, general and administrative expenses in the consolidated statement of operations. The Company does not adjust the promised amount of consideration for the effects of a financing component because the transfer of a promised good to a customer and the customer’s payment for that good are typically one year or less. The Company does not disclose the value of the remaining performance obligation for contracts with an original expected length of one year or less. Contract Liabilities Contract liabilities consist of deferred revenue and advance payments from customers, including amounts that are refundable. These contract liabilities are classified as either current or long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet based on the timing of when the Company expects to recognize the related revenue. As of April 3, 2020 and December 31, 2019, contract liabilities were $3.3 million and $3.6 million, res pectively, and are included in accrued expenses and other current liabilities and other liabilities in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. The de crease in the contract liability balance during the three months ended April 3, 2020 is primarily due to $2.1 million of revenue recognized during the period that was included in the contract liability balance at December 31, 2019, partially offset by cash payments received in advance of satisfying performance obligations. Disaggregated Revenue See Note 16 for the Company’s disaggregation of revenue by segment, geography and end market.
Foreign Currency Contracts | Foreign Currency Contracts The Company addresses market risks from changes in foreign currency exchange rates through a risk management program that includes the use of derivative financial instruments to mitigate certain foreign currency transaction exposures from future settlement of non-functional currency monetary assets and liabilities as of the end of a period. The Company does not enter into derivative transactions for speculative purposes. Gains and losses on derivative financial instruments substantially offset losses and gains on the underlying hedged exposures. Furthermore, the Company manages its exposures to counterparty risks on derivative instruments by entering into contracts with a diversified group of major financial institutions and by actively monitoring outstanding positions.
Leases | Most leases held by the Company expire between 2020 and 2034. In the U.K., where longer lease terms are more common, the Company has a land lease that extends through 2078. Certain leases include terms such as an option to purchase the property, one or more options to renew, with renewal terms that can extend the lease term from one to 10 years, and options to terminate the leases within one year. The exercise of lease renewal or termination options is at the Company’s sole discretion; therefore, the majority of renewals to extend the lease terms are not included in the Company’s right-of-use assets and operating lease liabilities as they are not reasonably certain of being exercised. The Company regularly evaluates the renewal options and includes the renewal periods in the lease term when they are reasonably certain of being exercised. The depreciable lives of the right-of-use assets and leasehold improvements are limited to the expected lease terms.

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