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Significant Accounting Policies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES | SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Description of the Business and Segments The Company manufactures, distributes and services high quality tractor-mounted mowing and other vegetation maintenance equipment, street sweepers, excavators, vacuum trucks, snow removal equipment, pothole patchers, zero turn radius mowers, agricultural implements and related aftermarket parts and services. The Company manages its business through three principal reporting segments: Industrial, Agricultural and European, which are discussed in Note 16. Basis of Presentation and Principles of Consolidation The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Alamo Group Inc. and its subsidiaries (the “Company” or “Alamo Group”), all of which are wholly owned. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amount of assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Judgments related to asset impairment and certain reserves are particularly subject to change. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Such estimates include, but are not limited to, allowance for doubtful accounts, reserve for sales discounts, estimated realizable value on obsolete and slow-moving inventory, warranty reserve, estimates related to pension accounting; estimates related to fair value for purposes of assessing goodwill, long-lived assets and intangible assets for impairment; estimates related to income taxes; and estimates related to contingencies. Foreign Currency The Company translates the assets and liabilities of foreign-owned subsidiaries at rates in effect at the end of the year. Revenues and expenses are translated at average rates in effect during the reporting period. Translation adjustments are included in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). The Company enters into foreign currency forward contracts to limit its exposure to certain foreign currency transactions. The Company does not hold or issue financial instruments for trading purposes. Cash Equivalents The Company considers all highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less from the date of purchase to be cash equivalents. As of December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, there was no restricted cash. Concentrations of Credit Risk Financial instruments which potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist principally of accounts receivable. The credit risk is limited because of the large numbers and types of customers and their geographic dispersion. Inventories Inventories of U.S. operating subsidiaries are stated at the lower of cost (last-in, first-out method) (“LIFO”) or market, and the Company’s international subsidiaries’ inventories are stated at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out) (“FIFO”) or market. Inventory costs include those costs directly attributable to products, including raw materials, labor and overhead. Property, Plant and Equipment Property, plant, and equipment are stated on the basis of cost. Major renewals and betterments are charged to the property accounts while replacements, maintenance and repairs, which do not improve or extend the lives of the respective assets, are expensed to the current period. Depreciation is provided at amounts calculated to amortize the cost of the assets over their estimated useful economic lives using the straight-line method. Impairment of Long-Lived Assets Long-lived assets, such as property, plant and equipment, rental equipment, and purchased intangibles subject to amortization, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. If circumstances require a long-lived asset or asset group to be tested for possible impairment, the Company first compares non-discounted cash flows expected to be generated by that asset group to its carrying amount. If the carrying amount of the long-lived asset or asset group is not recoverable on a non-discounted cash flow basis, an impairment is recognized to the extent that the carrying amount exceeds fair value. Fair value is determined through various valuation techniques including discounted cash flow models, quoted market values and third-party independent appraisals, as considered necessary. Goodwill In January 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standard Update ("ASU") No. 2017-04 - Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment. This ASU simplifies the subsequent measurement of goodwill, the FASB eliminated Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Under the amendments in this ASU, an entity should perform its annual, or interim, goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. An entity should recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value; however, the loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. Additionally, an entity should consider income tax effects from any tax deductible goodwill on the carrying amount of the reporting unit when measuring the goodwill impairment loss, if applicable. An entity still has the option to perform the qualitative assessment for a reporting unit to determine if the quantitative impairment test is necessary. A public business entity that is an SEC filer should adopt the amendments in this Update for its annual or any interim goodwill impairment tests in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017. ASU 2017-04 was early adopted by the Company for the year beginning January 1, 2017 and did not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements. Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the estimated fair value of the identifiable net assets acquired. Goodwill is not amortized but is instead tested for impairment at least annually, or whenever events or circumstances change between the annual impairment tests that make it likely that an impairment may have occurred, such as a significant adverse change in the business climate or a decision to sell all or a portion of a reporting unit. The Company performs its annual test for goodwill impairment related to its reporting units on October 1 of each fiscal year. Impairment testing for goodwill is done at the reporting unit level. A reporting unit is an operating segment or one level below an operating segment (also known as a component). A component of an operating segment is a reporting unit if the component constitutes a business for which discrete financial information is available, and segment management regularly reviews the operating results of that component. We perform a qualitative assessment for all of our reporting units to determine whether it is more likely than not that an impairment exists. Factors considered include macroeconomic, industry and competitive conditions, legal and regulatory environment, historical financial performance and significant changes in the reporting unit. If the qualitative assessment indicates that it is more likely than not that an impairment exists, then a quantitative assessment is performed. Alternatively, we may also bypass the qualitative assessment and go ahead and perform step 1 to determine if the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value. If the fair value of the reporting unit is lower than its carrying amount, goodwill is written down for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the fair value. However, the loss recognized cannot exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. We typically use discounted cash flow models to determine the fair value of a reporting unit. The assumptions used in these models are consistent with those we believe a hypothetical marketplace participant would use. See Note 7 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for more information regarding goodwill. Intangible Assets The Company has intangible assets with both definite and indefinite useful lives. The definite-lived assets are trade names and trademarks, customer and dealer relationships, and patents and drawings that are subject to amortization with useful lives ranging from 3 years to 25 years. Impairment of definite-lived assets is discussed as part of the Impairment of Long-Lived Assets paragraph above. The indefinite-lived assets not subject to amortization consist of trade names. The Company tests its indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment on an annual basis at year-end, or more frequently if an event occurs or circumstances change that indicate that the fair value of an indefinite-lived intangible asset could be below its carrying amount. The impairment test consists of comparing the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible asset, determined using the relief from royalty method, with its carrying amount. An impairment loss would be recognized for the carrying amount in excess of its fair value. See Note 8 to the Consolidated Financial Statements for more information regarding intangible assets. Pensions The Company records annual amounts relating to its pension and post-retirement plans based on calculations that incorporate various actuarial and other assumptions, including discount rates, mortality, assumed rates of return, compensation increases, turnover rates and health care cost trend rates. The Company reviews its assumptions on an annual basis and makes modifications to the assumptions based on current rates and trends when it is appropriate to do so. The effect of modifications to those assumptions is recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) and amortized to net periodic cost over future periods using the corridor method. The Company believes that the assumptions utilized in recording its obligations under its plans are reasonable based on its experience and market conditions. The net periodic costs are recognized as employees render the services necessary to earn the post-retirement benefits. Revenue Recognition The Company recognizes revenue when each of the following four criteria are met: 1) a contract or sales arrangement exists; 2) products have been shipped per agreed terms and title has been transferred or services have been rendered; 3) the prices of the products or services are fixed or determinable; and 4) collectability is reasonably assured. Pre-season sales orders are solicited in the fall in advance of the dealer’s sales season in the spring and summer. Revenue from sales is recorded net of a provision for discounts that are anticipated to be earned and deducted at time of payment by the customer. These approximated discounts are estimated using an average of historical discounts taken and are adjusted as program terms are changed. Sales taxes collected from customers and remitted to governmental authorities are accounted for on a net basis and therefore are excluded from revenues in the consolidated statements of operations. Rental Equipment The Company enters into operating lease agreements with customers related to the rental of certain equipment. In accounting for these leases, the cost of the equipment purchased or manufactured by the Company is recorded as an asset, and is depreciated over its estimated useful life. Accumulated depreciation relating to the rental equipment was $9,413,000 and $10,430,000 on December 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, respectively. Shipping and Handling Costs The Company’s policy is to include shipping and handling costs in costs of goods sold. Advertising We charge advertising costs to expense as incurred. Advertising and marketing expense related to operations for fiscal years 2017, 2016, and 2015 was approximately $9,566,000, $7,742,000 and $7,670,000, respectively. Advertising and marketing expenses are included in Selling, General and Administrative expenses (“SG&A”). Research and Development Product development and engineering costs charged to SG&A amounted to $9,849,000, $8,847,000, and $8,590,000 for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016, and 2015, respectively. Commitments and Contingencies Liabilities for loss contingencies arising from claims, assessments, litigation, fines and penalties and other sources are recorded when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount can be reasonably estimated. The Company's policy is to accrue for legal costs expected to be incurred in connection with loss contingencies. Income Taxes Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between the financial reporting basis and tax basis of assets and liabilities, and are measured by applying enacted statutory tax rates applicable to the future years in which deferred tax assets or liabilities are expected to be settled or realized. In assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets, management considers whether it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will be realized. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary differences become deductible. Management considers the scheduled reversals of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income, available tax carry backs and tax planning strategies in making this assessment other than those which we have reserved. We previously considered substantially all of the earnings in our foreign subsidiaries to be permanently reinvested and, accordingly, recorded no deferred income taxes on such earnings. As a result of the fundamental changes to the taxation of multinational corporations as a result of TCJA, we no longer intend to permanently reinvest all of the historical undistributed earnings of our foreign subsidiaries. We will distribute earnings from our European subsidiaries, while maintaining our permanent reinvestment for our other foreign subsidiaries. GAAP requires recognition of a deferred tax liability in the reporting period in which its intent to no longer permanently reinvest its historical undistributed foreign earnings is made. There will generally be no U.S. federal taxes imposed on such future distributions of foreign earnings and, due to treaties between the various countries, we do not expect the cash transfer will be subject to foreign withholding or other local taxes. Stock-Based Compensation The Company has granted options to purchase its common stock to certain employees and directors of the Company and its affiliates under various stock option plans at no less than the fair market value of the underlying stock on the date of grant. These options are granted for a term not exceeding ten years and are forfeited in the event that the employee or director terminates his or her employment or relationship with the Company or one of its affiliates other than by retirement or death. These options generally vest over five years. All option plans contain anti-dilutive provisions that permit an adjustment of the number of shares of the Company’s common stock represented by each option for any change in capitalization. Excess tax benefits or awards that are recognized in equity related to stock option exercises are reflected as cash flows from financing activities in the statement of cash flows. The fair value of each stock option is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes valuation method with the following assumptions noted:
1. | The risk-free rate is based on the U.S. Treasury rate over the expected life of the option at the time of the grant.
2. | The dividend yield is calculated as the ratio of dividends paid per share of common stock to the stock price on the date of the grant.
3. | The expected volatility factors are based on the historical movement of the Company’s common stock price over the expected life of the option.
4. | The expected life is the average length of time in which officers, other employees, and non-employee directors are expected to exercise their options, and which are primarily based on historical experience.
The Company calculated the fair value for options with the following weighted-average assumptions for 2017, 2016, and 2015:
|  | December 31,
|  | 2017 |  | 2016 |  | 2015
Risk-free interest rate |  | 2.23 | % |  | 1.54 | % |  | 2.00 | %
Dividend yield |  | 0.5 | % |  | 0.6 | % |  | 0.6 | %
Volatility factors |  | 37.6 | % |  | 48.5 | % |  | 48.8 | %
Weighted-average expected life |  | 8.0 years |  |  | 8.0 years |  |  | 8.0 years |
Earnings per Common Share (“EPS”) Basic EPS is computed using the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the year. The treasury stock method is used to compute diluted EPS which gives effect to the potential dilution of earnings that could have occurred if additional shares were issued for awards granted under the Company’s incentive stock option plans. The treasury stock method assumes proceeds obtained upon exercise of awards granted under the incentive stock option plans are used to purchase outstanding common stock at the average market price during the period.

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