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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Organization, operations, and basis of consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of L.B. Foster Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, joint ventures, and partnerships in which a controlling interest is held. Inter-company transactions and accounts have been eliminated. The Company utilizes the equity method of accounting for companies where its ownership is less than or equal to 50% and significant influence exists. L.B. Foster Company (“Company”) is a leading manufacturer and distributor of products and service provider for transportation and energy infrastructure with locations in North America and Europe. The Company is organized and operates in three business segments: Rail Products and Services (“Rail”), Construction Products (“Construction”), and Tubular and Energy Services (“Tubular and Energy”). The Rail segment is comprised of several manufacturing and distribution businesses that provide a variety of products and services for freight and passenger railroads and industrial companies throughout the world. The Construction segment is composed of piling, fabricated bridge, and precast concrete product offerings across North America. The Tubular and Energy segment provides products and services predominantly to the U.S. mid and upstream oil and gas markets. Use of estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates, judgements, and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates and changes in these estimates are recorded when known. Significant accounting policies Cash and cash equivalents The Company considers cash and other instruments with maturities of three months or less when purchased to be cash and cash equivalents. The Company invests available funds in a manner to maximize returns, preserve investment principal, and maintain liquidity, while seeking the highest yield available. Cash and cash equivalents held in non-domestic accounts were $13,660 and $8,058 as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Included in non-domestic cash equivalents are investments in bank term deposits of approximately $17 and $16 as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The carrying amounts approximated fair value due to the short maturity of the instruments. Inventory Inventory is valued at the lower of average cost or net realizable value. Slow-moving inventory is reviewed and adjusted regularly, based upon product knowledge, physical inventory observation, inventory turnover, and the age of the inventory. Inventory contains product costs, including inbound freight, direct labor, overhead costs relating to the manufacturing and distribution of products, and absorption costs representing the excess manufacturing or production costs over the amounts charged to the cost of sales or services. Property, plant, and equipment Depreciation and amortization are provided on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of 7 to 40 years for buildings and 2 to 13 years for machinery and equipment. Leasehold improvements are amortized over 6 to 10 years, which represent the lives of the respective leases or the lives of the improvements, whichever is shorter. Depreciation expense is recorded within “Cost of goods sold,” “Cost of services sold,” and “Selling and administrative expenses” on the Consolidated Statements of Operations based upon the particular asset’s use. The Company reviews a long-lived asset for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. The Company recognizes an impairment loss if the carrying amount of a long-lived asset is not recoverable and exceeds its fair value. There were no property, plant, and equipment impairments recorded for the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018. Maintenance, repairs, and minor renewals are charged to operations as incurred. Major renewals and betterments that substantially extend the useful life of the property are capitalized at cost. Upon sale or other disposition of assets, the costs and related accumulated depreciation and amortization are removed from the accounts and the resulting gain or loss, if any, is reflected in “Other income or expense.” Allowance for doubtful accounts The allowance for doubtful accounts is recorded to reflect the estimated realization of the Company’s accounts receivable and includes assessments of the probability of collection and the credit-worthiness of certain customers. Reserves for uncollectible accounts are recorded as part of “Selling and administrative expenses” on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. The Company reviews its accounts receivable aging and calculates an allowance through application of historic reserve factors to overdue receivables. This calculation is supplemented by specific account reviews performed by the Company’s credit department. As necessary, the application of the Company’s allowance rates to specific customers is reviewed and adjusted to more accurately reflect the credit risk inherent within that customer relationship. Goodwill and other intangible assets Goodwill is the cost of an acquisition less the fair value of the identifiable net assets of the acquired business. Goodwill is tested annually for impairment or more often if there are indicators of impairment within a reporting unit. A reporting unit is an operating segment or a component of an operating segment for which discrete financial information is available and reviewed by management on a regular basis. The goodwill impairment test involves comparing the fair value of a reporting unit to its carrying value, including goodwill. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss equal to the excess amount up to the goodwill balance is recorded as a component of operations. The Company performs its annual impairment tests in the fourth quarter. The Company’s fourth quarter 2019 annual test included the assessment of qualitative factors to determine whether it was more likely than not that the fair value of each reporting unit is less than its carrying value. The qualitative assessment encompassed a review of events and circumstances specific to each reporting unit with goodwill, as well as specific to the entity as a whole. The Company’s qualitative assessment considered, among other things, factors such as macroeconomic conditions, industry and market considerations, including changes in the Company’s stock price and market multiples, projected financial performance, cost factors, changes in carrying values, and other relevant factors. Considering the totality of the qualitative factors assessed, based on the weight of evidence, no circumstances existed that would indicate it was more likely than not that goodwill was impaired. There was no goodwill impairment recognized during 2019 or 2018. The Company continues to monitor the recoverability of the long-lived assets associated with certain reporting units of the Company and the long-term financial projections of the businesses. Sustained declines in the markets we serve may result in future long-lived asset impairment. The Company has no indefinite-lived intangible assets. The Company reviews a long-lived intangible asset for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the asset may not be recoverable. All intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives. There were no definite-lived intangible asset impairments during the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018. Environmental remediation and compliance Environmental remediation costs are accrued when the liability is probable and costs are estimable. Environmental compliance costs, which principally include the disposal of waste generated by routine operations, are expensed as incurred. Capitalized environmental costs, when appropriate, are depreciated over their useful life. Reserves are not reduced by potential claims for recovery and are not discounted. Claims for recovery are recognized as agreements are reached with third parties or as amounts are received. Reserves are periodically reviewed throughout the year and adjusted to reflect current remediation progress, prospective estimates of required activity, and other factors that may be relevant, including changes in technology or regulations. See Note 18 for additional information regarding the Company’s outstanding environmental and litigation reserves. Revenue recognition The Company’s revenues are comprised of product and service sales, including products and services provided under long-term agreements with its customers. All revenue is recognized when the Company satisfies its performance obligations under the contract, either implicit or explicit, by transferring the promised product or rendering a service to its customer either when or as its customer obtains control of the product or the service is rendered. Deferred revenue consists of customer billings or payments received for which the revenue recognition criteria have not yet been met as well as contract liabilities (billings in excess of costs) on over time contracts. Advance payments from customers typically relate to contracts for which the Company has significantly fulfilled its obligations, but due to the Company’s continuing involvement with the project, revenue is precluded from being recognized until the performance obligation is met for the customer. See Note 3 for additional information. Product warranty The Company maintains a current warranty liability for the repair or replacement of defective products. For certain manufactured products, an accrual is made on a monthly basis as a percentage of cost of sales based upon historical experience. For long-lived construction products, a warranty is established when the claim is known and quantifiable. The product warranty accrual is periodically adjusted based on the identification or resolution of known individual product warranty claims or due to changes in the Company’s historical warranty experience. As of December 31, 2019 and 2018, the product warranty reserve was $1,222 and $2,057, respectively. See Note 18 for additional information regarding the product warranty. Income taxes Income taxes are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred taxes are measured using enacted tax laws and rates expected to be in effect when such differences are recovered or settled. The effect of a change in tax rates on deferred taxes is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date of the change. The Company has also elected to record global intangible low-taxed income (“GILTI”) as period costs if and when incurred. The Company makes judgments regarding the recognition of deferred tax assets and the future realization of these assets. As prescribed by the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s (“FASB”) Accounting Standard Codification (“ASC”) 740, “Income Taxes” and applicable guidance, valuation allowances must be provided for those deferred tax assets for which it is more likely than not (a likelihood of more than 50%) that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. The guidance requires the Company to evaluate positive and negative evidence regarding the recoverability of deferred tax assets. The determination of whether the positive evidence outweighs the negative evidence and quantification of the valuation allowance requires the Company to make estimates and judgments of future financial results. The Company has concluded that for purposes of quantifying valuation allowances, it would be appropriate to consider the reversal of taxable temporary differences related to indefinite-lived intangible assets when assessing the realizability of deferred tax assets that upon reversal, would give rise to operating losses that do not expire. The Company evaluates all tax positions taken on its federal, state, and foreign tax filings to determine if the position is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination. For positions that meet the more likely than not to be sustained criteria, the largest amount of benefit to be realized upon ultimate settlement is determined on a cumulative probability basis. A previously recognized tax position is derecognized when it is subsequently determined that a tax position no longer meets the more likely than not threshold to be sustained. The evaluation of the sustainability of a tax position and the expected tax benefit is based on judgment, historical experience, and various other assumptions. Actual results could differ from those estimates upon subsequent resolution of identified matters. The Company accrues interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits in its provision for income taxes. Foreign currency translation The assets and liabilities of our foreign subsidiaries are measured using the local currency as the functional currency and are translated into U.S. dollars at exchange rates as of the balance sheet date. Income statement amounts are translated at the weighted-average rates of exchange during the year. The translation adjustment is accumulated as a separate component of “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” within our Consolidated Balance Sheets. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in “Other income or expense.” For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, foreign currency transaction losses of approximately $202 and gains of $483, respectively, were included in “Other expense (income) - net” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Research and development The Company expenses research and development costs as costs are incurred. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, research and development expenses were $2,614 and $2,646, respectively, and were principally related to the Company’s friction management and railroad monitoring system products within the Rail Products and Services segment. Reclassifications Certain accounts in the prior year consolidated financial statements have been reclassified for comparative purposes principally to conform to the presentation in the current year period. Recently issued accounting guidance In August 2018, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2018-15, “Intangibles - Goodwill and Other - Internal-Use Software” (“ASU 2018-15”). ASU 2018-15 requires capitalization of certain implementation costs incurred in a cloud computing arrangement that is a service contract. The amendments in ASU 20118-15 are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and for interim periods therein with early adoption permitted. The Company evaluated the potential impact of ASU 2018-15 on its consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows and anticipates the adoption will have an immaterial effect on the Company’s 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”). ASU 2016-13 added a new impairment model (known as the current expected credit loss (“CECL”) model) that is based on expected losses rather than incurred losses. Under the new guidance, an entity recognizes as an allowance its estimate of expected credit losses. The CECL model applies to trade receivables, other receivables, and most debt instruments. The CECL model does not have a minimum threshold for recognition of impairment losses, and entities will need to measure expected credit losses on assets that have a low risk of loss. The new standard will become effective for the Company January 1, 2020 and will be applied using the modified retrospective basis. The Company anticipates the adoption of this standard will not have a material impact on the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements. Recently adopted accounting guidance In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)” (“ASU 2016-02”). The new accounting requirements include the accounting for, presentation of, and classification of leases. The guidance resulted in most leases being capitalized as a right-of-use asset with a related balance sheet liability. The requirements of the new standard are effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company adopted the provisions of ASU 2016-02 on January 1, 2019, using the modified retrospective approach as of the beginning of the period of adoption. Additionally, the Company has elected to apply the practical expedients for leases that commenced prior to the effective date, not to apply the recognition requirements in the standard to short-term leases, and not to separate non-lease components from lease components. The Company has presented the disclosures required by ASU 2016-02 in Note 8. In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, “Income Statement – Reporting Comprehensive Income; Reclassification of Certain Tax Effects from Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income” (“ASU 2018-02”), which allows companies to reclassify stranded tax effects caused by the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”) from accumulated other comprehensive income to retained earnings. The amendments eliminate the stranded tax effects resulting from the Tax Act and improve the usefulness of information reported to financial statement users. However, because the amendments only relate to the reclassification of the income tax effects of the Tax Act, the underlying guidance that requires that the effect of a change in tax laws or rates be included in income from continuing operations is not affected. The Company adopted ASU 2018-02 during the first quarter of 2019 and has chosen to record the reclassification as of the beginning of the period of adoption. As a result of adopting this standard, we reclassified stranded tax effects of $633 from “Accumulated other comprehensive loss” to “Retained earnings.”

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the basis of presentation and significant accounting policies concepts. Basis of presentation describes the underlying basis used to prepare the financial statements (for example, US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Other Comprehensive Basis of Accounting, IFRS). Accounting policies describe all significant accounting policies of the reporting entity. + References Reference 1: 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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