(4) Revenue Recognition

On February 1, 2018 we adopted Accounting Standards Update 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Accounting Standards Codification “ASC” Topic 606),” which superseded nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance under U.S. GAAP. The core principle of ASC Topic 606 is to recognize revenue when promised goods or services are transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration that is expected to be received for those goods or services. ASC Topic 606 defines a five step process to recognize revenue and requires more judgment and estimates within the revenue recognition process than required under previous U.S. GAAP, including identifying performance obligations in the contract, determining and estimating the amount of any variable consideration to include in the transaction price and allocating the transaction price to each separate performance obligation.

We adopted this standard using the modified retrospective method and have applied the guidance to all contracts within the scope of ASC Topic 606 as of the February 1, 2018 adoption date. Under ASC Topic 606, based on the nature of our contracts and consistent with prior practice, we recognize the large majority of our revenue upon shipment, which is when the performance obligation, has been satisfied. Accordingly, the adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on our revenue recognition and there was no cumulative effective adjustment as of February 1, 2018 as a result of the adoption of ASC Topic 606.

Significant judgments primarily include the identification of performance obligation arrangements as well as the pattern of delivery for those services.

We derive revenue from the sale of (i) hardware including, digital color label printers and specialty OEM printing systems, portable data acquisition systems and airborne printers used in the flight deck and in the cabin of military, commercial and business aircraft, (ii) related supplies required in the operation of the hardware, (iii) repairs and maintenance of equipment and (iv) service agreements.

The vast majority of our 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 the contractually stated prices, and is recognized when we satisfy a performance obligation by transferring control of a product to a customer. The transfer of control generally occurs at one point in time, upon shipment, when title and risk of loss pass to the customer. Returns and customer credits are infrequent and are recorded as a reduction to revenue. Sales taxes and value added taxes collected concurrently with revenue generating activities are excluded from revenue.

Many of the contracts entered into with customers are commonly comprised of a combination of equipment, supplies, installation and/or training services. We determine performance obligations by assessing whether the products or services are distinct from other elements of the contract. In order to be distinct, the product must perform either on its own or with readily available resources and must be separate within the context of the contract.

The majority of our hardware products contain embedded operating systems and data management software which is included in the purchase price of the equipment. The software is deemed incidental to the systems as a whole as it is not sold or marketed separately and its production costs are minor compared to those of the hardware system. Hardware and software elements are typically delivered at the same time and are accounted for as a single performance obligation for which revenue is recognized at the point in time when ownership is transferred to the customer.

Installation and training services vary based on certain factors such as the complexity of the equipment, staffing availability in a geographic location and customer preferences, and can range from a few days to a few months. The delivery of installation and training services are not assessed to determine whether they are separate performance obligations, as the amounts are not material to the contract.

Shipping and handling activities that occur after control over a product has transferred to a customer are accounted for as fulfillment activities rather than performance obligations, as allowed under a practical expedient. The shipping and handling fees charged to customers are recognized as revenue and the related costs are included in cost of sales at the point in time when ownership of the product is transferred to the customer.

We may perform service at the request of the customer, generally for the repair and maintenance of products previously sold. These services are short in duration, typically less than one month, and total less than 9.0% of revenue for the period ended April 28, 2018. Revenue is recognized as services are rendered and accepted by the customer. We also provide service agreements on certain of our Product Identification equipment. Service agreements are purchased separately from the equipment and provide for the right to obtain service and maintenance on the equipment for a period of typically one to two years. Accordingly, revenue on these agreements is recognized over the term of the agreements. The portion of service agreement contracts that are uncompleted at the end of any reporting period are included in deferred revenue.

We generally provide warranties for our products. The standard warranty period is typically 12 months for most hardware products except for airborne printers, which typically have warranties that extend for 4-5 years, consistent with industry practice. Such assurance-type warranties are not deemed to be separate performance obligations from the hardware product and costs associated with providing the warranties are accrued in accordance with ASC 450, “Contingencies,” as we have the ability to ascertain the likelihood of the liability and can reasonably estimate the amount of the liability. Our estimate of costs to service the warranty obligations is based on historical experience and expectations of future conditions. To the extent that our 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. On occasion, customers request a warranty period longer than our standard warranty. In those instances, in which extended warranty services are separately quoted to the customer, an additional performance obligation is created, and the associated revenue is deferred and recognized as service revenue ratably over the term of the extended warranty period. The portion of service contracts and extended warranty services agreements that are uncompleted at the end of any reporting period are included in deferred revenue.

Revenues disaggregated by primary geographic markets and major product type are as follows:

Primary geographical markets:


	Three Months Ended
(In thousands)	April 28, 2018		April 29, 2017
United States	$	19,233	$	15,683
Europe		7,834		6,383
Canada		1,445		1,176
Asia		1,439		290
Central and South America		1,054		832
Other		482		94

Total Revenue	$	31,487	$	24,458

Major product type:


	Three Months Ended
(In thousands)	April 28, 2018		April 29, 2017
Hardware	$	11,977	$	7,289
Supplies		16,701		14,845
Service and Other		2,809		2,324

Total Revenue	$	31,487	$	24,458

Accounts Receivable

Credit is extended based upon an evaluation of the customer’s financial condition. Accounts receivable are stated at their estimated net realizable value. The allowance for doubtful accounts is based on a variety of factors, including the age of amounts outstanding relative to their contractual due date, specific customer factors, historicalwrite-off experience and current market assessments. Standard payment terms are typically 30 days after shipment, but vary by type and geographic location of our customers.

Contract Assets and Liabilities

We normally do not have contract assets, which are primarily unbilled accounts receivable that are conditional on something other than the passage of time. Our contract liabilities, which represent billings in excess of revenue recognized, are related to advanced billings for purchased service agreements and extended warranties and were $301,000 and $367,000 at April 28, 2018 and January, 31, 2018, respectively, and are recorded as deferred revenue in the condensed consolidated balance sheet. The decrease in the deferred revenue balance during the three months ended April 28, 2018 is primarily due to approximately $175,000 of revenue recognized during the period that was included in the deferred revenue balance at January 31, 2018, offset by cash payments received in advance of satisfying performance obligations.

Contract Costs

We recognize an asset for the incremental costs of obtaining a contract with a customer if we expect the benefit of those costs to be longer than one year. We have determined that certain costs related to obtaining sales contracts for our aerospace printer products meet the requirement to be capitalized. These costs are deferred and amortized based on the forecasted number of units sold over the estimated benefit term, which is currently estimated to be approximately 10 years. There has been no change in the Company’s accounting for these contracts as a result of the adoption ASC Topic 606. The balance of these contract assets at January 31, 2018 was $832,000 and was reported in other assets in the consolidated balance sheet. In the first quarter of fiscal 2019, amortization of these incremental direct costs was $9,000 and the balance of deferred incremental direct costs net of accumulated amortization at April 28, 2018 was $973,000 which is reported in other assets in the condensed consolidated balance sheet. This amount is expected to be amortized over its estimated remaining period of benefit, which we currently estimate to be approximately 8 years.

We apply the practical expedient to expense costs incurred for costs to obtain a contract when the amortization period would have been less than a year. These costs include sales commissions paid to the internal direct sales team as well as to third-party representatives and distributors. Contractual agreements with each of these parties outline commission structures and rates to be paid. Generally speaking, the contracts are all individual procurement decisions by the customers and do not include renewal provisions and as such the majority of the contracts have an economic life of significantly less than a year.