Ascent Industries Co. Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 28, 2013

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries, all of which are wholly owned. The Metals Segment is comprised of three wholly-owned subsidiaries: Synalloy Metals, Inc. which owns 100 percent of Bristol Metals, LLC, located in Bristol, Tennessee; Ram-Fab, LLC, located in Crossett, Arkansas and Palmer of Texas Tanks, Inc, located in Andrews, Texas. The Specialty Chemicals Segment consists of two wholly-owned subsidiaries: Manufacturers Soap and Chemical Company which owns 100 percent of Manufacturers Chemicals, LLC, located in Cleveland, Tennessee and Dalton, Georgia and CRI Tolling, LLC, located in Fountain Inn, South Carolina. All significant intercompany transactions have been eliminated.

Accounting Period

The Company's fiscal year is the 52 or 53 week period ending the Saturday nearest to December 31. Fiscal year 2013 ended on December 28, 2013, fiscal year 2012 ended on December 29, 2012 and fiscal year 2011 ended on December 31, 2011, each year having 52 weeks.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The Company maintains cash balances at financial institutions with strong credit ratings.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable from the sale of products are recorded at net realizable value and the Company generally grants credit to customers on an unsecured basis. Substantially all of the Company's accounts receivables are due from companies located throughout the United States. The Company provides an allowance for doubtful collections and for disputed claims and quality issues. The allowance is based upon a review of outstanding receivables, historical collection information and existing economic conditions. The Company performs periodic credit evaluations of its customers' financial condition and generally does not require collateral. Receivables are generally due within 30 to 60 days. Delinquent receivables are written off based on individual credit evaluations and specific circumstances of the customer.

Included in the stock purchase agreement (the "SPA") of Palmer, the sellers guaranteed the collectability of the acquired accounts receivable. Per the SPA, at 120 days after the acquisition date, an allowance for doubtful accounts was established for all open, pre-acquisition receivables of $821,000, with an offsetting increase in the amount due from the sellers during the year ended December 29, 2012. Subsequent collections on these accounts by the Company will be reimbursed to the sellers.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost or market. Cost is determined by the first-in, first-out ("FIFO") method. The Company writes down its inventory for estimated obsolescence or unmarketable inventory equal to the difference between the cost of inventory and the estimated market value based upon assumptions about future demand and current market conditions. Based upon historical results, the Company also maintains an inventory reserve to provide for the amount of estimated inventory quantity loss since the last physical inventory. As of December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012, inventories have been reduced by $2,217,000 and $2,383,000, respectively, for obsolescence, market and physical inventory reserves.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is provided on the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the assets. Land improvements and buildings are depreciated over a range of ten to 40 years, and machinery, fixtures and equipment are depreciated over a range of three to 20 years. The costs of software licenses are amortized over five years using the straight-line method. The Company continually reviews the recoverability of the carrying value of long-lived assets. The Company also reviews long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of such assets may not be recoverable. When the future undiscounted cash flows of the operation to which the assets relate do not exceed the carrying value of the asset, the assets are written down to fair value.

Goodwill and Deferred Charges

Goodwill, Intangible Assets and Deferred Charges

Goodwill, arising from the excess of purchase price over fair value of net assets of businesses acquired, is not amortized but is reviewed annually in the fourth quarter for impairment. Intangible assets represents the fair value of intellectual, non-physical assets resulting from a business acquisition. Deferred charges represent other intangible assets such as debt service costs. Intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives using an accelerated method. Deferred charges are amortized over their estimated useful lives using the straight-line method. Deferred charges are amortized over a period ranging from 3 to 10 years and intangible assets are amortized over a period of 15 years. Deferred charges and intangible assets totaled $9,407,000 and $9,353,000 at December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012, respectively. Accumulated amortization of deferred charges and intangible assets as of December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012 totaled $2,203,000 and $605,000, respectively. Estimated amortization expense for the next five fiscal years based on existing deferred charges and intangible assets is: 2014 - $1,362,000, 2015 - $1,168,000, 2016 - $999,000; 2017 - $870,000; 2018 - $706,000; and thereafter - $2,099,000.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue from product sales is recognized at the time ownership of goods transfers to the customer and the earnings process is complete, which is typically on the date the inventory is shipped to the customer.

Shipping Costs

Shipping costs of approximately $4,871,000, $3,445,000 and $3,088,000 in 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively, are recorded in cost of goods sold.

Research and Development Expenses

The Company incurred research and development expense of approximately $558,000, $612,000 and $352,000 in 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Earnings Per Share of Common Stock

Earnings per share of common stock are computed based on the weighted average number of shares outstanding during each period. See Note 12.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments and Fair Value Disclosures

Fair Value Disclosures

The Company makes estimates of fair value in accounting for certain transactions, in testing and measuring impairment, and in providing disclosures of fair value in its consolidated financial instruments. The Company determines the fair values of its financial instruments for disclosure purposes by maximizing the use of observable inputs and minimizing the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. Fair value disclosures for assets and liabilities are grouped in three levels. The levels prioritize the inputs used to measure the fair value of the assets or liabilities. These levels are:

Level 1 - Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2 - Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for assets and liabilities, either directly or indirectly. These inputs include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets or quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are less active.

Level 3 - Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity for assets or liabilities and includes certain pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies and similar techniques.

Estimates of fair value using levels 2 and 3 may require judgments as to the timing and amount of cash flows, discount rates, and other factors requiring significant judgment, and the outcomes may vary widely depending on the selection of these assumptions. The Company's most significant fair value estimates in 2013 and 2012 related to purchase accounting adjustments in the CRI and Palmer acquisitions, including the measurement of the contingent consideration, estimating the fair value of the reporting units in testing goodwill for impairment, estimating the fair value of the interest rate swaps, and providing disclosures of the fair values of financial instruments.

As of December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012, the carrying amount for cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable and borrowings under the Company's line of credit and term loan, which are based on variable interest rates, approximates their fair value.

The Company does not currently have any Level 1 financial assets or liabilities. The Company has three Level 2 financial assets and liabilities. Cash value of life insurance had a fair value of $2,007,000 and $2,549,000 at December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012, respectively. The fair value of the life insurance policies was determined by the underwriting insurance company's valuation models and represents the guaranteed value the Company would receive upon surrender of these policies. Changes in the policies' fair value were recorded in non-current assets with corresponding offsetting entries to selling, general and administrative expense. Also, the fair value of the Palmer swap was an asset of $301,000 and a liability of $450,000 at December 28, 2013 and December 29, 2012, respectively. The fair value of the CRI swap was a liability of $80,000 at December 28, 2013. The interest rate swaps were priced using discounted cash flow techniques which are corroborated by using non-binding market prices. Changes in the swaps' fair value were recorded in current assets or liabilities, as appropriate, with corresponding offsetting entries to other income (expense). Significant inputs to the discounted cash flow model include projected future cash flows based on projected one-month LIBOR and the average margin for companies with similar credit ratings and similar maturities. These are classified as Level 2 as they are not actively traded and are valued using pricing models that use observable market inputs.

The contingent consideration payments, discussed in Note 16, are classified as Level 3. The amount of the total earn-out liability to the prior owners was determined using management's best estimate of Palmer's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization ("EBITDA") for the three-year earn-out period which will determine the amount of the ultimate payment to be made. Factors such as volume increases, selling price increases and inflation were used to develop a base projection. The Company believes additional costs will be required to improve employee turnover, safety, internal controls, etc. These estimated costs were deducted in order to determine projected EBITDA. The Company's current cost of borrowing was used to determine the present value of these expected payments. Each quarter-end, the Company re-evaluates their assumptions and adjustments to the estimated present value of the expected payments to be made, if required.

The following table presents a summary of changes in fair value of the Company's Level 3 liabilities measured on a recurring basis for 2013 and 2012:



	Level 3 Inputs
Balance at December 31, 2011	$	—
Present value contingent consideration liability associated with the Palmer acquisition	8,152,031
Interest expense charged during the year	56,800
Change in fair value of contingent consideration liability	—
Balance at December 29, 2012	8,208,831
Interest expense charged during the year	153,200
Change in fair value of contingent consideration liability	—
Payment to Palmer sellers	(2,500,000		)
Balance at December 28, 2013	$	5,862,031

There were no transfers of assets or liabilities between Level 1, Level 2 and Level 3 in the years ended December 28, 2013 or December 29, 2012. There have also been no changes in the fair value methodologies used by the Company.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America ("GAAP") requires management to make estimates and assumptions, primarily for testing goodwill for impairment, determining proper period-end balances for certain employee benefit accruals, estimating fair value of identifiable assets acquired and liabilities assumed as a result of business acquisitions and for establishing reserves on accounts receivable, inventories and environmental issues, that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Concentrations of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash deposits, trade accounts receivable and cash surrender value of life insurance. The cash surrender value of life insurance is the contractual amount on policies maintained with one insurance company. The Company performs a periodic evaluation of the relative credit standing of this company as it relates to the insurance industry.

Reclassifications

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation in the accompanying consolidated financial statements. These reclassifications had no material effect on previously reported results of operations or shareholders' equity.

Subsequent Events

Management has evaluated subsequent events through the date of filing this Form 10-K.