Business OverviewKimball International, Inc. provides a variety of products from its two business segments: the Electronic Manufacturing Services (EMS) segment and the Furniture segment. The EMS segment provides engineering and manufacturing services which utilize common production and support capabilities globally to the medical, automotive, industrial control, and public safety industries. The Furniture segment provides furniture for the office and hospitality industries, sold under the Company's family of brand names.
Overall market conditions in the EMS industry continue to be favorable. The EMS industry sales projections (by IDC, InForum, and New Venture Research) show forecasted growth for calendar year 2010 in the range of 7% to 12% compared to calendar year 2009 and forecasted growth in the range of 8% to 11% for calendar year 2011 compared to calendar year 2010. In addition, the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA) reported that semiconductor sales are projected to grow approximately 28% in calendar year 2010, and although the Company does not directly serve this market, it may be indicative of increased end market demand for products utilizing electronic components.
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The Company continues its strategy of diversification within the EMS segment customer base as it currently focuses on the four key vertical markets of medical, automotive, industrial control, and public safety. Automotive activity is projected to moderate in fiscal year 2011 as the impact of the government stimulus programs is now behind us. Demand in the medical market has remained stable, and the Company sees signs of growth. The industrial control market is also showing signs of stability, after benefiting from spending targeted at energy savings technologies, and the public safety market is likewise stable. Sales to customers in the medical industry are the largest portion of the Company's EMS segment with sales to customers in the automotive industry being the second largest of the four vertical markets. The Company's sales to customers in the automotive industry are diversified among more than ten domestic and foreign customers and represented approximately one-fourth of the EMS segment's net sales for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011. The EMS segment September 30, 2010 open orders exceeded the September 30, 2009 level by 29%.
The office furniture and hospitality furniture markets appear to have stabilized, but are still fragile. The recovery is expected to be long and slow. As of August 2010, the Business and Institutional Furniture Manufacturer Association (BIFMA) projected a 1.5% year-over-year increase in the office furniture industry for calendar year 2010 after a 29% industry decline in calendar year 2009. BIFMA projects office furniture industry growth of approximately 9% in calendar year 2011. While the Company's mid-market brand has fared better than its contract office furniture brand due to the project nature of the contract market and the changing U.S. consumption patterns, the Company cannot predict future overall office furniture order trends at this time due to the short lead time of orders and the volatility in this market. In addition, the hotel industry forecasts (reported by Smith Travel Research and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP) project occupancy rates to increase approximately 4% to 5% in calendar year 2010 after a 9% industry decline in calendar year 2009 and project revenue per available room to increase 3% to 4% for calendar year 2010 after a 17% industry decline in calendar year 2009. Although the Company's recent hospitality order rates have improved, the Company cannot predict if this activity will be sustained in the near-term. Furniture segment open orders as of September 30, 2010 were 30% higher than the September 30, 2009 level.
Competitive pricing pressures within the EMS segment and on many projects within the Furniture segment continue to put pressure on the Company's operating margins.
The Company made great strides over the last two years in reducing its overall cost structure and thus lowering its breakeven sales point. In addition, a long-standing component of the Company's profit sharing incentive bonus plan is that it is linked to the performance of the Company which automatically lowers total compensation expense when profits are down. The focus on cost control continues. At the same time, the Company has continued making prudent investments in product development, technology, and marketing and business development initiatives to drive profitable growth. The Company also continues to closely monitor market changes and its liquidity in order to proactively adjust its operating costs, discretionary capital spending, and dividend levels as needed.
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The Company continued to maintain a strong balance sheet as of the end of the first quarter of fiscal year 2011, which included a minimal amount of long-term debt of $0.3 million and Share Owners' equity of $383.3 million. The Company's short-term liquidity available, represented as cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments plus the unused amount of the Company's revolving credit facility, was $148.1 million at September 30, 2010.
In addition to the above risks related to the current market conditions, management currently considers the following events, trends, and uncertainties to be most important to understanding the Company's financial condition and operating performance:
- The Company will continue its focus on preserving cash and minimizing debt. Managing working capital in conjunction with fluctuating demand levels is key. In addition, the Company plans to minimize capital expenditures where appropriate but has been and will continue to invest in capital expenditures for projects that would enhance the Company's capabilities and diversification while providing an opportunity for growth and improved profitability as the economy and the Company's markets recover.
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- Commodity price pressure is expected to continue in the near-term. Mitigating the impact of commodity and fuel prices continues to be an area of focus within the Company.
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- Management continues to evaluate the healthcare reform legislation that was signed into law in March 2010 to understand the full impact on the Company. This legislation is expected to increase the Company's healthcare and related administrative expenses.
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- Globalization continues to reshape not only the industries in which the Company operates but also its key customers and competitors.
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- As demand within the EMS industry increases, the availability of components used in products manufactured by the Company is a concern. Suppliers have not increased their production as rapidly as demand has increased, and component shortages are occurring. The Company's production and shipment schedules could be negatively impacted if shortages of components continue or worsen. In addition, pricing premiums associated with part shortages impacted the Company's fiscal year 2011 first quarter and remain a concern.
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- The nature of the EMS industry is such that the start-up of new programs to replace departing customers or expiring programs occurs frequently. The Company's sales to Bayer AG are expected to begin to decline in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2011 as the Company's manufacturing contract with Bayer AG reaches end-of-life. Margins on the Bayer AG product are generally lower than the Company's other EMS products. The success of the Company's EMS segment is dependent on the successful replacement of such customers or programs. Such changes usually occur gradually over time as old programs phase out of production while newer programs ramp up. While the margins vary depending on the size of the program and the vertical market being served, replacement programs generally require more competitive pricing. Thus the Company must strive to identify cost savings opportunities to offset the lower pricing. Additional information on the risks related to contract customers is contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010.
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- The increasingly competitive marketplace mandates that the Company continually re-evaluate its business models.
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- The Company's employees throughout its business operations are an integral part of the Company's ability to compete successfully, and the stability of its management team is critical to long-term Share Owner value. The Company's career development and succession planning processes help to maintain stability in management.
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- To support growth and diversification efforts, the Company focuses on both organic growth and potential acquisition targets. Acquisitions allow rapid diversification of both customers and industries served.
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Certain preceding statements could be considered forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, a significant change in economic conditions, loss of key customers or suppliers, or similar unforeseen events.
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Financial Overview - Consolidated
First quarter fiscal year 2011 consolidated net sales were $294.7 million compared to first quarter fiscal year 2010 net sales of $274.7 million, a 7% increase, due to 7% net sales increases in both the EMS and Furniture segments. First quarter fiscal year 2011 net income was $0.5 million, or $0.01 per Class B diluted share, compared to net income of $1.8 million, or $0.05 per Class B diluted share, for the first quarter of fiscal year 2010. The decline in net income was primarily driven by lower net income generated by the Furniture segment.
Consolidated gross profit as a percent of net sales declined to 16.0% for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 from 17.2% in the first quarter of fiscal year 2010 due to lower gross profit within the Furniture segment. The first quarter of fiscal year 2011 and 2010 had a similar mix of sales between the Furniture segment and the EMS segment, and thus sales mix did not impact the consolidated gross profit as a percent of net sales comparison. Gross profit is discussed in more detail in the segment discussions below.
First quarter fiscal year 2011 consolidated selling and administrative expenses increased in absolute dollars by 2.8% but decreased as a percent of net sales compared to the first quarter of fiscal year 2010, as sales volumes increased at a quicker rate than the selling and administrative expenses. The consolidated selling and administrative expense increase in absolute dollars for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 compared to the first quarter of fiscal year 2010 was primarily due to increased employee benefits expense, and higher advertising and product marketing expense which were partially offset by lower bad debt expense.
Other Income (Expense) for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 was $0.8 million compared to $2.0 million for the first quarter of fiscal year 2010. The reduction in other income was primarily related to volatility in the European foreign exchange rates which impact the Company's EMS segment.
The first quarter fiscal year 2011 effective tax rate was 7.3% compared to the effective tax rate for the first quarter of fiscal year 2010 of 32.2%. Relatively low pre-tax income coupled with a foreign deferred tax valuation allowance adjustment of $0.1 million in the current quarter drove the effective tax rate decline in the first quarter of fiscal year 2011.
Comparing the balance sheet as of September 30, 2010 to June 30, 2010, the Company's inventory balance increased primarily to support production ramp ups at select EMS facilities, to support the transfer of production to the new EMS facility in Poland from the other EMS facilities in Europe, and as a result of customer-requested shipping delays.
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Electronic Manufacturing Services Segment
EMS segment results were as follows:
| At or for the Three Months Ended | | |
| September 30 | | |
(Amounts in Millions) | 2010 | | 2009 | | % Change |
Net Sales | $ 177.9 | | $ 165.5 | | 7% |
Operating Income (Loss) | $ 0.2 | | $ (0.7) | | 123% |
Net Income (Loss) | $ (0.2) | | $ (0.2) | | (13)% |
Open Orders | $ 208.6 | | $ 161.3 | | 29% |
First quarter fiscal year 2011 EMS segment net sales to customers in the medical, industrial control, and public safety industries increased compared to the first quarter of fiscal year 2010 which more than offset a decrease in net sales to customers in the automotive industry. While open orders were up 29% as of September 30, 2010 compared to September 30, 2009, open orders at a point in time may not be indicative of future sales trends due to the contract nature of the EMS segment's business.
First quarter fiscal year 2011 EMS segment gross profit as a percent of net sales improved 0.3 percentage points when compared to the first quarter of fiscal year 2010. The improvement was primarily driven by fixed cost leverage associated with the increased sales and lower depreciation expense which were partially offset by higher employee benefit costs and higher component costs and expedited freight charges related to the rapid ramp up of new customer programs which resulted from the inventory component shortages and allocations within the industry.
EMS segment selling and administrative expenses in the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 compared to the first quarter of fiscal year 2010 increased in absolute dollars in-line with the higher sales volumes and remained flat as a percent of net sales. The increase in selling and administrative expenses for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 compared to the first quarter of fiscal year 2010 was primarily related to an increase in salary expense to support sales growth and increased employee benefit expenses which were partially offset by lower bad debt expense.
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As the Company continues to execute its plan to expand its European automotive electronics capabilities and to establish a European Medical Center of Expertise near Poznan, Poland, the consolidation of its EMS facilities has a final completion target of mid-fiscal year 2012. The consolidation is expected to improve the Company's margins in the very competitive EMS market. While the restructuring charges recorded during the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 were immaterial, the EMS segment is experiencing inefficiencies related to the consolidation.
As a percent of net sales, operating income was 0.1% for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 compared to an operating loss of (0.5)% for the first quarter of fiscal year 2010.
Included in this segment are a significant amount of sales to Bayer AG affiliates which accounted for the following portions of consolidated net sales and EMS segment net sales:
| Three Months Ended September 30 |
| 2010 | | 2009 |
Bayer AG affiliated sales as a percent of consolidated net sales | 13% | | 15% |
Bayer AG affiliated sales as a percent of EMS segment net sales | 22% | | 26% |
The Company's sales to Bayer AG are expected to begin to decline in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2011 as the Company's manufacturing contract with Bayer AG reaches end-of-life. Margins on the Bayer AG product are generally lower than the Company's other EMS products. The nature of the electronic manufacturing services industry is such that the start-up of new customers and new programs to replace expiring programs occurs frequently. New customer and program start-ups generally cause losses early in the life of a program, which are generally recovered as the program becomes established and matures. This segment continues to experience margin pressures related to an overall excess capacity position in the electronics subcontracting services market.
Risk factors within the EMS segment include, but are not limited to, general economic and market conditions, customer order delays, increased globalization, foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations, rapid technological changes, component availability, supplier stability, the contract nature of this industry, unexpected integration issues with acquisitions, the concentration of sales to large customers, and the potential for customers to choose to in-source a greater portion of their electronics manufacturing. The continuing success of this segment is dependent upon its ability to replace expiring customers/programs with new customers/programs. Additional risk factors that could have an effect on the Company's performance are contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010.
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Furniture Segment
Furniture segment results were as follows:
| At or for the Three Months Ended | | |
| September 30 | | |
(Amounts in Millions) | 2010 | | 2009 | | % Change |
Net Sales | $ 116.8 | | $ 109.2 | | 7% |
Operating Income | $ 1.1 | | $ 2.9 | | (63)% |
Net Income | $ 0.6 | | $ 1.8 | | (67)% |
Open Orders | $ 84.7 | | $ 65.1 | | 30% |
The first quarter fiscal year 2011 net sales increase in the Furniture segment compared to the first quarter of fiscal year 2010 resulted from increased net sales of office furniture more than offsetting decreased net sales of hospitality furniture. The increase in office furniture sales was primarily due to increased sales volumes which more than offset the impact of higher discounting net of price increases. First quarter fiscal year 2011 sales of newly introduced office furniture products which have been sold for less than twelve months approximated $5.5 million. Open orders of furniture products at September 30, 2010 increased 30% when compared to the open orders levels as of September 30, 2009 as open orders for both office furniture and hospitality furniture increased. Open orders at a point in time may not be indicative of future sales trends.
First quarter fiscal year 2011 Furniture segment gross profit as a percent of net sales declined 3.4 percentage points from the first quarter of fiscal year 2010. Items contributing to the decline in gross profit as a percent of net sales included: increased discounting resulting from competitive pricing pressures, higher commodity costs, higher freight expense, and higher employee-related costs. The gross profit decline was partially offset by a sales mix shift to higher margin product, price increases on select product, and other overall cost reduction efforts.
First quarter fiscal year 2011 Furniture segment selling and administrative expenses increased slightly in absolute dollars but as a percent of net sales decreased 1.6 percentage points primarily due to the higher sales volumes when compared to the first quarter of fiscal year 2010. Higher advertising and product marketing expense and increased employee benefit expense were partially offset by lower selling and administrative salary expense.
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As a percent of net sales, operating income was 0.9% for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 and 2.7% for the first quarter of fiscal year 2010.
Risk factors within this segment include, but are not limited to, general economic and market conditions, increased global competition, financial stability of customers, supply chain cost pressures, raw material availability, and relationships with strategic customers and product distributors. Additional risk factors that could have an effect on the Company's performance are contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
Working capital at September 30, 2010 was $178.6 million compared to working capital of $180.0 million at June 30, 2010. The current ratio was 1.8 at both September 30, 2010 and June 30, 2010.
The Company's internal measure of accounts receivable performance, also referred to as Days Sales Outstanding (DSO), for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 of 46.5 days approximated the 46.2 days for the first quarter of fiscal year 2010. The Company defines DSO as the average of monthly accounts and notes receivable divided by an average day's net sales. The Company's Production Days Supply on Hand (PDSOH) of inventory measure for the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 increased to 69.0 days from 62.2 days for the first quarter of fiscal year 2010. The increased PDSOH was primarily due to higher inventory levels associated with customer-requested shipping delays, the ramp up of certain programs, and the transfer of production among the Company's EMS segment facilities. The Company defines PDSOH as the average of the monthly gross inventory divided by an average day's cost of sales.
The Company's short-term liquidity available, represented as cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments plus the unused amount of the Company's revolving credit facility, totaled $148.1 million at September 30, 2010 compared to $163.6 million at June 30, 2010.
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The Company's cash position from an aggregate of cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments decreased from $67.8 million at June 30, 2010 to $53.3 million at September 30, 2010. The Company had no short-term borrowings as of September 30, 2010 or June 30, 2010. Operating activities used $10.4 million of cash flow in the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 compared to the $12.5 million of cash generated by operating activities in the first quarter of fiscal year 2010. The cash outflow in the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 was primarily driven by an increase in inventory in the EMS segment due to higher inventory levels associated with customer-requested shipping delays, the ramp up of certain programs, and the transfer of production among the Company's EMS segment facilities. In addition, during the first quarter of fiscal year 2011, the Company reinvested $6.7 million into capital investments for the future, primarily for manufacturing equipment in the EMS segment. The Company also paid $1.8 million in dividends, which remained flat with the first quarter of fiscal year 2010. Consistent with the Company's historical dividend policy, the Company's Board of Directors will evaluate the appropriate dividend payment on a quarterly basis. During fiscal year 2011, the Company expects to minimize capital expenditures where appropriate but will continue to invest in capital expenditures prudently, particularly for projects that would enhance the Company's capabilities and diversification while providing an opportunity for growth and improved profitability as the economy and the Company's markets recover. At September 30, 2010 and June 30, 2010, the Company had no short-term borrowings outstanding under its $100 million credit facility or the Company's several smaller foreign credit facilities.
At September 30, 2010, the Company had $5.2 million in letters of credit against the $100 million credit facility. Total availability to borrow under the $100 million credit facility was $94.8 million at September 30, 2010.
The Company maintains the $100 million credit facility with an expiration date in April 2013 that allows for both issuances of letters of credit and cash borrowings. The $100 million credit facility provides an option to increase the amount available for borrowing to $150 million at the Company's request, subject to the consent of the participating banks. The $100 million credit facility, upon which there were no borrowings at September 30, 2010, requires the Company to comply with certain debt covenants, the most significant of which are the interest coverage ratio and minimum net worth. The Company was in compliance with the debt covenants at September 30, 2010.
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The table below compares the actual net worth and interest coverage ratio with the limits specified in the credit agreement.
Covenant | | At or For the Period Ended September 30, 2010 | | Limit As Specified in Credit Agreement | | Excess |
Minimum Net Worth | | $383,318,000 | | $362,000,000 | | $21,318,000 |
Interest Coverage Ratio | | 16.5 | | 3.0 | | 13.5 |
The Interest Coverage Ratio is calculated on a rolling four-quarter basis as defined in the credit agreement.
In addition to the $100 million credit facility, the Company can opt to utilize foreign credit facilities which are available to satisfy short-term cash needs at that specific location rather than funding from intercompany sources. The Company maintains a foreign credit facility for its EMS segment operation in Thailand which is backed by the $100 million revolving credit facility. The Company has a credit facility for its EMS segment operation in Poland, which allows for multi-currency borrowings up to 6 million Euro equivalent (approximately $8.2 million U.S. dollars at September 30, 2010 exchange rates). These foreign credit facilities can be cancelled at any time by either the bank or the Company.
The Company believes its principal sources of liquidity from available funds on hand, cash generated from operations, and the availability of borrowing under the Company's credit facilities will be sufficient for fiscal year 2011 and the foreseeable future. One of the Company's sources of funds has been its ability to generate cash from operations to meet its liquidity obligations, which during the first quarter of fiscal year 2011 was hampered by the ramp up in inventory balances, and could be adversely affected in the future by factors such as general economic and market conditions, a decline in demand for the Company's products, loss of key contract customers, the ability of the Company to generate profits, and other unforeseen circumstances. In particular, should demand for the Company's products decrease significantly over the next 12 months due to its weakened markets, the available cash provided by operations could be adversely impacted. Another source of funds is the Company's credit facilities. The $100 million credit facility is contingent on complying with certain debt covenants.
The preceding statements are forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Certain factors could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements.
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Fair Value
During the first quarter of fiscal year 2011, no financial assets were affected by a lack of market liquidity. For level 1 financial assets, readily available market pricing was used to value the financial instruments. The Company's foreign currency derivatives, which were classified as level 2 assets/liabilities, were independently valued using a financial risk management software package using observable market inputs such as forward interest rate yield curves, current spot rates, and time value calculations. To verify the reasonableness of the independently determined fair values, these derivative fair values were compared to fair values calculated by the counterparty banks. The Company's own credit risk and counterparty credit risk had an immaterial impact on the valuation of the foreign currency derivatives.
The Company invested in convertible promissory notes and stock warrants of a privately-held company during fiscal year 2010 and has been chosen by the privately-held company as a supplier to produce EMS products. The convertible promissory notes, classified as available-for-sale debt securities, were valued using a recurring market-based method which approximates fair value by using the amortized cost basis of the promissory notes, with the discount amortized to interest income over the term. The stock warrants, classified as derivative instruments, were valued on a recurring basis using a market-based method which utilizes the Black-Scholes valuation model. The fair value measurements for the convertible promissory notes and stock warrants were calculated using unobservable inputs and were classified as level 3 financial assets.
See Note 7 - Fair Value of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for more information.
Contractual Obligations
There have been no material changes outside the ordinary course of business to the Company's summary of contractual obligations under the caption, "Contractual Obligations" in Item 7 "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" of the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010.
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Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
The Company has no off-balance sheet arrangements other than standby letters of credit and operating leases entered into in the normal course of business. These arrangements do not have a material current effect and are not reasonably likely to have a material future effect on the Company's financial condition, results of operations, liquidity, capital expenditures, or capital resources. See Note 5 - Commitments and Contingent Liabilities of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for more information on standby letters of credit. The Company does not have material exposures to trading activities of non-exchange traded contracts.
The preceding statements are forward-looking statements under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Certain factors could cause actual results to differ materially from forward-looking statements.
Critical Accounting Policies
The Company's consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. These principles require the use of estimates and assumptions that affect amounts reported and disclosed in the consolidated financial statements and related notes. Actual results could differ from these estimates and assumptions. Management uses its best judgment in the assumptions used to value these estimates, which are based on current facts and circumstances, prior experience, and other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable. The Company's management overlays a fundamental philosophy of valuing its assets and liabilities in an appropriately conservative manner. Management believes the following critical accounting policies reflect the more significant judgments and estimates used in preparation of the Company's consolidated financial statements and are the policies that are most critical in the portrayal of the Company's financial position and results of operations. Management has discussed these critical accounting policies and estimates with the Audit Committee of the Company's Board of Directors and with the Company's independent registered public accounting firm.
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Revenue recognition - The Company recognizes revenue when title and risk transfer to the customer, which under the terms and conditions of the sale may occur either at the time of shipment or when the product is delivered to the customer. Service revenue is recognized as services are rendered. Shipping and handling fees billed to customers are recorded as sales while the related shipping and handling costs are included in cost of goods sold. The Company recognizes sales net of applicable sales tax.
- Sales returns and allowances - At the time revenue is recognized certain provisions may also be recorded, including a provision for returns and allowances, which involve estimates based on current discussions with applicable customers, historical experience with a particular customer and/or product, and other relevant factors. As such, these factors may change over time causing the provisions to be adjusted accordingly. At September 30, 2010 and June 30, 2010, the reserve for returns and allowances was $2.4 million and $2.5 million, respectively. The returns and allowances reserve approximated 2% to 3% of gross trade receivables during the past two fiscal years.
- Allowance for doubtful accounts - Allowance for doubtful accounts is generally based on a percentage of aged accounts receivable, where the percentage increases as the accounts receivable become older. However, management judgment is utilized in the final determination of the allowance based on several factors including specific analysis of a customer's credit worthiness, changes in a customer's payment history, historical bad debt experience, and general economic and market trends. The allowance for doubtful accounts at September 30, 2010 and June 30, 2010 was $1.4 million and $1.3 million, respectively. During the preceding two-year period, this reserve had approximated 1% of gross trade accounts receivable except for the period March 2009 through December 2009 during which time it approximated 2% of gross trade accounts receivable. The higher reserve was driven by increased risk created by deteriorating market conditions during that time.
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Excess and obsolete inventory - Inventories were valued using the lower of last-in, first-out (LIFO) cost or market value for approximately 9% of consolidated inventories at both September 30, 2010 and June 30, 2010, respectively, including approximately 79% and 78% of the Furniture segment inventories at September 30, 2010 and June 30, 2010, respectively. The remaining inventories were valued at lower of first-in, first-out (FIFO) cost or market value. Inventories recorded on the Company's balance sheet are adjusted for excess and obsolete inventory. In general, the Company purchases materials and finished goods for contract-based business from customer orders and projections, primarily in the case of long lead time items, and has a general philosophy to only purchase materials to the extent covered by a written commitment from its customers. However, there are times when inventory is purchased beyond customer commitments due to minimum lot sizes and inventory lead time requirements, or where component allocation or other procurement issues may exist. The Company may also purchase additional inventory to support transfers of production between manufacturing facilities. Evaluation of excess inventory includes such factors as anticipated usage, inventory turnover, inventory levels, and product demand levels. Factors considered when evaluating inventory obsolescence include the age of on-hand inventory and reduction in value due to damage, use as showroom samples, design changes, or cessation of product lines.
Self-insurance reserves - The Company is self-insured up to certain limits for auto and general liability, workers' compensation, and certain employee health benefits such as medical, short-term disability and dental with the related liabilities included in the accompanying financial statements. The Company's policy is to estimate reserves based upon a number of factors including known claims, estimated incurred but not reported claims, and other analyses, which are based on historical information along with certain assumptions about future events. Changes in assumptions for such matters as increased medical costs and changes in actual experience could cause these estimates to change and reserve levels to be adjusted accordingly. At September 30, 2010 and June 30, 2010, the Company's accrued liabilities for self-insurance exposure were $4.1 million and $4.7 million, respectively.
Taxes - Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the estimated future tax consequences attributable to temporary differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. These assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which the temporary differences are expected to reverse. The Company evaluates the recoverability of its deferred tax assets each quarter by assessing the likelihood of future profitability and available tax planning strategies that could be implemented to realize its deferred tax assets. If recovery is not likely, the Company provides a valuation allowance based on its best estimate of future taxable income in the various taxing jurisdictions and the amount of deferred taxes ultimately realizable. Future events could change management's assessment.
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The Company operates within multiple taxing jurisdictions and is subject to tax audits in these jurisdictions. These audits can involve complex issues, which may require an extended period of time to resolve. However, the Company believes it has made adequate provision for income and other taxes for all years that are subject to audit. As tax periods are effectively settled, the provision will be adjusted accordingly. The liability for uncertain income tax and other tax positions, including accrued interest and penalties on those positions, was $3.7 million at both September 30, 2010 and June 30, 2010.
New Accounting Standards
See Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies of Notes to Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements for information regarding New Accounting Standards.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained within this document are considered forward-looking under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements can be identified by the use of words such as "believes," "estimates," "projects," "expects," "intends," "anticipates," "forecasts," and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties including, but not limited to, continuing impacts of the global economic conditions, significant volume reductions from key contract customers, significant reduction in customer order patterns, loss of key customers or suppliers within specific industries, financial stability of key customers and suppliers, availability or cost of raw materials and components, increased competitive pricing pressures reflecting excess industry capacities, successful execution of restructuring plans, changes in the regulatory environment, or similar unforeseen events. Additional cautionary statements regarding other risk factors that could have an effect on the future performance of the Company are contained in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2010.