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Business and summary of significant accounting policies (Policies)
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12 Months Ended |
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Sep. 30, 2013
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| Business and summary of significant accounting policies | |
| Principles of consolidation |
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of MAXIMUS, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. |
| Use of estimates |
The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates used by the Company include estimates of profits or loss on contracts in process, estimates of collectability of receivables, evaluation of asset impairment, accrual of estimated liabilities, and valuation of acquisition-related contingent consideration liabilities. |
| Stock split |
On April 16, 2013, the Company's Board of Directors declared a two-for-one stock split in the form of a dividend of one share for each outstanding share for shareholders of record on June 14, 2013. The additional shares were distributed on June 28, 2013. This stock-split did not affect the proportionate interests that stockholders maintained in the Company. All common stock and per share amounts throughout this document have been adjusted for the stock split. |
| Revenue recognition |
Revenue is generated from contracts with various pricing arrangements, including:
We recognize revenue on arrangements as work is performed and amounts are earned. We consider amounts to be earned once evidence of an arrangement has been obtained, services have been delivered, fees are fixed or determinable and collectability of revenue is reasonably assured. We recognize revenue on performance-based contracts when earned, which generally occurs when amounts are billable to customers. This may result in revenue being recognized in irregular increments. Revenue on cost-plus contracts is recognized based on costs incurred plus an estimate of the negotiated fee earned. We recognize revenue on fixed-priced contracts when earned, as services are provided. Revenue is generally recognized on a straight-line basis unless evidence suggests that revenue is earned or obligations are fulfilled in a different pattern. The timing of expense recognition may result in irregular profit margins. For certain fixed-price contracts, primarily systems design, development and implementation, we generally recognize revenue based upon costs incurred to date and our anticipated gross profit. The cumulative impact of any revisions in estimated revenue and costs is recognized in the period in which the facts that give rise to the revision become known. Provisions for estimated losses on incomplete contracts are provided for in full in the period in which such losses become known. This policy may result in revenues being recognized at different points from amounts being billable. Where the Company enters into contracts where significant uncertainty exists over the ability of management to estimate the future costs, the Company will typically defer all revenue until such time as future costs are estimable or the system implementation is complete. Revenue on time and materials contracts is recognized based on hours worked and expenses incurred. Where contracts have multiple deliverables, we evaluate these deliverables at the inception of each contract and as each item is delivered. As part of this evaluation, we consider whether a delivered item has value to a customer on a stand-alone basis and whether the delivery of the undelivered items is considered probable and substantially within our control, if a general right of return exists. Where deliverables, or groups of deliverables, have both of these characteristics, we treat each deliverable item as a separate element in the arrangement, allocate a portion of the allocable arrangement consideration using the relative selling price method to each element and apply the relevant revenue recognition guidance to each element. Sales and purchases in jurisdictions subject to indirect taxes, such as value added tax, are recorded net of tax collected and paid. |
| Cash and cash equivalents |
The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. Where the Company is obliged to hold cash balances as collateral for lease, credit card or letter of credit arrangements, or where MAXIMUS holds funds on behalf of clients, this balance is not considered to be cash and cash equivalents but is reported as restricted cash. |
| Accounts receivable and allowance for doubtful accounts |
Accounts receivable are recorded at their face amount less an allowance for doubtful accounts. We maintain an allowance for doubtful accounts at an amount we estimate to be sufficient to cover the risk of collecting less than full payment on our receivables. On a regular basis, we re-evaluate our client receivables, especially receivables that are past due, and reassess our allowance for doubtful accounts based on specific client collection issues. |
| Business combinations and goodwill |
The purchase price of an acquired business is allocated to tangible assets and separately identifiable intangible assets acquired less liabilities assumed based upon their respective fair values. The excess balance is recorded as goodwill. Costs incurred directly related to an acquisition, including legal, accounting and valuation services, are expensed as incurred. The separately identifiable intangible assets are amortized over useful lives estimated at the time of the business combination. Goodwill is not amortized but is subject to impairment testing on an annual basis, or more frequently if impairment indicators arise. Impairment testing is performed at the reporting unit level. A reporting unit is the operating segment, or a business one level below that operating segment (the component level) if discrete financial information is prepared and reviewed regularly by segment management. However, components are aggregated if they have similar economic characteristics. The evaluation is performed by comparing the fair value of the relevant reporting unit to the carrying value, including goodwill, of the reporting unit. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds the carrying value, no impairment loss is recognized. However, if the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeds the fair value, the goodwill of the reporting unit may be impaired. The Company performs its annual impairment test as of July 1 of each year. At July 1, 2013, the Company performed the annual impairment test and determined that there had been no impairment of goodwill. In performing this assessment, the Company utilizes an income approach. Such an approach requires estimation of future operating cash flows including business growth, utilization of working capital and discount rates. The valuation of the business as a whole is compared to the Company's market value at the date of the test in order to verify the calculation. In 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board issued new accounting guidance that simplifies goodwill impairment tests. The new guidance states that a "qualitative" assessment may be performed to determine whether further impairment testing is necessary. We have adopted this accounting standard during this current fiscal year but we have not changed our methodology in performing our goodwill impairment test. |
| Long-lived assets (excluding goodwill) |
Property and equipment is recorded at cost. Depreciation is recorded over the assets' respective useful economic lives, which are not to exceed 39.5 years for the Company's buildings and seven years for office furniture and equipment. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of their useful life or the remaining term of the lease. Repairs and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred. All of the Company's capitalized software represents development costs for software that is intended for the Company's internal use. Direct costs of time and material incurred for the development of application software for internal use are capitalized and amortized using the straight-line method over the estimated useful life of the software, ranging from three to eight years. Costs incurred for upgrades and enhancements that do not result in additional functionality are expensed as incurred. Deferred contract costs consist of contractually recoverable direct set-up costs relating to long-term service contracts. These costs include direct and incremental costs incurred prior to the commencement of us providing service to enable us to provide the contracted services to our customer. Such costs are expensed over the period services are provided. The Company reviews long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be fully recoverable. Our review is based on our projection of the undiscounted future operating cash flows of the related customer project. To the extent such projections indicate that future undiscounted cash flows are not sufficient to recover the carrying amount, we recognize a non-cash impairment charge to reduce the carrying amount to equal projected future discounted cash flows. No impairment charges were recorded in the three years ending September 30, 2013. |
| Legal and settlement expense (recovery), net |
Legal and settlement expense (recovery), net consists of costs, net of reimbursed insurance claims, related to significant legal settlements and non-routine legal matters, including future probable legal costs estimated to be incurred in connection with those matters. Legal expenses incurred in the ordinary course of business are included in selling, general and administrative expense. |
| Income taxes |
Deferred tax liabilities and assets are determined based on the difference between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities and are measured by applying enacted tax rates and laws for the taxable years in which those differences are expected to reverse. In addition, a valuation allowance is recorded if it is believed more likely than not that a deferred tax asset will not be fully realized. The Company recognizes the financial statement benefit of a tax position only after determining that the relevant tax authority would "more likely than not" sustain the position following an audit. For tax positions meeting the "more likely than not" threshold, the amount recognized in the financial statements is the largest benefit which has a greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement with the relevant tax authority. |
| Foreign currency |
For all foreign operations, the functional currency is the local currency. The assets and liabilities of foreign operations are translated into U.S. dollars at period-end exchange rates, and revenue and expenses are translated at average exchange rates for the year. The resulting cumulative translation adjustment is included in accumulated other comprehensive income on the consolidated balance sheet. Gains and losses from foreign currency transactions are included in interest and other income and are typically immaterial. |
| Contingencies |
From time to time, we are involved in legal proceedings, including contract and employment claims, in the ordinary course of business. We assess the likelihood of any adverse judgments or outcomes to these contingencies, as well as potential ranges of probable losses and establish reserves accordingly. The amount of reserves required may change in future periods due to new developments in each matter or changes in approach to a matter such as a change in settlement strategy. |
| Reclassifications |
Certain financial results have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation. The Company corrected an immaterial balance sheet classification error in the accounting for the repurchase of common stock, which resulted in the reduction of the previously reported amounts of treasury stock and retained earnings by $429.6 million at September 30, 2012. The Company corrected an immaterial balance sheet classification error in the accounting for deferred revenue and costs of underlying associated contracts, which resulted in a reclassification of approximately $14.5 million from current deferred revenue to long-term deferred revenue and $5.5 million of prepayments to other long-term assets as of September 30, 2012. |