Multiple Element Arrangements
The Company's revenue arrangements with certain customers may involve multiple elements consisting of a theater system (projector, sound system, screen system and, if applicable, 3D glasses cleaning machine); services associated with the theater system including theater design support, supervision of installation, and projectionist training; a license to use of the IMAX brand; 3D glasses; maintenance and extended warranty services; and licensing of films. The Company evaluates all elements in an arrangement to determine what are considered deliverables for accounting purposes and which of the deliverables represent separate units of accounting based on the applicable accounting guidance in the Leases Topic of the FASB ASC; the Guarantees Topic of the FASB ASC; the Entertainment – Films Topic of FASB ASC; and the Revenue Recognition Topic of the FASB. If separate units of accounting are either required under the relevant accounting standards or determined to be applicable under the Revenue Recognition Topic, the total consideration received or receivable in the arrangement is allocated based on the applicable guidance in the above noted standards.
Theater Systems
The Company has identified the projection system, sound system, screen system and, if applicable, 3D glasses cleaning machine, theater design support, supervision of installation, projectionist training and the use of the IMAX brand to be a single deliverable and a single unit of accounting (the “System Deliverable”). When an arrangement does not include all the elements of a System Deliverable, the elements of the System Deliverable included in the arrangement are considered by the Company to be a single deliverable and a single unit of accounting. The Company is not responsible for the physical installation of the equipment in the customer's facility; however, the Company supervises the installation by the customer. The customer has the right to use the IMAX brand from the date the Company and the customer enter into an arrangement.
The Company's System Deliverable arrangements involve either a lease or a sale of the theater system. Consideration for the System Deliverable, other than for those delivered pursuant to joint revenue sharing arrangements, consist of upfront or initial payments made before and after the final installation of the theater system equipment and ongoing payments throughout the term of the lease or over a period of time, as specified in the arrangement. The ongoing payments are the greater of an annual fixed minimum amount or a certain percentage of the theater box-office. Amounts received in excess of the annual fixed minimum amounts are considered contingent payments. The Company's arrangements are non-cancellable, unless the Company fails to perform its obligations. In the absence of a material default by the Company, there is no right to any remedy for the customer under the Company's arrangements. If a material default by the Company exists, the customer has the right to terminate the arrangement and seek a refund only if the customer provides notice to the Company of a material default and only if the Company does not cure the default within a specified period.
For arrangements entered into or materially modified after January 1, 2011, consideration is allocated to each unit of accounting based on the unit's relative selling prices. The Company uses vender-specific objective evidence of selling price (VSOE) when the Company sells the deliverable separately and is the price actually charged by the Company for that deliverable. VSOE is established for the Company's System Deliverable, maintenance and extended warranty services and film license arrangements. The Company uses a best estimate of selling price (BESP) for units of accounting that do not have VSOE or third party evidence of selling price. The Company determines BESP for a deliverable by considering multiple factors including the Company's historical pricing practices, product class, market competition and geography.
Sales Arrangements
For arrangements qualifying as sales, the revenue allocated to the System Deliverable is recognized in accordance with the Revenue Recognition Topic of the FASB ASC, when all of the following conditions have been met: (i) the projector, sound system and screen system have been installed and are in full working condition, (ii) the 3D glasses cleaning machine, if applicable, has been delivered, (iii) projectionist training has been completed and (iv) the earlier of (a) receipt of written customer acceptance certifying the completion of installation and run-in testing of the equipment and the completion of projectionist training or (b) public opening of the theater, provided there is persuasive evidence of an arrangement, the price is fixed or determinable and collectibility is reasonably assured.
The initial revenue recognized consists of the initial payments received and the present value of any future initial payments and fixed minimum ongoing payments that have been attributed to this unit of accounting. Contingent payments in excess of the fixed minimum ongoing payments are recognized when reported by theater operators, provided collectibility is reasonably assured.
The Company has also agreed, on occasion, to sell equipment under lease or at the end of a lease term. Consideration agreed to for these lease buyouts is included in revenues from equipment and product sales, when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the fees are fixed or determinable, collectibility is reasonably assured and title to the theater system passes from the Company to the customer.