Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis
Item 7. MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“MD&A”) contains information intended to help provide an understanding of our financial condition and other related matters, including our liquidity, capital resources and results of operations. The MD&A is provided as a supplement to, and should be read in conjunction with, our consolidated financial statements and the notes thereto included elsewhere in this report.
The following MD&A generally focuses on the operating results and year-over-year comparisons between fiscal years 2024 and 2023. Discussion of fiscal year 2023 results and year-over-year comparisons between fiscal years 2023 and 2022 that are not included in this Annual Report on Form 10-K can be found in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” in Part II, Item 7 of our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on January 5, 2024.
EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW
Hurco Companies, Inc. is an international, industrial technology company operating in a single segment. We design, manufacture, and sell computerized (i.e., CNC) machine tools, consisting primarily of vertical machining centers (mills) and turning centers (lathes), to companies in the metal cutting industry through a worldwide sales, service, and distribution network. Although most of our computer control systems and software products are proprietary, they predominantly use industry standard personal computer components. Our computer control systems and software products are primarily sold as integral components of our computerized machine tool products. We also provide machine tool components, automation integration equipment and solutions for job shops, software options, control upgrades, accessories, and replacement parts for our products, as well as customer service, training, and applications support.
The following overview is intended to provide a brief explanation of the principal factors that have contributed to our recent financial performance. This overview is intended to be read in conjunction with the more detailed information included in our financial statements, and notes thereto, that appear elsewhere in this report.
The market for machine tools is international in scope. We have both significant foreign sales and significant foreign manufacturing operations. During fiscal year 2024, approximately 51% of our revenues were attributable to customers in Europe, where we typically sell more of our higher-performance, higher-priced VMX series machines. Additionally, approximately 10% of our revenues were attributable to customers in the Asia Pacific region, where we encounter greater pricing pressures.
During a time of global uncertainty and lower sales volumes, we have turned our attention to adjusting overhead expenses and operating expenses to help minimize the impact of the lower volumes of sales on operating income. We implemented cost reductions in the third quarter of fiscal year 2024, adjusted and managed inventories (excluding the impact of foreign currency) and temporary suspended our regular quarterly cash dividend . We used that cashflow to manage our capital allocation strategies to continue investing in new technologies, product development, and necessary capital expenditures to maximize cashflows without incurring any significant indebtedness as we continue to seek new acquisitions and other growth opportunities. The cyclicality of our business requires that we exercise discipline in managing through unexpected changes in the markets and industries in which we operate. We believe that our long history of profitability and the strength of our balance sheet can provide us with stability to manage through these business cycles and we rely on our past experience in making measured decisions for the long-term success of our business.
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We have three brands of CNC machine tools in our product portfolio. Hurco is the technology innovation brand for customers who want to increase productivity and profitability by selecting a brand with the latest software and motion technology. Milltronics is the value-based brand for shops that want easy-to-use machines at competitive prices. The Takumi brand is for customers that need very high speed, high efficiency performance, such as that required in the production, die and mold, aerospace, and medical industries. Takumi machines are equipped with industry standard controls instead of the proprietary controls found on Hurco and Milltronics machines. These three brands of CNC machine tools are responsible for the vast majority of our revenue. However, we have added other non-Hurco branded products to our product portfolio that have contributed product diversity and market penetration opportunity. These non-Hurco branded products are sold by our wholly-owned distributors and are comprised primarily of other general-purpose vertical milling centers and lathes, laser cutting machines, waterjet cutting machines, CNC grinders, compact horizontal machines, metal cutting saws, and CNC swiss lathes. ProCobots is our wholly-owned subsidiary that provides automation solutions. In addition, through our wholly-owned subsidiary in Italy, LCM, we produce high value machine tool components and accessories.
We principally sell our products through approximately 180 independent agents and distributors throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Although some distributors carry competitive products, we are the primary line for the majority of our distributors globally. We also have our own direct sales and service organizations in China, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, India, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Singapore, Taiwan, the United Kingdom, and certain parts of the United States , which are among the world's principal machine tool consuming markets. The vast majority of our machine tools are manufactured and assembled to our specifications primarily by our wholly-owned subsidiary in Taiwan, HML. Machine castings to support HML’s production are manufactured at our wholly-owned subsidiary in Ningbo, China, NHML. Components to support our SRT line of five-axis machining centers, such as the direct-drive spindle, swivel head, and rotary table, are manufactured by our wholly-owned subsidiary in Italy, LCM.
Our sales to foreign customers are denominated, and payments by those customers are made, in the prevailing currencies in the countries in which those customers are located (primarily the Euro, Pound Sterling, and Chinese Yuan). Our product costs are incurred and paid primarily in the New Taiwan Dollar and the U.S. dollar. Changes in currency exchange rates may have a material effect on our operating results and consolidated financial statements as reported under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. For example, when the U.S. dollar weakens in value relative to a foreign currency, sales made, and expenses incurred, in that currency when translated to U.S. dollars for reporting in our financial statements, are higher than would be the case when the U.S. dollar is stronger. In the comparison of our period-to-period results, we discuss the effect of currency translation on those results, which reflect translation to U.S. dollars at exchange rates prevailing during the period covered by those financial statements.
Our high levels of foreign manufacturing and sales also expose us to cash flow risks due to fluctuating currency exchange rates. We seek to mitigate those risks through the use of derivative instruments – principally foreign currency forward exchange contracts.
Results of Operations
The following table presents, for the fiscal years indicated, selected items from the Consolidated Statements of Operations expressed as a percentage of our worldwide sales and service fees and the year-to-year percentage changes in the dollar amounts of those items.
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Percentage of Revenues
Year-to-Year % Change
2024
2023
2022
Increase/(Decrease)
’24 vs. ’23
’23 vs. ’22
Sales and service fees
100
%
100
%
100
%
(18)
%
(9)
%
Gross profit
20
%
25
%
26
%
(33)
%
(13)
%
Selling, general and administrative expenses
25
%
22
%
21
%
(7)
%
(4)
%
Operating (loss) income
(4)
%
3
%
5
%
(225)
%
(48)
%
Net (loss) income
(9)
%
2
%
3
%
(478)
%
(47)
%
Fiscal Year 2024 Compared to Fiscal Year 2023
Sales and Service Fees. Sales and service fees for fiscal year 2024 were $186.6 million, a decrease of $41.2 million, or 18%, compared to fiscal year 2023, and included a favorable currency impact of $1.8 million, or less than 1%, when translating foreign sales to U.S. dollars for financial reporting purposes.
Net Sales and Service Fees by Geographic Region
The following table sets forth net sales and service fees by geographic region for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2024 and 2023 (dollars in thousands):
Fiscal Year Ended October 31,
Increase/Decrease
2024
2023
Amount
%
Americas
$
72,317
39
%
$
88,329
39
%
$
(16,012)
(18)
%
Europe
94,919
51
%
120,525
53
%
(25,606)
(21)
%
Asia Pacific
19,348
10
%
18,953
8
%
395
2
%
Total
$
186,584
100
%
$
227,807
100
%
$
(41,223)
(18)
%
Sales in the Americas for fiscal year 2024 decreased by 18%, compared to fiscal year 2023, primarily due to decreased shipments of Hurco and Takumi machines. The decrease in sales of these machines was mainly attributable to decreased shipments of Hurco and Takumi 3-axis vertical machines, partially offset by increased sales of higher-performance Hurco 5-axis machines and Milltronics 3-axis vertical machines.
European sales for fiscal year 2024 decreased by 21%, compared to fiscal year 2023, and included a favorable currency impact of 2%, when translating foreign sales to U.S. dollars for financial reporting purposes. The year-over-year decrease in European sales was primarily attributable to a decreased volume of shipments of Hurco and Takumi machines in Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, and of electro-mechanical components and accessories manufactured by LCM, partially offset by an increased volume of shipments of Hurco and Takumi machines in France and increased sales of ProCobots automation solutions.
Asian Pacific sales for fiscal year 2024 increased by 2%, compared to fiscal year 2023, and included an unfavorable currency impact of 1%, when translating foreign sales to U.S. dollars for financial reporting purposes. The year-over-year increase in Asian Pacific sales for the fiscal year was primarily attributable to increased shipments of Hurco and Takumi machines in India and to one customer with multiple machine orders in China, partially offset by decreased shipments of Hurco and Takumi machines in China and Southeast Asia.
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Net Sales and Service Fees by Product Category
The following table sets forth net sales and service fees by product group and services for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2024 and 2023 (dollars in thousands):
Fiscal Year Ended October 31,
Increase/Decrease
2024
2023
Amount
%
Computerized Machine Tools
$
147,561
79
%
$
188,335
83
%
$
(40,774)
(22)
%
Computer Control Systems and Software †
2,447
1
%
2,805
1
%
(358)
(13)
%
Service Parts
27,628
15
%
28,439
12
%
(811)
(3)
%
Service Fees
8,948
5
%
8,228
4
%
720
9
%
Total
$
186,584
100
%
$
227,807
100
%
$
(41,223)
(18)
%
† Amounts shown do not include computer control systems and software sold as an integrated component of computerized machine tools.
Sales of computerized machine tools for fiscal year 2024 decreased by 22%, compared to fiscal year 2023, primarily due to a decreased volume of shipments of Hurco and Takumi machines in all regions where our customers are located, except India and France, partially offset by increased sales of Milltronics vertical machines in North America. Sales of computer control systems and software for fiscal year 2024 decreased by 13%, compared to fiscal year 2023, due to decreased sales of software for Hurco machines in North America and Germany. Sales of service parts for fiscal year 2024 decreased by 3%, compared to fiscal year 2023, due mainly to a decreased volume of aftermarket sales of Hurco and LCM parts in Europe and North America. Service fees increased by 9% for fiscal year 2024, compared to fiscal year 2023, primarily due to increased service of Hurco machines in the United Kingdom, France and North America. During fiscal year 2024, sales for all product categories included a favorable currency impact of less than 1%, when translating foreign sales to U.S. dollars for financial reporting purposes.
Orders and Backlog . Orders for fiscal year 2024 were $198.3 million, a decrease of $11.4 million, or 5%, compared to fiscal year 2023, and included a favorable currency impact of $1.9 million, or less than 1%, when translating foreign orders to U.S. dollars.
The following table sets forth new orders booked by geographic region for the fiscal years ended October 31, 2024 and 2023 (dollars in thousands):
Fiscal Year Ended October 31,
Increase/Decrease
2024
2023
Amount
%
Americas
$
76,711
39
%
$
80,412
38
%
$
(3,701)
(5)
%
Europe
99,633
50
%
114,961
55
%
(15,328)
(13)
%
Asia Pacific
21,958
11
%
14,303
7
%
7,655
54
%
Total
$
198,302
100
%
$
209,676
100
%
$
(11,374)
(5)
%
Orders in the Americas for fiscal year 2024 decreased by 5%, compared to fiscal year 2023. The decrease in orders was primarily due to decreased customer demand for Hurco 3-axis vertical machines, partially offset by increased demand for Hurco higher-performing 5-axis machines.
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European orders for fiscal year 2024 decreased by 13%, compared to fiscal year 2023, and included a favorable currency impact of 2%, when translating foreign orders to U.S. dollars. The decrease in orders was driven primarily by decreased customer demand for Hurco and Takumi machines in Germany, France, and Italy, as well as decreased demand for electro-mechanical components and accessories manufactured by LCM, partially offset by increased demand for Hurco higher-performance VMX machines in the United Kingdom and for ProCobots automation solutions sold across the European region.
Asian Pacific orders for fiscal year 2024 increased by 54%, compared to fiscal year 2023, and included an unfavorable currency impact of 2%, when translating foreign orders to U.S. dollars. The increase in Asian Pacific orders was driven primarily by increased customer demand for Hurco and Takumi machines in China, India, and Southeast Asia. The increased customer demand for Hurco machines in China and India for the fiscal year included two customers with multiple machine orders.
Backlog as of October 31, 2024 increased to $40.8 million from $28.3 million as of October 31, 2023, primarily due to increased customer demand during the last six months of fiscal year 2024, compared to the same period in prior year. The increase in backlog was driven primarily by increased demand for higher-performance VMX and 5-axis Hurco machines in the U.S. and Europe, Milltronics toolroom and 3-axis vertical machines in the U.S., and Hurco 3-axis vertical machines and Takumi bridge mills in Asia Pacific. We do not believe backlog is a useful measure of past performance or indicative of future performance. Backlog orders as of October 31, 2024 are expected to be fulfilled in fiscal year 2025.
Gross Profit. Gross profit for fiscal year 2024 was $37.7 million, or 20% of sales, compared to $56.2 million, or 25% of sales, for fiscal year 2023. The year-over-year decrease in gross profit was primarily due to the lower volume of vertical milling machine sales in the Americas and Europe. Additionally, there were decreases in average net selling prices for certain machines during fiscal year 2024 that were designed to penetrate key markets and reduce inventories. The decreases in both sales volume and pricing negatively impacted gross profit in dollars and as a percentage of sales, reducing our leverage of fixed costs, in comparison to fiscal year 2023. Further, certain cost reductions were implemented in the third quarter of fiscal year 2024 to help offset the impact of lower sales volumes and pricing.
Operating Expenses. Selling, general, and administrative expenses for fiscal year 2024 were $46.0 million, or 25% of sales, compared to $49.6 million, or 22% of sales, in fiscal year 2023, and included an unfavorable currency impact of $0.4 million, when translating foreign expenses to U.S. dollars for financial reporting purposes. The year-over-year reduction in selling, general, and administrative expenses was primarily due to cost reductions implemented in the third quarter of fiscal year 2024 to help offset the impact of lower sales volume, partially offset by increased tradeshow costs (for IMTS) in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2024. Despite the reduction from an absolute dollar perspective, selling, general, and administrative expenses increased as a percentage of sales in fiscal year 2024, compared to fiscal year 2023, due to the lower volume of sales year-over-year.
Operating (Loss) Income. Operating loss for fiscal year 2024 was $8.3 million, or 4% of sales, compared to operating income of $6.6 million, or 3% of sales, for fiscal year 2023. The year-over-year decrease in operating income was primarily due to lower volume of vertical milling machine sales in the Americas and Europe.
Other Expense, Net. Other expense, net for fiscal year 2024 increased by $1.5 million from fiscal year 2023, due mainly to an increase in foreign currency exchange losses.
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Provision for Income Taxes . Income tax expense for fiscal year 2024 was $6.8 million, compared to $2.4 million for fiscal year 2023. The year-over-year increase in income tax expense was primarily due to an $8.4 million non-cash valuation allowance recorded on U.S. and China deferred tax assets, as well as changes in geographic mix of income and loss that includes jurisdictions with differing tax rates, and discrete items related to unvested stock compensation. Because we have an $8.3 million valuation allowance recorded against our U.S. deferred tax assets, we did not record a tax benefit for our U.S. net losses for fiscal year 2024. The valuation allowance recorded during fiscal year 2024 reflected a full valuation allowance of the U.S. deferred tax assets and was recorded after evaluating changes to tax laws, statutory tax rates, and our cumulative three-year income (loss) levels for the U.S. for fiscal year 2024.
Net (Loss) Income. Net loss for fiscal year 2024 was $16.6 million, or $(2.56) per diluted share, compared to net income of $4.4 million, or $0.66 per diluted share, for fiscal year 2023. The year-over-year decrease in net income was primarily due to decreased volume of machine shipments, as well as the valuation allowance recorded against our U.S. and China deferred tax assets.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of October 31, 2024, we had cash and cash equivalents of $33.3 million, compared to $41.8 million as of October 31, 2023. The decrease in cash and cash equivalents was primarily a result of net cash used for payments of outstanding accounts payable, stock repurchases and dividend payments . Approximately 12% of our $33.3 million of cash and cash equivalents is held in the U.S. The balance is attributable to our foreign operations and is held in the local currencies of our various foreign entities, subject to fluctuations in currency exchange rates. We do not believe that the indefinite reinvestment of these funds offshore impairs our ability to meet our domestic working capital needs.
Working capital as of October 31, 2024 was $180.8 million, compared to $193.3 million as of October 31, 2023. The decrease in working capital was primarily driven by decreases in cash and cash equivalents, inventories, accounts receivable, net, and prepaid and other assets, as well as increases in customer deposits, partially offset by decreases in accounts payable and accrued payroll and employee benefits.
Inventories were $153.0 million as of October 31, 2024, compared to $158.0 million as of October 31, 2023, and included a favorable currency impact of $3.2 million, or 2%, when translating foreign inventories to U.S. dollars for financial reporting purposes. Inventory turns as of October 31, 2024 were 1.0 compared to 1.1 as of October 31, 2023.
Capital expenditures were $2.9 million in fiscal year 2024, compared to $2.6 million in fiscal year 2023. Capital expenditures for fiscal year 2024 were primarily for software development costs, purchases of factory equipment for production facilities, and purchases of general software and equipment for sales and service divisions. We funded these expenditures with cash flows from operations.
On January 6, 2023, we announced a share repurchase program in an aggregate amount of up to $25.0 million. Repurchases under the program may be made in the open market or through privately negotiated transactions from time to time, subject to applicable laws, regulations, and contractual provisions. On September 25, 2024, we announced an extension of the term of this $25.0 million repurchase program from November 10, 2024 to November 10, 2026. The program may be amended, suspended, or discontinued at any time and does not commit us to repurchase any shares of our common stock. During fiscal year 2024, we repurchased $1.5 million, or 87,635 shares, under the program, and $21.7 million remained available under the program as of October 31, 2024.
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During fiscal year 2024, we paid cash dividends to our shareholders of $2.1 million. On June 14, 2024, we announced a temporary suspension of our regular quarterly cash dividend as we seek to enhance our financial flexibility and improve our ability to manage market volatility while focusing on strengthening our balance sheet, reinvesting in our core business and research and development related to emerging technologies, and returning value to shareholders via the appropriate channels in both the near- and long-term. Future dividends are subject to approval of our Board of Directors and will depend upon many factors, including our results of operations, financial condition, capital requirements, regulatory and contractual restrictions, our business strategy and other factors deemed relevant by our Board of Directors from time to time.
On December 31, 2018, we and our subsidiary Hurco B.V. entered into a credit agreement with Bank of America, N.A., as the lender, which was subsequently amended on each of March 13, 2020, December 23, 2020, December 17, 2021, January 4, 2023, and December 19, 2023 (as amended, the “2018 Credit Agreement”). The 2018 Credit Agreement provides for an unsecured revolving credit and letter of credit facility in a maximum aggregate amount of $40.0 million. The 2018 Credit Agreement provides that the maximum amount of outstanding letters of credit at any one time may not exceed $10.0 million, the maximum amount of outstanding loans made to our subsidiary Hurco B.V. at any one time may not exceed $20.0 million, and the maximum amount of all outstanding loans denominated in alternative currencies at any one time may not exceed $20.0 million. Under the 2018 Credit Agreement, we and Hurco B.V. are borrowers, and certain of our other subsidiaries are guarantors. The scheduled maturity date of the 2018 Credit Agreement is December 31, 2025.
Borrowings under the 2018 Credit Agreement bear interest at floating rates based on, at our option, either (i) a rate based upon the secured overnight financing rate (“SOFR”), the Sterling Overnight Index Average Reference Rate, the Euro Interbank Offering Rate, or another alternative currency-based rate approved by the lender, depending on the term of the loan and the currency in which such loan is denominated, plus 1.00% per annum, or (ii) a base rate (which is the highest of (a) the federal funds rate plus 0.50%, (b) the prime rate or (c) the one month SOFR-based rate plus 1.00%), plus 0.00% per annum. Outstanding letters of credit will carry an annual rate of 1.00%.
The 2018 Credit Agreement contains customary affirmative and negative covenants and events of default, including covenants (1) restricting us from making certain investments, loans, advances and acquisitions (but permitting us to make investments in subsidiaries of up to $10.0 million); (2) restricting us from making certain payments, including (a) cash dividends, except that we may pay cash dividends as long as immediately before and after giving effect to such payment, the sum of the unused amount of the commitments under the 2018 Credit Agreement plus our cash on hand is not less than $10.0 million, and as long as we are not in default before and after giving effect to such dividend payments and (b) payments made to repurchase shares of our common stock, except that we may repurchase shares of our common stock as long as we are not in default before and after giving effect to such repurchases and the aggregate amount of payments made by us for all such repurchases during any fiscal year does not exceed $25.0 million; (3) requiring that we maintain a minimum working capital of $125.0 million; and (4) requiring that we maintain a minimum tangible net worth of $176.5 million. We may use the proceeds from advances under the 2018 Credit Agreement for general corporate purposes.
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In March 2019, our wholly-owned subsidiaries in Taiwan, HML, and China, NHML, closed on uncommitted revolving credit facilities with maximum aggregate amounts of 150 million New Taiwan dollars and 32.5 million Chinese Yuan, respectively. As uncommitted facilities, both the Taiwan and China credit facilities are subject to review and termination by the respective underlying lending institution from time to time. In February and December 2023, NHML and HML, respectively, renewed the above-referenced credit facilities on substantially similar terms and identical maximum aggregate limits.
As of October 31, 2024, our existing credit facilities consisted of a €1.5 million revolving credit facility in Germany, the 150 million New Taiwan dollars Taiwan credit facility, the 32.5 million Chinese Yuan China credit facility and the $40.0 million revolving credit facility under the 2018 Credit Agreement. We had no debt or borrowings under any of our credit facilities as of October 31, 2024.
As of October 31, 2024, we had an aggregate of approximately $50.9 million available for borrowing under our credit facilities and were in compliance with all covenants relating thereto.
We have an international cash pooling strategy that generally provides access to available cash deposits and credit facilities when needed in the U.S., Europe or Asia Pacific. We believe our access to cash pooling and our borrowing capacity under our credit facilities provide adequate liquidity to fund our global operations over the next twelve months and beyond, and allow us to remain committed to our strategic plan of product innovation, acquisitions, targeted penetration of developing markets, and a balanced capital allocation program.
We continue to receive and review information on businesses and assets for potential acquisition, including intellectual property assets that are available for purchase.
Contractual Obligations and Commitments
The following is a table of contractual obligations and commitments as of October 31, 2024 (in thousands):
Payments Due by Period
More
Less than
than
Total
1 Year
1-3 Years
4-5 Years
5 Years
Operating leases
$
12,586
$
4,219
$
5,475
$
2,319
$
573
Accrued and deferred taxes and credits
6,239
436
563
—
5,240
Total
$
18,825
$
4,655
$
6,038
$
2,319
$
5,813
In addition to the contractual obligations and commitments disclosed above, we also have a variety of other obligations for the procurement of materials and services, none of which subject us to any material non-cancelable commitments. While some of these obligations arise under long-term supply agreements, we are not committed under these agreements to accept or pay for requirements that are not needed to meet our production needs. We have no material minimum purchase commitments or “take-or-pay” type agreements or arrangements. Unrecognized tax benefits, excluding any interest and penalties, were immaterial for fiscal year 2024 and have been excluded from the table above because we are unable to determine a reasonably reliable estimate of the timing of future payment.
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We expect capital spending in fiscal year 2025 to be approximately $4.1 million, which includes investments for software development, leasehold improvement, factory equipment, and production facilities, as well as general software and equipment for selling facilities. We expect to fund these commitments with cash on hand and cash generated from operations.
Off Balance Sheet Arrangements
From time to time, our subsidiaries guarantee third party payment obligations in connection with the sale of machines to customers that use financing. We follow Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) guidance for accounting for guarantees (codified in Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 460). As of October 31, 2024, we had nine outstanding third party payment guarantees totaling approximately $0.9 million. The terms of these guarantees are consistent with the underlying customer financing terms. Upon shipment of a machine, the customer assumes the risk of ownership. The customer does not obtain title, however, until the customer has paid for the machine. A retention of title clause allows us to recover the machine if the customer defaults on the financing. We accrue liabilities under these guarantees at fair value, which amounts are insignificant.
Critical Accounting Estimates
Our discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations is based upon our consolidated financial statements, which have been prepared in accordance with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles. The preparation of financial statements in conformity with those accounting principles requires us to make judgments and estimates that affect the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. Our accounting policies are frequently evaluated as our judgment and estimates are based upon historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances.
Our judgments and estimates have a significant effect on the financial statements because they result primarily from the need to make estimates about the effects of matters that are inherently uncertain. Actual results could differ from those estimates and such differences could be material to our financial condition and results of operations. Critical accounting estimates are those that involve a significant level of estimation uncertainty and have had or are reasonably likely to have a material impact on our financial condition and results of operations.
While our significant accounting policies are more fully described in Note 1 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this report, we believe the following discussion addresses our most critical accounting estimates, which involve significant subjectivity and judgment, and changes to such estimates or assumptions could have a material impact on our financial condition or operating results. Therefore, we consider an understanding of the variability and judgment required in making these estimates and assumptions to be critical in fully understanding and evaluating our reported financial results.
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Income Taxes – We account for income taxes and the related accounts under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted income tax rates in each jurisdiction in effect for the year in which the temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. These deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance, which is established when it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. We operate in multiple jurisdictions through wholly-owned subsidiaries, and our global structure is complex. Accordingly, the ultimate outcome with respect to taxes we may owe may differ from the amounts recognized. Our judgment regarding the realization of deferred tax assets may change due to future profitability and market conditions, change in U.S. or foreign tax laws, and other factors. These changes, if any, may require material adjustments to these deferred tax assets and an accompanying reduction or increase in net income. During fiscal year 2024, we recorded an $8.6 million non-cash valuation allowance on U.S. and China deferred tax assets, of which $8.3 million reflected a full valuation allowance of the U.S. deferred tax assets, and was recorded after evaluating changes to tax laws, statutory tax rates, and our cumulative three-year income (loss) levels for the U.S. for fiscal year 2024. Because we have a valuation allowance recorded against our U.S. deferred tax assets, we did not record a tax benefit for our U.S. net losses for fiscal year 2024.
Capitalized Software Development Costs – Costs incurred to develop computer software products and significant enhancements to software features of existing products are capitalized as required by FASB guidance relating to accounting for the costs of computer software to be sold, leased, or otherwise marketed, and such capitalized costs are amortized over the estimated product life of the related software. The determination as to when in the product development cycle technological feasibility has been established, and the expected product life, require judgments and estimates by management and can be affected by technological developments, innovations by competitors, and changes in market conditions affecting demand. We periodically review the carrying values of these assets and make judgments as to ultimate realization considering the above-mentioned risk factors.