Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (ASC 606) provides a single, principles-based five-step model to be applied to all contracts with customers.  It generally provides for the recognition of revenue in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the Company expects to be entitled, net of allowances for estimated returns, discounts or sales incentives, as well as taxes collected from customers when control over the promised goods or services are transferred to the customer.   

 

We expense contract acquisition costs, primarily sales commissions, for contracts with terms of one year or less and will capitalize and amortize incremental costs with terms that exceed one year.  During 2024 and 2023, the impact of capitalization of incremental costs for obtaining contracts was immaterial.  We exclude sales, use, value added, some excise taxes and other similar taxes from the measurement of the transaction price.

 

We recognize revenue upon transfer of control of the promised products or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration we expect to receive in exchange for those products or services.  We have determined that our programming equipment has reached a point of maturity and stability such that product acceptance can be assured by testing at the factory prior to shipment and that the installation meets the criteria to be a separate performance obligation.  These systems are standard products with published product specifications and are configurable with standard options.  The evidence that these systems could be deemed accepted was based upon having standardized factory production of the units, results from batteries of tests of product performance to our published specifications, quality inspections and installation standardization, as well as past product operation validation with the customer and the history provided by our installed base of products upon which the current versions were based.

 

The revenue related to products requiring installation, that is perfunctory, is recognized upon transfer of control of the product to customers, which generally is at the time of shipment.  Installation that is considered perfunctory includes any installation that is expected to be performed by other parties, such as distributors, other vendors, or the customers themselves.  This analysis considers the complexity, skill and training needed as well as customer expectations regarding installation.

 

We enter into arrangements with multiple performance obligations that arise during the sale of a system that could include hardware, software, installation, services and support and extended maintenance components.  We allocate the transaction price of each element based on the relative selling prices.  Relative selling price is based on the selling price of the standalone system.  For the installation and service and support performance obligations, we use the value of the discount given to distributors who perform these components.  For software maintenance performance obligations, we use what we charge for annual software maintenance renewals after the initial year the system is sold.  Revenue is recognized on the system based on shipping terms, software based on delivery, installation and services based on completion of work and software maintenance and extended warranty support ratably over the term of the agreement, typically one year.  Total deferred revenue which represents undelivered performance obligations for installation, service, support and extended maintenance contracts was $1.7 million and $1.6 million and the portion expected to be recognized within one year was $1.5 million and $1.4 million for December 31, 2024 and 2023, respectively.

 

When we sell software separately, we recognize revenue upon the transfer of control of the software, which is generally upon delivery, provided that only immaterial items in the context of the contract with the customer remain on our part and substantive acceptance conditions, if any, have been met.

 

We recognize revenue when there is an approved contract that both parties are committed to perform, both parties rights have been identified, the contract has substance,  collection of substantially all the consideration is probable, the transaction price has been determined and allocated over the performance obligations, the performance obligations including substantive acceptance conditions, if any, in the contract have been met, the obligation is not contingent on resale of the product, the buyer’s obligation would not be changed in the event of theft, physical destruction or damage to the product, the buyer acquiring the product for resale has economic substance apart from us and we do not have significant obligations for future performance to directly bring about the resale of the product by the buyer.  We establish a reserve for sales returns based on historical trends in product returns and estimates for new items.  Payment terms are generally 30 to 60 days from shipment. 

 

We transfer certain products out of service from their internal use and make them available for sale.  The products transferred are typically our standard products in one of the following areas: service loaners, rental or test units; engineering test units; or sales demonstration equipment.  Once transferred, the equipment is sold by our regular sales channels as used equipment inventory.  These product units often involve refurbishing and an equipment warranty and are conducted as sales in our normal and ordinary course of business.  The transfer amount is the product unit’s net book value, and the sale transaction is accounted for as revenue and cost of goods sold.

The following table represents our revenues by major categories:

 

Net sales by type

 

2024

 

 

Change

 

2023

 

(in thousands)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Equipment Sales

 

$10,985

 

 

(32.8%)

 

$16,343

 

Adapter Sales

 

 

7,250

 

 

(11.1%)

 

 

8,154

 

Software and Maintenance Sales   *

 

 

3,534

 

 

(0.9%)

 

 

3,567

 

Total

 

$21,769

 

 

(22.4%)

 

$28,064

 

 

 

* includes an insignificant amount of service and parts sales

About Revenue Disclosures

Revenue disclosures under ASC 606 explain how a company identifies performance obligations, allocates transaction prices, and determines when revenue is recognized. This section is essential for understanding whether reported revenue reflects genuine economic activity or aggressive accounting choices. Analysts examine the mix of point-in-time versus over-time recognition, which directly affects revenue timing and comparability.

Key signals: rising contract liabilities (deferred revenue) suggest strong future revenue visibility, while declining contract assets may indicate slowing project milestones. Watch for variable consideration estimates — rebates, returns, and performance bonuses that require management judgment. Significant changes in disaggregated revenue by geography or product line can reveal shifting business mix before it appears in headline numbers. Compare revenue growth against contract liability growth to assess sustainability, and scrutinize any changes in the timing of recognition that coincide with earnings pressure.