text: The Company’s cash and cash equivalents consists of deposits with commercial banks. While Applied monitors the creditworthiness 
  of these commercial banks and institutions, a crisis in the U.S., Canadian or Mexican financial systems could limit access to funds 
  and/or result in the loss of principal. The terms of these deposits and investments provide that all monies are available to the 
  Company upon demand. 
  
  Allowances for Doubtful Accounts 
  
  The Company evaluates the collectibility of trade accounts receivable based on a combination of factors. Initially, the Comp any 
  estimates an allowance for doubtful accounts as a percentage of net sales based on historical bad debt experience. This initial 
  estimate is adjusted based on recent trends of customers and industries estimated to be greater credit risks, trends within the entire 
  customer pool and changes in the overall aging of accounts receivable. Accounts are written off against the allowance when it 
  becomes evident collection will not occur. While the Company has a large customer base that is geographically dispersed, a general 
  economic downturn in any of the industry segments in which the Company operates could result in higher than expected defaults, 
  and therefore, the need to revise estimates for bad debts. 
  
  Inventories 
  
  Inventories are valued at the lower of cost or market, using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) method for U.S. inventories and the average 