Revenue Recognition Revenue, net of related discounts and allowances, is recognized when the earnings process is complete. This occurs when products are shipped to or received by the customer in accordance with the terms of the agreement, title and risk of loss have been transferred, collectability is reasonably assured and pricing is fixed or determinable. Net sales include shipping and handling costs collected from customers in connection with the sale. Sales taxes, value added taxes and other similar types of taxes collected from customers in connection with the sale are recorded by the Company on a net basis and are not included in the consolidated statement of operations. Certain of the Company s customers are offered cash rebates based on targeted sales increases. Estimates of rebates are based on the forecasted performance of the customer and their expected level of achievement within the rebate programs. In accounting for these rebate programs, the Company records an accrual as a reduction of net sales as sales take place over the period the rebate is earned. The Company revises the accruals for these rebate programs as actual results and revised forecasts impact the estimated achievement for customers within the rebate programs. A portion of the Company s net sales is comprised of sales of precious metals generated through its precious metal dental alloy product offerings. As the precious metal content of the Company s sales is largely a pass-through to customers, the Company uses its cost of precious metal purchased as a proxy for the precious metal content of sales, as the precious metal content of sales is not separately tracked and invoiced to customers. The Company believes that it is reasonable to use the cost of precious metal content purchased in this manner since precious metal alloy sale prices are typically adjusted when the prices of underlying precious metals change. The precious metals content of sales was $179.1 million , $213.7 million and $205.1 million for 2013 , 2012 and 2011 , respect