Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Significant Accounting Policies

v3.20.1
Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Significant Accounting Policies

Note 2—Significant Accounting Policies

  

Going Concern. The accompanying consolidated financial statements and notes have been prepared assuming we will continue as a going concern. For the years ended December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, respectively, we had an accumulated deficit and a working capital deficit. These circumstances raise substantial doubt as to our ability to continue as a going concern. Our ability to continue as a going concern is dependent upon our ability to generate profits by expanding current operations as well as reducing our costs and increasing our operating margins, and to sustain adequate working capital to finance our operations. The failure to achieve the necessary levels of profitability and cash flows would be detrimental to us. The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might be necessary if we are unable to continue as a going concern.

  

Use of Estimates. Conformity with GAAP requires the use of estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts in our consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. These estimates form the basis for judgments we make about the carrying values of our assets and liabilities, which are not readily apparent from other sources. We base our estimates and judgments on historical information and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances. GAAP requires us to make estimates and judgments in several areas, including, but not limited to, those related to deferred revenues, reserve for breakage, deferred costs, revenue recognition, commitments and contingencies, fair value of financial instruments, useful lives of property and equipment, right-of-use assets, and income taxes. These estimates are based on management's knowledge about current events and expectations about actions we may undertake in the future. Actual results could differ materially from those estimates.

 

Cash and cash equivalents. We consider all highly liquid instruments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash or cash equivalents. We continually monitor and evaluate our investment positions and the creditworthiness of the financial institutions with which we invest and maintain deposit accounts. When appropriate, we utilize Certificate of Deposit Account Registry Service (CDARS) to reduce banking risk for a portion of our cash in the United States. A CDAR consists of numerous individual investments, all below the FDIC limits, thus fully insuring that portion of our cash. At December 31, 2019 and 2018, we did not have a CDAR balance.

 

Restricted cash. Restricted cash balances consist primarily of funds on deposit with credit card and other payment processors. These balances do not have the benefit of federal deposit insurance and are subject to the financial risk of the parties holding these funds. Restricted cash balances held by credit card processors are unavailable to us unless, and for a period of time after, we discontinue the use of their services. Because a portion of these funds can be accessed and converted to unrestricted cash in less than one year in certain circumstances, that portion is considered a current asset. Restricted cash is included with cash and cash equivalents in our consolidated statements of cash flows.

 

 Deposits with credit card processors. The deposits with our credit card processors are held due to arrangements under which our credit card processors withhold credit card funds to cover charge backs in the event we are unable to honor our commitments. These deposits are included in restricted cash on our consolidated balance sheet.

 

The following table provides a reconciliation of cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash reported within the consolidated balance sheets that sum to the total of the same such amounts in the consolidated cash flow statements:

 

    December 31,     December 31,  
(in thousands)   2019     2018  
Cash and cash equivalents   $ 3,839     $ 1,161  
Restricted cash     2,389       4,366  
Total cash, cash equivalents, and restricted cash   $ 6,228     $ 5,527  

 

Financial Instruments. Financial instruments consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, accounts payable, deferred course expenses, accrued expenses, deferred revenue, and debt. U.S. GAAP requires the disclosure of the fair value of financial instruments, including assets and liabilities recognized in the balance sheets. Management believes the carrying value of the other financial instruments recognized on the consolidated balance sheets (including receivables, payables and accrued liabilities) approximate their fair value.

 

Inventory. Inventory consists primarily of books, videos and training materials held for sale to students enrolled in our training programs. Inventory is stated at the lower of cost or market using the first-in, first-out method.

 

Property, equipment and Impairment of long-lived assets. Property and equipment is stated at cost less accumulated depreciation. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets as presented in the following table:

 

Building     40 years  
Residential rental properties     27.5 years  
Furniture, fixtures and equipment     3-7 years  
Purchased software     3 years  

  

Residential rental properties generate monthly income from individual tenants. Income from these properties is recognized and included in other income.

 

Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the estimated useful asset life or the remaining term of the applicable lease.

 

In accordance with U.S. GAAP, we evaluate the carrying amount of our long-lived assets such as property and equipment, and finite-lived intangible assets subject to amortization for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets held and used is measured by the comparison of its carrying amount with the future net cash flows the asset is expected to generate. We look primarily to the undiscounted future cash flows in the assessment of whether or not long-lived assets have been impaired. If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated undiscounted future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds the estimated fair value of the asset.

  

Other assets include our residential investment property. On January 17, 2020, we sold this property for $390.6 thousand and recognized a gain of $33.1 thousand.

  

Revenue recognition.

  

We recognize revenue when our customers obtain control of promised goods or services, in an amount that reflects the consideration which we expect to receive in exchange for those goods or services, in accordance with Topic 606.

  

We adopted Topic 606 using the modified retrospective method applied to those contracts which were not completed as of January 1, 2018. Revenue amounts presented in our consolidated financial statements are recognized net of sales tax, value-added taxes, and other taxes.

 

In the normal course of business, we recognize revenue based on the customers' attendance of the course, mentoring training, coaching session or delivery of the software, data or course materials on-line. After a customer contract expires, we record breakage revenue less a reserve for cases where we allow a customer to attend after expiration. We had deferred revenue of $46.5 million and $44.2 million related to contractual commitments with customers where the performance obligation will be satisfied over time, which ranges from one to two years as of December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively. The revenue associated with these performance obligations is recognized as the obligation is satisfied. We did not have a material change in financial position, results of operations, or cash flows and therefore there is no cumulative impact recorded to opening equity as of January 1, 2018, the adoption date.

 

The following tables disaggregate our segment revenue by revenue source: 

 

    Year Ended December 31, 2019     Year Ended December 31, 2018  
Revenue Type:   North America     U.K.     Other foreign markets     Total Consolidated Revenue     North America     U.K.     Other foreign markets     Total Consolidated Revenue  
    (In thousands)                          
Seminars     32,714       2,562       8,346       43,622       32,504       1,910       12,449       46,863  
Products     9,404       1,141       3,777       14,322       11,342       918       3,474       15,734  
Coaching and Mentoring     5,564       138       4,465       10,167       5,372       219       3,952       9,543  
Online and Subscription     2,070       6       351       2,427       1,112       15       16       1,143  
Other     4,675       281       2       4,958       2,719       167             2,886  
Total revenue     54,427       4,128       16,941       75,496       53,049       3,229       19,891       76,169  

 

Deferred course expenses. We defer licensing fees and commissions and fees paid to our speakers and telemarketers until such time as the revenue is earned. Our speakers, who are all independent contractors, earn commissions on the cash receipts received at our training events and are paid approximately 45 days after the training event. The deferred course expenses are expensed as the corresponding deferred revenue is recognized. We also capitalize the commissions and fees paid to our speakers and expense them as the corresponding deferred revenue is recognized.

   

Advertising expenses. We expense advertising as incurred. Advertising paid in advance is recorded as a prepaid expense until such time as the advertisement is published.

 

Income taxes. We account for income taxes in conformity with the requirements of ASC 740, Income Taxes ("ASC 740"). Per ASC 740, the provision for income taxes is calculated using the asset and liability approach of accounting for income taxes. We recognize deferred tax assets and liabilities, at enacted income tax rates, based on the temporary differences between the financial reporting basis and the tax basis of our assets and liabilities. We include any effects of changes in income tax rates or tax laws in the provision for income taxes in the period of enactment. When it is more likely than not that a portion or all of a deferred tax asset will not be realized in the future, we provide a corresponding valuation allowance against the deferred tax asset.

 

ASC 740 also clarifies the accounting for uncertainty in income taxes recognized in a company's financial statements and prescribes a recognition threshold of more likely than not and a measurement process for financial statement recognition and measurement of a tax position taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. In making this assessment, a company must determine whether it is more likely than not that a tax position will be sustained upon examination, based solely on the technical merits of the position and must assume that the tax position will be examined by taxing authorities. ASC 740 also provides guidance on derecognition, classification, interest and penalties, disclosures and transition.

 

Foreign currency translation. We account for foreign currency translation in accordance with ASC 830, Foreign Currency Translation. The functional currencies of our foreign operations are the reported local currencies. Translation adjustments result from translating our foreign subsidiaries' financial statements into United States dollars. The balance sheet accounts of our foreign subsidiaries are translated into United States dollars using the exchange rate in effect at the balance sheet date. Revenue and expenses are translated using average exchange rates for each month during the fiscal year. The resulting translation gains or losses are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income in stockholders' deficit. Business is generally transacted in a single currency not requiring meaningful currency transaction costs. We do not practice hedging as the risks do not warrant the costs.

 

Share-based compensation. We account for share-based awards under the provisions of ASC 718, "Compensation—Stock Compensation." Accordingly, share-based compensation cost is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and we expense these costs using the straight-line method over the requisite service period. See Note 7 "Share-Based Compensation", for additional disclosures regarding our share-based compensation.

  

Comprehensive income. Comprehensive income includes changes to equity accounts that were not the result of transactions with stockholders. Comprehensive income is comprised of net income and other comprehensive income items. Our comprehensive income generally consists of changes in the cumulative foreign currency translation adjustment.

 

Discontinued operations. ASC 205-20-45, "Presentation of Financial Statements Discontinued Operations" requires discontinued operations to be reported if the disposal of a business component represents a strategic shift that has a major effect on an entity's operations and financial reports. We have determined that the sale of Legacy UK meets this criterion. Accordingly, the assets, deferred revenues, and income statement of Legacy UK were transferred to discontinued operations to close out the business. See Note 4 "Discontinued Operations", for additional disclosures regarding Legacy UK.

  

Accounting Standards Adopted in the Current Period

 

We have implemented all new accounting pronouncements that are in effect and that management believes would materially affect our financial statements.

 

In June 2018, an accounting update was issued to simplify the accounting for nonemployee share-based payment transactions resulting from expanding the scope of ASC Topic 718, Compensation-Stock Compensation, to include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from nonemployees. An entity should apply the requirements of ASC Topic 718 to nonemployee awards except for specific guidance on inputs to an option pricing model and the attribution of cost (that is, the period of time over which share-based payment awards vest and the pattern of cost recognition over that period). The amendments specify that ASC Topic 718 applies to all share-based payment transactions in which a grantor acquires goods or services to be used or consumed in a grantor's own operations by issuing share-based payment awards. The amendments also clarify that ASC Topic 718 does not apply to share-based payments used to effectively provide (1) financing to the issuer or (2) awards granted in conjunction with selling goods or services to customers as part of a contract accounted for under ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The amendments in this accounting update are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within that fiscal year. Early adoption is permitted, but no earlier than an entity's adoption date of ASC Topic 606. We adopted this accounting update effective January 1, 2019. Adoption of this accounting standard had no impact on our financial statements.

 

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No 2016-02 "Leases" to increase the transparency and comparability about leases among entities. Additional ASUs have been issued subsequent to ASU 2016-02 to provide supplementary clarification and implementation guidance for leases related to, among other things, the application of certain practical expedients, the rate implicit in the lease, lessee reassessment of lease classification, lessor reassessment of lease term and purchase options, variable payments that depend on an index or rate and certain transition adjustments. ASU 2016-02 and these additional ASUs are now codified as Accounting Standards Codification Standard 842 - "Leases" ("ASC 842"). ASC 842 supersedes the lease accounting guidance in Accounting Standards Codification 840 "Leases" ("ASC 840") and requires lessees to recognize a lease liability and a corresponding lease asset for virtually all lease contracts. It also requires additional disclosures about leasing arrangements. We elected to utilize the "package" of three expedients, as defined in ASC 842, which retain the lease classification and initial direct costs for any leases that existed prior to adoption of the standard. Accordingly, previously reported financial information has not been restated to reflect the application of the new standard to the comparative periods presented. As of the date of implementation on January 1, 2019, the impact of the adoption of ASC 842 resulted in the recognition of a right-of-use asset and operating lease liability on our Consolidated Balance Sheet of approximately $0.4 million. As the right of use asset and the lease payable obligation were the same upon adoption of ASC 842, there was no cumulative effect impact on our retained earnings. See Note 16 "Leases", to our consolidated financial statements for further discussion.

 

In July 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the "FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2017-11, I "Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments With Down Round Features" and II "Replacement of the Indefinite Deferral for Mandatorily Redeemable Financial Instruments of Certain Nonpublic Entities and Certain Mandatorily Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests With a Scope Exception". This standard is effective for fiscal years and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Early adoption is permitted. We adopted this standard effective January 1, 2019. Adoption of this accounting standard had no material impact on our financial statements.