Significant accounting policies |
9 Months Ended | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sep. 30, 2017 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Accounting Policies [Abstract] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Significant accounting policies |
Note 1. Significant accounting policies:
Principles of consolidation
The consolidated financial statements of the Company include the accounts of Riot Blockchain and its wholly-owned subsidiary, BDI. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in the consolidation.
Investment in affiliate
The Company’s 10.9% investment in Coinsquare is accounted for on the cost method.
Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments:
The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less at the date of acquisition to be cash equivalents. From time to time, the Company's cash account balances exceed the balances as covered by the Federal Deposit Insurance System. The Company has never suffered a loss due to such excess balances.
The Company invests excess cash from time to time in highly-liquid debt and equity investments of highly-rated entities, which are classified as trading securities. Such amounts are recorded at market values using Level 1 inputs in determining fair value and are generally classified as current, as the Company does not intend to hold the investments beyond twelve months. Investment securities classified as trading are those securities that are bought and held principally for the purpose of selling them in the near term, with the objective of preserving principal and generating profits. These securities are reported at fair value with unrealized gains and losses reported as an element of other (expense) income in current period earnings. The Company's Board of Directors has approved an investment policy covering the investment parameters to be followed with the primary goals being the safety of principal amounts and maintaining liquidity. The policy provides for minimum investment rating requirements as well as limitations on investment duration and concentrations. Based upon market conditions, the investment guidelines have been tightened to increase the minimum acceptable investment ratings required for investments and shorten the maximum investment term. As of September 30, 2017, 100% of the investment portfolio was in cash and cash equivalents, which is presented as such on the accompanying balance sheet.
The Company's short-term investments comprise certificates of deposit, commercial paper and corporate bonds, all of which are classified as trading securities and carried at their fair value based upon quoted market prices of the securities at December 31, 2016. Net realized and unrealized gains and losses on trading securities are included in net loss. For purposes of determining realized gains and losses, the cost of securities sold is based on specific identification.
The composition of trading securities is as follows at December 31, 2016:
Investment income for the nine months ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 consists of the following:
Fair value of financial instruments:
The Company accounts for financial instruments under Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification Topic ("ASC") 820, Fair Value Measurements. This statement defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in generally accepted accounting principles, and expands disclosures about fair value measurements. To increase consistency and comparability in fair value measurements, ASC 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value into three levels as follows:
Level 1— quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities;
Level 2 — observable inputs other than Level 1, quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets and liabilities in markets that are not active, and model-derived prices whose inputs are observable or whose significant value drivers are observable; and
Level 3 — assets and liabilities whose significant value drivers are unobservable.
Observable inputs are based on market data obtained from independent sources, while unobservable inputs are based on the Company's market assumptions. Unobservable inputs require significant management judgment or estimation. In some cases, the inputs used to measure an asset or liability may fall into different levels of the fair value hierarchy. In those instances, the fair value measurement is required to be classified using the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. Such determination requires significant management judgment. There were no financial assets or liabilities measured at fair value, with the exception of short-term investments as of December 31, 2016.
The carrying amounts of the Company's financial instruments (other than short-term investments as discussed above) approximate fair value because of their variable interest rates and/or short maturities combined with the recent historical interest rate levels.
Revenue Recognition:
Revenue recognition related to the license agreement is based upon the licensee's right to use the technology and the Company's ongoing obligations to maintain and defend the patented rights and comply with the terms of the sub-license agreement whereby the license fees and milestone payments received from the agreement, net of the amounts due to third parties, have been recorded as deferred revenue and are amortized over the term of the license agreement.
Goodwill:
The Company performs a goodwill impairment analysis in the fourth quarter of each year, or whenever there is an indication of impairment. When conducting its annual goodwill impairment assessment, the Company initially performs a qualitative evaluation to determine if it is more likely than not that the fair value of its reporting unit is less than its carrying amount as a basis for determining whether it is necessary to perform a two-step goodwill impairment test. The Company has determined, based on its evaluation, that the goodwill associated with the BDI acquisition was impaired and was written off during the nine months ended September 30, 2017, included as part of the discontinued operations impairment loss.
Recently issued and adopted accounting pronouncements:
The Company continually assesses any new accounting pronouncements to determine their applicability. When it is determined that a new accounting pronouncement affects the Company's financial reporting, the Company undertakes a study to determine the consequences of the change to its consolidated financial statements and assures that there are proper controls in place to ascertain that the Company's consolidated financial statements properly reflect the change.
In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standard Update No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) ("ASU 2041-09"), which supersedes nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance. The standard's core principle is that an entity should recognize revenue when it transfers promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The standard creates a five-step model to achieve its core principle: (i) identify the contract(s) with a customer; (ii) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (iii) determine the transaction price; (iv) allocate the transaction's price to the separate performance obligations in the contract; and (v) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation. In addition, entities must disclose sufficient information to enable users of financial statements to understand the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers. Qualitative and quantitative disclosures are required about: (i) the entity's contracts with customers; (ii) the significant judgments, and changes in judgments, made in applying the guidance to those contracts; and (iii) any assets recognized from the costs to obtain or fulfill a contract with a customer.
In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) - Deferral of the Effective Date, which deferred the effective date of ASU 2014-09 to interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The standard allows entities to apply the standard retrospectively to each prior period presented ("full retrospective adoption") or retrospectively with the cumulative effect of initially applying the standard recognized at the date of initial application ("modified retrospective adoption"). The Company plans to adopt this guidance on January 1, 2018, and continues to evaluate the impact of adopting under the modified retrospective adoption versus the full retrospective method. The Company is currently in the process of determining the impact of the new revenue recognition guidance on its revenue transactions, including any impacts on associated processes, systems, and internal controls. The Company's preliminary assessment indicates implementation of this standard will not have a material impact on financial results. The Company's evaluation has included determining whether the unit of account (i.e., performance obligations) will change as compared to current GAAP, as well as determining the standalone selling price of each performance obligation. The Company continues to evaluate the impact of this guidance and its subsequent amendments on the consolidated financial position, results of operations, and cash flows, and any preliminary assessments are subject to change.
In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. ASU No. 2016-01 supersedes and amends the guidance to classify equity securities with readily determinable fair values into different categories (that is, trading or available-for-sale) and require equity securities to be measured at fair value with changes in the fair value recognized through net income. The amendments allow equity investments that do not have readily determinable fair values to be re-measured at fair value either upon the occurrence of an observable price change or upon identification of an impairment. The amendments also require enhanced disclosures about those investments. ASU No. 2016-01 is effective for annual reporting beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within the year of adoption, and calls for prospective application. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2016-01 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). This standard requires a lessee to recognize the lease assets and lease liabilities arising from operating leases in the balance sheet. Qualitative along with specific quantitative disclosures are required by lessees and lessors to meet the objective of enabling users of financial statements to assess the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2016-02 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Improvements to Employee Share Based Payment Accounting ("ASU 2016-09"), which amends guidance issued in Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 718, Compensation - Stock Compensation. ASU 2016-09 simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-09 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those fiscal years and early adoption is permitted. The Company has adopted ASU 2016-09 as of January 1, 2017. The principal impact was that to the extent a tax benefit or expense from stock compensation arises it will be presented in the income tax line of the Statement of Operations rather than the current presentation as a component of equity on the Balance Sheet. Also the tax benefit or expense will be presented as activity in Cash Flow from Operating Activity rather than the current presentation as Cash Flow from Financing Activity in the Statement of Cash Flows. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2016-09 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. This standard provides guidance for eight cash flow classification issues in current GAAP. ASU 2016-15 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017 and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that will result from adopting ASU 2016-02.
In January 2017, the FASB issued an ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805) Clarifying the Definition of a Business. The amendments in this Update is to clarify the definition of a business with the objective of adding guidance to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. The definition of a business affects many areas of accounting including acquisitions, disposals, goodwill, and consolidation. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those periods. The Company adopted this guidance effective January 1, 2017. The adoption of this ASU had no impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.
In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Accounting for Goodwill Impairment. ASU 2017-04 removes Step 2 of the goodwill impairment test, which requires a hypothetical purchase price allocation. A goodwill impairment will now be the amount by which a reporting unit's carrying value exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the carrying amount of goodwill. This standard will be effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020 and is required to be applied prospectively. Early adoption is permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017. The Company does not expect the adoption of ASU 2017-04 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.
In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, "Compensation-Stock Compensation: Scope of modification accounting". ASU 2017-09 provides guidance about which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting in Topic 718. ASU No. 2017-09 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted, including during an interim period for which financial statements have not yet been made available for issuance. The amendments should be applied prospectively to an award modified on or after the adoption date. The Company is currently evaluating the impact that the adoption of ASU 2017-09 will have on its consolidated financial statements.
In July 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-11, "Earnings Per Share (Topic 260) Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (Topic 480) Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815)," which addresses the complexity of accounting for certain financial instruments with down round features. Down round features are features of certain equity-linked instruments (or embedded features) that result in the strike price being reduced on the basis of the pricing of future equity offerings. Current accounting guidance creates cost and complexity for entities that issue financial instruments (such as warrants and convertible instruments) with down round features that require fair value measurement of the entire instrument or conversion option. For public business entities, the amendments in Part I of this Update are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. For all other entities, the amendments in Part I of this Update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this guidance on its consolidated financial statements.
Income (loss) per share:
ASC 260, Earnings Per Share, requires dual presentation of basic and diluted earnings per share ("EPS") with a reconciliation of the numerator and denominator of the basic EPS computation to the numerator and denominator of the diluted EPS computation. Basic EPS excludes dilution. Diluted EPS reflects the potential dilution that could occur if securities or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock or resulted in the issuance of common stock that then shared in the earnings of the entity.
Basic net income (loss) per share includes no dilution and is computed by dividing net income (loss) available to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period, excluding any nonvested restricted common shares. Diluted net income (loss) per share reflect the potential dilution of securities that could share in the Company's income (loss). The effect of the inclusion of the dilutive shares would have resulted in a decrease in loss per share for the periods ended September 30, 2017 and 2016. Outstanding stock options, warrants and other dilutive rights are not considered in the calculation, as the impact of the potential common shares (totaling approximately 5,474,000 shares and 1,061,000 shares for each of the nine month periods ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively) would be anti-dilutive. For the nine months ended September 30, 2017 the dilutive rights not considered in the calculation, include shares of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series A Preferred Stock”) outstanding that are convertible into 1,919,472 common shares.
For periods when shares of preferred stock are outstanding, the two-class method is used to calculate basic and diluted earnings (loss) per common share since such preferred stock is a participating security under ASC 260 Earnings per Share. The two-class method is an earnings allocation formula that determines earnings per share for each class of common stock and participating security according to dividends declared (or accumulated) and participation rights in undistributed earnings. Under the two-class method, basic earnings (loss) per common share is computed by dividing net earnings (loss) attributable to common share after allocation of earnings to participating securities by the weighted-average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the year. Diluted earnings (loss) per common share, when applicable, is computed using the more dilutive of the two-class method or the if-converted method. In periods of net loss, no effect is given to participating securities since they do not contractually participate in the losses of the Company.
Under the provisions of ASC 260, "Earnings Per Share," basic EPS shall be computed by dividing income available to common stockholders (the numerator) by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding (the denominator) during the period. Income available to common stockholders shall be computed by deducting both the dividends declared in the period on preferred stock and the dividends accumulated for the period on cumulative preferred stock from income from continuing operations. Dividends during the nine months ended September 30, 2017 were de minimis.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||