Summary of significant accounting policies and basis of presentation (Policies)
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3 Months Ended |
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Mar. 31, 2014
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Accounting Policies [Abstract] | |
Basis of presentation and principles of consolidation | Basis of presentation and principles of consolidation The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements are unaudited and have been prepared by the Company in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) as found in the Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) and Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the Company’s annual financial statements have been condensed or omitted. These interim condensed consolidated financial statements, in the opinion of management, reflect all normal recurring adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the Company’s financial position and results of operations for the interim periods ended March 31, 2014 and 2013. The results of operations for the interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be expected for the full year. These interim financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2013, and the notes thereto, which are included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) on March 5, 2014. The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, bluebird bio France, SARL, bluebird bio Australia Pty Ltd. and bluebird bio Securities Corporation. All intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Any reference in these notes to applicable guidance is meant to refer to GAAP. The Company views its operations and manages its business in one operating segment. All material long-lived assets of the Company reside in the United States. |
Summary of accounting policies | Summary of accounting policies The significant accounting policies described in the Company’s audited financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2013, and the notes thereto, which are included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K, have had no material changes during the three months ended March 31, 2014. |
Use of estimates | Use of estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts in the financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates. Management considers many factors in selecting appropriate financial accounting policies and controls, and in developing the estimates and assumptions that are used in the preparation of these financial statements. Management must apply significant judgment in this process. In addition, other factors may affect estimates, including: expected business and operational changes, sensitivity and volatility associated with the assumptions used in developing estimates, and whether historical trends are expected to be representative of future trends. The estimation process often may yield a range of potentially reasonable estimates of the ultimate future outcomes and management must select an amount that falls within that range of reasonable estimates. This process may result in actual results differing materially from those estimated amounts used in the preparation of the financial statements. Estimates are used in the following areas, among others: stock-based compensation expense, accrued expenses, revenue and income taxes. |
Fair value of financial instruments | Fair value of financial instruments The Company is required to disclose information on all assets and liabilities reported at fair value that enables an assessment of the inputs used in determining the reported fair values. ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures, establishes a hierarchy of inputs used in measuring fair value that maximizes the use of observable inputs and minimizes the use of unobservable inputs by requiring that the observable inputs be used when available. Observable inputs are inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability based on market data obtained from sources independent of the Company. Unobservable inputs are inputs that reflect the Company’s assumptions about the inputs that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, and are developed based on the best information available in the circumstances. The fair value hierarchy applies only to the valuation inputs used in determining the reported fair value of the investments and is not a measure of the investment credit quality. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described below: Level 1—Valuations based on unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Company has the ability to access at the measurement date. Level 2—Valuations based on quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active or for which all significant inputs are observable, either directly or indirectly. Level 3—Valuations that require inputs that reflect the Company’s own assumptions that are both significant to the fair value measurement and unobservable. To the extent that valuation is based on models or inputs that are less observable or unobservable in the market, the determination of fair value requires more judgment. Accordingly, the degree of judgment exercised by the Company in determining fair value is greatest for instruments categorized in Level 3. A financial instrument’s level within the fair value hierarchy is based on the lowest level of any input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The carrying amounts of accounts payable and accrued expenses approximate their fair values due to their short-term maturities. |
Other Income and Expense | Other Income and Expense In March 2014, the Company received an award of $306 of tax incentives from the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center, which will allow the Company to monetize approximately $276 of state and research and development tax credits. In exchange for these incentives, the Company pledged to hire an incremental fifteen employees and to maintain the additional headcount through at least December 31, 2018. Failure to do so could result in the Company being required to repay some or all of these incentives. The Company has deferred and will amortize the benefit of this monetization on a straight-line basis over the five-year performance period, commencing when the pledge is achieved, which had not occurred as of March 31, 2014. |
Net Income (Loss) Per Share | Net Income (Loss) Per Share Basic net income (loss) per share is calculated by dividing net income (loss) attributable to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net income per share is calculated by dividing the net income attributable to common stockholders by the weighted-average number of common equivalent shares outstanding for the period, including any dilutive effect from outstanding stock options, unvested restricted stock, and warrants using the treasury stock method. |