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A. BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
9 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018
Basic EPS  
A. BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation

 

The accompanying condensed financial statements of CEL-SCI Corporation (the Company) are unaudited and certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in the annual financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America have been omitted pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. While management of the Company believes that the disclosures presented are adequate to make the information presented not misleading, these interim condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes included in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended September 30, 2017.

 

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited condensed financial statements contain all accruals and adjustments (each of which is of a normal recurring nature) necessary for a fair presentation of the Company’s financial position as of June 30, 2018 and the results of its operations for the three and nine months then ended. The condensed balance sheet as of September 30, 2017 is derived from the September 30, 2017 audited financial statements. Significant accounting policies have been consistently applied in the interim financial statements and the annual financial statements. The results of operations for the nine and three months ended June 30, 2018 and 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the entire year.

 

The financial statements have been prepared assuming the Company will continue as a going concern, but due to recurring losses from operations and future liquidity needs, there is substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty. Refer to discussion in Note B.

 

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies:

 

Research and Office Equipment and Leasehold Improvements - Research and office equipment is recorded at cost and depreciated using the straight-line method over estimated useful lives of five to seven years. Leasehold improvements are depreciated over the shorter of the estimated useful life of the asset or the term of the lease. Repairs and maintenance which do not extend the life of the asset are expensed when incurred. The fixed assets are reviewed on a quarterly basis to determine if any of the assets are impaired.

 

Patents - Patent expenditures are capitalized and amortized using the straight-line method over the shorter of the expected useful life or the legal life of the patent (17 years). In the event changes in technology or other circumstances impair the value or life of the patent, appropriate adjustment in the asset value and period of amortization is made. An impairment loss is recognized when estimated future undiscounted cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset, and from its disposition, are less than the carrying value of the asset. The amount of the impairment loss would be the difference between the estimated fair value of the asset and its carrying value.

 

Research and Development Costs - Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. Management accrues CRO expenses and clinical trial study expenses based on services performed and relies on the CROs to provide estimates of those costs applicable to the completion stage of a study. Estimated accrued CRO costs are subject to revisions as such studies progress to completion. The Company charges revisions to estimated expense in the period in which the facts that give rise to the revision become known.

 

Income Taxes - The Company uses the asset and liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under the asset and liability method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases and operating and tax loss carryforwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date. The Company records a valuation allowance to reduce the deferred tax assets to the amount that is more likely than not to be recognized.  A full valuation allowance was recorded against the deferred tax assets as of June 30, 2018 and September 30, 2017.

 

On December 22, 2017, the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” (the “Tax Act”:), was signed into law by the President of the United States (U.S.). The Tax Act includes significant changes to corporate taxation, including reduction of the U.S. corporate tax rate from 35% to 21%, effective January 1, 2018, limitation of the tax deduction for interest expense to 30% of earnings (except for certain small businesses), limitation of the deduction for net operating losses to 80% of current year taxable income and elimination of net operating loss carrybacks. The Company has accounted for certain income tax effects of the Act in applying FASB ASC 740 to the current reporting period. Because the Company records a valuation allowance for its entire deferred income tax asset, there was no impact to the amounts reported in the Company’s financial statements resulting from the Tax Act.

 

Derivative Instruments – The Company has entered into financing arrangements that consist of freestanding derivative instruments that contain embedded derivative features. The Company accounts for these arrangements in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (ASC) 815, “Accounting for Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities.” In accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (U.S. GAAP), derivative instruments and hybrid instruments are recognized as either assets or liabilities on the balance sheet and are measured at fair value with gains or losses recognized in earnings depending on the nature of the derivative or hybrid instruments. The Company determines the fair value of derivative instruments and hybrid instruments based on available market data using appropriate valuation models and giving consideration to all of the rights and obligations of each instrument. The derivative liabilities are re-measured at fair value at the end of each interim period.

 

Deferred Rent– Certain of the Company’s operating leases provide for minimum annual payments that adjust over the life of the lease.  The aggregate minimum annual payments are expensed on a straight-line basis over the minimum lease term. The Company recognizes a deferred rent liability for rent escalations when the amount of straight-line rent exceeds the lease payments, and reduces the deferred rent liability when the lease payments exceed the straight-line rent expense.  For tenant improvement allowances and rent holidays, the Company records a deferred rent liability and amortizes the deferred rent over the lease term as a reduction to rent expense.

 

Leases – Leases are categorized as either operating or capital leases at inception. Operating lease costs are recognized on a straight-line basis over the term of the lease. An asset and a corresponding liability for the capital lease obligation are established for the cost of capital leases. The capital lease obligation is amortized over the life of the lease. For build-to-suit leases, the Company establishes an asset and liability for the estimated construction costs incurred to the extent that it is involved in the construction of structural improvements or takes construction risk prior to the commencement of the lease. Upon occupancy of facilities under build-to-suit leases, the Company assesses whether these arrangements qualify for sales recognition under the sale-leaseback accounting guidance. If a lease does not meet the criteria to qualify for a sale-leaseback transaction, the established asset and liability remain on the Company's balance sheet.

 

Stock-Based Compensation – Compensation cost for all stock-based awards is measured at fair value as of the grant date in accordance with the provisions of ASC 718 “Compensation – Stock Compensation.” The fair value of stock options is calculated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The Black-Scholes model requires various judgmental assumptions including volatility and expected option life. The stock-based compensation cost is recognized on the straight line allocation method as expense over the requisite service or vesting period.

 

Equity instruments issued to non-employees are accounted for in accordance with ASC 505-50, “Equity-Based Payments to Non-Employees.” Accordingly, compensation is recognized when goods or services are received and is measured using the Black-Scholes valuation model. The Black-Scholes model requires various judgmental assumptions regarding the fair value of the equity instruments at the measurement date and the expected life of the options.

 

The Company has Incentive Stock Option Plans, Non-Qualified Stock Option Plans, a Stock Compensation Plan, Stock Bonus Plans and an Incentive Stock Bonus Plan. In some cases, these Plans are collectively referred to as the "Plans". All Plans have been approved by the stockholders.

 

The Company’s stock options are not transferable, and the actual value of the stock options that an employee may realize, if any, will depend on the excess of the market price on the date of exercise over the exercise price. The Company has based its assumption for stock price volatility on the variance of daily closing prices of the Company’s stock. The risk-free interest rate assumption was based on the U.S. Treasury rate at date of the grant with the term equal to the expected life of the option. Forfeitures are accounted for when they occur. The expected term of options represents the period that options granted are expected to be outstanding and has been determined based on an analysis of historical exercise behavior. If any of the assumptions used in the Black-Scholes model change significantly, stock-based compensation expense for new awards may differ materially in the future from that recorded in the current period.

 

Vesting of restricted stock granted under the Incentive Stock Bonus Plan is subject to service, performance and market conditions and meets the classification of equity awards. These awards were measured at market value on the grant-dates for issuances where the attainment of performance criteria is likely and at fair value on the grant-dates, using a Monte Carlo simulation for issuances where the attainment of performance criteria is uncertain. The total compensation cost will be expensed over the estimated requisite service period.

 

New Accounting Pronouncements

 

In June 2018, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued ASU 2018-07, Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718), (“ASU 2018-7”), which expands the scope of Topic 718 to include share-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from nonemployees. An entity should apply the requirements of 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). Under current GAAP, non-employee share-based payment awards are measured at the fair value of the consideration received or the fair value of the equity instruments issued, whichever can be more reliably measured. Under ASU 2018-07, accounting for non-employee share-based payments would be consistent with the accounting requirement for employee share-based payment awards which requires non-employee share-based payments to be measured at grant-date fair value of the equity instruments an entity is obligated to issue when the good has been delivered or the service has been rendered and any other conditions necessary to earn the right to benefit from the instruments have been satisfied. Under current GAAP, the measurement date for equity classified non-employee share-based payment awards is the earlier of the date at which a commitment for performance by the counterparty is reached and the date at which the counterparty’s performance is complete. Under ASU 2018-07, equity-classified nonemployee share-based payment awards are measured at the grant date. The definition of the term grant date is amended to generally state the date at which a grantor and a grantee reach a mutual understanding of the key terms and conditions of a share-based payment award. The amendments in this 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 Topic 606. An entity should only remeasure liability-classified awards that have not been settled by the date of adoption and equity classified awards for which a measurement date has not been established through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. Upon transition, the entity is required to measure these non-employee awards at fair value as of the adoption date. The entity must not remeasure assets that are completed. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of the standard will have on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

 

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718), which affects any entity that changes the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award.  This Update amends the definition of modification by qualifying that modification accounting does not apply to changes to outstanding share-based payment awards that do not affect the total fair value, vesting requirements, or equity/liability classification of the awards.  The amendments in this Update are effective for all entities for annual periods, and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in any interim period, for (1) public business entities for reporting periods for which financial statements have not yet been issued and (2) all other entities for reporting periods for which financial statements have not yet been made available for issuance. The amendments in this Update should be applied prospectively to an award modified on or after the adoption date. The Company adopted the provisions of ASU 2017-09 effective January 1, 2018. There was no impact on the financial position or results operations for the nine and three months ended June 30, 2018.

 

In July 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-11, Earnings Per Share (Topic 260), Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (Topic 480), and Derivative and Hedging (Topic 815). The amendments in Part I of this Update change the classification analysis of certain equity-linked financial instruments (or embedded features) with down-round features. When determining whether certain financial instruments should be classified as liabilities or equity instruments, a down-round feature no longer precludes equity classification when assessing whether the instrument is indexed to an entity’s own stock. The amendments also clarify existing disclosure requirements for equity-classified instruments. As a result, a freestanding equity-linked financial instrument (or embedded conversion option) no longer would be accounted for as a derivative liability at fair value as a result of the existence of a down-round feature. For freestanding equity classified financial instruments, the amendments require entities that present earnings per share (“EPS”) in accordance with Topic 260 to recognize the effect of the down-round feature when it is triggered. That effect is treated as a dividend and as a reduction of income available to common shareholders in basic EPS. Convertible instruments with embedded conversion options that have down-round features are now subject to the specialized guidance for contingent beneficial conversion features (in Subtopic 470-20, Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options), including related EPS guidance (in Topic 260). The amendments in Part II of this Update re-characterize the indefinite deferral of certain provisions of Topic 480 that now are presented as pending content in the Accounting Standards Codification, to a scope exception. Those amendments do not have an accounting effect. 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. Early adoption is permitted, including adoption in an interim period. If an entity early adopts the amendments in an interim period, any adjustments should be reflected as of the beginning of the fiscal year that includes that interim period. The amendments in Part I of this Update should be applied either retrospectively to outstanding financial instruments with a down-round feature by means of a cumulative-effect adjustment to the statement of financial position as of the beginning of the first fiscal year and interim period(s) in which the pending content that links to this paragraph is effective or retrospectively to outstanding financial instruments with a down-round feature for each prior reporting period presented in accordance with the guidance on accounting changes in paragraphs 250-10-45-5 through 45-10. The amendments in Part II of this Update do not require any transition guidance because those amendments do not have an accounting effect. The Company does not expect the adoption of this standard to have a significant impact on its EPS calculations, as it does not have any free-standing equity based financial instruments with down-round provisions. 

 

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases, which will require most long-term leases to be recognized on the balance sheet as an asset and a lease liability. Leases will be classified as an operating lease or a financing lease. Operating leases are expensed using the straight-line method whereas financing leases will be treated similarly to a capital lease under the current standard. The new standard will be effective for annual and interim periods, within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018, but early adoption is permitted. The new standard must be presented using the modified retrospective method beginning with the earliest comparative period presented. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of the standard will have on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

 

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09 Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. The guidance simplified the accounting and financial reporting of the income tax impact of share-based compensation arrangements. This guidance requires excess tax benefits to be recorded as a discrete item within income tax expense rather than additional paid-in-capital. In addition, excess tax benefits are required to be classified as cash from operating activities rather than cash from financing activities. The Company adopted the provisions of ASU 2016-09 effective October 1, 2017. The Company elected to apply the cash flow guidance of ASU 2016-09 retrospectively to all prior periods with no impact to historical periods. The Company also adopted a change in accounting policy to recognize forfeitures of awards as they occur instead of estimating potential forfeitures with no material impact on historical periods.

 

The Company has considered all other recently issued accounting pronouncements and does not believe the adoption of such pronouncements will have a material impact on its financial statements.