Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies)

12 Months Ended

May 31, 2016

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]

PRINCIPLES OF CONSOLIDATION

The consolidated financial statements for the years ended May 31, 2016 and 2015 include the accounts of Biomerica, Inc. ("Biomerica") as well as its German subsidiary and Mexican subsidiary. The Mexican subsidiary has not begun operations. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]

ACCOUNTING ESTIMATES

The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reported period. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates.

Fair Value Measurement, Policy [Policy Text Block]

FAIR VALUE OF FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS

The Company has financial instruments whereby the fair market value of the financial instruments could be different than that recorded on a historical basis. The Company's financial instruments consist of its cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, and accounts payable. The carrying amounts of the Company's financial instruments approximate their fair values.

Concentration Risk, Credit Risk, Policy [Policy Text Block]

CONCENTRATION OF CREDIT RISK

The Company maintains cash balances at certain financial institutions in excess of amounts insured by federal agencies.  The Company does not believe it is exposed to any significant credit risks.

The Company provides credit in the normal course of business to customers throughout the United States and foreign markets. For the years ended May 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company had one distributor which accounted for 30.3% and 16.3%, respectively, of consolidated sales.  The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and requires prepayment in some circumstances. At May 31, 2016, two customers accounted for 60.3% of gross accounts receivable. At May 31, 2015, two customers accounted for 53.0 % of gross accounts receivable.

For the year ended May 31, 2016, two companies accounted for 25.3% of the purchases of raw materials. For the year ended May 31, 2015, one company accounted for 13.6 % of the purchases of raw materials.

Concentration Risk Geographic Policy [Policy Text Block]

GEOGRAPHIC CONCENTRATION

As of May 31, 2016 and 2015, approximately $659,000 and $530,000 of Biomerica's gross inventory and approximately $26,000 and $35,000, of Biomerica's property and equipment, net of accumulated depreciation was located in Mexicali, Mexico, respectively.

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block]

CASH EQUIVALENTS

Cash and cash equivalents consist of demand deposits and money market accounts with original maturities of less than three months.

Trade and Other Accounts Receivable, Policy [Policy Text Block]

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE

The Company extends unsecured credit to its customers on a regular basis.  International accounts are required to prepay until they establish a history with the Company and at that time, they are extended credit at levels based on a number of criteria.  Credit levels are approved by designated upper level management.  Domestic customers are extended initial $500 credit limits until they establish a history with the Company or submit credit information.  All increases in credit limits are also approved by designated upper level management.  Management evaluates receivables on a quarterly basis and adjusts the allowance for doubtful accounts accordingly.  Balances over ninety days old are usually reserved for.   

Occasionally certain long-standing customers, who routinely place large orders, will have unusually large receivables balances relative to the total gross receivables.   Management monitors the payments for these large balances closely and very often requires payment of existing invoices before shipping new sales orders.

Inventory, Policy [Policy Text Block]

INVENTORIES

The Company values inventory at the lower of cost (determined using a combination of specific lot identification and the first-in, first-out methods) or market. Management periodically reviews inventory for excess quantities and obsolescence. Management evaluates quantities on hand, physical condition, and technical functionality as these characteristics may be impacted by anticipated customer demand for current products and new product introductions. The reserve is adjusted based on such evaluation, with a corresponding provision included in cost of sales. Abnormal amounts of idle facility expenses, freight, handling costs and wasted material are recognized as current period charges and the allocation of fixed production overhead is based on the normal capacity of the production facilities.

Inventories approximate the following at May 31:

	2016		2015
Raw materials	$	942,000	$	958,000
Work in progress		690,000		831,000
Finished products		231,000		238,000
Total	$	1,863,000	$	2,027,000

Reserves for inventory obsolescence are recorded as necessary to reduce obsolete inventory to estimated net realizable value or to specifically reserve for obsolete inventory that the Company intends to dispose of.  For the years ended May 31, 2016 and 2015 inventory reserves were approximately $52,000 and $25,000, respectively.

Property, Plant and Equipment, Policy [Policy Text Block]

PROPERTY AND EQUIPMENT

Property and equipment are stated at cost. Expenditures for additions and major improvements are capitalized. Repairs and maintenance costs are charged to operations as incurred. When property and equipment are retired or otherwise disposed of, the related cost and accumulated depreciation or amortization are removed from the accounts, and gains or losses from retirements and dispositions are credited or charged to income.

Depreciation and amortization are provided over the estimated useful lives of the related assets, ranging from 5 to 10 years, using the straight-line method. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the lesser of the estimated useful life of the asset or the term of the lease. Depreciation and amortization expense on property and equipment and leasehold improvements amounted to $156,283 and $178,219 for the years ended May 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Intangible Assets, Finite-Lived, Policy [Policy Text Block]

INTANGIBLE ASSETS

Intangible assets include trademarks, product rights, technology rights and patents, and are accounted for based on Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”), ASC 350 “Intangibles – Goodwill and Other” (ASC 350). In that regard, intangible assets that have indefinite useful lives are not amortized but are tested at least annually for impairment or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired.

Intangible assets are being amortized using the straight-line method over the useful life, not to exceed 18 years for marketing and distribution rights and purchased technology use rights, and 17 years for patents. Amortization amounted to $76,139 and $75,056 for the years ended May 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Intangible assets with indefinite lives such as perpetual licenses are not amortized but rather tested for impairment at least annually.

The Company assesses the recoverability of these intangible assets by determining whether the amortization of the asset's balance over its remaining life can be recovered through projected undiscounted future cash flows. In July 2012, the FASB issued another update to ASC 350 Intangibles – Goodwill and Other: Testing Indefinite-Lived Intangible Assets for Impairment. This update simplifies the guidance for testing impairment of indefinite-lived intangible assets other than goodwill. During fiscal 2013, the Company adopted the updated guidance in ASC 350 and used the qualitative assessment to determine whether there was any impairment. No impairment adjustment was required as of May 31, 2016.

Investment, Policy [Policy Text Block]

INVESTMENTS

From time-to-time, the Company makes investments in privately-held companies.  The Company determines whether the fair values of any investments in privately-held entities have declined below their carrying value whenever adverse events or changes in circumstances indicate that recorded values may not be recoverable.  If the Company considers any such decline to be other than temporary (based on various factors, including historical financial results, and the overall health of the investee’s industry), a write-down to estimated fair value is recorded. The Company currently has not written down the investment and no events have occurred which could indicate the carrying value to be less than the fair value. Investments represent the Company’s investment in a Polish distributor which is primarily engaged in distributing medical devices.  The Company owns approximately 6% of the investee, and accordingly, applies the cost method to account for the investment.  Under the cost method, investments are recorded at cost, with gains and losses recognized as of the sale date, and income recorded when received.

Share-based Compensation, Option and Incentive Plans Policy [Policy Text Block]

SHARE-BASED COMPENSATION

The Company follows the guidance of the accounting provisions of ASC 718 “Share-based Compensation” (ASC 718), which requires the use of the fair-value based method to determine compensation for all arrangements under which employees and others receive shares of stock or equity instruments (warrants and options). The fair value of each option award is estimated on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes valuation model that uses assumptions for expected volatility, expected dividends, expected forfeiture rate, expected term, and the risk-free interest rate. Expected volatilities are based on weighted averages of the historical volatility of the Company’s stock estimated over the expected term of the options. The expected forfeiture rate is based on historical forfeitures experienced. The expected term of options granted is derived using the “simplified method” which computes expected term as the average of the sum of the vesting term plus the contract term as historically the Company had limited activity surrounding its options. The risk-free rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant for the period of the expected term.

In applying the Black-Scholes options-pricing model, assumptions are as follows:  

	2016		2015
Dividend yield		0%		0%
Expected volatility		51.77-55.29%		49.53 -62.68%
Risk free interest rate		1.55-1.75%		1.26 -1.67%
Expected life		3.75-6.25 years		3.75-6.0   years

Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block]

REVENUE RECOGNITION

Revenues from product sales are recognized at the time the product is shipped, customarily FOB shipping point, at which point title passes. An allowance is established when necessary for estimated returns as revenue is recognized. As of May 31, 2016 and 2015, the allowance for returns is $0.

Shipping and Handling Cost, Policy [Policy Text Block]

SHIPPING AND HANDLING FEES AND COSTS

Shipping and handling fees billed to customers are required to be classified as net sales, and shipping and handling costs are required to be classified as either cost of sales or disclosed in the notes to the consolidated financial statements. The Company included shipping and handling fees billed to customers in net sales. The Company included shipping and handling costs associated with inbound freight and unreimbursed shipping to customers in cost of sales.

Research and Development Expense, Policy [Policy Text Block]

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. The Company expensed $780,333 and $733,640 of research and development expenses during the years ended May 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]

INCOME TAXES

The Company accounts for income taxes in accordance with ASC 740, “Income Taxes” (ASC 740). Deferred tax assets and liabilities arise from temporary differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements that will result in taxable or deductible amounts in future years. These temporary differences are measured using enacted tax rates. A valuation allowance is recorded to reduce deferred tax assets to the extent that management considers it is more likely than not that a deferred tax asset will not be realized. In determining the valuation allowance, the Company considers factors such as the reversal of deferred income tax liabilities, projected taxable income, and the character of income tax assets and tax planning strategies. A change to these factors could impact the estimated valuation allowance and income tax expense. At May 31, 2016, in accordance with ASC 740, the Company created a valuation allowance for all of its deferred tax assets.  This resulted in a one-time charge to income tax expense of approximately $1,038,000 and a reduction in the short and long-term deferred tax assets.

The Company accounts for its uncertain tax provisions by using a two-step approach to recognizing and measuring uncertain tax positions. The first step is to evaluate the tax position for recognition by determining if the weight of available evidence indicates it is more likely than not, based solely on the technical merits, that the position will be sustained in an audit, including resolution of related appeals or litigation processes, if any. The second step is to measure the appropriate amount of the benefit to recognize. The amount of benefit to recognize is measured as the maximum amount which is more likely than not to be realized. The tax position is derecognized when it is no longer more likely than not capable of being sustained. On subsequent recognition and measurement the maximum amount which is more likely than not to be recognized at each reporting date will represent the Company’s best estimate, given the information available at the reporting date, although the outcome of the tax position is not absolute or final. Upon adopting the revisions in ASC 740, the Company elected to follow an accounting policy to classify accrued interest related to liabilities for income taxes within the “Interest expense” line and penalties related to liabilities for income taxes within the “Other expense” line of the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss.

Advertising Costs, Policy [Policy Text Block]

ADVERTISING COSTS

The Company reports the cost of all advertising as expense in the period in which those costs are incurred. Advertising costs were approximately $2,000 and $6,000 for the years ended May 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations Policy [Policy Text Block]

FOREIGN CURRENCY TRANSLATION

The subsidiary located in Germany operates primarily using local functional currency. Accordingly, assets and liabilities of this subsidiary are translated using exchange rates in effect at the end of the period, and revenues and costs are translated using average exchange rates for the period. The subsidiary in Mexico, although not operating, has two bank accounts which according to exchange rates in effect at the end of each period need to be adjusted for that fluctuation. The resulting adjustments are presented as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive loss.

Deferred Charges, Policy [Policy Text Block]

DEFERRED RENT

Incentive payments received from landlords are recorded as deferred lease incentives and are amortized over the underlying lease term on a straight-line basis as a reduction of rent expense. When the terms of an operating lease provide for periods of free rent, rent concessions, and/or rent escalations, the Company establishes a deferred rent liability for the difference between the scheduled rent payment and the straight-line rent expense recognized. This deferred rent liability is amortized over the underlying lease term on a straight-line basis as a reduction of rent expense.

Earnings Per Share, Policy [Policy Text Block]

NET LOSS PER SHARE

Basic loss per share is computed as net loss divided by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted loss per share reflects the potential dilution that could occur from common shares issuable through stock options, warrants and other convertible securities using the treasury stock method. The total amount of anti-dilutive options not included in the loss per share calculation for the years ended May 31, 2016 and 2015 were 1,199,000 and 1,148,000 respectively.

The following table illustrates the reconciliation of the numerators and denominators of the basic and diluted earnings per share computations:

For the Years Ended May 31	2016		2015
Numerator for basic and diluted net loss per common share	$	(1,499,787)	$	(331,410)
Denominator for basic net loss per common share		7,626,078		7,552,262
Effect of dilutive securities:
Options		--		--
Denominator for diluted net loss per common share		7,626,078		7,552,262
Basic net loss per common share	$	(0.20)	$	(0.04)
Diluted net loss per common share	$	(0.20)	$	(0.04)

Segment Reporting, Policy [Policy Text Block]

SEGMENT REPORTING

ASC 280, “Segment Reporting” (ASC 280), establishes standards for reporting, by public business enterprises, information about operating segments, products and services, geographic areas, and major customers. The Company’s operations are analyzed by management and its chief operating decision maker as being part of a single industry segment: the design, development, marketing and sales of diagnostic kits.

Comprehensive Income, Policy [Policy Text Block]

REPORTING COMPREHENSIVE LOSS

Comprehensive loss represents net loss and any revenues, expenses, gains and losses that, under GAAP, are excluded from net loss and recognized directly as a component of shareholders’ equity. Accumulated other comprehensive loss consists solely of foreign currency translation adjustments.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

RECENT ACCOUNTING PRONOUNCEMENTS

In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-04, Liabilities (Topic 405): Obligations Resulting from Joint and Several Liability Arrangements for Which the Total Amount of the Obligation Is Fixed at the Reporting Date (“ASU 2013-04”). The amendments in ASU 2013-04 provide guidance for the recognition, measurement, and disclosure of obligations resulting from joint and several liability arrangements for which the total amount of the obligation within the scope of this update is fixed at the reporting date, except for obligations addressed within existing guidance in GAAP. The guidance requires an entity to measure those obligations as the sum of the amount the reporting entity agreed to pay on the basis of its arrangement among its co-obligors and any additional amount the reporting entity expects to pay on behalf of its co-obligors. The guidance in this update also requires an entity to disclose the nature and amount of the obligation as well as other information about those obligations. The amendments in this standard are effective retrospectively for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013, which corresponded to the Company’s first quarter of fiscal 2015. The adoption of ASU 2013-04 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09 “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (ASU 2014-09).  ASU 2014-09 is a comprehensive new revenue recognition model requiring a company to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount reflecting the consideration it expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services.  In adopting, ASU 2014-09, companies may use either a full retrospective or a modified retrospective approach.  ASU 2014-09 is effective for the first interim period within annual reporting periods beginning December 15, 2016, and early adoption is not permitted.  During August 2015, the FASB voted to defer the effective date of the above mentioned revenue recognition guidance by one year to December 15, 2017 for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after that date and permitted early adoption of the standard, but not before the original effective date of December 15, 2016. Management is evaluating the provisions of this statement and has not determined what impact the adoption of ASU 2014-09 will have on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-11, Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory (“ASU 2015-11”).  ASU 2015-11 applies to inventory that is measured using first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) or average cost.  An entity should measure inventory within the scope of ASU 2015-11 at the lower of cost and net realizable value.  Net realizable value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal and transportation.  The amendments in ASU 2015-11 more closely align the measurement of inventory in US GAAP with the measurement of inventory in International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”).  ASU 2015-11 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2016.  Management is evaluating the provisions of this statement and has not determined what impact the adoption of ASU 2015-11 will have on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

 On November 20, 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes (“ASU-2015-17”).  The update eliminates the requirement to classify deferred tax assets and liabilities on a classified statement of financial position. ASU 2015-17 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2015, and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted for financial statements as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period.  The Company chose to adopt ASU 2015-17 as of the fiscal quarter ended November 30, 2015.

On January 5, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, Financial Instruments-Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities (“ASU-2016-01”).  The release affects public and private companies that hold financial assets or owe financial liabilities.  ASU-2016-01 will take effect for public companies for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017. Management is evaluating the provisions of this statement and has not determined what impact the adoption of ASU- 2016-01 will have on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

On February 25, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) (“ASU-2016-02”).  ASU-2016-02 defines whether a contract is a lease. If it is a lease, the Company is required to recognize the lease assets and liabilities. ASU-2016-02 is effective for public companies for the annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018. Management is evaluating the provisions of this statement and has not determined what impact the adoption of ASU-2016-02 will have on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

On March 30, 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting.  The update includes provisions intended to simplify various aspects of accounting for share-based compensation. ASU-S016-09 will take effect for public companies for the annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Management is evaluating the provisions of this statement and has not determined what impact the adoption of ASU-2016-09 will have on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

 Other recent ASU’s issued by the FASB and guidance issued by the Securities and Exchange Commission did not, or are not believed by management to have a material effect on the Company’s present or future consolidated financial statements.

Reclassification, Policy [Policy Text Block]

RECLASSIFICATION

The Company reclassified the Deferred Tax Asset reported in the prior fiscal year under Current Assets to present the Deferred Tax Asset as non-current in accordance with ASU 2015-17.