3. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Revenue Recognition

Revenue is recognized when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, the price is fixed and determinable, delivery has occurred and there is a reasonable assurance of collection of the sales proceeds. Revenues for manufactured products and products sold to a customer or under a distribution agreement are recognized when the product is shipped to the customer or distributor, at which time title passes to the customer or distributor. Once a product is shipped, the Company has no further performance obligations. Shipped product is defined as shipment to a customer location or segregation of product into a contracted distribution location. At such time, this product cannot be sold to any other customer. Fees charged to customers for shipping are recognized as revenues when products are shipped to the customer, distributor or end user. In the case of revenues from consigned sales, revenue is determined when the product is utilized in a surgical procedure. Revenues from research grants are recognized in the period the associated costs are incurred.

Cash and Cash Equivalents and Concentration

For purposes of the statement of cash flows, the Company considers all highly liquid debt instruments purchased with a maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Cash and cash equivalents are maintained at financial institutions and, at times, balances may exceed federally insured limits. The Company has never experienced any losses related to these balances and does not believe it is exposed to any significant credit risk on cash and cash equivalents.

Accounts Receivable and Concentration of Credit Risk

Accounts receivable are carried at the original invoice amount less an estimate made for doubtful accounts based on a review of all outstanding amounts on a monthly basis. Management determines the allowance for doubtful accounts by regularly evaluating individual customer receivables and considering a customer’s financial condition, credit history and current economic conditions. Accounts receivable are written off when deemed uncollectible. Recoveries of accounts receivable previously written off are recorded when received.

We regularly review all accounts that exceed 60 days from the invoice date and based on an assessment of current credit worthiness, estimate the portion, if any, of the balance that will not be collected. The analysis excludes certain government related receivables due to our past successful experience in collectability. Specific accounts that are deemed uncollectible are reserved at 100% of their outstanding balance. The remaining balances outstanding over 60 days have a percentage applied by aging category (5% for balances 61-90 days and 20% for balances over 90 days aged), based on a historical valuation that allows us to calculate the total reserve required. The reserve balance was determined by applying a percentage to the cumulative balance between 60 and 90 days and a higher percentage to the balance over 90 days. In the event that we exhaust all collection efforts and deem an account uncollectible, we would subsequently write off the account. The write off process involves approval by senior management based on the write off amount. The allowance for doubtful accounts reserve balance was approximately $249,000 and $192,000 at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively.

Concentrations of credit risk with respect to accounts receivable are limited because a large number of geographically diverse customers make up the Company’s customer base, thus spreading the trade credit risk. The Company also controls credit risk through credit approvals, credit limits and monitoring procedures.

Inventories

Inventories are comprised of implantable tissue, nerve grafts, Avance® Nerve Graft, AxoGuard® Nerve Connector, AxoGuard® Nerve Protector, and supplies that are valued at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out) or market and consist of the following:


	September 30,		December 31,
	2016		2015

Finished goods	$	3,343,110	$	2,732,823
Work in process		224,803		237,108
Raw materials		1,402,906		964,029
	$	4,970,819	$	3,933,960

Inventories were net of reserve of approximately $858,000 and $711,000 at September 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively.

Income Taxes

The Company has not recorded current income tax expense due to the generation of net operating losses. Deferred income taxes are accounted for using the balance sheet approach which requires recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future consequences of temporary differences between the financial reporting basis and the tax basis of assets and liabilities. A valuation allowance is provided when it is more likely than not that a deferred tax asset will not be realized. A full valuation allowance has been established on the deferred tax asset as it is more likely than not that a future tax benefit will not be realized. In addition, future utilization of the available net operating loss carryforward may be limited under Internal Revenue Code Section 382 as a result of changes in ownership.

The Company identifies and evaluates uncertain tax positions, if any, and recognizes the impact of uncertain tax positions for which there is a less than more-likely-than-not probability of the position being upheld when reviewed by the relevant taxing authority. Such positions are deemed to be unrecognized tax benefits and a corresponding liability is established on the balance sheet. The Company has not recognized a liability for uncertain tax positions. If there were an unrecognized tax benefit, the Company would recognize interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits in interest expense and penalties in operating expenses. The Company’s remaining open tax years subject to examination by the Internal Revenue Service include the years ended December 31, 2012 through 2015; there currently are no examinations in process.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The respective carrying value of certain on-balance-sheet financial instruments approximated their fair values due to the short-term nature of these instruments. These financial instruments include cash, accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses. The fair value of the Company’s long-term debt approximates its carrying value based upon current rates available to the Company.

Share-Based Compensation

Stock-based compensation cost related to stock options granted under the AC 2002 Stock Option Plan (the “2002 Plan”) and AxoGen 2010 Stock Incentive Plan (the “2010 Plan” and, together with the 2002 Plan, the “Plans”) (see Note 8) is measured at grant date, based on the fair value of the award, and is recognized as an expense over the employee’s requisite service period. The Company estimates the fair value of each option award issued under the Plans on the date of grant using a Black-Scholes-Merton option-pricing model that uses the assumptions noted in the table below. The Company estimates the volatility of its common stock at the date of grant based on the volatility of comparable peer companies which are publicly traded, for the periods prior to there being a market for the Company’s common stock, and based on the Company’s common stock for periods subsequent to having an established market for the stock. The Company determines the expected life based on historical experience with similar awards, giving consideration to the contractual terms, vesting schedules and post-vesting forfeitures. The Company uses the risk-free interest rate on the implied yield currently available on U.S. Treasury issues with an equivalent remaining term approximately equal to the expected life of the award. The Company has never paid any cash dividends on its common stock, is restricted from paying dividends pursuant to its debt commitments and does not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. The Company used the following weighted-average assumptions for options granted during the nine months ended September 30:


Nine months ended September 30,	2016		2015

Expected term (in years)	4		4
Expected volatility	61.71	%	75.45	%
Risk free rate	1.22	%	1.27	%
Expected dividends	—	%	—	%

The Company estimates forfeitures when recognizing compensation expense and this estimate of forfeitures is adjusted over the requisite service period based on the extent to which actual forfeitures differ, or are expected to differ, from such estimates. Changes in estimated forfeitures are recognized through a cumulative catch-up adjustment, which is recognized in the period of change, and also impact the amount of unamortized compensation expense to be recognized in future periods. The Company did not apply a forfeiture allocation to its unvested options outstanding during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015 as they were deemed insignificant.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board, or FASB issued a new standard on revenue recognition which outlines a single comprehensive model to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The core principle of the revenue model is that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of 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 is designed to create greater comparability for financial statement users across industries and jurisdictions and also requires enhanced disclosures. The guidance was scheduled to become effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2016; however, on July 9, 2015, the FASB decided to delay the effective date of the new revenue standard by one year. The proposed deferral may permit early adoption, but would not allow adoption any earlier than the original effective date of the standard. We are currently evaluating the impact this standard will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In June 2014, the FASB issued updated guidance related to stock compensation. The amendment requires that a performance target that affects vesting and that could be achieved after the requisite period, be treated as a performance condition. The updated guidance became effective for annual reporting periods and interim periods within those annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015. The Company has one such stock option grant that is based on quarterly performance conditions and the vesting and compensation expense is measured subsequent to the end of each quarter over a two year period. If the performance condition is met the vesting and compensation expense is recognized on the measurement date.

In April 2015, the FASB issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) No. 2015-03, "Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs" ("ASU 2015-03") which changes the presentation of debt issuance costs in financial statements to present such costs as a direct deduction from the related debt liability rather than as an asset. ASU 2015-03 became effective for public companies during interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted this standard in the first quarter of 2016 on a retrospective basis. (See note 7)

In November 2015, the FASB issued an ASU to simplify the presentation of deferred income taxes. The amendments in this ASU require that deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position. The amendments in these ASU may be applied either prospectively to all deferred tax liabilities and assets or retrospectively to all periods presented and are effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Earlier application is permitted for all entities as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period. We are currently evaluating the impact this standard will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In January 2016, the FASB, issued ASU 2016-01 “Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities,” which requires that most equity instruments be measured at fair value, with subsequent changes in fair value recognized in net income. The pronouncement also impacts the financial liabilities under the fair value option and the presentation and disclosure requirements for financial instruments. The ASU does not apply to equity method investments or investments in consolidated subsidiaries. The new standard will be effective for us for the year ending December 31, 2017, with early adoption permitted and amendments to be applied as a cumulative-effect adjustment to the balance sheet in the year of adoption. We are currently evaluating the impact this standard will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842)”. This update will increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. This update is effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact this standard will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718), Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. The ASU was issued as part of the FASB Simplification Initiative and involves several aspects of accounting for shared-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, options to elect forfeiture accounting policy either by the number of awards that are expected to vest (current GAAP) or account for forfeitures when they occur, and classification on the statement of cash flows. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted for any entity in any interim or annual 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. An entity that elects early adoption must adopt all of the amendments in the same period. We are currently evaluating the impact this standard will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments (Topic 230). The ASU was issued intended to reduce diversity in practice in how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows by providing guidance on eight specific cash flow issues. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those years beginning after December 15, 2017 with early adoption permitted. We are currently evaluating the impact this standard will have on our consolidated financial statements.

The Company’s management has reviewed and considered all other recent accounting pronouncements and we believe there are none that could potentially have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial condition, results of operations, or disclosures.