Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Use of estimates	Use of estimates The preparation of the Company’s consolidated 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, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Management bases its estimates and judgments on historical experience and various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant estimates include the assessment of collectability of revenue recognized and the valuation of accounts receivable, inventory, investments, goodwill and intangible assets, liabilities, contingent consideration, deferred income tax assets and liabilities, and stock-based compensation. These estimates have the potential to significantly impact our consolidated financial statements, either because of the significance of the financial statement item to which they relate, or because they require judgment and estimation due to the uncertainty involved in measuring, at a specific point in time, events that are continuous in nature.
Foreign Currency	Foreign Currency The functional currency of foreign operations is deemed to be the local country’s currency. Assets and liabilities of operations outside of the United States are generally translated into U.S. dollars, and the effects of foreign currency translation adjustments are included as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).
Reclassifications	Reclassifications Certain prior year balances within the consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to current year presentation.
Nature of Business	Nature of Business The Company earns revenue both from commission or fee-based services, and from the sale of distressed or surplus assets. With respect to the former, revenue is recognized as the services are provided. With respect to the latter, the majority of the asset sale transactions are conducted directly by the Company and the revenue is recognized in the period in which the asset is sold. Fee based revenue is reported as services revenue, and the associated direct costs are reported as cost of services revenue. At the balance sheet date, any unsold assets which the Company owns are reported as inventory, any outstanding accounts receivable are included in the Company’s accounts receivable, and any associated liabilities are included in the Company’s accrued liabilities. Equipment inventory is expected to be sold within a year and is therefore classified as a current asset. The remaining asset sale transactions involve the Company acting jointly with one or more additional purchasers, pursuant to a partnership, joint venture or limited liability company agreement (collectively, “Joint Ventures”). Transactions in which the Company’s ownership share meets the criteria for the equity method investments under ASC 323 are accounted for as equity method investments, and, accordingly, the Company’s proportionate share of the net income (loss) is reported as earnings of equity method investments. At each balance sheet date, the Company’s investments in these Joint Ventures are reported in the consolidated balance sheet as equity method investments. Although the Company generally expects to exit each of its investments in Joint Ventures in less than one year, they are classified on the balance sheet as non-current assets due to the uncertainties relating to the timing of resale of the underlying assets as a result of the Joint Venture relationship. The Company monitors the value of the Joint Ventures’ underlying assets and liabilities, and records a write down of its investments if the Company concludes that there has been a decline in the value of the net assets. As the activity of the Joint Ventures involves asset purchase/resale transactions, which is similar in nature to the Company’s other asset liquidation activities, the earnings (losses) of the Joint Ventures are included in the operating income/loss in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.
Liquidity	Liquidity In prior years the Company has incurred significant operating losses and has partially relied on debt financing to fund its operations. As of December 31, 2018, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $277.4 million and a working capital deficit of $2.5 million. At December 31, 2018, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $4.3 million and during 2018 the Company generated approximately $7.5 million in positive cash flows from operating activities. Until the Company achieves consistent profitability, it might need to continue to partially rely on debt financing to fund its operations. Management expects that a combination of existing cash and cash equivalents, cash flows from the Company’s asset liquidation operations and proceeds from existing debt financing will generate cash flow sufficient to fund the Company’s operations through the one year period subsequent to the financial statement issuance date, and beyond.
Cash and cash equivalents	Cash and cash equivalents The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. The Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents with financial institutions in the United States. These accounts may from time to time exceed federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses on such accounts.
Accounts receivable	Accounts receivable The Company’s accounts receivable primarily relate to the operations of its asset liquidation business. They generally consist of three major categories: (1) fees, commissions and retainers relating to appraisals and auctions, (2) receivables from asset sales, and (3) receivables from Joint Venture partners. The initial value of an account receivable corresponds to the fair value of the underlying goods or services. To date, a majority of the receivables have been classified as current and, due to their short-term nature, any decline in fair value would be due to issues involving collectability. At each financial statement date the collectability of each outstanding account receivable is evaluated, and an allowance is recorded if the book value exceeds the amount that is deemed collectable. See Note 8 for more detail regarding the Company’s accounts receivable.
Inventory	Inventory The Company’s inventory consists of assets acquired for resale, which are normally expected to be sold within a one-year operating cycle. All inventory is recorded at the lower of cost or net realizable value.
Fair value of financial instruments	Fair value of financial instruments The fair value of financial instruments is the amount at which the instruments could be exchanged in a current transaction between willing parties, other than in a forced sale or liquidation. At December 31, 2018 and 2017, the carrying values of the Company’s cash, accounts receivable, other assets, accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate fair value given the short term nature of these instruments. The Company’s debt obligations approximate fair value as a result of the interest rate on the debt obligation approximating prevailing market rates. There are three levels within the fair value hierarchy: Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities; Level 2 – significant other observable inputs; and Level 3 – significant unobservable inputs. The Company employs fair value accounting for only the contingent consideration recorded as part of the acquisition of NLEX. The fair value of the Company’s contingent consideration was determined using a discounted cash flow analysis, which is based on significant inputs that are not observable in the market and therefore fall within Level 3. See Note 10 for more discussion of this contingent consideration.
Business combinations	Business combinations Acquisitions are accounted for under FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 805, Business Combinations (“ASC 805”), which requires that assets acquired and liabilities assumed that are deemed to be a business are recorded based on their respective acquisition date fair values. ASC 805 further requires that separately identifiable intangible assets be recorded at their acquisition date fair values and that the excess of consideration paid over the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed (including identifiable intangible assets) should be recorded as goodwill.
Intangible assets	Intangible assets Intangible assets are recorded at fair value upon acquisition. Those with an estimated useful life are amortized, and those with an indefinite useful life are unamortized. Subsequent to acquisition, the Company monitors events and changes in circumstances that require an assessment of intangible asset recoverability. Indefinite-lived intangible assets are assessed at least annually to determine both if they remain indefinite-lived and if they are impaired. The Company assesses whether or not there have been any events or changes in circumstances that suggest the value of the asset may not be recoverable. Amortized intangible assets are not tested annually, but are assessed when events and changes in circumstances suggest the assets may be impaired. If an assessment determines that the carrying amount of any intangible asset is not recoverable, an impairment loss is recognized in the statement of operations, determined by comparing the carrying amount of the asset to its fair value. All of the Company’s identifiable intangible assets at December 31, 2018 have been acquired as part of the acquisitions of HGP in 2012 and NLEX in 2014, and are discussed in more detail in Note 7. No impairment charges were necessary during 2018.
Goodwill	Goodwill Goodwill, which results from the difference between the purchase price and the fair value of net identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired in a business combination, is not amortized but, in accordance with GAAP, is tested at least annually for impairment. The Company performs its annual impairment test as of October 1. Testing goodwill is a two-step process, in which the carrying amount of the reporting unit associated with the goodwill is first compared to the reporting unit’s estimated fair value. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value, the fair values of the reporting unit’s assets and liabilities are analyzed to determine whether the goodwill of the reporting unit has been impaired. An impairment loss is recognized to the extent that the Company’s recorded goodwill exceeds its implied fair value as determined by this two-step process. FASB Accounting Standards Update 2011-08, Testing Goodwill for Impairment, provides the option to perform a qualitative assessment prior to performing the two-step process, which may eliminate the need for further testing. Goodwill, in addition to being tested for impairment annually, is tested for impairment at interim periods if an event occurs or circumstances change such that it is more likely than not that the carrying amount of goodwill may be impaired. In testing goodwill, the Company initially uses a qualitative approach and analyzes relevant factors to determine if events and circumstances have affected the value of the goodwill. If the result of this qualitative analysis indicates that the value has been impaired, the Company then applies a quantitative approach to calculate the difference between the goodwill’s recorded value and its fair value. An impairment loss is recognized to the extent that the recorded value exceeds its fair value. All of the Company’s goodwill relates to its acquisitions of Equity Partners in 2011, HGP in 2012 and NLEX in 2014, and is discussed in more detail in Note 7. No impairment charges were necessary during 2018.
Deferred income taxes	Deferred income taxes The Company recognizes deferred tax assets and liabilities for temporary differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and the amounts at which they are carried in the financial statements, based upon the enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The Company establishes a valuation allowance when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized. In 2014, as a result of incurring losses in previous years, the Company recorded a valuation allowance against all of its net deferred tax assets. The Company continues to carry the full valuation allowance as of December 31, 2018 based on uncertainty relating to the further utilization of the net deferred tax assets. For further discussion of our income taxes, see Note 12 to the consolidated financial statements. On December 22, 2017, the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“Tax Act”) was enacted into law and the new legislation contains several key tax provisions that affected us, including a one-time mandatory transition tax (Toll Charge) on accumulated foreign earnings and a reduction of the corporate income tax rate to 21% effective January 1, 2018, among others. The most significant change that impacts the Company is the reduction in the corporate federal income tax rate from 35% to 21%. In a manner consistent with ASC 740, the effect of a change in tax law or rates shall be recognized at the date of enactment, accordingly, the Company accounted for the corporate federal rate reduction in the fourth quarter of 2017. Under the guidance set forth in the SEC’s Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (“SAB 118”), the Company may record provisional amounts for the impact of the Tax Act. As of the third quarter of 2018, the Company had finalized its 2017 federal income tax return and as such, completed the accounting for the income tax effects of the Tax Act. Any future adjustments required due to additional guidance or changes in the interpretations of the Tax Act will be recorded as discrete adjustments to the income tax expense in the period in which such changes occur.
Contingent consideration	Contingent consideration At December 31, 2018 the Company no longer carries a contingent consideration balance. We previously had an earn-out provision payable to the former owner and current president of NLEX (“David Ludwig”) that was part of the consideration for the acquisition of NLEX in 2014. The estimated fair value assigned to the contingent consideration at the acquisition date was determined using a discounted cash flow analysis. Its fair value was assessed quarterly, and any adjustments, together with the accretion of the present value discount, were reported as a fair value adjustment on the Company’s consolidated statement of operations. The Company adjusted its contingent consideration liability each reporting period to the fair value of the estimated remaining earn-out liability owed to David Ludwig. During 2018 the Company made the final contingent consideration payments to David Ludwig in the aggregate amount of $2.6 million, resulting in a contingent consideration of zero at December 31, 2018. See Note 10 to the consolidated financial statements for more discussion of the contingent consideration.
Liabilities and contingencies	Liabilities and contingencies The Company is involved from time to time in various legal matters arising out of its operations in the normal course of business. On a case by case basis, the Company evaluates the likelihood of possible outcomes for this litigation. Based on this evaluation, the Company determines whether a loss accrual is appropriate. If the likelihood of a negative outcome is probable, and the amount can be reasonably estimated, the Company accounts for the estimated loss in the current period. See Note 14 for further discussion.
Revenue recognition	Revenue recognition On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted the new accounting standard FASB ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”) to all contracts using the modified retrospective method. Based on the Company’s analysis of contracts with customers in prior periods, there was no cumulative effect adjustment to the opening balance of the Company’s accumulated deficit as a result of the adoption of this new standard. We expect the impact of the adoption of the new standard to be immaterial to the consolidated financial statements on an ongoing basis. Services revenue generally consists of commissions and fees from providing auction services, appraisals, brokering of sales transactions and providing merger and acquisition advisory services. Asset sales revenue generally consists of proceeds obtained through sales of purchased assets. Revenue is recognized for both services revenue and asset sales revenue based on the ASC 606 standard recognition model, which consists of the following: (1) an agreement exists between two or more parties that creates enforceable rights and obligations, (2) the performance obligations are clearly identified, (3) the transaction price has been determined, (4) the transaction price has been properly allocated to each performance obligation, and (5) the entity satisfies a performance obligation by transferring a promised good or service to a customer for each of the entities. All services and asset sales revenue from contracts with customers is considered to be one reporting segment — the asset liquidation business. Although the Company provides various services within the asset liquidation business, it does not disaggregate revenue streams further than as reported in its statement of operations, services revenue and asset sales. Generally, revenue is recognized in the asset liquidation business at the point in time in which the performance obligation has been satisfied and full consideration is received. The exception to recognition at a point in time occurs when certain contracts provide for advance payments recognized over a period of time. Services revenue recognized over a period of time is not material in comparison to total revenues (4% of total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2018), and therefore not reported on a disaggregated basis. Further, as certain contracts stipulate that the customer make advance payments, amounts not recognized within the reporting period are considered deferred revenue and the Company’s “contract liability”. As of December 31, 2018, the deferred revenue balance was approximately $795,000. The Company records receivables related to asset liquidation in certain situations based on timing of payments for asset liquidation transactions held at the end of the reporting period; however, revenue is generally recognized in the period that the Company satisfies the performance obligation and cash is collected. The Company does not record a “contract asset” for partially satisfied performance obligations. We evaluate revenue from asset liquidation transactions in accordance with the accounting guidance to determine whether to report such revenue on a gross or net basis. We have determined that we act as an agent for our fee based asset liquidation transactions and therefore we report the revenue from transactions in which we act as an agent on a net basis. The Company also earns asset liquidation income through asset liquidation transactions that involve the Company acting jointly with one or more additional purchasers, pursuant to a partnership, joint venture or limited liability company (“LLC”) agreement (collectively, “Joint Ventures”). For these transactions, in which the Company’s ownership share meets the criteria for the equity method investments under ASC 323, the Company does not record asset liquidation revenue or expense. Instead, the Company’s proportionate share of the net income (loss) is reported as earnings of equity method investments. In general, the Joint Ventures apply the same revenue recognition and other accounting policies as the Company.
Cost of services revenue and asset sales	Cost of services revenue and asset sales Cost of services revenue generally includes the direct costs associated with generating commissions and fees from the Company’s auction and appraisal services, merger and acquisition advisory services, and brokering of charged-off receivable portfolios. The Company recognizes these expenses in the period in which the revenue they relate to is recorded. Cost of asset sales generally includes the cost of purchased inventory and the related direct costs of selling inventory. The Company recognizes these expenses in the period in which title to the inventory passes to the buyer, and the buyer assumes the risk and reward of the inventory.
Stock-based compensation	Stock-based compensation The Company’s stock-based compensation is primarily in the form of options to purchase common shares. The grant date fair value of stock options is calculated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The determination of the fair value of the Company’s stock options is based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the price of the Company’s common stock, the expected volatility of the stock price over the expected life of the award, and expected exercise behavior. The grant date fair value of the awards is subsequently expensed over the vesting period, net of estimated forfeitures. The provisions of the Company’s stock-based compensation plans do not require the Company to settle any options by transferring cash or other assets, and therefore the Company classifies the option awards as equity. See Note 15 for further discussion of the Company’s stock-based compensation.
Advertising	Advertising The Company expenses advertising costs in the period in which they are incurred. Advertising and promotion expense included in selling, general and administrative expense for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, was $0.8 million and $0.5 million, respectively.
Recently adopted accounting pronouncements	Recently adopted accounting pronouncements In 2014, the FASB issued new guidance related to revenue recognition (ASU 2014-09 Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)). Subsequently the FASB has issued additional guidance (ASUs 2015-14; 2016-08; 2016-10; 2016-12; 2016-13; 2016-20). The guidance establishes principles for reporting information about the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from an entity’s contracts with customers. The above stated updates became effective January 1, 2018 and did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements, except for more comprehensive disclosure requirements (see Note 2 — Revenue Recognition for further detail). In 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (“ASU 2016-15”), which clarifies the classification of certain cash receipts and payments. The specific cash flow issues addressed by ASU 2016-15, with the objective of reducing the existing diversity in practice, are as follows: (1) Debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs; (2) Settlement of zero-coupon debt instruments or other debt instruments with insignificant coupon interest rates; (3) Contingent consideration payments made after a business combination; (4) Proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims; (5) Proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies; (6) Distributions received from equity method investees; (7) Beneficial interest in securitization transactions; and (8) Separately identifiable cash flows and application of the predominance in principle. ASU 2016-15 became effective January 1, 2018 and did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations (“ASU 2017-01”), which clarifies the definition of a business under ASC 805. The main provisions of ASU 2017-01 provide a screen to determine when an integrated set of assets and activities is not a business. The screen requires that when substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired (or disposed of) is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets, the set is not a business. ASU 2017-01 became effective January 1, 2018 and did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.
Future accounting pronouncements	Future accounting pronouncements In 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (“ASU 2016-02”). ASU 2016-02 requires a lessee to recognize a lease asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term, and a lease liability for the payments to be made to lessor, on its balance sheet for all operating leases greater than 12 months. ASU 2016-02 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. The new standard became effective for us on January 1, 2019, and will be adopted using the modified retrospective method through a cumulative-effect adjustment directly to retained earnings as of that date. Based on our preliminary analysis, we expect the new standard to increase right-of-use assets and the lease liability by approximately $1.1 million and $1.2 million, respectively. The cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings is expected to be immaterial. In 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles — Goodwill and Other (“ASU 2017-04”), which simplifies the test for goodwill impairment. The main provisions of ASU 2017-04 eliminate the second step of the goodwill impairment test which previously was performed to determine the goodwill impairment loss for an entity by calculating the difference between the implied fair value of the entity’s goodwill and its carrying value. Under ASU 2017-04, if a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, an entity will record an impairment charge based on that difference. The impairment charge will be limited to the amount of goodwill which is allocated to that reporting unit. ASU 2017-04 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for annual and interim goodwill impairment testing dates after January 1, 2017. The Company is still assessing the impact of ASU 2017-04 on its consolidated financial statements.

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2018

The preparation of the Company’s consolidated 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, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Management bases its estimates and judgments on historical experience and various other factors that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Significant estimates include the assessment of collectability of revenue recognized and the valuation of accounts receivable, inventory, investments, goodwill and intangible assets, liabilities, contingent consideration, deferred income tax assets and liabilities, and stock-based compensation. These estimates have the potential to significantly impact our consolidated financial statements, either because of the significance of the financial statement item to which they relate, or because they require judgment and estimation due to the uncertainty involved in measuring, at a specific point in time, events that are continuous in nature.

Foreign Currency

The functional currency of foreign operations is deemed to be the local country’s currency. Assets and liabilities of operations outside of the United States are generally translated into U.S. dollars, and the effects of foreign currency translation adjustments are included as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss).

Reclassifications

Certain prior year balances within the consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform to current year presentation.

Nature of Business

The Company earns revenue both from commission or fee-based services, and from the sale of distressed or surplus assets. With respect to the former, revenue is recognized as the services are provided. With respect to the latter, the majority of the asset sale transactions are conducted directly by the Company and the revenue is recognized in the period in which the asset is sold. Fee based revenue is reported as services revenue, and the associated direct costs are reported as cost of services revenue. At the balance sheet date, any unsold assets which the Company owns are reported as inventory, any outstanding accounts receivable are included in the Company’s accounts receivable, and any associated liabilities are included in the Company’s accrued liabilities. Equipment inventory is expected to be sold within a year and is therefore classified as a current asset.

The remaining asset sale transactions involve the Company acting jointly with one or more additional purchasers, pursuant to a partnership, joint venture or limited liability company agreement (collectively, “Joint Ventures”). Transactions in which the Company’s ownership share meets the criteria for the equity method investments under ASC 323 are accounted for as equity method investments, and, accordingly, the Company’s proportionate share of the net income (loss) is reported as earnings of equity method investments. At each balance sheet date, the Company’s investments in these Joint Ventures are reported in the consolidated balance sheet as equity method investments. Although the Company generally expects to exit each of its investments in Joint Ventures in less than one year, they are classified on the balance sheet as non-current assets due to the uncertainties relating to the timing of resale of the underlying assets as a result of the Joint Venture relationship. The Company monitors the value of the Joint Ventures’ underlying assets and liabilities, and records a write down of its investments if the Company concludes that there has been a decline in the value of the net assets. As the activity of the Joint Ventures involves asset purchase/resale transactions, which is similar in nature to the Company’s other asset liquidation activities, the earnings (losses) of the Joint Ventures are included in the operating income/loss in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

Liquidity

In prior years the Company has incurred significant operating losses and has partially relied on debt financing to fund its operations. As of December 31, 2018, the Company had an accumulated deficit of $277.4 million and a working capital deficit of $2.5 million. At December 31, 2018, the Company had cash and cash equivalents of $4.3 million and during 2018 the Company generated approximately $7.5 million in positive cash flows from operating activities. Until the Company achieves consistent profitability, it might need to continue to partially rely on debt financing to fund its operations. Management expects that a combination of existing cash and cash equivalents, cash flows from the Company’s asset liquidation operations and proceeds from existing debt financing will generate cash flow sufficient to fund the Company’s operations through the one year period subsequent to the financial statement issuance date, and beyond.

Cash and cash equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. The Company maintains its cash and cash equivalents with financial institutions in the United States. These accounts may from time to time exceed federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses on such accounts.

Accounts receivable

The Company’s accounts receivable primarily relate to the operations of its asset liquidation business. They generally consist of three major categories: (1) fees, commissions and retainers relating to appraisals and auctions, (2) receivables from asset sales, and (3) receivables from Joint Venture partners. The initial value of an account receivable corresponds to the fair value of the underlying goods or services. To date, a majority of the receivables have been classified as current and, due to their short-term nature, any decline in fair value would be due to issues involving collectability. At each financial statement date the collectability of each outstanding account receivable is evaluated, and an allowance is recorded if the book value exceeds the amount that is deemed collectable. See Note 8 for more detail regarding the Company’s accounts receivable.

Inventory

The Company’s inventory consists of assets acquired for resale, which are normally expected to be sold within a one-year operating cycle. All inventory is recorded at the lower of cost or net realizable value.

Fair value of financial instruments

The fair value of financial instruments is the amount at which the instruments could be exchanged in a current transaction between willing parties, other than in a forced sale or liquidation. At December 31, 2018 and 2017, the carrying values of the Company’s cash, accounts receivable, other assets, accounts payable and accrued liabilities approximate fair value given the short term nature of these instruments. The Company’s debt obligations approximate fair value as a result of the interest rate on the debt obligation approximating prevailing market rates.

There are three levels within the fair value hierarchy: Level 1 – quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities; Level 2 – significant other observable inputs; and Level 3 – significant unobservable inputs. The Company employs fair value accounting for only the contingent consideration recorded as part of the acquisition of NLEX. The fair value of the Company’s contingent consideration was determined using a discounted cash flow analysis, which is based on significant inputs that are not observable in the market and therefore fall within Level 3. See Note 10 for more discussion of this contingent consideration.

Business combinations

Acquisitions are accounted for under FASB Accounting Standards Codification Topic 805, Business Combinations (“ASC 805”), which requires that assets acquired and liabilities assumed that are deemed to be a business are recorded based on their respective acquisition date fair values. ASC 805 further requires that separately identifiable intangible assets be recorded at their acquisition date fair values and that the excess of consideration paid over the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed (including identifiable intangible assets) should be recorded as goodwill.

Intangible assets

Intangible assets are recorded at fair value upon acquisition. Those with an estimated useful life are amortized, and those with an indefinite useful life are unamortized. Subsequent to acquisition, the Company monitors events and changes in circumstances that require an assessment of intangible asset recoverability. Indefinite-lived intangible assets are assessed at least annually to determine both if they remain indefinite-lived and if they are impaired. The Company assesses whether or not there have been any events or changes in circumstances that suggest the value of the asset may not be recoverable. Amortized intangible assets are not tested annually, but are assessed when events and changes in circumstances suggest the assets may be impaired. If an assessment determines that the carrying amount of any intangible asset is not recoverable, an impairment loss is recognized in the statement of operations, determined by comparing the carrying amount of the asset to its fair value. All of the Company’s identifiable intangible assets at December 31, 2018 have been acquired as part of the acquisitions of HGP in 2012 and NLEX in 2014, and are discussed in more detail in Note 7. No impairment charges were necessary during 2018.

Goodwill

Goodwill, which results from the difference between the purchase price and the fair value of net identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired in a business combination, is not amortized but, in accordance with GAAP, is tested at least annually for impairment. The Company performs its annual impairment test as of October 1. Testing goodwill is a two-step process, in which the carrying amount of the reporting unit associated with the goodwill is first compared to the reporting unit’s estimated fair value. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit exceeds its estimated fair value, the fair values of the reporting unit’s assets and liabilities are analyzed to determine whether the goodwill of the reporting unit has been impaired. An impairment loss is recognized to the extent that the Company’s recorded goodwill exceeds its implied fair value as determined by this two-step process. FASB Accounting Standards Update 2011-08, Testing Goodwill for Impairment, provides the option to perform a qualitative assessment prior to performing the two-step process, which may eliminate the need for further testing. Goodwill, in addition to being tested for impairment annually, is tested for impairment at interim periods if an event occurs or circumstances change such that it is more likely than not that the carrying amount of goodwill may be impaired.

In testing goodwill, the Company initially uses a qualitative approach and analyzes relevant factors to determine if events and circumstances have affected the value of the goodwill. If the result of this qualitative analysis indicates that the value has been impaired, the Company then applies a quantitative approach to calculate the difference between the goodwill’s recorded value and its fair value. An impairment loss is recognized to the extent that the recorded value exceeds its fair value. All of the Company’s goodwill relates to its acquisitions of Equity Partners in 2011, HGP in 2012 and NLEX in 2014, and is discussed in more detail in Note 7. No impairment charges were necessary during 2018.

Deferred income taxes

The Company recognizes deferred tax assets and liabilities for temporary differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and the amounts at which they are carried in the financial statements, based upon the enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. The Company establishes a valuation allowance when necessary to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized. In 2014, as a result of incurring losses in previous years, the Company recorded a valuation allowance against all of its net deferred tax assets. The Company continues to carry the full valuation allowance as of December 31, 2018 based on uncertainty relating to the further utilization of the net deferred tax assets. For further discussion of our income taxes, see Note 12 to the consolidated financial statements.

On December 22, 2017, the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“Tax Act”) was enacted into law and the new legislation contains several key tax provisions that affected us, including a one-time mandatory transition tax (Toll Charge) on accumulated foreign earnings and a reduction of the corporate income tax rate to 21% effective January 1, 2018, among others. The most significant change that impacts the Company is the reduction in the corporate federal income tax rate from 35% to 21%. In a manner consistent with ASC 740, the effect of a change in tax law or rates shall be recognized at the date of enactment, accordingly, the Company accounted for the corporate federal rate reduction in the fourth quarter of 2017.

Under the guidance set forth in the SEC’s Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118 (“SAB 118”), the Company may record provisional amounts for the impact of the Tax Act. As of the third quarter of 2018, the Company had finalized its 2017 federal income tax return and as such, completed the accounting for the income tax effects of the Tax Act. Any future adjustments required due to additional guidance or changes in the interpretations of the Tax Act will be recorded as discrete adjustments to the income tax expense in the period in which such changes occur.

Contingent consideration

At December 31, 2018 the Company no longer carries a contingent consideration balance. We previously had an earn-out provision payable to the former owner and current president of NLEX (“David Ludwig”) that was part of the consideration for the acquisition of NLEX in 2014. The estimated fair value assigned to the contingent consideration at the acquisition date was determined using a discounted cash flow analysis. Its fair value was assessed quarterly, and any adjustments, together with the accretion of the present value discount, were reported as a fair value adjustment on the Company’s consolidated statement of operations. The Company adjusted its contingent consideration liability each reporting period to the fair value of the estimated remaining earn-out liability owed to David Ludwig. During 2018 the Company made the final contingent consideration payments to David Ludwig in the aggregate amount of $2.6 million, resulting in a contingent consideration of zero at December 31, 2018. See Note 10 to the consolidated financial statements for more discussion of the contingent consideration.

Liabilities and contingencies

The Company is involved from time to time in various legal matters arising out of its operations in the normal course of business. On a case by case basis, the Company evaluates the likelihood of possible outcomes for this litigation. Based on this evaluation, the Company determines whether a loss accrual is appropriate. If the likelihood of a negative outcome is probable, and the amount can be reasonably estimated, the Company accounts for the estimated loss in the current period. See Note 14 for further discussion.

Revenue recognition

On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted the new accounting standard FASB ASC Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”) to all contracts using the modified retrospective method. Based on the Company’s analysis of contracts with customers in prior periods, there was no cumulative effect adjustment to the opening balance of the Company’s accumulated deficit as a result of the adoption of this new standard. We expect the impact of the adoption of the new standard to be immaterial to the consolidated financial statements on an ongoing basis.

Services revenue generally consists of commissions and fees from providing auction services, appraisals, brokering of sales transactions and providing merger and acquisition advisory services. Asset sales revenue generally consists of proceeds obtained through sales of purchased assets. Revenue is recognized for both services revenue and asset sales revenue based on the ASC 606 standard recognition model, which consists of the following: (1) an agreement exists between two or more parties that creates enforceable rights and obligations, (2) the performance obligations are clearly identified, (3) the transaction price has been determined, (4) the transaction price has been properly allocated to each performance obligation, and (5) the entity satisfies a performance obligation by transferring a promised good or service to a customer for each of the entities.

All services and asset sales revenue from contracts with customers is considered to be one reporting segment — the asset liquidation business. Although the Company provides various services within the asset liquidation business, it does not disaggregate revenue streams further than as reported in its statement of operations, services revenue and asset sales. Generally, revenue is recognized in the asset liquidation business at the point in time in which the performance obligation has been satisfied and full consideration is received. The exception to recognition at a point in time occurs when certain contracts provide for advance payments recognized over a period of time. Services revenue recognized over a period of time is not material in comparison to total revenues (4% of total revenues for the year ended December 31, 2018), and therefore not reported on a disaggregated basis. Further, as certain contracts stipulate that the customer make advance payments, amounts not recognized within the reporting period are considered deferred revenue and the Company’s “contract liability”. As of December 31, 2018, the deferred revenue balance was approximately $795,000. The Company records receivables related to asset liquidation in certain situations based on timing of payments for asset liquidation transactions held at the end of the reporting period; however, revenue is generally recognized in the period that the Company satisfies the performance obligation and cash is collected. The Company does not record a “contract asset” for partially satisfied performance obligations.

We evaluate revenue from asset liquidation transactions in accordance with the accounting guidance to determine whether to report such revenue on a gross or net basis. We have determined that we act as an agent for our fee based asset liquidation transactions and therefore we report the revenue from transactions in which we act as an agent on a net basis.

The Company also earns asset liquidation income through asset liquidation transactions that involve the Company acting jointly with one or more additional purchasers, pursuant to a partnership, joint venture or limited liability company (“LLC”) agreement (collectively, “Joint Ventures”). For these transactions, in which the Company’s ownership share meets the criteria for the equity method investments under ASC 323, the Company does not record asset liquidation revenue or expense. Instead, the Company’s proportionate share of the net income (loss) is reported as earnings of equity method investments. In general, the Joint Ventures apply the same revenue recognition and other accounting policies as the Company.

Cost of services revenue and asset sales

Cost of services revenue generally includes the direct costs associated with generating commissions and fees from the Company’s auction and appraisal services, merger and acquisition advisory services, and brokering of charged-off receivable portfolios. The Company recognizes these expenses in the period in which the revenue they relate to is recorded. Cost of asset sales generally includes the cost of purchased inventory and the related direct costs of selling inventory. The Company recognizes these expenses in the period in which title to the inventory passes to the buyer, and the buyer assumes the risk and reward of the inventory.

Stock-based compensation

The Company’s stock-based compensation is primarily in the form of options to purchase common shares. The grant date fair value of stock options is calculated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The determination of the fair value of the Company’s stock options is based on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the price of the Company’s common stock, the expected volatility of the stock price over the expected life of the award, and expected exercise behavior. The grant date fair value of the awards is subsequently expensed over the vesting period, net of estimated forfeitures. The provisions of the Company’s stock-based compensation plans do not require the Company to settle any options by transferring cash or other assets, and therefore the Company classifies the option awards as equity. See Note 15 for further discussion of the Company’s stock-based compensation.

Advertising

The Company expenses advertising costs in the period in which they are incurred. Advertising and promotion expense included in selling, general and administrative expense for the years ended December 31, 2018 and 2017, was $0.8 million and $0.5 million, respectively.

Recently adopted accounting pronouncements

In 2014, the FASB issued new guidance related to revenue recognition (ASU 2014-09 Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606)). Subsequently the FASB has issued additional guidance (ASUs 2015-14; 2016-08; 2016-10; 2016-12; 2016-13; 2016-20). The guidance establishes principles for reporting information about the nature, amount, timing, and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from an entity’s contracts with customers. The above stated updates became effective January 1, 2018 and did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements, except for more comprehensive disclosure requirements (see Note 2 — Revenue Recognition for further detail).

In 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (“ASU 2016-15”), which clarifies the classification of certain cash receipts and payments. The specific cash flow issues addressed by ASU 2016-15, with the objective of reducing the existing diversity in practice, are as follows: (1) Debt prepayment or debt extinguishment costs; (2) Settlement of zero-coupon debt instruments or other debt instruments with insignificant coupon interest rates; (3) Contingent consideration payments made after a business combination; (4) Proceeds from the settlement of insurance claims; (5) Proceeds from the settlement of corporate-owned life insurance policies; (6) Distributions received from equity method investees; (7) Beneficial interest in securitization transactions; and (8) Separately identifiable cash flows and application of the predominance in principle. ASU 2016-15 became effective January 1, 2018 and did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations (“ASU 2017-01”), which clarifies the definition of a business under ASC 805. The main provisions of ASU 2017-01 provide a screen to determine when an integrated set of assets and activities is not a business. The screen requires that when substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired (or disposed of) is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or group of similar identifiable assets, the set is not a business. ASU 2017-01 became effective January 1, 2018 and did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

Future accounting pronouncements

In 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (“ASU 2016-02”). ASU 2016-02 requires a lessee to recognize a lease asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term, and a lease liability for the payments to be made to lessor, on its balance sheet for all operating leases greater than 12 months. ASU 2016-02 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2018. The new standard became effective for us on January 1, 2019, and will be adopted using the modified retrospective method through a cumulative-effect adjustment directly to retained earnings as of that date. Based on our preliminary analysis, we expect the new standard to increase right-of-use assets and the lease liability by approximately $1.1 million and $1.2 million, respectively. The cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings is expected to be immaterial.

In 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, Intangibles — Goodwill and Other (“ASU 2017-04”), which simplifies the test for goodwill impairment. The main provisions of ASU 2017-04 eliminate the second step of the goodwill impairment test which previously was performed to determine the goodwill impairment loss for an entity by calculating the difference between the implied fair value of the entity’s goodwill and its carrying value. Under ASU 2017-04, if a reporting unit’s carrying value exceeds its fair value, an entity will record an impairment charge based on that difference. The impairment charge will be limited to the amount of goodwill which is allocated to that reporting unit. ASU 2017-04 will be effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for annual and interim goodwill impairment testing dates after January 1, 2017. The Company is still assessing the impact of ASU 2017-04 on its consolidated financial statements.