Note 3 - Recent Accounting Pronouncements

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]

New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Text Block]

3. Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2014-12, “Accounting for Share-Based Payments When the Terms of an Award Provide That a Performance Target Could Be Achieved after the Requisite Service Period.” ASU No. 2014-12 requires that a performance target that affects vesting and that could be achieved after the requisite service period be treated as a performance condition. An entity should recognize compensation cost in the period in which it becomes probable that the performance target will be achieved and should represent the compensation cost attributable to the periods for which the requisite service has already been rendered. If the performance target becomes probable of being achieved before the end of requisite service period, the remaining unrecognized compensation cost should be recognized prospectively over the remaining requisite service period. The total amount of compensation cost recognized during and after the requisite service period should reflect the number of awards that are expected to vest and should be adjusted to reflect those awards that ultimately vest. ASU 2014-12 becomes effective for interim and annual periods beginning on or after December 15, 2015. Adoption of ASU 2014-12 is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

ASU 2014-15, “Presentation of Financial Statements-Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40): Disclosure of Uncertainties about an Entity’s Ability to Continue as a Going Concern”, issued by the FASB in August 2014, requires an entity’s management to evaluate and disclose conditions or events that raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued.  In addition, an entity’s management is to disclose management’s plans that alleviated or that are intended to mitigate the conditions or events that raise substantial doubt about the entity’s ability to continue as a going concern.  ASU 2014-15 becomes effective for interim and annual periods beginning on or after December 15, 2016.  Adoption of ASU 2014-15 is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In February 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-02, “Consolidation (Topic 810).” This update requires that limited partnerships or similar legal entities must provide partners with either substantive kick-out rights or substantive participating rights over the general partner to be qualified as voting interest entities (“VIE”). Limited partnerships that qualify as voting interest entities and with a controlling financial interest should consolidate a limited partnership. ASU 2015-02 eliminates the specialized consolidate model and guidance for limited partnerships. There is no longer a presumption that a general partner should consolidate a limited partnership. This update specifies that fees paid to a decision maker are excluded from the evaluation of the economics criterion if the fees are both customary and commensurate with the level of effort required for the services provided. In instances in which no single party has a controlling financial interest in a VIE, related party relationships must be considered indirectly on a proportionate basis, rather than in their entirety. ASU 2015-02 becomes effective for interim and annual periods beginning on or after December 15, 2015.  Adoption of ASU 2015-02 is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-03, “Interest- Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835-30).” This update simplifies the presentation of debt issuance costs and requires that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability. ASU 2015-03 becomes effective for interim and annual periods beginning on or after December 15, 2015.  Adoption of ASU 2015-03 is not expected to have a significant impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.