2.	Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of presentation

The Company has prepared the accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) for interim financial information and pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The consolidated financial statements are unaudited and should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013, filed with the SEC on March 5, 2014 and its Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on April 2, 2014. The accompanying unaudited interim consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) which are, in the opinion of the Company’s management, necessary for a fair statement of the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. These principles require 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 reporting period. The principal estimates relate to inventory valuation, stock-based compensation, accrued expenses and income tax valuation. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The year-end balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by U.S. GAAP. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

For a description of our critical accounting policies and estimates, please refer to the “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates” section of the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” section contained in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2013 filed with the SEC on March 5, 2014 and its
Form 10-K/A filed with the SEC on April 2, 2014. There have been no material changes in any of our accounting policies since December 31, 2013.

Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned operating subsidiaries, SafeStitch LLC, and TransEnterix Surgical, Inc. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Reverse Merger

On September 3, 2013, SafeStitch and TransEnterix Surgical, consummated the Merger whereby TransEnterix Surgical merged with a merger subsidiary of SafeStitch, with TransEnterix Surgical as the surviving entity in the Merger. As a result of the Merger, TransEnterix Surgical became a wholly owned subsidiary of SafeStitch. On December 6, 2013, SafeStitch changed its corporate name to TransEnterix, Inc.

The Reverse Merger has been accounted for as a reverse acquisition under which TransEnterix Surgical was considered the acquirer of SafeStitch. As such, the financial statements of TransEnterix Surgical are treated as the historical financial statements of the combined company, with the results of SafeStitch being included from September 3, 2013.

As a result of the Reverse Merger with SafeStitch, historical common stock amounts and additional paid in capital have been retroactively adjusted using the Merger Exchange Ratio of 1.1533.

Reverse Stock Split

On March 31, 2014, the Company effectuated a reverse stock split of its issued and outstanding shares of common stock at a ratio of 1 for 5 (the “Reverse Stock Split”). As a result of the Reverse Stock Split, the Company’s issued and outstanding stock decreased from 244,276,923 to 48,855,255 shares of common stock, all with a par value of $0.001. All information related to common stock, stock options, RSUs, warrants and earnings per share for prior periods has been retroactively adjusted to give effect to the Reverse Stock Split, except for the reference to the Merger Exchange Ratio of 1.1533.

Identifiable Intangible Assets and Goodwill

Identifiable intangible assets are recorded at cost, or when acquired as part of a business acquisition, at estimated fair value. Certain intangible assets are amortized over 5-10 years. Similar to tangible personal property and equipment, the Company periodically evaluates identifiable intangible assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. No impairment existed at September 30, 2014 or December 31, 2013.

Indefinite-lived intangible assets, such as goodwill, are not amortized. The Company tests the carrying amounts of goodwill for recoverability on an annual basis at December 31st or when events or changes in circumstances indicate evidence of potential impairment exists, using a fair value based test. No impairment existed at September 30, 2014 or December 31, 2013.

Debt Issuance Costs

The Company capitalizes costs associated with the issuance of debt instruments and amortizes these costs to interest expense over the term of the related debt agreement using the effective yield amortization method. Unamortized debt issuance costs will be charged to operations when indebtedness under the related credit facility is repaid prior to maturity.

Business Acquisitions

Business acquisitions are accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805, “Business Combinations.” ASC 805 requires, among other things, that assets acquired and liabilities assumed be recognized at their fair values, as determined in accordance with ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements,” as of the acquisition date. For certain assets and liabilities, book value approximates fair value. In addition, ASC 805 establishes that consideration transferred be measured at the closing date of the acquisition at the then-current market price, which may be different than the amount of consideration assumed in the pro forma financial statements. Under ASC 805, acquisition related costs (i.e., advisory, legal, valuation and other professional fees) and certain acquisition-related restructuring charges impacting the target company are expensed in the period in which the costs are incurred. The application of the acquisition method of accounting requires the Company to make estimates and assumptions related to the estimated fair values of net assets acquired. Significant judgments are used during this process, particularly with respect to intangible assets. Generally, intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives. Goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangibles are not amortized, but are annually assessed for impairment. Therefore, the purchase price allocation to intangible assets and goodwill has a significant impact on future operating results.

Impact of Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In June 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standard Update (“ASU”) 2014-12 – Compensation – Stock Compensation: Accounting for Share-Based Payments When the Terms of an Award Provide That a Performance Target Could be Achieved after the Requisite Service Period, which provides explicit guidance for the accounting treatment for these types of awards. The ASU requires that a performance target that affects vesting and that could be achieved after the requisite service period be treated as a performance condition. As such, the performance target should not be reflected in estimating the grant-date fair value of the award. This update is effective for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods beginning after December 15, 2015. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect this ASU will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2014, the FASB issued 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 (“ASU 2014-15”). The amendments in
ASU 2014-15 are intended to define management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an organization’s ability to continue as a going concern and to provide related footnote disclosures. Under GAAP, financial statements are prepared under the presumption that the reporting organization will continue to operate as a going concern, except in limited circumstances. The going concern basis of accounting is critical to financial reporting because it establishes the fundamental basis for measuring and classifying assets and liabilities. Currently, GAAP lacks guidance about management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about the organization’s ability to continue as a going concern or to provide related footnote disclosures. This ASU provides guidance to an organization’s management, with principles and definitions that are intended to reduce diversity in the timing and content of disclosures that are commonly provided by organizations today in the financial statement footnotes. This update is effective for annual periods ending after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Early application is permitted for annual or interim reporting periods for which the financial statements have not previously been issued. The Company does not expect this ASU will have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements.