6. RECENT FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

New Accounting Pronouncements and Changes in Accounting Principles [Abstract]

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

6. RECENT FINANCIAL ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-15, Presentation of Financial Statements – Going Concern (Subtopic 205-40). Currently, there is no guidance in accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (U.S. GAAP) about management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern or to provide related footnote disclosures. The amendments in this update provide that guidance. In doing so, the amendments should reduce diversity in the timing and content of footnote disclosures. The amendments require management to assess an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern by incorporating and expanding upon certain principles that are currently in U.S. auditing standards. Specifically, the amendments (1) provide a definition of the term substantial doubt, (2) require an evaluation every reporting period including interim periods, (3) provide principles for considering the mitigating effect of management’s plans, (4) require certain disclosures when substantial doubt is alleviated as a result of consideration of management’s plans, (5) require an express statement and other disclosures when substantial doubt is not alleviated, and (6) require an assessment for a period of one year after the date that the financial statements are issued (or available to be issued). The update is effective for public entities for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. The Company has adopted this ASU in the first quarter of 2017, which did not have an effect on the condensed consolidated financial statements.

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-11, Inventory (Topic 330). The amendments in this Update require an entity to measure inventory within the scope of this update at the lower of cost and net realizable value. Net realizable value is the estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. Subsequent measurement is unchanged for inventory measured using LIFO or the retail inventory method. The amendments in this Update more closely align the measurement of inventory in GAAP with the measurement of inventory in International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). For public business entities, the amendments in this Update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company has adopted this ASU in the first quarter of 2017, which did not have an effect on the condensed consolidated financial statements.

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-17, Income Taxes - Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes (Topic 740). The amendments in this update simplify the presentation of deferred income taxes, the amendments in this update require that deferred tax liabilities and assets be classified as noncurrent in a classified statement of financial position. The amendments in this update apply to all entities that present a classified statement of financial position. The current requirement that deferred tax liabilities and assets of a tax-paying component of an entity be offset and presented as a single amount is not affected by the amendments in this update. For public business entities, the amendments in this update are effective for financial statements issued for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods. The Company adopted ASU 2015-17 effective January 2017 and applied the amendments retrospectively to maintain comparability of its consolidated balance sheets. The change in accounting standard has been applied retrospectively by adjusting the consolidated balance sheets for the prior periods presented.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718). The amendments in this update were issued as part of the FASB’s initiative to reduce complexity in accounting standards. The areas for simplification in this update involve several aspects of the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows. In addition, the amendments in this update eliminate the guidance in Topic 718 that was indefinitely deferred shortly after the issuance of FASB Statement No. 123 (revised 2004), Share-Based Payment. For public business entities, the amendments in this Update are effective for years beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company has adopted this ASU in the first quarter of 2017, which did not have a material effect on the condensed consolidated financial statements. Upon adoption, The Company has elected to continue incorporating an estimate for forfeitures for share-based compensation with a service condition.

Accounting standards not yet adopted

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). The amendments in this update supersede the revenue recognition requirements in Topic 605, Revenue Recognition, including most industry-specific revenue recognition guidance throughout the Industry Topics of the Codification. In addition, the amendments supersede the cost guidance in Subtopic 605-35, Revenue Recognition—Construction-Type and Production-Type Contracts, and create new Subtopic 340-40, Other Assets and Deferred Costs—Contracts with Customers. In summary, the core principle of Topic 606 is that an entity recognizes 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. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14. The amendments in this update defer the effective date of Update 2014-09. Public business entities, certain not-for-profit entities, and certain employee benefit plans should apply the guidance in Update 2014-09 to annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. Earlier application is permitted only as of annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. The guidance permits the use of either a retrospective or cumulative effect transition method. We have not yet selected a transition method but plan to select a transition method no later than the fourth quarter of 2017. We are currently assessing our contracts with customers and related financial disclosures to evaluate the impact of the amended guidance on our existing revenue recognition policies and procedures.

In April 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-10, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). This Update clarifies guidance related to identifying performance obligations and licensing implementation guidance contained in the new revenue recognition standard. The Update includes targeted improvements based on input the Board received from the Transition Resource Group for Revenue Recognition and other stakeholders. The Update seeks to proactively address areas in which diversity in practice potentially could arise, as well as to reduce the cost and complexity of applying certain aspects of the guidance both at implementation and on an ongoing basis. The amendments in this update are effective at the same time as ASU 2014-09. Public business entities, certain not-for-profit entities, and certain employee benefit plans should apply the guidance in Update 2014-09 to annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. We have not yet determined the impact this ASU will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In May 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-12: Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients, which provides narrow scope improvements and practical expedients related to ASU 2014-09: Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). The purpose of ASU 2016-12 is to clarify certain narrow aspects of Topic 606 such as assessing the collectability criterion, presentation of sales taxes and other similar taxes collected from customers, noncash consideration, contract modifications at transition, completed contracts at transition, and technical correction. The standard has the same effective date as ASU 2014-09. Public business entities, certain not-for-profit entities, and certain employee benefit plans should apply the guidance in update 2014-09 to annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim reporting periods within that reporting period. We have not yet determined the impact this ASU will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The amendments in this Update will require lessees to recognize (with the exception of short-term leases) a lease liability, which is a lessee‘s obligation to make lease payments arising from a lease, measured on a discounted basis; and a right-of-use asset, which is an asset that represents the lessee’s right to use, or control the use of, a specified asset for the lease term. Under the new guidance, lessor accounting is largely unchanged. The new lease guidance simplified the accounting for sale and leaseback transactions primarily because lessees must recognize lease assets and lease liabilities. For public business entities, the amendments in this Update are effective for years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Earlier application is permitted for all entities upon issuance. We have not yet determined the impact this ASU will have on our consolidated financial statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, addressing eight specific cash flow issues in an effort to reduce diversity in practice. The amended guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2017, and for interim periods within those years. Early adoption is permitted. We have not yet determined the impact this ASU will have on our consolidated financial statements.