Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2013

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Revenue Recognition

Revenue is recognized when it is realized or realizable, has been earned, and when all of the following have occurred:

● persuasive evidence or an arrangement exists (e.g., a sales order, a purchase order, or a sales agreement),

● shipment has occurred, with the standard shipping term being F.O.B. ship point, or services provided on a proportional performance basis or installation have been completed,

● price to the buyer is fixed or determinable, and

● collectability is reasonably assured.

Revenues from the Company’s products segment business are generally recognized upon shipping based upon the following:

● all sales made by the Company to its customer base are non-contingent, meaning that they are not tied to that customer’s resale of products,

● standard terms of sale contain shipping terms of F.O.B. ship point, meaning that title and risk of loss is transferred when shipping occurs, and

● there are no automatic return provisions that allow the customer to return the product in the event that the product does not sell within a defined timeframe.

Revenues and profits from our solutions segment are generally recognized by applying percentage-of-completion for the period to the estimated profits for the respective contracts. Percentage-of-completion is determined by relating the actual cost of the work performed to date to the current estimated total cost of the respective contracts. When the estimate on a contract indicates a loss, our policy is to record the entire loss during the accounting period in which it is estimable. In the ordinary course of business, at a minimum on a quarterly basis, we prepare updated estimates of the total forecasted revenue, cost and profit or loss for each contract. The cumulative effect of revisions in estimates of the total forecasted revenue and costs during the course of the work is reflected in the accounting period in which the facts that caused the revision become known. The financial impact of these revisions to any one contract is a function of both the amount of the revision and the percentage-of-completion of the contract. Revenues from our solutions segment will generally be from larger contracts and may range from three to eighteen months in duration.

In accordance with normal practices in the industry, we include in current assets and current liabilities amounts related to contracts realizable and payable. Billings in excess of costs represent the excess of contract billings to date over the amount of contract costs and profits (or contract revenue) recognized to date on a percentage-of-completion basis. Costs in excess of billings represent the excess of contract costs and profits (or contract revenue) recognized to date on the percentage-of-completion basis over the amount of contract billings to date on the remaining contracts. See Note 8, Contracts in Progress, for additional information.

Revenues from research and development contracts are recognized primarily on the percentage-of-completion method of accounting. Deferred revenue is recorded for the excess of contract billings over the amount of contract costs and profits. Costs in excess of billings, included in prepaid and other assets, are recorded for contract costs in excess of contract billings.

We warrant our products against defects or workmanship issues. We set up allowances for estimated returns, discounts and warranties upon recognition of revenue, and these allowances are adjusted periodically to reflect actual and anticipated returns, discounts and warranty expenses. These allowances are based on past history and historical trends, and contractual terms. The distributors’ obligations to us are not contingent upon the resale of our products and as such do not prohibit revenue recognition.

Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires 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 financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Estimates include, but are not limited to, the establishment of reserves for accounts receivable, sales returns, inventory obsolescence and warranty claims; the useful lives for property, equipment, and intangible assets; revenues recognized on a percentage-of-completion basis; and stock-based compensation. In addition, estimates and assumptions associated with the determination of the fair value of financial instruments and evaluation of goodwill and long-lived assets for impairment requires considerable judgment. Actual results could differ from those estimates and such differences could be material.

Reclassification, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Reclassifications

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified within the Consolidated Financial Statements (“financial statements”), and related notes thereto, to be consistent with the current year presentation. See discussion of the reclassification of discontinued operations in Note 3, Sale of Discontinued Operations.

Basis of Accounting, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Basis of Presentation

The financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiaries, Energy Focus LED Solutions, LLC (“EFLS”), formerly known as Stones River Companies, LLC, in Nashville, Tennessee, and Crescent Lighting Limited (“CLL”) located in the United Kingdom. All significant inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated.

Liquidity Disclosure [Policy Text Block]

Going Concern

We have incurred substantial losses, and as of December 31, 2013, we had an accumulated deficit of $83.0 million. We have raised approximately $13.4 million between 2011 and 2013 through the issuance of common stock and debt, which has been funding our operating expenses and working capital. Additionally, we received $4.8 million in net proceeds through the sale of our pool products business in November 2013. Although management continues to address the issues that have historically burdened our financial performance, we may require additional financing for operating expenses, working capital and other corporate purposes. In order for us to attain profitability and growth, we will need to successfully address these issues, including execution of our marketing and sales plans to further penetrate the military and maritime markets, and the commercial and industrial markets to increase our products segment sales; improve the operating efficiencies in our turnkey energy-efficient lighting solutions business; the development of new technologies into sustainable product lines; the continuation of cost reductions throughout our organization; further improvement in gross margins; and continued improvements in our supply chain performance.

Our independent public accounting firm has issued an opinion in connection with this 2013 Annual Report raising substantial doubt as to our ability to continue as a going concern. This opinion stems from our historically poor operating performance, and our historical inability to generate sufficient cash flow to meet obligations and sustain operations without obtaining additional external financing. Although we are optimistic about obtaining the funding necessary for us to continue as a going concern, there can be no assurances that this objective will be successful. As such, we will continue to review and pursue selected external funding sources, if necessary, to execute these objectives including, but not limited to, the following:

● obtain financing from traditional or non-traditional investment capital organizations or individuals,

● potential sale or divestiture of one or more operating units, and

● obtain funding from the sale of our common stock or other equity or debt instruments or the exercise of warrants.

Obtaining financing through the above-mentioned mechanisms contains risks, including:

● loans or other debt instruments may have terms and/or conditions, such as interest rate, restrictive covenants and control or revocation provisions, which are not acceptable to management or our Board of Directors,

● the current environment in capital markets combined with our capital constraints may prevent us from being able to obtain adequate debt financing,

● financing may not be available for parties interested in pursuing the acquisition of one or more of our operating units, and

● additional equity financing may not be available to us in the current capital environment and could lead to further dilution of shareholder value for current shareholders of record.

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Cash Equivalents

We consider all highly liquid investments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents. We have $2.6 million in cash on deposit with financial institutions in the United States as of December 31, 2013, of which $94 thousand is designated as restricted cash and relates to funds used exclusively for a research and development project with the National Shipbuilding Research Program, and $500 thousand in an escrow account from the sale of our pool products business. The remaining cash of $296 thousand is on deposit with a European bank in the United Kingdom.

Inventory, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Inventories

We state inventories at the lower of standard cost (which approximates actual cost determined using the first-in-first-out method) or market. We establish provisions for excess and obsolete inventories after evaluation of historical sales, current economic trends, forecasted sales, product lifecycles, and current inventory levels. Charges to cost of sales for excess and obsolete inventories from continuing operations amounted to $109 thousand, $111 thousand and $134 thousand in 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Trade and Other Accounts Receivable, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Accounts Receivable

Our customers currently are concentrated in the United States and Europe. In the normal course of business, we extend unsecured credit to our customers related to the sale of our services and products. Typical credit terms require payment within 30 to 60 days from the date of delivery or service. We evaluate and monitor the creditworthiness of each customer on a case-by-case basis. We also provide allowances for sales returns and doubtful accounts based on our continuing evaluation of our customers’ ongoing requirements and credit risk. We write-off accounts receivable when we deem that they have become uncollectible and payments subsequently received on such receivables are credited to the allowance for doubtful accounts. We do not generally require collateral from our customers.

Retainage Receivable

Our solutions segment sales are normally subject to a holdback of a percentage of the sale as retainage. This holdback is recorded on the Consolidated Balance Sheets as “Retainage receivable.” Retainage is a portion of the total bid price of a project that is held back by the customer until the project is complete and functioning satisfactorily according to the contract terms. Retainage percentages typically range from 5% to 10% and are collected anywhere from three to eighteen months from the inception of the project. For the year ended December 31, 2013 and 2012, we had retainage receivable from our customers totaling $577 thousand and $634 thousand, respectively.

Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Income Taxes

As part of the process of preparing our Consolidated Financial Statements, we are required to estimate our income tax liability in each of the jurisdictions in which we do business. This process involves estimating our actual current tax expense together with assessing temporary differences resulting from differing treatment of items, such as deferred revenues, for tax and accounting purposes. These differences result in deferred tax assets and liabilities, which are included in our Consolidated Balance Sheet. We then assess the likelihood that these deferred tax assets will be recovered from future taxable income and, to the extent that we believe that it is more likely than not that the deferred tax assets will not be recovered, or is unknown, we establish a valuation allowance.

Significant management judgment is required in determining our provision for income taxes, our deferred tax assets and liabilities, and any valuation allowance recorded against our deferred tax assets. At December 31, 2013 and 2012, we have recorded a full valuation allowance against our deferred tax assets in the United States due to uncertainties related to our ability to utilize our deferred tax assets, primarily consisting of certain net operating losses carried forward. The valuation allowance is based upon our estimates of taxable income by jurisdiction and the period over which our deferred tax assets will be recoverable.

As of December 31, 2013, we had net operating loss carry-forwards of approximately $72.1 million for federal, state and local income tax purposes. However, due to changes in the Company’s capital structure, approximately $14.5 million of this amount is available after the application of Internal Revenue Code (IRC) Section 382 limitations. If not utilized, these carry-forwards will begin to expire in 2021 for federal and have begun to expire for state and local purposes. Please refer to Note 14, Income Taxes, for additional information.

Repurchase Agreements, Collateral, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Collateralized Assets

We maintain $1.0 million of cash collateral related to our surety bonding program associated with EFLS. This cash is pledged to the surety carrier until which time we are able to provide sufficient alternative means of collateralization satisfactory to the surety carrier.

Fair Value Measurement, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Fair Value Measurements

The carrying amounts of certain financial instruments including cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, and accounts payable approximate fair value due to their short maturities. Based on borrowing rates currently available to the Company for loans with similar terms, the carrying value of long-term debt obligations also approximates fair value.

Long Lived Assets Policy [Policy Text Block]

Long-Lived Assets

Property and equipment is stated at cost and includes expenditures for additions and major improvements. Expenditures for repairs and maintenance are charged to operations as incurred. We use the straight-line method of depreciation over their estimated useful lives of the related assets (generally two to fifteen years) for financial reporting purposes. Accelerated methods of depreciation are used for federal income tax purposes. When assets are sold or otherwise disposed of, the cost and accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any gain or loss is reflected in the Consolidated Statement of Operations. Refer to Note 5, Property and Equipment, for additional information.

We determine the useful lives of our identifiable intangible assets after considering the specific facts and circumstances related to each intangible asset. Factors we consider when determining useful lives include the contractual term of any agreement related to the asset, the historical performance of the asset, our long-term strategy for using the asset, any laws or other local regulations which could impact the useful life of the asset, and other economic factors, including competition and specific market conditions. Intangible assets that are deemed to have definite lives are amortized, on a straight-line basis or other method which best approximates cash flows, over their useful lives, ranging from 5 to 10 years. Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of identifiable net assets acquired in a business acquisition. We evaluate goodwill for impairment using the projected present value of future cash flows of the reporting unit, taking into account historical performance. A significant amount of judgment is required in estimating fair value of the reporting unit. Based on historical losses incurred, in 2012 it was determined that goodwill was impaired, and we wrote off the remaining balance of $672 thousand as of December 31, 2012, which resulted from our 2009 acquisition of EFLS. Additionally, in conjunction with the settlement agreement between us and the former owners of EFLS, we agreed to discontinue the use of the name “Stones River Companies, LLC” and various derivatives including SRC. Therefore, at June 30, 2013, the remaining unamortized balance of Tradenames of $325 thousand was written off. Refer to Note 6, Intangible Assets, and Note 11, Settlement of Acquisition Obligations, for additional information.

Long-lived assets, other than goodwill, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or circumstances indicate the carrying amount may not be recoverable. Events or circumstances that would result in an impairment review primarily include operations reporting losses, a significant change in the use of an asset, or the planned disposal or sale of the asset. The asset would be considered impaired when the future net undiscounted cash flows generated by the asset are less than its carrying value. An impairment loss would be recognized based on the amount by which the carrying value of the asset exceeds its fair value, as determined by quoted market prices (if available) or the present value of expected future cash flows. On December 31, 2013, we recorded an impairment charge of $608 thousand for assets that were held for sale at December 31, 2013. These assets were subsequently sold for $130 thousand, which was the carrying value after the impairment charge. See Note 5, Property and Equipment and Assets Held for Sale, for additional information.

Concentration Risk, Credit Risk, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Certain Risks and Concentrations

We sell our products and solutions services through a combination of direct sales employees, independent sales representatives, and distributors in different geographic markets throughout the world. We perform ongoing credit evaluations of our customers and generally do not require collateral. Although we maintain allowances for potential credit losses that we believe to be adequate, a payment default on a significant sale could materially and adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.

At December 31, 2013, seven customers accounted for 67% of net accounts receivable, including retainage receivable. At December 31, 2012, four customers accounted for 75% of net accounts receivable, including retainage receivable. For 2013, 2012 and 2011, the top four customers accounted for 36%, 42% and 36% of net sales, respectively.

We require substantial amounts of purchased materials from selected vendors. With specific materials, all of our purchases are from a single vendor. Substantially all of the materials we require are in adequate supply. However, the availability and costs of materials may be subject to change due to, among other things, new laws or regulations, suppliers’ allocation to other purchasers, interruptions in production by suppliers, and changes in exchange rates and worldwide price and demand levels. Our inability to obtain adequate supplies of materials for our products at favorable prices could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, or results of operations by decreasing our profit margins and by hindering our ability to deliver products to our customers on a timely basis.

Research and Development Expense, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Research and Development

Research and development expenses include salaries, contractor and consulting fees, supplies and materials, as well as costs related to other overhead items such as depreciation and facilities costs. Research and development costs are expensed as they are incurred.

Earnings Per Share, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Net Loss per Share

Basic loss per share is computed by dividing the net loss available to common shareholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding for the period. Diluted loss per share is computed giving effect to all dilutive potential common shares that were outstanding during the period. Dilutive potential common shares consist of incremental shares upon exercise of stock options, warrants, and conversion of convertible subordinated promissory notes unless the effect would be anti-dilutive.

Share-based Compensation, Option and Incentive Plans Policy [Policy Text Block]

Stock-Based Compensation

We recognize compensation expense based on the estimated grant date fair value under the authoritative guidance. Management applies the Black-Scholes option pricing model to value stock options issued to employees and directors, and applies judgment in estimating key assumptions that are important elements of the model in expense recognition. These elements include the expected life of the option, the expected stock-price volatility, and expected forfeiture rates. Compensation expense is generally amortized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period. See Note 13, Shareholders’ Equity, for additional information. Common stock, stock options and warrants issued to non-employees that are not part of an equity offering are accounted for under the applicable guidance under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 505-50, Equity-Based Payments to Non-Employees, and are generally remeasured at each reporting date until the awards vest.

Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations Policy [Policy Text Block]

Foreign Currency Translation

Our international subsidiary uses its local currency as its functional currency. Assets and liabilities are translated at exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date and income and expense accounts are translated at average exchange rates during the year. Resulting translation adjustments are recorded directly to “Accumulated other comprehensive income” within shareholders’ equity. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included as a component of “Other (expense)/income”. Gains and losses from foreign currency translation are included as a separate component of “Other comprehensive loss” within the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss.

Advertising Costs, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Advertising Expenses

We expense the costs of advertising, which consists of costs for the placement of advertisements in various media. Advertising expenses were $217 thousand, $289 thousand and $273 thousand for the years ended December 31, 2013, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Shipping and Handling Cost, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Shipping and Handling Costs

We include shipping and handling revenues in net sales, and shipping and handling costs in cost of sales.

Standard Product Warranty, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Product Warranties

We warrant finished goods against defects in material and workmanship under normal use and service for periods generally between one and five years. Settlement costs consist of actual amounts expensed for warranty services which are largely a result of third-party service calls, and the costs of replacement products. A liability for the estimated future costs under product warranties is maintained for products outstanding under warranty and is included in “Accrued liabilities” in the Consolidated Balance Sheets. The warranty activity for the respective years is as follows (in thousands):

	Year ended December 31,
	2013			2012
Balance at the beginning of the year	$	159		$	100
Accruals for warranties issued		60			143
Settlements made during the year (in cash or in kind)		(144	)		(84	)
Balance at the end of the year	$	75		$	159

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Recent Accounting Standards and Pronouncements

In February 2013, the FASB issued ASU 2013-02, Reporting of Amounts Reclassified Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income, under Topic 220, which requires an entity to provide information about the amounts reclassified out of accumulated other comprehensive income by component (the respective line items of net income). This pronouncement is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2012. The adoption of this ASU did not materially impact our disclosures.

In July 2013, the FASB issued ASU No. 2013-11, Presentation of an Unrecognized Tax Benefit When a Net Operating Loss Carryforward, a Similar Tax Loss, or a Tax Credit Carryforward Exists, which amends ASC 740, Income Taxes. The amendments provide guidance on the financial statement presentation of an unrecognized tax benefit, as either a reduction of a deferred tax asset or as a liability, when a net operating loss carryforward, similar tax loss, or a tax credit carryforward exists. The amendments are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2013 and may be applied on either a prospective or retrospective basis. The provisions are effective for our Annual Report for the year ending December 31, 2014. We do not expect the adoption of these provisions to have a significant impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In July 2012, the FASB issued ASU 2012-02, Intangibles — Goodwill and Other, amending ASC Topic 350. Under the revised guidance, entities testing indefinite-lived intangible assets for impairment have the option of performing a qualitative assessment before calculating fair value. If entities determine, on the basis of qualitative factors, that it is more likely than not that the fair value of the indefinite-lived intangible is less than the carrying amount, the fair value calculation would be required. The ASU also requires that the same qualitative factors be considered when determining whether an interim impairment evaluation is necessary. The guidance is effective for annual and interim impairment tests performed for fiscal years beginning after September 15, 2012, with early adoption permitted. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material effect on our financial statements.