| Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES Basis of Presentation The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) and pursuant to the reporting and disclosure rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Principles of Consolidation These consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company and its subsidiary companies. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Cash and Cash Equivalents For purposes of reporting cash flows, the Company considers cash on hand, checking accounts, and savings accounts to be cash and cash equivalents. At times, the balance in these accounts may exceed federal insured limits. Cash equivalents are defined as financial instruments readily transferrable into cash with an original maturity less than 90 days. Restricted Cash Restricted cash represents funds held-on-deposit with processing banks pursuant to agreements to cover potential merchant losses. It is presented as long-term assets on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets since the related agreements extend beyond the next twelve months. Following the adoption of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-18, Statement of Cash Flows: Restricted Cash (Topic 230), the Company includes restricted cash along with the cash and cash equivalents balance for presentation in the consolidated statements of cash flows. Accounts Receivable and Credit Policies Accounts receivable consist primarily of uncollateralized credit card processing residual payments due from processing banks requiring payment within thirty days following the end of each month. Accounts receivable also include amounts due from the sales of the Company’s technology solutions to its customers. The carrying amount of accounts receivable is reduced by an allowance for doubtful accounts, if necessary, which reflects management’s best estimate of the amounts that will not be collected. The allowance is estimated based on management’s knowledge of its customers, historical loss experience and existing economic conditions. Accounts receivable and the allowance are written-off when, in management’s opinion, all collection efforts have been exhausted. The Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts was $310 and $232 as of September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively; however, actual write-offs may exceed estimated amounts. Inventories Inventories consist of point-of-sale equipment to be sold to customers and are stated at the lower of cost, determined on a weighted average basis, or net realizable value. Inventories were $1,309 and $1,294 at September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and are included within prepaid expenses and other current assets on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Property and Equipment Property and equipment are stated at cost or, if acquired through a business combination or an asset acquisition, fair value at the date of acquisition. Depreciation and amortization are provided over the assets’ estimated useful lives (or, if obtained in connection with a business acquisition, over their estimated remaining useful lives) using the straight-line method, except for leasehold improvements, which are depreciated over the shorter of the estimated useful lives of the assets or the lease term. Expenditures for maintenance and repairs are expensed when incurred. Expenditures for renewals or betterments are capitalized. Management reviews long-lived assets for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. The Company recognizes impairment when the sum of undiscounted estimated future cash flows expected to result from the use of the asset is less than the carrying value of the asset. There were no impairment charges during the years ended September 30, 2020, 2019 and 2018. Capitalized Software Development costs for software to be sold or leased to customers are capitalized once technological feasibility of the software product has been established. Costs incurred prior to establishing technological feasibility are expensed as incurred. Technological feasibility is established when the Company has completed a detailed program design and has determined that a product can be produced to meet its design specifications, including functions, features and technical performance requirements. Capitalization of costs ceases when the product is generally available to clients. Software development costs are amortized using the greater of the straight-line method or the usage method over its estimated useful life, which is generally estimated to be three years. Software development costs may become impaired in situations where development efforts are abandoned due to the viability of a planned project becoming doubtful or due to technological obsolescence of a planned software product. Management evaluates the remaining useful lives and carrying values of capitalized software at least annually or when events and circumstances warrant such a review, to determine whether significant events or changes in circumstances indicate that impairment in value may have occurred. To the extent estimated net realizable values, which are estimated to equal future undiscounted cash flows, exceed the carrying value, no impairment is necessary. If estimated net realizable values are less than the carrying values, an impairment charge is recorded. Impairment charges during the years ended September 30, 2020, 2019 and 2018 were nominal. Identifiable software technology intangible assets resulting from acquisitions are amortized using the straight-line method over periods not exceeding their remaining estimated useful lives. GAAP requires that intangible assets with estimated useful lives be amortized over their respective estimated useful lives to their residual values, and reviewed for impairment. Acquisition technology intangibles’ net book values are included in capitalized software, net in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Notes Receivable Notes receivable consist of loans made to unrelated entities. Notes receivable were $1,195 and $195 at September 30, 2020 and 2019, respectively, and are included within other assets on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. Acquisitions Business acquisitions have been recorded using the acquisition method of accounting in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805, Business Combinations (“ASC 805”), and, accordingly, the purchase price has been allocated to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed based on their estimated fair value as of the date of acquisition. Where relevant, the fair value of material contingent consideration included in an acquisition is calculated using a Monte Carlo simulation. The fair value of merchant relationships and non-compete assets acquired is identified using the Income Approach. The fair value of trade names acquired is identified using the Relief from Royalty Method. The fair value of deferred revenue is identified using the Adjusted Fulfillment Cost Method. After the purchase price has been allocated, goodwill is recorded to the extent the total consideration paid for the acquisition, including the acquisition date fair value of contingent consideration, if any, exceeds the sum of the fair values of the separately identifiable acquired assets and assumed liabilities. Acquisition costs for business combinations are expensed when incurred and recorded in selling general and administrative expenses in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations. Acquisitions not meeting the accounting criteria to be accounted for as a business combination are accounted for as an asset acquisition. An asset acquisition is recorded at its purchase price, inclusive of acquisition costs, which is allocated among the acquired assets and assumed liabilities based upon their relative fair values at the date of acquisition. The operating results of an acquisition are included in the consolidated statements of operations from the date of such acquisition. Acquisitions completed during the year ended September 30, 2020 contributed $1,275 and $327 of revenue and net income, respectively, to the results in the Company's consolidated statements of operations for the year then ended. Goodwill In accordance with ASC 350, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other, the Company tests goodwill for impairment for each reporting unit on an annual basis in the fourth quarter, or when events or circumstances indicate the fair value of a reporting unit is below its carrying value. The Company’s goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net identifiable assets acquired in business combinations. The goodwill generated from the business combinations is primarily related to the value placed on the employee workforce and expected synergies. Judgment is involved in determining if an indicator or change in circumstances relating to impairment has occurred. Such changes may include, among others, a significant decline in expected future cash flows, a significant adverse change in the business climate, and unforeseen competition. No goodwill impairment charges were recognized during the years ended September 30, 2020, 2019 and 2018. The Company has the option of performing a qualitative assessment of impairment to determine whether any further quantitative testing for impairment is necessary. The option of whether or not to perform a qualitative assessment is made annually and may vary by reporting unit. Factors the Company considers in the qualitative assessment include general macroeconomic conditions, industry and market conditions, cost factors, overall financial performance of the Company’s reporting units, events or changes affecting the composition or carrying amount of the net assets of its reporting units, sustained decrease in its share price, and other relevant entity specific events. If the Company determines not to perform the qualitative assessment or if it determines, on the basis of qualitative factors, that the fair value of the reporting unit is more likely than not less than the carrying value, then the Company performs a quantitative test for that reporting unit. The fair value of each reporting unit is compared to the reporting unit’s carrying value, including goodwill. Subsequent to the adoption on January 1, 2017 of Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2017-04, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other: Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, if the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying value, the Company recognizes an impairment equal to the excess carrying value, not to exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. For a discussion of the estimation methodology, the qualitative factors considered when performing a qualitative assessment and the significance of various inputs, please see the subheading below titled “Use of Estimates.” The Company has determined that it has five reporting units as of the date of the most recent annual good impairment test. For each of the years ended September 30, 2020, 2019 and 2018 the Company performed a quantitative assessment for each of its reporting units. The Company determined that none of the reporting units were impaired. Intangible Assets Intangible assets include acquired merchant relationships, residual buyouts, referral agreements, trademarks, tradenames, website development costs and non-compete agreements. Merchant relationships represent the fair value of customer relationships purchased by the Company. Residual buyouts represent the right to not have to pay a residual to an independent sales agent related to certain future transactions with the agent’s referred merchants. Referral agreements represent the right to exclusively obtain referrals from a partner for their customers' credit card processing services. The Company amortizes definite lived identifiable intangible assets using a method that reflects the pattern in which the economic benefits of the intangible asset are expected to be consumed or otherwise utilized. The estimated useful lives of the Company’s customer-related intangible assets approximate the expected distribution of cash flows, whether straight-line or accelerated, generated from each asset. The useful lives of contract-based intangible assets are equal to the terms of the agreement. During the first quarter of fiscal year 2019, management determined it was appropriate to change the amortization rate of our merchant contract intangible assets to reflect the expected distribution of future cash flows. This change was applied prospectively beginning on October 1, 2018 and resulted in $1,290 in additional amortization expense recorded in the year ended September 30, 2019. Management evaluates the remaining useful lives and carrying values of long-lived assets, including definite lived intangible assets, at least annually, or when events and circumstances warrant such a review, to determine whether significant events or changes in circumstances indicate that a change in the useful life or impairment in value may have occurred. There were no impairment charges during the years ended September 30, 2020, 2019 and 2018. Income Taxes i3 Verticals, Inc. is taxed as a corporation and pays corporate federal, state and local taxes on income allocated to it from i3 Verticals, LLC based on i3 Verticals, Inc.'s economic interest in i3 Verticals, LLC. i3 Verticals, LLC's members, including the Company, are liable for federal, state and local income taxes based on their share of i3 Verticals, LLC's pass-through taxable income. i3 Verticals, LLC is not a taxable entity for federal income tax purposes, but is subject to and reports entity level tax in both Tennessee and Texas. In addition, certain subsidiaries of i3 Verticals, LLC are corporations that are subject to state and federal income taxes. The amount provided for state income taxes is based upon the amounts of current and deferred taxes payable or refundable at the date of the consolidated financial statements as a result of all events recognized in the financial statements as measured by the provisions of enacted tax laws. Under GAAP, a tax position is recognized as a benefit only if it is “more likely than not” that the tax position would be sustained in a tax examination, with a tax examination being presumed to occur. The amount recognized is the largest amount of tax benefit that is greater than 50% likely of being realized on examination. For tax positions not meeting the “more likely than not” test, no tax benefit is recorded. The Company reports a liability for unrecognized tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. The Company recognizes interest and penalties, if any, related to unrecognized tax benefits as part of income tax expense. See additional discussion in Note 10. Valuation of Contingent Consideration On occasion, the Company may have acquisitions which include contingent consideration. Accounting for business combinations requires the Company to estimate the fair value of any contingent purchase consideration at the acquisition date. For a discussion of the estimate methodology and the significance of various inputs, please see the subheading below titled “Use of Estimates.” Changes in estimates regarding the fair value contingent purchase consideration are reflected as adjustments to the related liability and recognized within operating expenses in the consolidated statements of operations. Short and long-term contingent liabilities are presented within accrued expenses and other current liabilities and other long-term liabilities on the Company's consolidated balance sheets, respectively. Classification of Financial Instruments The Company classifies certain financial instruments issued as either equity or as liabilities. Determination of classification is based upon the underlying properties of the instrument. See specific discussion regarding the nature of instruments issued, the presentation on the consolidated financial statements and the related valuation method applied in Notes 9, 11, 12, and 13. Revenue Recognition and Deferred Revenue For the year ended September 30, 2020, revenue is recognized as each performance obligation is satisfied, in accordance with ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (“ASC 606”). The Company accrues for rights of refund, processing errors or penalties, or other related allowances based on historical experience. The Company utilized the portfolio approach practical expedient within ASC 606-10-10-4 Revenue from Contracts with Customers—Objectives and the significant financing component practical expedient within ASC 606-10-32-18 Revenue from Contracts with Customers—The Existence of a Significant Financing Component in the Contract in performing the analysis. The Company adopted ASC 606 on October 1, 2019, using the modified retrospective method and applying the standard to all contracts not completed on the date of adoption. Results for the reporting period beginning October 1, 2019 are presented under ASC 606, while prior period amounts continue to be reported in accordance with the Company's historic accounting practices under previous guidance. The majority of the Company's revenue for the years ended September 30, 2020, 2019 and 2018 is derived from volume-based payment processing fees (“discount fees”) and other related fixed transaction or service fees. The remainder is comprised of sales of software licensing subscriptions, ongoing support, and other POS-related solutions the Company provides to its clients directly and through its processing bank relationships. Discount fees represent a percentage of the dollar amount of each credit or debit transaction processed or a specified per transaction amount, depending on the card type. The Company frequently enters into agreements with clients under which the client engages the Company to provide both payment authorization services and transaction settlement services for all of the cardholder transactions of the client, regardless of which issuing bank and card network to which the transaction relates. The Company’s core performance obligations are to stand ready to provide continuous access to the Company’s payment authorization services and transaction settlement services in order to be able to process as many transactions as its clients require on a daily basis over the contract term. These services are stand ready obligations, as the timing and quantity of transactions to be processed is not determinable. Under a stand-ready obligation, the Company’s performance obligation is defined by each time increment rather than by the underlying activities satisfied over time based on days elapsed. Because the service of standing ready is substantially the same each day and has the same pattern of transfer to the client, the Company has determined that its stand-ready performance obligation comprises a series of distinct days of service. Discount fees are recognized each day based on the volume or transaction count at the time the merchants’ transactions are processed. The Company follows the requirements of ASC 606-10-55 Revenue from Contracts with Customers—Principal versus Agent Considerations , which states that the determination of whether a company should recognize revenue based on the gross amount billed to a client or the net amount retained is a matter of judgment that depends on the facts and circumstances of the arrangement. The determination of gross versus net recognition of revenue requires judgment that depends on whether the Company controls the good or service before it is transferred to the merchant or whether the Company is acting as an agent of a third party. The assessment is provided separately for each performance obligation identified. Under its agreements, the Company incurs interchange and network pass-through charges from the third-party card issuers and card networks, respectively, related to the provision of payment authorization services. The Company has determined that it is acting as an agent with respect to these payment authorization services, based on the following factors: (1) the Company has no discretion over which card issuing bank will be used to process a transaction and is unable to direct the activity of the merchant to another card issuing bank, and (2) interchange and card network rates are pre-established by the card issuers or card networks, and the Company has no latitude in determining these fees. Therefore, revenue allocated to the payment authorization performance obligation is presented net of interchange and card network fees paid to the card issuing banks and card networks, respectively, for the year ended September 30, 2020, subsequent to the adoption of ASC 606. With regards to the Company's discount fees, generally, where the Company has control over merchant pricing, merchant portability, credit risk and ultimate responsibility for the merchant relationship, revenues are reported at the time of sale equal to the full amount of the discount charged to the merchant, less interchange and network fees. Revenues generated from merchant portfolios where the Company does not have control over merchant pricing, liability for merchant losses or credit risk or rights of portability are reported net of interchange and network fees as well as third-party processing costs directly attributable to processing and bank sponsorship costs. Revenues are also derived from a variety of fixed transaction or service fees, including authorization fees, convenience fees, statement fees, annual fees, gateway fees, which are charged for accessing our payment and software solutions, and fees for other miscellaneous services, such as handling chargebacks. Revenues derived from service fees are recognized at the time the services are performed and there are no further performance obligations. Revenue from fixed transactions, which principally relates to the sale of equipment, is recognized upon transfer of ownership and delivery to the client, after which there are no further performance obligations. Revenues from sales of the Company’s software are recognized when the related performance obligations are satisfied. Sales of software licenses are categorized into one of two categories of intellectual property in accordance with ASC 606, functional or symbolic. The key distinction is whether the license represents a right to use (functional) or a right to access (symbolic) intellectual property. The Company generates sales of one-time software licenses, which is functional intellectual property. Revenue from functional intellectual property is recognized at a point in time, when delivered to the client. The Company also offers access to its software under software-as-a-service (“SaaS”) arrangements, which represent services arrangements. Revenue from SaaS arrangements is recognized over time, over the term of the agreement. Arrangements may contain multiple performance obligations, such as payment authorization services, transaction settlement services, hardware, software products, maintenance, and professional installation and training services. Revenues are allocated to each performance obligation based on the standalone selling price of each good or service. The selling price for a deliverable is based on standalone selling price, if available, the adjusted market assessment approach, estimated cost plus margin approach, or residual approach. The Company establishes estimated selling price, based on the judgment of the Company's management, considering internal factors such as margin objectives, pricing practices and controls, client segment pricing strategies and the product life cycle. In arrangements with multiple performance obligations, the Company determines allocation of the transaction price at inception of the arrangement and uses the standalone selling prices for the majority of the Company's revenue recognition. Revenues from sales of the Company ’ s combined hardware and software element are recognized when each performance obligation has been satisfied which has been determined to be upon the delivery of the product. Revenues derived from service fees are recognized at the time the services are performed and there are no further performance obligations. The Company’s professional services, including training, installation, and repair services are recognized as revenue as these services are performed. The table below presents a disaggregation of the Company's revenue from contracts with clients by product by segment. Refer to Note 16 for discussion of the Company's segments. The Company's products are defined as follows: • Payments — Includes discount fees, gateway fees and other related fixed transaction or service fees. • Other — Includes sales of software, sales of equipment, professional services and other revenues. For the year ended September 30, 2020 Merchant Services Proprietary Software and Payments Other Total Payments revenue $ 82,913 $ 19,359 $ (1,757) $ 100,515 Other revenue 18,036 31,594 (11) 49,619 Total revenue $ 100,949 $ 50,953 $ (1,768) $ 150,134 The table below presents a disaggregation of the Company's revenue from contracts with clients by timing of transfer of goods or services by segment. The Company's revenue included in each category are defined as follows: • Revenue transferred over time — Includes discount fees, gateway fees, sales of SaaS and ongoing support contract revenue. • Revenue transferred at a point in time — Includes fixed service fees, software licenses sold as functional intellectual property, professional services and other equipment. For the year ended September 30, 2020 Merchant Services Proprietary Software and Payments Other Total Revenue earned over time $ 72,800 $ 35,222 $ (1,743) $ 106,279 Revenue earned at a point in time 28,149 15,731 (25) 43,855 Total revenue $ 100,949 $ 50,953 $ (1,768) $ 150,134 Contract Liabilities Deferred revenue represents amounts billed to clients by the Company for services contracts. Payment is typically collected at the start of the contract term. The initial prepaid contract agreement balance is deferred. The balance is then recognized as the services are provided over the contract term. Deferred revenue that is expected to be recognized as revenue within one year is recorded as short-term deferred revenue and the remaining portion is recorded as other long-term liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets. The terms for most of the Company's contracts with a deferred revenue component are one year. Substantially all of the Company's deferred revenue is anticipated to be recognized within the next year. The following table presents the changes in deferred revenue as of and for the year ended September 30, 2020: Balance at September 30, 2019 $ 10,237 Deferral of revenue 22,963 Recognition of unearned revenue (22,146) Balance at September 30, 2020 $ 11,054 Costs to Obtain and Fulfill a Contract The Company capitalizes incremental costs to obtain new contracts and contract renewals and amortizes these costs on a straight-line basis as an expense over the benefit period, which is generally the contract term, unless a commensurate payment is not expected at renewal. As of September 30, 2020, the Company had $3,140, of capitalized contract costs, which relates to commissions paid to obtain new sales, included within “Prepaid expenses and other current assets” and “Other assets" on the consolidated balance sheets. The Company recorded commissions expense related to these costs for the year ended September 30, 2020 of $398. The Company expenses sales commissions as incurred for the Company's sales commission plans that are paid on recurring monthly revenues, portfolios of existing clients, or have a substantive stay requirement prior to payment. Interchange and Network Fees and Other Cost of Services Interchange and network fees consist primarily of fees that are directly related to discount fee revenue. These include interchange fees paid to issuers and assessment fees payable to card associations, which are a percentage of the processing volume the Company generates from Visa and Mastercard, as well as fees charged by card-issuing banks. Other costs of services include costs directly attributable to processing and bank sponsorship costs, which may not be based on a percentage of volume. These costs also include related costs such as residual payments to sales groups, which are based on a percentage of the net revenues generated from merchant referrals. In certain merchant processing bank relationships the Company is liable for chargebacks against a merchant equal to the volume of the transaction. Losses resulting from chargebacks against a merchant are included in other cost of services on the accompanying consolidated statement of operations. The Company evaluates its risk for such transactions and estimates its potential loss from chargebacks based primarily on historical experience and other relevant factors. The reserve for merchant losses is included within accrued expenses and other current liabilities on the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. The cost of equipment sold is also included in other cost of services. Interchange and other costs of services are recognized at the time the merchant's transactions are processed. The Company accounts for all governmental taxes associated with revenue transactions on a net basis. Advertising and Promotion Costs Advertising and promotion costs are expensed as incurred. Advertising expense was $1,813, $1,443 and $926 for the years ended September 30, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively, and is included in selling, general and administrative expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Equity-based Compensation The Company accounts for grants of equity awards to employees in accordance with ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation. This standard requires compensation expense to be measured based on the estimated fair value of the share-based awards on the date of grant and recognized as expense on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting period. Equity-based compensation was $10,452, $6,124 and $1,567 for the years ended September 30, 2020, 2019 and 2018, respectively. Use of Estimates The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with GAAP 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 consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Such estimates include, but are not limited to, the value of purchase consideration paid and identifiable assets acquired and assumed in acquisitions, goodwill and intangible asset impairment review, warrant valuation, revenue recognition for contracts with multiple performance obligations, loss reserves, assumptions used in the calculation of equity-based compensation and in the calculation of income taxes, and certain tax assets and liabilities as well as the related valuation allowances. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results could differ from those estimates. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on certain of the Company's estimates, including goodwill and intangible assets, is uncertain at this time. If general economic conditions continue to deteriorate or remain uncertain for an extended period of time, the trading price of our common stock, which has already declined in recent months, could decline further. If the stock price continues to be depressed or decreases further, it may cause a triggering event for impairment testing of fair-valued assets, including goodwill and intangible assets. During the year ended September 30, 2020, the Company has recorded a $2,668 reduction in the valuation allowance on the deferred tax asset related to the Company’s investment in partnership and a corresponding reduction in the Company's income tax expense for the year ended September 30, 2020. Management has determined an additional portion of the deferred tax asset will be more likely than not realized based off an evaluation of the four sources of taxable income. During the year ended Septe |
