ACCOUNTING POLICIES | NOTE 2 ACCOUNTING POLICIES Accounting Estimates The preparation of the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates and assumptions. Basis of Presentation The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Forward Industries, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (Forward US, Forward Switzerland, Forward UK and IPS). All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. Intercompany revenues of approximately $16,000 and $201,000 for the three months ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, related to design and marketing work performed by IPS for Forward have been eliminated in consolidation. Segment Reporting Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate financial information is available that is regularly evaluated by a chief operating decision maker, or Forward management, in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. As a result of the acquisition of IPS in January 2018, management conducts business through two distinct operating segments, which are also our reportable segments: distribution and design. Forward US, Forward Switzerland and Forward UK comprise the distribution operating segment and IPS is the design operating segment. Organizing our business through two operating segments allows us to align our resources and manage the operations. Our management team regularly reviews operating segment revenue and profitability when assessing financial results of operating segments and allocating resources. We measure the performance of our operating segments based upon operating segment revenue and operating income (loss). Segment operating income (loss) includes revenue and expenses incurred directly by the operating segment, including cost of sales and selling, marketing, and general and administrative expenses. Goodwill Goodwill is an asset representing the future economic benefits arising from other assets acquired in a business combination that are not individually identified and separately recognized. Goodwill was recognized as a result of the acquisition of IPS in January 2018. Goodwill is reviewed for impairment at least annually, and when triggering events occur, in accordance with the provisions of Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) Topic 350, “Intangibles – Goodwill and Other.” The Company has two reporting units for purposes of evaluating goodwill impairment and management performs our annual goodwill impairment test on September 30, at the end of the fiscal year. The Company has the option to perform a qualitative assessment to determine if an impairment is more likely than not to have occurred. If the Company can support the conclusion that it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, then the Company would not need to perform the impairment test for the reporting unit. If the Company cannot support such a conclusion or does not elect to perform the qualitative assessment, then the Company will compare the fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying amount, including goodwill. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds its carrying value, no impairment charge is recognized. If the fair value of the reporting unit is less than its carrying value, an impairment charge will be recognized for the amount by which the reporting unit’s carrying amount exceeds its fair value. A significant amount of judgment is required in performing goodwill impairment tests including estimating the fair value of a reporting unit and the implied fair value of goodwill. Management compared the fair value of the reporting unit, the design segment which holds the goodwill, with its carrying value. Based on management’s evaluation, there were no impairments to goodwill at September 30, 2019 and there was no triggering event to lead to an interim impairment test at December 31, 2019. Intangible assets Intangible assets include trademark and customer relationships, which were acquired as part of the acquisition of IPS in January 2018 and are recorded based on the estimated fair value in purchase price allocation. The intangible assets are amortized over their estimated useful lives, which are periodically evaluated for reasonableness. Our intangible assets are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. In assessing the recoverability of our intangible assets, we must make estimates and assumptions regarding future cash flows and other factors to determine the fair value of the respective assets. These estimates and assumptions could have a significant impact on whether an impairment charge is recognized and also the magnitude of any such charge. Fair value estimates are made at a specific point in time, based on relevant information. These estimates are subjective in nature and involve uncertainties and matters of significant judgments and therefore cannot be determined with precision. Changes in assumptions could significantly affect the estimates. If these estimates or material related assumptions change in the future, we may be required to record impairment charges related to our intangible assets. Management evaluated and concluded that there were no impairments of intangible assets at December 31, 2019. Income Taxes The Company recognizes future tax benefits and liabilities measured at enacted rates attributable to temporary differences between financial statement and income tax bases of assets and liabilities and to net tax operating loss carryforwards to the extent that realization of these benefits is more likely than not. As of December 31, 2019, there was no change to our assessment that a full valuation allowance was required against all net deferred tax assets. Accordingly, any deferred tax provision or benefit was offset by an equal and opposite change to the valuation allowance. No current book income tax provision was recorded against book net income due to the existence of significant net operating loss carryforwards. Revenue Recognition Distribution Segment The Company generally recognizes revenue in its distribution segment when: (i) finished goods are shipped to our distribution customers (in general, these conditions occur at either point of shipment or point of destination, depending on the terms of sale, i.e. transfer of control); (ii) there are no other deliverables or performance obligations; and (iii) there are no further obligations to the customer after the title of the goods has transferred. The Company defers revenue when it receives consideration before achieving the criteria previously mentioned. Design Segment Under ASC 606, the Company applies the “cost to cost” and “right to invoice” methods of revenue recognition to the contracts with customers in the design segment. The design segment typically engages in two types of contracts: (i) Time and Material and (ii) Fixed Price contracts. The Company recognizes revenue over time on its time and material contracts utilizing a “right to invoice” method. Revenues from fixed price contracts that require performance of services that are not related to the production of tangible assets are recognized by using cost inputs to measure progress toward the completion of its performance obligations or the “cost to cost” method. Revenues from contracts that contain specific deliverables are recognized when the performance obligation has been satisfied or the transfer of goods to the customer has been completed and accepted. Recognized revenues that will not be billed until a later date, or Contract assets, are recorded as an asset and classified as a component of accounts receivable in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets. Contract assets at December 31, 2019 and September 30, 2019 were approximately $609,000 and $611,000, respectively. Contracts where collections to date have exceeded recognized revenues, or Contract liabilities, are recorded as a liability and classified as a component of deferred income in the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets. Contract liabilities at December 31, 2019 and September 30, 2019 were approximately $59,000 and $220,000, respectively. Share-Based Compensation Expense The Company recognizes employee and director share-based compensation in its condensed consolidated statements of operations at the grant date based on the fair value of stock options and other equity based compensation. The determination of stock option grant date fair value is estimated using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, which includes variables such as the expected volatility of the Company’s share price, the exercise behavior of its grantees, interest rates, and dividend yields. These variables are projected based on the Company’s historical data, experience, and other factors. In the case of awards with multiple vesting periods, the Company has elected to use the graded vesting attribution method, which recognizes compensation cost on a straight-line basis over each separately vesting portion of the award as if the award was, in substance, multiple awards. See Note 5 - Share-Based Compensation. In addition, the Company recognizes share-based compensation to non-employees based upon the fair value, using the Black-Scholes option pricing model, determined at the deemed measurement dates over the related contract service period. Recent Accounting Pronouncements In May 2014, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers,” (“ASU 2014-09”). ASU 2014-09 supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in ASC 605, “Revenue Recognition” (“ASC 605”) and most industry-specific guidance throughout ASC 605. ASU 2014-09 establishes principles for recognizing revenue upon the transfer of promised goods or services to customers, in an amount that reflects the expected consideration received in exchange for those goods or services. The guidance in ASU 2014-09 was revised in July 2015 to be effective for interim periods beginning on or after December 15, 2017 and should be applied on a transitional basis either retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented or retrospectively with the cumulative effect of initially applying ASU 2014-09 recognized at the date of initial application. In 2016, FASB issued additional ASUs that clarify the implementation guidance on principal versus agent considerations (ASU 2016-08), on identifying performance obligations and licensing (ASU 2016-10), and on narrow-scope improvements and practical expedients (ASU 2016-12) as well as on the revenue recognition criteria and other technical corrections (ASU 2016-20). These new standards became effective during the first quarter of fiscal 2019 and were adopted using the modified retrospective method. The Company has performed a review of ASU 2014-09 as compared to its previous accounting policies for our products and services revenues and did not identify any material impact to revenue. Therefore, there was no adjustment to retained earnings for a cumulative effect. Effective October 1, 2018, the Company adopted ASC 606 and elected the modified retrospective method on existing contracts at the date of adoption. The Company has implemented the necessary changes to such business processes, controls and systems to effectively review and account for the new contracts under this standard. Revenues recognized from the distribution segment under ASC 606 are consistent with previous revenue recognition standards under ASC 605, whereby revenue is typically recognized at either the point of shipment or point of destination, depending on the terms of the sale. Regarding the Company’s design segment, the Company has evaluated the changes from adopting this new standard on its financial reporting, disclosures and its various revenue streams. The Company now recognizes revenue over time on its time and material contracts utilizing a “right to invoice” method which is similar to previous revenue recognition standards under ASC 605. Revenues from fixed-price type contracts that require performance of services that are not related to the production of tangible assets are recognized by using cost inputs to measure progress toward the completion of its performance obligations. This method is similar to the method formerly applied to certain of the Company’s contracts covered by the previous revenue recognition standards under ASC 605. In some cases, contracts contain an arrangement of specific deliverables or production of prototypes, or a distinct performance obligation, and the Company allocates the transaction price to the performance obligation on a relative standalone selling price basis. In February 2016, the FASB issued a new standard related to leases to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by requiring the recognition of operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet. Most prominent among the changes in the standard is the recognition of ROU assets and lease liabilities by lessees for those leases classified as operating leases. Under the standard, disclosures are required to meet the objective of enabling users of financial statements to assess the amount, timing, and uncertainty of cash flows arising from leases. The Company is also required to recognize and measure new leases at the adoption date and recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment in the period of adoption using a modified retrospective approach, with certain practical expedients available. The Company adopted Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 842, "Leases" ("ASC 842") effective October 1, 2019 and elected to apply the available practical expedients and implemented internal controls and key system functionality to enable the preparation of financial information on adoption. The Company elected the practical expedients that allow the Company to carry forward the historical lease classification. At adoption, the Company elected the following practical expedients: (1) the "package of practical expedients", pursuant to which the Company did not need to reassess its prior conclusions about lease identification, lease classification and initial direct costs, (2) creation of an accounting policy for short-term leases resulting in lease payments being recorded as an expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term, and (3) to account separately for lease and non-lease components for all leases. The Company has established an inventory of existing leases and implemented a new process of evaluating the classification of each lease. The financial impact of the adoption primarily relates to the capitalization of right-of-use assets and recognition of lease liability related to operating leases. In the first quarter of 2019, the Company adopted FASB ASU No. 2016-16, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory” (“ASU 2016-16”), which requires the recognition of the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset, other than inventory, when the transfer occurs. The adoption of ASU 2016-16 did not have an impact to the consolidated financial statements due to the Company’s maintenance of a full valuation allowance on the Company’s net deferred tax asset. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, “Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350) - Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment.” ASU 2017-04 simplifies the accounting for goodwill impairments by eliminating the requirement to compare the implied fair value of goodwill with its carrying amount as part of step two of the goodwill impairment test referenced in ASC 350, “Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (“ASC 350”).” As a result, an entity should perform its annual, or interim, goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. An impairment charge should be recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value. However, the impairment loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. ASU 2017-04 is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, including any interim impairment tests within those annual periods, with early application permitted for interim or annual goodwill impairment tests performed on testing dates after January 1, 2017. The Company adopted ASU 2017-04 in the first quarter of Fiscal 2019 and the adoption did not have any impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, “Scope of Modification Accounting”, to provide guidance on which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting. The Company adopted ASU No. 2017-09 in the first quarter of Fiscal 2019 and the adoption did not have any impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In March 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-05, “Income Taxes (Topic 740), Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118.” The ASU adds various Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) paragraphs pursuant to the issuance of the December 2017 SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118, “Income Tax Accounting Implications of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“SAB 118”)”, which was effective immediately. The SEC issued SAB 118 to address concerns about reporting entities’ ability to timely comply with the accounting requirements to recognize all of the effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in the period of enactment. SAB 118 allows disclosure that determination of some or all of the income tax effects from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act may be incomplete by the due date of the financial statements and, if possible, provide a reasonable estimate. The Company has accounted for the tax effects of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act under the guidance of SAB 118. In June 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-07, “Compensation — Stock Compensation (Topic 718),” (“ASU 2018-07”). ASU 2018-07 is intended to reduce cost and complexity and to improve financial reporting for nonemployee share-based payments. The accounting requirements for nonemployee and employee share-based payment transactions had previously been significantly different. ASU 2018-07 expands the scope of Topic 718, Compensation — Stock Compensation (which currently only includes share-based payments to employees) to include share-based payments issued to nonemployees for goods or services. Consequently, the accounting for share-based payments to nonemployees and employees will be substantially aligned. This ASU supersedes Subtopic 505-50, “Equity — Equity-Based Payments to Nonemployees.” The amendments in this ASU are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, and interim periods within that fiscal year. Early adoption is permitted, but no earlier than a company’s adoption date of Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The Company adopted ASU 2018-07 effective October 1, 2019. The adoption of ASU 2018-07 did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, “Fair Value Measurement - Disclosure Framework (Topic 820).” The updated guidance improves the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements. The updated guidance is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2019. Early adoption is permitted for any removed or modified disclosures. The Company is currently assessing the timing and impact of adopting the updated provisions. In November 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-08, “Compensation – Stock Compensation (Topic 718) and Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606).” ASU 2019-08 is an accounting pronouncement which expands the scope of ASC Topic 718 to provide guidance for share-based payment awards granted to a customer in conjunction with selling goods or services accounted for under Topic 606. The pronouncement is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the effects of this pronouncement on its consolidated financial statements along with the effects of ASU 2018-07 noted above. In November 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-11, “Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses.” ASU 2019-11 is an accounting pronouncement that amends ASU 2016-13, “Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” The ASU 2019-11 amendment provides clarity and improves the codification to ASU 2016-03. The pronouncement would be effective concurrently with the adoption of ASU 2016-03. The pronouncement is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently evaluating the effects of this pronouncement on its consolidated financial statements. Business Combinations The Company allocates the fair value of purchase consideration to the tangible assets acquired, liabilities assumed and intangible assets acquired based on their estimated fair values. The excess of the purchase consideration over the fair values of these identifiable assets and liabilities is recorded as goodwill. When determining the fair values of assets acquired and liabilities assumed, the Company makes significant estimates and assumptions, especially with respect to intangible assets. The Company recognizes the purchase of assets and the assumption of liabilities as an asset acquisition, if the transaction does not constitute a business combination. The excess of the fair value of the purchase price is allocated on a relative fair value basis to the identifiable assets and liabilities. No goodwill is recorded in an asset acquisition. Critical estimates in valuing certain intangible assets include but are not limited to future expected cash flows from customer relationships and developed technology, discount rates and terminal values. Our estimate of fair value is based upon assumptions believed to be reasonable, but actual results may differ from estimates. Other estimates associated with the accounting for acquisitions may change as additional information becomes available regarding the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. |