Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Significant Accounting Policies

v3.19.1
Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Significant Accounting Policies
Significant Accounting Policies
 
Basis of Presentation
 
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). Any reference in these notes to applicable guidance is meant to refer to the authoritative GAAP as found in the Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) and Accounting Standards Updates (“ASU”) of the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”).

Reclassification
During 2018, the Company concluded that going forward it would net amounts due to distributors against open receivable balances. The Company has reclassified $0.3 million from accrued expenses and other current liabilities to accounts receivable, net in the December 31, 2017 balance sheet to conform with current period presentation.

During 2018, the Company concluded that going forward it would include amortization expense within its own standalone line in operating expenses in the Company's consolidated statements of operations. The Company has reclassified $0.4 million from sales and marketing expenses in the December 31, 2017 statements of operations to conform with current period presentation.

Principles of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Cerecor Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries after elimination of all intercompany balances and transactions.

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, liabilities, revenues, expenses, and related disclosures. On an ongoing basis, management evaluates its estimates, including estimates related to but not limited to, revenue recognition, cost of product sales, stock-based compensation, fair value measurements (including those relating to contingent consideration), cash flows used in management's going concern assessment, income taxes, goodwill and other intangible assets, and clinical trial accruals. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and other market‑specific or other relevant assumptions that it believes to be reasonable under the circumstances. Actual results may differ from those estimates or assumptions.

Cash and Cash Equivalents
 
The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less when purchased to be cash equivalents. The carrying amounts reported in the balance sheets for cash and cash equivalents are valued at cost, which approximates their fair value.

Escrowed Cash Receivable

On August 14, 2017, the Company sold all of its rights to CERC-501 to Janssen in exchange for initial gross proceeds of $25 million, of which $3.75 million was deposited into a twelve-month escrow to secure certain indemnification obligations to Janssen. The Company collected the full escrow amount in August 2018.

Restricted Cash

Restricted cash consists of the 2016 Employee Stock Purchase Plan (the "Plan") deposits and credit card deposits. In exchange for receiving business credit card services from Silicon Valley Bank, the Company deposited $50,000 as collateral with Silicon Valley Bank. These deposits are recorded as restricted cash, net of current portion on the balance sheet at December 31, 2018. Additionally, deposits made by employees for future stock purchases as part of the Plan is recorded as restricted cash. As part of the Plan, eligible employees can purchase common stock through accumulated payroll deductions at such times as are established by the Plan administrator.

The Company adopted ASU No. 2016-18, Restricted Cash ("ASU 2016-18") effective January 1, 2018 and now includes restricted cash balances within the cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash balance on the statement of cash flows. All prior periods were retrospectively adjusted to conform to the current period presentation.

Accounts Receivable, net

Accounts receivable, net is comprised of amounts due from customers in the ordinary course of business. Management considers all accounts receivable to be fully collectible at December 31, 2018, and accordingly, no allowance for doubtful accounts has been recorded. Bad debt expense is charged to operations as amounts are determined to be uncollectible. Accounts receivable are written off when deemed uncollectible and recoveries of receivables previously written off are recorded when received.

Accounts receivable are considered to be past due if any portion of the receivable balance is outstanding for more than the payment terms negotiated with the customer. The Company generally negotiates payment terms of 30 days. The Company offers wholesale distributors a prompt payment discount, which is typically 2% as an incentive to remit payment within this timeframe. Accounts receivable are stated net of the estimated prompt pay discount.

Concentration of Credit Risk
 
Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk are primarily cash and cash equivalents. The Company maintains a portion of its cash and cash equivalent balances in the form of a money market account with a financial institution that management believes to be creditworthy. The Company has no financial instruments with off‑balance sheet risk of loss.
 
Inventory

Inventory consists primarily of finished goods stated at the lower of cost or net realizable value, with cost determined on a first-in, first-out basis. The Company reviews the composition of inventory at each reporting period in order to identify obsolete, slow-moving, quantities in excess of expected demand, or otherwise non-saleable items. If non-saleable items are observed and there are no alternate uses for the inventory, the Company will record a write-down to net realizable value in the period that the decline in value is first recognized. These valuation adjustments are recorded based upon various factors for the Company’s products, including the level of product manufactured by the Company, the level of product in the distribution channel, current and projected product demand, the expected shelf life of the product and firm inventory purchase commitments.

Property and Equipment
 
Property and equipment consists of computers, office equipment, furniture, and leasehold improvements and is recorded at cost. Maintenance and repairs that do not improve or extend the lives of the respective assets are expensed to operations as incurred. Property and equipment are depreciated on a straight‑line basis over their estimated useful lives. The Company uses a life of four years for computers and software, and five years for equipment and furniture. For leasehold improvements, deprecation of the asset will begin at the date it is placed in service and the depreciable life of the leasehold improvement is the shorter of the lease term or the improvement's useful life. The Company uses a life of ten years for leasehold improvements. Upon retirement or sale, the cost of the disposed asset and the related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts and any resulting gain or loss is recognized.

Acquisitions

For acquisitions that meet the definition of a business under ASC 805, the Company records the acquisition using the acquisition method of accounting. All of the assets acquired, liabilities assumed, contractual contingencies, and contingent consideration, when applicable, are recorded at fair value at the acquisition date. Any excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net assets acquired is recorded as goodwill.  The application of the acquisition method of accounting requires management to make significant estimates and assumptions in the determination of the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed in order to properly allocate purchase price consideration. For acquisitions that do not meet the definition of a business under ASC 805, the Company accounts for the transaction as an asset acquisition.

Segment Information
 
Operating segments are identified as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete financial information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision maker, or decision‑making group, in making decisions on how to allocate resources and assess performance. The Company’s chief operating decision maker is the Company's Chief Executive Officer. The CEO views the Company’s operations and manages the business as one operating segment. All long‑lived assets of the Company reside in the United States.

Goodwill

Goodwill relates to the amount that arose in connection with the acquisitions of TRx and Avadel's pediatric products. Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase price over the fair value of the net assets acquired when accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting for business combinations. Goodwill is not amortized but is evaluated for impairment on an annual basis or more frequently if an event occurs or circumstances change that would more-likely-than-not reduce the fair value of the Company's reporting unit below its carrying amount. The Company consists of one reporting unit.

Intangible Assets

Intangible assets with definite useful lives are amortized over their estimated useful lives and reviewed for impairment if certain events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Intangible assets subject to amortization are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an intangible asset might not be recoverable. Impairment losses are measured and recognized to the extent the carrying value of such assets exceeds their fair value.

Product Revenues, net

The Company generates substantially all of its revenue from sales of prescription pharmaceutical products to its customers and has identified a single product delivery performance obligation, which is the provision of prescription pharmaceutical products to its customers based upon master service agreements in place with wholesaler distributors, purchase orders from retail pharmacies or other direct customers and a contractual arrangement with a specialty pharmacy. The performance obligation is satisfied at a point in time, when control of the product has been transferred to the customer, either at the time the product has been received by the customer or to a lesser extent when the product is shipped. The Company determines the transaction price based on fixed consideration in its contractual agreements and the transaction price is allocated entirely to the performance obligation to provide pharmaceutical products. In determining the transaction price, a significant financing component does not exist because the timing from when the Company delivers product to when the customers pay for the product is less than one year and the customers do not pay for product in advance of the transfer of the product.

Revenues from sales of products are recorded net of any variable consideration for estimated allowances for returns, chargebacks, distributor fees, prompt payment discounts, government rebates, and other common gross-to-net revenue adjustments. The identified variable consideration is recorded as a reduction of revenue at the time revenues from product sales are recognized. The Company recognizes revenue only to the extent that it is probable that a significant revenue reversal will not occur in a future period.

Provisions for returns and government rebates are included within current liabilities in the consolidated balance sheet. Provisions for prompt payment discounts and distributor fees are included as a reduction to accounts receivable. Calculating these items involves estimates and judgments based on sales or invoice data, contractual terms, historical utilization rates, new information regarding changes in these programs’ regulations and guidelines that would impact the amount of the actual rebates, our expectations regarding future utilization rates for these programs, and channel inventory data. These estimates may differ from actual consideration amount received and the Company will re-assess these estimates and judgments each reporting period to adjust accordingly.

The following table presents net revenues disaggregated by type:

 
 
Year Ended December 31,
 
 
2018
 
2017
Prescribed dietary supplements
 
$
7,678,003

 
$
1,092,271

Prescription drugs
 
10,192,742

 
818,132

Sales force revenue
 
456,056

 
278,165

License and other revenue
 

 
25,000,000

Grant revenue
 

 
624,569

Total revenues, net
 
$
18,326,801

 
$27,813,137

Concentration with Customer

As is typical in the pharmaceutical industry, the Company sells its prescription pharmaceutical products (which include prescribed dietary supplements and prescription drugs) in the United States primarily through wholesale distributors and a specialty contracted pharmacy. Wholesale distributors account for substantially all of the Company’s net product revenues and trade receivables. In addition, the Company earns revenue from sales of its prescription pharmaceutical products directly to retail pharmacies.   For the year ended December 31, 2018, the Company’s three largest customers accounted for approximately 30%, 30%, and 25%, respectively, of the Company's total net product revenues from sale of prescription pharmaceutical products. For the year ended December 31, 2017, the Company’s three largest customers accounted for approximately 40%, 25% and 22%, respectively, of the Company’s total net product revenues from sale of prescription pharmaceutical products.

Returns and Allowances

Consistent with industry practice, the Company maintains a return policy that allows customers to return product within a specified period both prior to and, in certain cases, subsequent to the product's expiration date. The Company’s return policy generally allows customers to receive credit for expired products within six months prior to expiration and within one year after expiration. The provision for returns and allowances consists of estimates for future product returns and pricing adjustments. The primary factors considered in estimating potential product returns include:

the shelf life or expiration date of each product;
historical levels of expired product returns;
external data with respect to inventory levels in the wholesale distribution channel;
external data with respect to prescription demand for the Company’s products; and
the estimated returns liability to be processed by year of sale based on analysis of lot information related to actual historical returns.

The Company’s estimate for returns and allowances may be impacted by a number of factors, but the principal factor relates to the level of inventory in the distribution channel.

Rebates

The Company is subject to rebates on sales made under governmental pricing programs. For example, Medicaid rebates are amounts owed based upon contractual agreements or legal requirements with public sector (Medicaid) benefit providers after the final dispensing of the product by a pharmacy to a benefit plan participant. Medicaid reserves are based on expected payments, which are driven by patient usage, contract performance and field inventory that will be subject to a Medicaid rebate. Medicaid rebates are typically billed up to 180 days after the product is shipped, however can be as much as 270 days after the quarter in which the product is dispensed to the Medicaid participant. In addition to the estimates mentioned above, the Company’s calculation also requires other estimates, such as estimates of sales mix, to determine which sales are subject to rebates and the amount of such rebates. Periodically, the Company adjusts the Medicaid rebate provision based on actual claims paid. Due to the delay in billing, adjustments to actual claims paid may incorporate revisions of this provision for several periods. Because Medicaid pricing programs involve particularly difficult interpretations of complex statutes and regulatory guidance, our estimates could differ from actual experience.

In determining estimates for these rebates, the Company considers the terms of the contracts, relevant statutes, historical relationships of rebates to revenues, past payment experience, estimated inventory levels and estimated future trends.

Sales Force Revenue

Pursuant to a marketing agreement with Pharmaceutical Associates, Inc. (“PAI”), the Company received a monthly marketing fee to promote, market and sell certain products on behalf of PAI. The Company was also entitled to a share of PAI's profits under the agreement. Marketing fees and profit-sharing was recognized as sale force revenue when all the performance obligations have been satisfied and to the extent that it was probable that a significant revenue reversal would not occur in a future period. The marketing agreement with PAI was terminated in April 2018.

License and Other Revenue

The Company recognizes revenues from collaboration, license or other research or sale arrangements when or as performance obligations are satisfied. For milestone payments, the Company assesses, at contract inception, whether the milestones are considered probable of being achieved. If it is probable that a significant revenue reversal will occur, the Company will not record revenue until the uncertainty has been resolved. Milestone payments that are contingent upon regulatory approval are not considered probable until the approvals are obtained as it is outside of the control of the Company. If it is probable that significant revenue reversal will not occur, the Company will estimate the milestone payments using the most likely amount method. The Company will re-assess the milestones each reporting period to determine the probability of achievement.

Grant Revenue

Grant revenues are derived from government grants that support the Company’s efforts on specific research projects. The Company determined that the government agencies providing grants to the Company are not our customers. The Company recognizes grant revenue when there is reasonable assurance of compliance with the conditions of the grant and reasonable assurance that the grant revenue will be received.

Accounting Policy Elections Related to Adoption of New Revenue Recognition Standard

The Company elected the following practical expedients in applying Topic 606 to its identified revenue streams:

Portfolio approach - contracts within each revenue stream have similar characteristics and the Company believes this approach would not differ materially than if applying Topic 606 to each individual contract.
Modified retrospective approach - the Company applied Topic 606 only to contracts with customers that were not completed at the date of initial application, January 1, 2018.
Significant financing component - the Company does not adjust the promised amount of consideration for the effects of a significant financing component as the Company expects, at contract inception, that the period between when the Company transfers a promised good or service to a customer and when the customer pays for that good or service will be one year or less.
Shipping and handling activities - the Company considers any shipping and handling costs that are incurred after the customer has obtained control of the product as a cost to fulfill a promise and will account for them as an expense.
Contract costs - the Company recognizes the incremental costs of obtaining a contract as an expense when incurred if the amortization period of the asset that the Company otherwise would have recognized is one year or less.

The Company does not incur costs to obtain a contract or costs to fulfill a contract that would result in the capitalization of contract costs. Specifically, internal sales commissions are costs to fulfill a contract and are expensed in the same period that revenue is recognized, which is typically within the same quarterly reporting period. Contract costs are expensed or amortized in “Operating expenses” on the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations.
The Company has not made significant changes to the judgments made in applying ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) for the year ended December 31, 2018.

Cost of Product Sales

Cost of product sales is comprised of (i) costs to acquire products sold to customers, (ii) royalty, license payments and other agreements granting the Company rights to sell related products, (iii) distribution costs incurred in the sale of products; (iv) the value of any write-offs of obsolete or damaged inventory that cannot be sold, (v) minimum sale obligations and (vi) minimum purchase obligations. The Company acquired the rights to sell certain of its commercial products through license and assignment agreements with the original developers or other parties with interests in these products. These agreements obligate the Company to make payments under varying payment structures based on its net revenue from related products.

Shipping, Handling, and Freight

The Company includes the cost of shipping, handling, and freight associated with product sales as part of cost of product sales.

Research and Development Costs
 
Research and development costs are expensed as incurred. These costs include, but are not limited to, employee‑related expenses, including salaries, benefits and stock‑based compensation of research and development personnel; expenses incurred under agreements with contract research organizations and investigative sites that conduct clinical trials and preclinical studies; the cost of acquiring, developing and manufacturing clinical trial materials; other supplies; facilities, depreciation and other expenses, such as direct and allocated expenses for rent, utilities and insurance; and costs associated with preclinical activities and regulatory operations, pharmacovigilance, quality and travel.
 
Costs for certain development activities, such as clinical trials, are recognized based on an evaluation of the progress to completion of specific tasks using data such as patient enrollment, clinical site activations, or information provided to the Company by its vendors, such as clinical research organizations, with respect to their actual costs incurred. Payments for these activities are based on the terms of the individual arrangements, which may differ from the pattern of costs incurred, and are reflected in the financial statements as prepaid or accrued research and development expense, as the case may be.
 
Clinical Trial Expense Accruals
 
As part of the process of preparing its financial statements, the Company is required to estimate its expenses resulting from its obligations under contracts with vendors, clinical research organizations and consultants and under clinical site agreements in connection with conducting clinical trials. The financial terms of these contracts are subject to negotiations, which vary from contract to contract and may result in payment flows that do not match the periods over which materials or services are provided under such contracts. The Company’s objective is to reflect the appropriate trial expenses in its financial statements by matching those expenses with the period in which services are performed and efforts are expended. The Company accounts for these expenses according to the progress of the trial as measured by subject progression and the timing of various aspects of the trial. The Company determines accrual estimates by taking into account discussion with applicable personnel and outside service providers as to the progress or state of consummation of trials, or the services completed. During the course of a clinical trial, the Company adjusts its clinical expense recognition if actual results differ from its estimates. The Company makes estimates of its accrued expenses as of each balance sheet date based on the facts and circumstances known to it at that time. The Company’s clinical trial accruals are dependent upon the timely and accurate reporting of contract research organizations and other third‑party vendors. Although the Company does not expect its estimates to be materially different from amounts actually incurred, its understanding of the status and timing of services performed relative to the actual status and timing of services performed might vary and might result in it reporting amounts that are too high or too low for any particular period.

Acquired In-Process Research and Development Expenses

Acquired in-process research and development ("IPR&D") expense includes the initial costs of IPR&D projects, acquired directly in a transaction other than a business combination, that do not have an alternative future use.

Amortization Expense

Amortization expense includes the amortization of the Company's acquired intangible assets. There is no amortization expense included in cost of product sales or sales and marketing expense as all amortization expense is included within its own standalone line in operating expenses in the Company's consolidated statements of operations.

Estimated Fair Value and Change in Fair Value of Contingent Consideration

The Company's business acquisitions of Avadel's pediatric products and TRx involve the potential for future payment of consideration that is contingent upon the achievement of operation and commercial milestones and royalty payments on future product sales. The fair value of contingent consideration was determined at the acquisition date utilizing unobservable inputs such as the estimated amount and timing of projected cash flows, the probability of success (achievement of the contingent event) and the risk-adjusted discount rate used to present value the probability-weighted cash flows. Subsequent to the acquisition date, at each reporting period, the contingent consideration liability is remeasured at the current fair value with changes recorded in the consolidated statement of operations.

There is no change in fair value of contingent consideration included in cost of product sales or research and development costs as the change in fair value of contingent consideration is included within its own standalone line in operating expenses in the Company's consolidated statements of operations.

Stock‑Based Compensation
 
The Company applies the provisions of ASC 718, Compensation—Stock Compensation (“ASC 718”), which requires the measurement and recognition of compensation expense for all stock‑based awards made to employees, including employee stock options, in the statements of operations.

For stock options issued to employees and members of the board of directors for their services, the Company estimates the grant date fair value of each option using the Black‑Scholes option pricing model. The use of the Black‑Scholes option pricing model requires management to make assumptions with respect to the expected term of the option, the expected volatility of the common stock consistent with the expected life of the option, risk‑free interest rates and expected dividend yields of the common stock. For awards subject to service‑based vesting conditions, including those with a graded vesting schedule, the Company recognizes stock‑based compensation expense equal to the grant date fair value of stock options on a straight‑line basis over the requisite service period, which is generally the vesting term. Forfeitures are recorded as they are incurred as opposed to being estimated at the time of grant and revised.

For stock option grants with market-based conditions, compensation expense is recognized ratably over the attribution period. The Company estimates the fair value of the market-based stock option grants using a Monte-Carlo simulation. The Company generally estimates fair value using assumptions, including the risk-free interest rate, the expected volatility of a peer group of similar companies, the expected term of the awards and the expected dividend yield. The expected term for market-based stock option awards is based on the expected term calculated using a Monte-Carlo simulation. These estimates involve inherent uncertainties and the application of management’s judgment. If factors change and different assumptions are used, our stock-based compensation expense could be materially different in the future.

Income Taxes
 
The Company accounts for income taxes under the asset and liability method in accordance with ASC 740, Income Taxes (“ASC 740”). Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases using enacted tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income. Deferred tax assets primarily include net operating loss ("NOL") and tax credit carryforwards, accrued expenses not currently deductible and the cumulative temporary differences related to certain research and patent costs. Certain tax attributes, including NOLs and research and development credit carryforwards, may be subject to an annual limitation under Sections 382 and 383 of the Internal Revenue Code (the "IRC"). See Note 15 for further information. The portion of any deferred tax asset for which it is more likely than not that a tax benefit will not be realized must then be offset by recording a valuation allowance. The Company recognizes the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination based on the technical merits of the position. The amount for which an exposure exists is measured as the largest amount of benefit determined on a cumulative probability basis that the Company believes is more likely than not to be realized upon ultimate settlement of the position. The Company’s policy is to record interest and penalties on uncertain tax positions as income tax expense. As of December 31, 2018, the Company did not believe any material uncertain tax positions were present.

On December 22, 2017, the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” ("TCJA" or "the Act") was enacted, that significantly reforms the IRC. The TCJA, among other things, includes changes to U.S. federal tax rates, imposes significant additional limitations on the deductibility of interest and NOL carryforwards, allows for the expensing of capital expenditures, and puts into effect the migration from a “worldwide” system of taxation to a territorial system. See Note 15 below for further discussion related to the tax impact to the Company.

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

Adoption of ASC 606

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) ("ASU 2014-09"). Topic 606, along with amendments issued in 2015, 2016 and 2017, supersedes the revenue recognition requirements in Topic 605, Revenue Recognition, including most industry-specific revenue recognition guidance throughout the Industry Topics of the Accounting Standards Codification. ASU 2014-09 provides a comprehensive new revenue recognition model that requires a company to recognize revenue to depict the transfer of goods or services to a customer in an amount that reflects the consideration it expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. On January 1, 2018, the Company adopted the new revenue recognition standard for all contracts not completed as of the adoption date using the modified retrospective method. The implementation of the new revenue recognition standard did not have a material quantitative impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements as the timing of revenue recognition for product sales did not significantly change. In addition, the Company did not have a material cumulative effect adjustment to accumulated deficit upon adoption of the new revenue recognition standard on January 1, 2018. The information presented for the periods prior to January 1, 2018 has not been restated and is reported under Topic 605.

The Company recognizes revenue when its performance obligations with its customers have been satisfied. At contract inception, the Company determines if a contract is within the scope of Topic 606 and then evaluates the contract using the following five steps: (1) identify the contract with the customer; (2) identify the performance obligations; (3) determine the transaction price; (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations; and (5) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a performance obligation.

Other Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business ("ASU 2017-01"). The standard provides guidance to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions (or disposals) of assets or businesses. If substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired (or disposed of) is concentrated in a single asset or a group of similar assets, the assets acquired (or disposed of) are not considered a business. ASU 2017-01 is effective for fiscal periods beginning after December 15, 2017 (including interim periods within those periods) with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this standard on January 1, 2018.

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04 “Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment” ("ASU 2017-04"). ASU 2017-04 eliminates step two of the goodwill impairment test and specifies that goodwill impairment should be measured by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. ASU 2017-04 is effective for annual or interim goodwill impairment tests performed in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019 and early adoption is permitted. The Company early adopted this standard on January 1, 2018. The standard was applied prospectively and the adoption of this standard did not have an impact on the Company's financial statements.

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-09, Compensation-Stock Compensation (Topic 718) - Scope of Modification Accounting (“ASU 2017-09”) to clarify when to account for a change to the terms or conditions of a stock-based payment award as a modification. Under the new guidance, modification accounting is required only if the fair value, the vesting conditions, or the classification of the award (as equity or liability) changes as a result of the change in terms or conditions. The guidance is effective prospectively for all companies for annual periods and interim periods within those annual periods, beginning on or after December 15, 2017. The adoption of this standard on January 1, 2018 did not have a significant impact on the Company’s financial statements.

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, Restricted Cash ("ASU 2016-18"). The guidance is intended to address the diversity that currently exists in the classification and presentation of changes in restricted cash on the statement of cash flows. The new standard requires that entities show the changes in the total of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents on the statement of cash flows and no longer present transfers between cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents on the statement of cash flows. The new standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company adopted this standard on January 1, 2018. Upon adoption of ASU 2016-18, the Company applied the retrospective transition method for each period presented and included $0.1 million of restricted cash in the beginning period cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash balance as of January 1, 2017.
In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-16, “Income Taxes (Topic 740), Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory” ("ASU 2016-16"), which requires companies to recognize the income tax consequences of an intra-entity transfer of an asset other than inventory when the transfer occurs. ASU 2016-16 is effective for annual reporting periods, and interim periods therein, beginning after December 15, 2017. The adoption of this standard on January 1, 2018 did not have a significant impact on the Company’s financial statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15 Statement of Cash Flows, Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments ("ASU 2016-15"), which reduces existing diversity in the classification of certain cash receipts and cash payments on the statements of cash flows. ASU 2016-15 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, and for interim periods within those fiscal years. The adoption of this standard on January 1, 2018 did not have a significant impact on the Company’s financial statements.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842) ("ASU 2016-02"). This guidance revises existing practice related to accounting for leases under ASC No. 840, Leases (“ASC 840”) for both lessees and lessors. The new guidance in ASU 2016-02 requires lessees to recognize a right-of-use asset and a lease liability for nearly all leases (other than leases that meet the definition of a short-term lease). The lease liability will be equal to the present value of lease payments and the right-of-use asset will be based on the lease liability, subject to adjustment such as for initial direct costs. For income statement purposes, the new standard retains a dual model similar to ASC 840, requiring leases to be classified as either operating leases or capital leases. For lessees, operating leases will result in straight-line expense (similar to current accounting by lessees for operating leases under ASC 840) while capital leases will result in a front-loaded expense pattern (similar to current accounting by lessees for capital leases under ASC 840). The new standard is effective for the Company beginning January 1, 2019. In July 2018, the FASB issued both codification improvements, which clarify how to apply certain aspects of the standard, and an update to the transition methods allowable. Companies can either adopt the new standard at the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach or continue to apply the guidance under the current lease standard in the comparative periods presented. Companies that elect this option would record a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings on the date of adoption, if necessary. The Company expects to apply the new guidance at the effective date, without adjusting the comparative periods. The Company anticipates that ASU 2016-02 will have an impact to the consolidated balance sheet, as the Company will record an asset and a liability in connection with the leased office space. The Company will elect the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within the new standard, which among other things, allows the Company to carryforward the historical lease classification. The Company is not electing the hindsight practical expedient.

The Company has performed a preliminary assessment on the impact to the consolidated balance sheet and preliminarily expects that we will record a right-of-use liability and corresponding of approximately $1 million and a corresponding right-of-use asset (with certain adjustments for the accrued rent and unamortized lease incentive balance at January 1, 2019) related to the leased office space. This expectation is subject to change as management refines the inputs utilized in the calculation. The Company does not expect an impact to the statement of operations or liquidity. The Company is in the process of identifying its other lease agreements that will be impacted by the new standard to arrive at the overall impact to the consolidated financial statements, however anticipates the overall balance sheet impact to be less than 5% of the total liabilities balance as of December 31, 2018.