Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

v3.8.0.1
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2018
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation and Liquidity

Basis of Presentation and Liquidity

 

The accompanying interim unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission for interim financial information, which includes the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements and present the consolidated financial statements of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries as of January 31, 2018. All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated. The accounting policies and procedures used in the preparation of these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been derived from the audited financial statements of the Company for the year ended April 30, 2017, which are contained in the Form 8-K/A filed on July 31, 2017. The consolidated balance sheet as of April 30, 2017 was derived from those financial statements. It is management’s opinion that all material adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) have been made, which are necessary for a fair financial statement presentation. The results for the interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the year ended April 30, 2018.

 

As reflected in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, the Company had a net loss and used cash in its operations of approximately $12.5 million and $6.3 million, respectively, for the nine months ended January 31, 2018. Additionally, the Company had an accumulated deficit of approximately $17 million at January 31, 2018. The Company consummated private placements to several investors for the sale of the Company’s Series B Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series B Preferred Stock”) and Series C Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series C Preferred Stock”) for aggregate net proceeds of approximately $10.9 million between July 2016 and October 2016, received net proceeds from sale of the Company’s common stock of approximately $2.6 million between July 2017 and October 2017 and completed a private placement for the sale of the Company’s Series E Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series E Preferred Stock”) and warrants for aggregate net proceeds of approximately $4.9 million in January 2018. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to raise additional capital or if the terms will be favorable.

 

The above steps substantially lowered the Company’s potential cash exposure. Additionally, the Company is able to control cash spending on its exploration activities. As a result, as of the date of the issuance of these financial statements, the Company believes its current cash position and plans have alleviated substantial doubt about its ability to sustain operations for at least one year from the issuance of these condensed unaudited consolidated financial statements.

Use of Estimates and Assumptions

Use of Estimates and Assumptions

 

In preparing the unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements, management is required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities as of the date of the consolidated balance sheet, and revenues and expenses for the period then ended. Actual results may differ significantly from those estimates. Significant estimates made by management include, but are not limited to valuation of mineral rights, stock-based compensation, the fair value of common stock issued and the valuation of deferred tax assets and liabilities.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

 

The Company adopted Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures” (“ASC 820”), for assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis. ASC 820 establishes a common definition for fair value to be applied in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America that requires the use of fair value measurements, establishes a framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosure about such fair value measurements.

 

ASC 820 defines fair value as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. Additionally, ASC 820 requires the use of valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs.

 

These inputs are prioritized below:

 

Level 1: Observable inputs such as quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2: Observable market-based inputs or unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market data.
Level 3: Unobservable inputs for which there is little or no market data, which require the use of the reporting entity’s own assumptions.

 

The Company analyzes all financial instruments with features of both liabilities and equity under the Financial Accounting Standard Board’s (“FASB”) accounting standard for such instruments. Under this standard, financial assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement.

 

The carrying amounts reported in the condensed consolidated balance sheets for cash, prepaid expense and other current assets – current, accounts payable, and accrued liabilities, approximate their estimated fair values based on the short-term maturity of these instruments.

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets

Goodwill and other intangible assets

 

In accordance with ASC 350-30-65, the Company assesses the impairment of identifiable intangibles whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable. Factors the Company considers to be important which could trigger an impairment review include the following:

 

  1. Significant underperformance relative to expected historical or projected future operating results;
  2. Significant changes in the manner of use of the acquired assets or the strategy for the overall business; and
  3. Significant negative industry or economic trends.

 

When the Company determines that the carrying value of intangibles may not be recoverable based upon the existence of one or more of the above indicators of impairment and the carrying value of the asset cannot be recovered from projected undiscounted cash flows, the Company records an impairment charge. The Company measures any impairment based on a projected discounted cash flow method using a discount rate determined by management to be commensurate with the risk inherent in the current business model. Significant management judgment is required in determining whether an indicator of impairment exists and in projecting cash flows.

Impairment of Long-lived Assets

Impairment of long-lived assets

 

The Company reviews long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be fully recoverable, or at least annually. The Company recognizes an impairment loss when the sum of expected undiscounted future cash flows is less than the carrying amount of the asset. The amount of impairment is measured as the difference between the asset’s estimated fair value and its book value. During the nine months ended January 31, 2018, the Company determined that the carrying value of Goodwill (see Note 4) exceeded its fair value, which triggered an impairment analysis. The Company recorded a goodwill impairment expense of $6,094,760 during the nine months ended January 31, 2018, nonrecurring level 3 fair value measurement.

Mineral Rights

Mineral Rights

 

Costs of lease, exploration, carrying and retaining unproven mineral lease properties are expensed as incurred. The Company expenses all mineral exploration costs as incurred as it is still in the exploration stage. If the Company identifies proven and probable reserves in its investigation of its properties and upon development of a plan for operating a mine, it would enter the development stage and capitalize future costs until production is established.

 

When a property reaches the production stage, the related capitalized costs are amortized on a units-of-production basis over the proven and probable reserves following the commencement of production. The Company assesses the carrying costs of the capitalized mineral properties for impairment under ASC 360-10, “Impairment of long-lived assets”, and evaluates its carrying value under ASC 930-360, “Extractive Activities - Mining”, annually. An impairment is recognized when the sum of the expected undiscounted future cash flows is less than the carrying amount of the mineral properties. Impairment losses, if any, are measured as the excess of the carrying amount of the mineral properties over its estimated fair value.

 

To date, the Company has not established the commercial feasibility of any exploration prospects; therefore, all exploration costs are being expensed.

 

ASC 930-805, “Extractive Activities-Mining: Business Combinations” (“ASC 930-805”), states that mineral rights consist of the legal right to explore, extract, and retain at least a portion of the benefits from mineral deposits. Mining assets include mineral rights. Acquired mineral rights are considered tangible assets under ASC 930-805. ASC 930-805 requires that mineral rights be recognized at fair value as of the acquisition date. As a result, the direct costs to acquire mineral rights are initially capitalized as tangible assets. Mineral rights include costs associated with acquiring patented and unpatented mining claims.

 

ASC 930-805 provides that in measuring the fair value of mineral assets, an acquirer should take into account both:

 

●     The value beyond proven and probable reserves (“VBPP”) to the extent that a market participant would include VBPP in determining the fair value of the assets.

 

●     The effects of anticipated fluctuations in the future market price of minerals in a manner that is consistent with the expectations of market participants.

Share-Based Compensation

Share-Based Compensation

 

Share-based compensation is accounted for based on the requirements of ASC 718, “Compensation – Stock Compensation’ (“ASC 718”) which requires recognition in the financial statements of the cost of employee and director services received in exchange for an award of equity instruments over the period the employee or director is required to perform the services in exchange for the award (presumptively, the vesting period). ASC 718 also requires measurement of the cost of employee and director services received in exchange for an award based on the grant-date fair value of the award. Pursuant to ASC 505, “Equity – Equity Based Payments to Non-Employees” (“ASC 505-50”), for share-based payments to consultants and other third-parties, compensation expense is determined at the measurement date which is the grant date. Until the measurement date is reached, the total amount of compensation expense remains uncertain.

Income Taxes

Income taxes

 

The Company accounts for income taxes pursuant to the provision of ASC 740-10, “Accounting for Income Taxes” (“ASC 740-10”), which requires, among other things, an asset and liability approach to calculating deferred income taxes. The asset and liability approach requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of temporary differences between the carrying amounts and the tax bases of assets and liabilities. A valuation allowance is provided to offset any net deferred tax assets for which management believes it is more likely than not that the net deferred asset will not be realized.

  

The Company follows the provision of ASC 740-10 related to Accounting for Uncertain Income Tax Positions. When tax returns are filed, there may be uncertainty about the merits of positions taken or the amount of the position that would be ultimately sustained. In accordance with the guidance of ASC 740-10, the benefit of a tax position is recognized in the financial statements in the period during which, based on all available evidence, management believes it is more likely than not that the position will be sustained upon examination, including the resolution of appeals or litigation processes, if any. Tax positions taken are not offset or aggregated with other positions.

 

Tax positions that meet the more likely than not recognition threshold are measured at the largest amount of tax benefit that is more than 50 percent likely of being realized upon settlement with the applicable taxing authority. The portion of the benefit associated with tax positions taken that exceed the amount measured as described above should be reflected as a liability for uncertain tax benefits in the accompanying balance sheet along with any associated interest and penalties that would be payable to the taxing authorities upon examination. The Company believes its tax positions are all more likely than not to be upheld upon examination. As such, the Company has not recorded a liability for uncertain tax benefits.

 

The Company has adopted ASC 740-10-25, “Definition of Settlement”, which provides guidance on how an entity should determine whether a tax position is effectively settled for the purpose of recognizing previously unrecognized tax benefits and provides that a tax position can be effectively settled upon the completion and examination by a taxing authority without being legally extinguished. For tax positions considered effectively settled, an entity would recognize the full amount of tax benefit, even if the tax position is not considered more likely than not to be sustained based solely on the basis of its technical merits and the statute of limitations remains open. The federal and state income tax returns of the Company are subject to examination by the IRS and state taxing authorities, generally for three years after they are filed.

 

On December 22, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (“Tax Act”) was signed into law. ASC 740, Accounting for Income Taxes requires companies to recognize the effects of changes in tax laws and rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities and the retroactive effects of changes in tax laws in the period in which the new legislation is enacted. There is no further change to its assertion on maintaining a full valuation allowance against its U.S. deferred tax assets. The Company’s gross deferred tax assets will be revalued from 35% to 21% with a corresponding offset to the valuation allowance and any potential other taxes arising due to the Tax Act will result in reductions to its net operating loss carryforward and valuation allowance. The Company is in the process of determining the amount of the change. Deferred tax assets will be revalued with a corresponding decrease to the Company’s valuation allowance. The Company will continue to analyze the Tax Act to assess its full effects on the Company’s financial results, including disclosures, for the Company’s fiscal year ending April 30, 2018, but the Company does not expect the Tax Act to have a material impact on the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

 

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01 “Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business”, which clarifies the definition of a business to assist entities with evaluating whether transactions should be accounted for as acquisitions or disposals of assets or businesses. The standard introduces a screen for determining when assets acquired are not a business and clarifies that a business must include, at a minimum, an input and a substantive process that contribute to an output to be considered a business. This standard is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2017, including interim periods within that reporting period. The Company early adopted this ASU on May 1, 2017, and expects that the adoption of this ASU could have a material impact on future consolidated financial statements for acquisitions that are not considered to be businesses.

 

In July 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-11, Earnings Per Share (Topic 260), Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity (Topic 480) and Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): I. Accounting for Certain Financial Instruments with Down Round Features; II. Replacement of the Indefinite Deferral for Mandatorily Redeemable Financial Instruments of Certain Nonpublic Entities and Certain Mandatorily Redeemable Noncontrolling Interests with a Scope Exception. Part I of this update addresses the complexity of accounting for certain financial instruments with down round features. Down round features are features of certain equity-linked instruments (or embedded features) that result in the strike price being reduced on the basis of the pricing of future equity offerings. Current accounting guidance creates cost and complexity for entities that issue financial instruments (such as warrants and convertible instruments) with down round features that require fair value measurement of the entire instrument or conversion option. Part II of this update addresses the difficulty of navigating Topic 480, Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity, because of the existence of extensive pending content in the FASB Accounting Standards Codification. This pending content is the result of the indefinite deferral of accounting requirements about mandatorily redeemable financial instruments of certain nonpublic entities and certain mandatorily redeemable noncontrolling interests. The amendments in Part II of this update do not have an accounting effect. This ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those years, beginning after December 15, 2018. The Company early adopted this ASU on November 1, 2017, and expects that the adoption of this ASU will not have a material impact on future consolidated financial statements.

 

Other accounting standards that have been issued or proposed by FASB that do not require adoption until a future date are not expected to have a material impact on the financial statements upon adoption. The Company does not discuss recent pronouncements that are not anticipated to have an impact on or are unrelated to its financial condition, results of operations, cash flows or disclosures.