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Note 2: SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
6 Months Ended
Feb. 29, 2012
Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]
Note 2:  SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Estimates

Our condensed consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.  Preparing financial statements requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenue, and expenses.  These estimates and assumptions are affected by management’s application of accounting policies.  Actual results could differ from those estimates.  Significant accounting policies for us include revenue recognition, accounting for capitalized computer software development costs, valuation of stock options, and accounting for income taxes.

Revenue Recognition

We recognize revenues related to software licenses and software maintenance in accordance with the Financial Accounting Standard Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standard Codification (“ASC”) 985-605.  Software product revenue is recorded when the following conditions are met: 1) evidence of arrangement exists, 2) delivery has been made, 3) the amount is fixed, and 4) collectability is probable.  Post-contract customer support ("PCS") obligations are insignificant; therefore, revenue for PCS is recognized at the same time as the licensing fee, and the costs of providing such support services are accrued and amortized over the obligation period.

As a byproduct of ongoing improvements and upgrades for the new programs and new modules of software, some modifications are provided at no additional charge to customers who have already purchased software. Other software modifications result in new, additional-cost modules that expand the functionality of the software. These are licensed separately. We consider the modifications that are provided without charge to be minimal, as they do not significantly change the basic functionality or utility of the software, but rather add convenience, such as being able to plot some additional variable on a graph in addition to the numerous variables that had been available before, or adding some additional calculations to supplement the information provided from running the software. Such software modifications for any single product have typically occurred once or twice per year, sometimes more, sometimes less. Thus, they are infrequent.  The Company provides, for a fee, additional training and service calls to its customers and recognizes revenue at the time the training or service call is provided.

Generally, we enter into one-year license agreements with customers for the use of our pharmaceutical software products.  We recognize revenue on these contracts when all the criteria are met.

Most license agreements have a term of one year; however, from time to time, we enter into multi-year license agreements. We generally unlock and invoice software one year at a time for multi-year licenses. Therefore, revenue is recognized one year at a time.

We recognize the revenue from collaboration research and the revenue from grants equally over their terms.  However, we recognize contract (consulting) study revenue using the percentage-of-completion method, depending upon how the contract studies are engaged, in accordance with FASB ASC 605-35.  To recognize revenue using the percentage-of-completion method, we must determine whether we meet the following criteria:  1) there is a long-term, legally enforceable contract and 2) it is possible to reasonably estimate the total project costs, and 3) it is possible to reasonably estimate the extent of progress toward completion.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

For purposes of the statements of cash flows, we consider all highly liquid investments purchased with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents.

Accounts Receivable

We analyze the age of customer balances, historical bad debt experience, customer creditworthiness, and changes in customer payment terms when making estimates of the collectability of the Company’s trade accounts receivable balances.  If the Company determines that the financial conditions of any of its customers deteriorated, whether due to customer-specific or general economic issues, an increase in the allowance may be made.  Accounts receivable are written off when all collection attempts have failed.  Although we experienced significant collection problems with our former Words+ subsidiary, we have not had customers fail to pay on the pharmaceutical software and services side of the business, which now represents our entire business after the sale of our former subsidiary on November 30, 2011.

Capitalized Computer Software Development Costs

Software development costs are capitalized in accordance with FASB ASC 985-20.  Capitalization of software development costs begins upon the establishment of technological feasibility and is discontinued when the product is available for sale.

The establishment of technological feasibility and the ongoing assessment for recoverability of capitalized software development costs require considerable judgment by management with respect to certain external factors including, but not limited to, technological feasibility, anticipated future gross revenues, estimated economic life, and changes in software and hardware technologies. Capitalized software development costs are comprised primarily of salaries and direct payroll-related costs and the purchase of existing software to be used in our software products.

Amortization of capitalized software development costs is provided on a product-by-product basis on the straight-line method over the estimated economic life of the products (not to exceed five years, although all of our current software products have already been on the market for more than 7 years except for our newest MedChem Designer™ program, and we do not foresee an end-of-life for any of them at this point).  Amortization of software development costs amounted to $303,336 and $336,586 for the six months ended February 29, 2012 and February 28, 2011, respectively.  We expect future amortization expense to vary due to increases in capitalized computer software development costs as we expand staff and develop new and enhanced software products.

We test capitalized computer software costs for recoverability whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are recorded at cost, less accumulated depreciation and amortization.  Depreciation and amortization are provided using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives as follows:

Equipment
5 years
Computer equipment
3 to 7 years
Furniture and fixtures
5 to 7 years
Leasehold improvements
Shorter of life of asset or lease

Maintenance and minor replacements are charged to expense as incurred.  Gains and losses on disposals are included in the results of operations.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Assets and liabilities recorded at fair value in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets are categorized based upon the level of judgment associated with the inputs used to measure their fair value. The categories, as defined by the standard are as follows:

Level Input:
Input Definition:
Level I
Inputs are unadjusted, quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets at the measurement date.
Level II
Inputs, other than quoted prices included in Level I, that are observable for the asset or liability through corroboration with market data at the measurement date.
Level III
Unobservable inputs that reflect management’s best estimate of what market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability at the measurement date.

The following table summarizes fair value measurements by level at February 29, 2012 for assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis:

 
Level I
Level II
Level III
Total
Cash and cash equivalents
$  13,240,930
$           -
$           -
$  13,240,930
         
Total
$  13,240,930
$           -
$           -
$  13,240,930

For certain of our financial instruments, including accounts receivable, accounts payable, accrued payroll and other expenses, accrued bonuses to officers, and accrued warranty and service costs, the amounts approximate fair value due to their short maturities.

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs are charged to expense as incurred until technological feasibility has been established. These costs consist primarily of salaries and direct payroll-related costs.  It also includes purchased software and databases which were developed by other companies and incorporated into, or used in the development of, our final products.

Income Taxes

We utilize FASB ASC 740-10 which requires the recognition of deferred tax assets and liabilities for the expected future tax consequences of events that have been included in the financial statements or tax returns.

Under this method, deferred income taxes are recognized for the tax consequences in future years of differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their financial reporting amounts at each year-end based on enacted tax laws and statutory tax rates applicable to the periods in which the differences are expected to affect taxable income.  Valuation allowances are established, when necessary, to reduce deferred tax assets to the amount expected to be realized.  The provision for income taxes represents the tax payable for the period and the change during the period in deferred tax assets and liabilities.

We are currently being audited by the California Franchise Tax Board for the fiscal years ended August 31, 2007 and 2008.  In March 2012, We also received a notice from Internal Revenue Services that our fiscal year ended August 31, 2008 is subject to their examination.  The outcome of this audit may result in a change to the tax liability for those tax years.

Customer relationships

We purchased customer relationships as a part of the acquisition of certain assets of Bioreason, Inc. in November 2005.  Customer relationships was recorded at a cost of $128,042, and is being amortized over 78 months under the sum-of-the-years’-digits method.  Amortization expense for the six months ended February 29, 2012 and February 28, 2011 amounted to $1,622 and $4,613, respectively.  Accumulated amortization as of February 29, 2012 and February 28, 2011 was $127,793 and $123,055, respectively.

Earnings per Share

We report earnings per share in accordance with FASB ASC 260-10.  Basic earnings per share is computed by dividing income available to common shareholders by the weighted-average number of common shares available.  Diluted earnings per share is computed similar to basic earnings per share except that the denominator is increased to include the number of additional common shares that would have been outstanding if the potential common shares had been issued and if the additional common shares were dilutive.  The components of basic and diluted earnings per share for the six months ended February 29, 2012 and February 28, 2011 were as follows:

   
02/29/2012
   
02/28/2011
 
Numerator            
  Net income attributable to common shareholders
  $ 1,809,598     $ 1,474,973  
Denominator
               
  Weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during the year     15,604,420       15,581,301  
  Dilutive effect of stock options     353,238       741,544  
Common stock and common stock equivalents used for diluted earning per share
    15,957,658       16,322,845  

Stock-Based Compensation

Compensation costs related to stock options are determined in accordance with FASB ASC 718-10 using the modified prospective method.  Under this method, compensation cost includes: (1) compensation cost for all share-based payments granted prior to, but not yet vested as of September 1, 2006, based on the grant date fair value estimated in accordance with the original provisions of SFAS No. 123 amortized over the options’ vesting period, and (2) compensation cost for all share-based payments granted subsequent to September 1, 2006, based on the grant-date fair value estimated in accordance FASB ASC 718-10, amortized on a straight-line basis over the options’ vesting period.  Stock-based compensation was $59,405 and $80,408 for the six months ended February 29, 2012 and February 28, 2011, respectively, and is included in the consolidated statements of operations as Selling, General and Administration (SG&A), and Research and Development expense.  As of November 30, 2011, the unvested options for employees who terminated due to sale of Words+, Inc. are fully vested.  As a result, the unamortized portion of such stock-based compensation for those employees was expensed in full in the first fiscal quarter ended November 30, 2011 and is presented as a part of discontinued operations.

Concentrations and Uncertainties

International sales accounted for 50% and 34% of net sales for the six months ended February 29, 2012 and February 28, 2011, respectively.  Three customers accounted for 11%, 8% (a dealer account in Japan representing various customers) and 6% of net sales during the six months ended February 29, 2012, compared with three customers accounting for 15%, 8% and 7% of net sales during the six months ended February 28, 2011.

We operate in the computer software industry, which is highly competitive and changes rapidly.  Our operating results could be significantly affected by our ability to develop new products and find new distribution channels for new and existing products.

At February 29, 2012, two customers comprised 14% and 13% (a dealer account in Japan representing various customers) of its accounts receivable at February 29, 2012, and three customers comprised 14%, 12% (a dealer account representing various customers), and 10% of accounts receivable at February 28, 2011.

Recently Issued or Newly Adopted Accounting Standards

In September 2009, the FASB issued ASU 2009-14 which  amends Statement of Position (“SOP”) 97-2, “Software Revenue Recognition”, to exclude tangible products containing software components and non-software components that function together to deliver the product’s essential functionality.  ASU 2009-14 applies to revenue arrangements entered into or materially modified in fiscal years beginning on or after June 15, 2010, with early application permitted with EITF 08-1.  We adopted this standard in the first quarter of fiscal 2011.  We believe adoption did not have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In September 2009, the FASB issued ASU 2009-13, “Revenue Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables” (“EITF 08-1”).  ASU 2009-13 amends EITF 00-21, “Revenue Arrangements with Multiple Deliverables”, to require an entity to use an estimated selling price when vendor-specific objective evidence or acceptable third-party evidence does not exist for any products or services included in a multiple element arrangement.  The arrangement consideration should be allocated among the products and services based upon their relative selling prices, thus eliminating the use of the residual method of allocation.  ASU 2009-13 also requires expanded qualitative and quantitative disclosures regarding significant judgments made and changes in applying the guidance.  ASU 2009-13 applies to fiscal years beginning after June 15, 2010, with early application permitted.  We adopted this standard in the first quarter of fiscal 2011.  We believe adoption did not have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In May 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued ASU 2011-04, Fair Value Measurement (“ASU 2011-04”), which amended ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements (“ASC 820”), providing a consistent definition and measurement of fair value, as well as similar disclosure requirements between U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards. ASU 2011-04 changes certain fair value measurement principles, clarifies the application of existing fair value measurement and expands the disclosure requirements. ASU 2011-04 was effective for us beginning January 1, 2012. The adoption of ASU 2011-04 is not expected to have a material effect on our financial statements or disclosures.

In June 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-05, Presentation of Comprehensive Income (“ASU 2011-05”). ASU 2011-05 requires the presentation of comprehensive income in either (1) a continuous statement of comprehensive income or (2) two separate but consecutive statements. ASU 2011-05 was effective for us beginning January 1, 2012. The adoption of ASU 2011-05 is not expected to have a material effect on our financial statements or disclosures.

In September 2011, the FASB issued ASU 2011-08, Testing Goodwill for Impairment (“ASU 2011-08”), which amends the guidance in ASC 350-20, Intangibles—Goodwill and Other – Goodwill. ASU 2011-08 provides entities with the option of performing a qualitative assessment before calculating the fair value of the reporting unit when testing goodwill for impairment. If the fair value of the reporting unit is determined, based on qualitative factors, to be more likely than not less than the carrying amount of the reporting unit, the entities are required to perform a two-step goodwill impairment test. ASU 2011-08 was effective for us beginning January 1, 2012. The adoption of ASU 2011-08 is not expected to have a material effect on our financial statements or disclosures.