Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2011

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Note 2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of ERT and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. We consider our business to consist of one segment which is providing services and customizable medical devices to biopharmaceutical organizations and, to a lesser extent, healthcare organizations.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

Revenue Recognition

Our services revenues consist primarily of revenue derived from our cardiac safety (Cardiac Safety), respiratory efficacy (Respiratory) and, to a lesser extent, our electronic patient-reported outcomes (ePRO) solutions that we provide on a fee for services basis. Our services revenues are recognized as the services are performed. We also provide consulting services on a time and materials basis and recognize revenues as we perform the services. Our site support revenue, consisting of equipment rentals and sales along with related supplies and logistics management, are recognized at the time of sale or over the rental period.

At the time of each transaction, management assesses whether the fee associated with the transaction is fixed or determinable and whether or not collection is reasonably assured. If a significant portion of a fee is due after our normal payment terms or upon implementation or customer acceptance, the fee is accounted for as not being fixed or determinable and revenue is recognized as the fees become due or after implementation or customer acceptance has occurred.

Collectability is assessed based on a number of factors, including past transaction history with the customer and the creditworthiness of the customer. If it is determined that collection of a fee is not reasonably assured, the fee is deferred and revenue is recognized at the time collection becomes reasonably assured, which is generally upon receipt of cash. Under a typical contract for Cardiac Safety services, customers pay us a portion of our fee for these services upon contract execution as an upfront deposit, some of which is typically nonrefundable upon contract termination. Revenues are then recognized under Cardiac Safety service contracts as the services are performed.

For arrangements with multiple deliverables entered into prior to 2011, where the fair value of each element is known, the revenue is allocated to each component based on the relative fair value of each element. For arrangements with multiple deliverables where the fair value of one or more delivered elements is not known, revenue is allocated to each component of the arrangement using the residual method provided that the fair value of all undelivered elements is known. Fair values for undelivered elements are based primarily upon stated renewal rates for future products or services.

For arrangements with multiple deliverables entered into from and after January 1, 2011, the revenue is allocated to each element (both delivered and undelivered items) based on their relative selling prices or management’s best estimate of their selling prices, when vendor-specific or third-party evidence is unavailable.

We have recorded reimbursements received for out-of-pocket expenses incurred as revenue in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations.

Unbilled revenue is revenue that is recognized but is not currently billable to the customer pursuant to contractual terms. In general, such amounts become billable in accordance with predetermined payment schedules, but recognized as revenue as services are performed. Amounts included in unbilled revenue are expected to be collected within one year and are included within current assets.

Business Combinations

On May 28, 2010, we acquired Research Services Germany 234 GmbH (Research Services or RS), which provides respiratory diagnostics services and is a manufacturer of equipment and also offers cardiac safety and ePRO services. We paid $82.7 million for RS. The acquisition and related transaction costs were financed from our existing cash and the $23.0 million drawn from our $40.0 million revolving credit facility through Citizens Bank of Pennsylvania. The credit facility was established on May 27, 2010. See Note 4 for additional disclosure on the RS acquisition and Note 7 for additional disclosure regarding the revolving credit facility.

We allocated the purchase price to the tangible and intangible assets we acquired and liabilities we assumed based on their estimated fair values. This valuation required management to make significant estimates and assumptions, especially with respect to long-lived and intangible assets.

Critical estimates in valuing certain of the intangible assets included but were not limited to: future expected cash flows from customer contracts, customer relationships, proprietary technology and discount rates. Our estimates of fair value were based upon assumptions we believed to be reasonable, but which are inherently uncertain and unpredictable. Assumptions may have been incomplete or inaccurate, and unanticipated events and circumstances may occur.

Concentration of Credit Risk and Significant Customers

Our business depends entirely on the clinical trials that biopharmaceutical and healthcare organizations conduct. Our revenues and profitability will decline if there is less competition in the biopharmaceutical and healthcare industries, which could result in fewer products under development and decreased pressure to accelerate a product approval. Our revenues and profitability will also decline if the FDA or similar agencies in foreign countries modify their requirements in a manner that decreases the need for our solutions.

Financial instruments that potentially subject us to concentration of credit risk consist primarily of trade accounts receivable from companies operating in the biopharmaceutical and healthcare industries. For the nine months ended September 30, 2010, one customer accounted for approximately 24% of net revenues. For the nine months ended September 30, 2011, three customers accounted for approximately 20%, 14% and 13% of net revenues, respectively. The loss of these customers could have a material adverse effect on our operations. We maintain reserves for potential credit losses. Such losses, in the aggregate, have not historically exceeded management’s estimates.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

We consider cash on deposit and in overnight investments and investments in money market funds with financial institutions to be cash equivalents. At the balance sheet dates, cash equivalents consisted primarily of investments in money market funds. At December 31, 2010 and September 30, 2011, approximately $6.9 million and $13.1 million, respectively, was held by our UK subsidiary. At December 31, 2010 and September 30, 2011, approximately $13.1 million and $6.5 million, respectively, was held by our German subsidiary.

Short-term Investments and Investments in Marketable Securities

At September 30, 2011, short-term investments consisted of an auction rate security issued by a municipality while marketable securities consisted of publicly-traded shares of common stock received from the buyer of certain assets of our electronic data capture (EDC) operations. Available-for-sale securities are carried at fair value, based on quoted market prices, with unrealized gains and losses reported as a separate component of stockholders’ equity. We classified our short-term investments and investment in marketable securities at December 31, 2010 and September 30, 2011 as available-for-sale. At December 31, 2010 and September 30, 2011, unrealized gains and losses were immaterial. Realized gains and losses during the nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2011 were immaterial. For purposes of determining realized gains and losses, the cost of the securities sold is based upon specific identification.

Inventory

We compute inventory cost on a first-in, first-out basis (FIFO). We reduce the carrying value of inventories to a lower of cost or market basis for those items that are potentially excess, obsolete or slow-moving. We record charges for inventory obsolescence based upon sales trends and age of on-hand inventory. Work-in-process and finished goods inventories include raw materials, direct labor and manufacturing overhead. Finished goods inventories include equipment that may be sold directly to customers or transferred to rental equipment in property and equipment. We also may, on occasion, sell rental equipment, as described below in Property and Equipment.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation is provided using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of three years for computer and other equipment, two to four years for rental equipment, five years for furniture and fixtures and three to five years for system development costs. Leasehold improvements are amortized using the straight-line method over the shorter of the estimated useful life of the asset or the remaining lease term. Repair and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred. Improvements and betterments are capitalized. Depreciation expense was $3.2 million and $3.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2010 and 2011, respectively, and $6.8 million and $10.1 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2011, respectively.

We capitalize costs associated with internally developed and/or purchased software systems for new products and enhancements to existing products that have reached the application development stage and meet recoverability tests. These costs are included in property and equipment. Capitalized costs include external direct costs of materials and services utilized in developing or obtaining internal-use software, and payroll and payroll-related expenses for employees who are directly associated with and devote time to the internal-use software project.

Amortization of capitalized software development costs is charged to costs of revenues. Amortization of capitalized software development costs was $0.9 million and $1.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2010 and 2011, respectively, and $2.7 million and $3.5 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2011, respectively. For the nine month periods ended September 30, 2010 and 2011, we capitalized $4.3 million and $10.7 million, respectively, of software development costs. As of September 30, 2011, $10.5 million of capitalized costs had not yet been placed in service and were therefore not being amortized.

The largest component of property and equipment is rental equipment which we manufacture internally and also purchase from third parties. Our customers use the rental equipment to perform Cardiac Safety, Respiratory and ePRO tests and collect and send the related data to us. We provide this equipment to customers primarily through rentals via cancellable agreements although, in some cases, we sell equipment outright to customers on a non-recourse basis. The equipment rentals and sales are included in our services agreements with our customers and the decision to rent or buy equipment is made by our customers prior to the start of the study. The decision to buy rather than rent is usually predicated upon the economics to the customer based upon the length of the study and the number of diagnostic tests to be performed each month. The longer the study and the fewer the number of tests performed, the more likely it is that the customer may request to purchase equipment rather than rent. Regardless of whether the customer rents or buys the equipment, we consider the resulting cash flow to be part of our operations and reflect it as such in our consolidated statements of cash flows.

Our services agreements contain multiple elements. As a result, significant contract interpretation is sometimes required to determine the appropriate accounting. In doing so, we consider factors such as whether the deliverables specified in a multiple element arrangement should be treated as separate units of accounting for revenue recognition purposes and, if so, how the contract value should be allocated among the deliverable elements and when to recognize revenue for each element.

The gross cost for rental equipment was $56.2 million and $66.7 million at December 31, 2010 and September 30, 2011, respectively. The accumulated depreciation for rental equipment was $35.9 million and $44.8 million at December 31, 2010 and September 30, 2011, respectively.

Goodwill

The carrying value of goodwill was $71.6 million and $75.2 million as of December 31, 2010 and September 30, 2011, respectively. The change in goodwill was due to foreign currency translation. See Note 4 for additional disclosure regarding the RS and Covance Cardiac Safety Services (CCSS) acquisitions. Goodwill is not amortized but is subject to an impairment test at least annually. We perform the impairment test annually as of December 31 or more frequently if events or circumstances indicate that the value of goodwill might be impaired. No provisions for goodwill impairment were recorded during 2010 or during the nine months ended September 30, 2011.

When it is determined that the carrying value of goodwill may not be recoverable, measurement of any impairment will be based on a projected discounted cash flow method using a discount rate commensurate with the risk inherent in the current business model.

Long-lived Assets

When events or circumstances so indicate, we assess the potential impairment of our long-lived assets based on anticipated undiscounted cash flows from the assets. Such events and circumstances include a sale of all or a significant part of the operations associated with the long-lived asset, or a significant decline in the operating performance of the asset. If an impairment is indicated, the amount of the impairment charge would be calculated by comparing the anticipated discounted future cash flows to the carrying value of the long-lived asset. No impairment was indicated during either of the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2010 or 2011.

Software Development Costs

Research and development expenditures related to software development are charged to operations as incurred. We capitalize certain software development costs subsequent to the establishment of technological feasibility. Because software development costs have not been significant after the establishment of technological feasibility, all such costs have been charged to expense as incurred.

Share-Based Compensation

Accounting for Share-Based Compensation

Share-based compensation expense is measured at the grant date based on the fair value of the award and is recognized as expense over the vesting period. The aggregate share-based compensation expense recorded in the consolidated statements of operations was $0.6 million and $0.7 million for the three months ended September 30, 2010 and 2011, respectively and $2.1 million and $2.2 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2011, respectively.

Valuation Assumptions for Options Granted

The fair value of each stock option granted during the nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2011 was estimated at the date of grant using Black-Scholes, assuming no dividends and using the weighted-average valuation assumptions noted in the following table.

	2010			2011
Risk-free interest rate		2.44	%		2.18	%
Expected dividend yield		0.00	%		0.00	%
Expected life	3.8 years			4.2 years
Expected volatility		61.73	%		59.27	%

The risk-free rate is based on the U.S. Treasury yield curve in effect at the time of grant. The expected life (estimated period of time outstanding) of the stock options granted was estimated using the historical exercise behavior of employees. Expected volatility was based on historical volatility for a period equal to the stock option’s expected life, calculated on a daily basis. Fluctuations in the market that affect these estimates could have an impact on the resulting compensation cost. The above assumptions were used to determine the weighted-average per share fair value of $3.24 and $3.07 for stock options granted during the first nine months of 2010 and 2011, respectively.

Equity Incentive Plans

In 1996, we adopted a stock option plan (the “1996 Plan”) that authorized the grant of both incentive and non-qualified options to acquire up to 9,450,000 shares of the Company’s common stock, as subsequently amended. Our Board of Directors determined the exercise price of the options under the 1996 Plan. The exercise price of incentive stock options was not below the market value of the common stock on the grant date. Incentive stock options under the 1996 Plan expire ten years from the grant date and are exercisable in accordance with vesting provisions set by the Board, which generally are over three to five years. No additional options have been granted under this plan, as amended, since December 31, 2003 and no additional options may be granted thereunder in accordance with the terms of the 1996 Plan.

In May 2003, the stockholders approved a new stock option plan (the “2003 Plan”) that authorized the grant of both incentive and non-qualified options to acquire shares of our common stock and provided for an annual option grant of 10,000 shares to each outside director. The Compensation Committee of our Board of Directors determines or makes recommendations to our Board of Directors regarding the recipients of option grants, the exercise price and other terms of the options under the 2003 Plan. The exercise price of incentive stock options may not be set below the market value of the common stock on the grant date. Incentive stock options under the 2003 Plan expire ten years from the grant date, or at the end of such shorter period as may be designated by the Compensation Committee, and are exercisable in accordance with vesting provisions set by the Compensation Committee, which generally are over four years.

On April 26, 2007, the stockholders approved the adoption of the Company’s Amended and Restated 2003 Equity Incentive Plan (the “Amended 2003 Plan”) which included prohibition on repricing of any stock options granted under the Plan unless the stockholders approve such repricing and permitted awards of stock appreciation rights, restricted stock, long term performance awards and performance shares in addition to grants of stock options. On April 29, 2009 the Board of Directors approved a revised amendment to the Amended 2003 Plan that provides for the inclusion of restricted stock units in addition to the other equity-based awards authorized thereunder and eliminated the fixed option grants to outside directors. Restricted stock was granted for the first time in 2010 and is being recorded as compensation expense over the one-year to four-year vesting period for grants to the Company’s directors and management. On April 28, 2011, our stockholders approved an amendment to the Amended 2003 Plan that increased the number of shares reserved for issuance thereunder by 3.5 million shares. In accordance with the terms of the Amended 2003 Plan, there are a total of 10,818,625 shares reserved for issuance under the Amended 2003 Plan and there were 4,449,227 shares available for grant as of September 30, 2011.

Information regarding the stock option and equity incentive plans for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 is as follows:

				Weighted		Remaining
				Average		Contractual		Intrinsic
Share Options	Shares			Exercise Price		Term		Value
						(in years)		(in thousands)
Outstanding as of January 1, 2011		4,727,943		$	9.36
Granted		1,011,474			6.41
Exercised		(240,554	)		3.21
Cancelled/forfeited		(414,655	)		9.31
Outstanding as of September 30, 2011		5,084,208		$	9.07		4.1	$	68
Options exercisable or expected to vest at September 30, 2011		4,787,224		$	9.24		4.0	$	68
Options exercisable at September 30, 2011		3,104,313		$	10.75		3.0	$	68

				Weighted
				Average
				Grant Date
Restricted Stock	Shares			Fair Value
Outstanding as of January 1, 2011		153,785		$	6.28
Granted		196,254			6.41
Vested		(52,550	)		6.60
Cancelled/forfeited		(4,410	)		7.37
Outstanding as of September 30, 2011		293,079		$	6.29

The aggregate intrinsic value in the share options table above represents the total pre-tax intrinsic value (the difference between the closing price of our common stock on the last trading day of the second quarter of 2011 and the exercise price, multiplied by the number of in-the-money options) that would have been received by the option holders had all option holders exercised their options on September 30, 2011. This amount changes based on the fair market value of the Company’s common stock. The total intrinsic value of options exercised for the nine months ended September 30, 2010 and 2011 was approximately $0.2 million and $0.7 million, respectively.

As of September 30, 2011, there was $5.8 million of total unrecognized compensation cost related to non-vested share-based compensation arrangements (including stock options and restricted stock awards) granted under the plans. That cost is expected to be recognized over a weighted-average period of 2.4 years.

Tax Effect Related to Share-based Compensation Expense

Income tax effects of share-based payments are recognized in the consolidated financial statements for those awards that will normally result in tax deductions under existing tax law. Under current U.S. federal tax law, we receive a compensation expense deduction related to non-qualified stock options only when those options are exercised. Accordingly, the consolidated financial statement recognition of compensation cost for non-qualified stock options creates a deductible temporary difference which results in a deferred tax asset and a corresponding deferred tax benefit in the consolidated statements of operations. We do not recognize a tax benefit for compensation expense related to incentive stock options (ISOs) unless the underlying shares are disposed of in a disqualifying disposition. Accordingly, compensation expense related to ISOs is treated as a permanent difference for income tax purposes. The tax benefit recognized in our consolidated statements of operations for each of the nine-month periods ended September 30, 2010 and 2011 related to stock-based compensation expense was approximately $0.3 million.