Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation and Consolidation

The Company’s consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Aerie and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts, transactions and profits have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain reclassifications have been made to prior year amounts to conform to the current year presentation.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP 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 consolidated financial statements and reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting periods. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include the valuation of stock options and operating expense accruals. Actual results could differ from the Company’s estimates.

Segment Information

Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate discrete information is available for evaluation by the chief operating decision maker, or decision-making group, in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance. The Company views its operations and manages its business as one operating segment.

Cash Equivalents

The Company’s cash and cash equivalents are held principally at several financial institutions and at times may exceed insured limits. The Company has placed these funds in high quality institutions in order to minimize risk relating to exceeding insured limits.

Inventories

Prior to the date the Company obtains regulatory approval for any of its product candidates, manufacturing costs related to commercial production are expensed as selling, general and administrative expense. Once regulatory approval is obtained, the Company capitalizes such costs as inventory. Rhopressa^® obtained regulatory approval on December 18, 2017, but no inventory was produced from the approval date through year end; therefore, no inventory has been capitalized on the consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2017.

Inventories will be stated at the lower of cost or estimated realizable value. The Company will determine the cost of inventory using the first-in, first-out (“FIFO”) method.

Property, Plant and Equipment, Net

Property, plant and equipment is recorded at historical cost. Depreciation is calculated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the related assets. Construction-in-progress reflects amounts incurred for property, plant or equipment construction or improvements that have not been yet placed in service, which primarily relates to the build-out of the Company’s manufacturing plant in Ireland. Repairs and maintenance are expensed when incurred. Upon retirement or sale, the cost of the assets disposed of and the related accumulated depreciation are removed from the accounts, and any resulting gain or loss is included in the determination of net loss.

The Company capitalizes certain costs incurred in connection with obtaining or developing internal-use software including external direct costs of materials and services involved with the software development. Capitalized software costs are included in property, plant and equipment and are amortized over its useful life beginning when the software project is substantially complete and the asset is ready for its intended use. Costs incurred during the preliminary project stage and post-implementation stage, along with maintenance and training costs, are expensed as incurred.

Estimated useful lives by major asset category are as follows:



Manufacturing equipment	10 years
Laboratory equipment	7 years
Furniture and fixtures	5 years
Software and computer equipment	3 years
Leasehold improvements	Lower of estimated useful life or term of lease

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company reviews its long-lived assets for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset or asset group to estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset or asset group. If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized for the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds the fair value of the asset. For the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, no such impairment losses have been recorded by the Company.

Acquisitions

The Company evaluates acquisitions to determine whether the acquisition is a business combination or an acquisition of assets under ASC Topic 805. Business combinations are accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting, whereby assets acquired and liabilities assumed are recorded as of the acquisition date at their respective fair values and excess of the fair value of the consideration transferred over the fair value of the net assets acquired is recorded as goodwill. In an asset acquisition that does not constitute a business, no goodwill is recognized, and the net assets acquired are generally recorded at cost. See below for an explanation of a new ASU adopted as of July 1, 2017, which clarifies the definition of a business and provides a screen to determine when an integrated set of assets and activities is not a business. Significant judgment is required in estimating the fair value of intangible assets and in a determination of whether an acquisition is a business combination or an acquisition of assets. The fair value estimates are based on available historical information and on future expectations and assumptions deemed reasonable by management, but are inherently uncertain.

Our consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2017 include the impact of the acquisition of assets from Envisia (see Note 1 for additional information).

Research and Development Costs

Research and development costs are charged to expense as incurred and include, but are not limited to:


•	employee-related expenses including salaries, benefits, travel and stock-based compensation expense for research and development personnel;


•	expenses incurred under agreements with contract research organizations (“CROs”), contract manufacturing organizations and service providers that assist in conducting clinical and preclinical studies;


•	costs associated with any collaboration arrangements, licenses or acquisitions of preclinical molecules, product candidates or technologies;


•	costs associated with preclinical activities and development activities;


•	costs associated with regulatory operations; and


•	depreciation expense for assets used in research and development activities.

Costs for certain development activities, such as clinical studies, 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 on their actual costs incurred. Payments for these activities are based on the terms of the individual arrangements, which may differ from the patterns of costs incurred, and are reflected in the consolidated financial statements as prepaid expenses or accrued expenses as deemed appropriate. No material adjustments to these estimates have been recorded in these consolidated financial statements.

Research and development costs also include the cost of IPR&D projects acquired as part of an asset acquisition that have no alternative future use. Milestone payments due to third parties in connection with research and development activities prior to regulatory approval are expensed as incurred, while milestone payments due to third parties upon, or subsequent to, regulatory approval are capitalized and amortized over the estimate useful life.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-based compensation for awards granted to employees and non-employees is measured at grant date, based on the estimated fair value of the award. The Company estimates the fair value of options to purchase common stock using a Black-Scholes option pricing model. The Black-Scholes option pricing model utilizes assumptions including expected term, volatility, a risk-free interest rate, and an expected dividend yield. The Company utilized the guidance set forth in the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) Staff Accounting Bulletin 107, Share-Based Payment (“SAB 107”), to determine the expected term of options, as it does not have sufficient historical exercise and post-vesting termination data to provide a reasonable basis upon which to estimate the expected term of stock options granted to employees. The simplified method utilizes the midpoint between the vesting date and the maximum contractual expiration date as the expected term. Volatility is based on the historical volatility of the Company as well as several public entities that are similar to the Company. The risk-free interest rate is based on the yields of U.S. Treasury securities with maturities similar to the expected term.

The fair value of restricted stock awards (“RSAs”), including restricted stock awards with non-market performance and service conditions (“PSAs”) is determined based on the fair value of Aerie’s common stock on the date of grant. Compensation expense related to RSAs is recognized ratably over the vesting period. As the PSAs have multiple performance conditions, compensation expense is recognized for each vesting tranche over the respective requisite service period of each tranche if and when the Company’s management deems it probable that the performance conditions will be satisfied. Stock-based compensation related to stock options, RSAs and PSAs is expensed on a straight-line basis over the relevant vesting period. The fair value of unvested awards granted to non-employees is remeasured each period until the related service is complete. Compensation expense for employee stock purchase plan rights (“stock purchase rights”) is measured and recognized on the date that Aerie becomes obligated to issue shares of common stock and is based on the difference between the fair value of Aerie’s common stock and the purchase price on such date. As of the adoption of ASU 2016-09 on January 1, 2017 (see “Adoption of New Accounting Standards” below), the Company accounts for forfeitures as they occur. All stock-based compensation expense is recorded between selling, general and administrative and research and development costs in the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss based upon the underlying employees’ roles within the Company.

Investments

The Company determines the appropriate classification of its investments in debt and equity securities at the time of purchase. The Company’s investments are comprised of certificates of deposit, commercial paper, corporate bonds and government agency securities that are classified as available-for-sale in accordance with ASC Topic 320, Investments—Debt and Equity Securities. The Company classifies investments available to fund current operations as current assets on its consolidated balance sheets. Investments are classified as long-term assets on the consolidated balance sheets if (i) the Company has the intent and ability to hold the investments for a period of at least one year and (ii) the contractual maturity date of the investments is greater than one year.

Available-for-sale investments are recorded at fair value, with unrealized gains or losses included in comprehensive loss on the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss and in accumulated other comprehensive loss on the consolidated balance sheets. Realized gains and losses are determined using the specific identification method and are included as a component of other income (expense), net. Realized gains or losses were immaterial for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015.

The Company reviews investments for other-than-temporary impairment whenever the fair value of an investment is less than the amortized cost and evidence indicates that an investment’s carrying amount is not recoverable within a reasonable period of time. To determine whether an impairment is other-than-temporary, the Company considers its intent to sell, or whether it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the investment before recovery of the investment’s amortized cost basis. Evidence considered in this assessment includes reasons for the impairment, the severity and the duration of the impairment and changes in value subsequent to period end. The carrying value of these investments was not impaired as of December 31, 2017.

Fair Value Measurements

The Company records certain financial assets and liabilities at fair value in accordance with the provisions of ASC Topic 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosures. As defined in the guidance, fair value, defined as an exit price, represents the amount that would be received to sell an asset or pay to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. As a result, fair value is a market-based approach that should be determined based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or a liability. As a basis for considering these assumptions, the guidance defines a three-tier value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used in the valuation methodologies in measuring fair value.


•	Level 1—Unadjusted quoted prices in active, accessible markets for identical assets or liabilities.


•	Level 2—Other inputs that are directly or indirectly observable in the marketplace.


•	Level 3—Unobservable inputs that are supported by little or no market activity.

The fair value hierarchy also requires an entity to maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value.

There were no transfers between the different levels of the fair value hierarchy in 2017 or in 2016.

Comprehensive Loss

Comprehensive loss is comprised of net loss and other comprehensive loss. Other comprehensive loss includes changes in stockholders’ equity that are excluded from net income (loss), specifically changes in unrealized gains and losses on the Company’s available-for-sale securities.

Income Taxes

Deferred tax assets or liabilities are recorded for temporary differences between financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities, using enacted rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. A valuation allowance is recorded if it is more likely than not that a deferred tax asset will not be realized. The Company has provided a full valuation allowance on its deferred tax assets that consist of federal and state net operating losses, stock-based compensation and tax credits as of December 31, 2017 and 2016 (Note 8). The Company reduced its valuation allowance during the year ended December 31, 2017 for federal alternative minimum tax (“AMT”) carryforwards that became refundable under the Tax Act (defined herein). See Note 8 for additional information.

The Company recognizes the impact of an uncertain tax position in the consolidated financial statements only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained upon examination by the taxing authorities. The Company’s policy is to record interest and penalties on uncertain tax positions as income tax expense. The Company did not recognize interest or penalties on uncertain tax positions for the years ended December 31, 2017, 2016 or 2015. As of December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company had no uncertain tax positions.

Adoption of New Accounting Standards

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-01, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business. The new standard clarifies the definition of a business and provides a screen to determine when an integrated set of assets and activities is not a business. The screen requires that when substantially all of the fair value of the gross assets acquired, or disposed of, is concentrated in a single identifiable asset or a group of similar identifiable assets, the set is not a business. The new standard was effective for the Company beginning on January 1, 2018; however, Aerie elected to early adopt this standard as of July 1, 2017. Under this guidance, the October 4, 2017 transaction to acquire assets from Envisia was determined to meet the criteria of an asset acquisition rather than a business combination resulting in a $24.8 million charge to research and development expense on the consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive loss in the three months ended December 31, 2017. See Note 1 for additional information.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Shared-Based Payment Accounting, which provides guidance related to how companies account for certain aspects of share-based payment awards to employees, including the accounting for income taxes, forfeitures, and statutory tax withholding requirements, as well as classification in the statement of cash flows. This ASU was effective for the Company beginning on January 1, 2017, with different transition methods for the various provisions. The adoption of ASU 2016-09 had the following impact on the consolidated financial statements and accounting policies:

•

The Company elected to adopt a new policy to recognize forfeitures in the period in which they occur. Prior to the adoption of this guidance, forfeitures were estimated such that expense was recognized for the shares expected to vest, and adjustments were made if actual forfeitures differed from those estimates. The financial statement impact of this policy change was immaterial under the modified retrospective adoption.


•	Classification of excess tax benefits on the statement of cash flows has been prospectively adopted and classified within operating activities in the statement of cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2017. In prior periods, excess tax benefits are shown within financing activities.


•	Classification of taxes paid on employees’ behalf through withholding of shares on restricted stock awards on the statement of cash flows will continue to be classified within financing activities.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In May 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting, which clarifies when changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award must be accounted for as modifications. Under ASU 2017-09, an entity will not apply modification accounting to a share-based payment award if the award’s fair value, vesting conditions and classification as an equity or liability instrument are the same immediately before and after the change. ASU 2017-09 will be applied prospectively to awards modified on or after the adoption date. The guidance became effective for the Company beginning on January 1, 2018. The impact of the adoption of this guidance on its consolidated financial statements would be dependent on future modifications to share-based payment awards, if any.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory, which eliminates the exception to the principle in ASC Topic 740, Income Taxes, that generally requires comprehensive recognition of current and deferred income taxes for all intra-entity sales of assets other than inventory. As a result, a reporting entity would recognize the tax expense from the sale of the asset in the seller’s tax jurisdiction when the transfer occurs, even though the pre-tax effects of that transaction are eliminated in consolidation. This ASU became effective for the Company on January 1, 2018, and must be applied on a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment directly to accumulated deficit as of the beginning of the period of adoption. At December 31, 2017, the Company had $2.1 million of income tax effects deferred from past intercompany transactions that are recorded as prepaid assets within other assets, net, at December 31, 2017 that will be adjusted through the opening accumulated deficit as of January 1, 2018.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, which requires that financial assets measured at amortized cost be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. Currently, U.S. GAAP delays recognition of the full amount of credit losses until the loss is probable of occurring. Under this ASU, the income statement will reflect an entity’s current estimate of all expected credit losses. The measurement of expected credit losses will be based upon historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts that affect the collectability of the reported amount. Credit losses relating to available-for-sale debt securities will be recorded through an allowance for credit losses rather than as a direct write-down of the security. This ASU is effective for the Company beginning on January 1, 2020, with early adoption permitted beginning on January 1, 2019. The new guidance prescribes different transition methods for the various provisions. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2016-13 on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which requires lessees to recognize a right of use asset and related lease liability for those leases classified as operating leases at the commencement date and for those leases that have lease terms of more than 12 months. The guidance is effective for the Company beginning on January 1, 2019, and all annual and interim periods thereafter, with early adoption permitted, and must be adopted using a modified retrospective transition approach for leases that exist or are entered into after the beginning of the earliest comparative period in the financial statements, and provides for certain practical expedients. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of ASU 2016-02 on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, Financial Instruments - Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, which provides guidance related to the accounting for equity investments, financial liabilities under the fair value option and the presentation and disclosure requirements for financial instruments. The guidance became effective for the Company beginning on January 1, 2018 and prescribes different transition methods for the various provisions. The Company does not expect ASU 2016-01 to have a material impact on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606). The standard states that an entity should recognize revenue based on the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The FASB has subsequently issued amendments to ASU 2014-09 that have the same effective date of January 1, 2018. The future impact of ASU 2014-09 will be dependent on the nature of the Company’s forthcoming revenue contracts and arrangements, if any.

Net Loss per Common Share

Basic net loss per common share (“Basic EPS”) is calculated by dividing the net loss by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding for the period, without consideration for potentially dilutive securities with the exception of warrants for common stock with a $0.05 exercise price, which are exercisable for nominal consideration and are therefore included in the calculation of the weighted-average number of shares of common stock as common stock equivalents. Diluted net loss per share (“Diluted EPS”) gives effect to all dilutive potential shares of common stock outstanding during this period. For Diluted EPS, net loss used in calculating Basic EPS is adjusted for certain items related to the dilutive securities.

For all periods presented, Aerie’s potential common stock equivalents have been excluded from the computation of Diluted EPS as their inclusion would have had an anti-dilutive effect.

The potential common stock equivalents that have been excluded from the computation of Diluted EPS consist of the following:



	DECEMBER 31,
	2017	2016	2015
2014 Convertible Notes	5,040,323	5,040,323	5,040,323
Outstanding stock options	6,457,343	5,255,930	4,583,586
Stock purchase warrants	157,500	157,500	157,500
Nonvested restricted stock awards	447,049	164,194	119,993