SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2014

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements of the Company for the three and six months ended June 30, 2014 and 2013 are unaudited and have been prepared on a basis substantially consistent with the audited financial statements for the nine-month transition period ended December 31, 2013 (the “Transition Period”). The year-end condensed consolidated balance sheet data was derived from audited financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S.”) (commonly referred to as “GAAP”). In the opinion of management, the condensed consolidated financial statements include all adjustments, which are of a normal recurring nature, that are necessary to present fairly the results of operations for the reported periods.

These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes thereto of Alkermes, which are contained in the Company’s Transition Report on Form 10-K, which has been filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The results of the Company’s operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of the results of the Company’s operations for any other interim period, including the Transition Period, or for a full fiscal year.

Principles of Consolidation

Principles of Consolidation

The condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Alkermes plc and its wholly owned subsidiaries as disclosed in Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies within Part II, Item 8 of our Transition Report. During the six months ended June 30, 2014, the following wholly owned subsidiaries were added: Alkermes Science Three Limited; Alkermes Science Four Limited; and Alkermes Science Five Limited. Intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

The preparation of the Company’s condensed consolidated financial statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates, judgments and assumptions that may affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. On an ongoing basis, the Company evaluates its estimates and judgments and methodologies, including those related to revenue recognition and related allowances, its collaborative relationships, clinical trial expenses, the valuation of inventory, impairment and amortization of intangibles and long-lived assets, share-based compensation, income taxes including the valuation allowance for deferred tax assets, valuation of investments and derivative instruments, litigation and restructuring charges. The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable, the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

Segment Information

Segment Information

The Company operates as one business segment, which is the business of developing, manufacturing and commercializing medicines designed to yield better therapeutic outcomes and improve the lives of patients with serious diseases. The Company’s chief decision maker, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, reviews the Company’s operating results on an aggregate basis and manages the Company’s operations as a single operating unit.

New Accounting Pronouncements

New Accounting Pronouncements

From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) or other standard-setting bodies that are adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise discussed, the Company believes that the impact of recently issued standards that are not yet effective will not have a material impact on its financial position or results of operations upon adoption.

In July 2013, the FASB adopted clarifying guidance on the presentation of unrecognized tax benefits when various qualifying tax credits exist. The amendment requires that unrecognized tax benefits be presented on the consolidated balance sheet as a reduction to deferred tax assets created by net operating losses (‘‘NOLs’’) or other tax credits from prior periods that occur in the same taxing jurisdiction. To the extent that the unrecognized tax benefit exceeds these NOLs or other tax credits, it shall be presented as a liability. This update, required to be adopted for all annual periods and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2013, was adopted by the Company on January 1, 2014. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the presentation of the Company’s financial position.

In June 2014, the FASB issued guidance that clarifies the accounting for share-based payments when the terms of an award provide that a performance target could be achieved after the requisite service period. Existing GAAP does not contain explicit guidance on how to account for these share-based payments. The new guidance requires that a performance target that affects vesting and that could be achieved after the requisite service period be treated as a performance condition. Entities have the option of prospectively applying the guidance to awards granted or modified after the effective date or retrospectively applying the guidance to all awards with performance targets that are outstanding as of the beginning of the earliest annual period presented in the financial statements. The guidance becomes effective for the Company in its year ending December 31, 2016 and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact that this standard will have on its consolidated financial statements.

In May 2014, the FASB issued guidance that outlines a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersedes most current revenue recognition guidance, including industry-specific guidance. The guidance is based on the principle that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of 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 guidance also requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and changes in judgments and assets recognized from costs incurred to fulfill a contract. Entities have the option of using either a full retrospective or a modified retrospective approach for the adoption of the new standard. The guidance becomes effective for the Company in its year ending December 31, 2017 and early adoption is not permitted. The Company is currently assessing the impact that this standard will have on its consolidated financial statements.