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Note 3 - Short-term Investments Available for Sale
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Investments, Debt and Equity Securities [Abstract]  
Investments in Debt and Marketable Equity Securities (and Certain Trading Assets) Disclosure [Text Block]

3. SHORT TERM INVESTMENTS AVAILABLE FOR SALE


Short term investments available for sale of $24,173,406 and $37,156,381 as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively, consist of money market funds, commercial paper, corporate debt securities, and government agency debt securities. They are valued at estimated fair value, with unrealized gains and losses reported as a separate component of stockholders’ equity in Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income.


Securities available for sale are evaluated periodically to determine whether a decline in their value is other than temporary.  The term “other than temporary” is not intended to indicate a permanent decline in value.  Rather, it means that the prospects for near term recovery of value are not necessarily favorable, or that there is a lack of evidence to support fair values equal to, or greater than, the carrying value of the security.  Management reviews criteria such as the magnitude and duration of the decline, as well as the reasons for the decline, to predict whether the loss in value is other than temporary.  Once a decline in value is determined to be other than temporary, the value of the security is reduced and a corresponding charge to earnings is recognized.  


A summary of the cost, fair value and maturities of the Company’s short-term investments is as follows:


   

December 31, 2014

   

December 31, 2013

 
   

Cost

   

Fair Value

   

Cost

   

Fair Value

 

Short-term investments

                               

Certificate of deposit

  $ 5,000,000     $ 4,996,568     $ 3,840,000     $ 3,835,083  

Bonds- corporate issuances

    19,189,438       19,176,838       33,360,576       33,321,298  

Total short-term investments

  $ 24,189,438     $ 24,173,406     $ 37,200,576     $ 37,156,381  

   

December 31, 2014

   

December 31, 2013

 
   

Cost

   

Fair Value

   

Cost

   

Fair Value

 
                                 

Short-term investment maturities

                               

Within 3 months

  $ 16,881,490     $ 16,872,158     $ 7,799,032     $ 7,797,689  

Between 3-12 months

    7,307,948       7,301,248       29,401,544       29,358,692  

Total

  $ 24,189,438     $ 24,173,406     $ 37,200,576     $ 37,156,381  

Investment income, which includes net realized losses on sales of available for sale securities and investment income interest and dividends, is summarized as follows:


   

2014

   

2013

   

2012

 
                         

Interest and dividends accrued and paid

  $ 1,015,182     $ 748,947     $ 712,947  

Accretion of investment premium

    (913,261

)

    (669,344

)

    (652,960

)

Losses on investment maturity and sales, net

    (24,727

)

    (92,346

)

    (7,580

)

    $ 77,194     $ (12,744

)

  $ 52,322  

In 2009, the Company recorded an equity investment of approximately $108,000 for stock received as settlement of a transition agreement the Company previously entered into. The $108,000 asset value reflected the estimated net realizable value of 903,112 shares of Medifocus Inc. at the time of settlement. As of December 31, 2011, this entire amount had been reduced to $0 and was charged as an unrealized loss in other comprehensive loss. During the fourth quarter of 2012, the Company sold this stock for approximately $138,000, thereby recording a realized gain of approximately $30,000 in investment income and reversing the cumulative unrealized loss of $108,000 in other comprehensive loss.


The following table shows the Company’s investment securities gross unrealized losses and fair value by investment category and length of time that individual securities have been in a continuous unrealized loss position at December 31, 2014 and 2013. The Company has reviewed individual securities to determine whether a decline in fair value below the amortizable cost basis is other than temporary.


   

December 31, 2014

   

December 31, 2013

 

Description of Securities

 

Fair Value

   

Unrealized

Holding

Gains

(Losses)

   

Fair Value

   

Unrealized

Holding

Gains

(Losses)

 
                                 

Available for Sale (all unrealized holding gains and losses are less than 12 months at date of measurement)

                               

Short-term investments with unrealized gains

 

   

    $ 6,650,095     $ 1,907  

Short-term investments with unrealized losses

    24,173,406       (16,032

)

    30,506,286       (46,073

)

Total

  $ 24,173,406     $ (16,032

)

  $ 37,156,381     $ (44,166

)