Note 2 - Basis of Presentation and Consolidation

3 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2023

Notes to Financial Statements

Basis of Accounting [Text Block]

NOTE 2. BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND CONSOLIDATION

U.S. Global Investors, Inc. (the “Company” or “U.S. Global”) has prepared the Consolidated Financial Statements pursuant to accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and the rules and regulations of the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) that permit reduced disclosure for interim periods. The financial information included herein reflects all adjustments (consisting solely of normal recurring adjustments), which are, in management’s opinion, necessary for a fair presentation of results for the interim periods presented. The Company has consistently followed the accounting policies set forth in the notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements in the Company’s Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2023 ("Form 10-K"), except for the adoption of the new accounting pronouncement discussed below.

The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries, U.S. Global Investors (Bermuda) Limited, U.S. Global Investors (Canada) Limited (“USCAN”), and U.S. Global Indices, LLC.

There are two primary consolidation models in U.S. GAAP, the variable interest entity (“VIE”) and voting interest entity models. The Company’s evaluation for consolidation includes whether entities in which it has an interest or from which it receives fees are VIEs and whether the Company is the primary beneficiary of any VIEs identified in its analysis. A VIE is an entity in which either (a) the equity investment at risk is not sufficient to permit the entity to finance its own activities without additional financial support or (b) the group of holders of the equity investment at risk lack certain characteristics of a controlling financial interest. The primary beneficiary is the entity that has the obligation to absorb a majority of the expected losses or the right to receive the majority of the residual returns and consolidates the VIE on the basis of having a controlling financial interest.

The Company holds variable interests in, but is not deemed to be the primary beneficiary of, certain funds it advises, specifically, certain funds in U.S. Global Investors Funds (“USGIF” or the “Funds”). The Company’s interests in these VIEs consist of the Company’s direct ownership therein and any fees earned but uncollected. See further information about these funds in Notes 3 and 4. In the ordinary course of business, the Company may choose to waive certain fees or assume operating expenses of the funds it advises for competitive, regulatory or contractual reasons (see Note 4 for information regarding fee waivers). The Company has not provided financial support to any of these entities outside the ordinary course of business. The Company’s risk of loss with respect to these VIEs is limited to the carrying value of its investments in, and fees receivable from, the entities. The Company is not deemed to be the primary beneficiary because it does not have the obligation to absorb a majority of the expected losses or the right to receive the majority of the residual returns. The Company does not consolidate these VIEs because it is not the primary beneficiary. The Company’s total exposure to unconsolidated VIEs, consisting of the carrying value of investment securities and receivables for fees, was $11.5 million at September 30, 2023, and $12.5 million at June 30, 2023.

The carrying amount of assets and liabilities recognized in the Consolidated Balance Sheets related to the Company's interests in these non-consolidated VIEs were as follows:

	Carrying Value and Maximum Exposure to Loss
(dollars in thousands)	September 30, 2023		June 30, 2023
Investments in securities at fair value, current	$	10,793	$	11,642
Investments in equity securities at fair value, non-current		702		785
Other receivables		44		45
Total VIE assets, maximum exposure to loss	$	11,539	$	12,472

Since the Company is not the primary beneficiary of the above funds it advises, the Company evaluated if it should consolidate under the voting interest entity model. Under the voting interest model, for legal entities other than partnerships, the usual condition for control is ownership, directly or indirectly, of more than 50 percent of the outstanding voting shares over an entity. The Company does not have control of any of the above funds it advises; therefore, the Company does not consolidate any of these funds.

All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. Certain amounts have been reclassified for comparative purposes. Certain quarterly amounts may not add to the year-to-date amount due to rounding. The results of operations for the interim periods disclosed herein are not necessarily indicative of the results the Company may expect for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024 (“fiscal 2024”).

The unaudited interim financial information in these Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements contained in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K; interim disclosures generally do not repeat those in the annual statements.

Use of Estimates

Preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements in accordance with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect amounts reported in the Consolidated Financial Statements and accompanying notes. Actual results may materially differ from those estimates.

Adoption of New Accounting Standard

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326), Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments, and has subsequently issued several amendments (collectively, “ASU 2016-13”). ASU 2016-13 adds to U.S. GAAP an impairment model (known as the current expected credit loss model, or "CECL") that is based on expected losses rather than incurred losses for most financial assets and certain other instruments. Under the new guidance, an entity recognizes as an allowance its estimate of expected credit losses. It also modifies the impairment model for available-for-sale debt securities; the concept of "other-than-temporary" impairment was replaced by a determination of whether any impairment is a result of a credit loss or other factors. To adopt the standard, entities are required to make a cumulative-effect adjustment to beginning retained earnings as of the beginning of the fiscal year in which the guidance is effective. The Company adopted the standard using the modified-retrospective approach for all financial assets measured at amortized cost on July 1, 2023, and recognized an initial allowance for credit losses of $232,000 for one held-to-maturity debt security. The cumulative-effect adjustment to beginning retained earnings, net of the related tax effect, was a decrease of $183,000.

Recent Accounting Pronouncement

In June 2022, the FASB issued ASU 2022-03, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820), Fair Value Measurement of Equity Securities Subject to Contractual Sale Restrictions (“ASU 2022-03”). The FASB issued ASU 2022-03 (1) to clarify the guidance in Topic 820, Fair Value Measurement, when measuring the fair value of an equity security subject to contractual restrictions that prohibit the sale of an equity security, (2) to amend a related illustrative example, and (3) to introduce new disclosure requirements for equity securities subject to contractual sale restrictions that are measured at fair value in accordance with Topic 820. ASU 2022-03 will be effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023. Early adoption is permitted for both interim and annual financial statements that have not yet been issued or made available for issuance. The Company is currently evaluating the guidance and does not expect the adoption of the new standard to have a material impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

Significant Accounting Policies
 
As a result of the adoption of an accounting pronouncement during the current period, the following accounting policies have been updated. For a complete listing of the Company's significant accounting policies, please refer to the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2023.

Investments in Debt Securities. The Company classifies debt investments as available-for-sale or held-to-maturity based on the Company’s intent to sell the security or, its intent and ability to hold the debt security to maturity. Available-for-sale debt securities are carried at fair value, and changes in unrealized gains and losses are reported net of tax in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), except for declines in fair value determined to be a result of credit loss, which are reported in earnings. Upon the disposition of an available-for-sale security, the Company reclassifies the gain or loss on the security from accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) to net investment income (loss). Held-to-maturity debt securities are purchased with the intent and ability to hold until maturity and are measured at amortized cost. Both available-for-sale and held-to-maturity debt securities are subject to an allowance for credit losses. 

Allowance for Credit Losses (Held-to-Maturity Debt Securities). For held-to-maturity debt securities, the Company is required to utilize the CECL methodology to estimate expected credit losses. Securities are evaluated on an individual basis. The individual assessment and determination of expected credit losses is generally based on the discounted cash flow method. Under the discounted cash flow method, the allowance for credit losses reflects the difference between the amortized cost basis and the present value of the expected cash flows. The Company adjusts the discount rate utilized to determine the present value of the expected cash flows quarterly for subsequent fluctuations in market interest rates. Changes in the present value attributable to the passage of time are those solely due to changes in the present value of the expected cash flows as the instrument approaches maturity rather than expectations of cash flow timing or amounts, and are included in interest income within net investment income (loss) on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Changes in the allowance attributable to expectations of cash flow timing or amounts are recorded as a provision (or release) for credit losses and are included within other income (loss) on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Held-to-maturity debt securities, or portions thereof, are charged against the allowance when management believes the uncollectible status of a held-to-maturity security is confirmed. Accrued interest receivable is excluded from the allowance for credit losses. See Note 3, Investments, for more information about held-to-maturity debt securities.

Allowance for Credit Losses (Available-for-Sale Debt Securities). The impairment model for available-for-sale debt securities differs from the CECL methodology applied for held-to-maturity debt securities because available-for-sale debt securities are measured at fair value rather than amortized cost. For available-for-sale debt securities in an unrealized loss position, the Company first assesses whether it intends to sell, or it is more likely than not that it will be required to sell, the security before recovery of its amortized cost basis. If either criterion is met, the security’s amortized cost basis is written down to fair value through earnings. For available-for-sale debt securities where neither of the criteria is met, the Company evaluates whether the decline in fair value has resulted from credit losses or other factors. In making this assessment, management considers the extent to which fair value is less than amortized cost, any changes to the credit rating of the security by a rating agency, and adverse conditions specifically related to the security, among other factors. If this assessment indicates that a credit loss exists, the present value of cash flows expected to be collected from the security are compared to the amortized cost basis of the security. If the present value of cash flows expected to be collected is less than the amortized cost basis, a credit loss exists and an allowance for credit losses is recorded for the credit loss, limited to the amount that the fair value is less than the amortized cost basis. Any remaining discount that has not been recorded through an allowance for credit losses is recognized in other comprehensive income. Changes in the allowance for credit losses are recorded as a provision (or release) for credit losses and are included within other income (loss) on the Consolidated Statements of Operations. Losses are charged against the allowance when management believes the uncollectible status of an available-for-sale security is confirmed or when either of the criteria regarding intent or requirement to sell is met. Accrued interest receivable is excluded from the allowance for credit losses. See Note 3, Investments, for more information about available-for-sale debt securities.

Credit Quality Indicators. The Company monitors the credit quality of debt securities through credit ratings from various rating agencies. Credit ratings express opinions about the credit quality of a security and are utilized by the Company to make informed decisions. Investment grade securities are rated BBB-/Baa3 or higher and generally considered by the rating agencies and market participants to be of low credit risk. Conversely, securities rated below investment grade are considered to have distinctively higher credit risk than investment grade securities. For securities without credit ratings, the Company utilizes other financial information indicating the financial health of the underlying organization.  

Receivables and Allowance for Credit Losses. Receivables consist primarily of advisory and other fees owed to the Company by clients. The Company records an expense based on a forward-looking current expected credit loss model to maintain an allowance for credit losses. When determining the allowance for receivables, the probability of recoverability of the receivable based on past experience, taking into account current collection trends and general economic factors, including bankruptcy rates, is considered. The Company also considers future economic trends to estimate expected credit losses over the lifetime of the asset. Credit risks are assessed based on historical write-offs, net of recoveries, as well as an analysis of the aged accounts receivable balances with allowances generally increasing as the receivable ages. Accounts receivable may be fully reserved for when specific collection issues are known to exist, such as pending bankruptcies. Due to the short-term nature, the Company had no allowance for credit losses related to receivables as of September 30, 2023, or June 30, 2023.

Dividends and Interest. Dividends are recorded on the ex-dividend date, and interest income is recorded on an accrual basis. Debt investments are placed on a non-accrual status when they are past due 180 days or more as to contractual obligations or when other circumstances indicate that collection is not probable. When a debt investment is placed on a non-accrual status, any interest accrued but not received is reversed against interest income. Any discount between the cost and the principal amount of debt investments is amortized to interest income using the effective interest method. When the discounted cash flow method is utilized to estimate expected credit losses for held-to-maturity debt securities, any changes in the allowance for credit losses that are attributable to the passage of time are recognized in interest income. Both dividends and interest income are included within net investment income (loss) on the Consolidated Statements of Operations.