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Organization and Business
12 Months Ended
May 31, 2014
Organization And Business  
Organization and Business

Note A – Organization and Business

 

Organization and Nature of Business

 

Jacobs Financial Group, Inc. (the “Company” or “JFG”), formerly NELX, Inc., was incorporated in Kansas on March 25, 1983. In 2001, the Company acquired all the outstanding stock of two corporations located in Charleston, West Virginia: Jacobs& Company (“Jacobs”) and FS Investments, Inc. (“FSI”). Jacobs is a registered investment advisory firm that derives its revenue from asset-based investment advisory fees. FSI, through its wholly-owned subsidiary Triangle Surety Agency, Inc. (“Triangle”), is engaged in the business of placing surety bonds with insurance companies for clients engaged in regulated industries, such as the extraction of coal, oil and gas. FSI receives commission income from the placement of these bonds and is licensed in ten states primarily in the eastern United States. On December 30, 2005, the Company acquired all of the outstanding stock of West Virginia Fire & Casualty Company (“WVFCC”), an insurance company licensed to engage in business in West Virginia, Ohio and Indiana. The acquisition of WVFCC consisted of the purchase of marketable investments and insurance licenses and did not include any existing policies or customer base as the insurance lines of business offered by WVFCC were not insurance lines that the Company intended to pursue. Following the acquisition, the name of WVFCC was changed to First Surety Corporation (“FSC”). FSC receives insurance premium income in connection with the issuance of surety bonds. The Company and its subsidiaries are subject to the business risks inherent in the financial services industry.

 

Liquidity and Going Concern

 

These consolidated financial statements are presented on the basis that the Company is a going concern. Going concern contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business over a reasonable length of time. Presently, the Company has insufficient liquidity and capitalization, and has suffered recurring losses from operations. Losses are expected to continue until the Company develops a more substantial book of business. While improvement is anticipated as the Company’s business plan is implemented, other conditions, such as restrictions on the use of assets (See Note C), and the Company’s significant deficiency in working capital and stockholders’ equity raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern.

 

Management intends to improve cash flow through the implementation of its business plan. Additionally, management continues to seek to raise additional funds for operations through private placements of stock, other long-term or permanent financing, or short-term borrowings. However, the Company cannot be certain that it will be able to continue to obtain adequate funding in order to reasonably predict whether it will be able to continue as a going concern. The accompanying financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.

 

Principles of Consolidation

 

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Jacobs Financial Group, Inc. and its majority owned subsidiaries, after the elimination of intercompany transactions.

 

Cash and Short Term Investments

 

The Company considers all highly liquid instruments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.  The Company continually monitors its positions with, and the credit quality of, the financial institutions with which it invests. Included in cash and cash equivalents are restricted amounts held in trust for customers in the form of collateral for the bonding program of FSC.

 

Use of Estimates

 

Preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Significant areas requiring the use of management estimates are loss reserves, stock options, valuation of investments, and the valuation of deferred tax assets. Actual results inevitably will differ from those estimates, and such differences may be material to the financial statements.

 

Revenue Recognition

 

Fees for investment advisory services are based on an agreed percentage of the value of client assets under management and are accrued monthly based on the market value of client assets.

 

The Company accounts for its surety bond issuances as short duration contracts. Surety premiums are recorded as receivables when due and are earned pro rata over the term of the policies of generally one year, subject to annual renewal. The reserve for unearned premiums represents the portion of premiums written relating to the unexpired terms of coverage. The reserve for unearned premium is determined using the monthly pro rata method. Advance premiums represent renewal premiums paid in advance of the effective renewal date.

 

Agency commissions for surety bond services are based on a percentage of premiums charged for bonds placed with insurance companies, and are recorded upon issuance or effective renewal date of the bonds. No significant continuing services subsequent to the issuance or renewal of surety bonds are required.

 

Policy acquisition costs include costs that vary with and are primarily related to the acquisition of new business. Such costs generally include commissions, underwriting expenses, and premium taxes and are deferred and amortized over the period in which the related premiums are earned. The deferred policy acquisition cost assets are reviewed for recoverability based on the profitability of the underlying surety policy. Investment income is not anticipated in the recoverability of deferred policy acquisition costs.

 

Investments

 

Debt securities are designated at purchase as held-to-maturity, trading or available for sale. Held-to-maturity debt securities are carried at amortized cost where the Company has the ability and intent to hold these securities until maturity. Premiums and discounts arising from the purchase of debt securities are treated as yield adjustments over the estimated lives or call date, if applicable.

 

Debt and equity securities that are bought and held principally for sale in the near future are classified as trading securities and are carried at fair value, with changes in fair value recorded in current operations.

 

Debt and equity securities that the Company may not have a positive intent to hold until maturity and not classified as trading, are considered to be available for sale and carried at fair value.

 

Management has determined it may dispose of securities prior to their scheduled maturity due to changes in interest rates, prepayments, tax and credit considerations, liquidity or regulatory capital requirements, or other similar factors. As a result, the Company classifies all of its fixed income securities (bonds) and equity securities as available-for-sale. These securities are reported at fair value, with unrealized gains and losses, net of deferred income taxes, reported in stockholders’ equity as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive income.

 

An investment is considered impaired when its fair value is less than its cost or amortized cost, as applicable. When an investment is impaired, a determination is made as to whether the impairment is other than temporary (“OTTI”).

 

Factors considered in identifying OTTI include: 1) for debt securities, whether the Company intends to sell the investment or whether it is more likely than not that the Company will be required to sell the security prior to the anticipated recovery in value; 2) the likelihood of the recoverability of principal and interest for debt securities (i.e., whether there is a credit loss) or cost for equity securities; 3) the length of time and extent to which the fair value has been less than amortized cost for debt securities or carrying value for equity securities; and 4) the financial condition, near-term and long-term prospects for the issuer, including the relevant industry conditions and trends, and implications of rating agency actions and offering prices.

 

Short-term investments consist primarily of debt securities having maturities of one year or less at date of purchase, money-market investment funds and other similar investments that have immediate availability.

 

Interest income with respect to fixed maturity securities is accrued as earned. Dividend income is generally recognized when receivable.

 

Realized gains and losses are determined by specific identification of the security sold.

 

Derivatives

 

The Company uses derivatives in the form of covered call options sold to generate additional income and provide limited downside protection in the event of a market correction.

 

These transactions expose the Company to potential market risk for which the Company receives a premium up front and the Company realizes the option premium received as income. The market risk relates to the requirement to deliver the underlying security to the purchaser of the call within a definite time at an agreed market price regardless of the then current market price of the security.

 

As a result the Company takes the risk that it may be required to sell the security at the strike price, which could be a price less than the then market price. Should the security decline in market price over the holding period of the call option, the Company can lessen or mitigate the risk of loss with a closing transaction for the covered call and sale of the underlying security.

 

The Company invests in large capitalized US securities traded on major US exchanges and writes standardized covered calls only against these positions (covered calls), which are openly traded on major US exchanges. The use of such underlying securities and standardized calls lessens the credit risk to the furthest extent possible.

 

The Company is not exposed to significant cash requirements through the use of covered calls in that it sells a call for a premium and may use these proceeds to enter a closing transaction for the call at a later date.

 

Allowance for uncollectible premium and other receivables

 

The majority of the Company’s fee revenue is generated by services provided to companies and individuals throughout the Eastern United States. Management evaluates the need for a reserve for the amount of these receivables that may be uncollectible, based on historical collection activity adjusted for current conditions. Premium and other receivables are charged-off when deemed uncollectible. Based on this evaluation, management believes that most accounts receivable are collectible, and has established an allowance for estimated uncollectible accounts.

 

Impairment

 

The Company evaluates long-lived assets for impairment annually, or whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the assets may not be recoverable. The impairment is measured by discounting estimated future cash flows expected to be generated, and comparing this amount to the carrying value of the asset. Cash flows are calculated utilizing forecasts and projections and estimated lives of the assets being analyzed. Should actual results differ from those forecasted and projected, The Company may be subject to future impairment charges related to these long-lived assets.

 

Furniture and Equipment

 

Furniture and equipment is recorded at cost. Maintenance and repairs are charged to operations when incurred. When property and equipment are sold or disposed of, the asset account and related accumulated depreciation account are relieved, and any gain or loss is included in operations. The cost of property and equipment is depreciated over the estimated useful lives of the related assets, ranging from three to seven years, using the straight-line and double-declining balance methods, which approximates estimated economic depreciation.

 

Reserve for Losses and Loss Expenses

 

Losses and loss adjustment expenses represent management’s best estimate of the ultimate net cost of all reported and unreported losses incurred. Reserves for unpaid losses and loss adjustment expenses are estimated using industry averages, however, will include individual case-basis valuations in the event if claims are received. These estimates and methods of establishing reserves are continually reviewed and updated.

 

Stock-based Compensation

 

The fair value of stock options is estimated at the grant date using the Black Scholes Option Pricing Model. This model requires the input of a number of assumptions, including expected volatility and dividend yields, expected stock price, risk-free interest rates, and an expected life of the options. Although the assumptions used reflect management’s best estimate, they involve inherent uncertainties based on market conditions generally outside the control of the Company.

 

Income Taxes

 

The Company currently has net operating loss (“NOL”) carry-forwards that can be utilized to offset future income for federal and state tax purposes. These NOLs represent a significant deferred tax asset. However, the Company has recorded a valuation allowance against this deferred tax asset as it has determined that it is more likely than not that it will not be able to fully utilize the NOLs. Should assumptions regarding the utilization of these NOLs change, the Company may reduce some or all of this valuation allowance, which would result in the recording a deferred income tax benefit.

 

The Company follows a more-likely-than-not measurement methodology to reflect the financial statement impact of uncertain tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. If taxing authorities were to disallow any tax positions taken by the Company, the additional income taxes, if any, would be imposed on the the Company.

 

Interest and penalties associated with tax positions are recorded in the period assessed as general and administrative expenses. However, no interest or penalties have been assessed as of May 31, 2014 or 2013.

 

Earnings (Loss) Per Share

 

Basic earnings (loss) per share of common stock are computed using the weighted average number of shares outstanding during each period. Diluted earnings per share are computed on the basis of the average number of common shares outstanding plus the dilutive effect of convertible debt, stock options and warrants. In periods of net loss, there are no diluted earnings per share since the result would be anti-dilutive.

 

Reclassifications

 

Certain amounts in the 2013 Consolidated Financial Statements have been reclassified to be consistent with the presentation in the Consolidated Financial Statements as of May 31, 2014 and for the year then ended. These reclassifications had no impact on previously reported financial position, results of operations or cash flows.