Nature’s Sunshine Products, Inc. Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

NATURE OF OPERATIONS AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

The Company is a natural health and wellness company primarily engaged in the manufacturing and direct selling of nutritional and personal care products. The Company is a Utah corporation with its principal place of business in Lehi, Utah, and sells its products to a sales force of independent distributors that uses the products themselves or resells them to consumers

The Company markets its products in Australia, Austria, Belarus, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Denmark, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Finland, Germany, Guatemala, Honduras, Hong Kong, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Moldova, Mongolia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Poland, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Company also markets its products though a wholesale model to Australia, Brazil, Chile, Israel, New Zealand, Norway, Peru, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom.

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts and transactions of the Company and its subsidiaries. At December 31, 2016 and 2015, substantially all of the Company’s subsidiaries were wholly owned. Intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation. The Company consolidates the joint ventures in Hong Kong and China in its consolidated financial statements, with another party's interest presented as a noncontrolling interest. Additionally, the Company operates a limited number of markets in jurisdictions where local laws require the formation of a partnership with an entity domiciled in that market. These partners have no rights to participate in the sharing of revenues, profits, losses or distribution of assets upon liquidation of these partnerships.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, in these financial statements and accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from these estimates and those differences could have a material effect on the Company’s financial position and results of operations.

The significant accounting estimates inherent in the preparation of the Company’s financial statements include estimates associated with its evaluation of impairment of long-lived assets, the determination of liabilities related to Manager and Distributor incentives, the determination of income tax assets and liabilities, certain other non-income tax and value-added tax contingencies, legal contingencies, and the valuation of investments. In addition, significant estimates form the basis for allowances with respect to inventory valuations and self-insurance liabilities associated with product liability and medical claims. Various assumptions and other factors enter into the determination of these significant estimates. The process of determining significant estimates takes into account historical experience and current and expected economic conditions.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid short-term investments with original maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. Substantially all of the Company’s cash deposits either exceed the United States federally insured limit or are located in countries that do not have government insured accounts or are subject to tax withholdings when repatriating earnings.

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable consist principally of receivables from credit card companies, arising from the sale of products to the Company’s independent Distributors, and receivables from independent Distributors in foreign markets. Accounts receivable have been reduced by an allowance for amounts that may be uncollectible in the future. However, due to the geographic dispersion of credit card and Distributor receivables, the collection risk is not considered to be significant. Substantially all of the receivables from credit card companies were current as of December 31, 2016 and 2015. Although receivables from independent Distributors can be significant, the Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its importers and maintains an allowance for potential credit losses. This estimated allowance is based primarily on the aging category, historical trends and management’s evaluation of the financial condition of the customer. This reserve is adjusted periodically as information about specific accounts becomes available.

Investment Securities

The Company’s available-for-sale investment portfolio is recorded at fair value and consists of U.S. government security funds. These investments are valued using (a) quoted prices for identical assets in active markets or (b) from significant inputs that are observable or can be derived from or corroborated by observable market data for substantially the full term of the asset. The Company’s trading portfolio is recorded at fair value and consists of various marketable securities that are valued using quoted prices in active markets.

Regardless of the Company’s intent to sell a security, the Company performs additional analysis on all securities with unrealized losses to evaluate losses associated with the creditworthiness of the security. Credit losses are identified where the Company does not expect to receive cash flows sufficient to recover the amortized cost basis of a security.

For equity securities, when assessing whether a decline in fair value below the Company’s cost basis is other-than-temporary, the Company considers the fair market value of the security, the length of time and extent to which market value has been less than cost, the financial condition and near-term prospects of the issuer as well as specific events or circumstances that may influence the operations of the issuer, and the Company’s intent and ability to hold the investment for a sufficient time in order to enable recovery of the cost. New information and the passage of time can change these judgments. Where the Company has determined that it lacks the intent and ability to hold an equity security to its expected recovery, the security’s decline in fair value is deemed to be other-than-temporary and is recorded within earnings as an impairment loss.

The Company also has certain investment securities classified as trading securities. The Company maintains its trading securities portfolio to generate returns that are offset by corresponding changes in certain liabilities related to the Company’s deferred compensation plans (see Note 13). The trading securities portfolio consists of marketable securities, which are recorded at fair value and are included in long-term investment securities on the consolidated balance sheets because they remain assets of the Company until they are actually paid out to the participants. These investment securities are not available to the Company to fund its operations as they are restricted for the payment of the deferred compensation payable. The Company has established a rabbi trust to finance obligations under the plan. Both realized and unrealized gains and losses on trading securities are included in interest and other income.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The Company’s financial instruments consist primarily of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, investments, accounts payable and the facility. Other than investments, which are carried at fair value, the carrying values of these financial instruments approximate their fair values due to their short-term nature. During the years ended December 31, 2016, and 2015, the Company did not have any write-offs related to the remeasurement of non-financial assets at fair value on a nonrecurring basis subsequent to their initial recognition.

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower-of-cost-or-market, using the first-in, first-out method. The components of inventory cost include raw materials, labor and overhead. To estimate any necessary obsolescence or lower-of-cost-or-market adjustments, various assumptions are made in regard to excess or slow-moving inventories, non-conforming inventories, expiration dates, current and future product demand, production planning and market conditions.

Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment are recorded at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Depreciation is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the related assets. Estimated useful lives for buildings range from 20 to 50 years; building improvements range from 7 to 10 years; machinery and equipment range from 2 to 10 years; computer software and hardware range from 3 to 10 years; and furniture and fixtures range from 2 to 5 years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of the lease term or the estimated useful lives of the related assets. Maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred and major improvements are capitalized.

The Company has made a significant investment in its information systems of approximately $46.8 million as of December 31, 2016. The Company intends on implementing the new system during 2017, and will amortize the asset over 10 years.

Intangible Assets

Intangible assets consist of purchased product formulations and product registrations. Such intangible assets are amortized using the straight-line method over the estimated economic lives of the assets of 9 to 15 years. Intangible assets, net of accumulated amortization, totaled $1.0 million and $0.6 million, at December 31, 2016, and 2015, respectively.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

The Company reviews its long-lived assets, such as property, plant and equipment and intangible assets for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be recoverable. The Company uses an estimate of future undiscounted net cash flows of the related assets or groups of assets over their remaining lives in measuring whether the assets are recoverable. An impairment loss is calculated by determining the difference between the carrying values and the fair values of these assets. Due to the continual currency devaluation of the Venezuelan bolivar, as of September 30, 2014, the Company incurred a $2.9 million impairment charge to write down the value of its fixed assets in Venezuela to $0.

Incentive Trip Accrual

The Company accrues for expenses associated with its direct sales program, which rewards independent Managers and Distributors with paid attendance for incentive trips, including Company conventions and meetings. Expenses associated with incentive trips are accrued over qualification periods as they are earned. The Company specifically analyzes incentive trip accruals based on historical and current sales trends as well as contractual obligations when evaluating the adequacy of the incentive trip accrual. Actual results could generate liabilities more or less than the amounts recorded. The Company has accrued convention and meeting costs of $5.1 million and $4.8 million at December 31, 2016, and 2015, respectively, which are included in accrued liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets.

Foreign Currency Translation

The local currency of the foreign subsidiaries is used as the functional currency, except for the Company’s operations are served by a U.S. based subsidiary (for example, Russia and Ukraine). The financial statements of foreign subsidiaries where the local currency is the functional currency are translated into U.S. dollars using exchange rates in effect at year end for assets and liabilities and average exchange rates during each year for the results of operations. Adjustments resulting from translation of financial statements are reflected in accumulated other comprehensive loss, net of income taxes. Foreign currency transaction gains and losses are included in other income (expense) in the consolidated statements of operations.

The functional currency in highly inflationary economies is the U.S. dollar and transactions denominated in the local currency are re-measured as if the functional currency were the U.S. dollar. The remeasurement of local currencies into U.S. dollars creates translation adjustments, which are included in the consolidated statements of operations. A country is considered to have a highly inflationary economy if it has a cumulative inflation rate of approximately 100 percent or more over a three year period as well as other qualitative factors including historical inflation rate trends (increasing and decreasing), the capital intensiveness of the operation, and other pertinent economic factors. The Company did not operate in any highly inflationary countries during the year ended December 31, 2016.

Revenue Recognition

Net sales and related volume incentive expenses are recorded when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, collectability is reasonably assured, the amount is fixed and determinable, and title and risk of loss have passed. The amount of the volume incentive is determined based upon the amount of qualifying purchases in a given month. Amounts received for undelivered merchandise are recorded as deferred revenue.

From time to time, the Company’s U.S. operations extend short-term credit associated with product promotions. In addition, for certain of the Company’s international operations, the Company offers credit terms consistent with industry standards within the country of operation. Payments to independent Managers and Distributors for sales incentives or rebates are recorded as a reduction of revenue. Payments for sales incentives and independent rebates are calculated monthly based upon qualifying sales. Membership fees are deferred and amortized as revenue over the life of the membership, primarily one year. Prepaid event registration fees are deferred and recognized as revenues when the related event is held.

A reserve for product returns is recorded based upon historical experience. The Company allows independent Managers or Distributors to return the unused portion of products within ninety days of purchase if they are not satisfied with the product. In some of the Company’s markets, the requirements to return product are more restrictive. Sales returns for the years 2016, 2015 and 2014, were $1.4 million, $1.2 million, and $1.5 million, respectively.

Amounts billed to customers for shipping and handling are reported as a component of net sales. Shipping and handling revenues of approximately $9.2 million, $9.2 million, and $9.8 million were reported as net sales for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014, respectively.

Taxes that have been assessed by governmental authorities and that are directly imposed on revenue-producing transactions between the Company and its customers, including sales, use, value-added, and some excise taxes, are presented on a net basis (excluded from net sales).

Advertising Costs

Advertising costs are expensed as incurred and classified in selling, general and administrative expenses. Advertising expense incurred for the years ended December 31, 2016, 2015, and 2014 totaled approximately $1.9 million, $2.2 million and $2.3 million, respectively.

Research and Development

All research and development costs are expensed as incurred and classified in selling, general and administrative expense. Total research and development expenses were approximately $3.2 million, $2.8 million, and $2.5 million in 2016, 2015, and 2014, respectively.

Contingencies

The Company is involved in certain legal proceedings. When a loss is considered probable in connection with litigation or non-income tax contingencies and when such loss can be reasonably estimated, the Company records its best estimate within a range related to the contingency. If there is no best estimate, the Company records the minimum of the range. As additional information becomes available, the Company assesses the liability related to the contingency and revises the estimates. Revision in estimates of the liabilities could materially affect the Company's results of operations in the period of adjustment. The Company’s contingencies are discussed in further detail in Note 14.

Income Taxes

The Company’s income tax expense, deferred tax assets and liabilities and contingent reserves reflect management’s best assessment of estimated future taxes to be paid. The Company is subject to income taxes in both the U.S. and numerous foreign jurisdictions. Significant judgments and estimates are required in determining the consolidated income tax expense.

Deferred income taxes arise from temporary differences between the tax and financial statement recognition of revenue and expense. In evaluating the Company’s ability to recover its deferred tax assets, management considers all available positive and negative evidence, including scheduled reversals of deferred tax liabilities, projected future taxable income, tax planning strategies and recent financial operations. In projecting future taxable income, the Company develops assumptions including the amount of future state, federal and foreign pretax operating income, the reversal of temporary differences, and the implementation of feasible and prudent tax planning strategies. These assumptions require significant judgment about the forecasts of future taxable income, and are consistent with the plans and estimates that the Company is using to manage the underlying businesses.

Changes in tax laws and rates could also affect recorded deferred tax assets and liabilities in the future. Management is not aware of any such changes that would have a material effect on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows or financial position.

The calculation of the Company’s tax liabilities involves dealing with uncertainties in the application of complex tax laws and regulations in a multitude of jurisdictions across its global operations. Income tax positions must meet a more-likely-than-not recognition threshold to be recognized.

Net Income (Loss) Per Common Share

Basic net income per common share (“Basic EPS”) is computed by dividing net income by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net income per common share (“Diluted EPS”) reflects the potential dilution that could occur if stock options or other contracts to issue common stock were exercised or converted into common stock. The computation of Diluted EPS does not assume exercise or conversion of securities that would have an anti-dilutive effect on net income per common share.

Following is a reconciliation of the numerator and denominator of Basic EPS to the numerator and denominator of Diluted EPS for all years (dollar and share amounts in thousands, except for per share information):



	2016		2015		2014
Net income attributable to common shareholders:
Net income from continuing operations	$	2,139	$	12,571	$	19,976
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	$	—	$	2,116	$	(9,957	)
Net income	$	2,139	$	14,687	$	10,019

Basic weighted-average shares outstanding	18,731		18,656		17,108

Basic earnings per share attributable to common shareholders:
Net income from continuing operations	$	0.11	$	0.67	$	1.15
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	$	—	$	0.11	$	(0.57	)
Net income	$	0.11	$	0.79	$	0.58

Diluted Shares Outstanding
Basic weighted-average shares outstanding	18,731		18,656		17,108
Stock-based awards	325		521		533
Diluted weighted-average shares outstanding	19,056		19,177		17,641

Diluted earnings per share attributable to common shareholders:
Net income from continuing operations	$	0.11	$	0.66	$	1.12
Income (loss) from discontinued operations	$	—	$	0.11	$	(0.56	)
Net income	$	0.11	$	0.77	$	0.56

Potentially dilutive shares excluded from diluted-per-share amounts:
Stock options	288		345		133

Potentially anti-dilutive shares excluded from diluted-per-share amounts:
Stock options	1,347		688		210

Potentially dilutive shares excluded from diluted-per-share amounts include performance-based options to purchase shares of common stock, for which certain earnings metrics have not been achieved. Potentially anti-dilutive shares excluded from diluted-per-share amounts include both non-qualified stock options and unearned performance-based options to purchase shares of common stock with exercise prices greater than the weighted-average share price during the period and shares that would be anti-dilutive to the computation of diluted net income per share for each of the years presented.

Share-Based Compensation

The Company’s outstanding stock options include time-based stock options, which vest over differing periods ranging from the date of issuance up to 48 months from the option grant date; performance-based stock options, which have already vested upon achieving operating income margins of six, eight and ten percent as reported in four of five consecutive quarters over the term of the options.

The Company’s outstanding restricted stock units ("RSUs") include time-based RSUs, which vest over differing periods ranging from 12 months up to 48 months from the RSU grant date, as well as performance-based RSUs, which vest upon achieving cumulative annual net sales growth targets over a rolling one year period and performance-based RSUs, which vest upon achieving earnings-per-share targets over a rolling one-year period. RSUs granted to the Board of Directors contain a restriction period in which the shares are not issued until two years after vesting.

The Company recognizes all share-based payments to Directors and employees, including grants of stock options and restricted stock units, in the statement of operations based on their grant-date fair values. The Company records compensation expense, net of an estimated forfeiture rate, over the vesting period of the stock options and restricted stock units based on the fair value of the stock options and restricted stock units on the date of grant. The Company’s estimated forfeiture rate is based upon historical experience.

Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Comprehensive income (loss) includes all changes in shareholders’ equity except those resulting from investments by, and distributions to, shareholders. Accordingly, the Company’s comprehensive income (loss) includes net income (loss), net unrealized gains (losses) on investment securities, reclassifications of realized gains, and foreign currency adjustments that arise from the translation of the financial statements of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries.

Strategic Alliance with Fosun Pharma

On August 25, 2014, Nature’s Sunshine and Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co., Ltd. (“Fosun Pharma”), closed a transaction pursuant to which, the parties entered into a joint venture for operations in the People’s Republic of China (“China”), of which 80 percent is owned by Nature’s Sunshine and 20 percent is owned by a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fosun Pharma and completed a concurrent investment by Fosun Pharma in Nature’s Sunshine common stock issued pursuant to a private placement transaction with net proceeds of $44.8 million. Nature’s Sunshine used the net proceeds of the private placement transaction to fund its 80 percent share of the initial $20.0 million capitalization of the China joint venture, or $16.0 million, and to pay its shareholders a cash dividend of $1.50 per share, or $28.5 million. The Company consolidated the joint venture in its consolidated financial statements, with Fosun Pharma’s interest presented as a noncontrolling interest.

The joint venture, known as Nature’s Sunshine Hong Kong Limited, expects to market and distribute Nature’s Sunshine products in China. Nature’s Sunshine Hong Kong Limited currently anticipates deploying a multi-channel go-to-market strategy that will offer select Nature’s Sunshine-branded products through direct selling, e-commerce and retail channels across China. The time to market will be dependent upon regulatory processes, including product registration, permit and license approvals. The Company is unable to determine whether or when it will receive a direct selling license in China.

Pursuant to a concurrent private placement transaction, Nature’s Sunshine issued 2,855 shares of unregistered common stock to Fosun Pharma at a price of $16.19 per share, representing aggregate net proceeds to Nature’s Sunshine of $44.8 million. The purchase price represented a 10 percent premium to Nature’s Sunshine’s average stock price over the trailing 30 business day period as of June 26, 2014. As a result of the private placement transaction, Fosun Pharma owns approximately 15 percent of Nature’s Sunshine outstanding common shares with respect to which the Company has granted Fosun Pharma certain registration rights. In addition, Nature’s Sunshine appointed one director designated by Fosun Pharma to its board of directors.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014-09 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606), and has subsequently issued ASUs 2015-14 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Deferral of the Effective Date, 2016-08 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross Versus Net), 2016-10 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing, 2016-12 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients, and 2016-20 - Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606): Technical Corrections and Improvements to Topic 606 (collectively, Topic 606).

Topic 606 outline a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and supersede 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. This guidance is effective for the Company beginning on January 1, 2018 and it has the option of using either a full retrospective or a modified retrospective approach for the adoption of the new standard. The Company expects to adopt Topic 606 using the modified retrospective approach, under which the cumulative effect of initially applying Topic 606 is recognized as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the first quarter of 2018.

The Company is concluding the assessment phase of implementing this guidance. The Company has evaluated each of the five steps in Topic 606, which are as follows: 1) Identify the contract with the customer; 2) Identify the performance obligations in the contract; 3) Determine the transaction price; 4) Allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations; and 5) Recognize revenue when (or as) performance obligations are satisfied. The Company expects to identify similar performance obligations under ASC Topic 606 as compared with deliverables and separate units of account previously identified. As a result, the Company expects the timing of revenue to remain materially the same in comparison to the current revenue recognition guidance.

There are also certain considerations related to internal control over financial reporting that are associated with implementing Topic 606. The Company is currently evaluating its control framework for revenue recognition and identifying any changes that may need to be made in response to the new guidance. Disclosure requirements under the new guidance in Topic 606 have been significantly expanded in comparison to the disclosure requirements under the current guidance. Designing and implementing the appropriate controls over gathering and reporting the information required under Topic 606 is currently in process.

In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-15, Presentation of Financial Statements: "Going Concern" (Subtopic 205-40). The purpose of this ASU is to incorporate into U.S. GAAP management’s responsibility to evaluate whether there is substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the date that the financial statements are issued, and to provide related footnote disclosures. This update is effective for the annual period ending after December 15, 2016, and for annual periods and interim periods thereafter. Early application is permitted. The adoption of this ASU is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations, consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures.

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-11, Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory. This update specifies that inventory should be subsequently measured at the lower of cost or net realizable value, which is the ordinary selling price less any completion, transportation and disposal costs. However, the ASU does not apply to inventory measured using the last-in-first-out or retail methods. This update is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016. Adoption of the ASU is prospective. The adoption of this ASU is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations, consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures.

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes. This guidance requires that entities with a classified statement of financial position present all deferred tax assets and liabilities as noncurrent. This update is effective for annual and interim periods for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, which will require the Company to adopt the new guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2017. Early adoption is permitted for financial statements that have not been previously issued and may be applied on either a prospective or retrospective basis. Other than the netting of current and long-term deferred tax assets and liabilities in the non-current section of the balance sheet and footnote disclosures, the adoption of this ASU is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations and consolidated financial statements.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments - Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities. This update amends the guidance in U.S. GAAP on the classification and measurement of financial instruments. Although the ASU retains many current requirements, it significantly revises an entity’s accounting related to (1) the classification and measurement of investments in equity securities and (2) the presentation of certain fair value changes for financial liabilities measured at fair value. The ASU also amends certain disclosure requirements associated with the fair value of financial instruments. This update is effective for interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017. The adoption of this ASU is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations, consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842): Accounting for Leases. This update specifies that lessees should recognize assets and liabilities arising from all leases, except for leases with a lease term of 12 months or less. The recognition, measurement, and presentation of expenses and cash flows arising from a lease by a lessee will largely remain unchanged and continue to depend on its classification as a finance or operating lease. The ASU will be effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018 with early adoption permitted. The adoption of this ASU is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations; however, it is expected to gross-up the consolidated balance sheet as a result of recognizing a lease asset along with a similar lease liability.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting. The amendments are effective for public companies for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those annual periods, with early adoption permitted. Several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment award transactions are simplified, including: (a) income tax consequences; (b) classification of awards as either equity or liabilities; and (c) classification on the statement of cash flows. The adoption of this ASU is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations, consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures.