Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

 v2.3.0.11
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2011
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES [Abstract]  
Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Accounting Estimates
The preparation of the interim financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts of assets and liabilities reported and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the interim financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  Management's estimates are based on historical experience, facts and circumstances available at the time, and various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.  Significant estimates include incentives earned or penalties incurred on contracts, best estimate of selling price in multiple element arrangements, valuation allowances related to deferred income taxes, self-insurance loss accruals, allowances for doubtful accounts and notes, income tax accruals, acquisition accounting, asset impairments and facilities realignment accruals.  The Company periodically reviews these matters and reflects changes in estimates as appropriate.  Actual results could materially differ from those estimates.
Basic and Diluted Net Loss per Share
A reconciliation of the number of shares of common stock used in the calculation of basic and diluted loss per share for the three- and six-month periods ended June 30, 2011 and 2010 is as follows:
 
Three Months Ended
 
Six Months Ended
 
June 30,
 
June 30,
 
2011
 
2010
 
2011
 
2010
Basic weighted average number of common shares
14,413

 
14,289

 
14,386

 
14,274

Dilutive effect of stock-based awards

 

 

 

Diluted weighted average number of common shares
14,413

 
14,289

 
14,386

 
14,274

The following outstanding stock-based awards were excluded from the computation of the effect of dilutive securities on loss per share for the following periods because they would have been anti-dilutive:

 
 
Three and Six Months Ended
 
 
June 30,
 
 
2011
 
2010
Options
 
143

 
233

Stock-settled stock appreciation rights (SARs)
 
363

 
490

Restricted stock/units
 
614

 
469

Performance contingent SARs
 
280

 
305

 
 
1,400

 
1,497

Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets
The Company allocates the cost of acquired companies to the identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed, with the remaining amount classified as goodwill. Since the entities the Company has acquired do not have significant tangible assets, a significant portion of the purchase price has been allocated to intangible assets and goodwill. The identification and valuation of these intangible assets and the determination of the estimated useful lives at the time of acquisition, as well as the completion of impairment tests require significant management judgments and estimates. These estimates are made based on, among other factors, consultations with an accredited independent valuation consultant, reviews of projected future operating results and business plans, economic projections, anticipated highest and best use of future cash flows and the market participant cost of capital. The use of alternative estimates and assumptions could increase or decrease the estimated fair value of goodwill and other intangible assets, and potentially result in a different impact to the Company's results of operations. Further, changes in business strategy and/or market conditions may significantly impact these judgments thereby impacting the fair value of these assets, which could result in an impairment of the goodwill.
The Company tests goodwill and indefinite lived intangible assets for impairment at least annually (as of December 31) and whenever events or circumstances change that indicate impairment may have occurred. A significant amount of judgment is involved in determining if an indicator of impairment has occurred. Such indicators may include, among others: a significant decline in expected future cash flows; a sustained, significant decline in stock price and market capitalization; a significant adverse change in legal factors or in the business climate of the pharmaceutical industry; unanticipated competition; and slower growth rates. Any adverse change in these factors could have a significant impact on the recoverability of goodwill, and indefinite lived intangible assets and our consolidated financial results. At June 30, 2011 no indicators of impairment were identified. 
Long-Lived Assets
The Company reviews the recoverability of long-lived assets and finite-lived intangible assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value of such assets may not be recoverable. The Company did not identify any events or changes in circumstances that indicated that the carrying value of such assets may not be recoverable during the six-month period ended June 30, 2011.
Reclassifications
The Company reclassified certain prior period financial statement balances to conform to the current year presentation. See Note 13, Discontinued Operations, for further information.
Forward Looking Accounting Standards Updates
In June 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2011-05, "Presentation of Comprehensive Income" (ASU 2011-05), which requires an entity to present the total of comprehensive income, the components of net income, and the components of other comprehensive income either in a single continuous statement of comprehensive income, or in two separate but consecutive statements. ASU 2011-05 eliminates the option to present components of other comprehensive income as part of the statement of equity. ASU 2011-05 will be effective for periods beginning after December 15, 2011. The adoption of ASU 2011-05 will not have a material effect on the Company's operating results or financial position.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards Updates
In October 2009, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2009-13 (ASU 2009-13), “Multiple-Deliverable Revenue Arrangements-a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force”. ASU 2009-13 updates the existing multiple-deliverable revenue arrangements guidance included under Accounting Standards Codification 605-25. The revised guidance:
eliminates the need for objective and reliable evidence of fair value of the undelivered element in order for a delivered item to be treated as a separate unit of accounting;
eliminates the residual value method of allocation and requires that arrangement consideration be allocated at the inception of the arrangement to all deliverables using the relative selling price method, which allocates any discount in the arrangement proportionally to each deliverable on the basis of each deliverable's selling price;
establishes a selling price hierarchy for determining the selling price of a deliverable, which is based on:
vendor-specific objective evidence (VSOE) if available;
third party evidence (TPE) if VSOE is not available; or
an estimated selling price if neither VSOE nor TPE is available;
requires that a vendor determine its best estimate of selling price in a manner that is consistent with that used to determine the price to sell the deliverable on a stand-alone basis; and
expands the disclosure requirements for multiple-deliverable revenue arrangements.
The Company frequently provides promotional services under multiple-deliverable revenue arrangements (Arrangements) through its Pharmakon and Group DCA business units. The significant deliverables in these Arrangements generally include:
for Pharmakon:
recruitment mailings (Recruitment) to generate attendance at interactive meetings and events; and
the various forms of interactive meetings and events (Events); and
for Group DCA;
the content development phase (Development) of an interactive digital program; and
the hosting period (Delivery) of an interactive digital program, which could include various services, but is primarily comprised of i) the design and delivery of recruitment activities to generate participation in a program and ii) the online hosting, program management and progress reporting services.
ASU 2009-13 became effective for, and was adopted by, the Company beginning January 1, 2011 on a prospective basis. The adoption of ASU 2009-13 as of January 1, 2011 impacted the revenue recognition policies of the Company's marketing segment business units as follows:
Prior to the Adoption of ASU 2009-13
Prior to its adoption of ASU 2009-13, the Company separated the deliverables in its Arrangements into separate units of accounting, as required by the applicable revenue recognition accounting guidance in effect at the time, if a) the delivered item(s) had value to the customer on a standalone basis, b) there was objective and reliable evidence of fair value of the undelivered item(s), and c) if an arrangement included a general right of return relative to the delivered item(s), delivery or performance of the undelivered item(s) was considered probable and substantially in the control of the Company. The application of this guidance resulted in the following accounting treatment at each business unit:
Pharmakon
In general, prior to January 1, 2011 and the adoption of ASU 2009-13, the Company divided the deliverables within these Arrangements into two units of accounting: Recruitment and Events. Recruitment, which is delivered in advance of the Events, was determined to have standalone value to the customer. The Company was able to establish VSOE for the undelivered item, the Events, based on prices charged to its customers when sold on a standalone basis. Revenue was allocated to the deliverables using the residual value method, and was then recognized in accordance with the revenue recognition policies of the individual units of accounting based on the characteristics of the underlying deliverables. Generally, revenue was recognized as Recruitment mailings were mailed and when Events were conducted.
Group DCA
The Company acquired Group DCA on November 3, 2010 and upon the acquisition determined that Development and Delivery services provided by Group DCA did not qualify as separate units of accounting due to the lack of objective and reliable evidence, either from VSOE or TPE, of the fair value of the Delivery unit of accounting, which was the undelivered item in the arrangements. As a result, the Company grouped the deliverables under these Arrangements into one unit of accounting and deferred all revenue related to the programs until it had achieved the recognition criteria applicable to the combined single unit of accounting. Generally, all revenue recognition criteria were met and revenue recognition commenced at the inception of a program's hosting period, and revenue was recognized ratably over the period. Group DCA revenues were not material to the Company's consolidated financial statements during the year ended December 31, 2010.
For further information on the Company's revenue recognition policy refer to the Revenue & Cost of Services section of Footnote 1 in our 2010 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
Impact of the Adoption of ASU 2009-13
Pharmakon
Effective January 1, 2011, the residual value method was no longer an allowable method of allocating arrangement consideration. Pharmakon now utilizes the selling price hierarchy, described above. In applying this hierarchy, the Company first determined that both VSOE and TPE continue to be unavailable for establishing the relative selling price of Recruitment. Based on that determination, the Company now utilizes its best estimate to determine the selling price of this deliverable. The Company has determined that the rate card price Pharmakon charges for this service represents the best estimate of selling price of the Recruitment deliverable as the business unit has an established pricing policy and the rate card price is the price Pharmakon would charge its customers for this service if provided on a standalone basis. The rate card price was determined by estimating the average cost incurred by Pharmakon to provide this service to its customers plus an average profit margin per the business unit pricing policy, and is consistent with the pricing on all services provided by Pharmakon. The application of ASU 2009-13 resulted in little to no change in the allocation of consideration when compared to the residual value method and therefore the adoption of ASU 2009-13 did not have a material impact on Pharmakon revenue recognition during the six-month period ended June 30, 2011, and is not expected to have a material impact on subsequent periods.
Group DCA
Under the guidance in ASU 2009-13, Group DCA is now required to estimate the selling price of a deliverable if it has standalone value to the customer and both VSOE and TPE of the selling price are not available. As a result, the deliverables in Group DCA Arrangements have been determined to be separate units of accounting and consideration is allocated based on relative selling prices. Selling prices are estimated for most deliverables through an analysis of historical selling price as well as estimated internal labor hours and an average billing rate based on employee costs. Revenue is recognized for each unit of accounting depending upon the characteristics of their underlying deliverables. For Development, revenue is recognized as the service is being provided to the customer. Revenue allocated to Delivery is recognized ratably over the hosting period. The adoption of the new guidance did not materially impact Group DCA revenue recognition during the six-month period ended June 30, 2011.