Note 2: Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying 2021 and 2020 condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

Principles of Consolidation

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Genius Brands International, Inc., its wholly-owned subsidiaries A Squared Entertainment LLC, Llama Productions LLC, Rainbow Rangers Productions LLC, Superhero Kindergarten LLC, ChizComm Beacon Media LLC and ChizComm Ltd. All significant inter-company balances and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

The financial statements have been prepared using the acquisition method of accounting in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805 Business Combinations.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods.

Cash and Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid debt instruments with initial maturities of three months or less to be cash equivalents. As of March 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, the Company had Cash and Cash Equivalents of $143,612,749 and $100,456,324, respectively.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Accounts receivable are presented on the balance sheets net of estimated uncollectible amounts. The Company assesses its accounts receivable balances on a quarterly basis to determine collectability and records an allowance for estimated uncollectible accounts in an amount approximating anticipated losses based on historical experience and future expectations. Individual uncollectible accounts are written off against the allowance when collection of the individual accounts appears doubtful. The Company had an allowance for doubtful accounts of $117,087 for March 31, 2021 and $43,676 as of December 31, 2020.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are recorded at cost. Depreciation on property and equipment is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets, which range from two to seven years. Maintenance, repairs, and renewals, which neither materially add to the value of the assets nor appreciably prolong their lives, are charged to expense as incurred. Gains and losses from any dispositions of property and equipment are reflected in the statement of operations.

Right of Use Leased Assets

In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2016-02, “Leases.” The standard requires lessees to recognize the assets and liabilities that arise from leases on the balance sheet. A lessee should recognize in the statement of financial position a liability to make lease payments (the lease liability) and a right-of-use asset representing its right to use the underlying asset for the lease term. The new guidance is effective for annual and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2018. The amendments should be applied at the beginning of the earliest period presented using a modified retrospective approach with earlier application permitted as of the beginning of an interim or annual reporting period.

In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842), Targeted Improvements, which allows for an additional optional transition method where comparative periods presented in the financial statements in the period of adoption will not be restated and instead those periods will be presented under existing guidance in accordance with ASC 840, Leases. Management used this optional transition method. As of February 1, 2021, as a result of the ChizComm acquisition, management recorded lease liability of $380,050, right-of-use asset of $380,050.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill represents the excess of purchase price over the estimated fair value of net assets acquired in business combinations accounted for by the purchase method. In accordance with FASB ASC 350 Intangibles Goodwill and Other, goodwill and certain intangible assets are presumed to have indefinite useful lives and are thus not amortized, but subject to an impairment test annually or more frequently if indicators of impairment arise. The Company completes the annual goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible asset impairment tests at the end of each fiscal year. To test for goodwill impairment, we are required to estimate the fair market value of each of our reporting units, of which we have one. While we may use a variety of methods to estimate fair value for impairment testing, our primary method is discounted cash flows. We estimate future cash flows and allocations of certain assets using estimates for future growth rates and our judgment regarding the applicable discount rates. Changes to our judgments and estimates could result in a significantly different estimate of the fair market value of the reporting units, which could result in an impairment of goodwill or indefinite lived intangible assets in future periods.

Other intangible assets have been acquired, either individually or with a group of other assets, and were initially recognized and measured based on fair value. Annual amortization of these intangible assets is computed based on the straight-line method over the remaining economic life of the asset.

Debt and Attached Equity-Linked Instruments

The Company measures issued debt on an amortized cost basis, net of debt premium/discount and debt issuance costs amortized using the effective interest rate method or the straight-line method when the latter does not lead to materially different results.

The Company accounts for the proceeds from the issuance of convertible notes payable in accordance with FASB ASC 470-20 Debt with Conversion and Other Options. Pursuant to FASB ASC 470-20, the intrinsic value of the embedded conversion feature (beneficial conversion interest), which is in the money on the commitment date is included in the discount to debt and amortized to interest expense over the term of the note agreement. When the conversion option is not separated, the Company accounts for the entire convertible instrument including debt and the conversion feature as a liability.

The Company analyzes freestanding equity-linked instruments including warrants attached to debt to conclude whether the instrument meets the definition of the derivative and whether it is considered indexed to the Company’s own stock. If the instrument is not considered indexed to Company’s stock, it is classified as an asset or liability recorded at fair value. If the instrument considered indexed to Company’s stock, the Company analyzes additional equity classification requirements per ASC 815-40 Contract’s in Entity’s Own Equity. When the requirements are met, the instrument is recorded as part of the Company’s equity, initially measured based on its relative fair value with no subsequent re-measurement. When the equity classification requirements are not met, the instrument is recorded as an asset or liability and is measured at fair value with subsequent changes in fair value recorded in earnings.

When required, the Company also considers the bifurcation guidance for embedded derivatives per FASB ASC 815-15 Embedded Derivatives.

Film and Television Costs

We capitalize production costs for episodic series produced in accordance with FASB ASC 926-20 Entertainment-Films - Other Assets - Film Costs. Accordingly, production costs are capitalized at actual cost and then charged against revenue based on the initial market revenue evidenced by a firm commitment over the period of commitment. We expense all capitalized costs that exceed the initial market firm commitment revenue in the period of delivery of the episodes.

We capitalize production costs for films produced in accordance with FASB ASC 926-20 Entertainment - Films - Other Assets - Film Costs. Accordingly, production costs are capitalized at actual cost and then charged against revenue quarterly as a cost of production based on the relative fair value of the film(s) delivered and recognized as revenue. We evaluate its capitalized production costs annually and limits recorded amounts by their ability to recover such costs through expected future sales.

Additionally, for both episodic series and films, from time to time, we develop additional content, improved animation and bonus songs/features for its existing content. After the initial release of the film or episodic series, the costs of significant improvement to existing products are capitalized while routine and periodic alterations to existing products are expensed as incurred.

Revenue Recognition

The Company accounts for revenue according to standard ASC 606 (Topic 606). The Company has identified the following six material and distinct performance obligations:

As a result of the change, beginning January 1, 2018, the Company began recognizing revenue related to licensed rights to exploit functional IP in two ways. For minimum guarantees, the Company recognizes fixed revenue upon delivery of content and the start of the license period. For functional IP contracts with a variable component, the Company estimates revenue such that it is probable there will not be a material reversal of revenue in future periods. Revenue under these types of contracts was previously recognized when royalty statements were received. The Company began recognizing revenue related to licensed rights to exploit symbolic IP substantially similarly to functional IP. Although it has a different recognition pattern from functional IP, the valuation method is substantially the same, depending on the nature of the license.

The Company sells advertising on its App and OTT based “Kartoon Channel! in the form of either flat rate promotions or impressions served. For flat rate promotions with a fixed term, the Company recognizes revenue when all five revenue recognition criteria under FASB ASC 606 are met. For impressions served, the Company delivers a certain minimum number of impressions on the channel to the advertiser for which the advertiser pays a contractual CPM per impression. Impressions served are reported to the Company on a monthly basis, and revenue is reported in the month the impressions are served.

The Company provides media and advertising services to clients. Revenue is recognized in the month that the services are performed.

The Company also purchases advertising for clients on linear and across digital and streaming platforms and receives a commission on these purchases. Advertising commissions are recognized as revenue in the month the advertising is displayed.

The Company recognizes revenue related to product sales when we complete our performance obligation, which is when the goods are transferred to the buyer.

Direct Operating Costs

Direct operating costs include costs of our product sales, non-capitalizable film costs, film and television cost amortization expense, and participation expense related to agreements with various animation studios, post-production studios, writers, directors, musicians or other creative talent with which we are obligated to share net profits of the properties on which they have rendered services.

Share-Based Compensation

As required by FASB ASC 718 - Stock Compensation, the Company recognizes an expense related to the fair value of our share-based compensation awards, including stock options, using the Black-Scholes calculation as of the date of grant. The Company has elected to use the graded attribution method for awards which are in-substance, multiple awards based on the vesting schedule. The Company’s accounting policy elected for forfeitures is not to estimate the number of awards that are expected to vest. Instead, the Company accounts for forfeitures when they occur. The Company issues authorized shares available for the issuance under the 2015 and 2020 Plans upon employees’ exercise of their stock options.

Earnings Per Share

Basic earnings (loss) per common share (“EPS”) is calculated by dividing net income (loss) applicable to common shareholders by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding for the period. Diluted EPS is calculated by dividing net income (loss) applicable to common shareholders by the weighted average number of shares of common stock outstanding, plus the assumed exercise of all dilutive securities using the treasury stock or “as converted” method, as appropriate. During periods of net loss, all common stock equivalents are excluded from the diluted EPS calculation because they are antidilutive.

Income Taxes

Deferred income tax assets and liabilities are recognized based on differences between the financial statement and tax basis of assets and liabilities using presently enacted tax rates. At each balance sheet date, the Company evaluates the available evidence about future taxable income and other possible sources of realization of deferred tax assets and records a valuation allowance that reduces the deferred tax assets to an amount that represents management’s best estimate of the amount of such deferred tax assets that more likely than not will be realized.

Concentration of Risk

The Company’s cash is maintained at two financial institutions and from time to time the balances for this account exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (“FDIC”) insured amount. Balances on interest bearing deposits at banks in the United States are insured by the FDIC up to $250,000 per account. As of March 31, 2020, the Company had six accounts with an uninsured balance of $142,111,746.

For the three months ended March 31, 2021, the Company had one customer whose total revenue each exceeded 10% of the total consolidated revenue. That customer was responsible for 11% to total revenue. The Company had four customers whose accounts receivable exceeded 10% of total accounts receivable. Those customers accounted for 69% of accounts receivable. For the three months ended March 31, 2020, the Company had two customers whose total revenue exceeded 10% of the total consolidated revenue. These customers accounted for 22% of total revenue and two other customers represented 92% of accounts receivable.

Fair value of financial instruments

The carrying amounts of cash, receivables, accounts payable, and accrued liabilities approximate fair value due to the short-term maturity of the instruments. The carrying amount of the Production Loan Facility approximates fair value since the debt carries a variable interest rate that is tied to either the current Prime or LIBOR rates plus an applicable spread.

We previously adopted FASB ASC 820 for financial instruments measured at fair value on a recurring basis. FASB ASC 820 defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value in accordance with U.S. GAAP and expands disclosures about fair value measurements.

Fair value is defined as the price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants at the measurement date. FASB ASC Topic 820 establishes a three-tier fair value hierarchy which prioritizes the inputs used in measuring fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities (level 1 measurements) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (level 3 measurements). These tiers include:

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In March 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-02, Entertainment-Films-Other Assets-Film Costs (Subtopic 926-20) and Entertainment-Broadcasters Intangibles-Goodwill and Other (Subtopic 920-350). The update aligns the accounting for production costs of an episodic television series with the accounting for production costs of films by removing the content distinction for capitalization. The amendments also require that an entity reassess estimates of the use of a film in a film group and account for any changes prospectively. The amendments in this update require that an entity test a film or license agreement for program material within the scope of Subtopic 920-350 for impairment at a film group level when the film or license agreement is predominantly monetized with other films and/or license agreements. For public business entities, the amendments in this update are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and interim periods within those fiscal years. We have prospectively adopted ASU 2016-18. The impact to our consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows were not material.

In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU No. 2020-06, Accounting for Convertible Instruments and Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity. The update simplifies the accounting for convertible instruments by removing certain separation models in Subtopic 470-20, Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options, for convertible instruments. As part of the amendment, the embedded conversion features are no longer separated from the host contract for convertible instruments with conversion features that are not required to be accounted for as derivatives under Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, or that do not result in substantial premiums accounted for as paid-in capital. The FASB has eliminated the cash conversion and beneficial conversion feature models. The FASB has also modified accounting rules relating to application of the scope exception from derivative accounting. The amendments revise the guidance in ASC 815-40-25-10, to remove three out of seven conditions from the settlement guidance, referred to as additional equity classification requirements. Following the above amendments, more convertible debt instruments will be accounted for as a single liability measured at its amortized cost and more convertible preferred stock will be accounted for as a single equity instrument measured at its historical cost, as long as no features require bifurcation and recognition as derivatives. The amendments are effective for public business entities, excluding smaller reporting companies, for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, including interim periods within those fiscal years. For all other entities, including smaller reporting companies the amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, but no earlier than fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2020, including interim periods within those fiscal years. We have prospectively adopted ASU No. 2020-06. The impact to our consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows were not material.

Various other accounting pronouncements have been recently issued, most of which represented technical corrections to the accounting literature or were applicable to specific industries and are not expected to have a material effect on our consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

Business Combinations

We allocate the fair value of the purchase consideration of a business acquisition to the tangible assets, liabilities, and intangible assets acquired based on their estimated fair values. The excess of the fair value of purchase consideration over the fair values of these identifiable assets and liabilities is recorded as goodwill. The valuation of acquired assets and assumed liabilities requires significant judgment and estimates, especially with respect to intangible assets. The valuation of intangible assets requires that we use valuation techniques such as the income approach. The income approach includes the use of a discounted cash flow model, which includes discounted cash flow scenarios and requires significant estimates such as future expected revenue, expenses, capital expenditures and other costs, and discount rates. We estimate the fair value based upon assumptions we believe to be reasonable, but which are inherently uncertain and unpredictable and, as a result, actual results may differ from estimates. Estimates associated with the accounting for acquisitions may change as additional information becomes available regarding the assets acquired and liabilities assumed. Acquisition-related expenses and any related restructuring costs are recognized separately from the business combination and are expensed as incurred.

Foreign Currency Translation

The Company considers the U.S. dollar to be its functional currency for its United States based operations. The Company considers the Canadian dollar to be its functional currency for its Canada based operation. Accordingly, monetary assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at the exchange rate in effect at the balance sheet date and non-monetary assets and liabilities are translated at the exchange rates in effect at the time of acquisition or issue. Revenues and expenses are translated at rates approximating the exchange rates in effect at the time of the transactions. All exchange gains and losses are included in operations.