Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”).

The accompanying consolidated financial statements include, in the opinion of management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments and reclassifications) necessary to state fairly the Consolidated Balance Sheets, Statements of Operations, Statements of Comprehensive Loss, Statements of Stockholders' Equity, and Statements of Cash Flows for all periods presented.

Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified for consistency with the current period presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on the reported results of operations.

Principles of Consolidation and Basis of Presentation

The Company’s consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Genius Brands International, Inc., and its wholly-owned subsidiaries. The Company consolidates all majority-owned subsidiaries, investments in entities in which it has controlling influence and variable interest entities where the Company has been determined to be the primary beneficiary. Minority interests are recorded as noncontrolling interests. Non-consolidated investments are accounted for using the equity method or the fair value option when the Company has the ability to significantly influence the operating decisions of the investee. When the Company does not have the ability to significantly influence the operating decisions of an investee, these equity securities are classified as either marketable investment securities or other investments and recorded at fair value with changes recognized within other Income (expense) on the consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive income (loss). All significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Variable Interest Entities 

The Company holds an interest in Stan Lee University (“SLU”), an entity that is considered a variable interest entity (“VIE”). The variable interest relates to 50% ownership in the entity that is comprised of the Stan Lee Assets and that requires additional financial support from the Company to continue operations. The Company’s total cash investment in SLU was $2.0 million as of December 31, 2021. The Company is considered the primary beneficiary and is required to consolidate the VIE.

In evaluating whether the Company has the power to direct the activities of a VIE that most significantly impact its economic performance, the Company considers the purpose for which the VIE was created, the importance of each of the activities in which it is engaged and the Company’s decision-making role, if any, in those activities that significantly determine the entity’s economic performance as compared to other economic interest holders. This evaluation requires consideration of all facts and circumstances relevant to decision-making that affects the entity’s future performance and the exercise of professional judgment in deciding which decision-making rights are most important.

In determining whether the Company has the right to receive benefits or the obligation to absorb losses that could potentially be significant to the VIE, the Company evaluates all of its economic interests in the entity, regardless of form (debt, equity, management and servicing fees, and other contractual arrangements). This evaluation considers all relevant factors of the entity’s design, including: the entity’s capital structure, contractual rights to earnings (losses), subordination of our interests relative to those of other investors, contingent payments, as well as other contractual arrangements that have the potential to be economically significant. The evaluation of each of these factors in reaching a conclusion about the potential significance of our economic interests is a matter that requires the exercise of professional judgment. The Company continuously assesses whether it is the primary beneficiary of a variable interest entity as changes to existing relationships or future transactions may result in the Company consolidating its collaborators or partners.

Foreign Currency

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, the financial information is translated from the Canadian dollar to the U.S. dollar for inclusion in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. Revenue and expenses are translated at average exchange rates prevailing during the period, and assets and liabilities are translated at exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date. Resulting translation adjustments are included as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net in stockholders’ equity.

Foreign exchange transaction gains and losses are included in other income (expense), net in the condensed consolidated statements of operations.

Restricted Cash 

The Company holds restricted cash of $8.0 million in an escrow account for the future commitment of financing related to our investment in YFE.

Equity-Method Investments

When the Company does not have a controlling financial interest in an entity but can exert significant influence over the entity’s operating and financial policies, the investment is accounted for either (i) under the equity method of accounting or (ii) at fair value by electing the fair value option available under U.S. GAAP. Significant influence generally exists when the firm owns 20% to 50% of the entity’s common stock or in-substance common stock.

In general, the Company accounts for investments acquired at fair value. See Note 5 for further information about the Company’s investment in YFE’s equity securities accounted for under the fair value option.

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 consolidated statement of operations.

Film and Television Costs

The Company capitalizes 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 amortized using the individual-film-forecast method, whereby these costs are amortized, and participations costs are accrued based on the ratio of the current period’s revenues to management’s estimate of ultimate revenue expected to be recognized from each production.

Due to the inherent uncertainties involved in making such estimates of ultimate revenues and expenses, these estimates have differed in the past from actual results and are likely to differ to some extent in the future from actual results. In addition, in the normal course of the Company’s business, some titles are more successful or less successful than anticipated. Management reviews its ultimate revenue and cost estimates on a title-by-title basis, when an event or change in circumstances indicates that the fair value of the production may be less than its unamortized cost. This may result in a change in the rate of amortization of film costs and participations and/or a write-down of all or a portion of the unamortized costs of the film or television production to its estimated fair value. An impairment charge is recorded in the amount by which the unamortized costs exceed the estimated fair value. These write-downs are included in amortization expense within Direct Operating Expenses on the Company’s consolidated statements of operations. See further discussion in Note 9 for impairment charges recorded during the year ended December 31, 2021.

The Company expenses all capitalized costs that exceed the initial market firm commitment revenue in the period of delivery of the episodes. Additionally, for episodic series, from time to time, the Company develops additional content, improved animation and bonus songs/features for its existing content. After the initial release of the episodic series, the costs of significant improvement to existing products are capitalized while routine and periodic alterations to existing products are expensed as incurred.

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 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 the Company’s stock, it is classified as an asset or liability recorded at fair value. If the instrument is considered indexed to the 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 ASC 815-15, Embedded Derivatives.

Direct Operating Costs

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

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.

Concentration of Risk

The Company maintains its cash in bank deposit accounts which, at times, may exceed the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (“FDIC”) or the Canadian Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (“CDIC”) insured amounts. Balances on interest bearing deposits at banks in the United States are insured by the FDIC up to $250,000 per account and deposits in banks in Canada are insured by the CDIC up to $100,000 CAD. As of December 31, 2021, the Company had four accounts with an uninsured balance in bank deposit accounts of $1.1 million.

The Company has a managed account and a brokerage account with a financial institution. The managed account maintains our investments in marketable securities of $112.5 million as of December 31, 2021. The brokerage account does not have a balance as of December 31, 2021. Assets in the managed account and brokerage account are protected by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (“SIPC”) up to $500,000 (with a limit of $250,000 for cash). In addition, the financial institution provides additional “excess of SIPC” coverage which insures up to $1 billion. As of December 31, 2021, the Company has not had account balances held at this financial institution that exceed the insured balances.

The Company’s investment portfolio consists of investment-grade securities diversified among security types, industries and issuers. The Company’s policy limits the amount of credit exposure to any one security issue or issuer and the Company believes no significant concentration of credit risk exists with respect to these investments.

For fiscal year 2021, the Company had one customer, as reported in the Content Production & Distribution operating segment, whose total revenue exceeded 10% of total consolidated revenue. This customer accounted for 14.6% of total revenue. The Company had two customers whose total accounts receivable exceeded 10% of total accounts receivable. These customers accounted for 29.9% of the total accounts receivable as of December 31, 2021. For fiscal year 2020, the Company had two customers whose total revenue exceeded 10% of the total consolidated revenue. These customers accounted for 44% of total revenue and represented 22% of accounts receivable.

There is significant financial risk associated with a dependence upon a small number of customers. The Company periodically assesses the financial strength of these customers and establishes allowances for any anticipated bad debt. At December 31, 2021 and 2020, the Company recorded an allowance for bad debt of $22,080 and $43,676, respectively.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In June 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2016-13, Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (Topic 326). ASU 2016-13 replaces the “incurred loss” credit losses framework with a new accounting standard that requires management’s measurement of the allowance for credit losses to be based on a broader range of reasonable and supportable information for lifetime credit loss estimates. The new model, referred to as the current expected credit loss (“CECL”) model, will apply to: (1) financial assets subject to credit losses and measured at amortized cost, and (2) certain off-balance sheet credit exposures. This includes, but is not limited to, loans, leases, held-to-maturity securities, loan commitments, and financial guarantees. The CECL model does not apply to available-for-sale (“AFS”) debt securities. For AFS debt securities with unrealized losses, entities will measure credit losses in a manner similar to what they do today, except that the losses will be recognized as allowances rather than reductions in the amortized cost of the securities. The ASU also simplifies the accounting model for purchased credit-impaired debt securities and loans. ASU No. 2016-13 also expands the disclosure requirements regarding an entity’s assumptions, models, and methods for estimating the allowance for loan and lease losses. On November 16, 2019, the FASB issued ASU No. 2019-10, Financial Instruments-Credit Losses, Effective Dates approving a proposal to change the effective date of ASU No. 2016-13 for smaller reporting companies, such as the Company, delaying the effective date to fiscal years beginning after December 31, 2022, including interim periods within those fiscal periods. Early adoption is permitted for interim and annual reporting periods. The Company is currently evaluating the effect that the ASU will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

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. The Company has early adopted ASU No. 2020-06 starting January 1, 2021 on a modified retrospective basis. The impact to the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations and cash flows was not material as the Company does not have any convertible instruments outstanding as of the beginning of the fiscal year.

In May 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-04, Modification of Equity-Classified Written Call Options. The update requires the issuer to treat a modification of an equity-classified warrant that does not cause the warrant to become liability-classified as an exchange of the original warrant for a new warrant. This guidance applies whether the modification is structured as an amendment to the terms and conditions of the warrant or as termination of the original warrant and issuance of a new warrant. Under the amendments, an issuer should measure the effect of a modification as the difference between the fair value of the modified warrant and the fair value of that warrant immediately before modification. The recognition of the modification depends on the nature of the transaction in which a warrant is modified, i.e., in connection with equity issuance, debt origination, debt modification, or other. For example, if a warrant is modified in connection with an equity issuance, the issuer should recognize the increase (and disregard any decrease) in the warrant’s fair value as an equity issuance cost, which should be charged against the gross proceeds of the offering. The amendments are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The amendment would be applied prospectively to modifications that occur after the date of initial application. The Company will apply the amendment during the interim periods of fiscal year 2022 to any prospective modifications.

In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-08, Business Combinations (Topic 805), Accounting for Contract Assets and Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers. ASU 2021-08 requires the recognition and measurement of contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination in accordance with ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Considerations to determine the amount of contract assets and contract liabilities to record at the acquisition date include the terms of the acquired contract, such as timing of payment, identification of each performance obligation in the contract and allocation of the contract transaction price to each identified performance obligation on a relative standalone selling price basis as of contract inception. The amendments are effective for public business entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2022. ASU 2021-08 should be applied prospectively for acquisitions occurring on or after the effective date of the amendments. Early adoption of the proposed amendments would be permitted, including adoption in an interim period. The Company is currently evaluating the effect that the ASU will have on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.

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 the Company’s financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.