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Basis of Presentation Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Nature of Operations | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2021
Basis of Presentation Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Nature of Operations |
Basis of Presentation, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Nature of Operations | Note 1. Basis of Presentation, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies, and Nature of Operations The Company was formed on October 6, 2006, when Thorium Power, Ltd., which was incorporated in the state of Nevada on February 2, 1999, merged with Thorium Power, Inc. (TPI), which was incorporated in the state of Delaware on January 8, 1992 (subsequently and collectively referred to as “we” or the “Company”). On September 29, 2009, the Company changed its name from Thorium Power, Ltd. to Lightbridge Corporation and began its focus on developing and commercializing metallic nuclear fuels. The Company is a nuclear fuel technology company developing its next generation nuclear fuel technology. Basis of presentation Going Concern, Liquidity and Management’s Plan The Company’s available working capital at December 31, 2021 and as of the date of this filing, does exceed its currently anticipated expenditures through the first quarter of 2022. However, there are inherent uncertainties in forecasting future expenditures, especially forecasting for uncertainties such as future research and development (R&D) costs and other cash outflows, as well as how the COVID-19 outbreak, including the emergence and spread of variant strains of the virus may affect future costs and operations. Also, the cash requirements of the Company’s future planned operations to commercialize its nuclear fuel, including any additional expenditures that may result from unexpected developments, requires it to raise significant additional capital, including receiving government support. These uncertainties include the projected fuel development timeline of 15-20 years to fuel commercialization, the operational costs required to keep the fuel development project on schedule and the various risks of developing and commercializing its nuclear fuel. These uncertainties combined, raise substantial doubt about the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern for the 12 months following the date of this filing. To the extent any uncertainties reduce the Company’s liquidity for the next 12 months, the Company will consider, if available, additional debt or equity raises and delaying certain expenditures, including delaying R&D expenses, until sufficient capital becomes available. At December 31, 2021, the Company had approximately $24.7 million in cash and had a working capital surplus of approximately $24.7 million. The Company’s net cash used in operating activities for the year ended December 31, 2021 was approximately $11.0 million, and current projections indicate that the Company will have continued negative cash flows from operations for the foreseeable future. Net losses incurred for the year ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 amounted to approximately $7.8 million and $14.4 million, respectively. As of December 31, 2021, the Company had an accumulated deficit of approximately $137.0 million, representative of recurring losses since inception. The Company will continue to incur losses because it is in the early research and development stage of developing its nuclear fuel. The Company’s plans to fund future operations include: (1) raising additional capital through future equity issuances or convertible debt financings; (2) additional funding through new relationships to help fund future R&D costs; and (3) seeking other sources of capital, including grants from the federal government. The Company may issue securities, including common stock, preferred stock, and stock purchase contracts through private placement transactions or registered public offerings, pursuant to current and future registration statements. The Company’s current shelf registration statement on Form S-3 was filed with the SEC on March 25, 2021, registering the sale of up to $75 million of the Company’s securities and declared effective on April 5, 2021. Due to the offering limitations currently applicable under General Instruction I.B.6. of Form S-3 and the market valuation of our current public float, we may be limited on the amount of funding available under this Form S-3 shelf registration statement in the future. There can be no assurance as to the future availability of equity capital or the acceptability of the terms upon which financing and capital might become available. The Company’s future liquidity needs to develop its nuclear fuel are long-term, and the ability to address those needs and to raise capital will largely be determined by the success of the development of its nuclear fuel, key nuclear development and government regulatory events, and its business decisions in the future. Basis of Consolidation These consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Lightbridge, a Nevada corporation, and the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiaries, TPI, a Delaware corporation, and Lightbridge International Holding LLC, a Delaware limited liability company. These wholly-owned subsidiaries are inactive. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated in consolidation. Segment Reporting ASC Topic 280, “Segment Reporting,” requires use of the “management approach” model for segment reporting. The management approach model is based on the way a company’s management organizes segments within the company for making operating decisions and assessing performance. We report our results in a single reportable segment, which reflects how our chief operating decision maker allocates resources considering our core data which is managed centrally on a company-wide basis, and evaluates our financial results. Because we have a single reportable segment, all required financial segment information can be found directly in the Consolidated Financial Statements. We evaluate the performance of our reporting segment based on operating expenses and will evaluate additional segment disclosure requirements if and when the Company expands its operation. Use of Estimates and Assumptions The preparation of consolidated 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 at the date of the financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant Estimates These accompanying consolidated financial statements include some amounts that are based on management’s best estimates and assumptions. The most significant estimates relate to its patent impairment evaluation and undiscounted and discounted cash flow projections used for the impairment testing of its patents, valuation of stock options, the valuation allowance on deferred tax assets and contingent liabilities. It is reasonably possible that these above-mentioned estimates and others may be adjusted as more current information becomes available, and any adjustment could be significant in future reporting periods. Fair Value of Financial Instruments The Company’s consolidated financial instruments consist principally of cash and cash equivalents, and accounts payable. The fair value of a financial instrument is the amount that would be received in an asset sale or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between unaffiliated market participants. Assets and liabilities measured at fair value are categorized based on whether the inputs are observable in the market and the degree that the inputs are observable. The categorization of financial instruments within the valuation hierarchy is based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. In accordance with the provisions of ASC 820, “Fair Value Measurements,” the Company determines fair value 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. The Company generally applies the income approach to determine fair value. This method uses valuation techniques to convert future amounts to a single present amount. The measurement is based on the value indicated by current market expectations with respect to the future amounts. ASC 820 establishes a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to active markets for identical assets and liabilities (Level 1 measurement) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3 measurement). The Company classifies fair value balances based on the observability of those inputs. The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are as follows: Level 1 - Observable inputs such as quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities Level 2 - Inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. These include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets or liabilities in markets that are not active and inputs other than quoted prices that are observable for the asset or liability Level 3 - Unobservable inputs that reflect management’s assumptions For disclosure purposes, assets and liabilities are classified in their entirety in the fair value hierarchy level based on the lowest level of input that is significant to the overall fair value measurement. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement requires judgment and may affect the placement within the fair value hierarchy levels. Quoted market prices were applied to determine the fair value of U.S. Treasury Bill investments, therefore they were categorized as Level 1 on the fair value hierarchy. The Company buys and holds short-term U.S. Treasury Bills to maturity. Certain Risks, Uncertainties and Concentrations The Company will need additional funding by way of a combination of strategic alliances, government grants, further offerings of equity securities, or an offering of debt securities in order to support its future R&D activities required to further enhance and complete the development of its fuel products to a proof-of-concept stage and a commercial stage thereafter. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to successfully continue to conduct its operations if there is a lack of financial resources available in the future to continue its fuel development activities, and a failure to do so would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s future R&D activities, financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. Also, the success of the Company’s operations will be subject to other numerous contingencies, some of which are beyond management’s control. These contingencies include general and regional economic conditions, contingent liabilities, potential competition with other nuclear fuel developers, including those entities developing accident tolerant fuels, changes in government regulations, support for nuclear power, changes in accounting and taxation standards, inability to achieve overall short-term and long-term research and development milestones toward commercialization, future impairment charges to its assets, and global or regional catastrophic events. The Company may also be subject to various additional political, economic, and other uncertainties. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a global health emergency because of a new strain of coronavirus originating in Wuhan, China (the “COVID-19 outbreak”) and the risk to the international community as the virus spread globally beyond its point of origin. In March 2020, the WHO classified the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic, based on increased exposure globally. The current spread of COVID-19, including the emergence and spread of variant strains of the virus, that is impacting global economic activity and market conditions could lead to adverse changes in the Company’s ability to conduct R&D activities with the United States national labs and others. The COVID-19 outbreak had impacted our business operations and results of operations for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, which resulted in a delay of our R&D work and reduction of R&D expenses and an increase in general and administrative expenses due to severance payments to former employees. However, the effects of the pandemic are fluid and changing rapidly, including with respect to vaccine and treatment developments and deployment and potential mutations of COVID-19. While the Company continues to monitor the impact of COVID-19 on its business, the Company is unable to accurately predict the ultimate impact on future results of operations, financial condition and liquidity that COVID-19 will have due to various uncertainties, including the geographic spread of the virus, the severity of the disease, the duration of the outbreak, and actions that may be taken by governmental authorities and other third-parties. On March 27, 2020, the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.” was signed into law. The CARES Act, among other things, includes provisions relating to refundable payroll tax credits, deferment of employer social security payment, net operating loss carryback period, alternative minimum tax credit refund, modification to the net interest deduction limitation, increased limitations on qualified charitable contributions, and technical corrections to tax depreciation method for qualified improvement property. It also appropriated funds for the SBA Paycheck Protection Program loans that are forgivable in certain situations to promote continued employment, as well as Economic Injury Disaster Loans to provide liquidity to small businesses harmed by COVID-19. Management decided not to apply for these funds. The CARES Act did not have an impact on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition, and liquidity. Cash and Cash Equivalents The Company may at times invest its excess cash in interest bearing accounts and U.S. Treasury Bills. It classifies all highly liquid investments with original stated maturities of three months or less from date of purchase as cash equivalents and all highly liquid investments with stated maturities of greater than three months as marketable securities. The Company holds cash balances in excess of the federally insured limits of $250,000. It deems this credit risk not to be significant as cash is held by two prominent financial institutions in 2021 and 2020. The Company buys and holds short-term U.S. Treasury Bills to maturity. U.S. Treasury Bills totaled approximately $9.0 million and $13.0 million at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively. The remaining $15.7 million and $8.5 million at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively, are on deposit with two notable financial institutions. Contributed services – research and development The Company was awarded a grant from the United States Department of Energy which represented contributed services to further the Company’s research and development activities. The Company concluded that its government grants were not within the scope of ASC Topic 606 as they did not meet the definition of a contract with a customer. Additionally, the Company concluded that the grants met the definition of a contribution, as the grants were a non-reciprocal transaction. As such, the Company determined that Subtopic 958-605, Not-for-Profit-Entities-Revenue Recognition applies for these contributed services, even though the Company is a business entity, as guidance in the contributions received subsections of Subtopic 958-605 applies to all entities (NFPs and business entities). The Company has early adopted Accounting Standards Update 2020-07 in the fourth quarter of 2021, which amends Subtopic 958-605 which further clarifies the presentation and disclosure about contributions. Subtopic 958-605 requires that nonfinancial assets, which includes services, such as the research and development services provided under the GAIN vouchers described in Note 5, should be shown on a gross method at the fair value of the services contributed, with the contributed services – research and development shown as other operating income and the related costs as a charge to research and development expense, rather than depicting the contributed services – research and development as a reduction of research and development expense. The fair value of contributed services was determined by the cost of professional time and materials which were charged by the subcontractor who fulfilled the services contributed under the grant award. The principal market used to arrive at fair value is the market in which the Company operates. The Company recognized contributed services – research and development of approximately $0.5 million for the year ended December 31, 2021 and approximately $0.1 million for the year ended December 31, 2020. Patents Through September 30, 2020, patents were stated on the consolidated balance sheets at cost. Costs, such as filing fees with patent granting agencies and legal fees directly relating to those filings, incurred to file patent applications were capitalized when the Company believed that there was a high likelihood that the patent would be issued and there would be future economic benefit associated with the patent. These costs were amortized from the date of the patent application on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of 20 years, which is the legal life of the patent. All costs associated with abandoned patent applications were expensed. The Company expensed patent annuity fees as these fees were maintenance fees required by the patent office at certain points in time after a patent was granted in order to keep the patent legal rights in force. During the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, these patent annuity fees were insignificant. We identified impairment indicators for our patents in the fourth quarter of 2020. We performed a recoverability test of the capitalized patents costs using an undiscounted cash flow method. The Company, after performing the recoverability test showing total negative cash flows, then determined the fair value of the patent costs using both the income approach and the cost approach methods. The fair value of our patent costs, under both these valuation methods, was zero. As a result, the Company recognized a total impairment charge of $1.1 million for the year ending December 31, 2020. Beginning January 1, 2021, patent filing fees with patent granting agencies and legal fees directly relating to those filings, incurred to file patent applications were expensed as the Company believes that there is not a high likelihood that there will be a future economic benefit associated with the patents, due to the uncertainties in the current fuel development timelines and the patents being commercialized. The Company continues to expense patent annuity fees as these fees are maintenance fees required by the patent office at certain points in time after a patent is granted, in order to keep the patent legal rights in force. Therefore, as of December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020 the carrying value of the patents on the balance sheets was zero. Trademarks Costs for filing and legal fees for trademark applications are capitalized. Trademarks are considered intangible assets with an indefinite useful life and therefore are not amortized. The Company performed an impairment test in the fourth quarter of 2021 and 2020 and no impairment of the trademarks was identified. As of December 31, 2021 and December 31, 2020, the carrying value of trademarks was approximately $0.1 million. Leases In accordance with ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which requires recognition of most lease arrangements on the balance sheet, the Company recognizes operating lease right of use assets and liabilities at commencement date based on the present value of the future minimum lease payments over the lease term. Leases with an initial term of 12 months or less are not recorded on the consolidated balance sheet in accordance with the short-term lease recognition exemption. The Company applies the practical expedient to non-separate and non-lease components for all leases that qualify. Lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term. The Company has only one lease for office rent and the lease is for a term of 12 months without renewal options. See Note 4 for additional information. Common Stock Warrants The Company accounts for common stock warrants as either equity instruments or derivative liabilities depending on the specific terms of the warrant agreement. Common stock warrants are accounted for as a derivative in accordance with ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging, if the stock warrants contain terms that could potentially require “net cash settlement” and therefore, do not meet the scope exception for treatment as a derivative. Warrant instruments that could potentially require “net cash settlement” in the absence of explicit language precluding such settlement are initially classified as derivative liabilities at their estimated fair values, regardless of the likelihood that such instruments will ever be settled in cash. Stock-Based Compensation The stock-based compensation expense incurred by Lightbridge for employees and directors in connection with its equity incentive plan is based on the employee model of ASC 718, and the fair value of the options is measured at the grant date. In accordance with ASU 2018-07, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Nonemployee Share-Based Payment Accounting, options granted to our consultants are accounted for in the same manner as options issued to employees. Awards with service-based vesting conditions only - Expense recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the award. Awards with performance-based vesting conditions - Expense is not recognized until it is determined that it is probable the performance-based conditions will be met. When achievement of a performance-based condition is probable, a catch-up of expense is recorded as if the award had been vesting on a straight-line basis from the award date. The award will continue to be expensed on a straight-line over the requisite service period basis until a higher performance-based condition is met, if applicable. Awards with market-based vesting conditions - Expense recognized on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period, which is the lesser of the derived service period or the explicit service period if one is present. However, if the market condition is satisfied prior to the end of the requisite service period, the Company accelerates all remaining expense to be recognized. Awards with both performance-based and market-based vesting conditions - If an award vesting or exercisability is conditional upon the achievement of either a market condition or performance or service conditions, the requisite service period is generally the shortest of the explicit, implicit, and derived service period. The Company elected to use the Black-Scholes pricing model to determine the fair value of stock options on the measurement date of the grant for service-based vesting conditions and the Monte-Carlo valuation method for performance-based or market-based vesting conditions for stock options. The Company estimates forfeitures at the time of grant and revises the estimate, if necessary, in subsequent periods if actual forfeitures differ from those estimates. The forfeiture rate estimate used for all equity awards was zero, based on the experience of the Company having an insignificant historical forfeiture rate. Shares that are issued to employees on the exercise dates of the stock options may be issued net of the required tax withholding requirements to be paid by the Company regarding its tax withholding obligations. As a result, the actual number of shares issued are fewer than the actual number of shares exercised under the stock option or on the dates of vesting of Restricted Stock Unit (RSU) grants. A Restricted Stock Award (“RSA”) is an award of our shares that when they can vest based on service conditions, have full voting rights and dividend rights, but are restricted with regard to sale or transfer. As such, they are shown as shares issued and outstanding. These restrictions lapse over the vesting period, but the shares are forfeited and returned to the Company if they do not vest. The RSAs are included in common stock issued and outstanding, are considered contingently issuable in the calculation of weighted-average shares outstanding for purposes of calculating earnings per share. The consolidated statement of changes in stockholders’ equity shows the initial grant of RSAs as a reclassification from additional paid-in capital to common stock, with any compensation expense related to the RSAs included in stock-based compensation. Other RSAs have only performance conditions. These RSAs to not have voting and dividend rights until they vest as ordinary common shares. Recent Accounting Pronouncements In September 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-07, Not-for-Profit Entities (Topic 958) which is intended to update improve financial reporting by providing new presentation and disclosure requirements about contributed nonfinancial assets, including services, and includes additional disclosure requirements for recognized contributed services. The ASU is intended principally for Not-for-Profit entities, but do encompass these types of contributions received by business entities, such as Lightbridge. The amendments did not change the recognition and measurement requirements in Subtopic 958-605 and therefore did not change the Company’s recognition and presentation of the contributed services – research and development. ASU 2020-07 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, and interim periods within annual periods beginning after June 15, 2022. Early adoption is permitted. As discussed above, the Company has elected to early adopt this standard in the fourth quarter of 2021, as disclosed. In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, Debt—Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and Derivatives and Hedging— Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40), which simplifies the complexity associated with applying U.S. GAAP for certain financial instruments with characteristics of liabilities and equity. This ASU (1) simplifies the accounting for convertible debt instruments and convertible preferred stock by removing the existing guidance in ASC 470-20, Debt: Debt with Conversion and Other Options, that requires entities to account for beneficial conversion features and cash conversion features in equity, separately from the host convertible debt or preferred stock; (2) revises the scope exception from derivative accounting in ASC 815-40 for freestanding financial instruments and embedded features that are both indexed to the issuer’s own stock and classified in stockholders’ equity, by removing certain criteria required for equity classification; and (3) revises the guidance in ASC 260, Earnings Per Share, to require entities to calculate diluted earnings per share for convertible instruments by using the if-converted method. ASU 2020-06 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2021, 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. Adoption is either through a modified retrospective method or a full retrospective method of transition. The adoption of this standard will not materially impact the Company’s consolidated financial statements in 2022. The FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326). This standard requires a financial asset to be presented at the net amount expected to be collected. The financial assets of the Company in scope of ASU 2016-13 will primarily be accounts receivable. The Company will estimate an allowance for expected credit losses on accounts receivable that result from the inability of customers to make required payments. In estimating the allowance for expected credit losses, consideration will be given to the current aging of receivables, historical experience, and a review for potential bad debts. The Company will adopt this guidance in the first quarter of fiscal 2023 and does not expect the adoption to have an impact on its results of operations, financial position, and disclosures. In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which removes the requirement to compare the implied fair value of goodwill with its carrying amount as part of step 2 of the goodwill impairment test. The ASU permits an entity to perform its annual, or interim, goodwill impairment test by comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount and to recognize an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value; however, the loss recognized should not exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. This ASU was effective beginning the first day of the 2021 fiscal year. The adoption of this ASU did not have an impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for the general note to the financial statements for the reporting entity which may include, descriptions of the basis of presentation, business description, significant accounting policies, consolidations, reclassifications, new pronouncements not yet adopted and changes in accounting principles. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 810 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2197479 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 275 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2134479 Reference 3: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 250 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122394 Reference 4: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122369 + Details
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