Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

These consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, its wholly owned subsidiaries, and its majority owned joint venture. All intercompany transactions have been eliminated.

The Company entered into a joint venture with Meisheng Culture & Creative Corp., for the purpose of providing certain JAKKS licensed and non-licensed toys and consumer products to agreed-upon territories of the People’s Republic of China. The joint venture includes a subsidiary in the Shanghai Free Trade Zone that sells, distributes and markets these products, which include dolls, plush, role play products, action figures, costumes, seasonal items, technology and app-enhanced toys, based on top entertainment licenses and JAKKS’ own proprietary brands. The Company owns fifty-one percent of the joint venture and consolidates the joint venture since control rests with the Company.

Cash and cash equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments with an original maturity of three months or less, when acquired, to be cash equivalents. The Company maintains its cash in bank deposits which, at times, may exceed federally insured limits. The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts. The Company believes it is not exposed to any significant credit risk of cash and cash equivalents.

Cash and cash equivalents are maintained at financial institutions and, at times, balances may exceed federally insured limits. The Company has never experienced any losses related to these balances.

Accounts Receivable and Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

Credit is granted to customers on an unsecured basis. Credit limits and payment terms are established based on extensive evaluations made on an ongoing basis throughout the fiscal year of the financial performance, cash generation, financing availability, and liquidity status of each customer. Customers are reviewed at least annually, with more frequent reviews performed as necessary, depending upon the customer’s financial condition and the level of credit being extended. For customers who are experiencing financial difficulties, management performs additional financial analyses before shipping to those customers on credit. The Company uses a variety of financial arrangements to ensure collectability of accounts receivable of customers deemed to be a credit risk, including requiring letters of credit, purchasing various forms of credit insurance with unrelated third parties, or requiring cash in advance of shipment.

The Company records an allowance for doubtful accounts based upon management’s assessment of the business environment, customers’ financial condition, historical collection experience, accounts receivable aging, customer disputes and the collectability of specific customer accounts.

Use of estimates

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, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the dates of the consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual future results could differ from those estimates.

Revenue recognition

Revenue is recognized upon the shipment of goods to customers or their agents, depending upon terms, provided there are no uncertainties regarding customer acceptance, the sales price is fixed or determinable and collectability is reasonably assured.

Generally the Company does not allow product returns. It provides its customers a negotiated allowance for breakage or defects, which is recorded when the related revenue is recognized. However, the Company does make occasional exceptions to this policy and consequently accrues a return allowance based upon historic return amounts and management estimates. The Company occasionally grants credits to facilitate markdowns and sales of slow moving merchandise. These credits are recorded as a reduction of gross sales at the time of the sale.

Fair value measurements

Fair value is 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. In determining fair value, the Company uses various methods including market, income and cost approaches. Based upon these approaches, the Company often utilizes certain assumptions that market participants would use in pricing the asset or liability, including assumptions about risk and/or the risks inherent in the inputs to the valuation technique. These inputs can be readily observable, market-corroborated, or unobservable inputs. The Company utilizes valuation techniques that maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. Based upon observable inputs used in the valuation techniques, the Company is required to provide information according to the fair value hierarchy. The fair value hierarchy ranks the quality and reliability of the information used to determine fair values into three broad levels as follows:

Level 1:	Valuations for assets and liabilities traded in active markets from readily available pricing sources for market transactions involving identical assets or liabilities.
Level 2:	Valuations for assets and liabilities traded in less active dealer or broker markets. Valuations are obtained from third-party pricing services for identical or similar assets or liabilities.
Level 3:	Valuations incorporate certain assumptions and projections in determining the fair value assigned to such assets or liabilities.

In instances where the determination of the fair value measurement is based upon inputs from different levels of the fair value hierarchy, the level in the fair value hierarchy within which the entire fair value measurement falls is based upon the lowest level input that is significant to the fair value measurement in its entirety. The Company’s assessment of the significance of a particular input to the fair value measurement in its entirety requires judgment, and considers factors specific to the asset or liability.

The following table summarizes the Company’s financial assets measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31 (in thousands):

			Fair Value Measurements
	Carrying Amount as of		As of December 31, 2015
	December 31, 2015		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3

Cash equivalents	$	13,218	$	13,218	$	—	$	—

			Fair Value Measurements
	Carrying Amount as of		As of December 31, 2016
	December 31, 2016		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3

Cash equivalents	$	15,312	$	15,312	$	—	$	—

The Company’s accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued expenses represent financial instruments. The carrying value of these financial instruments is a reasonable approximation of fair value.

The fair value of the 4.25% convertible senior notes payable due 2018 as of December 31, 2015 and 2016 was $102.0 million and $83.7 million respectively, based upon the most recent quoted market prices, and the fair value of the 4.875% convertible senior notes payable due 2020 as of December 31, 2015 and 2016 was $112.3 million and $89.3 million, respectively, based upon the most recent quoted market prices. The fair values of the convertible senior notes are considered to be Level 2 measurements on the fair value hierarchy.

For the years ended December 31, 2015 and 2016, there was no impairment to the value of the Company’s non-financial assets.

Inventory

Inventory, which includes the ex-factory cost of goods, capitalized warehouse costs and in-bound freight and duty, is valued at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out) or market, net of inventory obsolescence reserve, and consists of the following (in thousands):

		December 31,
		2015		2016
Raw materials	$	3,717	$	5,204
Finished goods		56,827		70,231
	$	60,544	$	75,435

Property and equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost and are being depreciated using the straight-line method over their estimated useful lives as follows:

Office equipment	5 years
Automobiles	5 years
Furniture and fixtures	5 - 7 years
Leasehold improvements	Shorter of length of lease or 10 years

The Company uses the usage method as its depreciation methodology for molds and tools used in the manufacturing of its products, which is more closely correlated to production of goods. The Company believes that the usage method more accurately matches costs with revenues. Furthermore, the useful estimated life of molds and tools is two years.

For the years ended December 31, 2014, 2015 and 2016, the Company’s aggregate depreciation expense related to property and equipment was $10.4 million, $10.9 million and $13.9 million, respectively.

Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

Other comprehensive income (loss) includes all changes in equity from non-owner sources. The Company accounts for other comprehensive income in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) ASC 220, “Comprehensive Income.” All the activity in other comprehensive income (loss) and all amounts in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) relate to foreign currency translation adjustments.

Advertising

Production costs of commercials and programming are charged to operations in the period during which the production is first aired. The costs of other advertising, promotion and marketing programs are charged to operations in the period incurred. Advertising expense for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2015 and 2016, was approximately $19.3 million, $15.8 million and $20.1 million, respectively.

The Company also participates in cooperative advertising arrangements with certain customers, whereby it allows a discount from invoiced product amounts in exchange for customer purchased advertising that features the Company’s products. Typically, these discounts range from 1% to 6% of gross sales, and are generally based upon product purchases or specific advertising campaigns. Such amounts are accrued when the related revenue is recognized or when the advertising campaign is initiated. These cooperative advertising arrangements are accounted for as direct selling expenses.

Income taxes

The Company does not file a consolidated return with its foreign subsidiaries. The Company files federal and state returns and its foreign subsidiaries file returns in their respective jurisdictions. Deferred taxes are provided on an asset and liability method whereby deferred tax assets are recognized as deductible temporary differences and operating loss and tax credit carry-forwards and deferred tax liabilities are recognized for taxable temporary differences. Temporary differences are the differences between the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and their tax basis. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are adjusted for the effects of changes in tax laws and rates on the date of enactment.

Foreign Currency Translation Exposure

The Company’s reporting currency is the U.S. dollar. The translation of its net investment in subsidiaries with non-U.S. dollar functional currencies subjects the Company to currency exchange rate fluctuations in its results of operations and financial position. Assets and liabilities of subsidiaries with non-U.S. dollar functional currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at year-end exchange rates. Income, expense and cash flow items are translated at average exchange rates prevailing during the year. The resulting currency translation adjustments are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive loss/gain within stockholders’ equity. The Company’s primary currency translation exposures in 2014, 2015 and 2016 were related to its net investment in entities having functional currencies denominated in the Hong Kong dollar, British pound, Canadian dollar, Chinese yuan, Mexican peso and the Euro.

Foreign Currency Transaction Exposure

Currency exchange rate fluctuations may impact the Company’s results of operations and cash flows. The Company’s currency transaction exposures include gains and losses realized on unhedged inventory purchases and unhedged receivables and payables balances that are denominated in a currency other than the applicable functional currency. Gains and losses on unhedged inventory purchases and other transactions associated with operating activities are recorded in the components of operating income in the consolidated statement of operations.

Accounting for the impairment of finite-lived tangible and intangible assets

Long-lived assets with finite lives, which include property and equipment and intangible assets other than goodwill, are evaluated for impairment when events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of the assets may not be recoverable through the estimated undiscounted future cash flows from the use of these assets. When any such impairment exists, the related assets will be written down to fair value. Finite-lived intangible assets consist primarily of product technology rights, acquired backlog, customer relationships, product lines and license agreements. These intangible assets are amortized over the estimated economic lives of the related assets. There were no impairments for years ended December 31, 2014, 2015 and 2016.

Goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangible assets

Goodwill and indefinite-lived intangible assets are not amortized, but are tested for impairment at least annually at the reporting unit level and asset level, respectively. Losses in value are recorded when material impairment has occurred in the underlying assets or when the benefits of the identified intangible assets are realized. Indefinite-lived intangible assets other than goodwill consist of trademarks.

The carrying value of goodwill and trademarks are based upon cost, which is subject to management’s current assessment of fair value. Management evaluates fair value recoverability using both objective and subjective factors. Objective factors include cash flows and analysis of recent sales and earnings trends. Subjective factors include management’s best estimates of projected future earnings and competitive analysis and the Company’s strategic focus.

For the years ended December 31, 2014, 2015 and 2016, there was no impairment to the value of the Company's goodwill or trademarks.

Share-based Compensation

The Company measures all employee stock-based compensation awards using a fair value method and records such expense in its consolidated financial statements. The Company recorded $1.5 million, $1.6 million and $1.6 million of restricted stock expense, in 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively. See Note 17 for further details relating to share based compensation.

Earnings per share

The following table is a reconciliation of the weighted-average shares used in the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share (“EPS”) for the periods presented (in thousands, except per share data):

	2014
		Income	Weighted Average Shares			Per Share
Basic EPS
Income available to common stockholders	$	21,509		20,948	$	1.03
Effect of dilutive securities:
Assumed conversion of convertible senior notes		7,345		20,388
Options and warrants		—		—
Unvested restricted stock grants		—		180
Diluted EPS
Income available to common stockholders plus assumed exercises and conversion	$	28,854		41,516	$	0.70

	2015
		Income	Weighted Average Shares		Per Share
Basic EPS
Income available to common stockholders	$	23,254	19,435	$	1.20
Effect of dilutive securities:
Assumed conversion of convertible senior notes		7,385	23,369
Options and warrants		—	—
Unvested performance stock grants		—	347
Unvested restricted stock grants		—	170
Diluted EPS
Income available to common stockholders plus assumed exercises and conversion	$	30,639	43,321	$	0.71

			2016
	Income		Weighted Average Shares		Per Share
Basic EPS
Income available to common stockholders	$	1,243		16,542	$	0.08
Effect of dilutive securities:
Assumed conversion of convertible senior notes		—		—
Options and warrants		—		—
Unvested performance stock grants		—		—
Unvested restricted stock grants		—		123
Diluted EPS
Income available to common stockholders plus assumed exercises and conversion	$	1,243		16,665	$	0.07

Basic earnings per share is calculated using the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. Diluted earnings per share is calculated using the weighted average number of common shares and common share equivalents outstanding during the period (which consist of warrants, options and convertible debt to the extent they are dilutive). For the years ended December 31, 2014, 2015 and 2016, the convertible senior notes interest and related common share equivalent of nil, nil and 23,004,916, respectively, were excluded from the diluted earnings per share calculation because they were anti-dilutive. Potentially dilutive stock options and warrants of 1,601,272, 1,518,596 and 1,500,000 for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2015 and 2016, respectively, were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share since they would have been anti-dilutive. Potentially dilutive restricted stock of nil for each of the years ended December 31, 2014, 2015 and 2016 were excluded from the computation of diluted earnings per share since they would have been anti-dilutive.

The Company is also party to a prepaid forward contract to purchase 3,112,840 shares of its common stock that are to be delivered over a settlement period in 2020. The number of shares to be delivered under the prepaid forward contract has been removed from the weighted-average basic and diluted shares outstanding. Any dividends declared and paid on the shares underlying the forward contract are to be reverted back to the Company based on the contractual terms of the forward contract.

Debt with Conversion and Other Options

In July 2013, the Company sold an aggregate of $100.0 million principal amount of 4.25% convertible senior notes due 2018 (the “2018 Notes”). The 2018 Notes are senior unsecured obligations of the Company paying interest semi-annually in arrears on August 1 and February 1 of each year at a rate of 4.25% per annum and will mature on August 1, 2018. The initial and still current conversion rate for the 2018 Notes is 114.3674 shares of the Company’s common stock per $1,000 principal amount of notes, equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $8.74 per share of common stock, subject to adjustment in certain events. Upon conversion, the 2018 Notes will be settled in shares of the Company’s common stock. Holders of the 2018 Notes may require that the Company repurchase for cash all or some of their notes upon the occurrence of a fundamental change (as defined in the 2018 Notes). In 2016, the Company repurchased and retired an aggregate of approximately $6.1 million principal amount of the 2018 Notes.

In June 2014, the Company sold an aggregate of $115.0 million principal amount of 4.875% convertible senior notes due 2020 (the “2020 Notes”). The 2020 Notes are senior unsecured obligations of the Company paying interest semi-annually in arrears on June 1 and December 1 of each year at a rate of 4.875% per annum and will mature on June 1, 2020. The initial and still current conversion rate for the 2020 Notes is 103.7613 shares of the Company’s common stock per $1,000 principal amount of notes, equivalent to an initial conversion price of approximately $9.64 per share of common stock, subject to adjustment in certain events. Upon conversion, the 2020 Notes will be settled in shares of the Company’s common stock. Holders of the 2020 Notes may require that the Company repurchase for cash all or some of their notes upon the occurrence of a fundamental change (as defined in the 2020 Notes). The Company received net proceeds of approximately $110.4 million from the offering of which $24.0 million was used to repurchase 3.1 million shares of the Company’s common stock under a prepaid forward purchase contract. In January 2016, the Company repurchased and retired an aggregate of $2.0 million principal amount of the 2020 Notes.

In June 2014, the Company effectively repurchased 3,112,840 shares of its common stock at an average cost of $7.71 per share for an aggregate amount of $24.0 million pursuant to a prepaid forward share repurchase agreement entered into with Merrill Lynch International (“ML”). These repurchased shares are treated as retired for basic and diluted EPS purposes although they remain legally outstanding. The Company reflects the aggregate purchase price of its common shares repurchased as a reduction to stockholders’ equity allocated to treasury stock. Any dividends declared and paid on the shares underlying the forward contract are to be reverted back to the Company based on the contractual terms of the forward contract.

Reclassifications

Certain reclassifications were made to the prior year consolidated financial statements to conform to current year presentation.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (“ASU 2014-09”), which supersedes nearly all existing revenue recognition guidance under U.S. GAAP. The core principle of ASU 2014-09 is to recognize revenues when promised goods or services are transferred to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which an entity expects to be entitled for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 defines a five step process to achieve this core principle and, in doing so, more judgment and estimates may be required within the revenue recognition process than are required under existing U.S. GAAP. The standard is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods therein, using either of the following transition methods: (i) a full retrospective approach reflecting the application of the standard in each prior reporting period with the option to elect certain practical expedients, or (ii) a retrospective approach with the cumulative effect of initially adopting ASU 2014-09 recognized at the date of adoption (which includes additional footnote disclosures). The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the pending adoption of ASU 2014-09 on its consolidated financial statements and has not yet determined the method by which it will adopt the standard in 2018.

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, “Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory” (“ASU 2015-11”). ASU 2015-11 requires inventory accounted for under the FIFO or average cost method to be measured using the lower of cost and net realizable value. The amendments are effective prospectively for fiscal years and for interim periods beginning after December 15, 2016. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the pending adoption of ASU 2015-11 on its consolidated financial statements.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, “Financial Instruments - Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities” (“ASU 2016-01”). The new guidance is intended to improve the recognition and measurement of financial instruments. The ASU is effective for fiscal years and interim periods within those years beginning after December 15, 2017. The Company is currently assessing the potential impact of this ASU on its consolidated financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2016-02, “Leases” (“ASU 2016-02”). ASU 2016-02 establishes a right-of-use (“ROU”) model that requires a lessee to record a ROU asset and a lease liability on the balance sheet for all leases with terms longer than 12 months. Leases will be classified as either finance or operating, with classification affecting the pattern of expense recognition in the income statement. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. A modified retrospective transition approach is required for lessees for capital and operating leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements, with certain practical expedients available. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the pending adoption of this new standard on its consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, “Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting,” (“ASU 2016-09”) which simplifies several aspects of the accounting for share-based payments, including income tax consequences and classification on the statement of cash flows. Under the new standard, all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies will be recognized as income tax expense or benefit in the income statement as discrete items in the reporting period in which they occur. Additionally, excess tax benefits will be classified as an operating activity on the statement of cash flows. In regards to forfeitures, the entity can make an accounting policy election to either recognize forfeitures as they occur or estimate the number of awards expected to be forfeited. The guidance in ASU 2016-09 is effective for the fiscal year, and interim periods within that fiscal year, beginning after December 15, 2016. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the adoption of this standard on its consolidated financial statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments.” The new guidance is intended to reduce diversity in practice in how transactions are classified in the statement of cash flows. This ASU is effective for fiscal years, and for interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2017. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other than Inventory.” The amendments in this ASU reduces the complexity in the accounting standards by allowing the recognition of current and deferred income taxes for an intra-entity asset transfer, other than inventory, when the transfer occurs. Historically, recognition of the income tax consequence was not recognized until the asset was sold to an outside party. This ASU is effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2017. Early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this ASU on its consolidated financial statements.