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Note 1 - Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2016

Note 1 - Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

NOTE 1 — Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

Organization and Business

Socket Mobile, Inc. (the “Company”) is a leading producer of data capture products for mobile applications used in mobile point of sale (mPOS), enterprise mobility, asset tracking, control systems, logistics, event management, medical and education. The Company produces a family of data capture products that connect over Bluetooth and work with applications running on smartphones, tablets and mobile computers using operating systems from Apple® (iOS), Google™ (Android™) and Microsoft® (Windows®). The Company focuses on serving the needs of software application developers as the barcode scanner sales are primarily driven by the deployment of barcode enabled mobile applications.

In 2016, the Company also offered a family of SoMo® (“Socket® Mobile”) handheld computer products with standard or antimicrobial cases running the Windows Embedded Handheld System 6.5 operating system. Handheld computer accessories included plug-in 1D and 2D barcode scanners, charging cradles, durable cases, and radio frequency identification (RFID) readers with NFC (near field communication). Due to the technical obsolescence of key components, the Company phased out this product family in the second quarter of 2016 and exhausted the remaining SoMo® units in the third quarter of 2016.

The Company designs its own products and subcontracts the manufacturing of product components to independent third-party contract manufacturers who are located in the U.S., Mexico, China and Taiwan and who have the equipment, know-how and capacity to manufacture products to the Company’s specifications. Final products are assembled, tested, packaged, and distributed at and from its Newark, California facility. The Company offers its products worldwide through two-tier distribution enabling customers to purchase from a large number of on-line resellers around the world including some application developers. The geographic regions served by the Company include the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.

The Company was founded in March 1992 as Socket Communications, Inc. and reincorporated in Delaware in 1995 prior to the Company’s initial public offering in June 1995. The Company began doing business as Socket Mobile, Inc. in January 2007 to better reflect its market focus on the mobile business market, and changed its legal name to Socket Mobile, Inc. in April 2008. The Company’s common stock trades on the NASDAQ Marketplace under the symbol “SCKT.” The Company’s principal executive offices are located at 39700 Eureka Drive, Newark, CA 94560.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles 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 as well as the reported amounts of revenue and expense during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates, and such differences may be material to the financial statements.

Cash Equivalents

The Company considers all highly liquid investments purchased with a maturity date of 90 days or less at date of purchase to be cash equivalents. As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, all of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents consisted of amounts held in demand deposit accounts in banks. The aggregate cash balance on deposit in these accounts are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation up to $250,000. The Company has never experienced any losses in such accounts.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

The carrying value of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, debt and foreign exchange contracts approximate fair value due to the relatively short period of time to maturity.

Derivative Financial Instruments

The Company's primary objective for holding derivative financial instruments is to manage foreign currency risks. The Company's derivative financial instruments are recorded at fair value and are included in other current assets, other assets, other accrued liabilities or long-term debt depending on the contractual maturity and whether the Company has a gain or loss. The Company's accounting policies for these instruments are based on whether they meet the Company's criteria for designation as hedging transactions, either as cash flow or fair value hedges. A hedge of the exposure to variability in the cash flows of an asset or a liability, or of a forecasted transaction, is referred to as a cash flow hedge. A hedge of the exposure to changes in fair value of an asset or a liability, or of an unrecognized firm commitment, is referred to as a fair value hedge. The criteria for designating a derivative as a hedge include the instrument's effectiveness in risk reduction and, in most cases, a one-to-one matching of the derivative instrument to its underlying transaction. Gains and losses on derivatives that do not qualify for hedge accounting are recognized immediately in earnings. The Company regularly enters into forward foreign currency contracts to reduce exposures related to rate changes in certain foreign currencies.

The Company records its forward foreign currency contracts at fair value. At December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company had no open forward foreign currency contracts.

Foreign Currency

The functional currency for the Company is the U.S. dollar. However, the Company requires European distributors to purchase products in Euros and pays the expenses of European employees in Euros and British pounds. The Company hedges a significant portion of the European receivables balance denominated in Euros to reduce the foreign currency risk associates with these assets. In 2016, the total net adjustment for the effects of changes in foreign currency on cash balances, collections, payables, and derivatives used to hedge foreign currency risks, was a net loss of $25,500 compared to a net loss of $13,000 in 2015.

Accounts Receivable Allowances

The Company estimates the amount of uncollectible accounts receivable at the end of each reporting period based on the aging of the receivable balance, current and historical customer trends, and communications with its customers. Amounts are written off only after considerable collection efforts have been made and the amounts are determined to be uncollectible. The following describes activity in the allowance for doubtful accounts for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015:

Year		Balance at Beginning of Year		Charged to Costs and Expenses		Amounts Written Off		Balance at End of Year
	2016	$	89,058	$	—	$	—	$	89,058
	2015	$	89,058	$	—	$	—	$	89,058

Inventories

Inventories consist principally of raw materials and sub-assemblies stated at the lower of standard cost, which approximates actual costs (first-in, first-out method), or market. Market is defined as replacement cost, but not in excess of estimated net realizable value or less than estimated net realizable value less a normal margin. At the end of each reporting period, the Company compares its inventory on hand to its forecasted requirements for the next nine-month period and reserves the cost of any inventory that is surplus, less any amounts that the Company believes it can recover from the disposal of goods that the Company specifically believes will be saleable past a nine- month horizon. The Company’s sales forecasts are based upon historical trends, communications from customers, and marketing data regarding market trends and dynamics. Changes in the amounts recorded for surplus or obsolete inventory are included in cost of revenue. Inventories, net of write-downs, at December 31, 2016 and 2015 consisted of the following:

	December 31,
	2016			2015
Raw materials and sub-assemblies	$	2,665,185		$	2,521,585
Finished goods		64,359			39,083
Inventory reserves		(1,192,105	)		(1,234,578	)
Inventory, net	$	1,537,439		$	1,326,090

Prepaid Expenses and Other Current Assets

Prepaid expenses and other current assets consist of various payments that the Company has made in advance for goods or services to be received in the future. Prepaid expenses and other current assets at December 31, 2016 and 2015 consisted of the following:

	December 31,
	2016		2015
Prepaid insurance	$	40,307	$	18,612
Prepaid project development costs		83,600		—
Prepaid inventory purchases		43,700		2,031
Other		91,857		66,913
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	$	259,464	$	87,556

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation and amortization are computed using the straight-line method, over the estimated useful lives of the assets ranging from one to five years. Assets under capital leases are amortized in a manner consistent with the Company’s normal depreciation policy for owned assets, or the remaining lease term as applicable. Depreciation expense in the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, was $279,392 and $197,686, respectively.

Goodwill

Goodwill is tested for impairment annually as of September 30th or more frequently when events or circumstances indicate that the carrying value of the Company's single reporting unit more likely than not exceeds its fair value. The Company performed its annual goodwill impairment analysis as of September 30, 2016. The Company used the two-step test as required to assess goodwill for impairment. The first step of the goodwill impairment test consisted of comparing the carrying value of the reporting unit to its fair value. Management estimated the fair value of the Company's reporting unit using various methods and compared the fair value to the carrying amount (net book value) to ascertain if potential goodwill impairment existed. The Company utilized methods that focused on its ability to produce income ("Income Approach") and the Company’s market capitalization ("Market Capitalization Approach"). Key assumptions utilized in the determination of fair value in step one of the test included the following: the Company's market capitalization; revenue and expense forecasts used in the evaluation were based on trends of historical performance and management's estimate of future performance; cash flows utilized in the discounted cash flow analysis were estimated using a weighted average cost of capital determined to be appropriate for the Company. No impairment of goodwill was recorded in the two years ended December 31, 2016.

Deferred Rent

The Company operates its headquarters under a non-cancelable operating lease. The Company recognizes rent expense under its lease on a straight-line basis measured over the term of the lease. The excess of accumulated rental expense measured on a straight-lined basis over actual accumulated rent paid is recorded as a liability on the Company’s balance sheet in its short and long term components. Deferred rent at December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 was $286,901 and $283,053, respectively.

Concentration of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk include cash, cash equivalents and accounts receivable. The Company invests its cash in demand deposit accounts in banks. To date, the Company has not experienced losses on the investments. The Company’s trade accounts receivables are primarily with distributors. The Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition but the Company generally requires no collateral. Reserves are maintained for potential credit losses, and such losses have been within management’s expectations. Customers who accounted for at least 10% of the Company’s accounts receivable balances at December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015 were as follows:

	December 31,
	2016			2015
Ingram Micro Inc.		49	%		35	%
Bluestar, Inc.		30	%		22	%
ScanSource, Inc.		*			17	%
*Customer accounts for less than 10% of accounts receivable balances

Concentration of Suppliers

Several of the Company’s component parts are produced by a sole or limited number of suppliers. Shortages could occur in these essential materials due to increased demand, or to an interruption of supply. Suppliers may choose to restrict credit terms or require advance payments causing delays in the procurement of essential materials. If the Company were unable to procure certain of such materials, it could have a material adverse effect upon its results. At December 31, 2016, 15% and 12% of the Company’s accounts payable balances were concentrated with the top two supplier. For the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, top two suppliers accounted for 65% and 57%, respectively, of the inventory purchases in each of these years.

Revenue Recognition and Deferred Revenue

Revenue on sales to customers other than distributors is recognized upon shipment provided that persuasive evidence of a sales arrangement exists, the price is fixed or determinable, title has transferred, collection of resulting receivables is reasonably assured, there are no customer acceptance requirements, and there are no remaining significant obligations. Revenue on sales to distributors where a right of return exists is recognized upon “sell-through,” when products are shipped from the distributor to the distributor’s customer. Revenue related to those products in the Company’s distribution channel at the end of each reporting period which has not sold-through is deferred. The amount of deferred revenue net of related cost of revenue is classified as net deferred revenue on shipments to distributors on the Company’s balance sheet. At December 31, 2016 and December 31, 2015, net deferred revenue on shipments to distributors represented deferred revenues totaling $2,010,441 and $1,925,268, respectively, net of related costs of those revenues of $947,799 and $921,008, respectively.

In May 2014, the FASB issued authoritative guidance amending the FASB Accounting Standards Codification and creating a new Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. The new guidance clarifies the principles for recognizing revenue and develops a common revenue standard for U.S. GAAP applicable to revenue transactions. This guidance provides that an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The existing industry guidance will be eliminated when the new guidance becomes effective and annual disclosures will be substantially revised. Additional disclosures will also be required under the new standard. In July 2015, the FASB approved a proposal that extended the required implementation date one year to the first quarter of 2018 but also would permit companies to adopt the standard at the original effective date of 2017. Implementation may be either through retrospective application to each period from the first quarter of 2017 or with a cumulative effect adjustment upon adoption in 2018. In April 2016, the FASB issued amendments, ASU No. 2016-10, that clarify the following two aspects of Topic 606: identifying performance obligations and the licensing implementation guidance, while retaining the related principles for those areas. The standard should be adopted concurrently with adoption of ASU No. 2014-09 which is effective for annual and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2017 with early adoption permitted.

Effective January 1, 2017, the Company will implement the new revenue recognition policy with the effects being recorded as an adjustment to the return reserve and to the beginning retained deficit on January 1, 2017. As noted above, the current policy relating to sales to distributors defers revenue recognition on products sold to distributors until the products sell out of distributor inventory. As a result, the current policy defers 100% of revenue and cost of revenue until shipped by the distributor even though distributor contractual return rights and actual return experiences are significantly less than 100%. The new policy recognizes revenue on sales to distributors when shipping of product is completed and title transfers to the distributor, less a reserve for estimated product returns (sales and cost of sales) based on historical experience. The effect of the change on January 1, 2017 is a one-time reduction (debit) to net deferred revenue and a one-time improvement (credit) to retained deficit in the amount of $836,000.

The Company defers revenue on advance payments from customers when performance obligations have yet to be completed and/or services performed. Such deferred revenue does not include amounts related to products delivered to distributors which have not sold-through to the distributors’ end customers as described above.

The Company also earns revenue from its SocketCare services program which provides for extended warranty and accidental breakage coverage for selected products. Service purchased at the time of product purchase provides for coverage in three-year and five-year terms. The Company additionally offers comprehensive coverage and program term extensions. Revenues from the SocketCare services program are recognized ratably over the life of the extended warranty contract. The amount of unrecognized warranty service revenue is classified as deferred service revenue and presented on the Company’s balance sheet in its short and long term components.

Warranty

The Company’s products typically carry a one year warranty. The Company reserves for estimated product warranty costs at the time revenue is recognized based upon the Company’s historical warranty experience, and additionally for any known product warranty issues. If actual costs differ from initial estimates, the Company records the difference in the period they are identified. Actual claims are charged against the warranty reserve. The following describes activity in the reserves for product warranty costs for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015:

Year		Balance at Beginning of Year		Additional Warranty Reserves		Amounts Charged to Reserves			Balance at End of Year
	2016	$	78,871	$	34,385	$	(34,385	)	$	78,871
	2015	$	78,871	$	41,029	$	(41,029	)	$	78,871

Research and Development

Research and development expenditures are charged to operations as incurred. The major components of research and development costs include salaries and employee benefits, stock-based compensation expense, third party development costs including consultants and outside services, and allocations of overhead and occupancy costs.

The accounting for the costs of computer software to be sold, leased or otherwise marketed, requires the capitalization of certain software development costs subsequent to the establishment of technological feasibility. Based on the Company’s product development process, technological feasibility is established upon the completion of a working model. Costs incurred by the Company between the completion of the working model and the point at which the product is ready for general release have been insignificant. Accordingly, the Company has charged all such costs to research and development expenses in the accompanying statements of income.

Advertising Costs

Advertising costs are charged to sales and marketing as incurred. The Company incurred $45,303 and $47,287, in advertising costs during 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Income Taxes

The Company uses the asset and liability method to account for income taxes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities and are measured using enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. The Company records a valuation allowance against deferred tax assets when it is more likely than not that such assets will not be realized. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the enactment date.

The Company recognizes the tax benefit from uncertain tax positions if it is more likely than not that the tax positions will be sustained on examination by the tax authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefit is measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. It is the Company's policy to include interest and penalties related to tax positions as a component of income tax expense.

Shipping and handling costs

Shipping and handling costs are included in the cost of revenues in the statement of operations.

Net Income Per Share

The following table sets forth the reconciliation of basic shares to diluted shares and the computation of basic and diluted net income per share:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2016		2015
Numerator:
Net income	$	12,147,088	$	1,817,672
Convertible note interest		117,421		—
Adjusted diluted net income	$	12,264,509	$	1,817,672
Denominator:
Weighted average shares outstanding used in computing net income per share:
Basic		5,793,245		5,554,541
Effect of dilutive stock options and convertible notes payable		1,026,576		351,695
Diluted		6,819,821		5,906,236
Net income per share applicable to common stockholders:
Basic	$	2.10	$	0.33
Diluted	$	1.80	$	0.31

For the 2016 period presented, the diluted shares outstanding include the dilutive effect of assumed conversion of convertible notes and assumed exercise of all in-the-money employee stock options, which is calculated based on the average share price for the 2016 fiscal period using the treasury stock method. Under the treasury stock method, the hypothetically received proceeds from the exercise of in-the-money options and warrants are assumed to be used to repurchase shares. For 2016, options to purchase totaling 1,551,727 shares of the Company’s Common Stock were excluded from the calculation of the diluted earnings per share because the exercise prices were greater than or equal to the average price of the common shares, and therefore their inclusion would have been anti-dilutive. For 2015, options to purchase and shares issuable for convertible notes and related accrued interest, totaling 2,036,520 shares of common stock, have been omitted from the income per share calculation.

Stock-Based Compensation Expense

The Company has incentive plans that reward employees with stock options. The amount of compensation cost for these stock-based awards is measured based on the fair value of the awards as of the date that the awards are issued. The fair values of stock options are generally determined using a binomial lattice valuation model which incorporates assumptions about expected volatility, risk-free interest rate, dividend yield, and expected life. Compensation cost for stock-based awards is recognized on a straight-line basis over the vesting period.

Segment Information

Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate financial information is available that is evaluated regularly by the chief executive officer in deciding how to allocate resources and in assessing performance.

The Company operates in one segment—mobile systems solutions for businesses. Mobile systems solutions typically consist of mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets, some with data collection peripherals, and third-party vertical applications software. The Company markets its products in the United States and foreign countries through its sales personnel and distributors.

Revenues for the geographic areas for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 are as follows:

	Years Ended December 31,
Revenues: (in thousands)	2016		2015
United States	$	16,851	$	14,343
Europe		2,843		2,698
Asia and rest of world		1,094		1,359
	$	20,788	$	18,400

Export revenues are attributable to countries based on the location of the Company’s customers. The Company does not hold long-lived assets in foreign locations.

Major Customers

Customers who accounted for at least 10% of total revenues for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 were as follows:

	Years Ended December 31,
	2016			2015
Ingram Micro Inc.		29	%		29	%
BlueStar, Inc.		22	%		22	%
Scansource, Inc.		18	%		18	%

Recently Issued Financial Accounting Standards

In January 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2017-04, Intangibles - Goodwill and Other (Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which eliminates the requirement to determine the fair value of individual assets and liabilities of a reporting unit to measure goodwill impairment. Under these amendments, goodwill impairment testing will be performed by comparing the fair value of the reporting unit with its carrying amount and recognizing an impairment charge for the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value. The new standard is effective for annual and interim goodwill impairment tests in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, and should be applied on a prospective basis. Early adoption is permitted for annual or interim goodwill impairment testing performed after January 1, 2017. We do not presently anticipate that the adoption of ASU 2016-15 will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments, which addresses eight specific cash flow issues with the objective of reducing the existing diversity in practice in how certain cash receipts and cash payments are presented and classified in the statement of cash flows. ASU 2016-15 will be effective for us on January 1, 2018 with early adoption permitted. We do not presently anticipate that the adoption of ASU 2016-15 will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-09, Compensation - Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting, which requires companies to record excess tax benefits and deficiencies in income rather than the current requirement to record them through equity. ASU 2016-09 also allows companies the option to recognize forfeitures of share-based awards when they occur rather than the current requirement to make an estimate upon the grant of the awards. ASU 2016-09 will be effective for us on January 1, 2017. Early adoption of ASU 2016-09 will be permitted in any interim or annual period, with any adjustments reflected as of the beginning of the fiscal year of adoption. We do not anticipate that the adoption of ASU 2016-09 will have a material impact on our financial statements.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, Leases, which eliminates the current tests for lease classification under U.S. GAAP and requires lessees to recognize the right-of-use assets and related lease liabilities on the balance sheet for all leases greater than one year in duration. ASU 2016-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. ASU 2016-02 provides that lessees (for capital and operating leases) and lessors (for sales-type, direct financing, and operating leases) must apply a modified retrospective transition approach for leases existing at, or entered into after, the beginning of the earliest comparative period presented in the financial statements. The modified retrospective approach would not require any transition accounting for leases that expired before the earliest comparative period presented. Lessees and lessors may not apply a full retrospective transition approach. We are assessing the impact that ASU 2016-02 is anticipated to have on our consolidated financial statements. We currently expect that most of our operating lease commitments will be subject to the new standard and recognized as lease liabilities and right-of-use assets upon our adoption of ASU 2016-02.

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-01, Financial Instruments - Overall: Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities, which amends the guidance regarding the classification and measurement of financial instruments. Changes to the current guidance primarily affect the accounting for equity investments, financial liabilities under the fair value option, and the presentation and disclosure requirements for financial instruments. In addition, ASU 2016-01 clarifies guidance related to the valuation allowance assessment when recognizing deferred tax assets resulting from unrealized losses on available-for-sale debt securities. ASU 2016-01 will be effective for us on January 1, 2018. Early adoption is not permitted except for the provision to record fair value changes for financial liabilities under the fair value option resulting from instrument-specific credit risk in other comprehensive income. Upon adoption of ASU 2016-01, an entity should apply the amendments by means of a cumulative-effect adjustment to the balance sheet at the beginning of the first reporting period in which the guidance is effective. We do not presently anticipate that the adoption of ASU 2016-01 will have a material impact on our financial statements.

In November 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-17, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Balance Sheet Classification of Deferred Taxes, which will require all deferred tax assets and deferred tax liabilities to be presented as noncurrent within a classified balance sheet. ASU 2015-17 will be effective for us as of January 1, 2017, with early application permitted. ASU 2015-17 may be applied either prospectively to all deferred tax assets and liabilities or retrospectively to all periods presented. We have elected to early adopt ASU 2015-17 effective December 31, 2016.

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory. ASU 2015-11 requires that inventory be measured at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Net realizable value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. Inventory measured using last-in, first-out or the retail inventory method are excluded from the scope of ASU 2015-11 which is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods within those fiscal years. We do not anticipate that the implementation of ASU 2015-11 will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements.

From time to time, new accounting pronouncements are issued by the FASB or other standards setting bodies that are adopted by the Company as of the specified effective date. Unless otherwise discussed, management believes that the impact of recently issued standards that are not yet effective will not have a material impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.