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1. NATURE OF BUSINESS AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)
 12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Basis of Presentation

The accompanying audited consolidated financial statements have been prepared by Gulf Resources, Inc. a Delaware corporation and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”).

 

Upper Class Group Limited was incorporated with limited liability in the British Virgin Islands on July 28, 2006 and was inactive until October 9, 2006 when Upper Class Group Limited acquired all the issued and outstanding stock of Shouguang City Haoyuan Chemical Company Limited (“SCHC”).  SCHC is an operating company incorporated in Shouguang City, Shangdong Province, the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”) on May 18, 2005.  SCHC is engaged in manufacturing and trading bromine and crude salt in China.  Since the ownership of Upper Class Group Limited and SCHC were the same, the merger was accounted for as a transaction between entities under common control, whereby Upper Class Group Limited recognized the assets and liabilities transferred at their carrying amounts.

 

On December 12, 2006, Gulf Resources, Inc. (formerly Diversifax, Inc.), a public “shell” company, acquired Upper Class Group Limited and its wholly-owned subsidiary, SCHC (together “Upper Class”).  Under the terms of the agreement, all stockholders of Upper Class received a total amount of 13,250,000 (restated for the 2-for-1 stock split in 2007 and the 1-for-4 stock split in 2009) shares of voting common stock of Gulf Resources, Inc. in exchange for all shares of Upper Class’ common stock held by all stockholders.  Under accounting principles generally accepted in the United States, the share exchange is considered to be a capital transaction in substance, rather than a business combination.  That is, the share exchange is equivalent to the issuance of stock by Upper Class for the net monetary assets of Gulf Resources, Inc., accompanied by a recapitalization, and is accounted for as a change in capital structure. Accordingly, the accounting for the share exchange will be identical to that resulting from a reverse acquisition, except no goodwill will be recorded.  Under reverse takeover accounting, the post reverse acquisition comparative historical financial statements of the legal acquirer, Gulf Resources, Inc., are those of the legal acquiree, Upper Class, which is considered to be the accounting acquirer.  Share and per share amounts stated have been retroactively adjusted to reflect the merger.

 

On February 5, 2007, SCHC acquired Shouguang Yuxin Chemical Industry Co., Limited (“SYCI”), a company incorporated in PRC on October 30, 2000.  SYCI manufactures chemical products utilized in oil and gas field explorations and as papermaking chemical agents. Under the terms of the merger agreement, all stockholders of SYCI received a total amount of 8,094,059 (restated for the 2-for-1 stock split in 2007 and the 1-for-4 stock split in 2009) shares of voting common stock of Gulf Resources, Inc. in exchange for all shares of SYCI’s common stock held by all stockholders.   Also, upon the completion of the merger, Gulf Resources, Inc. paid a $2,550,000 dividend to the original stockholders of SYCI.  Since the ownership of Gulf Resources, Inc. and SYCI are substantially the same, the merger was accounted for as a transaction between entities under common control, whereby Gulf Resources, Inc. recognized the assets and liabilities of the Company transferred at their carrying amounts.  Share and per share amounts stated have been retroactively adjusted to reflect the merger.

 

On November 11, 2007, Upper Class formed Hong Kong Jiaxing Industrial Limited (formerly known as Jiaxing Technology Limited) (“HKJI”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Upper Class, in Hong Kong. Upper Class transferred its equity interest in SCHC to HKJI.
Nature of the Business

The Company manufactures and trades bromine and crude salt through SCHC, and manufactures chemical products for use in the oil industry and paper manufacturing industry through SYCI.
Basis of Consolidation

The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Gulf Resources, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Upper Class, a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, which owns 100% of HKJI, a company incorporated in Hong Kong, which owns 100% of SCHC and SYCI, which is 100% owned by SCHC.  All material intercompany transactions have been eliminated on consolidation.
Use of Estimates

The Company’s consolidated financial statements have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and this requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.  The Company bases its estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that are believed to be reasonable under the circumstances.  The most significant accounting estimates with regard to these consolidated financial statements that require the most significant and subjective judgments include, but are not limited to, useful lives of property, plant and equipment, recoverability of long-lived assets, determination of impairment losses, assessment of market value of inventories and provision for inventory obsolescence, allowance for doubtful accounts, recognition and measurement of current and deferred income taxes, valuation allowance for deferred tax assets, and assumptions used for the valuation of share based payments.  Accordingly, actual results may differ significantly from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.
Cash and Cash Equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents consist of all cash balances and highly liquid investments with original maturities of three months or less. Because of short maturity of these investments, the carrying amounts approximate their fair values.
Accounts Receivable and Allowance of Doubtful Accounts

Accounts receivable is stated at cost, net of allowance for doubtful accounts. The normal credit term extended to customers ranges between 90 and 180 days. The company reviews all receivables that exceed the term. The Company establishes an allowance for doubtful accounts based on management’s assessment of the collectability of trade and other receivables. A considerable amount of judgment is required in assessing the amount of allowance and the Company considers the historical level of credit losses. The Company makes judgments about the credit worthiness of each customer based on ongoing credit evaluations, and monitors current economic trends that might impact the level of credit losses in the future. If the financial condition of the customer begins to deteriorate, resulting in their inability to make payments within credit term provided, a larger allowance may be required.

 

As of December 31, 2014 and 2013, allowances for doubtful accounts were nil. No allowances for doubtful accounts were charged to the income statement for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013.
Concentration of Credit Risk

The Company is exposed to credit risk in the normal course of business, primarily related to accounts receivable and cash and cash equivalents. Substantially all of the Company’s cash and cash equivalents are maintained with financial institutions in the PRC, namely, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China Limited and China Merchants Bank Company Limited, which are not insured or otherwise protected. The Company placed $146,585,601 and $107,828,800 with these institutions as of December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.  The Company has not experienced any losses in such accounts in the PRC.

 

Concentrations of credit risk with respect to accounts receivable exists as the Company sells a substantial portion of its products to a limited number of customers. However, such concentrations of credit risks are limited since the Company performs ongoing credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition. About 66.5% and 73.9% of the balances of accounts receivable as of December 31, 2014 and December 31, 2013, respectively, were outstanding for those which are 90 days old or less. For the balances of accounts receivable aged more than 90 days as of December 31, 2014, 84% were settled in the two months ended February 28, 2015.
Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost, determined on a first-in first-out cost basis, or market. Costs of work-in-progress and finished goods comprise direct materials, direct labor and an attributable portion of manufacturing overhead. Net realizable value is based on estimated selling price less costs to complete and selling expenses.

 
Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and any impairment losses. Expenditures for new facilities or equipment, and major expenditures for betterment of existing facilities or equipment are capitalized and depreciated using the straight-line method at rates sufficient to depreciate such costs less 5% residual value over the estimated productive lives. All other ordinary repair and maintenance costs are expensed as incurred.

 

Mineral rights are recorded at cost less accumulated depreciation and any impairment losses. Mineral rights are amortized ratably over the term of the lease, or the equivalent term under the units (in tonnes) of production method, whichever is shorter.

 

Construction in progress primarily represents direct costs of construction of property, plant and equipment. Costs incurred are capitalized and transferred to property, plant and equipment upon completion, at which time depreciation commences.

 

The Company’s depreciation and amortization policies on property, plant and equipment other than mineral rights and construction in progress are as follows:

 

   

Useful life

(in years)

  
Buildings (including salt pans)     8 - 20  
Plant and machinery (including protective shells, transmission channels and ducts)     5 - 8  
Motor vehicles     5  
Furniture, fixtures and equipment     8  

 

Property, plant and equipment under capital leases are depreciated over their expected useful lives on the same basis as owned assets, or where shorter, the term of the lease, which is 20 years.
Asset Retirement Obligation

The Company follows FASB ASC 410, which established a uniform methodology for accounting for estimated reclamation and abandonment costs. FASB ASC 410 requires the fair value of a liability for an asset retirement obligation to be recognized in the period in which the legal obligation associated with the retirement of the long-lived asset is incurred. When the liability is initially recorded, the offset is capitalized by increasing the carrying amount of the related long-lived asset. Over time, the liability is accreted to its present value each period, and the capitalized cost is depreciated over the useful life of the related asset. To settle the liability, the obligation is paid, and to the extent there is a difference between the liability and the amount of cash paid, a gain or loss upon settlement is recorded.

 

Currently, there are no reclamation or abandonment obligations associated with the land being utilized for exploitation.
Recoverability of Long Lived Assets

In accordance with ASC 360-10-35 “Impairment or Disposal of Long-lived Assets”, long-lived assets to be held and used are analyzed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be fully recoverable or that the useful lives of those assets are no longer appropriate. The Company evaluates at each balance sheet date whether events and circumstances have occurred that indicate possible impairment.

 

The Company determines the existence of such impairment by measuring the expected future cash flows (undiscounted and without interest charges) and comparing such amount to the carrying amount of the assets. An impairment loss, if one exists, is then measured as the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds the discounted estimated future cash flows. Assets to be disposed of are reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value of such assets less costs to sell. Asset impairment charges are recorded to reduce the carrying amount of the long-lived asset that will be sold or disposed of to their estimated fair values. Charges for the asset impairment reduce the carrying amount of the long-lived assets to their estimated salvage value in connection with the decision to dispose of such assets.

 

For the year ended December 31, 2014, certain property, plant and machinery, with net book values of $673,705, respectively, were replaced during the third phase enhancement project to protective shells for transmission channels and ducts for Factory No 10 and 11, write-offs of the same amounts, were made and included in write-off/impairment on property, plant and equipment.

 

There is no impairment loss in fiscal year 2014.
Retirement Benefits

Pursuant to the relevant laws and regulations in the PRC, the Company participates in a defined contribution retirement plan for its employees arranged by a governmental organization. The Company makes contributions to the retirement scheme at the applicable rate based on the employees’ salaries. The required contributions under the retirement plans are charged to the consolidated income statement on an accrual basis when they are due. The Company’s contributions totaled $707,086 and $495,894 for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.
Mineral Rights

The Company follows FASB ASC 805 “Business Combinations” that certain mineral rights are considered tangible assets and that mineral rights should be accounted for based on their substance. Mineral rights are included in property, plant and equipment.
Leasing arrangements

Rentals payable under operating leases are charged to the statements of income on a straight line basis over the term of the relevant lease. For capital leases, the present value of future minimum lease payments at the inception of the lease is reflected as an asset and a liability in the statement of financial position. Amounts due within one year are classified as short-term liabilities and the remaining balance as long-term liabilities.
Reporting Currency and Translation

The financial statements of the Company’s foreign subsidiaries are measured using the local currency, Renminbi (“RMB”), as the functional currency; whereas the functional currency and reporting currency of the Company is the United States dollar (“USD” or “$”).

 

As such, the Company uses the “current rate method” to translate its PRC operations from RMB into USD, as required under ASC 830 “Foreign Currency Matters”. The assets and liabilities of its PRC operations are translated into USD using the rate of exchange prevailing at the balance sheet date. The capital accounts are translated at the historical rate. Adjustments resulting from the translation of the balance sheets of the Company’s PRC subsidiaries are recorded in stockholders’ equity as part of accumulated comprehensive income. The statement of income and comprehensive income is translated at average rates during the reporting period. Gains or losses resulting from transactions in currencies other than the functional currencies are recognized in net income for the reporting periods as part of general and administrative expense. Included in the general and administrative expense is a foreign exchange gain of $92,412 and a foreign exchange loss of $774,405 for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013. The statement of cash flows is translated at average rates during the reporting period, with the exception of issuance of shares and payment of dividends which are translated at historical rates.
Foreign Operations

All of the Company’s operations and assets are located in PRC.  The Company may be adversely affected by possible political or economic events in this country.  The effect of these factors cannot be accurately predicted.
Revenue Recognition

The Company recognizes revenue, net of value-added tax, when persuasive evidence of an arrangement exists, delivery of the goods has occurred, customer acceptance has been obtained, which means the significant risks and ownership have been transferred to the customer, the price is fixed or determinable and collectability is reasonably assured.
Income Taxes

The Company accounts for income taxes in accordance with the Income Taxes Topic of the FASB ASC, which requires the use of the liability method of accounting for deferred income taxes. Under this method, deferred income taxes are recorded to reflect the tax consequences on future years of temporary differences between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts at each period end. If it is more likely than not that some portion or all of a deferred tax asset will not be realized, a valuation allowance is recognized. The guidance also provides criteria for the recognition, measurement, presentation and disclosures of uncertain tax positions. A tax benefit from an uncertain tax position may be recognized if it is “more likely than not” that the position is sustainable based solely on its technical merits.
Exploration Costs

Exploration costs, which included the cost of researching appropriate places to drill wells and the cost of actual drilling of potential natural brine or other resources, were charged to the income statement as incurred. The company incurred total $488,880 exploration cost during the fiscal year 2014.
Contingencies

The Company accrues for costs relating to litigation, including litigation defense costs, claims and other contingent matters, including liquidated damage liabilities, when such liabilities become probable and reasonably estimable. Such estimates may be based on advice from third parties or on management’s judgment, as appropriate. Revisions to accruals are reflected in earnings (loss) in the period in which different facts or information become known or circumstances change that affect the Company’s previous assumptions with respect to the likelihood or amount of loss. Amounts paid upon the ultimate resolution of such liabilities may be materially different from previous estimates. 
Stock-based Compensation

Common stock, stock options and stock warrants issued to employees or directors are recorded at their fair values estimated at grant date using the Black-Scholes model and the portion that is ultimately expected to vest is recognized as compensation cost over the requisite service period.

 

Common stock, stock options and stock warrants issued to other than employees or directors are recorded on the basis of their fair value using the Black-Scholes model on the basis of the market price of the underlying common stock on the “valuation date,” which for options and warrants related to contracts that have substantial disincentives to non-performance is the date of the contract, and for all other contracts the measurement date is the date that the service is complete. Expense related to the options and warrants is recognized on a straight-line basis over the shorter of the period over which services are to be received or the vesting period. Where expense must be recognized prior to a valuation date, the expense is computed under the Black-Scholes model on the basis of the market price of the underlying common stock at the end of the period, and any subsequent changes in the market price of the underlying common stock up through the valuation date is reflected in the expense recorded in the subsequent period in which that change occurs.
Basic and Diluted Net Income per Share of Common Stock

Basic earnings per common share are based on the weighted average number of shares outstanding during the periods presented.  Diluted earnings per share are computed using weighted average number of common shares plus dilutive common share equivalents outstanding during the period. Potential common shares that would have the effect of increasing diluted earnings per share are considered to be anti-dilutive, i.e. the exercise prices of the outstanding stock options were greater than the market price of the common stock. Anti-dilutive common stock equivalents which were excluded from the calculation of number of dilutive common stock equivalents amounted to 2,175,088 and 3,473,441 shares for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

 

The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted earnings per share:

 

    Years ended December 31,  
    2014     2013  
Numerator            
Net income   $ 17,871,795     $ 20,967,358  
                 
Denominator                

Basic: Weighted-average common shares

outstanding during the year

     38,694,567       38,395,921  
Add: Dilutive effect of stock options     566,060       431,409  
Diluted     39,260,627       38,827,330  
                 
Net income per share                
Basic   $ 0.46     $ 0.55  
Diluted   $ 0.46     $ 0.54  
New Accounting Pronouncements

As of December 31,2014 and for the year then ended, there were no recently adopted accounting pronouncements that had a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. As of December 31, 2014, there were no recently issued accounting standards not yet adopted which would have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements through 2016.