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Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)
9 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Description of Business

  A. Description of business — The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of the Company, its wholly-owned domestic subsidiaries, Castle Brands (USA) Corp. (“CB-USA”) and McLain & Kyne, Ltd., the Company’s wholly-owned foreign subsidiaries, Castle Brands Spirits Group Limited (“CB-IRL”) and Castle Brands Spirits Marketing and Sales Company Limited, and the Company’s 80.1% ownership interest in Gosling-Castle Partners Inc. (“GCP”), with adjustments for income or loss allocated based upon percentage of ownership. The accounts of the subsidiaries have been included as of the date of acquisition. All significant intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated.

Liquidity
  B. Liquidity – The Company believes that its current cash and working capital and the availability under the Credit Facility (as defined in Note 7C) will enable it to fund its obligations until it achieves profitability and positive cash flows from operations, ensure continuity of supply of its brands and support new brand initiatives and marketing programs through at least February 2019.
Organization and Operations
  C. Organization and operations — The Company is principally engaged in the importation, marketing and sale of premium and super premium rums, whiskeys, liqueurs, vodka, tequila and related non-alcoholic beverage products in the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia.
Equity Investments
  D. Equity investments — Equity investments are carried at original cost adjusted for the Company’s proportionate share of the investees’ income, losses and distributions. The Company assesses the carrying value of its equity investments when an indicator of a loss in value is present and records a loss in value of the investment when the assessment indicates that an other-than-temporary decline in the investment exists. The Company classifies its equity earnings of equity investments as a component of net income or loss.
Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets
  E. Goodwill and other intangible assets — Goodwill represents the excess of purchase price including related costs over the value assigned to the net tangible and identifiable intangible assets of businesses acquired. Goodwill and other identifiable intangible assets with indefinite lives are not amortized, but instead are tested for impairment annually, or more frequently if circumstances indicate a possible impairment may exist. Intangible assets with estimable useful lives are amortized over their respective estimated useful lives, generally on a straight-line basis, and are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying value may not be recoverable.
Impairment of Long-Lived Assets
  F. Impairment of long-lived assets — Under Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 310, “Accounting for the Impairment or Disposal of Long-lived Assets”, the Company periodically reviews whether changes have occurred that would require revisions to the carrying amounts of its definite lived, long-lived assets. When the sum of the expected future cash flows is less than the carrying amount of the asset, an impairment loss is recognized based on the fair value of the asset.
Excise Taxes and Duty
  G. Excise taxes and duty — Excise taxes and duty are computed at standard rates based on alcohol proof per gallon/liter and are paid after finished goods are imported into the United States or other relevant jurisdiction and then transferred out of “bond.” Excise taxes and duty are recorded to inventory as a component of the cost of the underlying finished goods. When the underlying products are sold “ex warehouse”, the sales price reflects the taxes paid and the inventoried excise taxes and duties are charged to cost of sales.
Foreign Currency
  H. Foreign currency — The functional currency for the Company’s foreign operations is the Euro in Ireland and the British Pound in the United Kingdom. Under ASC 830, “Foreign Currency Matters”, the translation from the applicable foreign currencies to U.S. Dollars is performed for balance sheet accounts using exchange rates in effect at the balance sheet date and for revenue and expense accounts using a weighted average exchange rate during the period. The resulting translation adjustments are recorded as a component of other comprehensive income. Gains or losses resulting from foreign currency transactions are shown as a separate line item in the consolidated statements of operations.
Fair Value of Financial Instruments
  I. Fair value of financial instruments — ASC 825, “Financial Instruments”, defines the fair value of a financial instrument as the amount at which the instrument could be exchanged in a current transaction between willing parties and requires disclosure of the fair value of certain financial instruments. The Company believes that there is no material difference between the fair-value and the reported amounts of financial instruments in the Company’s balance sheets due to the short term maturity of these instruments, or with respect to the Company’s debt, as compared to the current borrowing rates available to the Company.

 

The Company’s investments are reported at fair value in accordance with authoritative guidance, which accomplishes the following key objectives:

 

  - Defines 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;
  - Establishes a three-level hierarchy (“valuation hierarchy”) for fair value measurements;
  - Requires consideration of the Company’s creditworthiness when valuing liabilities; and
  - Expands disclosures about instruments measured at fair value.

 

The valuation hierarchy is based upon the transparency of inputs to the valuation of an asset or liability as of the measurement date. A financial instrument’s categorization within the valuation hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The three levels of the valuation hierarchy are as follows:

 

  - Level 1 — inputs to the valuation methodology are quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets.
  - Level 2 — inputs to the valuation methodology include quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, and inputs that are directly or indirectly observable for the asset or liability for substantially the full term of the financial instrument.
  - Level 3 — inputs to the valuation methodology are unobservable and significant to the fair value measurement.
Income Taxes
  J. Income taxes — In December 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “2017 Tax Act”) was enacted. The 2017 Tax Act includes a number of changes to existing U.S. tax laws that impact the Company, most notably a reduction of the U.S. corporate income tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017 and the recognition of tax net operating loss carryfowards. The 2017 Tax Act also provides for a one-time transition tax on certain foreign earnings and the acceleration of depreciation for certain assets placed into service after September 27, 2017 as well as prospective changes beginning in 2018, including repeal of the domestic manufacturing deduction, acceleration of tax revenue recognition, capitalization of research and development expenditures, additional limitations on executive compensation and limitations on the deductibility of interest.

 

The Company recognized the income tax effects of the 2017 Tax Act in its current financial statements in accordance with Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 118, which provides SEC staff guidance for the application of ASC Topic 740, “Income Taxes”, (“ASC 740”) in the reporting period in which the 2017 Tax Act was signed into law. As such, the Company’s financial results reflect the income tax effects of the 2017 Tax Act for which the accounting under ASC 740 is complete. The Company did not identify items for which the income tax effects of the 2017 Tax Act have not been completed and a reasonable estimate could not be determined as of December 31, 2017.

 

The 2017 Tax Act reduced the U.S. federal corporate tax rate from 35.0% to 21.0% for all corporations effective January 1, 2018. For fiscal year companies, the change in law requires the application of a blended rate for each quarter of the fiscal year, which in the Company’s case is 31.5% for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2018. Thereafter, the applicable statutory rate is 21.0%.

 

ASC 740 requires all companies to reflect the effects of the new law in the period in which the law was enacted. Accordingly, the Company reduced the statutory rate that applies to its year-to-date earnings from 35.0% to 31.5%. In addition, the Company remeasured its deferred tax assets and liabilities based on the new rate. The combined result of the 2017 Tax Act resulted in a tax benefit of $40,485 during the three months ended December 31, 2017.

 

Under ASC 740, deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their respective tax basis. A valuation allowance is provided to the extent a deferred tax asset is not considered recoverable.

 

The Company has adopted the provisions of ASC 740 and as of December 31, 2017, the Company had reserves for uncertain tax positions (including related interest and penalties) for various state and local tax issues of $20,666. The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions in general and administrative expense.

 

The Company’s income tax expense for the three months ended December 31, 2017 and 2016 consists of federal, state and local taxes. In connection with the Company’s investment in GCP, the Company recorded a deferred tax liability on the ascribed value of the acquired intangible assets of $2,222,222, increasing the value of the asset. For the three months ended December 31, 2017 and 2016, the Company recognized $63,085 and $273,781 of income tax benefit, net, respectively. For the nine months ended December 31, 2017, the Company recognized $19,337 of income tax benefit, net and for the nine months ended December 31, 2016, the Company recognized ($414,994) of income tax expense, net, respectively. GCP is currently under a tax audit by New York State for the tax year ended March 31, 2016.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements
  K. Recent accounting pronouncements — In May 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”) issued ASU 2017-09, “Compensation — Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting.” ASU 2017-09 provides guidance about which changes to the terms or conditions of a share-based payment award require an entity to apply modification accounting. This guidance is effective for the Company as of April 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the new guidance to determine the impact the adoption of this guidance will have on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

 

In February 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-05, “Other Income — Gains and Losses from the Derecognition of Nonfinancial Assets (Subtopic 610-20): Clarifying the Scope of Asset Derecognition Guidance and Accounting for Partial Sales of Nonfinancial Assets.” ASU 2017-05 clarifies the scope and accounting of a financial asset that meets the definition of an “in-substance nonfinancial asset” and defines the term “in-substance nonfinancial asset.” ASU 2017-05 also adds guidance for partial sales of nonfinancial assets. This guidance is effective for the Company as of April 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the new guidance to determine the impact the adoption of this guidance will have on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

 

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-04, “Intangibles — Goodwill and Other: Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment (Topic 350).” ASU 2017-04 removes Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. This guidance is effective for the Company as of April 1, 2020, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the new guidance to determine the impact the adoption of this guidance will have on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

 

In January 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-01, “Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business.” This ASU, which must be applied prospectively, provides a narrower framework to be used to determine if a set of assets and activities constitutes a business than under current guidance and is generally expected to result in greater consistency in the application of ASC Topic 805, Business Combinations. This guidance is effective for the Company as of April 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the new guidance to determine the impact the adoption of this guidance will have on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

 

In November 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-18, “Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash, a consensus of the FASB’s Emerging Issues Task Force (the “Task Force”).” The new standard requires that the statement of cash flows explain the change during the period in the total of cash, cash equivalents, and amounts generally described as restricted cash or restricted cash equivalents. Entities will also be required to reconcile such total to amounts on the balance sheet and disclose the nature of the restrictions. This guidance is effective for the Company as of April 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the new guidance to determine the impact the adoption of this guidance will have on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

 

In October 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-16, “Income Taxes: Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other than Inventory.” This ASU removes the prohibition against the immediate recognition of the current and deferred income tax effects of intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory. This guidance is effective for the Company as of April 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted. Entities must apply a modified retrospective basis through a cumulative-effect adjustment to retained earnings as of the beginning of the period of adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the new guidance to determine the impact the adoption of this guidance will have on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

 

In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-15, “Statement of Cash Flows: Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments”, which provides guidance on eight cash flow classification issues with the objective of reducing differences in practice. The new standard is effective for the Company as of April 1, 2018, with early adoption permitted. Adoption is required to be on a retrospective basis, unless impracticable for any of the amendments, in which case a prospective application is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the new guidance to determine the impact the adoption of this guidance will have on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

 

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, “Leases.” The new standard 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. The new standard is effective for the Company as of April 1, 2019. 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 new guidance to determine the impact the adoption of this guidance will have on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

 

In January 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-01, “Financial Instruments—Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities”, which amends the guidance in U.S. GAAP on 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, the ASU clarifies guidance related to the valuation allowance assessment when recognizing deferred tax assets resulting from unrealized losses on available-for-sale debt securities. The new standard is effective for the Company as of April 1, 2018, and upon adoption, 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. 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. The Company is currently evaluating the new guidance to determine the impact the adoption of this guidance will have on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

 

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers” (“ASU 2014-09”), to clarify the principles for recognizing revenue. This guidance includes the required steps to achieve the core principle 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. This guidance is effective for the Company as of April 1, 2018. The Company expects to transition to ASU 2014-09 using the Modified-Retrospective Method, under which the prior years’ data is not recast; instead, a single adjustment is made to equity at the beginning of the initial year of application. This single entry should adjust the beginning equity balance to what it would have been if the entity had applied ASU 2014-09 to either (a) all unfinished contracts as of the beginning of the current period, or (b) all contracts pertaining to the years presented. The Company is currently evaluating the new guidance but does not believe the adoption of this guidance will have a material impact on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

 

The Company does not believe that any other recently issued, but not yet effective, accounting standards, if currently adopted, would have a material effect on the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements.

Accounting Standards Adopted
  L. Accounting standards adopted — In August 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update 2017-12, “Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) - Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities” (“ASU 2017-12”), which improves the financial reporting of hedging relationships to better portray the economic results of an entity’s risk management activities in its financial statements and makes certain targeted improvements to simplify the qualification and application of the hedge accounting compared to current GAAP. This update is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The Company adopted this guidance in the current period and determined that its adoption of this guidance did not have a material effect on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

 

In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-09, “Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting”, which simplifies several aspects of the accounting for employee share-based payment transactions, including the accounting for income taxes and statutory tax withholding requirements, as well as classification in the statement of cash flows. The guidance became effective for the Company beginning April 1, 2017. The Company determined that the adoption of this guidance did not have a material effect on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.

 

In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015-11, “Inventory (Topic 330): Simplifying the Measurement of Inventory”, which changes the measurement principle for inventory from the lower of cost or market to the lower of cost and net realizable value. Net realizable value is defined as estimated selling prices in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal, and transportation. The new guidance has been applied on a prospective basis and became effective for the Company as of April 1, 2017. The Company determined that the adoption of this guidance did not have a material effect on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows and financial condition.