NOTE 2

SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Principles of Consolidation

The Company’s consolidated financial statements include our accounts and those of our wholly-owned subsidiaries. The Company’s consolidated financial statements for 2022 also included the accounts of Perma-Fix ERRG, a VIE for which we were the primary beneficiary as discussed above, after elimination of all significant intercompany accounts and transactions.

Use of Estimates

The Company prepares financial statements in conformity with accounting standards generally accepted in the United States (“U.S. GAAP”), which may require estimates of future cash flows and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Due to the inherent uncertainty involved in making estimates, actual results could differ from those estimates.

Cash and Finite Risk Sinking Fund (Restricted Cash)

As of December 31, 2023, and 2022, the Company had cash on hand of approximately $7,500,000 and $1,866,000, respectively. Starting in late 2023, the Company maintained an interest bearing money account with its lender. At December 31, 2023, and 2022, the Company had finite risk sinking funds of approximately $12,074,000 and $11,570,000, respectively, which represented cash held as collateral under the Company’s financial assurance policy (see “Note 14 – Commitment and Contingencies – Insurance” for a discussion of this finite risk sinking fund).

Accounts Receivable

Accounts receivable are customer obligations due under normal trade terms generally requiring payment within 30 or 60 days from the invoice date based on the customer type (government, broker, or commercial). The carrying amount of accounts receivables is reduced by a credit loss determined in accordance with Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2016-13 “Credit Losses (Topic 326) Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments.” which requires the Company to consider forward-looking information in estimating the expected loss and is developed using historical collection experience, current and future economic and market conditions that may affect customers’ ability to pay, and a review of the current status of customers’ accounts receivables. The Company does not apply a credit loss allowance to government related receivables due to our past successful experience in their collectability. The Company’s monitoring activities include routine follow-up on past due accounts and consideration of customers’ financial conditions. Once the Company has exhausted all options in the collection of a delinquent accounts receivable balance, which includes collection letters, demands for payment, collection agencies and attorneys, the account is deemed uncollectible and subsequently written off. The write off process involves approvals from senior management based on required approval thresholds.

The following table sets forth the activity in the allowance for credit losses for the years ended December 31, 2023, and 2022 (in thousands):

SCHEDULE OF ALLOWANCE FOR CREDIT LOSSES

Unbilled Receivables

Unbilled receivables are generated by differences between invoicing timing and our over time revenue recognition methodology used for revenue recognition purposes. As major processing and contract completion phases are completed and the costs are incurred, the Company recognizes the corresponding percentage of revenue. Within our Treatment Segment, the facilities experience delays in processing invoices due to the complexity of the documentation that is required for invoicing, as well as the difference between completion of revenue recognition milestones and agreed upon invoicing terms, which results in unbilled receivables. The timing differences occur for several reasons which include: delays in the final processing of all wastes associated with certain work orders and delays for analytical testing that is required after the facilities have processed waste but prior to our release of waste for disposal. The tasks relating to these delays can take months to complete but are generally completed within twelve months.

Unbilled receivables within our Services Segment can result from work performed under contracts but invoice milestones have not yet been met and/or contract claims and pending change orders, including requests for equitable adjustments (“REA”) for which work has been performed and collection of revenue is reasonably assured.

Inventories

Inventories consist of treatment chemicals, saleable used oils, and certain supplies. Additionally, the Company has replacement parts in inventory, which are deemed critical to the operating equipment and may also have extended lead times should the part fail and need to be replaced. Inventories are valued at the lower of cost or net realizable value with cost determined by the first-in, first-out method.

Disposal and Transportation Costs

The Company accrues for waste disposal based on the waste at each facility at the end of each accounting period. Current market prices for transportation and disposal costs are applied to the end of period waste inventories to calculate for the transportation and disposal accruals.

Property and Equipment

Property and equipment expenditures are capitalized and depreciated using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets for financial statement purposes, while accelerated depreciation methods are principally used for income tax purposes. Generally, asset lives range from ten to forty years for buildings (including improvements and asset retirement costs) and three to seven years for office furniture and equipment, vehicles, and decontamination and processing equipment. Leasehold improvements are capitalized and amortized over the lesser of the term of the lease or the life of the asset. Maintenance and repairs are charged directly to expense as incurred. The cost and accumulated depreciation of assets sold or retired are removed from the respective accounts, and any gain or loss from sale or retirement is recognized in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Operations. Renewals and improvements, which extend the useful lives of the assets, are capitalized.

Certain property and equipment expenditures are financed through leases. Amortization of financed leased assets is computed using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the assets. As of December 31, 2023, assets recorded under finance leases were $1,608,000 less accumulated depreciation of $545,000, resulting in net fixed assets under finance leases of $1,063,000. As of December 31, 2022, assets recorded under finance leases were $1,201,000 less accumulated depreciation of $549,000, resulting in net fixed assets under finance leases of $652,000. These assets are recorded within net property and equipment on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Long-lived assets, such as property, plant and equipment, are reviewed for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held and used is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of an asset to estimated undiscounted future cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If the carrying amount of an asset exceeds its estimated future cash flows, an impairment charge is recognized in the amount by which the carrying amount of the asset exceeds the fair value of the asset. Assets to be disposed of are separately presented in the balance sheet and reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value less costs to sell and are no longer depreciated.

Our depreciation expense totaled approximately $2,370,000 and $1,872,000 in 2023 and 2022, respectively.

Leases

The Company accounts for leases in accordance with FASB’s ASU 2016-02, “Leases (Topic 842).” At the inception of an arrangement, the Company determines if an arrangement is, or contains, a lease based on facts and circumstances present in that arrangement. Lease classifications, recognition, and measurement are then determined at the lease commencement date.

The Company’s operating lease right-of-use (“ROU”) assets and operating lease liabilities include primarily leases for office and warehouse spaces used to conduct our business. The Company’s operating leases also include the lease of a building with land utilized for our waste treatment operations which includes a purchase option. These leases have remaining terms of approximately one to six years. The Company includes renewal options in valuing its ROU assets and liabilities when it determines that it is reasonably certain to exercise these renewal options; however, at December 31, 2023, none of our operating leases has remaining renewal options. As most of our operating leases do not provide an implicit rate, the Company uses its incremental borrowing rate as the discount rate when determining the present value of the lease payments. The incremental borrowing rate is determined based on the Company’s secured borrowing rate, lease terms and current economic environment. Some of our operating leases include both lease (rent payments) and non-lease components (maintenance costs such as cleaning and landscaping services). The Company has elected the practical expedient to account for lease component and non-lease component as a single component for all leases under ASU 2016-02. Lease expense for operating leases is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.

Finance leases primarily consist of processing and transport equipment used by our facilities’ operations. The Company’s finance leases have remaining terms of approximately one to six years. See “Property and Equipment” above for assets recorded under financed leases. Borrowing rates for our finance leases are either explicitly stated in the lease agreements or implicitly determined from available terms in the lease agreements.

The Company adopted the policy to not recognize ROU assets and liabilities for short term leases.

Intangible Assets

Intangible assets consist primarily of the recognized value of the permits required to operate our business. Indefinite-lived intangible assets are not amortized but are reviewed for impairment annually as of October 1, or when events or changes in the business environment indicate that the carrying value may be impaired. If the fair value of the asset is less than the carrying amount, a quantitative test is performed to determine the fair value. The impairment loss, if any, is measured as the excess of the carrying value of the asset over its fair value. Judgments and estimates are inherent in these analyses and include assumptions for, among other factors, forecasted revenue, gross margin, growth rate, operating income, timing of expected future cash flows, and the determination of appropriate long-term discount rates. Impairment testing of our indefinite-lived permits related to our Treatment reporting unit as of October 1, 2023 and 2022 resulted in no impairment charges.

Intangible assets that have definite useful lives are amortized using the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives (with the exception of customer relationships which are amortized using an accelerated method) and are excluded from our annual intangible asset valuation review as of October 1. Definite-lived intangible assets are also tested for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances suggest impairment might exist.

Research and Development (“R&D”)

Operational innovation and technical know-how are very important to the success of our business. Our goal is to discover, develop, and bring to market innovative ways to process waste that address unmet environmental needs and to develop new company service offerings. The Company conducts research internally and also through collaborations with other third parties. R&D costs consist primarily of employee salaries and benefits, laboratory costs, third party fees, and other related costs associated with the development and enhancement of new potential waste treatment processes and new technology and are charged to expense when incurred in accordance with ASC Topic 730, “Research and Development.”

Accrued Closure Costs and Asset Retirement Obligations (“ARO”)

Accrued closure costs represent our estimated environmental liability to clean up our facilities, as required by our permits, in the event of closure. ASC 410, “Asset Retirement and Environmental Obligations” requires that the discounted fair value of a liability for an ARO be recognized in the period in which it is incurred with the associated ARO capitalized as part of the carrying cost of the asset. The recognition of an ARO requires that management make numerous estimates, assumptions and judgments regarding such factors as estimated probabilities, timing of settlements, material and service costs, current technology, laws and regulations, and credit adjusted risk-free rate to be used. This estimate is inflated, using an inflation rate, to the expected time at which the closure will occur, and then discounted back, using a credit adjusted risk free rate, to the present value. ARO’s are included within buildings as part of property and equipment and are depreciated over the estimated useful life of the property. In periods subsequent to initial measurement of the ARO, the Company must recognize period-to-period changes in the liability resulting from the passage of time and revisions to either the timing or the amount of the original estimate of undiscounted cash flows. Increases in the ARO liability due to passage of time impact net income as accretion expense, which is included in cost of goods sold. Changes in costs resulting from changes or expansion at the facilities require adjustment to the ARO liability and are capitalized and charged as depreciation expense, in accordance with the Company’s depreciation policy.

Income Taxes

Income taxes are accounted for in accordance with ASC 740, “Income Taxes.” Under ASC 740, the provision for income taxes is comprised of taxes that are currently payable and deferred taxes that relate to the temporary differences between financial reporting carrying values and tax bases of assets and liabilities. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted income tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. Any 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.

ASC 740 requires that deferred income tax assets be reduced by a valuation allowance if it is more likely than not that some portion or all of the deferred income tax assets will not be realized. The Company regularly assesses the likelihood that the deferred tax asset will be recovered from future taxable income. The Company considers projected future taxable income and ongoing tax planning strategies, then records a valuation allowance to reduce the carrying value of the net deferred income taxes to an amount that is more likely than not to be realized.

ASC 740 sets out a consistent framework for preparers to use to determine the appropriate recognition and measurement of uncertain tax positions. ASC 740 uses a two-step approach wherein a tax benefit is recognized if a position is more-likely-than-not to be sustained. The amount of the benefit is then measured to be the highest tax benefit which is greater than 50% likely to be realized. ASC 740 also sets out disclosure requirements to enhance transparency of an entity’s tax reserves. The Company recognizes accrued interest and income tax penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits as a component of income tax expense.

The Company reassesses the validity of our conclusions regarding uncertain income tax positions on a quarterly basis to determine if facts or circumstances have arisen that might cause us to change our judgment regarding the likelihood of a tax position’s sustainability under audit.

Foreign Currency

The Company’s foreign subsidiaries include PF UK Limited and PF Canada. Assets and liabilities are translated to U.S. dollars at the exchange rate in effect at the balance sheet date and revenue and expenses at the average exchange rate for the period. Foreign currency translation adjustments for these subsidiaries are accumulated as a separate component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in stockholders’ equity. Gains and losses resulting from foreign currency transactions are recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Concentration Risk

The Company performed services relating to waste generated by government clients (domestic), either indirectly for others as a subcontractor to government entities or directly as a prime contractor, representing approximately $70,642,000, or 78.8%, of our total revenue during 2023, as compared to $59,658,000, or 84.5%, of our total revenue during 2022.

Our revenues are project/event based where the completion of one contract with a specific customer may be replaced by another contract with a different customer from year to year.

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk consist principally of cash and accounts receivable. The Company maintains cash with high quality financial institutions, which may exceed Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insured amounts from time to time. The Company has not experienced any losses due to such cash concentration. Concentration of credit risk with respect to accounts receivable is limited due to the Company’s large number of customers and their dispersion throughout the United States as well as with the significant amount of work that we perform for government entities.

The Company had two government related customers whose total unbilled and net outstanding receivable balances each represented 13.2% of the Company’s total consolidated unbilled and net accounts receivable at December 31, 2023. The Company had two government related customers whose total unbilled and net outstanding receivable balances represented 12.5% and 23.0% of the Company’s total consolidated unbilled and net accounts receivable at December 31, 2022.

Revenue Recognition and Related Policies

The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with FASB’s ASC 606, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers.” ASC 606 provides a single, comprehensive revenue recognition model for all contracts with customers. Under ASC 606, a five-step process is utilized in order to determine revenue recognition, depicting the transfer of goods or services to a customer at an amount that reflects the consideration it expects to receive in exchange for those goods or services. Under ASC 606, a performance obligation is a promise in a contract to transfer a distinct good or service to the customer and is the unit of account. A contract transaction price is allocated to each distinct performance obligation and recognized as revenues as the performance obligation is satisfied.

Treatment Segment Revenues:

Contracts in our Treatment Segment primarily have a single performance obligation as the promise to receive, treat and dispose of waste is not separately identifiable in the contract and, therefore, not distinct. Performance obligations are generally satisfied over time using the input method. Under the input method, the Company uses a measure of progress divided into major phases which include receipt (ranging from 9.0% to 33%), treatment/processing (ranging from 40% to 87%) and shipment/final disposal (ranging from 2.0% to 27%). As major processing phases are completed and the costs are incurred, the proportional percentage of revenue is recognized. Transaction price for Treatment Segment contracts are determined by the stated fixed rate per unit price as stipulated in the contract.

The Company periodically enter into arrangements with customers for transportation of wastes to either our facility or to non-company owned disposal sites. Revenue from this arrangement is recognized at a point in time, upon the transfer of control. Control transfers when the wastes are picked up by the Company.

Services Segment Revenues:

Revenues for our Services Segment are generated from time and materials or fixed price arrangements:

The Company’s primary obligation to customers in time and materials contracts relate to the provision of services to the customer at the direction of the customer. This provision of services at the request of the customer is the performance obligation, which is satisfied over time. Revenue earned from time and materials contracts is determined using the input method and is based on contractually defined billing rates applied to services performed and materials delivered.

Under fixed price contracts, the objective of the project is not attained unless all scope items within the contract are completed and all of the services promised within fixed fee contracts constitute a single performance obligation. Transaction price is estimated based upon the estimated cost to complete the overall project. Revenue from fixed price contracts is recognized over time primarily using the input method. For the input method, revenue is recognized based on costs incurred on the project relative to the total estimated costs of the project.

As discussed above for the Treatment and Services Segments, the Company’ revenue is generally recognized using the input method. This method of measuring progress provides a faithful depiction of the transfer to goods and services because the costs incurred are expected to be substantially proportionate to the Company’s satisfaction of the performance obligation.

Contracts with our customers within our Treatment Segment are generally short term with an original expected length of one year or less. For the Services Segment, contracts with our customers generally have original terms ranging from one year or less to approximately twenty-four months. The Company’s contracts and subcontracts relating to activities at governmental sites generally allow for termination for convenience at any time at the government’s option without payment of a substantial penalty.

Variable Consideration

The Company’s contracts generally do not give rise to variable consideration. However, from time to time, the Company may submit requests for equitable adjustments under certain of its government contracts for price or other modifications that are determined to be variable consideration. The Company estimates the amount of variable consideration to include in the estimated transaction price based on historical experience with government contracts, anticipated performance and management’s best judgment at the time and to the extent it is probable that a significant reversal of cumulative revenue recognized will not occur when the uncertainty associated with the variable consideration is resolved. These estimates are re-assessed each reporting period as required.

Significant Payment Terms

Invoicing is based on schedules established in customer contracts. Payment terms vary by customers but are generally established at 30 days from invoicing.

Incremental Costs to Obtain a Contract

Costs incurred to obtain contracts with our customers are immaterial and as a result, the Company expenses (within selling, general and administration expenses (“SG&A”)) incremental costs incurred in obtaining contracts with our customer as incurred.

Remaining Performance Obligations

The Company applies the practical expedient in ASC 606-10-50-14 and does not disclose information about remaining performance obligations that have original expected durations of one year or less.

Within our Services Segment, there are service contracts which provide that the Company has a right to consideration from a customer in an amount that corresponds directly with the value to the customer of our performance completed to date. For those contracts, the Company has utilized the practical expedient in ASC 606-10-55-18, which allows the Company to recognize revenue in the amount for which we have the right to invoice; accordingly, the Company does not disclose the value of remaining performance obligations for those contracts.

The Company’s contracts and subcontracts relating to activities at governmental sites generally allow for termination for convenience at any time at the government’s option without payment of a substantial penalty. The Company does not disclose remaining performance obligations on these contracts.

Stock-Based Compensation

Stock-based compensation granted to employees are accounted for in accordance with ASC 718, “Compensation – Stock Compensation.” Stock-based payment transactions for acquiring goods and services from nonemployees are also accounted for under ASC 718. ASC 718 requires stock-based payments to employees and nonemployees, including grant of options, to be recognized in the Statement of Operations based on their fair values. The Company uses the Black-Scholes option-pricing model to determine the fair-value of stock-based awards which requires subjective assumptions. Assumptions used to estimate the fair value of stock-based awards include the exercise price of the award, the expected term, the expected volatility of our stock over the stock-based award’s expected term, the risk-free interest rate over the award’s expected term, and the expected annual dividend yield. The Company accounts for forfeitures when they occur.

Comprehensive Income (Loss)

The components of comprehensive income (loss) are net income (loss) and the effects of foreign currency translation adjustments.

Income (Loss) Per Share

Basic income (loss) per share is calculated based on the weighted-average number of outstanding common shares during the applicable period. Diluted income (loss) per share is based on the weighted-average number of outstanding common shares plus the weighted-average number of potential outstanding common shares. In periods where they are anti-dilutive, such amounts are excluded from the calculations of dilutive earnings per share. Income (loss) per share is computed separately for each period presented.

Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Certain assets and liabilities are required to be recorded at fair value on a recurring basis, while other assets and liabilities are recorded at fair value on a nonrecurring basis. Fair value is determined based on the exchange price that would be received for an asset or paid to transfer a liability (an exit price) in the principal or most advantageous market for the asset or liability in an orderly transaction between market participants. The three-tier value hierarchy, which prioritizes the inputs used in the valuation methodologies, is:

Level 1—Valuations based on quoted prices for identical assets and liabilities in active markets.

Level 2—Valuations based on observable inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1, such as quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, quoted prices for identical or similar assets and liabilities in markets that are not active, or other inputs that are observable or can be corroborated by observable market data.

Level 3—Valuations based on unobservable inputs reflecting the Company’s own assumptions, consistent with reasonably available assumptions made by other market participants.

Financial instruments include cash (Level 1), accounts receivable, accounts payable, and debt obligations (Level 3). Credit is extended to customers based on an evaluation of a customer’s financial condition and, generally, collateral is not required. As of December 31, 2023, and December 31, 2022, the fair value of the Company’s financial instruments approximated their carrying values. The fair value of the Company’s revolving credit, term loans and capital loan approximate its carrying value due to the variable interest rate.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards – Not Yet Adopted

In August 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-05, “Business Combinations—Joint Venture Formations (Subtopic 805-60): Recognition and Initial Measurement.” ASU 2023-05 applies to the formation of a “joint venture” or a “corporate joint venture” and requires a joint venture to initially measure all contributions received upon its formation at fair value. The guidance does not impact accounting by the venturers. The new guidance is applicable to joint venture entities with a formation date on or after January 1, 2025 on a prospective basis. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this ASU on its consolidated financial statements.

In November 2023, the FASB issued ASU 2023-07, “Segment Reporting (Topic 280): Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures,” which expands reportable segment disclosure requirements by requiring disclosures of significant reportable segment expenses that are regularly provided to the CODM and included within each reported measure of a segment’s profit or loss. The ASU also requires disclosure of the title and position of the individual identified as the CODM and an explanation of how the CODM uses the reported measures of a segment’s profit or loss in assessing segment performance and deciding how to allocate resources. Additionally, ASU 2023-07 requires all segment profit or loss and assets disclosures to be provided on an annual and interim basis. The amendments in this ASU are required to be adopted for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024 with early adoption permitted, and should be applied on a retrospective basis. ASU 2023-07 will be effective for the Company’s financial statements for the year ended December 31, 2024. This ASU will not have impact on the Company’s consolidated financial condition or results of operations. The Company is evaluating the impact to the related segment reporting disclosures.

In December 2023, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2023-09, “Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures” (“ASU 2023-09”), which modifies the rules on income tax disclosures to require entities to disclose (1) specific categories in the rate reconciliation, (2) the income or loss from continuing operations before income tax expense or benefit (separated between domestic and foreign) and (3) income tax expense or benefit from continuing operations (separated by federal, state and foreign). ASU 2023-09 also requires entities to disclose their income tax payments to international, federal, state and local jurisdictions, among other changes. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. ASU 2023-09 should be applied on a prospective basis, but retrospective application is permitted. This ASU will not have impact on the Company’s consolidated financial condition or results of operations. The Company is evaluating the impact to its income taxes reporting disclosures.