Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies)

v3.22.2.2
Accounting Policies, by Policy (Policies)
12 Months Ended
Jul. 31, 2022
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Nature of business

Nature of business

 

Enzo Biochem, Inc. (the “Company”) is an integrated diagnostics, clinical lab, and life sciences company engaged in research, development, manufacturing and marketing of diagnostic and research products based on genetic engineering, biotechnology and molecular biology. These products are designed for the diagnosis of and/or screening for infectious diseases, cancers, genetic defects and other medically pertinent diagnostic information and are distributed in the United States and internationally. The Company also conducted research and development activities in the development of therapeutic products based on the Company’s technology platform of genetic modulation and immune modulation. The Company operates a clinical laboratory that offers and provides molecular and esoteric diagnostic medical testing services in the New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut medical communities. The Company operates in three segments (see Note 16).

 

We have incurred net losses historically and have an accumulated deficit of $288,261 as of July 31, 2022. We had a net loss of $18,261 for the year ended July 31, 2022, and net cash used in operating activities was $16,590. We may continue to generate net losses for the foreseeable future. We believe the combination of our cash and cash equivalents at July 31, 2022, expected cash flows from operations, and re-activation of the Controlled Equity Offering program, if necessary, as disclosed in Note 12 will be sufficient for our operations and non-discretionary capital needs for at least twelve months from the filing of this report. There can be no assurances as to the market price or demand if and when we utilize the Controlled Equity Offering. Additionally, failure to generate additional revenues, obtain additional capital or manage discretionary spending could have an adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations and liquidity.

 

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic

Impacts of COVID-19 pandemic

 

As a novel strain of coronavirus (COVID-19) impacted the economy of the United States and other countries around the world, we committed to being a part of the coordinated public and private sector response to this unprecedented challenge. We made substantial investments to expand and maintain the amount of COVID-19 testing available in the communities we serve. During the fiscal years ended July 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company generated substantial increases in COVID-19 related products and services. Enzo applied its technical expertise in molecular diagnostics to develop next generation COVID-19 diagnostic and antibody testing options which were approved under the FDA Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). This testing had a significantly positive impact on revenue, profitability and cash flow throughout fiscal 2021 and most of fiscal 2022. Revenues from COVID-19 testing represented 44%, 48%, and 8% of Clinical services revenues in the fiscal 2022, 2021 and 2020 periods, respectively.

 

In March 2022, the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (“HRSA”) informed providers that, after March 22, 2022, it would stop accepting claims for testing and treatment for uninsured individuals under the HRSA COVID-19 Uninsured Program and that claims submitted prior to that date would be subject to eligibility and availability of funds. Although we believe that our estimates for contractual allowances and patient price concessions are appropriate, actual results could differ from those estimates. If the HRSA receives additional funding, it might again accept claims under the Uninsured Program.

 

The rate of transmission of COVID-19 and its variants is on the decline in the US and the economy has reopened. However, federal, state and local governmental policies and initiatives designed to reduce the transmission of COVID-19 resulted in, among other things, a significant reduction in physician office visits, the cancellation of elective medical procedures, and the continuation of work-from-home policies. The COVID-19 impact on the Company’s operations is consistent with the overall industry and our competitors, partners, and vendors. While we anticipate that COVID-19 will continue to impact our business into the future, increases in vaccination rates and booster shots, the development of new therapeutics and greater availability of rapid COVID-19 tests has resulted in a continued, significant decline in demand for our COVID-19 testing. As a result, fiscal year 2022 COVID-19 testing volume, revenues, profitability, and cash flow did not match 2021 levels.

 

The extent to which the COVID-19 pandemic has and will continue to impact the Company’s business and financial results depend on numerous evolving factors including, but not limited to: the magnitude and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, the impact to worldwide macroeconomic conditions including interest rates, employment rates and health insurance coverage, the speed of the economic recovery, and governmental and business reactions to the pandemic. These factors are beyond the Company’s knowledge and control, and as a result, at this time the Company cannot reasonably estimate the impact the COVID-19 pandemic will have on its businesses but the impact could be material. The Company assessed certain accounting matters that generally require consideration of forecasted financial information in context with the information reasonably available to the Company and the unknown future impacts of COVID-19 as of July 31, 2022 and through the date of this Annual Report. The accounting matters assessed included, but were not limited to, the Company’s patient self-pay revenue concessions and credit losses in the Clinical Services segment, accounts receivable, inventories and the carrying value of goodwill and other long-lived assets. The Company’s future assessment of the magnitude and duration of COVID-19, as well as other factors, could result in additional material impacts to the Company’s consolidated financial statements in future reporting periods. We expect COVID-19 testing volume will continue to decline in the periods ahead as the percentage of Americans who are vaccinated increases, the severity of its variants declines, and the general use of at home testing. However, the emergence and spread of more serious variants may cause our COVID-19 testing volume to increase again. Even after the COVID-19 pandemic has moderated and the business and social distancing restrictions have eased, we may continue to experience similar adverse effects to our businesses, consolidated results of operations, financial position and cash flows resulting from a recessionary economic environment that may persist, including inflation and actions by the Federal Reserve to increase interest rates.

 

Principles of consolidation

Principles of consolidation

 

The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) and include the accounts of the Company and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Enzo Clinical Labs, Inc., Enzo Life Sciences, Inc. (and its wholly-owned foreign subsidiaries), Enzo Therapeutics, Inc., Enzo Realty LLC (“Realty”) and Enzo Realty II, LLC (“Realty II”). All intercompany transactions and balances have been eliminated.

 

Use of Estimates

Use of Estimates

 

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

 

Contingencies

Contingencies

 

Contingencies are evaluated and a liability is recorded when the matter is both probable and reasonably estimable.  Gain contingencies are evaluated and not recognized until the gain is realizable or realized.

 

Foreign Currency Translation/Transactions

Foreign Currency Translation/Transactions

 

The Company has determined that the functional currency for its foreign subsidiaries is the local currency. For financial reporting purposes, assets and liabilities denominated in foreign currencies are translated at current exchange rates and profit and loss accounts are translated at weighted average exchange rates. Resulting translation gains and losses are included as a separate component of stockholders’ equity as accumulated other comprehensive income or loss. Gains or losses resulting from transactions entered into in other than the functional currency are recorded as foreign exchange gains and losses in the consolidated statements of operations.

 

Fair Value Measurements

Fair Value Measurements

 

The Company determines fair value measurements used in its consolidated financial statements based upon the exit price that would be received to sell an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction between market participants exclusive of any transaction costs, as determined by either the principal market or the most advantageous market. Inputs

 

used in the valuation techniques to derive fair values are classified based on a three-level hierarchy. The basis for fair value measurements for each level within the hierarchy is described below with Level 1 having the highest priority and Level 3 having the lowest.

 

Level 1 Quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

 

Level 2 Quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs are observable in active markets.

 

Level 3 Valuations derived from valuation techniques in which one or more significant inputs are unobservable.

 

Cash and cash equivalents

Cash and cash equivalents

 

Cash and cash equivalents consist of demand deposits with banks and highly liquid money market funds. At July 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company had cash and cash equivalents in foreign bank accounts of $590 and $909, respectively.

 

Marketable securities

Marketable securities

 

As of July 31, 2021, the Company had investments in a mutual fund and an exchange traded fund (ETF) holding highly rated corporate bonds, asset backed securities, municipal bonds, mortgage obligations and government obligations. These investments were classified as trading securities and Level 1 fair value investments. As of July 31, 2021, the fair value of these investments was $29,978 and the cost basis was $30,061. We recognized unrealized losses of $83 for the fiscal year ended July 31, 2021. During fiscal 2022, these investments were sold resulting in a realized loss of $1,283, which is included in Other income (expense).

 

Concentration of Credit Risk

Concentration of Credit Risk

 

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to concentrations of credit risk primarily consist of cash and cash equivalents and accounts receivable. The Company believes the fair value of the aforementioned financial instruments approximates the cost due to the immediate or short-term nature of these items.

 

Concentration of credit risk with respect to the Company’s Life Sciences products segment is mitigated by the diversity of the Company’s customers and their dispersion across many different geographic regions. To reduce risk, the Company routinely assesses the financial strength of these customers and, consequently, believes that its accounts receivable credit exposure with respect to these customers is limited.

 

The Company believes that the concentration of credit risk with respect to the Clinical Laboratory services accounts receivable is mitigated by the diversity of third party payers that insure individuals. To reduce risk, the Company routinely assesses the financial strength of these payers and, consequently, believes that its accounts receivable credit risk exposure, with respect to these payers, is limited. While the Company also has receivables due from the Federal Medicare program, the Company does not believe that these receivables represent a credit risk since the Medicare program is funded by the federal government and payment is primarily dependent on our submitting the appropriate documentation.

 

Other than the Medicare program, two providers whose programs are included in the “Third party payers” and health maintenance organizations (“HMOs”) categories represent 21%, 22% and 24%, respectively, of Clinical Services net revenue for the years ended July 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020 respectively, and represent 23% and 27% respectively, of the Clinical Services net accounts receivable as of July 31, 2022 and 2021. Other than the Medicare program, one provider whose programs are included in the “Third-party payers” and “Health Maintenance Organizations” (“HMO’s”) categories represents 11% and 13%, respectively, of Clinical Services net revenues for the years ended July 31, 2022 and 2021.

 

Accrual for Self-Funded Employee Medical Insurance

Accrual for Self-Funded Employee Medical Insurance

 

Accruals for self-funded employee medical insurance are determined based on a number of assumptions and factors, including historical payment trends, claims history and current estimates. These estimated liabilities are not discounted as they are expected to be repaid within one year. If actual trends differ from these estimates, the financial results could be impacted.

 

Contractual Adjustment

Contractual Adjustment

 

The Company’s estimate of contractual adjustment is based on significant assumptions and judgments, such as its interpretation of payer reimbursement policies, and bears the risk of change. The estimation process is based on the experience of amounts approved as reimbursable and ultimately settled by payers, versus the corresponding gross amount billed to the respective payers. The contractual adjustment is an estimate that reduces gross revenue based on gross billing rates to amounts expected to be approved and reimbursed. Gross billings are based on a standard fee schedule the Company sets for all third-party payers, including Medicare, HMO’s and managed care providers. The Company adjusts the contractual adjustment estimate quarterly, based on its evaluation of current and historical settlement experience with

 

payers, industry reimbursement trends, and other relevant factors which include the monthly and quarterly review of: 1) current gross billings and receivables and reimbursement by payer, 2) current changes in third party arrangements and 3) the growth of in-network provider arrangements and managed care plans specific to our Company.

 

During the years ended July 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, the contractual adjustment percentages, determined using current and historical reimbursement statistics, were approximately 83%, 83% and 88%, respectively, of gross billings.

 

Accounts Receivable

Accounts Receivable

 

Accounts receivable are reported at realizable value, net of allowances for doubtful accounts, which is estimated and recorded in the period of the related revenue.

 

The Company’s ability to collect outstanding receivables from third-party payers is critical to its operating performance and cash flows. The primary collection risk lies with uninsured patients or patients for whom primary insurance has paid but a patient portion remains outstanding.

 

The Company also assesses the current state of its billing functions in order to identify any known collection issues and to assess the impact, if any, on the allowance estimates which involves judgment. The Company believes that the collectability of its receivables is directly linked to the quality of its billing processes, most notably, those related to obtaining the correct information in order to bill effectively for the services provided. Should circumstances change (e.g. shift in payer mix, decline in economic conditions or deterioration in aging of receivables), our estimates of net realizable value of receivables could be reduced by a material amount.

 

In the case of COVID-19 diagnostic and antibody testing, collection risk for uninsured patients was minimized under the HRSA COVID-19 Uninsured Program (the “Program”). The HRSA stopped accepting claims for testing and treatment for uninsured individuals under the Program in late March 2022. As of July 31, 2022, we had no material outstanding net accounts receivable associated with claims for reimbursement under the Program.

 

The Clinical Laboratory Services segment’s net receivables are detailed by billing category and as a percent to its total net receivables. At July 31, 2022 and 2021, approximately 59% of the Company’s net accounts receivable relates to its Clinical Laboratory Services business, which operates in the New York, New Jersey and Connecticut medical communities.

 

The following is a table of the Company’s net accounts receivable by segment.

 

    July 31, 2022     July 31, 2021  
Net accounts receivable by segment   Amount     %     Amount     %  
Clinical Labs (by billing category)                        
Third party payers   $ 2,647       40     $ 2,195       36  
Patient self-pay     2,779       41       2,007       33  
Medicare     768       11       1,122       19  
HMO’s     560       8       692       12  
Total Clinical Labs     6,754       100 %     6,016       100 %
Total Life Sciences     4,762               4,182          
Total accounts receivable – net   $ 11,516             $ 10,198          

 

As of July 31, 2020, total accounts receivable – net were $9,141 with Clinical Labs receivables representing 68% or $6,180 of the total. Life Sciences receivables were $2,961 or 32% of the total.

 

Inventories

Inventories

 

The Company values inventory at the lower of cost (first-in, first-out) or net realizable value. Work-in-process and finished goods inventories consist of material, labor, and manufacturing overhead. Finished goods also include high throughput machines we intend to sell to laboratory customers. Write downs of inventories to net realizable value are based on a review of inventory quantities on hand and estimated sales forecasts based on sales history and anticipated future demand. Unanticipated changes in demand could have a significant impact on the value of our inventory and require additional write downs of inventory which would impact our results of operations.

 

Property, plant and equipment

Property, plant and equipment

 

Property, plant and equipment is stated at cost, and depreciated on the straight-line basis over the estimated useful lives of the various asset classes as follows: building and building improvements: 15-30 years; laboratory machinery and equipment, office furniture and computer equipment: 3-10 years. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the term of the related leases or estimated useful lives of the assets, whichever is shorter.

 

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

Goodwill and Intangible Assets

 

Goodwill represents the excess of the cost of an acquisition over the fair value of the net assets acquired.

 

Intangible assets (exclusive of patents), arose primarily from acquisitions, and primarily consist of customer relationships, trademarks, licenses, and website and database content. Our intangible assets are all finite-lived and are amortized according to their estimated useful lives, which range from 4 to 15 years. Patents represent capitalized legal costs incurred in pursuing patent applications. When such applications result in an issued patent, the related capitalized costs, if any, are amortized over a ten year period or the life of the patent, whichever is shorter, using the straight-line method. The Company reviews its issued patents and pending patent applications, and if it determines to abandon a patent application or that an issued patent no longer has economic value, the unamortized balance in deferred patent costs relating to that patent is immediately expensed.

 

Impairment testing for Goodwill and Long-Lived Assets

Impairment testing for Goodwill and Long-Lived Assets

 

The Company tests goodwill annually as of the first day of the fourth quarter, or more frequently if indicators of potential impairment exist. In assessing goodwill for impairment, the Company has the option to first perform a qualitative assessment to determine whether the existence of events or circumstances leads to a determination that it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount. If the Company determines that it is not more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, the Company is not required to perform

 

any additional tests in assessing goodwill for impairment. However, if the Company concludes otherwise or elects not to perform the qualitative assessment, then it will perform a quantitative assessment as it identifies the reporting units and compares the fair value of each of these reporting units to their respective carrying amount. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit is less than its fair value, no impairment exists. If the carrying amount of the reporting unit is higher than its fair value, the impairment charge is the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds its fair value, not to exceed the total amount of goodwill allocated to the reporting unit. The Company performed a quantitative assessment in 2022, 2021 and 2020, and concluded there were no goodwill impairments. The goodwill is held in the Clinical Labs reporting unit, which in 2022 had income before taxes of $839. In 2022, we estimated the fair value of this reporting unit by determining the multiple of enterprise value to revenues for a peer group of clinical reference labs, discounted that multiple, and applied it to our reporting unit’s annualized revenues. The resulting estimate of the fair value of the reporting unit exceeded the carrying amount of the reporting unit by approximately $55,000, well in excess of the unit’s goodwill. 

 

The Company reviews the recoverability of the carrying value of long-lived assets (including its intangible assets, all of which have finite lives) of an asset or asset group for impairment annually as of the end of the fiscal year, or more frequently if indicators of potential impairment exist. Should indicators of impairment exist, the carrying values of the assets are evaluated in relation to the operating performance and future undiscounted cash flows of an asset or asset group. The net book value of the long lived asset is adjusted to fair value if its expected future undiscounted cash flow is less than its book value. There were no long-lived asset impairments in 2022, 2021 or 2020.

 

Comprehensive income (loss)

Comprehensive income (loss)

 

Comprehensive income (loss) consists of the Company’s consolidated net income (loss) and foreign currency translation adjustments. Foreign currency translation adjustments included in comprehensive income (loss) were not tax effected as the Company has a full valuation allowance at July 31, 2022, 2021, and 2020. Accumulated other comprehensive income is a separate component of stockholders’ equity and consists of the cumulative foreign currency translation adjustments.

 

Shipping and Handling Costs

Shipping and Handling Costs

 

Shipping and handling costs associated with the distribution of finished goods to customers are recorded in cost of goods sold.

 

Research and Development

Research and Development

 

Research and development costs are charged to expense as incurred.

 

Advertising

Advertising

 

All costs associated with advertising are expensed as incurred. Advertising expense, included in selling, general and administrative expense, approximated $577, $400, and $437 for the years ended July 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, respectively.

 

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

 

The Company accounts for income taxes under the liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under the liability method, 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 bases. The liability method requires that any tax benefits recognized for net operating loss carry forwards and other items be reduced by a valuation allowance when it is more likely than not that the benefits may not be realized. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled.

 

Under the liability method, 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.

 

It is the Company’s policy to provide for uncertain tax positions and the related interest and penalties based upon management’s assessment of whether a tax benefit is more likely than not to be sustained upon examination by tax authorities. At July 31, 2022 and 2021, the Company had no uncertain tax benefits recorded. To the extent the Company prevails in matters for which a liability for an unrecognized tax benefit is established or is required to pay amounts in excess of the liability, the Company’s effective tax rate in a given financial statement period may be affected.

 

Segment Reporting

Segment Reporting

 

The Company separately reports information about each operating segment that engages in business activities from which the segment may earn revenues and incur expenses, whose separate operating results are regularly reviewed by the chief operating decision maker regarding allocation of resources and performance assessment and which exceed specific quantitative thresholds related to revenue and profit or loss. The Company’s operating activities are reported in three segments (see Note 16).

 

Net income (loss) per share

Net income (loss) per share

 

Basic net income (loss) per share represents net income (loss) divided by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the period. The dilutive effect of potential common shares, consisting of outstanding stock options, and unvested restricted stock units and performance stock units, is determined using the treasury stock method. For fiscal 2021 approximately 134,000 of weighted average stock options were included in the calculation of diluted weighted average shares outstanding. Diluted weighted average shares outstanding for fiscal 2022 and 2020 does not include the potential common shares from stock options and unvested restricted stock because to do so would have been antidilutive and as such is the same as basic weighted average shares outstanding for 2022 and 2020.

 

The number of potential common shares (“in the money options”) and unvested restricted stock units and performance stock units excluded from the calculation of diluted weighted average shares outstanding for the year ended July 31, 2022 was approximately 472,000.

 

The number of potential common shares (“in the money options”) excluded from the calculation of diluted weighted average shares outstanding for the year ended July 31, 2020 was 40,000.

 

For the years ended July 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, the effect of approximately 1,499,000, 1,465,000 and 1,904,000 respectively, of outstanding “out of the money” options to purchase common shares were excluded from the calculation of diluted weighted average shares outstanding because their effect would be anti-dilutive. The following table sets forth the computation of basic and diluted net income (loss) per share for the years ended July 31:

 

    2022     2021     2020  
Net (loss) income   $ (18,261 )   $ 7,875     $ (28,520 )
                         
Weighted-average common shares outstanding – basic     48,594       48,191       47,696  
Add: effect of dilutive stock options and restricted stock    
      134      
 
Weighted-average common shares outstanding – diluted     48,594       48,325       47,696  
                         
Net (loss) income per share – basic   $ (0.38 )   $ 0.16     $ (0.60 )
Net (loss) income per share – diluted   $ (0.38 )   $ 0.16     $ (0.60 )

 

Share-Based Compensation

Share-Based Compensation

 

The Company records compensation expense associated with stock options, restricted stock units and performance stock units based upon the fair value of the stock based awards as measured at the grant date. The Company determines the award values of stock options using the Black Scholes option pricing model. The expense is recognized by amortizing the fair values on a straight-line basis over the vesting period, adjusted for forfeitures when they occur.

 

For the years ended July 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020, share-based compensation expense relating to the fair value of stock options, restricted stock units and performance stock units was approximately $1,496, $907 and $933, respectively (see Note 12). During the year ended July 31, 2020, the Company issued common stock as employee compensation in the amount of $10. No excess tax benefits were recognized for the year ended July 31, 2022, 2021 and 2020.

 

The following table sets forth the amount of expense related to share-based payment arrangements included in specific line items in the accompanying statement of operations for the years ended July 31:

 

    2022     2021     2020  
Cost of clinical laboratory services   $ 14     $ 93     $ 46  
Selling, general and administrative     1,482       814       887  
    $ 1,496     $ 907     $ 933  

 

Effect of New Accounting Pronouncements

Effect of New Accounting Pronouncements

 

Recently Adopted Accounting Pronouncements

 

In December 2019, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2019-12 Income Taxes (Topic 740) Simplifying the Accounting for Income Taxes. The amendments in the ASU simplify the accounting for income taxes by removing certain exceptions to the general principles of Topic 740. The amendments also improve consistent application of and simplify U.S. GAAP for other areas of Topic 740 by clarifying and amending existing guidance. We adopted the amendments in this ASU beginning August 1, 2021. The adoption of the amendments in this ASU did not have a material impact on our consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows.

 

Pronouncements Issued but Not Yet Adopted

Pronouncements Issued but Not Yet Adopted

 

In June 2016, FASB issued ASU No. 2016-13 Financial Instruments – Credit Losses (Topic 326). This standard changes the impairment model for most financial instruments, including trade receivables, from an incurred loss method to a new forward-looking approach, based on expected losses.

 

The estimate of expected credit losses will require entities to incorporate considerations of historical information, current information and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Adoption of this standard is required for our annual and interim periods beginning August 1, 2023, as we qualify as a smaller reporting company at the end of fiscal 2022 and must be adopted using a modified retrospective transition approach. We are currently assessing the impact of the adoption of this standard on our results of operations, financial position and cash flows.

 

We reviewed all other recently issued accounting pronouncements and have concluded they are not applicable or not expected to be significant to the accounting for our operations.

 

Reclassification

Reclassification

 

Certain prior period amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on the reported results of operations.