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Note 1 - Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2025
Notes to Financial Statements  
Significant Accounting Policies [Text Block]

1. Summary of significant accounting policies

 

(a) Basis of preparation 

 

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements have been prepared by Fluent, Inc., a Delaware corporation (the "Company" or "Fluent"), in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States ("GAAP" or "U.S. GAAP") and applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") regarding interim financial reporting. Certain information and note disclosures normally included in annual financial statements prepared in accordance with GAAP have been condensed or omitted pursuant to those rules and regulations.

 

The accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements reflect all normal recurring adjustments necessary to present fairly the financial position, results of operations, and cash flows for the interim periods ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, but are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations to be anticipated for any future interim periods or for the full year ending December 31, 2025.

 

From time to time, the Company  may enter into relationships or investments with other entities, and, in certain instances, the entity in which the Company has a relationship or investment may qualify as a variable interest entity ("VIE"). The Company consolidates a VIE in its financial statements if the Company is deemed to be the primary beneficiary of the VIE. The primary beneficiary is the party that has the power to direct activities that most significantly impact the operations of the VIE and has the obligation to absorb losses or the right to benefits from the VIE that could potentially be significant to the VIE.

 

The information included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended  December 31, 2024 ("2024 Form 10-K") filed with the SEC on March 31, 2025. The consolidated balance sheet as of  December 31, 2024 included herein was derived from the audited financial statements as of that date and included in the 2024 Form 10-K.

 

Going concern

 

In accordance with Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") 205-40, Presentation of Financial Statements – Going Concern, management must evaluate whether there are conditions and events, considered in the aggregate, that raise substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern for one year after the date these accompanying unaudited consolidated financial statements are issued (the "issuance date"). As part of this evaluation, management  may consider the potential mitigating impact of its plans that have not been fully implemented as of the issuance date if (a) it is probable that management's plans will be effectively implemented on a timely basis, and (b) it is probable that the plans, when implemented, will alleviate the relevant conditions or events that raise substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern within one year after the issuance date.

 

The Company has experienced a continued decline in the number of users registering on its owned and operated digital media properties ("O&O Sites") starting in 2020, following its implementation of the Traffic Quality Initiative, which eliminated a large portion of the Company's third-party affiliate traffic. In 2023, the FTC Consent Order (as defined in Note 10, Contingencies) imposed more rigorous standards and vetting of the Company's third-party publishers, some of whom elected not to work with the Company, which negatively impacted the Company's registration volume on its O&O Sites (see Note 10, Contingencies). These issues, coupled with intermittent difficulties sourcing traffic from social media sites have resulted in declining revenue and profitability. Borrowings under the SLR Revolver (as defined in Note 4, Long-term debt, net) pursuant to the SLR Credit Agreement (as defined and discussed in Note 4, Long-term debt, net) are limited to a borrowing base, that fluctuates weekly, based on eligible accounts receivable. As a result of the borrowing base limit and the above performance issues, the available borrowing capacity has the potential to be insufficient to fund operations and meet the Company's needs.

 

Given the continued challenges the Company has faced achieving profitability, the Company has made reductions in workforce, including during the first quarter of 2025, and restructured certain long-term contracts to better align with the Company’s results and cash flow requirements. The Company will continue to monitor the performance of its business units to determine the impact of potential divestments and consider further cost reduction measures and reallocation of resources that will enable the Company to meet its projected budget and cash flow requirements.

 

As of  March 31, 2025, the Company was in compliance with its financial covenants under the SLR Credit Agreement. However, the Company’s current forecasts indicate that compliance with its financial covenants may be at risk in the next twelve months. If, during any fiscal quarter, the Company does not comply with any of its financial covenants, such non-compliance would result in an event of default that would give SLR the right to accelerate maturities. In such case, the Company would not have sufficient funds to repay the SLR Term Loan (as defined and discussed in Note 4, Long-term debt, net) under the SLR Credit Agreement and any outstanding balance on the SLR Revolver (as defined below in Note 4, Long-term debt, net). 

 

On May 15, 2025, the Company entered into securities purchase agreements, pursuant to which the purchasers agreed to invest expected gross proceeds of $4,025 (as defined and discussed in Note 12, Subsequent events). Even with the proceeds from such raise, there is no assurance that the available cash, plus availability under the borrowing base on the SLR Revolver will be sufficient to fund operations over the next twelve months, and, if needed, the Company would expect to raise additional capital. If the Company is not able to raise sufficient capital to fund operations at their current levels, the Company will consider implementing cost-saving measures, but there is no guarantee that such plans will be successfully executed or have the expected benefits. As a result, management has concluded that there is substantial doubt about the Company's ability to continue as a going concern for one year after the date of issuance of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

 

The accompanying consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments relating to the possible future effects on the recoverability and classification of recorded assets and classification of liabilities that might result should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern.

 

 

Principles of consolidation

 

The consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries. All significant transactions among the Company and its subsidiaries have been eliminated upon consolidation.

 

(b) Recently issued and adopted accounting standards

 

Accounting pronouncements not listed below were assessed and determined to be not applicable or are expected to have minimal impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.

 

In October 2023, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") No. 2023-06, Disclosure Improvements: Codification Amendments in Response to the SECs Disclosure Update and Simplification Initiatives, which incorporates updates to the Codification to align with SEC disclosure requirements in response to the August 2018 SEC Release No. 33-10532. ASU 2023-06 updates and simplifies certain SEC disclosure requirements that were duplicative or outdated due to changes in other SEC requirements and in U.S. GAAP, International Financial Reporting Standards, or the overall financial reporting environment. The new guidance is effective for each amendment only if the SEC removes the related disclosure of presentation requirements from its existing regulations by June 30, 2027. The guidance is to be applied prospectively, with early adoption prohibited. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting the ASU on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

 

In  December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 470): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures, designed to increase the transparency and usefulness of income tax disclosures for financial statement users. The ASU follows investors' indication and request for enhanced tax disclosures in order to better assess an entity’s operations, related tax risks, jurisdictional tax exposures, and increase transparency regarding tax information through improvements to tax disclosures, specifically rate reconciliation, income taxes paid, and unrecognized tax benefits and certain temporary differences. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024 and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2025, and early adoption is permitted. The guidance will be applied on a prospective basis, but retrospective application is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this ASU on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

 

In  November 2024, the FASB issued ASU No. 2024-03, Income StatementReporting Comprehensive IncomeExpense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40): Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses, which requires additional disclosures about a public business entity’s costs and expenses on the face of the financial statements. The ASU follows investors' requests for more detailed information and disclosures of disaggregated financial reporting information about the types of expenses in commonly presented expense captions (such as cost of sales, selling, general, and administrative, and research and development), including purchases of inventory, employee compensation, depreciation, amortization, and depletion. The new guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after  December 15, 2026 and interim periods beginning after December 15, 2027, and early adoption is permitted. The guidance will be applied on a prospective basis to financial statements issued for reporting periods after the effective date, or retrospectively to any and all prior periods presented in the financial statements. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this ASU on its consolidated financial statements and disclosures.

 

 

 

(c) Revenue recognition

 

Data and performance-based marketing revenue

 

Revenue is generated when there is a transfer of control of a good or service for a consideration amount the Company is expected to be entitled to. Revenue is recognized when a company has satisfied its performance obligations to a customer and can reasonably expect and measure the payment. The Company's performance obligations are typically to (a) deliver data records based on predefined qualifying characteristics specified by the customer, (b) generate conversions based on predefined user actions (for example, a click, a registration, or the installation of an app) and subject to certain qualifying characteristics specified by the customer, (c) transfer calls with the Company's advertiser clients as a part of the call center operation, or (d) deliver media spend as a part of the business of AdParlor, LLC ("AdParlor"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. These Company performance obligations have the customer simultaneously receiving and consuming the benefits provided.

 

The Company applies the practical expedient related to the review of a portfolio of contracts in reviewing the terms of customer contracts as one collective group, rather than by individual contract. Based on historical performance of the contracts contained in this portfolio and the similar nature and characteristics of the customers, the Company concluded that the financial statement effects are not materially different than accounting for revenue on a contract-by-contract basis.

 

The Company has elected the "right to invoice" practical expedient available within ASC 606-10-55-18 as the measure for revenue to be recognized, as it corresponds directly with the amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those goods or services. The Company's revenue arrangements do not contain significant financing components. The Company has further concluded that revenue does not require disaggregation.

 

For each identified performance obligation in a contract with a customer, the Company assesses whether it or the third-party supplier is the principal or agent. In arrangements where the Company has substantive control of the specified goods and services, is primarily responsible for the integration of products and services into the final deliverable to the customer, and has inventory risk and discretion in establishing pricing, the Company is considered to have acted as the principal. For performance obligations in which the Company acts as principal, the Company records the gross amount billed to the customer within revenue and the related incremental direct costs incurred as cost of revenue. If the third-party supplier, rather than the Company, is primarily responsible for the performance and deliverable to the customer, and the Company solely arranges for the third-party supplier to provide services to the customer, the Company is considered to have acted as the agent. For performance obligations in which the Company acts as the agent, the net fees on such transactions are recorded as revenue, with no associated costs of revenue for the Company.

 

If a customer pays consideration before the Company's performance obligations are satisfied, such amounts are classified as deferred revenue on the consolidated balance sheets. As of  March 31, 2025, December 31, 2024, and December 31, 2023 the balance of deferred revenue was  $341, $556, and $430, respectively. The majority of the deferred revenue balance as of  December 31, 2024 was recognized as revenue during the first quarter of 2025.

 

When there is a delay between the period in which revenue is recognized and when a customer invoice is issued, revenue is recognized, and the corresponding amounts are recorded as unbilled revenue within accounts receivable on the consolidated balance sheets. As of  March 31, 2025, December 31, 2024, and December 31, 2023, unbilled revenue included in the Company's accounts receivable was $13,488, $18,625, and $21,488, respectively. In line with industry practice, the unbilled revenue balance is recorded based on the Company's internally tracked conversions, net of estimated variances between this amount and the amount tracked and subsequently confirmed by customers. Substantially all amounts included within the unbilled revenue balance are invoiced to customers within the month directly following the period of service. Historical estimates related to unbilled revenue have not differed materially from actual invoiced revenue.

 

Sales commissions are recorded at the time revenue is recognized and recorded in sales and marketing in the consolidated statements of operations. The Company has elected to utilize a practical expedient to expense incremental costs incurred related to obtaining a contract.

 

 

In addition, the Company elected the practical expedient to not disclose the value of unsatisfied performance obligations for (i) contracts with an original expected length of one year or less and (ii) contracts for which revenue is recognized at the amount to which the Company has the right to invoice for services performed.

 

Commission revenue

 

The Company, acting as the agent, recognizes commission revenue that it expects to receive from an insurance provider from the sale of certain of its health insurance policies, which includes the assumed automatic renewals of such policies once its performance obligation is satisfied. The Company considers its performance obligation related to commissions for both the initial policy sale and future renewals of the policy to be satisfied upon submission by the Company of the initial policy application.

 

The Company applies the practical expedient to estimate the commission revenue for each insurance policy by applying the use of the portfolio approach to policies grouped together by product type and period submitted for effectuation. The commission revenue is variable based on a policy's estimated lifetime value ("LTV"), which is the amount of time the Company expects the policy will remain effective based on past trends, industry data, expectations as to future retention rates, and commission rates, based on the expected value method. Further, the Company considers the application of constraints to the LTV and only recognizes the amount of variable consideration believed probable to be received that will not be subject to a significant revenue reversal in the future. Based on this, the commission revenue is recorded upon satisfaction of the performance obligation, with the associated payment, typically paid monthly, over time, by the insurance provider as the consumer renews and pays the insurance provider for the policy over the duration the consumer remains on the policy. The Company reassesses the estimated LTV for the health insurance policies on a quarterly or as-needed basis. Adjustments to the LTV  may result in an increase or decrease in revenue and the corresponding asset in the period the change is made.

 

Revenue Disaggregation 

 

The following table presents the Company’s disaggregated revenue by media resources along with its availability and demand for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and 2024, based on segment reporting: 

 

 

  

Three Months Ended March 31,

  

Three Months Ended March 31,

 
  

2025

  

2024

 
  

Fluent

  

All Other

  

Consolidated

  

Fluent

  

All Other

  

Consolidated

 

(In thousands)

                        

Owned and Operated

 $31,082  $  $31,082  $44,654  $  $44,654 

Commerce Media Solutions

  12,660      12,660   6,376      6,376 

Call Solutions

  10,079      10,079   6,931      6,931 

AdParlor

     1,397   1,397      2,805   2,805 

All Other(1)

     (8)  (8)     5,217   5,217 

Total Revenue

 $53,821  $1,389  $55,210  $57,961  $8,022  $65,983 

(1)

Balance is fully related for the first quarter of 2025 and partially related for the first quarter of 2024 to commission revenues.

 

The Owned and Operating and Commerce Media Solutions in the table above represent the Company’s data and performance-based marketing revenue. Call Solutions mainly represents the Company’s performance-based marketing revenue.

 

(d) Use of estimates

 

The preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires the Company’s management to make estimates and assumptions relating to the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements, and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting periods. Significant items subject to such estimates and assumptions include the allowance for credit losses, useful lives of intangible assets, recoverability of the carrying amounts of intangible assets, the portion of revenue subject to estimates for variances between internally-tracked conversions and those confirmed by the customer, the variable commission revenue based on the estimated LTV, consolidation of VIE, fair value of Convertible Notes (as defined in Note 4) with related parties based on input assumptions, shared-based compensation and income tax provision. These estimates are often based on complex judgments and assumptions that management believes to be reasonable but are inherently uncertain and unpredictable. Actual results could differ from these estimates.

 

(e) Fair value

 

Fair value is defined as 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 on the measurement date.

 

 

Valuation techniques used to measure fair value must maximize the use of observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs. ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements and Disclosure describes a fair value hierarchy based on the following three levels of inputs, of which the first two are considered observable and the last unobservable, that may be used to measure fair value:

 

 

Level 1 — defined as observable inputs, such as quoted prices in active markets;

 

Level 2 — defined as inputs other than quoted prices in active markets that are either directly or indirectly observable; and

 Level 3 — defined as unobservable inputs, for which little or no market data exists, therefore requiring an entity to develop its own assumptions.

 

See Note 5, Fair Value Measurements, for further details. 

 

(f) Goodwill

 

Goodwill represents the difference between the purchase price and the estimated fair value of net assets acquired when accounted for by the acquisition method of accounting. As of March 31, 2025 and  December 31, 2024, there was no remaining goodwill.