Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
12 Months Ended
Nov. 30, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES
Principles of Consolidation:
The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of CCA and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively the “Company”). All significant inter-company accounts and transactions have been eliminated.
Estimates and Assumptions:
The consolidated financial statements include the use of estimates, which management believes are reasonable. The process of preparing financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”), requires management to make estimates and assumptions regarding certain types of assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses. Such estimates primarily relate to unsettled transactions and events as of the date of the financial statements. Accounting estimates and assumptions are those that management considers to be most critical to the financial statements because they inherently involve significant judgment and uncertainties. All of these estimates and assumptions reflect management’s best judgment about current economic and market conditions and their effects on the information available as of the date of the consolidated financial statements. Accordingly, upon settlement, actual results may differ from estimated amounts.
Comprehensive (Loss) Income:
Comprehensive (loss) income includes changes in equity that are excluded from the consolidated statements of operations and are recorded directly into a separate section of consolidated statements of comprehensive (loss) income. The Company’s accumulated other comprehensive (loss) income shown on the consolidated balance sheets consist of unrealized gains and losses on investment holdings, net of deferred tax expense or benefit.
Cash and Cash Equivalents:
The Company considers all highly liquid instruments purchased with an original maturity of three months or less to be cash equivalents.
Short-Term Investments and Marketable Securities:
Short-term investments and marketable securities consisted of certificates of deposits, corporate bonds, limited partnerships and equity securities. The Company classified its investments as Available-for-Sale securities. Accordingly, such investments were reported at fair market value, with the resultant unrealized gains and losses reported as a separate component of shareholders' equity. Fair value for Available-for-Sale securities was determined by reference to quoted market prices or other relevant information.
Accounts Receivable:
Accounts receivable consist of trade receivables recorded at original invoice amount, less an estimated allowance for uncollectible amounts. The accounts receivable balance is further reduced by allowance for cooperative advertising and reserves for returns which are anticipated to be taken as credits against the balances as of November 30, 2014. The allowances and reserves which are anticipated to be deducted from future invoices are included in accrued liabilities. Trade credit is generally extended on a short term basis; thus trade receivables do not bear interest, although a finance charge may be applied to receivables that are past due. Trade receivables are periodically evaluated for collectability based on past credit history with customers and their current financial condition. Changes in the estimated collectability of trade receivables are recorded in the results of operations for the period in which the estimate is revised. Trade receivables that are deemed uncollectible are offset against the allowance for uncollectible accounts. The Company generally does not require collateral for trade receivables.
Inventories:
Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (weighted average) or market. Product returns are recorded in inventory when they are received at the lower of their original cost or market, as appropriate. Obsolete inventory is written off and its value is removed from inventory at the time its obsolescence is determined.
Property and Equipment and Depreciation and Amortization:
Property and equipment are stated at cost. The Company charges to expense repairs and maintenance items, while major improvements and betterments are capitalized.
When the Company sells or otherwise disposes of property and equipment items, the cost and related accumulated depreciation are removed from the respective accounts and any gain or loss is included in earnings.
Depreciation and amortization are provided utilizing the straight-line method over the following estimated useful lives or lease terms of the assets, whichever is shorter:
 
Machinery and equipment
5-7 Years
Furniture and fixtures
3-10 Years
Tools, dies and masters
3 Years
Transportation equipment
5 Years
Leasehold improvements
Remaining life of the lease (7.5 years)

Intangible Assets:
Intangible assets, which consist of patents and trademarks, are stated at cost. Patents are amortized on the straight-line method over a period of 17 years. Patents are reviewed for impairment when events or changes in business indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. Trademarks are indefinite lived intangible assets and are reviewed for impairment annually or more frequently if impairment conditions occur. In the quarter ended November 30, 2014, the Company determined that it would no longer use certain trademarks and recorded a charge of $90,248 to write off the related carrying amount and this charge is recorded in selling, general and administrative expenses.
Long-Lived Assets:
Long-lived assets are assets in which the Company has an economic benefit for longer than twelve months from the date of the financial statement. Long-lived assets include property and equipment, intangible assets and other assets. Marketable securities that have a maturity of more than twelve months and security deposits are included in other assets. The Company evaluates impairment losses on long-lived assets used in operations when events and circumstances indicate that the asset might be impaired. If the review indicates that the carrying value of an asset will not be recoverable, based on a comparison of the carrying value of the asset to the undiscounted future cash flows, the impairment will be measured by comparing the carrying value of the asset to its fair value. Fair value will be determined based on quoted market values, discounted cash flows or appraisals. Impairments are recorded in the statement of operations as part of selling, general and administrative expenses.
Financial Instruments:
The carrying value of the short-term investments are recorded at fair value based on quoted market prices. The carrying value of the other assets and liabilities considered financial instruments approximate their respective fair value due to the short-term nature of the investment.
Revenue Recognition: (See also Cooperative Advertising)
The Company recognizes sales in accordance with ASC Topic 605 “Revenue Recognition”. Revenue is recognized upon shipment of merchandise. Net sales comprise gross revenues less expected returns, trade discounts, customer allowances and various sales incentives. Included in sales incentives are coupons that the Company issues that are redeemed by its customers. Redemptions are handled by a coupon national clearing house. The Company also has estimated that there is an approximate six week lag in coupon redemptions, with the estimated cost recorded as an accrued liability. Although no legal right of return exists between the customer and the Company, returns, including return of unsold products, are accepted if it is in the best interests of the Company's relationship with the customer. The Company, therefore, records a reserve for returns based on the historical returns as a percentage of sales in the five preceding months, adjusting for returns that can be put back into inventory, and a specific reserve based on customer circumstances. Sales returns in 2014 increased from the prior year primarily as a result of increases in returns of Gel Perfect seasonal products. Those returns which are anticipated to be taken as credits against the balances as of November 30, 2014 are offset against the accounts receivable. The reserves which are anticipated to be deducted from future invoices are included in accrued liabilities. Changes in the estimated coupon reserve and sales return reserve are recorded to Sales of health and beauty aid products - net, in the Consolidated Statement of Operations.
Cooperative Advertising:
Cooperative advertising is accrued based on a combination of new contracts given to the customers in the current fiscal year, along with what is left open from prior years. Specific new contracts in the current fiscal year are identified as sales incentives (see sales incentives) and those contracts reduce revenues for the current period. The open balances for all years open are reduced throughout the year by either the customer advertising and submitting the proof according to the contract or by customer post audit adjustments that finalize any amount due. Any item open more than four years is closed unless management believes that a deduction may still be taken by the customer. The balance of open cooperative advertising is then allocated between accrued liabilities and the allowance for cooperative advertising based the customer's open accounts receivable balance. Open cooperative advertising for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2014 that was accrued for in previous years was decreased by $786,306 as the result of completion of customer post audit adjustments. For fiscal year ended November 30, 2013 and 2012, the reserve for open cooperative advertising was decreased $816,418 and $640,000, respectively.
Sales Incentives:
The Company has accounted for certain sales incentives offered to customers by charging them directly to sales as opposed to advertising and promotional expense. These accounting adjustments do not affect net (loss) income.
Shipping Costs:
The Company’s policy for financial reporting is to charge shipping costs as part of selling, general and administrative expenses as incurred. For the years ended November 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012 included in selling, general and administrative expenses are shipping costs of $1,012,623, $2,688,536 and $3,272,759, respectively.
Advertising Costs:
The Company’s policy for financial reporting is to charge advertising cost to expense as incurred. Advertising, cooperative and promotional expenses for the years ended November 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012 were $6,155,051, $2,921,199 and $3,908,329, respectively.
Research and Development Costs:
The Company's policy for financial reporting is to charge research and development costs to expense as incurred. Research and development costs for the years ended November 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012 were $458,984, $741,694 and $769,637, respectively.
Proceeds from Insurance Policy Claim:
The Company does not recognize insurance proceeds for losses incurred until the amounts are realizable. The Company records the insurance proceeds as a reduction in the underlying expense category where the losses were recognized. As a result of Super Storm Sandy, the Company made claims for loss against various insurance policies. In the case of one claim for $340,689, the Company did not determine the claim was realizable until May 2013 and received proceeds of $340,689 in June 2013. The Company recorded the proceeds as a reduction of selling, general and administrative expenses on the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the fiscal year ended November 30, 2013.
Income Taxes:
Income taxes are accounted for under ASC Topic 740 “Income Taxes”, which utilizes the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for future tax consequences attributable to the temporary differences between the carrying amounts of assets and liabilities as recorded on the Company’s financial statements and the carrying amounts as reflected on the Company’s income tax return. In addition, the portion of charitable contributions that cannot be deducted in the current period and are carried forward to future periods are also reflected in the deferred tax assets. A substantial portion of the deferred tax asset is due to the loss incurred in fiscal 2013, the benefit of which will be carried forward into future tax years. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are valued using the tax rates expected to apply in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or settled. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not that some portion, or all of the deferred tax asset will not be realized. Management has estimated that it will utilize the entire deferred tax asset in future years based on its belief that the Company will be profitable.  Management expects future profitability based on the outsourcing of many functions to The Emerson Group, a substantial reduction in personnel and a reduction in other expenses.  However profits can be impacted in the future if the Company’s sales decrease.  The portion that management expects to utilize in fiscal 2015 is recorded as a short term asset, and the portion that management expects to utilize in fiscal years subsequent to fiscal 2015 are recorded as a long term asset. (See NOTE 15 - Subsequent Events for further detail).
The Company previously adopted the provisions of ASC Subtopic 740-10-25, “Uncertain Tax Positions”. Management believes that there were no unrecognized tax benefits, or tax positions that would result in uncertainty regarding the deductions taken, as of November 30, 2014 and November 30, 2013. ASC Subtopic 740-10-25 prescribes a recognition threshold and a measurement attribute for the financial statement recognition and measurement of tax positions taken or expected to be taken in a tax return. For those benefits to be recognized, a tax position must be more-likely-than-not to be sustained upon examination by taxing authorities.
Tax Credits:
Tax credits, when present, are accounted for using the flow-through method as a reduction of income taxes in the years utilized.
(Loss) Earnings Per Common Share:
Basic (loss) earnings per share are calculated in accordance with ASC Topic 260, “Earnings Per Share”, which requires using the average number of shares of common stock outstanding during the year. Diluted (loss) earnings per share is computed on the basis of the average number of common shares outstanding plus the dilutive effect of any common stock equivalents using the “treasury stock method”. Common stock equivalents consist of stock options.
Stock Options:
ASC Topic 718, “Stock Compensation,” requires stock grants to employees to be recognized in the consolidated statement of operations based on their fair values. The Company issued stock options in fiscal 2014, see Note 18 for details.
Reclassifications:
Certain prior years amounts have been reclassified to conform with the current year’s presentation.