Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

ORGANIZATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

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ORGANIZATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Description of Business

Description of Business

 

Global Clean Energy Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its wholly owned subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) is a U.S.-based integrated agricultural-energy biofuels company that holds assets across feedstocks and plant genetics, agronomics, cultivation, and regulatory approvals, commercialization, and downstream biorefining and storage. The Company is focused on the development and refining of non-food based bio-feedstocks and has a proprietary investment in camelina sativa (“Camelina”), a fast growing, low input and ultra-low carbon intensity crop used as a feedstock for renewable fuels. The Company holds its Camelina assets (including all related intellectual property related rights and approvals) and operates its Camelina business through a subsidiary, Sustainable Oils Inc., a Delaware corporation.

 

In 2018 and 2019 the Company pursued the acquisition of a crude oil refinery in Bakersfield, California with the objective of retrofitting it to produce renewable diesel from Camelina and other non-food feedstocks. On May 7, 2020, the Company completed the acquisition of the targeted refinery (the “Bakersfield Biorefinery”). The retrofitting of the Bakersfield Biorefinery is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2022. The Company has entered into a product offtake agreement with a major oil company for the majority of the renewable diesel to be produced at the Bakersfield Biorefinery. See Note B which describes the off-take agreement in more detail.

Basis of Presentation

Basis of Presentation

 

The accompanying condensed and consolidated balance sheet of Global Clean Energy Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, hereinafter the “Company,” “we,” “us” or “our”) at December 31, 2019, has been derived from audited condensed and consolidated financial statements, but does not include all disclosures required by accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The accompanying unaudited condensed and consolidated financial statements as of March 31, 2020 and for the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, have been prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP for interim financial information and with the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 8 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements, and should be read in conjunction with the unaudited condensed and consolidated financial statements and related notes to the financial statements included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In the opinion of the Company’s management, all material adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) considered necessary for a fair presentation have been made to the unaudited condensed and consolidated financial statements. The unaudited condensed and consolidated financial statements include all material adjustments (consisting of all normal accruals) necessary to make the condensed and consolidated financial statements not misleading as required by Regulation S-X Rule 10-01. Operating results for the three months ended March 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the year ended December 31, 2020 or any future periods.

 

The accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Global Clean Energy Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated in consolidation.

Property and Equipment

Property and Equipment

 

Property and equipment are stated at cost. Depreciation of office equipment is computed using the straight-line method over estimated useful lives of 3 to 5 years. Field equipment is depreciated using the straight-line method over estimated useful lives of 5 to 15 years. Normal maintenance and repair items are charged to operating costs and are expensed as incurred. The cost and accumulated depreciation of property and equipment sold or otherwise retired are removed from the accounts and gain or loss on disposition is reflected in results of operations.

Long-Lived Assets

Long-Lived Assets

 

In accordance with U.S. GAAP for the impairment or disposal of long-lived assets, the carrying values of intangible assets and other long-lived assets are reviewed on a regular basis for the existence of facts or circumstances that may suggest impairment. The Company recognizes impairment when the aggregate of the expected undiscounted future cash flows is less than the carrying amount of the asset. Impairment losses, if any, are measured as the excess of the carrying amount of the asset over its estimated fair value.

Pre-Acquisition Costs

Pre-Acquisition Costs

 

The Company capitalizes its pre-acquisition costs once management determines that it is probable that the project will occur. Probability is determined based on i) management, having the requisite authority, having implicitly or explicitly authorized and committed to funding the acquisition or construction of a specific asset, ii) the financial resources are available consistent with such authorization, and iii) the ability exists to meet the necessary local and other governmental regulations. Cost capitalization occurs when the event is probable, but prior to the start of construction. We capitalize those costs that are directly identifiable with the specific property and those costs that would be capitalized if the property were already acquired. We began capitalizing pre-acquisition costs in April 2019 after executing a product offtake agreement with a major oil company. We expense general administrative and overhead costs, including payroll, that would be considered support functions. For the quarter ended March 31, 2020 we capitalized $0.6 million, which included legal costs, pre-engineering costs and other contractual costs and expenses directly related to the purchase of the Bakersfield Biorefinery that was completed in May 2020.

Debt Issuance Costs

Debt Issuance Costs

 

In 2018, we signed a letter of intent to acquire the Bakersfield Biorefinery. The acquisition of the Bakersfield Biorefinery and the related $365 million of debt financing we obtained to retrofit the refinery closed in May 2020. In connection with obtaining the foregoing financing, we incurred certain debt issuance costs. Debt issuance costs related to the Bakersfield Biorefinery are amortized using the effective interest rate method. Debt issuance costs are amortized over the term of the loan as interest; however, as such interest relates to retrofitting of the refinery, these costs will be capitalized as part of the refinery until the refinery is placed in service. The amortization of the debt issuance costs is classified as interest expense. At March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, unamortized debt issuance costs are presented on the balance sheet as deferred costs. However, such costs will be classified as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of the debt liability after the closing of the financing to the extent that we borrow on the credit agreements. See Note I in Subsequent Events for more detail on the financing.

Derecognition of Liabilities

Derecognition of Liabilities

 

The Company reviews its liabilities, including but not limited to accounts payable, notes payable, accrued expenses, accrued liabilities and other legal obligations for a determination of the legal enforcement or settlement of these obligations. Upon conclusive evidence that an obligation may be extinguished, has expired, is discharged, is cancelled or otherwise no longer legally exists, then the Company will derecognize the respective liability on its balance sheet.

Income Taxes

Income Taxes

 

The Company utilizes the liability method of accounting for income taxes. Under the liability method, deferred tax assets and liabilities are determined based on differences between financial reporting and tax basis of assets and liabilities and the carryforward of operating losses and tax credits, and are measured using the enacted tax rates and laws that will be in effect when the differences are expected to reverse. A valuation allowance against deferred tax assets is recorded when it is more likely than not that such tax benefits will not be realized. Assets and liabilities are established for uncertain tax positions taken or positions expected to be taken in income tax returns when such positions are judged to not meet the “more-likely-than-not” threshold based on the technical merits of the positions. Estimated interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions are included as a component of general and administrative expense.

Revenue Recognition

Revenue Recognition

 

The Company recognizes revenue in accordance with ASC 606 using the following five-step model:(1) identify the contract with the customer, (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract, (3) determine the transaction price, (4) allocate the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract, and (5) recognize revenue. The Company did not recognize any revenues during the quarters ended March 31, 2020 and 2019. Based upon the Company’s Product Offtake Agreement (see Note B), the Company expects to recognize revenue from the sale of biofuel beginning in 2022.

Research and Development

Research and Development

 

Research and development costs are charged to operating expenses when incurred.

Fair Value Measurements and Fair Value of Financial Instruments

Fair Value Measurements and Fair Value of Financial Instruments

 

As of March 31, 2019 and 2020, the carrying value of certain financial instruments that are not reported at fair value in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets, including cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, accounts payable, and accrued liabilities approximate their fair value due to their short-term nature. The Company’s derivative liability, which was derecognized during the first quarter of 2020, is reported at fair value on the accompanying December 31, 2019 balance sheet.

 

U.S. GAAP specifies a hierarchy of valuation techniques based on whether the inputs to those valuation techniques are observable or unobservable. Observable inputs reflect market data obtained from independent sources, while unobservable inputs reflect the Company's market assumptions. These two types of inputs have created the following fair-value hierarchy:

 

Level 1— Quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets;

 

Level 2— Quoted prices for similar instruments 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 and significant value drivers are observable in active markets; and

 

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

 

At December 31, 2019, the Company had a derivative liability of $24.8 million related to a forward contract that also included a call option. The notional amount of the forward contract related to gallons of the commodity, Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel. Under the terms of the contract the Company was obligated to pay the equivalent of the notional amount multiplied by the market price of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel at the settlement dates; however, the call option of the contract capped the market price of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel.

 

The Company recognized $5.5 million of income from the decrease in fair value on the derivative contract from January 1, 2020 through March 19, 2020, and also recognized a gain of $0.5 million on the derecognition of the derivative contract. The derivative forward contract was amended again in April 2020. See, “Note E, Fixed Payment Obligations” below.

 

The fair value of the derivative forward contract is primarily based upon the notional amount and the forward strip market prices of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel, and is reduced by the fair value of the call option. The forward strip market prices are observable. However, to determine the fair value of the call option, Company used the Blacks 76 option pricing model. As a result, the contract as a whole is included in the Level 3 of the fair value hierarchy.

 

The following presents changes in the derivative liability:

 

    Quarter Ended   Quarter Ended
    March 31, 2020   March 31, 2019
Beginning Balance   $ 24,767,000     $ 11,917,000  
Conversion to note payable     (19,291,000 )        
(Decrease) increase in fair value recognized in earnings     (5,476,000 )     3,937,000  
Ending Balance   $ —       $ 15,854,000  
Estimates

Estimates

 

Management uses estimates and assumptions in preparing financial statements. Those estimates and assumptions affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities, and reported revenues and expenses. Significant estimates used in preparing these financial statements include a) valuation of common stock, warrants, and stock options, b) those assumed in determining the value of the derivative transactions, c) and estimated useful lives of equipment and patent costs. It is at least reasonably possible that the significant estimates used will change within the next year.

Income/Loss Per Common Share

Income/Loss per Common Share

 

Income/Loss per share amounts are computed by dividing income or loss applicable to the common stockholders of the Company by the weighted-average number of common shares outstanding during each period. Diluted income or loss per share amounts are computed assuming the issuance of common stock for potentially dilutive common stock equivalents. The number of dilutive warrants and options is computed using the treasury stock method, whereby the dilutive effect is reduced by the number of treasury shares the Company could purchase with the proceeds from exercises of warrants and options.

 

The following table presents: 1) instruments that were dilutive for the quarter ended March 31, 2020 and included in the diluted earnings per share, and 2) instruments that were anti-dilutive for the quarter ended March 31, 2019 and excluded from diluted earnings per share as they would have been antidilutive:

 

    Instruments Included in Diluted EPS March 31, 2020   Instruments Excluded in Diluted EPS March 31, 2019
Convertible notes and accrued interest     100,075,503       94,938,750  
Convertible preferred stock - Series B     11,818,181       11,818,181  
Warrants     —         —    
Compensation-based stock options and warrants     177,050,000       171,631,482  
Stock Based Compensation

Stock Based Compensation

 

The Company recognizes compensation expenses for stock-based awards expected to vest on a straight-line basis over the requisite service period of the award based on their grant date fair value. However, in the case of awards with accelerated vesting, the amount of compensation expense recognized at any date will be based upon the portion of the award that is vested at that date. The Company estimates the fair value of stock options using a Black-Scholes option pricing model which requires management to make estimates for certain assumptions regarding risk-free interest rate, expected life of options, expected volatility of stock and expected dividend yield of stock. For the quarters ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, charges related to stock-based compensation amounted to approximately $25,614 and $43,008 respectively. For the quarters ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, all stock-based compensation is classified in general and administrative expense.

Subsequent Events

Subsequent Events

 

The Company has evaluated subsequent events through the date these condensed consolidated financial statements were available to be issued. See Note I to these consolidated financial statements for a description of events occurring subsequent to March 31, 2020.