Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis
ITEM 7.
MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL
CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The
following discussion is intended to provide information relevant to an understanding of our financial condition, changes in our financial
condition and our results of operations and cash flows and should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and
notes thereto included elsewhere in this Form 10-K.
Liquidity
and Capital Resources and Commitments
Historically,
we have funded our operations, acquisitions, exploration and development expenditures from cash generated by operating activities, bank
borrowings, sales of non-core properties and issuance of common stock. Our primary financial resource is our base of oil and gas reserves.
We have pledged our producing oil and gas properties to secure our credit facility. We do not have any delivery commitments to provide
a fixed and determinable quantity of our oil and gas under any existing contract or agreement.
Our
long-term strategy is on increasing profit margins while concentrating on obtaining reserves with low-cost operations by acquiring and
developing oil and gas properties with potential for long-lived production. We focus our efforts on the acquisition of royalties and
working interests and non-operated properties in areas with significant development potential.
Cash
Flows
Changes
in the net funds provided by or (used in) each of our operating, investing and financing activities are set forth in the table below:
For the Years Ended March 31,
2024
2023
Change
Net cash provided by operating activities
$ 4,433,935
$ 6,515,895
$ (2,081,960 )
Net cash used in investing activities
$ (3,416,499 )
$ (5,441,075 )
$ (2,024,576 )
Net cash used in financing activities
$ (779,723 )
$ (209,815 )
$ 569,908
Cash
Flow Provided by Operating Activities. Cash flow from operating activities is primarily derived from the production of our crude
oil and natural gas reserves and changes in the balances of non-cash accounts, receivables, payables or other non-energy property asset
account balances. Cash flow provided by our operating activities for the year ended March 31, 2024 was $4,433,935 in comparison to $6,515,895
for the year ended March 31, 2023. This decrease of $2,081,960 in our cash flow operating activities consisted of increase in our non-cash
expenses of $505,448; a decrease in our accounts receivable of $426,598; an increase of $49,673 of our accounts payable and accrued expenses;
and, a decrease in our net income for the current year of $3,317,518. Variations in cash flow from operating activities may impact our
level of exploration and development expenditures.
Our
expenditures in operating activities consist primarily of production expenses and engineering services. Our expenses also consist of
employee compensation, accounting, insurance and other general and administrative expenses that we have incurred in order to address
normal and necessary business activities of a public company in the crude oil and natural gas production industry.
Cash
Flow Used in Investing Activities. Cash flow from investing activities is derived from changes in oil and gas property balances.
For the year ended March 31, 2024, we had net cash of $3,016,499 used for additions to oil and gas properties and a $400,000 investment
in two limited liability companies compared to $5,014,357 and $425,000, respectively, for the year ended March 31, 2023.
Cash
Flow Used in Financing Activities. Cash flow from financing activities is derived from our changes in long-term debt and in
equity account balances. Net cash flow used in our financing activities was $779,723 for the year ended March 31, 2024 compared to
net cash flow used in our financing activities of $209,815 for the year ended March 31, 2023. During the year ended March 31, 2024,
we expended $213,600 to pay the annual dividend, expended $585,035 to purchase 50,101 shares of our stock for the treasury account,
and received proceeds of $19,662 for the exercise of employee and director stock options. During the year ended March 31, 2023, we received proceeds of $16,700 from the exercise of director stock options, received payment of $30,179 from a director for profits on
purchase of stock within the six-month window of a previous stock sale, expended $244,494 for the purchase of 18,416 shares of our
stock for the treasury and, expended $12,200 for the renewal of our credit facility.
Accordingly,
net cash increased $237,713, leaving cash and cash equivalents on hand of $2,473,484 as of March 31, 2024.
23
We
had working capital of $3,259,200 as of March 31, 2024 compared to working capital of $3,475,776 as of March 31, 2023, a decrease of
$216,576 for the reasons set forth below.
Oil
and Natural Gas Property Development.
New
Participations in Fiscal 2024. The Company participated in the drilling and completion of 51 horizontal wells and 1 vertical well
at a cost of approximately $2,300,000, of which $2,000,000 was expended during the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024. Nineteen of these
wells have not been completed. Forty-eight of these horizontal wells are in the Delaware Basin located in the western portion of the
Permian Basin in Lea and Eddy Counties, New Mexico. The remaining three horizontal wells are in the Bakken formation in McKenzie County,
North Dakota and the vertical well is in Irion County, Texas.
In
addition to the above working interests, there were 101 gross wells (.025 net wells) drilled by other operators on Mexco’s royalty
interests and 348 gross wells (7.65 net wells) obtained through acquisitions.
Mexco
expended approximately $264,000 to participate in the drilling of four horizontal wells in the Wolfcamp Sand formation of the Delaware
Basin in Lea County, New Mexico. Mexco’s working interest in these wells is .52%. Two of these wells began producing in November
2023 and the other two in March 2024 with initial average production rates of 822 barrels of oil, 4,159 barrels of water and 2,574,000
cubic feet of gas per day, or 1,251 barrels of oil equivalent (“BOE”) per day.
Mexco
expended approximately $152,000 to participate in the drilling of two horizontal wells in the Penn Shale formation of the Delaware Basin
in Lea County, New Mexico. Mexco’s working interest in these wells is .4%. These wells began producing in November 2023 with initial
average production rates of 837 barrels of oil, 1,794 barrels of water and 659,000 cubic feet of gas per day, or 947 BOE per day.
Mexco
expended approximately $105,000 to participate in the drilling and completion of two horizontal wells in the Penn Shale formation of
the Delaware Basin in Lea County, New Mexico. Mexco’s working interest in these wells is approximately .285%. These wells began
producing in September 2023 with initial average production rates of 582 barrels of oil, 1,488 barrels of water and 791,000 cubic feet
of gas per day, or 714 BOE per day.
Mexco
expended approximately $870,000 to participate in the drilling of five horizontal wells in the Bone Spring Sand formation of the Delaware
Basin in Lea County, New Mexico. Mexco’s working interest in these wells is approximately 1.16%. Subsequently, in April 2024, two
of these wells were completed with initial average production rates of 1,065 barrels of oil, 2,107 barrels of water and 706,500 cubic
feet of gas per day, or 1,183 BOE per day.
In
July 2023, Mexco expended approximately $36,000 to participate in the drilling and completion of two horizontal wells in the Bone Spring
Sand formation of the Delaware Basin in Lea County, New Mexico. Mexco’s working interest in these wells is approximately .1%. These
wells began producing in September 2023 with initial average production rates of 898 barrels of oil, 1,969 barrels of water and 503,000
cubic feet of gas per day, or 982 BOE per day.
In
November 2023, Mexco expended approximately $32,000 to participate in the drilling and completion of one horizontal well in the Penn
Shale formation of the Delaware Basin in Lea County, New Mexico. Mexco’s working interest in this well is .165%.
In
February 2024, Mexco expended approximately $74,000 to participate in the drilling of two horizontal wells in the Bone Spring Sand formation
of the Delaware Basin in Lea County, New Mexico. Mexco’s working interest in these wells is .53%. Subsequently, in May 2024, Mexco
expended approximately $90,000 to complete these wells.
In
February 2024, Mexco expended approximately $170,000 to participate in the drilling of four horizontal wells in the Bone Spring Sand
formation of the Delaware Basin in Lea County, New Mexico. Mexco’s working interest in these wells is .45%.
24
In
February 2024, Mexco expended approximately $153,000 to participate in an exploratory well in the Fusselman Formation of Irion County,
Texas. Subsequently, in May 2024, the Company expended $27,000 for additional drilling costs. This well was later determined to be noncommercial
and will be plugged and abandoned in fiscal 2025.
In
October 2022, the Company made an approximately 2% equity investment commitment in a limited liability company amounting to $2,000,000
of which $800,000 has been funded as of March 31, 2024. The limited liability company is capitalized at approximately $100 million to
purchase mineral interests in the Utica and Marcellus areas in the state of Ohio. Subsequently, in May 2024, the Company funded another
$200,000 toward this investment. This LLC has returned $81,231 or 8% of the total investment.
Completion
of Wells Drilled in Fiscal 2023. The Company expended approximately $450,000 in the completion of 21 horizontal wells in which the
Company participated in fiscal 2023.
The
Company expended approximately $427,000 for the completion costs of eight horizontal wells in the Wolfcamp Sand formation of the Delaware
Basin in Lea County, New Mexico that the Company participated in drilling during fiscal 2023. Mexco’s working interest in these
wells is .52%. These wells began producing in October 2023 with initial average production rates of 825 barrels of oil, 3,540 barrels
of water and 2,150,000 cubic feet of gas per day, or, 1,183 BOE per day.
Three
horizontal wells in the Bone Spring formation of the Delaware Basin in Eddy County, New Mexico in which the Company participated during
fiscal 2023 were completed in May 2023 with initial average production rates of 437 barrels of oil, 983 barrels of water and 603,000
cubic feet of gas per day, or, 538 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Mexco’s working interest in these wells is .05%.
Seven
horizontal wells in the Bone Spring Sand formation of the Delaware Basin in Lea County, New Mexico in which the Company participated
during fiscal 2023 were completed with initial average production rates of 1,827 barrels of oil, 1,945 barrels of water and 2,264,000
cubic feet of gas per day, or, 2,204 barrels of oil equivalent per day. Mexco’s working interest in these wells is .033%.
Acquisitions.
During the year, the Company acquired royalty interests in 39 producing wells with additional potential locations for development
in Howard and Lee Counties, Texas for an aggregate purchase price of $261,700.
In
February 2024, the Company acquired royalty interests in 8 producing wells with additional potential locations for development operated
by PDC Energy, Inc. and 4 producing wellbores operated by Chevron Corporation for an aggregate purchase price of $575,600. These wells
are located in Weld County, Colorado.
In
February 2024, the Company acquired royalty interests in 255 producing wells in the Haynesville trend area of Caddo Parish, Louisiana
for a purchase price of $390,300.
In
December 2023, the Company acquired royalty (mineral) interests in 7 wells operated by Occidental Petroleum Corporation and located in
Reeves County, Texas for a purchase price of $364,000 which is effective November 1, 2023. In January 2024, the Company acquired an additional
interest in these same wells for a purchase price of $91,000, effective December 1, 2023.
In
November 2023, the Company acquired small royalty interests in 27 producing wells as well as non-producing mineral interests in 1,280
gross acres located in Crane, Ector, Midland and Upton Counties, Texas for an aggregate purchase price of $105,800.
Subsequently,
in April 2024, the Company acquired small royalty (mineral) interests in 21 wells operated by Anadarko Petroleum Corporation and Cimarex
Energy Company and located in Reeves County, Texas for a purchase price of $158,000 which is effective April 1, 2024.
25
Sales
of Properties. During the first quarter of fiscal 2024, the Company received approximately $280,000 in cash from a sale of joint
venture leasehold acreage and marginal producing working interest wells in Reagan County, Texas, marginal producing working interest
wells in Pecos County, Texas and interest in surface acreage in Palo Pinto County, Texas.
In
December 2023, the Company made on a 3-year Term Assignment of 98% of the Company’s leasehold interest in certain deep rights of
200 acres in Loving and Ward Counties, Texas. The Company received $5,000 per net leasehold acre in the total amount of approximately
$980,000. The Company retained the remaining 2% leasehold interest as a participating interest in the full unit at approximately .625%
working interest. The Company also retained an overriding royalty interest of 5% proportionately reduced.
Also
in December 2023, the Company made on a 3-year Term Assignment of the Company’s leasehold interest in 12.96 net mineral acres located
in Lea County, New Mexico. The Company received $2,500 per net leasehold acre in the total amount of $32,400. The Company retained an
overriding royalty interest equal to the positive difference between 25% and any existing burdens of record as of the effective date.
Subsequent
Participations. In April 2024, Mexco expended approximately $80,000 to participate in the drilling of five horizontal wells in the
Bone Spring formation of the Delaware Basin in Lea County, New Mexico and $127,800 to drill four horizontal wells in the Wolfcamp Sand
formation of the Delaware Basin in Lea County, New Mexico.
We
are participating in other projects and are reviewing projects in which we may participate. The cost of such projects would be funded,
to the extent possible, from existing cash balances and cash flow from operations. The remainder may be funded through borrowings on
the credit facility and, if appropriate, sales of non-core properties.
Markets.
Crude oil and natural gas prices generally remained volatile during the last year. The volatility of the energy markets makes it
extremely difficult to predict future oil and natural gas price movements with any certainty. For example, in the last twelve months,
the NYMEX West Texas Intermediate (“WTI”) posted price for crude oil has ranged from a low of $63.10 per bbl in June 2023
to a high of $89.66 per bbl in September 2023. The Henry Hub Spot Market Price (“Henry Hub”) for natural gas has ranged from
a low of $1.25 per MMBtu in March 2024 to a high of $3.34 per MMBtu in October 2023.
On
March 31, 2024 the WTI posted price for crude oil was $79.15 per bbl and the Henry Hub spot price for natural gas was $1.54 per MMBtu.
See Results of Operations below for realized prices.
Results
of Operations
Fiscal
2024 Compared to Fiscal 2023
We
had net income of $1,344,952 for the year ended March 31, 2024 compared to $4,662,702 for the year ended March 31, 2023, a 71% decrease
as a result of a decrease in operating revenues due to a decrease in oil and natural gas prices and production that is further explained
below.
Oil
and natural gas sales. Revenue from oil and natural gas sales was $6,462,647 for the year ended March 31, 2024, a 31% decrease from
$9,380,623 for the year ended March 31, 2023. This resulted from a decrease in oil and natural gas prices and production volumes. The
following table sets forth our oil and natural gas revenues, production quantities and average prices received during the fiscal years
ended March 31:
2024
2023
% Difference
Oil:
Revenue
$ 5,348,257
$ 6,522,163
(18.0 )%
Volume (bbls)
69,999
73,968
(5.4 )%
Average Price (per bbl)
$ 76.40
$ 88.18
(13.4 )%
Gas:
Revenue
$ 1,114,390
$ 2,858,460
(61.0 )%
Volume (mcf)
502,879
534,363
(5.9 )%
Average Price (per mcf)
$ 2.22
$ 5.35
(58.5 )%
26
Production
and exploration. Production costs were $1,526,472 in fiscal 2024, an 11% decrease from $1,719,719 in fiscal 2023. This was primarily
the result of a decrease in production taxes as a result of the decrease in oil and gas revenues.
Depreciation,
depletion and amortization. Depreciation, depletion and amortization (“DD&A”) expense was $1,969,742 in fiscal 2024,
a 6% increase from $1,854,047 in fiscal 2023. This was primarily due to an increase in the full cost pool amortization and a decrease
in the oil and gas reserves partially offset by a decrease in oil and gas production.
General
and administrative expenses. General and administrative expenses were $1,243,548 for the year ended March 31, 2024, an 11% increase
from $1,120,691 for the year ended March 31, 2023. This was primarily due to an increase in employee stock option compensation, salaries
and contract services, and accounting fees.
Interest
expense. Interest expense was $5,234 in fiscal 2024, a 60% decrease from $13,097 in fiscal 2023, due to a decrease in borrowings.
Income
taxes. Federal income tax for fiscal 2024 was $500,915. There was no federal income tax for fiscal 2023 because the Company was
in a net deferred tax asset position. State income tax was $119,629 in fiscal 2024, a 27% decrease from $164,510 for fiscal 2023 due
to the decrease in oil and natural gas sales in the State of New Mexico. The effective tax rate for state and federal taxes combined
for fiscal 2024 and fiscal 2023 was 32% and 3%, respectively. The increase in the effective federal tax rate is the result of the
Company now being in a net deferred tax liability position and the reconciliation to the federal tax return.
Contractual
Obligations
We
have no off-balance sheet debt or unrecorded obligations and have not guaranteed the debt of any other party. The following table summarizes
future payments we are obligated to make based on agreements in place as of March 31, 2024:
Payments due in:
Total
less than 1 year
1 - 3 years
over 3 years
Contractual obligations:
Leases (1)
$ 19,413
$ 19,413
-
$ -
(1)
The lease amount represents the monthly rent amount for our
principal office space in Midland, Texas under a 38-month lease agreement effective May 15, 2018 and extended another 36 months to July
31, 2024. Of this total obligation for the remainder of the lease, our majority shareholder will pay $5,191 less than 1 year for his
portion of the shared office space.
Alternative
Capital Resources
Although
we have primarily used cash from operating activities, the sales of assets and funding from the credit facility as our primary capital
resources, we have in the past, and could in the future, use alternative capital resources. These could include joint ventures, carried
working interests and issuances of our common stock through a private placement or public offering.
Other
Matters
Critical
Accounting Policies and Estimates
In
preparing financial statements, management makes informed judgments, estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets
and liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and affect the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting
period. On an ongoing basis, management reviews its estimates, including those related to litigation, environmental liabilities, income
taxes, fair value and determination of proved reserves. Changes in facts and circumstances may result in revised estimates and actual
results may differ from these estimates.
The
following represents those policies that management believes are particularly important to the financial statements and that require
the use of estimates and assumptions to describe matters that are inherently uncertain.
27
Full
Cost Method of Accounting for Crude Oil and Natural Gas Activities . SEC Regulation S-X defines the financial accounting and reporting
standards for companies engaged in crude oil and natural gas activities. Two methods are prescribed: the successful efforts method and
the full cost method. We have chosen to follow the full cost method under which all costs associated with property acquisition, exploration
and development are capitalized. We also capitalize internal costs that can be directly identified with acquisition, exploration and
development activities and do not include any costs related to production, general corporate overhead or similar activities. The carrying
amount of oil and gas properties also includes estimated asset retirement costs recorded based on the fair value of the asset retirement
obligation (“ARO”) when incurred.
Gain
or loss on the sale or other disposition of oil and gas properties is not recognized, unless the sale would significantly alter the relationship
between capitalized costs and proved reserves of oil and natural gas attributable to a country. Under the successful efforts method,
geological and geophysical costs and costs of carrying and retaining undeveloped properties are charged to expense as incurred. Costs
of drilling exploratory wells that do not result in proved reserves are charged to expense. Depreciation, depletion, amortization and
impairment of crude oil and natural gas properties are generally calculated on a well by well or lease or field basis versus the “full
cost” pool basis. Additionally, gain or loss is generally recognized on all sales of crude oil and natural gas properties under
the successful efforts method. As a result our financial statements will differ from companies that apply the successful efforts method
since we will generally reflect a higher level of capitalized costs as well as a higher DD&A rate on our crude oil and natural gas
properties.
At
the time it was adopted, management believed that the full cost method would be preferable, as earnings tend to be less volatile than
under the successful efforts method. However, the full cost method makes us more susceptible to significant non-cash charges during times
of volatile commodity prices because the full cost pool may be impaired when prices are low. These charges are not recoverable when prices
return to higher levels. Our crude oil and natural gas reserves have a relatively long life. However, temporary drops in commodity prices
can have a material impact on our business including impact from the full cost method of accounting.
Ceiling
Test . Companies that use the full cost method of accounting for oil and gas exploration and development activities are required to
perform a ceiling test each quarter. The full cost ceiling test is an impairment test to determine a limit, or ceiling, on the book value
of oil and gas properties. That limit is basically the after-tax present value of the future net cash flows from proved crude oil and
natural gas reserves plus the lower of cost or fair market value of unproved properties. If net capitalized costs of crude oil and natural
gas properties exceed the ceiling limit, we must charge the amount of the excess to earnings. This is called a “ceiling limitation
write-down.” This impairment to our oil and gas properties does not impact cash flow from operating activities, but does reduce
our stockholders’ equity and reported earnings.
The
risk that we will be required to write down the carrying value of crude oil and natural gas properties increases when crude oil and natural
gas prices are depressed or volatile. In addition, write-downs may occur if we experience substantial downward adjustments to our estimated
proved reserves or if purchasers cancel long-term contracts for natural gas production. An expense recorded in one period may not be
reversed in a subsequent period even though higher crude oil and natural gas prices may have increased the ceiling applicable to the
subsequent period.
Estimates
of our proved reserves are based on the quantities of oil and gas that engineering and geological analysis demonstrates, with reasonable
certainty, to be recoverable from established reservoirs in the future under current operating and economic parameters. Our reserve estimates
and the projected cash flows are derived from these reserve estimates, in accordance with SEC guidelines by an independent engineering
firm based in part on data provided by us. The accuracy of a reserve estimate is a function of the quality and quantity of available
data, the interpretation of that data, the accuracy of various mandated economic assumptions, and the judgment of the persons preparing
the estimate. Estimates prepared by other third parties may be higher or lower than those included herein. Because these estimates depend
on many assumptions, all of which may substantially differ from future actual results, reserve estimates will be different from the quantities
of oil and gas that are ultimately recovered. In addition, results of drilling, testing and production after the date of an estimate
may justify material revisions to the estimate.
It
should not be assumed that the present value of future net cash flows is the current market value of our estimated proved reserves. In
accordance with SEC requirements, the cost ceiling represents the present value (discounted at 10%) of net cash flows from sales of future
production using the average price over the prior 12-month period.
The
estimates of proved reserves materially impact DD&A expense. If the estimates of proved reserves decline, the rate at which we record
DD&A expense will increase, reducing future net income. Such a decline may result from lower market prices, which may make it uneconomic
to drill for and produce higher cost projects.
28
Use
of Estimates . In preparing financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States
of America, management is required to make informed judgments, estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and
liabilities as of the date of the financial statements and affect the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting
period. In addition, significant estimates are used in determining year end proved oil and gas reserves. Although management believes
its estimates and assumptions are reasonable, actual results may differ materially from those estimates. The estimate of our oil and
natural gas reserves, which is used to compute DD&A and impairment of oil and gas properties, is the most significant of the estimates
and assumptions that affect these reported results.
Excluded
Costs . Oil and gas properties include costs that are excluded from capitalized costs being amortized. These amounts represent investments
in unproved properties and major development projects. These costs are excluded until proved reserves are found or until it is determined
that the costs are impaired. All costs excluded are reviewed at least quarterly to determine if impairment has occurred. The amount of
any impairment is transferred to the capitalized costs being amortized (the DD&A pool). Impairments transferred to the DD&A pool
increase the DD&A rate.
Revenue
Recognition - Revenue from Contracts with Customers. Revenues from our royalty and non-operated working interest properties are recorded
under the cash receipts approach as directly received from the remitters’ statement accompanying the revenue check. Since the revenue
checks are generally received two to three months after the production month, the Company accrues for revenue earned but not received
by estimating production volumes and product prices. Any identified differences between its revenue estimates and actual revenue received
historically have not been significant.
Asset
Retirement Obligations . The estimated costs of plugging, restoration and removal of facilities are accrued. The fair value of a liability
for an asset’s retirement obligation is recorded in the period in which it is incurred and the corresponding cost capitalized by
increasing the carrying amount of the related long-lived asset. The liability is accreted to its then present value each period, and
the capitalized cost is depreciated by the units of production method. If the liability is settled for an amount other than the recorded
amount, a gain or loss is recognized. For all periods presented, we have included estimated future costs of abandonment and dismantlement
in the full cost amortization base and amortize these costs as a component of our depletion expense.
Gas
Balancing . Gas imbalances are accounted for under the sales method whereby revenues are recognized based on production sold. A liability
is recorded when our excess takes of natural gas volumes exceed our estimated remaining recoverable reserves (over produced). No receivables
are recorded for those wells where Mexco has taken less than its ownership share of gas production (under produced).
Stock-based
Compensation . We use the Binomial option pricing model to estimate the fair value of stock-based compensation expenses at grant date.
This expense is recognized as compensation expense in our financial statements over the vesting period. We recognize the fair value of
stock-based compensation awards as wages in the Consolidated Statements of Operations based on a graded-vesting schedule over the vesting
period.
Accounts
Receivable. Our accounts receivable includes trade receivables from joint interest owners and oil and gas purchasers. Credit is
extended based on an evaluation of a customer’s financial condition and, generally, is uncollateralized. Accounts receivable
under joint operating agreements have a right of offset against future oil and gas revenues if a producing well is completed. The
collectibility of receivables is assessed and an allowance is made for any credit losses. The allowance for credit losses is
determined based on a number of factors, including the length of time accounts receivable are past due, the Company’s previous
loss history, the debtor’s current ability to pay its obligation to the Company, the condition of the general economy and
the industry as a whole.
Income
Taxes . The Company recognizes deferred tax assets and liabilities for future tax consequences of temporary differences between the
carrying amounts of assets and liabilities and their respective tax bases. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted
tax rates applicable to the years in which those differences are expected to be settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities
of a change in tax rates is recognized in net income in the period that includes the enactment date. Any interest and penalties are recorded
as interest expense and general and administrative expense, respectively.
29
Other
Property and Equipment . Provisions for depreciation of office furniture and equipment are computed on the straight-line method based
on estimated useful lives of three to ten years.
Investments.
The Company accounts for investments of less than 3% of any limited liability companies at cost. The Company has no control of the
limited liability companies. The cost of the investment is recorded as an asset on the consolidated balance sheets and when income from
the investment is received, it is immediately recognized on the consolidated statements of operations.
Reclassifications.
Certain amounts in prior periods’ consolidated financial statements have been reclassified to conform with the current period’s
presentation. These reclassifications had no effect on previously reported results of operations, retained earnings or net cash flows.
Leases.
The Company determines an arrangement is a lease at inception. Operating leases are recorded in operating lease right-of-use asset,
operating lease liability, current, and operating lease liability, long-term on the consolidated balance sheets.
Operating
lease right-of-use assets represent the Company’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent
its obligation to make lease payments arising from the lease. Operating lease assets and liabilities are recognized at the commencement
date based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. As the Company’s lease does not provide an implicit rate,
the Company uses the incremental borrowing rate based on the information available at commencement date in determining the present value
of lease payments. The incremental borrowing rate used at adoption was 3.75%. Significant judgement is required when determining the
incremental borrowing rate. Rent expense for lease payments is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term.
Recent
Accounting Pronouncements. In December 2023, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2023-09, “Income
Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures,” which requires disaggregated information about the Company’s
effective tax rate reconciliation and income taxes paid. This ASU is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024 on
a prospective basis and early adoption is permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of this standard on its tax disclosures.