Nature of Operations and Liquidity |
9 Months Ended |
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Jan. 31, 2021 | |
| Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] | |
| Nature of Operations and Liquidity | Nature of Operations and Liquidity Overview
˿Ƶ. ("AGI") is an educational technology holding company. AGI has five subsidiaries, Aspen University Inc. ("Aspen University") organized in 1987, Aspen Nursing of Arizona, Inc. ("ANAI"), Aspen Nursing of Florida, Inc. ("ANFI"), Aspen Nursing of Texas, Inc. ("ANTI"), and United States University Inc. ("United States University" or "USU"). ANAI, ANFI and ANTI are subsidiaries of Aspen University Inc.
All references to the “Company”, “AGI”, “Aspen Group”, “we”, “our” and “us” refer to ˿Ƶ., unless the context otherwise indicates.
AGI leverages its education technology infrastructure and expertise to allow its two universities, Aspen University and United States University, to deliver on the vision of making college affordable again. Because we believe higher education should be a catalyst to our students’ long-term economic success, we exert financial prudence by offering affordable tuition that is one of the greatest values in higher education. AGI’s primary focus relative to future growth is to target the high growth nursing profession. As of January31, 2021, 11,636 of 13,407 or 87% of all active students across both universities are degree-seeking nursing students. Of the 11,636 students seeking nursing degrees, 9,277 are Registered Nurses (RNs) studying to earn an advanced degree, while the remaining 2,359 nursing students are enrolled in Aspen University’s BSN Pre-Licensure program in the Phoenix, Austin and Tampa metros.
Since 1993, Aspen University has been nationally accredited by the Distance Education and Accrediting Council (“DEAC”), a national accrediting agency recognized by the United States Department of Education (the “DOE”) and Council for Higher Education Accreditation ("CHEA"). On February 25, 2019, the DEAC informed Aspen University that it had renewed its accreditation for five years through January 2024.
Since 2009, USU has been regionally accredited by WASC Senior College and University Commission. (“WSCUC”).
Both universities are qualified to participate under the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (HEA) and the Federal student financial assistance programs (Title IV, HEA programs). USU has a provisional certification resulting from the ownership change of control in connection with the acquisition by AGI on December 1, 2017.
Basis of Presentation
Interim Financial Statements
The interim consolidated financial statements included herein have been prepared by the Company, without audit, pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). In the opinion of the Company’s management, all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments and reclassifications and non-recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly our results of operations for the three and nine months ended January31, 2021 and 2020, our cash flows for the nine months ended January31, 2021 and 2020, and our financial position as of January31, 2021 have been made. The results of operations for such interim periods are not necessarily indicative of the operating results to be expected for the full year.
Certain information and disclosures normally included in the notes to the annual consolidated financial statements have been condensed or omitted from these interim consolidated financial statements. Accordingly, these interim consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and notes thereto included in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended April30, 2020 as filed with the SEC on July 7, 2020. The April30, 2020 consolidated balance sheet is derived from those statements.
COVID-19 Update
In our third fiscal quarter ending January 31, 2021, which has been historically a seasonally slower quarter given it falls during the holiday months of November and December, Aspen University saw approximately 4% less course registrations than seasonally expected in our Aspen Nursing + Other unit (which equates to approximately $110,000 of reduced revenue per month or $330,000 in the quarter relative to the Company’s forecast).
USU’s MSN-FNP program also saw a similar course start decline of approximately 4% in the quarter relative to the Company’s forecast, which equates to approximately $190,000 of reduced revenue for the quarter.
We believe COVID-19 ‘Wave Two’ was the key factor in the lower course starts than forecasted at both universities in the quarter, given that all the states in the country are now affected – not just some of the major metros. Our predominant student demographic of RNs (as of January31, 2021, 9,277 of the Company's 13,407 total active students or 69% are RNs) has been especially overwhelmed over the past several months, so this is not unexpected.
The status and/or reasons identified by our predominantly RN student body who constitute the lower course starts over the past several months fall into four categories; 1) rescheduling of upcoming course registrations to a later date, 2) requests for temporary leave of absence, 3) requests to delay placement into preferred clinical location timed with the facility accepting new in-person students again, and 4) course or program withdrawal requests due to family emergencies, pressures at work/emotional distress and lack of time.
The Company expects the COVID ‘Wave Two’ effect to continue throughout the current fourth fiscal quarter, as we are forecasting approximately 4.5% less course registrations than seasonally expected in our Aspen Nursing + Other unit and USU’s MSN-FNP program. Consequently, in our current fourth fiscal quarter ending April 30, 2021, we are expecting year-over-year revenue growth in the range of 31% - 33% ($18.4 - $18.7million), versus the Company’s previous forecast of 36% growth or $19.1million.
Liquidity
At January31, 2021, the Company had a cash and cash equivalents balance of $9,987,382 and $3,395,068 of restricted cash.
In March 2019, the Company entered into two loan agreements for a principal amount of $5million each and received total proceeds of $10million. In connection with the loan agreements, the Company issued 18 month senior secured promissory term notes, with the Company having the right to extend the term of the loans for an additional 12 months by paying a 1% one-time extension fee. On January 22, 2020, the term notes were exchanged for convertible notes maturing January 22, 2023. On September 14, 2020, the Convertible Notes automatically converted into shares of the Company’s common stock. (See Note 6)
On January 22, 2020, the Company closed on an underwritten public offering of common stock for net proceeds of approximately $16million. The public offering was a condition precedent to the closing of the above refinancing. (See Note 6)
On November 5, 2018 the Company entered into a three year, $5,000,000 senior revolving credit facility. There is currently no outstanding balance under that facility. (See Note 6)
During the nine months ended January31, 2021 the Company's net cash and restricted cash decreased by $4,524,315, which included using $5,275,719 in operating activities.
The Company has analyzed its liquidity position and believes its current resources are adequate to meet anticipated liquidity needs for the next 12 months from the issuance date of this report.
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