SEC Company Response from CONCORDE CAREER COLLEGES INC (CIK 0000832483) — Sep 1, 2005
CONCORDE CAREER COLLEGES INC (CIK 0000832483)
Date: Sept. 1, 2005 · CIK: 0000832483 · Accession: 0000832483-05-000037
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File numbers found in text: 000-16992
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CORRESP
1
filename1.htm
September 1, 2005 - corresp 3
Mr.
Larry
Spirgel
Assistant
Director
United
States Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington,
D.C. 20549
August
23, 2005
RE:
Concorde
Career Colleges, Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31,
2004
Filed
March 15, 2005
Form
10-Q
for the quarter ended March 31, 2005
File
No.
000-16992
Dear
Mr.
Spirgel,
This
letter is in reference to your inquiry dated May 16, 2005 concerning Concorde
Career Colleges, Inc. (the “Company”) and regards question number four in that
inquiry regarding receivables. We have had three separate conference calls
with
the Staff to clarify questions for both the Company and the Staff. The Staff
has
been extremely helpful in clarifying the SEC’s position regarding classification
of receivables.
Company
Description
Concorde
is a small cap company with a market capitalization of approximately $88,470,000
based upon outstanding common shares of 5,997,942 at June 30th
and a
recent stock price of $14.75. Concorde provides career vocational training
programs in the allied health field at twelve locations.
Issue
We
have
historically established an account receivable and corresponding deferred
revenue liability for each student upon commencement of a program of study.
We
believed our accounting methodology in classifying accounts receivables met
the
requirements of Statement of Financial Accounting Concepts 6. Our method of
recording accounts receivable has never been questioned in prior reviews of
our
quarterly and annual reports by the Securities and Exchange Commission nor
was
it questioned by outside accounting firms. However, in light of the concerns
raised by the Staff in its review, we have committed to change our method of
recording accounts receivable on a prospective basis.. We believe that revisions
to our previously-filed financial statements are not necessary in the current
circumstance.
Reasons
why we request a prospective change
The
costs
associated with implementing and documenting the reclassification of receivables
would be high if we restate prior years. As a small cap company we have a
limited number of staff. It would require a lot of time and resources to restate
prior years. There would be limited benefit to shareholders if we restated
prior
periods. A restatement of our previously filed financial statements to implement
this accounting change would have no effect on earnings, and would only impact
the balance sheet by reducing the account receivable balance and deferred
revenue liability. A restatement of our previously filed financial statements
would not, in our view, provide significant new information to a reasonable
investor. In light of these considerations, we believe that the burden on the
Company of a required restatement of its previously filed financial statements
would far outweigh any hypothetical benefit to the Company’s stockholders and
the public.
Description
of change
We
will
record receivables as follows for future periods:
When
a
student commences his or her program of study no journal entry would be recorded
in the financial statements. At the completion of each financial period an
entry
would be recorded to reflect the appropriate amount of revenue earned and the
corresponding receivable due for that financial period. Payments will be
recorded as received and applied to the student account reducing the receivable.
Payments received for the student account in excess of the receivable due will
be reflected as a liability due to the student.
For
example, a student enrolled in a $20,000 program that is 10 months in length
would have the following transactions recorded:
1.
At
commencement of the program - no entry
2.
Upon
completion of the first month - Debit to Accounts Receivable for $2,000
and Credit to revenue for $2,000.
3.
Upon
receipt of cash of $5,000 at the end of the first month - Debit to
Cash
for $5,000, Credit to Accounts receivable for $2,000 and Credit to
Prepaid
Tuition (a liability account) for $3,000.
4.
At
the completion of the program no balance would remain in Prepaid Tuition
for the student. An Accounts Receivable balance would remain to the
extent
the student had not completed payment for the program.
We
formally request that we be allowed to reclassify our accounts receivable,
as
described herein, on a prospective basis beginning with the quarter ending
September 30, 2005. The reclassification will reduce the account receivable
balance and reclassify accounts receivable to reflect the amount of tuition
earned in excess of cash received for each student. We will also reclassify
deferred revenue liability and reflect the balance as cash received in excess
of
tuition earned or prepaid tuition. We will reclassify the prior period numbers
in future reports for comparative purposes.
If
you
have any questions you can contact me at (913) 831-9977
Best
regards,
/s/
Paul
R. Gardner
Paul
R.
Gardner
Chief
Financial Officer
Concorde
Career Colleges, Inc.
5800
Foxridge Drive, Suite 500
Mission,
Kansas 66202
cc
Jack
L. Brozman, Chief Executive Officer, Concorde Career Colleges, Inc.
Theodore
J. Hempy, BKD LLP
Thomas
J.
Lynn, Bryan Cave LLP