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Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Nature of Operations and Liquidity

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Nature of Operations and Liquidity
6 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2018
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] Ìý
Nature of Operations and Liquidity

Note 1. Nature of Operations and Liquidity


Overview


Aspen Group, Inc. (together with its subsidiaries, the “Company,” “Aspen,” or “AGI”) is a holding company, which has three subsidiaries. They are Aspen University, Inc. (“Aspen University”) Ìýorganized in 1987, Aspen Nursing, Inc. (a subsidiary of Aspen University) and United States University, Inc. (“USU”) Ìýformed in May 2017 and which we acquired on December 1, 2017. (See Note 8). When we refer to USU in this Report, we refer to either the online university which has operated under the name United States University or our subsidiary which operates this university, as the context illustrates.


AGI is an education technology holding company that leverages its 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 studentsÂ’ long-term economic success, we exert financial prudence by offering affordable tuition that is one of the greatest values in higher education. In March 2014, Aspen University unveiled a monthly payment plan aimed at reversing the college-debt sentence plaguing working-class Americans. The monthly payment plan offers bachelor students (except RN to BSN) the opportunity to pay their tuition at $250/month for 72 months ($18,000), nursing bachelor students (RN to BSN) $250/month for 39 months ($9,750), master students $325/month for 36 months ($11,700) and doctoral students $375/month for 72 months ($27,000), interest free, thereby giving students a monthly payment tuition payment option versus taking out a federal financial aid loan.


USU began offering monthly payment plans in the summer of 2017. Today, monthly payment plans are available for the RN to BSN program ($250/month), MBA/M.A.Ed/MSN programs ($325/month), and the MSN-FNP program ($375/month).


Additionally, Aspen University has begun its first semester (July 2018) for its previously announced pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree program at its initial campus in Phoenix, Arizona. As a result of overwhelming demand in the Phoenix metro area, Aspen recently announced it will offer both day (July, November, and March semesters) and evening/weekend (January, May, and September semesters) programs, equaling six semester starts per year. AspenÂ’s innovative hybrid (online/on-campus) program allows most of the credits to be completed online (83 of 120 credits or 69%), with pricing offered at AspenÂ’s current low tuition rates of $150/credit hour for online general education courses and $325/credit hour for online core nursing courses. For high school students with no prior college credits, the total cost of attendance is less than $50,000.


Since 1993, Aspen University has been nationally accredited by the Distance Education and Accrediting Council (“DEAC”), a national accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education (the “DOE”). On February 25, 2015, the DEAC informed Aspen University that it had renewed its accreditation for five years to January 2019.


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 change of control on December 1, 2017.


Basis of Presentation


A. 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 six months ended October 31, 2018 and 2017, our cash flows for the six months ended October 31, 2018 and 2017, and our financial position as of October 31, 2018 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 Report on Form 10-K for the period ended AprilÌý30, 2018 as filed with the SEC on July 13, 2018. The AprilÌý30, 2018 balance sheet is derived from those statements.


B. Liquidity


At October 31, 2018, the Company had a cash balance of $7,723,808 with an additional $190,506 in restricted cash.

Ìý

In April 2018, the Company raised $23,023,000 in equity through the sale of 3,220,000 shares at $7.15 per share. With the proceeds, the Company repaid a $7.5 million senior secured term loan.

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As discussed in more detail in Note 11, Subsequent 51³Ô¹ÏÍø, on November 5, 2018 the Company entered into a three year, senior unsecured revolving credit facility. There is currently no outstanding balance under that facility.

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During the six months ending October 31, 2018 the Company used cash of $6,888,751, which included using $5,487,423 in operating activities. The Company expects revenue growth to continue, and expenses to grow at a slower pace. As a result, the Company expects cash used in operations to decline in future quarters as compared to the quarter ending October 31, 2018.Ìý

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The Company paid $1,160,000 of principal and accrued interest related to a convertible note on December 3, 2018, as explained in Note 11, Subsequent 51³Ô¹ÏÍø. The Company also anticipates ongoing investment spending, including an expected investment of approximately $600,000 related to the new campus for its Pre-Licensure Program with Honor Health.Ìý

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The Company has considered its liquidity position and believes its current resources are adequate to meet anticipated liquidity needs.