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SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2022
Subsequent Events [Abstract]  
SUBSEQUENT EVENTS SUBSEQUENT EVENTS
Gain on Sale of Drilling Rig

In September 2022, the Company entered into a purchase and sale agreement with an independent third party for the sale of a contract drilling segment drilling rig and received a payment of $551,000, net of related costs. At September 30, 2022, the legal title for the drilling rig had not yet transferred to the buyer and therefore, the Company did not record a sale during the year ended September 30, 2022. The proceeds received from the buyer was recognized as a deposit and recorded in “Other Current Liabilities” on the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheet at September 30, 2022. No amount was recorded as assets held for sale at September 30, 2022 as the drilling rig was fully depreciated and therefore had a net book value of zero. In October 2022, the legal title for the drilling rig was transferred to the buyer and as a result, the Company will recognize a $551,000 gain on the sale of the drilling rig in the first quarter of fiscal 2023 ending December 31, 2022.

The Tax Benefits Preservation Plan

On October 17, 2022, the Board of Directors of the Company adopted a Tax Benefits Preservation Plan (the “Tax Plan”) designed to protect the availability of the Company’s existing net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes (collectively, the “Tax Benefits”).

The Company has generated substantial Tax Benefits, which could potentially be used in certain circumstances to reduce its future income tax obligations. Utilization of these NOLs and other Tax Benefits depends on many factors, including the Company’s future taxable income. Additionally, the Company’s ability to use its Tax Benefits would be substantially limited if it were to experience an “ownership change,” as defined under Section 382 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (“Section 382”). In general, a corporation would experience an ownership change if the percentage of the corporation’s stock owned by one or more “5% stockholders,” as defined under Section 382, were to increase by more than 50 percentage points over their lowest ownership percentage within a rolling three-year period (or, if a shorter period, since the Company’s last ownership change). The purpose of the Tax Plan is to reduce the likelihood that the Company will experience an ownership change under Section 382, which would limit the Company’s future use of its Tax Benefits and, in turn, significantly impair the value of such Tax Benefits.
Absent the adoption of the Tax Plan, the Company would be at a greater risk of experiencing an ownership change under Section 382 in the future as a result of certain changes in its investor base and subsequent shifts in its stock ownership that cannot be predicted or controlled. If the Company were to undergo an ownership change, limitations would be placed on the Company’s ability to utilize the Tax Benefits in future years in which it has taxable income, and the Company would pay more taxes than if it were able to utilize the Tax Benefits fully. This could result in a negative impact on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flows. The Tax Plan is designed to preserve the Tax Benefits by reducing the risk of an ownership change under Section 382.

The Tax Plan adopted by the Board of Directors is similar to plans adopted by other publicly held companies with substantial Tax Benefits and has a limited duration of three years. The Tax Plan is not designed to prevent any action that the Board of Directors determines to be in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders.

To implement the Tax Plan, the Board of Directors declared a dividend of one right (a “Right”) for each outstanding share of the Company's common stock. The Rights will be issued to stockholders of record at the close of business on October 27, 2022 pursuant to the Tax Plan. The Rights will be exercisable if a person or group of persons acquires 4.95% or more of the Company’s common stock. The Rights will also be exercisable if a person or group of persons that already owns 4.95% or more of the Company’s common stock acquires an additional share other than as a result of a dividend or a stock split. Existing stockholders that beneficially own in excess of 4.95% of the Company’s common stock will be “grandfathered in” at their current ownership level. If the Rights become exercisable, all holders of Rights, other than the person or group of persons triggering the Rights, will be entitled to purchase shares of the Company’s common stock at a 50% discount. Rights held by the person or group of persons triggering the Rights will become void and will not be exercisable.

The Tax Plan also includes an exchange option. At any time after any person or group of persons acquires 4.95% or more of the Company’s common stock, but less than 50% or more of the outstanding shares of the Company’s common stock, the Board of Directors, at its option, may exchange the Rights (other than Rights owned by such person or group of persons which will have become void), in whole or in part, at an exchange ratio of three shares of the Company’s common stock per outstanding Right (subject to adjustment).

The Rights will trade with the Company’s common stock and will expire at the close of business on October 17, 2025. The Rights will expire under other circumstances as described in the Tax Plan, including on the date set by the Board of Directors following a determination that the Tax Plan is no longer necessary or desirable for the preservation of the Tax Benefits or no significant Tax Benefits are available to be carried forward or are otherwise available. The Board of Directors may terminate the Tax Plan prior to the time the Rights are triggered or may redeem the Rights prior to the Distribution Date, as defined in the Tax Plan.

Kukio Resort Land Development Partnerships and Sale of Interest in Leasehold Land

In November 2022, Kaupulehu Developments received a percentage of sales payment of $265,000 from the sale of one lot within Increment I. Financial results from the receipt of this payment will be reflected in Barnwell's first quarter of fiscal 2023 ending December 31, 2022.

Additionally, in November 2022, Barnwell received a net cash distribution in the amount of $478,000 from the Kukio Resort Land Development Partnerships. Financial results from this distribution will be reflected in Barnwell's first quarter of fiscal 2023 ending December 31, 2022.
Oil and Natural Gas Investment

In December 2022, the Company, through a new wholly-owned subsidiary named Barnwell Texas, LLC, entered into agreements with an independent third party whereby the Company will now own a 22.3% non-operated working interest in oil and natural gas leasehold acreage and a 15.4% non-operated working interest in the planned drilling of two oil wells in the Permian Basin in Texas. The Company paid $5,099,000 to the independent third party under these agreements. In addition, the Company is obligated to pay a broker’s fee of 5% of the capital invested under this arrangement to Four Pines Exploration LLC - Exploration - Series 1 (“Four Pines”). Four Pines is controlled by Mr. Colin O’Farrell who is an affiliate of Teton Barnwell (see Note 19 for additional details). This transaction will be reflected in Barnwell's first quarter of fiscal 2023 ending December 31, 2022.

Cash Dividend

In December 2022, the Company's Board of Directors declared a cash dividend of $0.015 per share payable on January 11, 2023 to stockholders of record on December 27, 2022.