XML 39 R7.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.3.0.814
Note 2 - Investments in Non-public Companies
3 Months Ended
Aug. 30, 2015
Notes to Financial Statements  
Investment Holdings [Text Block]
2.
Investment in non-public company
 
On February 15, 2011, Apio entered into a share purchase agreement (the “Windset Purchase Agreement”) with Windset. Pursuant to the Windset Purchase Agreement, Apio purchased from Windset 150,000 Senior A preferred shares for $15 million and 201 common shares for $201. On July 15, 2014, Apio increased its investment in Windset by purchasing from the Newell Capital Corporation an additional 68 shares of common stock and 51,211 shares of junior preferred stock of Windset for $11.0 million. After this purchase, the Company’s common shares represent a 26.9% ownership interest in Windset. The non-voting Senior A preferred shares yield a cash dividend of 7.5% annually. The dividend is payable within 90 days of each anniversary of the execution of the Windset Purchase Agreement The non-voting junior preferred stock does not yield a dividend unless declared by the Board of Directors of Windset and no such dividend has been declared.
 
The Windset Purchase Agreement includes a put and call option, which can be exercised on the sixth anniversary of the Windset Purchase Agreement whereby Apio can exercise the put to sell its common, Senior A preferred shares and junior preferred shares to Windset, or Windset can exercise the call to purchase those shares from Apio, in either case, at a price equal to 26.9% of the appreciation in the fair market value of Windset’s common shares from the date of the Company’s investment through the put and call date, plus the liquidation value of the preferred shares of $20.1 million ($15 million for the Senior A preferred shares and $5.1 million for the junior preferred shares).
Under the terms of the arrangement with Windset, the Company is entitled to designate one of five members on the Board of Directors of Windset.
 
On October 29, 2014, Apio further increased its investment in Windset by purchasing 70,000 shares of Senior B preferred shares. The Senior B Preferred Stock pays an annual dividend of 7.5% on the amount outstanding at each anniversary date of the Windset Purchase Agreement. The Senior B shares purchased by Apio have a put feature whereby Apio can sell back to Windset $1.5 million of shares on the first anniversary, an additional $2.75 million of shares on the second anniversary and the remaining $2.75 million on the third anniversary. After the third anniversary, Apio may at any time put any or all of the shares not previously sold back to Windset. At any time on or after February 15, 2017, Windset has the right to call any or all of the outstanding common shares but at such time must also call the same proportion of Senior A preferred shares, Senior B preferred shares and junior preferred shares owned by Apio. Windset’s partial call provision is restricted such that a partial call cannot result in Apio holding less than 10% of Windset’s common shares outstanding.
 
The investment in Windset does not qualify for equity method accounting as the investment does not meet the criteria of in-substance common stock due to returns through the annual dividend on the non-voting senior preferred shares that are not available to the common stock holders. As the put and call options require all of the various shares to be put or called in equal proportions, the Company has deemed that the investment, in substance, should be treated as a single security for purposes of accounting.
 
During the three months ended August 30, 2015 and August 31, 2014, the Company recorded $413,000 and $281,000, respectively, in dividend income. The change in the fair market value of the Company’s investment in Windset for the three months ended August 30, 2015 and August 31, 2014 was $800,000 and $200,000, respectively, and is included in other income in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income.
 
The Company also entered into an exclusive license agreement with Windset, which was executed in June 2010, prior to contemplation of Apio’s investment in Windset. The license agreement allows Windset the use of Landec’s proprietary breathable packaging to extend the shelf life of greenhouse grown cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes (“Exclusive Products”). In accordance with the agreement, Apio received and recorded a one-time upfront research and development fee of $100,000 and will receive license fees equal to 3% of net revenue of the Exclusive Products utilizing the
proprietary breathable packaging technology, with or without the BreatheWay® trademark. The ongoing license fees are subject to annual minimums of $150,000 for each of the three types of exclusive product as each is added to the agreement. As of August 30, 2015, two products have been added to the agreement. The Company recognized license fees of $106,000 and $0, respectively, for the three months ended August 30, 2015 and August 31, 2014.