Related Party Transaction

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2016

Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]

Related Party Transactions

Related Party Transactions

As previously disclosed, on August 17, 2015, the Board appointed Mr. Kasoff to serve as Interim President of the Company effective August 19, 2015. Effective October 14, 2015, in connection with the appointment of Mr. Fernander to the position of Interim Chief Executive Officer, the Board appointed Mr. Kasoff as Chief Restructuring Officer at the same level of compensation he received as Interim President. Effective November 25, 2015, the Board of Directors appointed Mr. Kasoff to also serve as the Company's Interim Chief Financial Officer until April 26, 2016 when the Company appointed Mr. Danny Zheng as the Chief Financial Officer. Effective September 8, 2016, Mr. Kasoff resigned as the Chief Restructuring Officer of the Company and remains a member of the Board of Directors.

Mr. Kasoff also serves as president of Realization Services, Inc. (RSI), a management consulting firm specializing in assisting companies and capital stakeholders in troubled business environments. Pursuant to a consulting agreement between the Company and RSI dated August 17, 2015 and subsequent amendments, RSI had performed consulting services for the Company for the period from August 8, 2015 up to March 30, 2016, including assisting the Company with a review and assessment of the Company’s business and the formulation of a business plan to enhance shareholder value going forward. On July 15, 2016, the Company entered into a consulting agreement with RSI to perform consulting services from July 18, 2016 through August 14, 2016 with an option for a three week extended term. Under the consulting agreement, RSI could receive consulting fees of up to $125,000 per week during the initial term. Consulting fees for the extended term, if elected by the Company, could not exceed $500,000. RSI received consulting fees $0.3 million and $2.4 million for the three and nine months ending September 30, 2016 respectively. The fees are recorded in restructuring and other charges.

In January 2016, the Board approved investing up to 25% of the Company’s cash in investment funds with the focus on producing attractive risk-adjusted rates of return while maintaining liquidity. On February 8, 2016, the Company entered into a subscription agreement to invest up to $20 million of its excess cash from various Company subsidiaries in Clinton Lighthouse. Clinton Lighthouse is a market neutral fund which provides daily liquidity to its investors. Clinton Lighthouse is managed by Clinton Group, Inc. (“Clinton”). Pursuant to the arrangement, Clinton agreed to waive its customary management fee and agreed to the receipt of any consideration pursuant to its performance fee (which is based on the quarterly investment returns of the fund) in the form of the Company’s common stock at a value of $1.00 per share. The closing price of the Company’s common stock on February 8, 2016 was $0.65. The Board, in conjunction with management, reviewed various funds and voted to approve this investment, with Joseph A. De Perio, the Chairman of the Board and a Senior Portfolio Manager at Clinton, recusing himself from all discussions and deliberations regarding, and abstaining from, the vote. On March 17, 2016, the Board approved the elimination of the 25% limitation on the amount of the Company’s cash that may be invested, such that the Company may invest up to $35 million cash, excluding gains or losses, in Clinton Lighthouse. On April 29, 2016, the Company and Clinton entered into an Amended and Restated Subscription Agreement in order to adjust the price at which the Company’s stock would be valued for purposes of calculating the performance fee thereunder from $1.00 to $1.80 beginning May 1, 2016, subject to adjustment based on the volume weighted average price of the Company’s common stock. As of September 30, 2016, the Company has accrued $0.5 million associated with the performance fees pertaining to this investment, but has not made any payments under the agreement. As of September 30, 2016, the short term investment balance included a $34.8 million investment in Clinton Lighthouse. We recorded an unrealized loss of approximately $0.7 million in the nine months ended September 2016 related to Clinton Lighthouse, which includes $0.5 million of accrued performance fees in other (income) expense in the income statement.