Acquisition

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2015

Business Combinations [Abstract]

Acquisitions

Acquisition of AutoUSA

On the AutoUSA Acquisition Date, Autobytel acquired all of the issued and outstanding membership interests in AutoUSA.  The Company acquired AutoUSA to expand its reach and influence in the industry by increasing its Dealer network.

The AutoUSA Acquisition Date fair value of the consideration transferred totaled $11.9 million, which consisted of the following:

	(in thousands)
Cash (including a working capital adjustment of $44)	$	10,044
Convertible subordinated promissory note		1,300
Warrant to purchase 69,930 shares of Company common stock		510
	$	11,854

As part of the consideration paid for the acquisition, the Company issued a convertible subordinated promissory note for $1.0 million (“AutoUSA Note”) to the Seller.  The fair value of the AutoUSA Note as of the AutoUSA Acquisition Date was $1.3 million.  This valuation was estimated using a binomial option pricing method.  Key assumptions used by the Company's outside valuation consultants in valuing the AutoUSA Note include a market yield of 1.6% and stock price volatility of 65.0%.  As the AutoUSA Note was issued with a substantial premium, the Company recorded the premium as additional paid-in capital.  Interest is payable at an annual interest rate of 6% in quarterly installments.  The entire outstanding balance of the AutoUSA Note is to be paid in full on January 31, 2019.  At any time after January 31, 2017, the holder of the AutoUSA Note may convert all or any part, but at least 30,600 shares, of the then outstanding and unpaid principal of the AutoUSA Note into fully paid shares of the Company's common stock at a conversion price of $16.34 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, combinations and other similar events).  The right to convert the AutoUSA Note into common stock of the Company is accelerated in the event of a change in control of the Company.  In the event of default, the entire unpaid balance of the AutoUSA Note will become immediately due and payable and will bear interest at the lower of 8% per year and the highest legal rate permissible under applicable law.

The warrant to purchase 69,930 shares of Company common stock issued in connection with the acquisition (“AutoUSA Warrant”) was valued as of the AutoUSA Acquisition Date at $7.35 per share for a total value of $0.5 million.  The Company used an option pricing model to determine the value of the AutoUSA Warrant.  Key assumptions used by the Company's outside valuation consultants in valuing the AutoUSA Warrant are as follows: risk-free rate of 1.6%, stock price volatility of 65.0% and a term of 5.0 years.  The AutoUSA Warrant was valued based on long-term stock price volatilities of the Company.  The exercise price of the AutoUSA Warrant is $14.30 per share (as adjusted for stock splits, stock dividends, combinations and other similar events).  The AutoUSA Warrant becomes exercisable on the third anniversary of the issuance date and expires on the fifth anniversary of the issuance date.  The right to exercise the AutoUSA Warrant is accelerated in the event of a change in control of the Company.

The following table summarizes the fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed as of March 31, 2015. 

	(in thousands)
Net identifiable assets acquired	$	758
Definite-lived intangible assets acquired		3,750
Goodwill		7,346
	$	11,854

The fair value of the acquired intangible assets was determined using the below valuation approaches. In estimating the fair value of the acquired intangible assets, the Company utilized the valuation methodology determined to be most appropriate for the individual intangible asset being valued as described below. The acquired intangible assets include the following:

	Valuation Method	Estimated Fair Value		Estimated Useful Life (1)
		(in thousands)		(years)
Non-compete agreement	Discounted cash flow (2)	$	90		2
Customer relationships	Excess of earnings (3)		2,660		5
Trademark/trade names	Relief from Royalty (4)		1,000		5
Total purchased intangible assets		$	3,750

(1)	Determination of the estimated useful lives of the individual categories of purchased intangible assets was based on the nature of the applicable intangible asset and the expected future cash flows to be derived from such intangible asset. Amortization of intangible assets with definite lives are recognized over the shorter of the respective lives of the agreement or the period of time the assets are expected to contribute to future cash flows.
(2)	The non-compete agreement fair value was derived by calculating the difference between the present value of the Company's forecasted cash flows with the agreement in place and without the agreement in place.
(3)	The excess of earnings method estimates a purchased intangible asset's value based on the present value of the prospective net cash flows (or excess earnings) attributable to it. The value attributed to these intangibles was based on projected net cash inflows from existing contracts or relationships.
(4)	The relief from royalty method is an earnings approach which assesses the royalty savings an entity realizes since it owns the asset and isn’t required to pay a third party a license fee for its use.

Some of the more significant estimates and assumptions inherent in the estimate of the fair value of the identifiable purchased intangible assets include all assumptions associated with forecasting cash flows and profitability. The primary assumptions used for the determination of the preliminary fair value of the purchased intangible assets were generally based upon the discounted present value of anticipated cash flows. Estimated years of projected earnings generally follow the range of estimated remaining useful lives for each intangible asset class.

The goodwill recognized of $7.3 million is attributable primarily to expected synergies and the assembled workforce of AutoUSA.  The full amount is expected to be amortizable for income tax purposes.  

The Company incurred approximately $1.1 million of acquisition-related costs related to AutoUSA in 2014, all of which were expensed.