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NEW MARKETS TAX CREDIT TRANSACTIONS
9 Months Ended
May 31, 2017
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
New Markets Tax Credit Transactions
NOTE 8. NEW MARKETS TAX CREDIT TRANSACTIONS

The Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, CMC Steel Oklahoma, LLC ("CMC Steel OK"), is in the process of constructing a minimill with an expected commissioning date in late calendar year 2017. Additionally, the Company, through its wholly-owned subsidiary, CMC Post Oklahoma, LLC ("CMC Post OK"), is in the process of constructing a T-post shop with an expected commissioning date in the summer of 2018. Both projects are located in Durant, Oklahoma. In connection with these projects, the Company entered into transactions that qualified through the New Markets Tax Credit program provided for in the Community Renewal Tax Relief Act of 2000 (the "NMTC Program"), as the minimill and T-post shop will be located in a zone designated by the IRS as eligible for the NMTC Program and are considered eligible business activities for the NMTC Program. Under the NMTC Program, an investor that makes a capital investment, which, in turn, together with leverage loan sources, is used to make a Qualifying Equity Investment (a "QEI") in an entity that (a) qualifies as a Community Development Entity ("CDE"), (b) has applied for and been granted an allocation of a portion of the total federal funds available to fund the credits (an "NMTC Allocation") and (c) uses a minimum specified portion of the QEI to make a Qualified Low Income Community Investment up to the maximum amount of the CDE’s NMTC Allocation will be entitled to claim, over a period of seven years, federal nonrefundable tax credits in an amount equal to 39% of the QEI amount (an "NMTC"). NMTCs are subject to 100% recapture for a period of seven years (the "Recapture Period") as provided in the Internal Revenue Code.

Minimill NMTC Transaction

In the second quarter of fiscal 2016, certain of the Company's subsidiaries entered into an NMTC transaction with U.S. Bancorp Community Development Corporation, a Minnesota corporation ("USBCDC"), related to the development, construction and equipping of a new minimill in Durant, Oklahoma (the "Minimill Project"). To effect the transaction, USBCDC made a $17.7 million capital contribution ("the USBCDC Equity") to USBCDC Investment Fund 156, LLC, a Missouri limited liability company (the "Investment Fund"). Additionally, Commonwealth Acquisition Holdings, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company ("Commonwealth"), made a $35.3 million loan to the Investment Fund at an interest rate of approximately 1.08% per year with a maturity date of December 24, 2045 (the "Commonwealth Mill Loan"). The Investment Fund used $51.5 million of the proceeds received from the Commonwealth Mill Loan and the USBCDC Equity to make QEIs into CDEs, which, in turn, used $50.7 million of the QEIs to make loans to CMC Steel OK with terms similar to the Commonwealth Mill Loan and as partial financing for the Minimill Project. The proceeds of the loans from the CDEs were recorded as restricted cash and included in other current assets in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets. In connection with this NMTC transaction, CMC Steel OK spent $21.0 million for qualified construction, development, and equipping activities for the Minimill Project during the nine months ended May 31, 2017. The balance remaining in restricted cash was $0.7 million at May 31, 2017.

Post Shop NMTC Transaction

In the third quarter of fiscal 2017, certain of the Company's subsidiaries entered into a second NMTC transaction with USBCDC, related to the development, construction and equipping of a new T-post shop in Durant, Oklahoma (the "Post Shop Project"). To effect the transaction, USBCDC made capital contributions to Twain Investment Fund 219, LLC (the "Fund 219"), and Twain Investment Fund 222 (the "Fund 222"), both Missouri limited liability companies, in the amounts of $2.8 million (the "USBCDC Fund 219 Equity") and $2.2 million (the "USBCDC Fund 222 Equity"), respectively. Additionally, Commonwealth made a $10.4 million loan to Fund 219 at an interest rate of approximately 1.16% per year with a maturity date of March 23, 2047 (the "Commonwealth Post Shop Loan"). Fund 219 used $12.8 million of the proceeds received from the Commonwealth Post Shop Loan and the USBCDC Fund 219 Equity to make a QEI into a CDE, which, in turn, used $12.6 million of the QEI to make a loan to CMC Post OK with terms similar to the Commonwealth Post Shop Loan and as partial financing for the Post Shop Project. Additionally, Fund 222 used $2.2 million of the proceeds received from the USBCDC Fund 222 Equity to make a QEI into a CDE, which, in turn, used $2.1 million of the QEI to make a loan to CMC Post OK. The proceeds of the loans from the CDEs were recorded as restricted cash and included in other current assets in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet. In connection with this NMTC transaction, CMC Post OK spent $0.8 million for qualified construction, development, and equipping activities for the Post Shop Project during the nine months ended May 31, 2017. The balance remaining in restricted cash was $13.3 million at May 31, 2017.

Variable Interest Entities

By virtue of its capital contributions to the Investment Fund and the Fund 219, USBCDC is entitled to substantially all of the benefits derived from the NMTCs. These transactions include a put/call provision whereby the Company may be obligated or entitled to repurchase USBCDC’s interest in the Investment Fund and the Fund 219 at the end of the Recapture Period. The Company believes USBCDC will exercise the put options in 2022 and 2025, respectively, following the end of the respective Recapture Periods. The value attributed to the put/call is de minimis. The Company is required to be in compliance with various regulations and contractual provisions that apply to the NMTC transactions. Non-compliance with applicable requirements could result in unrealized projected tax benefits and, therefore, could require the Company to indemnify USBCDC for any loss or recapture of NMTCs related to the financing until such time as the Company's obligation to deliver tax benefits is relieved. The Company does not anticipate any credit recaptures will be required in connection with these transactions.

The Company has determined that the Investment Fund and Fund 219 are variable interest entities ("VIEs"), of which the Company is the primary beneficiary and has consolidated them in accordance with Accounting Standards Codification Topic 810, Consolidation. USBCDC’s contributions are included in other long-term liabilities in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheets. Direct costs incurred in structuring the transactions were deferred and are recognized as expense over each seven year recapture period. Incremental costs to maintain the structures during the compliance periods are recognized as incurred.

The Company has determined that Fund 222 is a VIE, of which the Company is not the primary beneficiary and has therefore treated the QEI of $2.1 million from Fund 222 as debt. The debt is included in long-term debt in the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated balance sheet as of May 31, 2017.