Redeemable Preferred Stock

12 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2011

Redeemable Preferred Stock [Abstract]

Redeemable Preferred Stock

Note 12. Redeemable Preferred Stock

Redeemable Series B Preferred Stock

We have 250,000 shares of our 5 percent Series B Cumulative Convertible Perpetual Preferred Stock (Liquidation Preference $1,000) (“Series B Preferred Stock”) authorized for issuance. At October 31, 2011 and 2010, there were 64,020 shares of Series B Preferred Stock issued and outstanding, with a carrying value of $59.9 million. The shares of our Series B Preferred Stock and the shares of our common stock issuable upon conversion of the shares of our Series B Preferred Stock are covered by a registration rights agreement. The following is a summary of certain provisions of our Series B Preferred Stock.

• Ranking — Shares of Series B Preferred Stock rank with respect to dividend rights and rights upon our liquidation, winding up or dissolution:

• senior to shares of our common stock;

• junior to our debt obligations; and

• effectively junior to our subsidiaries’ (i) existing and future liabilities and (ii) capital stock held by others.

•	Dividends — The Series B Preferred Stock pays cumulative annual dividends of $50 per share which are payable quarterly in arrears on February 15, May 15, August 15 and November 15, which commenced on February 15, 2005, when, as and if declared by the board of directors. Dividends accumulate and are cumulative from the date of original issuance. Accumulated dividends on the Series B Preferred Stock do not bear interest.
	The dividend rate is subject to upward adjustment as set forth in the Certificate of Designation if we fail to pay, or to set apart funds to pay, any quarterly dividend. The dividend rate is also subject to upward adjustment as set forth in the Registration Rights Agreement entered into with the Initial Purchasers if we fail to satisfy our registration obligations with respect to the Series B Preferred Stock (or the underlying common shares) under the Registration Rights Agreement.
	No dividends or other distributions may be paid or set apart for payment on our common shares (other than a dividend payable solely in shares of a like or junior ranking) unless all accumulated and unpaid Series B Preferred Stock dividends have been paid or funds or shares of common stock have been set aside for payment of accumulated and unpaid Series B Preferred Stock dividends.
	The dividend on the Series B Preferred Stock may be paid in cash; or at the option of the holder, in shares of our common stock, which will be registered pursuant to a registration statement to allow for the immediate sale of these common shares in the public market. Dividends of $3.2 million were paid in cash in each of the years ended October 31, 2011, 2010 and 2009. There were no cumulative unpaid dividends at October 31, 2011 and 2010.
•	Liquidation — The Series B Preferred Stock stockholders are entitled to receive, in the event that we are liquidated, dissolved or wound up, whether voluntary or involuntary, $1,000 per share plus all accumulated and unpaid dividends to the date of that liquidation, dissolution, or winding up (“Liquidation Preference”). Until the holders of Series B Preferred Stock receive their Liquidation Preference in full, no payment will be made on any junior shares, including shares of our common stock. After the Liquidation Preference is paid in full, holders of the Series B Preferred Stock will not be entitled to receive any further distribution of our assets. At October 31, 2011 and 2010, the Series B Preferred Stock had a Liquidation Preference of $64.0 million.

•	Conversion Rights — Each Series B Preferred Stock share may be converted at any time, at the option of the holder, into 85.1064 shares of our common stock (which is equivalent to an initial conversion price of $11.75 per share) plus cash in lieu of fractional shares. The conversion rate is subject to adjustment upon the occurrence of certain events, as described below, but will not be adjusted for accumulated and unpaid dividends. If converted, holders of Series B Preferred Stock do not receive a cash payment for all accumulated and unpaid dividends; rather, all accumulated and unpaid dividends are cancelled.
	Beginning after November 20, 2009 we may, at our option, cause shares of Series B Preferred Stock to be automatically converted into that number of shares of our common stock that are issuable at the then prevailing conversion rate. We may exercise our conversion right only if the closing price of our common stock exceeds 150 percent of the then prevailing conversion price ($11.75 at October 31, 2011) for 20 trading days during any consecutive 30 trading day period, as described in the Certificate of Designation.
	If holders of Series B Preferred Stock elect to convert their shares in connection with certain fundamental changes (as described below and in the Certificate of Designation), we will in certain circumstances increase the conversion rate by a number of additional shares of common stock upon conversion or, in lieu thereof, we may in certain circumstances elect to adjust the conversion rate and related conversion obligation so that shares of our Series B Preferred Stock are converted into shares of the acquiring or surviving company, in each case as described in the Certificate of Designation.
	The adjustment of the conversion price is to prevent dilution of the interests of the holders of the Series B Preferred Stock from the following:

• Issuances of common stock as a dividend or distribution to holders of our common stock;

• Common stock share splits or share combinations;

• Issuances to holders of our common stock of any rights, warrants or options to purchase our common stock for a period of less than 60 days; and

• Distributions of assets, evidences of indebtedness or other property to holders of our common stock.

• Redemption — We do not have the option to redeem the shares of Series B Preferred Stock. However, holders of the Series B Preferred Stock can require us to redeem all or part of their shares at a redemption price equal to the Liquidation Preference of the shares to be redeemed in the case of a “fundamental change.” A fundamental change will be deemed to have occurred if any of the following occurs:

• any “person” or “group” is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 50 percent or more of the total voting power of all classes of our capital stock then outstanding and normally entitled to vote in the election of directors;

• during any period of two consecutive years, individuals who at the beginning of such period constituted the Board of Directors (together with any new directors whose election by our Board of Directors or whose nomination for election by our shareholders was approved by a vote of two-thirds of our directors then still in office who were either directors at the beginning of such period or whose election of nomination for election was previously so approved) cease for any reason to constitute a majority of our directors then in office;

• the termination of trading of our common stock on the Nasdaq Stock Market and such shares are not approved for trading or quoted on any other U.S. securities exchange; or

• we consolidate with or merge with or into another person or another person merges with or into us or the sale, assignment, transfer, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of our assets and certain of our subsidiaries, taken as a whole, to another person and, in the case of any such merger or consolidation, our securities that are outstanding immediately prior to such transaction and which represent 100 percent of the aggregate voting power of our voting stock are changed into or exchanged for cash, securities or property, unless pursuant to the transaction such securities are changed into securities of the surviving person that represent, immediately after such transaction, at least a majority of the aggregate voting power of the voting stock of the surviving person.

Notwithstanding the foregoing, holders of shares of Series B Preferred Stock will not have the right to require us to redeem their shares if:

• the last reported sale price of shares of our common stock for any five trading days within the 10 consecutive trading days ending immediately before the later of the fundamental change or its announcement equaled or exceeded 105 percent of the conversion price of the shares of Series B Preferred Stock immediately before the fundamental change or announcement;

• at least 90 percent of the consideration (excluding cash payments for fractional shares) and, in respect of dissenters’ appraisal rights, if the transaction constituting the fundamental change consists of shares of capital stock traded on a U.S. national securities exchange, or which will be so traded or quoted when issued or exchanged in connection with a fundamental change, and as a result of the transaction, shares of Series B Preferred Stock become convertible into such publicly traded securities; or

• in the case of fundamental change event in the fourth bullet above, the transaction is affected solely to change our jurisdiction of incorporation.

	We may, at our option, elect to pay the redemption price in cash or, in shares of our common stock valued at a discount of 5 percent from the market price of shares of our common stock, or any combination thereof. Notwithstanding the foregoing, we may only pay such redemption price in shares of our common stock that are registered under the Securities Act of 1933 and eligible for immediate sale in the public market by non-affiliates of the Company.
•	Voting Rights — Holders of Series B Preferred Stock currently have no voting rights; however, holders may receive certain voting rights, as described in the Certificate of Designation, if (1) dividends on any shares of Series B Preferred Stock, or any other class or series of stock ranking on a parity with the Series B Preferred Stock with respect to the payment of dividends, shall be in arrears for dividend periods, whether or not consecutive, for six calendar quarters or (2) we fail to pay the redemption price, plus accrued and unpaid dividends, if any, on the redemption date for shares of Series B Preferred Stock following a fundamental change.
	So long as any shares of Series B Preferred Stock remain outstanding, we will not, without the consent of the holders of at least two-thirds of the shares of Series B Preferred Stock outstanding at the time (voting separately as a class with all other series of preferred stock, if any, on parity with our Series B Preferred Stock upon which like voting rights have been conferred and are exercisable) issue or increase the authorized amount of any class or series of shares ranking senior to the outstanding shares of the Series B Preferred Stock as to dividends or upon liquidation. In addition, we will not, subject to certain conditions, amend, alter or repeal provisions of our certificate of incorporation, including the certificate of designation relating to the Series B Preferred Stock, whether by merger, consolidation or otherwise, so as to adversely amend, alter or affect any power, preference or special right of the outstanding shares of Series B Preferred Stock or the holders thereof without the affirmative vote of not less than two-thirds of the issued and outstanding Series B Preferred Stock shares.

Series 1 Preferred Shares

In connection with our acquisition of Global Thermoelectric Inc. (“Global”) in November 2003, we acquired the obligations of Global pursuant to its outstanding 1,000,000 Series 2 Preferred Shares (“Series 2 Preferred Shares”) which continued to be held by Enbridge, Inc. With the sale of Global in May of 2004, the Series 2 Preferred Shares were cancelled, and replaced with substantially equivalent Series 1 Preferred Shares (“Series 1 Preferred Shares”) issued by FCE FuelCell Energy Ltd. (“FCE Ltd”).

On March 31, 2011, the Company entered into an agreement with Enbridge, Inc. (“Enbridge”) to modify the Class A Cumulative Redeemable Exchangeable Preferred Shares agreement (the “Series 1 preferred share agreement”) between FCE Ltd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of FuelCell Energy, and Enbridge, the sole holder of the Series 1 preferred shares. Consistent with the previous Series 1 preferred share agreement, FuelCell continues to guarantee the return of principal and dividend obligations of FCE Ltd. to the Series 1 preferred shareholders under the modified agreement.

Under the original Series 1 Preferred Shares provisions, FCE Ltd. had an accrued and unpaid dividend obligation of approximately Cdn. $12.5 million representing the deferral of dividends plus additional dividends thereon. Payment was originally due to Enbridge as of December 31, 2010, but was subsequently extended based on mutual consent. Under the modified share provisions, the Company is required to make (i) equal quarterly return of capital cash payments to the holders of the Series 1 Preferred Shares on the last day of each calendar quarter starting on March 31, 2011 and ending on December 31, 2011 and (ii) additional return of capital cash payments, as consideration for the one-year deferral, calculated at a 9.8 percent rate per annum on the unpaid Cdn. $12.5 million obligation, which additional payments will also be made to the holders of the Series 1 Preferred Shares on the last day of each calendar quarter starting on March 31, 2011 and ending on December 31, 2011. Dividends accrue at a 1.25% quarterly rate on the unpaid principal balance, and additional dividends will accrue on the cumulative unpaid dividends (inclusive of the Cdn$12.5 million unpaid dividend balance as of the modification date) at a rate of 1.25% per quarter, compounded quarterly.

Under the original Series 1 Preferred Shares provisions, FCE Ltd. was to make annual dividend payments totaling Cdn. $1,250,000. The modified terms of the Series 1 Preferred Shares adjust these payments to (i) annual dividend payments of Cdn$500,000 and (ii) annual return of capital payments of Cdn. $750,000. These payments commenced on March 31, 2011 and will end on December 31, 2020. Additional dividends accrue on cumulative unpaid dividends at a 1.25 percent quarterly rate, compounded quarterly, until payment thereof. On December 31, 2020 the amount of all accrued and unpaid dividends on the Series 1 Preferred Shares of Cdn$21.1 million and the balance of the principal redemption price of Cdn$4.4 million shall be paid to the holders of the Series 1 Preferred Shares. FCE Ltd. has the option of making dividend payments in the form of common stock or cash under the Series 1 Preferred Shares provisions.

On March 31, 2011, the modified instrument had a carrying value of Cdn. $25.2 million. The Company assessed the accounting guidance related to the classification of the preferred shares after the modification on March 31, 2011 and concluded that the preferred shares should be classified as a mandatorily redeemable financial instrument, and presented as a liability on the consolidated balance sheet. Due to the reclassification of the instrument to a liability, the Company has accounted for this modification of the Series 1 Preferred shares as an extinguishment and therefore the difference between the fair value of the consideration transferred to the holders of the preferred stock and the carrying amount of the preferred stock on our balance sheet prior to the modification represents a return to the preferred stockholder and treated in a manner similar to the treatment of dividends paid on preferred stock. Accordingly, the difference between (1) the fair value of the Series 1 Preferred shares and (2) the carrying amount of the Series 1 Preferred shares on our balance sheet prior to the modification was subtracted from net loss to arrive at loss to common stockholders in the calculation of earnings per share.

The previous model used to value the original Series I Preferred shares was modified to value the pre-modification contract, to reflect the new cash-flows discussed above. The notional amount of the instrument is accreted beginning in 2011 to correspond to the initial four quarterly returns of capital payments in 2011 and to the quarterly $187,500 paid from 2011-2020 as return of capital. It is assumed that the Company will exercise the call option to force conversion in 2020. The conversion feature is modeled using a lattice approach. Call option strikes are adjusted for cumulative dividends and the conversion ratio is adjusted by the notional schedule. The stock is projected in the future assuming a log-normal distribution. The stock volatility, the interest rate curve, the foreign exchange rates and credit spreads are assumed to be deterministic. The cumulative dividend is modeled as a quarterly cash dividend component and a cumulative payment in 2020.

The revaluation of the Series 1 Preferred shares resulted in a reduction of additional paid in capital of $9.0 million, which is also presented on the consolidated statements of operations as a charge to modification of redeemable preferred stock of subsidiary to arrive at net loss to common shareholders and is included in the calculation of earnings per share for net loss to common shareholders. The reason for the change in the value of the obligation was that the original obligation had been accounted for under purchase price accounting at the time of the Global Thermoelectric Inc. acquisition in November 2003. The valuation at that time included a market risk discount and used the exchange rate at the time of the acquisition. Under the new valuation, the future estimated cash flows were discounted using the current exchange rate.

The Company made its scheduled payments of Cdn. $10.9 million during fiscal 2011 under the terms of the modified agreement, including the recording of interest expense of approximately Cdn. $2.3 million. As of October 31, 2011, the carrying value of the Series 1 Preferred shares was Cdn.$16.6 million ($16.7 million USD) and is classified as preferred stock obligation of subsidiary on the consolidated balance sheets.

In addition to the above, the significant terms of the Series 1 Preferred Shares include the following:

• Voting Rights —The holders of the Series 1 Preferred Shares are not entitled to any voting rights or to receive notice of or to attend any meeting of the shareholders of FCE Ltd, but shall be entitled to receive notice of meetings of shareholders of FCE Ltd. called for the purpose of authorizing the dissolution or sale of its assets or a substantial part thereof.

• Dividends — Dividend payments can be made in cash or common stock of the Company, at the option of FCE Ltd., and if common stock is issued it may be unregistered. If FCE Ltd. elects to make such payments by issuing common stock of the Company, the number of common shares is determined by dividing the cash dividend obligation by 95 percent of the volume weighted average price in US dollars at which board lots of the common shares have been traded on NASDAQ during the 20 consecutive trading days preceding the end of the calendar quarter for which such dividend in common shares is to be paid converted into Canadian dollars using the Bank of Canada’s noon rate of exchange on the day of determination.

• Redemption — The Series 1 Preferred Shares are redeemable by FCE Ltd. for Cdn.$25 per share less any amounts paid as a return of capital in respect of such share plus all unpaid dividends and accrued interest. Holders of the Series 1 Preferred Shares do not have any mandatory or conditional redemption rights.

• Liquidation or Dissolution — In the event of the liquidation or dissolution of FCE Ltd., the holders of Series 1 Preferred Shares will be entitled to receive Cdn.$25 per share less any amounts paid as a return of capital in respect of such share plus all unpaid dividends and accrued interest. The Company has guaranteed any liquidation obligations of FCE Ltd.

• Exchange Rights — A holder of Series 1 Preferred Shares has the right to exchange such shares for fully paid and non-assessable common stock of the Company at the following exchange prices:

• Cdn$129.46 per share of common stock after July 31, 2010 until July 31, 2015;

• Cdn$138.71 per share of common stock after July 31, 2015 until July 31, 2020; and

• at any time after July 31, 2020, at a price equal to 95 percent of the then current market price (in Cdn.$) of the Company’s common stock at the time of conversion.

The exchange rates set forth above shall be adjusted if the Company: (i) subdivides or consolidates the common stock; (ii) pays a stock dividend; (iii) issues rights, options or other convertible securities to the Company’s common stockholders enabling them to acquire common stock at a price less than 95 percent of the then-current price; or (iv) fixes a record date to distribute to the Company’s common stockholders shares of any other class of securities, indebtedness or assets.

Derivative liability related to Series 1 Preferred Shares

The conversion feature and variable dividend contained in the terms of the Series 1 Preferred Shares are not clearly and closely related to the characteristics of the Series 1 Preferred Shares. Accordingly, these features qualify as embedded derivative instruments and are required to be accounted for separately and recorded as derivative financial instruments at fair value.

The conversion feature is valued using a lattice model. This is a one-factor model used to project stochastic stock prices, while risk free rates, discount rates and foreign exchange rates are deterministic factors. Based on the pay-off profiles of the Series 1 Preferred Shares, it is assumed that we will exercise the call option to force conversion in 2020. Conversion after 2020 delivers a fixed pay-off to the investor, and is modeled as a fixed payment in 2020. The cumulative dividend is modeled as a quarterly cash dividend component (to satisfy minimum dividend payment requirement), and a one-time cumulative dividend payment in 2010. The cumulative dividend is compounded at a 2.45 percent quarterly rate. Call option strikes are adjusted for the cumulative dividend and the conversion ratio is adjusted by the accreted notional until 2010.

The variable dividend is valued using a Monte Carlo simulation model. The embedded derivative is defined as the difference between the value of a normal 5 percent annual dividend payment stream, and the value of a stock price and foreign exchange rate linked dividend payment stream. Future stock prices and exchange rates are simulated following geometric Brownian motion to determine the stock/FX linked dividend going out to the year 2020, when the Series 1 Preferred Shares are assumed to be force converted.

The assumptions used in these valuation models include historical stock price volatility, risk-free interest rate and a credit spread based on the yield indexes of technology high yield bonds, foreign exchange volatility as the security is denominated in Canadian dollars, and the closing price of our common stock. The aggregate fair value of these derivatives included within long-term debt and other liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets as of October 31, 2011 and 2010 was $0.6 million and $0.5 million, respectively.