Equity Method Investments

3 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]

The following table provides a reconciliation of equity method investments to the Company's Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (amounts in thousands):



	June 30, 2019		March 31, 2019
Nippon Yttrium Co., Ltd ("NYC")	$	7,884	$	8,215
NT Sales Co., Ltd ("NTS")	1,258		1,218
Novasentis Inc. (“Novasentis”)	671		977
KEMET Jianghai Electronics Components Co., Ltd (“KEMET Jianghai”)	4,425		2,515
	$	14,238	$	12,925

Under the equity method, the Company's share of profits and losses and impairment charges on investments in affiliates are included in “Equity income (loss) from equity method investments” in the Consolidated Statements of Operations.

TOKIN's Joint Ventures - NYC and NTS

NYC was established in 1966 by TOKIN (previously Tohoku Metal Industries Co., Ltd.) and Mitsui Mining and Smelting Co., Ltd (“Mitsui”). NYC was established to commercialize yttrium oxides and the Company owns 30% of NYC's stock. The carrying amount of the Company's equity investment in NYC was $7.9 million and $8.2 million as of June 30, 2019 and March 31, 2019, respectively.

NTS was established in 2004 by TOKIN, however subsequent to its formation, TOKIN sold 67% of its stock. NTS provides world-class electronic devices by utilizing global procurement networks and the Company owns 33% of NTS' stock. During the quarter ended June 30, 2019, a significant portion of NTS' sales were TOKIN’s products. The carrying amount of the Company's equity investment in NTS was $1.3 million and $1.2 million as of June 30, 2019 and March 31, 2019, respectively.

Summarized transactions between KEMET and NTS were as follows (amounts in thousands):



	Three Months Ended June 30,
	2019		2018
KEMET's sales to NTS	$	11,537	$	12,208
NTS' sales to KEMET	307		388

Investment in Novasentis

During fiscal year 2018, KEMET invested in the Series-D round of funding of Novasentis, a leading developer of film-based haptic actuators. Novasentis produces the world’s thinnest electro mechanical polymer-based actuators that provide rich haptic feedback for a variety of applications, including AR/VR and Wearables. Novasentis supplies its “smart” film and KEMET applies its expertise in manufacturing film capacitors to the development and commercial production of the actuators. The Company's ownership percentage in Novasentis is 27.9% and it has 1 of 3 seats on Novasentis’ board of directors. Additionally, KEMET has an exclusive manufacturing supply agreement with Novasentis, whereby Novasentis will purchase goods exclusively from KEMET and KEMET shall manufacture and sell goods exclusively to Novasentis.

While the Company determined that Novasentis is a variable interest entity, the Company concluded that it is not the primary beneficiary of Novasentis. Accordingly, the Company accounts for its investment in Novasentis under the equity method of accounting.

The carrying amount of the Company's equity investment in Novasentis was $0.7 million and $1.0 million as of June 30, 2019 and March 31, 2019, respectively. Subsequent to June 30, 2019, the Company purchased the remaining ownership interests in Novasentis and it became a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company.

KEMET Jianghai Joint Venture

On January 29, 2018, KEC entered into a joint venture agreement (the “Agreement”) with Jianghai (Nantong) Film Capacitor Co., Ltd (“Jianghai Film”), a subsidiary of Nantong Jianghai Capacitor Co., Ltd (“Jianghai”) for the formation of KEMET Jianghai Electronic Components Co. Ltd., a limited liability company located in Nantong, China. KEMET Jianghai was officially formed on May 16, 2018 to manufacture axial electrolytic capacitors and (H)EV Film DC brick capacitors, for distribution through the KEMET and Jianghai Film sales channels. During fiscal year 2019 the Company signed an amendment to the Agreement with Jianghai Film to expand the scope of KEMET Jianghai to also produce solid aluminum capacitors and aluminum electrolytic capacitors. The Company's ownership percentage is 50.0% and the Company and Jianghai Film are equally represented on the joint venture’s board of directors.

The Company's initial capital contribution to KEMET Jianghai was made during the second quarter of fiscal year 2019, and the Company accounts for its investment using the equity method due to the related nature of operations and its ability to influence the joint venture's decisions. As of June 30, 2019, the carrying amount of the Company's equity investment in KEMET Jianghai was $4.4 million.