Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Debt and Interest

v3.5.0.2
Debt and Interest
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2016
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Debt and Interest
8. Debt and Interest
 
Debt
 
Long-term debt to IDB, NSC and Helocyte consists of the following as of June 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015:
 
 
 
June 30,
 
December 31,
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
($ in thousands)
 
2016
 
2015
 
Interest rate
 
Maturity
 
IDB Note
 
$
14,009
 
$
14,009
 
 
2.25
%
 
Feb - 2017
 
NSC Note
 
 
7,208
 
 
10,000
 
 
8.00
%
 
Mar - 2018
 
Helocyte Convertible Note, at fair value
 
 
1,000
 
 
-
 
 
5.00% -8.00
%
 
Dec - 2017
 
Total notes payable, long-term
 
 
22,217
 
 
24,009
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Less: Discount on notes payable
 
 
412
 
 
835
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Total notes payable, long-term, net
 
$
21,805
 
$
23,174
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
IDB Note
 
On February 13, 2014, the Company executed a promissory note in favor of IDB in the amount of $15.0 million (the “IDB Note”). The Company borrowed $14 million against this note and used it to repay its prior loan from Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. The Company may request revolving advances under the IDB Note in a minimum amount of $100,000 (or the remaining amount of the undrawn balance under the IDB Note if such amount is less than $100,000). All amounts advanced under the IDB Note are due in full at the earlier of: (i) February 27, 2017, as extended or (ii) on the IDB’s election following the occurrence and continuation of an event of default. The unpaid principal amount of each advance shall bear interest at a rate per annum equal to the rate payable on the Company’s money market account plus a margin of 150 basis points. The interest rate at June 30, 2016 was 2.25%. The IDB Note contains various representations and warranties customary for financings of this type.
 
The obligations of the Company under the IDB Note are collateralized by a security interest in, a general lien upon, and a right of set-off against the Company’s money market account of $15.0 million pursuant to the Assignment and Pledge of Money Market Account, dated as of February 13, 2014 (the “Pledge Agreement”). Pursuant to the Pledge Agreement, IDB may, after the occurrence and continuation of an event of default under the IDB Note, recover from the money market account all amounts outstanding under the IDB Note. The Pledge Agreement contains various representations, warranties, and covenants customary for pledge agreements of this type.  
 
The Company will default on the IDB Note if, among other things, it fails to pay outstanding principal or interest when due. Following the occurrence of an event of default under the IDB Note, IDB may: (i) declare the entire outstanding principal balance of the IDB Note, together with all accrued interest and other sums due under the IDB Note, to be immediately due and payable; (ii) exercise its right of setoff against any money, funds, credits or other property of any nature in possession of, under control or custody of, or on deposit with IDB; (iii) terminate the commitments of IDB; and (iv) liquidate the money market account to reduce the Company’s obligations to IDB.  
   
Effective March 31, 2015, the Company extended the maturity date of the IDB Note to February 27, 2017. At June 30, 2016, the Company had approximately $14.0 million outstanding under its promissory note with IDB. The Company only pays interest on the IDB Note through maturity.
 
NSC Note
 
In March 2015, the Company closed a private placement of a promissory note for $10 million in favor of National Securities Corporation (“NSC”) The Company used the proceeds from the NSC Note to acquire medical technologies and products. The NSC Note matures in 36 months, provided that during the first 24 months the Company can extend the maturity date by six months. No principal amount is due for the first 24 months (or the first 30 months if the maturity date is extended). Thereafter, the NSC Note will be repaid at the rate of 1/12 of the principal amount per month for a period of 12 months. Interest on the note is 8% payable quarterly during the first 24 months (or the first 30 months if the note is extended) and monthly during the last 12 months. NSC, a wholly owned subsidiary of National Holdings, Inc., acted as the sole placement agent for the NSC Note. The Company paid NSC a fee of $0.9 million during the year ended December 31, 2015 in connection with the NSC Note. The Company recorded the fee as a discount to notes payable, long-term on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets and amortized it over the life of the NSC Note. The effective interest rate on the NSC Note was approximately 12.4%.
 
The NSC Note was amended and restated on July 29, 2015 to provide that any time a Fortress subsidiary receives from the Company any proceeds from the NSC Note, the Company may, in its sole discretion, cause the Fortress Company to issue to NSC Biotech Venture Fund I LLC a new promissory note (the “Amended NSC Note”) on identical terms as the NSC Note, giving effect to the passage of time with respect to maturity. The Amended NSC Note will equal the dollar amount of the Fortress Company’s share of the NSC Note and reduce the Company’s obligations under the NSC Note by such amount. The Company will guarantee the Amended NSC Note until the Fortress Company either completes an initial public offering of its securities or raises sufficient equity capital so that it has cash equal to five times the Amended NSC Note. As of June 30, 2016, the Company transferred $2.8 million and $3.0 million, including debt discount, of the NSC Note to Checkpoint and Avenue, respectively, representing Checkpoint’s and Avenue’s pro rata share of the NSC Note. The Company applied the 10% cash flow test pursuant to ASC 470 to calculate the difference between the present value of the amended NSC’s Note’s cash flows and the present value of the original remaining cash flow and concluded that, because the results did not exceed the 10% factor, the debt modification is not considered substantially different. The Company did not, therefore, apply extinguishment accounting, rather accounting for the modification on a prospective basis pursuant to ASC 470.
 
In connection with the transfer of NSC Note proceeds to a Fortress Company, NSC will receive a warrant to purchase the Fortress Company’s stock equal to 25% of the NSC Note proceeds transferred to that Fortress Company divided by the lowest price at which the Fortress Company sells its equity in its first third party financing. The warrants issued will have a term of 10 years and an exercise price equal to the par value of the Fortress Company’s common stock.
  
As of June 30, 2016, Avenue recorded approximately $237,000 of debt discount of which $113,500 relates to the Contingently Issuable Warrants issued in connection with the NSC Note, based on its initial fair value (see Note 4). The entire debt discount will be amortized over the life of the note.
 
In February 2016, Checkpoint repaid its NSC Debt of $2.8 million. Approximately $324,000, of which $174,000 was related to the fair value of the NSC contingently issuable warrant, of unamortized debt discount was accelerated into interest expenses upon payment.
 
The Company’s Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer and the Company’s Executive Vice President, Strategic Development, are Co-Portfolio Managers and Partners of Opus Point Partners Management, LLC (“OPPM”), which owns approximately 4.2% of National Holding’s Corporation, Inc. the parent of National Securities Inc. The ownership includes shares owned by OPPM, its Co-Portfolio Managers and their affiliates.
 
Helocyte Convertible Note
 
On June 30, 2016, Helocyte held the first closing of the sale of convertible promissory notes.  Helocyte sold eleven convertible promissory notes to investors for an aggregate of $1.0 million.  The notes have an initial term of 18 months, which can be extended at the option of the holder, on one or more occasions, for up to 180 days and accrue simple interest at the rate of 5% per annum for the first 12 months and 8% per annum simple interest thereafter.  The notes are guaranteed by Fortress.  The outstanding principal and interest of the notes automatically converts into the type of equity securities sold by Helocyte in the next sale of equity securities in which Helocyte realizes aggregate gross cash proceeds of at least $10.0 million (before commissions or other expenses and excluding conversion of the notes) at a conversion price equal to the lesser of (a) the lowest price per share at which equity securities of Helocyte are sold in such sale less a 33% discount and (b) a per share price based on a pre-offering valuation of $50.0 million divided by the number of common shares outstanding on a fully-diluted basis.  The outstanding principal and interest of the notes may be converted at the option of the holder in any sale of equity securities that does not meet the $10.0 million threshold for automatic conversion using the same methodology.  The notes also automatically convert upon a “Sale” of Helocyte, defined as (a) a transaction or series of related transactions where one or more non-affiliates acquires (i) capital stock of Helocyte or any surviving successor entity possessing the voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors or (ii) a majority of the outstanding capital stock of Helocyte or the surviving successor entity (b) the sale, lease or other disposition of all or substantially all of Helocyte’s assets or any other transaction resulting in substantially all of Helocyte’s assets being converted into securities of another entity or cash.  Upon a Sale of Helocyte, the outstanding principal and interest of the notes automatically converts into common shares at a price equal to the lesser of (a) a discount to the price per share being paid in the Sale of Helocyte equal to 33% or (b) a conversion price per share based on a pre-sale valuation of $50.0 million divided by the fully-diluted common stock of Helocyte immediately prior to the Sale of Helocyte (excluding the notes). 
 
In the first closing, Helocyte realized net proceeds of $875,000 after paying Aegis Capital Corp., the exclusive placement agent, placement agent fees of $100,000 and Aegis’s legal fees of $25,000.  Additionally, Aegis received a warrant (“Helocyte Warrant”) to purchase the number of shares of Helocyte’s common stock equal to $100,000 divided by the price per share at which any note sold to investors first converts into Helocyte’s common stock.  The Helocyte Warrant has a five-year term and has a per share exercise price equal to 110% of the price per share at which any note sold to investors first converts into Helocyte’s common stock.  The offering remains open and Helocyte may sell up to an aggregate of $5.0 million in convertible notes.
 
Due to the complexity and number of embedded features within each convertible note and as permitted under accounting guidance, the Company elected to account for the convertible notes and all the embedded features (collectively, the “hybrid instrument”) under the fair value option (see Note 4). 
 
IDB Letters of Credit
 
The Company has several letters of credit (“LOC”) with IDB securing rent deposits for lease facilities totaling approximately $1.7 million. Interest paid on the letters of credit is 2%.
 
The following table shows the details of interest expense for all debt arrangements during the periods presented. Interest expense includes contractual interest and amortization of the debt discount and amortization of fees associated with loan transaction costs, amortized over the life of the loan:
 
 
 
For the Three Months
Ended June 30,
 
For the Six Months
Ended June 30,
 
($ in thousands)
 
2016
 
2015
 
2016
 
2015
 
IDB Note
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest
 
$
79
 
$
82
 
$
159
 
$
153
 
Amortization of fees
 
 
-
 
 
1
 
 
1
 
 
2
 
Total IDB Note
 
 
79
 
 
83
 
 
160
 
 
155
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NSC Debt
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest
 
 
144
 
 
208
 
 
311
 
 
279
 
Amortization of fees
 
 
54
 
 
61
 
 
422
 
 
82
 
Total NSC Debt
 
 
198
 
 
269
 
 
733
 
 
361
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Ovamed
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest
 
 
-
 
 
-
 
 
-
 
 
167
 
Total Ovamed
 
 
-
 
 
-
 
 
-
 
 
167
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
LOC Fees
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Interest
 
 
3
 
 
-
 
 
7
 
 
-
 
Total LOC
 
 
3
 
 
-
 
 
7
 
 
-
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Helocyte Convertible Note
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Financing fees
 
 
249
 
 
-
 
 
249
 
 
-
 
Total LOC
 
 
249
 
 
-
 
 
249
 
 
-
 
Total Interest Expense
 
$
529
 
$
352
 
$
1,149
 
$
683