Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Related Party Transactions

v2.4.1.9
Related Party Transactions
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Related Party Transactions
15. Related Party Transactions:

Financings In February 2014 the Company entered in an arrangement with Aston, an affiliate of our Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to which the Company borrowed $3.5 million for general corporate purposes (the “February Note”). The borrowing bore interest at 9% annually and originally had a scheduled maturity of April 1, 2015. The Company had the option to prepay the note at any time without penalty. In April 2014, the Company borrowed an additional $1 million from Aston for general corporate purposes on the same terms and conditions as the February Note (the “April Note”). Also in April 2014, the Company borrowed $10.8 million from RVL to fund the acquisition of Value Lighting (the “RVL Note”) which bore interest at 9% annually and originally had a scheduled maturity of the earliest of April 1, 2015 or the date on which the Company received proceeds from any debt, factoring or other similar facility or equity securities in the commercial banking, private placement or public markets.

In June 2014, the company exchanged the $10.8 million RVL Note and $1.6 million of the February Note plus related accrued interest, for an equivalent amount of Series G preferred stock. See Note 8.

In addition, Aston advanced an additional $ 2.7 million for general corporate purposes in four separate transactions during May and June 2014. As of July 31, 2014, the Audit Committee ratified these advances and approved the issuance of a promissory note in respect of such amount, which bears interest and matures on April 1, 2016 and can be prepaid at any time at the option of the Company.

The Company has accrued interest on such borrowings of $0.1 million at December 31, 2014 on debt outstanding at such date and recorded interest expense of $0.8 million for the year ended December 31, 2014.

Investment Agreements The Company has entered into four separate investment agreements and an Exchange Agreement with RVL, an affiliate of Aston and the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, whereby the Company issued to RVL Series B, C, E, F and G preferred stock. Cash received by the Company for the issuance for Series B, C, E, and F preferred stock aggregated to $26.0 million. Cash received for debt exchanged for Series G preferred stock aggregated to $12.5 million. On December 1, 2014, all outstanding preferred stock was exchanged for common stock of the Company. In addition, in 2013 an affiliate of RVL purchased 75,000 shares of common stock from the Company for $192,000, at the closing market price of the stock on the date purchased.

Customer Financing In 2013, Aston provided $9.9 million in financing to a related group of customers of the Company who used the proceeds to repay its obligations to the Company for the purchase of Company products. The Company has no obligations to Aston with respect to the financing arrangements between the customer and Aston. The Company’s obligations to the customer are limited to the standard warranty obligation on the products sold.

Management Agreement - On April 9, 2013, the Company ratified a management services agreement with Aston (the “Management Agreement”) to memorialize certain management services that Aston has been providing to the Company since RVL acquired majority control of the Company’s voting securities in September 2012. Pursuant to the Management Agreement, Aston provides consulting services in connection with financing matters, budgeting, strategic planning and business development, including, without limitation, assisting the Company in (i) analyzing the operations and historical performance of target companies; (ii) analyzing and evaluating the transactions with such target companies; (iii) conducting financial, business and operational due diligence, and (iv) evaluating related structuring and other matters. In consideration of the services provided by Aston under the Management Agreement, the Company issued 500,000 shares of restricted common stock to Aston to vest in three equal annual increments, with the first such vesting date being September 25, 2013. On April 21, 2014, the Company granted an additional 300,000 shares of restricted stock to Aston which vest in three annual installments with the first such vesting date being September 25, 2014. The Audit Committee of the Board will consider from time to time (at a minimum at such times when the Compensation Committee of the Board evaluates director compensation) whether additional compensation to Aston is appropriate given the nature of the services provided.

Relocation of Corporate Headquarters - During the first quarter of 2013, the Company relocated its corporate headquarters to Stamford, Connecticut to a space also occupied by affiliates of the Company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. The terms and conditions of the arrangement have not been finalized but the Audit Committee of the Board agreed to an allocation of the costs of the Stamford headquarters between Aston and the Company. The Company pays Aston $21,355 monthly, representing its proportionate share of the space under the underlying lease. Costs allocated to the Company amounted to $0.7 million and $.01 million for the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013.

RVL Transaction Fees Pursuant to the Series E and Series F Investment Agreement with RVL, the Company agreed to pay certain transaction costs incurred by RVL in connection with its investment. For the year ended December 31, 2013, the Company incurred $33,000 related to these costs. Pursuant to the Series G Exchange Agreement with Aston and RVL, the Company also agreed to pay certain transaction costs incurred by Aston in connection with the issuance of the Series G stock.