Related Party Transactions |
12 Months Ended |
|---|---|
Sep. 30, 2017 | |
| Related Party Transactions [Abstract] | |
| Related Party Transactions |
Related Party Transactions
Clayton G. Wilson
The Company entered into a Separation and Consulting Agreement with Clayton G. Wilson (the “Separation and Consulting Agreement”), the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, pursuant to which Mr. Wilson stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of the Company effective as of December 31, 2016. Under the Separation and Consulting Agreement, Mr. Wilson also acknowledged and agreed that he will continue to be bound by the restrictive covenants set forth in his Employment Agreement with the Company. The Separation and Consulting Agreement provides that, subject to his execution, delivery, and non-revocation of a general release of claims in favor of the Company, Mr. Wilson will be entitled to vesting of any unvested portion of the restricted stock award granted to him under his Employment Agreement. In addition, the Separation and Consulting Agreement provides that Mr. Wilson will serve as a consultant to the Company during 2017 and will receive an aggregate consulting fee of $750,000 for such services (payable $200,000 in an initial lump sum, $275,000 in a lump sum on July 1, 2017, and $275,000 in six equal monthly installments commencing July 31, 2017 and ending December 31, 2017). If the Company terminates the consulting period for any reason, it will continue to pay the consulting fees described in the immediately preceding sentence, subject to Mr. Wilson’s continued compliance with the restrictive covenants set forth in his employment agreement. As of September 30, 2017 the Company satisfied its obligation to Mr. Wilson in full. The Company expensed $562,500 for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017. Mr. Wilson resigned as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors effective February 27, 2017.
Remy W. Trafelet, Henry R. Slack, and George R. Brokaw
On December 31, 2016, the Company entered into new employment agreements (collectively, the “Employment Agreements”) with each of Remy W. Trafelet, Henry R. Slack, and George R. Brokaw (collectively, the “Executives”). Mr. Trafelet serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, Mr. Slack serves as the Executive Chairman of the Company, and Mr. Brokaw serves as the Executive Vice Chairman of the Company, and each of them continues to serve on the Company’s Board of Directors. The Employment Agreements provide for an annual base salary of $400,000 in the case of Mr. Trafelet and $250,000 in the case of each of Messrs. Slack and Brokaw and, additionally, provided for payment to the Executives an amount in cash equal to $400,000 to Mr. Trafelet and $250,000 to each of Messrs. Slack and Brokaw within five business days of December 31, 2016.
The Employment Agreements also provide that, if the applicable Executive’s employment is terminated by the Company without “cause” or the applicable Executive resigns with “good reason” (as each such term is defined in the Employment Agreements), then, subject to his execution, delivery, and non-revocation of a general release of claims in favor of the Company, the Executive will be entitled to cash severance in an amount equal to 24 months (in the case of Mr. Trafelet) or 18 months (in the case of Messrs. Slack and Brokaw) of the Executive’s annual base salary.
The Employment Agreement includes various restrictive covenants in favor of the Company, including a confidentiality covenant, a nondisparagement covenant, and 12-month post-termination noncompetition and customer and employee nonsolicitation covenants.
As of June 26, 2017, both Messrs. Slack and Brokaw have agreed to waive payment of their salary.
Silver Nip Citrus Merger Agreement
Effective February 28, 2015, the Company completed the merger (“Merger”) with 734 Citrus Holdings, LLC (“Silver Nip Citrus”) pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with 734 Sub, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company (“Merger Sub”), Silver Nip Citrus and, solely with respect to certain sections thereof, the equity holders of Silver Nip Citrus. The ownership of Silver Nip Citrus was held by 734 Agriculture, 74.89%, Mr. Clay Wilson, Chief Executive Officer of the Company, 5% and an entity controlled by Mr. Clay Wilson owned, 20.11%.
734 Agriculture has control over both Silver Nip Citrus and the Company, and therefore the Merger was treated as a common control acquisition.
At closing of the Merger, Merger Sub merged with and into Silver Nip Citrus, with Silver Nip Citrus and its affiliates surviving the Merger as wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company. Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, at closing, the Company issued 923,257 shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $1.00 per share, to the holders of membership interests in Silver Nip Citrus. Silver Nip Citrus’ outstanding net indebtedness at the closing of the Merger was approximately $40,278,000, and other liabilities totaled approximately $8,446,000. The Company acquired assets at with a book value of approximately $65,739,000, and total net assets of approximately $17,015,000. The shares issued were recorded at the carrying amount of the net assets transferred. The closing price of the Company's common stock on February 27, 2015 was $45.67.
In September 2015, the former holders of membership interests in Silver Nip Citrus (the "Members") received an additional 115,782 shares of the Company’s common stock pursuant to the Merger Agreement. The additional consideration was based on the value of the proceeds received by the Company from the sale of citrus fruit harvested on Silver Nip Citrus’s citrus groves following the conclusion of the 2014-2015 citrus harvest season. The Members will receive additional Company shares of common stock based on any additional proceeds received by the Company subsequent to September 2015 related to the 2014-2015 harvest season.
As of September 30, 2016, the former holders of membership interests (the "Members") in Silver Nip Citrus earned and were issued an additional 148,705 shares of the Company’s common stock pursuant to the Merger Agreement. The additional purchase consideration was based on the value of the proceeds received by the Company from the sale of citrus fruit harvested on Silver Nip Citrus’s citrus groves for 2014-2015 citrus harvest season. The Members are not expected to receive any additional Company common shares related to the 2014-2015 harvest season.
For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017 and 2016 the Company incurred approximately $0 and $85,000 in professional and legal costs in connection with the Merger. These costs are included in general and administrative expenses in the Consolidated Statements of Operations for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2017 and 2016, respectively.
JD Alexander
On November 6, 2013, JD Alexander tendered his resignation as Chief Executive Officer, and as an employee of the Company, subject to and effective immediately after the Closing of the Share Purchase transaction on November 19, 2013. Mr. Alexander’s resignation included a waiver of any rights to any payments under his Change-in-Control Agreement with the Company. On November 6, 2013, the Company and Mr. Alexander also entered into a Consulting and Non-Competition Agreement under which (i) Mr. Alexander will provide consulting services to the Company during the two-year period after the Closing, (ii) Mr. Alexander agreed to be bound by certain non-competition covenants relating to the Company’s citrus operations and non-solicitation and non-interference covenants for a period of two years after the Closing, and (iii) the Company paid Mr. Alexander for such services and covenants $2,000,000 in twenty-four monthly installments. The Company expensed approximately $0, $167,000 and $1,000,000 under the Consulting and Non-Competition Agreement for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2017, 2016 and 2015.
Ken Smith
On March 20, 2015, Ken Smith tendered his resignation as Chief Operating Officer, and as an employee of the Company. Mr. Smith’s resignation included a waiver of any rights to any payments under his Change-in-Control Agreement with the Company. On March 20, 2015, the Company and Mr. Smith also entered into a Consulting and Non-Competition Agreement under which (i) Mr. Smith will provide consulting services to the Company during the three-year period after the resignation date, (ii) Mr. Smith agreed to be bound by certain non-competition covenants relating to the Company’s citrus operations and non-solicitation and non-interference covenants for a period of two years after the resignation date, and (iii) the Company paid Mr. Smith $925,000 for such services and covenants. The Company expensed approximately $100,000, $200,000 and $625,000 under the Consulting and Non-Competition Agreement for fiscal years ended September 30, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.
W. Mark Humphrey
On June 1, 2015, W. Mark Humphrey tendered his resignation as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, and as an employee of the Company. On June 1, 2015, the Company and Mr. Humphrey entered into a Separation and Consulting Agreement under which (i) Mr. Humphrey will provide consulting services to the Company for a one-year period after his resignation, and (ii) Mr. Humphrey will be entitled to the following benefits: (a) $100,000 in cash in a lump sum and (b) a consulting fee of $350,000 payable monthly during the period commencing on his resignation date and ending on the first anniversary of his resignation date. The Company expensed approximately $0, $238,000 and $268,000 under the Separation and Consulting Agreement for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively. On June 1, 2015 the Company appointed John E. Kiernan to serve as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. Effective September 1, 2015, Mr. Humphrey was appointed to serve as Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer, and continued to receive monthly payments under The Consulting Agreement through the first anniversary of his resignation date. Mr. Humphrey resigned as Senior Vice President and Chief Accounting Officer and as an employee of the Company effective April 3, 2017.
Shared Services Agreement
The Company has a shared services agreement with Trafelet Brokaw & Co., LLC (“TBCO”), whereby the Company will reimburse TBCO for use of office space and various administrative and support services. The annual cost of the office and services is approximately $592,000. The agreement will expire in May 2018. The Company expensed approximately $564,000, $479,000 and $379,000 under the Shared Services Agreement for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.
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