Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Notes Payable

v3.3.1.900
Notes Payable
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]  
Notes Payable
Notes Payable

Notes payable consisted of the following:
 
December 31,
 
 
2015
 
2014
 
Notes payable to clearing firm under forgivable loans
$
6,429

 
$
10,356

 
Note payable to a subsidiary of Premier Trust’s former shareholder

 
200

 
Notes payable to finance Securities America acquisition, net of $172 and $627 of unamortized discount in 2015 and 2014, respectively
17,804

 
29,201

 
Notes payable under subsidiary's term loan with bank
564

 
951

 
Note payable under subsidiary's revolver with bank
950

 
455

 
Notes payable by subsidiary to certain former shareholders of Highland
6,738

 
6,737

 
Notes payable to KMS' former shareholders, net of $343 and $466 of unamortized discount in 2015 and 2014, respectively
5,711

 
7,534

 
Notes payable to SSN's former shareholders, net of $977 unamortized discount
15,378

 

 
Other
600

 
600

 
Total
$
54,174

 
$
56,034

 


The Company estimates that the fair value of notes payable was $50,416 at December 31, 2015 and $53,102 at December 31, 2014 based on then current interest rates at which similar amounts of debt could currently be borrowed (Level 2 inputs). As of December 31, 2015, the Company was in compliance with all debt covenants in its debt agreements.

Revolving Credit Agreement

In 2007, the Company entered into a $40,000 revolving credit agreement with Frost Gamma Investments Trust (“Frost Gamma”), an affiliate of the Company’s chairman of the board and principal shareholder. Borrowings of up to $40,000 are permitted under the Frost Gamma credit agreement and bear interest at a rate of 11% per annum, payable quarterly. The Company may repay outstanding amounts at any time prior to the maturity date of August 25, 2021, without penalty, and may re-borrow up to the full amount of the agreement. In 2013, the Company used proceeds from the sale of Series A Preferred Stock to repay the outstanding balance (approximately $39,300) under the revolving credit agreement. At December 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company had no outstanding balance under the revolving credit agreement. Interest expense amounted to $0, $364 and $1,757 in 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively.

The note issued under the credit agreement contains customary events of default, which, if uncured, entitle the holder to accelerate the due date of the unpaid principal amount of, and all accrued and unpaid interest on, such note. Under the revolving credit agreement, Frost Gamma received a warrant to purchase 2,000,000 shares of LTS common stock. The warrant is exercisable at any time prior to October, 19, 2017 at an exercise price of $1.91 per share. The warrant, which is classified as debt issue cost, was valued at $3,200 based on the Black-Scholes option pricing model, and is being amortized under the straight-line method over the remaining term of the revolving credit agreement.

NFS Forgivable Loans

On November 4, 2011, the primary clearing firm of the Company's subsidiaries, National Financial Services LLC (“NFS”), a Fidelity Investments® company, provided the Company with a seven-year, $15,000 forgivable loan. The Company used the forgivable loan proceeds to fund expenses related to the Securities America acquisition. Interest on the loan accrues at the average annual Federal Funds effective rate plus 6% per annum, subject to the maximum rate of 11% per annum. If Securities America meets certain annual clearing revenue targets set forth in the loan agreement, the principal balance of the loan will be forgiven in seven equal yearly installments of $2,143 through November 2018. Interest payments due with respect to each such year will also be forgiven if the annual clearing revenue targets are met. Any principal amounts not forgiven will be due in November 2018, and any interest payments not forgiven are due annually. If during the loan term any principal amount is not forgiven, the Company may have such principal forgiven in future years if Securities America exceeds subsequent annual clearing revenue targets. Upon meeting annual revenue targets, principal and interest, respectively, of $2,143 and $525 in 2015, $2,143 and $652 in 2014 and $2,143 and $787 in 2013, were forgiven and included in other income.

In connection with the entering into the new forgivable loan, Securities America and the Company’s other broker-dealer subsidiaries amended their clearing agreements with NFS to, among other things, extend the term of those
agreements through November 2018. Also, the Company and NFS amended the terms of the 2009 forgivable loan made by NFS to the Company such that the remaining principal balance of $7,143 and the related accrued interest will be forgiven, subject to the terms and conditions of the loan, in four equal annual installments commencing in November 2012 without the Company being required to satisfy the annual clearing revenue targets previously established. Interest on the 2009 loan accrues at the prime rate plus 2%. On November 4, 2015, the final remaining principal and interest installment of $1,786 and $94, respectively, were forgiven and included in other income. The amounts of principal and interest forgiven and included in other income in 2014 and 2013, respectively, were $1,786 and $187 and $1,786 and $280.

The Company has expensed, and will continue to expense, interest under the loan agreements prior to forgiveness.

The forgivable loan agreements contain covenants, including limitations on the incurrence of additional indebtedness, maintenance of minimum adjusted shareholders’ equity levels and a prohibition on the termination of the Company’s $40,000 revolving credit agreement prior to its current maturity. Upon the occurrence of an event of default, the outstanding principal and interest under the loan agreements may be accelerated and become due and payable. If the clearing agreements are terminated prior to the loan maturity date, all amounts then outstanding must be repaid on demand. The loan agreements are secured by the Company’s, but not its subsidiaries’, deposits and accounts held at NFS or its affiliates, which amounted to $42,514 at December 31, 2015.

Premier Trust Note

On September 1, 2010, as part of the consideration paid for Premier Trust, the Company issued a five-year, non-negotiable promissory note in the aggregate principal amount of $1,161 to a subsidiary of Premier Trust’s former shareholder. The note bore interest at 6.5% per annum, payable in 20 equal quarterly installments and was fully paid in September 2015.

Securities America Notes

On November 4, 2011 (the “Closing Date”), in connection with the Securities America acquisition, the Company entered into a loan agreement with various lenders (the “Lenders”), under which the Lenders provided a loan to the Company in an aggregate principal amount of $160,700 (the "November 2011 Loan"), a portion of which was used to fund the cash purchase price payable on the Closing Date. Interest on the November 2011 Loan is payable quarterly at 11% per annum. The Company may elect to pay interest in kind with the consent of certain Lenders. The remaining balance of the loan, together with accrued and unpaid interest thereon, is due on November 4, 2016. The Company may voluntarily repay the loan at any time without premium or penalty. The notes issued under the loan rank senior in right of payment to all of the Company's indebtedness incurred after the Closing Date and will rank at least equal in right of payment with the claims of all of the Company's existing unsecured and unsubordinated creditors. Also, so long as amounts remain outstanding and unpaid under such notes, the Company may not, without the consent of the Lenders, create, incur or suffer to exist any indebtedness for borrowed money (other than existing indebtedness as the same may be amended or extended, or trade payables incurred in the ordinary course of business) that is not subordinated in all respects to the indebtedness under such notes. The notes contain customary events of default, which, if uncured, permit the Lenders to accelerate the maturity date of the loan. On the Closing Date, the Company paid a one-time aggregate funding fee of $804 to the Lenders and issued warrants to purchase an aggregate of 10,713,332 shares of the Company's common stock. The warrants are exercisable at any time prior to their expiration on November 4, 2016 at $1.68 per share, which was the closing price of the Company’s common stock on the Closing Date. The warrants may be exercised in cash, by net exercise or pursuant to a Lender’s surrender of all or a portion of the principal amount of such Lender’s note.

The warrants were valued at $9,428 utilizing the Black-Scholes option pricing model. The value of the warrants were credited to additional paid-in capital with a corresponding reduction in the carrying value of the notes as debt discount, which is being amortized over the term of the notes by the interest method.

The Lenders under the November 2011 Loan included Frost Nevada Investments Trust ("Frost Nevada"), an affiliate of the Company's chairman of the board and principal shareholder, Vector Group, Ltd. ("Vector Group"), a principal shareholder of the Company, and the Company's president and chief executive officer and a director. At December 31, 2015, the outstanding principal amounts loaned by Frost Nevada, Vector Group and the Company's president and chief executive officer were $15,120, $1,680 and $0, respectively.

Interest paid to Frost Nevada, Vector Group and the Company's president and chief executive officer and director amounted to $2,034, $226 and $0 in 2015, $4,334, $482 and $6 in 2014 and $13,546, $1,323 and $15 in 2013, respectively.

The Company used the net proceeds from the sale of Series A Preferred Stock during the year ended December 31, 2015 (see Note 15) and working capital to prepay $11,852 principal amount of the remaining aggregate principal amount of the November 2011 Loan. The Company used the net proceeds from the sale of Series A Preferred Stock in the years ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively (see also Note 15), to prepay $20,022 and $110,850 principal amount of the aggregate principal amount. In connection with the prepayment, the Company recorded a loss on extinguishment of debt for the years ended December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013 of $252, $548 and $4,547, respectively, which included unamortized discounts and the write-off of debt issuance costs.

Bank Loans - Securities America

On November 6, 2013, Securities America Financial Corporation, ("SAFC"), which is the parent of Securities America, entered into a loan agreement with a third-party financial institution for a term loan in the aggregate principal amount of approximately $1,709. The term loan bears interest at 5.5%, has a 54-month term and is collateralized by Securities America’s non-forgivable financial advisor note portfolio. At December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, $564, $951 and $1,681 was outstanding under this loan.

On November 6, 2013, SAFC entered into a revolving credit agreement with the same third-party. Pursuant to this loan agreement, up to $1,500 aggregate principal amount of lending is available, subject to certain conditions. Any additional loans would bear interest at 5.5% per annum over a 5-year term. At December 31, 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively, $950, $455 and $0 was outstanding under this loan. On November 24, 2015, the loan agreement was amended to reflect an additional $1,000 in addition to any outstanding amounts at the time the amendment was executed allowing for $1,950 total borrowing. The interest rate and terms established in the original credit agreement remain unchanged.

The loan agreement contains certain affirmative and negative covenants, including covenants regarding Securities America’s client asset levels and number of financial advisors. 

Promissory Notes - Highland

As of July 31, 2014, the date of the Highland acquisition, Highland had $21,834 payable under a credit agreement that was repaid by the Company. As of December 31, 2015, HCHC Acquisition, as successor in interest to Highland's parent, had outstanding $6,738 of its 10% promissory notes due February 26, 2019. Accrued interest on the promissory notes is payable quarterly. The promissory notes may be prepaid, except that if the promissory notes are prepaid in full prior to August 26, 2016, the holders of the promissory notes are entitled to receive the total amount of interest that would otherwise have been payable through August 26, 2016, less any interest already paid.

Promissory Notes - KMS

On October 15, 2014, as part of the consideration paid for the acquisition of KMS, the Company issued four-year promissory notes to the former shareholders of KMS in the aggregate principal amount of $8,000, bearing interest at 1.84% per annum and payable in equal quarterly installments of principal and interest which were valued at $7,508 based on an imputed interest rate of 5.5%. The carrying value of promissory notes at December 31, 2015, net of $343 unamortized discount, amounts to $5,711. The former shareholders of KMS who hold such notes include KMS's chairman $3,069, president $1,804, chief compliance officer $662, vice president-brokerage operations $238, chief technology officer $228 and vice president-licensing and administration $54.

Promissory Notes - SSN

On January 2, 2015, as part of the consideration paid for the acquisition of SSN, the Company issued four-year promissory notes to the former shareholders of SSN in the aggregate principal amount of $20,000, bearing interest at 1.74% per annum and payable in equal quarterly installments of principal and interest, which were valued at $18,697 based on an imputed interest rate of 5.1%. The carrying value of promissory notes at December 31, 2015, net of $977 of unamortized discount, amounts to $15,378. The former shareholders of SSN who hold such notes include SSN's president and chief executive officer $327, chief compliance officer $82, chief financial officer $49 and vice president-trading $16.

Other

KMS has a subordinated note payable to a current officer of KMS, in the amount of $600 payable in August 2016 plus monthly interest at prime plus one percent.

The prime rate was 3.50% and 3.25% at December 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Total interest paid on the note in 2015 and 2014, respectively, was $26 and $26. The note is subordinated to present and future creditors of KMS.