Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.
Statements contained in this Item 2, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” (“MD&A”) and elsewhere in this Form 10-Q, which are not historical facts, may be forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. In particular, economic recession and changes in general economic conditions, including fluctuations in demand for equipment, lease rates, and interest rates, may result in delays in investment and reinvestment, delays in leasing, re-leasing, and disposition of equipment, and reduced returns on invested capital. The Company’s performance is subject to risks relating to lessee and borrower defaults and the creditworthiness of its lessees and borrowers. The Company’s performance is also subject to risks relating to the value of its equipment at the end of its leases, which may be affected by the condition of the equipment, technological obsolescence and the markets for new and used equipment at the end of lease terms. Investors are cautioned not to attribute undue certainty to these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this Form 10-Q. We undertake no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this Form 10-Q or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, other than as required by law.
Overview
ATEL 15, LLC (the “Company” or the “Fund”) was formed under the laws of the state of California on March 4, 2011 for the purpose of raising capital and originating equipment financing transactions and acquiring equipment to engage in equipment leasing and sales activities. The offering of the Fund was granted effectiveness by the Securities and Exchange Commission as of October 28, 2011.
The Company conducted a public offering of 15,000,000 Limited Liability Company Units (“Units”), at a price of $10 per Unit. As of December 21, 2011, subscriptions for the minimum number of Units (120,000, representing $1.2 million), excluding subscriptions from Pennsylvania investors, had been received and the Fund requested subscription proceeds to be released from escrow. On that date, the Company commenced initial operations and continued in its development stage activities until transitioning to an operating enterprise during the first quarter of 2012. Pennsylvania subscriptions are subject to a separate escrow and are released to the Fund only when aggregate subscriptions for all investors equal to not less than $7.5 million. Total contributions to the Fund exceeded $7.5 million on April 4, 2012, at which time a request was processed to release the Pennsylvania escrowed amounts. The offering was terminated on October 28, 2013.
As of March 31, 2015, cumulative contributions of $66.5 million (inclusive of the $500 initial Member’s capital investment), representing 6,653,171 Units, have been received. Through the same date, a net total of $283 thousand of such contributions (representing 37,950 Units) have been rescinded or repurchased (net of distributions paid and allocated syndication costs) by the Company. As of March 31, 2015, 6,615,221 Units were issued and outstanding.
Results of Operations
The three months ended March 31, 2015 versus the three months ended March 31, 2014
The Company had net losses of $180 thousand and $663 thousand for the three months ended March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. Results for the first quarter of 2015 reflect an increase in total revenues and a decrease in total expenses when compared to the prior year period.
Revenues
Total revenues for the first quarter of 2015 increased by $324 thousand, or 14%, as compared to the prior year period. The growth in total revenues was largely due to an increase in operating lease revenues and the absence of unrealized losses on fair valuation of warrants during the current year period.
The increase in operating lease revenues totaled $177 thousand and was attributable to additional revenue from an approximate $7.6 million of operating lease assets acquired since March 31, 2014. The absence of unrealized losses during the current year period increased total revenues by $140 thousand when compared to the prior year period. Such amount was recorded as unrealized losses during the prior year period relative to the revaluation of certain warrant positions in the Fund’s portfolio.