Investment in Affiliated Companies | 5. Investment in Affiliated Companies Phoenix Digital Solutions, LLC On June 7, 2005, we entered into a Master Agreement (the “Master Agreement”) with TPL, and Charles H. Moore “Moore”), the co-inventor of the technology which is the subject of the MMP portfolio of microprocessor patents, pursuant to which the parties resolved all legal disputes between them. Pursuant to the Master Agreement, we and TPL entered into the Limited Liability Company Operating Agreement of PDS (the “LLC Agreement”) into which we and Moore contributed our rights to certain of our technologies. We and TPL each own 50% of the membership interests of PDS, and each member has the right to appoint one member of the three-member management committee. The two appointees are required to select a mutually acceptable third member of the management committee. There had not been a third management committee member since May 2010; however, as a result of our initiation of arbitration seeking the appointment of a third member, on December 16, 2014, an independent manager to the PDS management committee was selected by the arbitrator. Pursuant to the LLC Agreement, we and TPL initially agreed to establish a working capital fund for PDS of $4,000,000, of which our contribution was $2,000,000. The working capital fund was increased to a maximum of $8,000,000 as license revenues are achieved. We and TPL are obligated to fund future working capital requirements at the discretion of the management committee of PDS in order to maintain working capital of not more than $8,000,000. If the management committee determines that additional capital is required, neither we nor TPL are required to contribute more than $2,000,000 in any fiscal year. No such contributions were made during the fiscal years ended May 31, 2018 and 2017. Distributable cash and allocation of profits and losses have been allocated to the members in the priority defined in the LLC Agreement. On July 11, 2012, we entered into the Program Agreement with PDS, TPL, and Alliacense, and an Agreement (the “TPL Agreement”) with TPL. Pursuant to the Program Agreement, PDS engaged Alliacense to negotiate MMP portfolio licenses and to pursue claims against violators of the MMP portfolio on behalf of PDS, TPL, and the Company. The Program Agreement continued through the useful life of the MMP portfolio patents. Pursuant to the TPL Agreement, we and TPL agreed to certain allocations of obligations in connection with the engagement of Alliacense. On July 24, 2014, the Program Agreement was amended with PDS and Alliacense entering into the Amended Alliacense Services and Novation Agreement (the “Novation Agreement”). Pursuant to the Novation Agreement certain performance goals and incentives were established for Alliacense. The Novation Agreement also provided for the addition of a second licensing company, which was engaged on October 10, 2014, to complement the MMP licensing commercialization. However, Alliacense fulfilled only a portion of its obligations under the Novation Agreement associated with the deployment of the second licensing company and on May 11, 2015, Alliacense was terminated by PDS. On August 10, 2016, PDS entered into an agreement with Alliacense and MMP Licensing, LLC to settle matters relating to Alliacense’s non-performance under terms of the Novation Agreement. The August 10, 2016 agreement required Alliacense to provide PDS’s second licensing company, Dominion Harbor Group (“DHG”), with certain materials and to cooperate with reasonable discovery requests relating to infringement litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. MMP Licensing, LLC will provide commercialization services to PDS for the MMP portfolio with respect to certain companies. PDS and Alliacense have agreed to cause the arbitration between the parties to be dismissed with prejudice. The August 10, 2016 agreement, and the agreement retaining DHG as PDS’s second licensing company, will both expire on October 4, 2022. Terms of the settlement agreement required PDS to pay Alliacense $84,000 within 24 hours after delivery of materials to PDS’s second licensing agent and to pay Alliacense $84,000 out of subsequent recoveries. PDS paid Alliacense $84,000 on each of August 11, 2016 and October 3, 2016. During January 2013, TPL and Moore settled their litigation. Terms of the settlement included the payment by PDS to Moore of a consulting fee of $250,000 for four years or until the completion of all outstanding MMP litigation whichever came first. Per terms of the agreement, PDS paid Moore $150,000 on the settlement date and paid Moore $16,667 per month from August 2013 through January 2014 and $20,833 per month beginning February 2014 through January 2017. During the fiscal year ended May 31, 2017, PDS expensed $166,674 pursuant to this contractual obligation. This expense is recorded in the accompanying PDS statement of operations for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2017 presented below. Based on our analysis of current authoritative accounting guidance with respect to our investment in PDS, we continue to account for our investment in PDS under the equity method of accounting, and accordingly have recorded our share of PDS’s net loss during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018 of $242,615 as a decrease in our investment. We have recorded our share of PDS’s net income during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2017 of $1,155,231 as an increase in our investment. Cash distributions of $883,600 received from PDS during the year ended May 31, 2017 have been recorded as a reduction in our investment. We have recorded our share of PDS’s net income and loss as “Equity in earnings (loss) of affiliated company” in the accompanying consolidated statements of operations for the years ended May 31, 2018 and 2017. During the fiscal year ended May 31, 2017, PDS entered into licensing agreements with third parties, pursuant to which PDS recognized revenues of $3,000,000. On March 20, 2013, TPL filed a petition under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code. On March 5, 2018, TPL’s Motion for Entry of Final Decree Closing Chapter 11 was granted. In the event we are required to provide funding to PDS that is not reciprocated by TPL, our ownership percentage in PDS will increase and we will have a controlling financial interest in PDS, in which case, we will consolidate PDS in our consolidated financial statements. If we determine that it is appropriate to consolidate PDS, we would measure the assets, liabilities and noncontrolling interests of PDS at their fair values at the date that we have the controlling financial interest. PDS’s balance sheets at May 31, 2018 and 2017 and statements of operations for the years ended May 31, 2018 and 2017 are as follows: Balance Sheets Assets: 2018 2017 Cash $ 351,746 $ 864,180 Prepaid expenses 48,825 26,378 Total assets $ 400,571 $ 890,558 Liabilities and Members’ Equity: 2018 2017 Payables $ 1,826 $ 6,582 Members’ equity 398,745 883,976 Total liabilities and members’ equity $ 400,571 $ 890,558 Statements of Operations 2018 2017 Revenues $ – $ 3,000,000 Expenses 484,431 688,527 Income (loss) before provision for income taxes and foreign taxes (484,431 ) 2,311,473 Provision for income taxes and foreign taxes 800 1,010 Net income (loss) $ (485,231 ) $ 2,310,463 We review our investment in PDS to determine whether events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount may not be recoverable. The primary factors we consider in our determination are the financial condition, operating performance and near term prospects of PDS. If a decline in value is deemed to be other than temporary, we would recognize an impairment loss. Holocom, Inc We currently own 2,100,000 shares of preferred stock, equivalent to an approximate 46% ownership interest on an after converted basis, in Holocom, Inc. (“Holocom”), a California corporation that manufactures products that protect information transmitted over secure networks. The shares are convertible at our option into shares of Holocom’s common stock on a one-to-one basis. The preferred stock entitles us to receive non-cumulative dividends at the per annum rate of $0.04 per share, when and if declared by the Board of Directors of Holocom, as well as a liquidation preference of $0.40 per share, plus an amount equal to all declared but unpaid dividends. In 2010, we determined that the inability of Holocom to meet its business plan, raise capital, and the general economic environment were indicators of impairment on our investment and we wrote-off our cost basis investment in Holocom. At May 31, 2018 and 2017, our investment in Holocom was valued at $0. |