SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION
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OPTi Inc.
(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement if other than Registrant)
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OPTi Inc.
One First Street, Suite 14
Los Altos, CA 94022
CONSENT SOLICITATION STATEMENT
The Board of Directors (the “Board”) of OPTi Inc. (the “Company”) is providing this Consent Solicitation Statement to the Company’s shareholders in connection with the solicitation of written consent pursuant to California General Corporation Law (“CGCL”) Section 603 and Section 2.10 of the Company’s Bylaws. As discussed in more detail in this Consent Solicitation Statement, the Board has unanimously approved the voluntary winding up and dissolution of the Company pursuant to a Plan of Liquidation (the “Proposal”), subject to the approval of the Company’s shareholders.
The Board is soliciting shareholder approval of the Proposal by written consent in lieu of a meeting of shareholders as the Board believes that it is in the best interests of the Company and its shareholders to solicit such approval in the most timely and cost effective manner. A form of written consent is enclosed for your use.
The Board intends to mail this Consent Solicitation Statement and accompanying form of written consent on or about February 1, 2012. The Board has fixed a record date of January 26, 2012 (the “Record Date”) for determination of those shareholders entitled to give written consent.
Your consent is important. Although the Board has approved the Proposal, a vote of shareholders holding shares representing 50% or more of the voting power is required to approve the Company’s voluntary dissolution under California law.
The Board unanimously recommends that you consent to the Proposal. Voluntary proceedings for winding up the Company will commence upon the receipt of the written consent of shareholders holding shares representing 50% or more of the voting power of the Company.
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CONSENT PROCEDURE
General
As discussed in more detail in this Consent Solicitation Statement, the Board is asking the Company’s shareholders to consent to the Proposal.
Voting; Record Date
Only holders of record of Company stock as of the Record Date are entitled to consent to the Proposal. There were 11,645,903 shares of Company common stock outstanding as of the Record Date. Each share of common stock is entitled to one vote on the Proposal.
Vote Required
The Proposal will be deemed approved if the written consents of shareholders representing at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting power of the outstanding common stock are received by the Company.
Revocation of Consent
Any shareholder giving written consent to the Proposal may revoke such consent in a writing received by the Company prior to the time that a sufficient number of written consents to approve the Proposal have been received by the Company.
Notice of Availability of Materials
This Consent Solicitation Statement and the written consent form to be completed by shareholders in connection herewith may be obtained by contacting Michael Mazzoni via email at mmazzoni@opti.com or by telephone at (650) 213-8550.
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NO APPRAISAL RIGHTS
Neither California law nor the Company’s Articles of Incorporation or Bylaws provide the Company’s shareholders with dissenters’ rights with respect to the Proposal.
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PROPOSAL
Voluntary Dissolution of Company Pursuant to Plan of Liquidation
The Company’s shareholders are being asked to consent to wind up and dissolve the Company pursuant to the Plan of Liquidation (the “Proposal”). If approved, the Company will be liquidated pursuant to the Plan of Liquidation described below. The Board has unanimously approved the voluntary winding up and dissolution of the Company, the Plan of Liquidation, and the submission of the Proposal to the Company’s shareholders for approval.
If the Company’s shareholders do not consent to the Proposal, then the Company will not liquidate. The Board would then consider other alternatives for the Company.
Background and Reason for Dissolution
The Company’s recent business strategy has been to pursue licensing opportunities to resolve potential infringement of the Company’s proprietary intellectual property. However, as technology in the computing industry has evolved, the ability of the Company to pursue infringement claims has become increasingly limited. The Company currently only has one legal action pending.
Ongoing attempts by the Board to pursue new business opportunities, including partnerships with other entities, have been unsuccessful. After considering various options available to the Company, the Board has determined that the greatest return for the shareholders would be obtained by an orderly winding up and dissolution of the Company, pursuant to which proceeds from the resolution of any remaining litigation and any other assets less applicable liabilities and obligations would be distributed to its shareholders.
Summary of the Plan of Liquidation
The winding up of the Company’s business and the Company’s liquidation will proceed pursuant to the Plan of Liquidation (the “Plan”). The Plan is attached hereto asExhibit A, and this summary of the Plan is qualified in its entirety by reference toExhibit A.
Effective Date of the Plan; Liquidation Period.
The Plan will become effective upon its approval by the Company’s shareholders holding shares representing at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting power. Pursuant to the Plan, the Company shall take all actions to complete the liquidation and dissolution within the liquidation period, which shall end by the last day of the third year ending after the close of the taxable year during which the first liquidating distribution is made (the “Liquidation Period”), which shall be March 31, 2016.
Liabilities; Liquidating Distributions.
During the Liquidation Period, the Company shall pay or discharge all of the Company’s liabilities and obligations. The Company’s only assets consist of cash and patent infringement claims which it intends to reduce to cash; the Company shall distribute to its shareholders cash available for distribution in such manner as may be determined by the Company’s Board of Directors in its sole discretion. Such distributions to the shareholders will be reduced by the Company’s liabilities and obligations, including the expenses of the Company in connection with the resolution of pending litigation and the winding up process.
Contingent upon the approval of the Proposal by the Company’s shareholders, the first liquidating distribution to the shareholders is anticipated to be made in or about April 2012 in an amount to be determined at the sole discretion of the Board.
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As soon as it is reasonable and practicable during the Liquidation Period, the Company will make further liquidating distributions to its shareholders. However, the dates and amounts of such subsequent distributions are unpredictable given the uncertainties surrounding the winding up process and the Company’s ongoing litigation. No distribution will be made of any business or properties of the Company other than the proceeds of litigation.
Tax Considerations.
The following discussion summarizes certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of the Plan that may be relevant to the shareholders of Company stock. This summary is based on the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), U.S. Treasury regulations issued under the Code, law, judicial decisions, and administrative pronouncements, all of which are subject to different interpretation or change. Any change may be applied retroactively and may adversely affect the federal income tax consequences described herein. This discussion only applies to shareholders who hold their shares of Company stock as capital assets and only addresses distributions of cash proceeds as part of the Plan. This discussion does not address all of the tax consequences that may be relevant to particular shareholders in light of their particular circumstances (such as shareholders subject to the alternative minimum tax, the Medicare contribution tax or back-up withholding or shareholders owning multiple blocks of Company stock) or that are subject to special treatment under U.S. federal income tax laws (including, without limitation, financial institutions, partnerships, disregarded entities or other flow-through entities, mutual funds, tax-exempt organizations, trusts, estates, retirement plans, regulated investment companies, shareholders whose functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes is not the U.S. dollar, grantor trusts, insurance companies, traders or dealers in securities or foreign currencies, persons (including traders in securities) using a mark-to-market method of accounting, persons holding the Company stock as part of a hedge, straddle, constructive sale, conversion or other integrated transaction, any person who is not a “United States person” within the meaning of the Code, former U.S. citizens or long-term residents subject to taxation as expatriates under Section 877 of the Code, or persons who acquire Company stock in connection with employment or other performance of services). This summary does not discuss the effect of other U.S. federal tax laws (such as estate and gift tax laws), and does not discuss any state, local, or foreign tax laws or tax treaties.
We have not sought and will not seek a ruling from the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) with respect to any matters discussed in this section, and we cannot assure you that the IRS will not take a different position concerning the tax consequences of the Plan, or that any such position would not be sustained.
Company shareholders should consult their own tax advisors with regard to the application of the tax consequences discussed herein and the application of any other U.S. federal, state, local and foreign tax laws and tax treaties including gift and estate tax laws.
The transactions completed pursuant to the Plan are to result in the “complete liquidation” of the Company within the meaning of Sections 331 and 336 of the Code and the Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder. In general, as part of a “complete liquidation,” shareholders compute gain or loss by subtracting their adjusted basis of the stock from the amount realized (i.e., the net proceeds received in the liquidation) and report any difference as capital gain or loss. Such capital gain or loss will generally be long-term capital gain or loss if a Company shareholder’s holding period in respect of the stock is more than one year. Net long-term capital gains, recognized by a Company shareholder who is an individual, are currently subject to a fifteen percent (15%) rate. As of the date hereof, such reduced rates for long term capital gain are scheduled to increase for tax years beginning after December 31, 2012. The long-term capital gains of Company shareholders that are corporations and the short-term capital gains of both corporate and non-corporate Company shareholders are taxed at the same rates as their ordinary income. The deductibility of capital losses of corporate and non-corporate Company shareholders are subject to limitations. As described above, the Company may make several liquidating distributions (of differing amounts and dates) to shareholders pursuant to the Plan. Generally, in a complete liquidation, a shareholder recognizes gain after all basis is recovered but any resulting loss may not be recognized until the shareholder receives the final liquidating distribution.
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The Company will, within thirty (30) days after the effective date of the Plan, file a United States Internal Revenue Service Form 966 pursuant to Section 6043 of the Code and such additional forms and reports with the Internal Revenue Service as may be necessary or appropriate in connection with the Plan and the carrying out thereof. Further, the Company will provide any shareholder receiving property pursuant to the Plan in excess of $600 or more in a calendar year an IRS Form 1099-DIV.
Each shareholder of Company stock should consult with their own tax advisor to determine whether the shareholder needs to include a statement described in Treasury regulation Section 1.331-1(d)(2) with its federal income tax return for years ending prior to the completion of the complete liquidation.
TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH TREASURY DEPARTMENT CIRCULAR 230, COMPANY SHAREHOLDERS ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT: (1) ANY DISCUSSION OF UNITED STATES FEDERAL TAX ISSUES CONTAINED OR REFERRED TO IN THIS CONSENT SOLICITATION STATEMENT OR ANY ATTACHED EXHIBIT IS NOT INTENDED OR WRITTEN TO BE RELIED UPON, AND CANNOT BE RELIED UPON, BY SHAREHOLDERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF AVOIDING PENALTIES THAT MAY BE IMPOSED UNDER U.S. FEDERAL TAX LAW; (2) SUCH DISCUSSION IS WRITTEN IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROMOTION OR MARKETING OF THE PLAN; AND (3) COMPANY SHAREHOLDERS SHOULD SEEK ADVICE FROM AN INDEPENDENT TAX ADVISOR.
Winding Up of Company Business; Ongoing Litigation
Upon the receipt by the Company of sufficient shareholder consents for the Proposal, the Company shall cease to carry on business except to the extent necessary for the beneficial winding up thereof and except as to preserve the Company’s goodwill or going-concern value.
The Company intends to continue to conduct its ongoing litigation against VIA Technologies, Inc. and Silicon Integrated Systems Corp. during the Liquidation Period and may initiate new litigation to maximize the assets of the Company as necessary or appropriate for its beneficial winding up.
Governance of the Company During Liquidation Period
Pursuant to CGCL Sections 1903(b) and 2001, the Board and the officers of the Company shall continue to manage and govern the affairs of the Company during the winding up period, through the date of the Company’s dissolution. The Board shall have full powers to wind up and settle the affairs of the Company. During the Liquidation Period, the Board and the officers of the Company will seek to maximize shareholder value in order to maximize the liquidating distributions to each shareholder.
The Company anticipates conducting annual elections for its directors during the Liquidation Period. The Company does not anticipate making changes to the composition of the Board absent the resignation of directors, as the Board will be focused on the orderly winding up of the Company.
The Board and officers of the Company shall continue to be indemnified to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law.
Continued Trading of Company Stock
The Company intends to allow for the continued trading of the Company’s stock on the Over the Counter Bulletin Board during the winding up of the Company, until the date of the Company’s final dissolution. While the Company has verified with the OTC Bulletin Board that its stock will continue to trade during the Liquidation Period, there can be no assurance that there will be sufficient activity to permit the stock to do so.
Continued Securities Reporting
The Company also intends to continue to file required reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission until the date of the Company’s final dissolution.
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Board Approval and Board Recommendation
The Board has unanimously approved the Proposal and recommends that the Company’s shareholders consent to the Proposal.
Questions
Any questions regarding the Proposal should be directed to Bernard Marren at bernie@opti.com. However, management’s comments will be limited to the contents of this Consent Solicitation Statement.
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DISCLOSURE OF INTERESTED PARTIES
Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management
As of the Record date, there were 11,645,903 shares of Company common stock outstanding. The following table sets forth as of January 10, 2012 information regarding the ownership of Company common stock with respect to Company officers and directors and all persons which own more than 5% of the Company’s stock.
Name of Beneficial Owner | Shares Owned | Percentage Owned | ||||||
Officers and Directors | ||||||||
Bernard Marren | 15,788 | * | ||||||
Kapil Nanda | 4,000 | * | ||||||
William Welling | 21,333 | * | ||||||
Michael Mazzoni | — | * | ||||||
Stephen Diamond** | — | * | ||||||
5% Owners | ||||||||
S. Muoio & Co., LLC | 4,000,413 | 34.4 | ||||||
Raffles Associates LP | 796,515 | 6.8 | ||||||
Weiss Asset Management LP | 682,927 | 5.9 | ||||||
Dimension Fund Advisors Inc. | 581,210 | 5.0 |
* | Represents beneficial ownership of less than 1% of the Company’s outstanding common stock. |
** | Resigned from Board on November 15, 2011. |
Director Opposition
No director of the Company has stated his opposition to the Company’s winding up and dissolution or to the Plan of Liquidation.
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SHAREHOLDER PROPOSALS
No shareholder proposals are included in this Consent Solicitation Statement.
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HOUSEHOLDING OF SOLICITATION
The Securities and Exchange Commission permits the Company to satisfy delivery requirements by delivering one consent solicitation statement with respect to two or more shareholders sharing the same address. This process, known as “householding,” potentially provides conveniences for shareholders and savings for the Company.
Only one Consent Solicitation Statement is being mailed to each address in the Company’s records representing a shareholder of record. If additional copies are required, please contact Michael Mazzoni by telephone at (650) 213-8550, by mail at One First Street, Suite 14, Los Altos, CA 94022 or by email at mmazzoni@opti.com.
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Exhibit A
Plan of Liquidation
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PLAN OF COMPLETE LIQUIDATION AND
DISSOLUTION OF OPTi INC.
The following shall constitute the Plan of Complete Liquidation and Dissolution (the “Plan”) of OPTi Inc., a California corporation (the “Company”), pursuant to Section 1900 and other applicable provisions of the California General Corporation Law (the “California Law”) and the applicable provisions of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended (the “Code”):
1. | Adoption of Plan and Effective Date. |
The Effective Date of the Plan (the “Effective Date”) shall be the date of its approval by the Company’s shareholders holding shares representing at least fifty percent (50%) of the voting power.
2. | Authorization to Implement Plan. |
The Company shall have the authority to engage in such transactions as may be appropriate to consummate the liquidation and dissolution of the Company. Such transactions shall be completed upon such terms and conditions as shall be determined by the officers of the Company (each, an “Authorized Officer”), with no further approvals by shareholders except as required by law.
3. | Liquidation Period. |
The Company shall take all actions to complete the liquidation and dissolution by the last day of the third year ending after the close of the taxable year during which the first liquidating distribution is made (the “Liquidation Period”).
4. | Provisions for Liabilities. |
Within the Liquidation Period, the Company shall pay or discharge, or otherwise provide for the payment or discharge of, the Company’s liabilities and obligations, including contingent liabilities and obligations, in such manner as may be determined by any Authorized Officer, which manner may include the assumption of any such liabilities or obligations by one or more shareholders as any Authorized Officer and such assuming shareholder or shareholders may agree.
5. | Distribution to Shareholders. |
Subject to any alternative contractual arrangement between shareholders of the Company and the Company, after provision for liabilities as provided in Paragraph 4, but in any event within the Liquidation Period, the Company shall transfer, convey and deliver to its shareholders all of the assets (including cash), properties, business and liabilities of the Company in such manner as may be determined by any Authorized Officer, and distributions during the Liquidation Period (whether or not in exchange for shares) shall be treated as being made pursuant to this Plan.
6. | Amendment or Abandonment of Plan. |
The Board of Directors (the “Board”) may modify or amend the Plan (other than Paragraphs 6 or 7 hereof) at any time without shareholder approval if in the judgment of the Board such action would be in the best interests of the Company or its shareholders. If any amendment or modification appears necessary and in the judgment of the Board will adversely affect the interests of the shareholders, such an amendment or modification will be submitted to the shareholders for approval.
7. | Dissolution. |
Upon the taking of all acts required to be taken under the California Law, any Authorized Officer shall file a Certificate of Dissolution of the Company in accordance with Section 1905 and other applicable provisions of the California Law, thereby effecting the dissolution of the Company.
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8. | Income Tax Treatment. |
The Company intends that the transactions contemplated by this Plan (including all distributions to its shareholders) shall be made as part of (and in furtherance of) a complete liquidation of the Company as described in Sections 331 and 336 of the Code and the comparable provision of applicable state or local tax law. In furtherance of the foregoing, the Board and each Authorized Officer shall take all actions prescribed by Section 6043(a) of the Code (and the corresponding provision of applicable state and local tax law), including filing an IRS Form 966 (and comparable state or local tax forms) within thirty (30) days of the adoption of this Plan (and of any amendments thereto).
9. | Additional Authorization. |
The Board or any Authorized Officer are additionally authorized to approve such changes to the terms of any of the transactions referred to herein, to interpret any of the provisions of the Plan, and to make, execute and deliver such other agreements, conveyances, assignments, transfers, certificates and other documents and to take such other actions as the Board or any Authorized Officer deem necessary or appropriate in order to insure that the provisions of the Plan are carried out and to effect the complete liquidation and dissolution of the Company in accordance with Section 1900 and other applicable provisions of the California Law and the Code.
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Exhibit B
Written Consent Form
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WRITTEN CONSENT OF THE SHAREHOLDERS
TO VOLUNTARILY WIND UP AND DISSOLVE OPTi INC.
This consent accompanies and is part of the OPTi Inc. Consent Solicitation Statement dated January 31, 2012.
PLEASE INITIAL, DATE, SIGN, AND RETURN THIS CONSENT BY EMAIL (IN PDF) OR FACSIMILE TO:
OPTi Inc,
Attn: Michael Mazzoni
Email: mmazzoni@opti.com
Fax: (650) 213-8551
INSTRUCTIONS: PLEASE ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR CONSENT FOR THE MATTER LISTED BELOW BY PLACING YOUR INITIALS IN THE SPACE PROVIDED AND SIGNING BELOW.Capitalized terms not defined herein shall have the meanings set forth in the Consent Solicitation Statement delivered herewith.
Consent to Voluntary Wind Up and Dissolve and Adoption of Plan of Liquidation
(Initial)
| I hereby consent to the Company’s election to voluntarily wind up and dissolve pursuant to the Plan of Liquidation and authorize the Company and its directors and officers to execute, deliver and file any and all documents or certificates and to take whatever action is deemed necessary or advisable in order to carry out and perform the foregoing. |
I HEREBY AGREE TO BE BOUND BY THE WRITTEN CONSENTS SPECIFIED ABOVE WITH RESPECT TO ALL OF MY SHARES OF COMMON STOCK OF THE COMPANY.
Signature | ||||
Print Name: | ||||
Number of Shares Held*: | Date: |
|
*If your shares are held in street name, please state the name, address and telephone number of the holder of record:
Name: |
Address: |
Telephone Number: |
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