Greenbackd

Autobytel Inc (NASDAQ:ABTL) has filed its 10Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2009.

We last estimated ABTL’s liquidation value at $24.3M or $0.54 per share. Following our review of the 10Q, we’ve reduced our estimate to$21.8M or $0.48 per share. The stock closed yesterday at $0.48, which means it’s trading at our estimate of the liquidation value. On that basis, we’re exiting. We opened our position at $0.43, so we’re up 11.6% on an absolute basis. The S&P500 closed yesterday at 979.62, and was at 899.24 when we started following ABTL in December, which means we’re up 2.7% on a relative basis.

Post mortem

We started following ABTL (see our post archive here) because it was trading at a substantial discount to its liquidation and net cash values and Trilogy had filed a 13D notice disclosing a 7.4% holding. Trilogy had also launched a tender offer for ABTL at $0.35 per share. When Trilogy launched its offer, we wrote that we believed that $0.35 per share was only the opening salvo and a higher price was possible if the board terminated the rights plan poison pill. The board rejected the offer out of hand and Trilogy did not make a further offer before the initial offer expired. On expiry of the offer, Trilogy sent a letter to the board saying that it would “continue to evaluate [ABTL’s] business, its cash position, and its operating performance” and called on the board to communicate to its shareholders the break-up value of Autobytel, such that shareholders can determine if that is the best course to maximize value.” That did not eventuate.

ABTL has consumed a great deal of cash over the last years. Its principal sources of liquidity are from proceeds from dispositions of non-core businesses and the patent litigation settlement payments. Our estimate for ABTL’s liquidation value is set out below (the “Book Value” column shows the assets as they are carried in the financial statements, and the “Liquidating Value” column shows our estimate of the value of the assets in a liquidation):

Conclusion

Our position in ABTL has been a disappointing one, and has dragged down the performance of the portfolio. That aside, we can’t be too unhappy with a slightly positive result in a declining company.

[Full Disclosure:  We do not have a holding in ABTL. This is neither a recommendation to buy or sell any securities. All information provided believed to be reliable and presented for information purposes only. Do your own research before investing in any security.]