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Archive for the ‘Net Cash Stocks’ Category

VaxGen Inc (OTC:VXGN) Q2 update

Posted in Activist Investors, Net Cash Stocks, Net Net Stocks, Stocks, VaxGen Inc (OTC:VXGN), tagged , , , , on August 4, 2009| 13 Comments »

VaxGen Inc (OTC:VXGN) has released its quarterly report for the period ended June 30, 2009.

We’ve been following VXGN (see our post archive here) because it is trading at a substantial discount to its net cash position, has ended its cash-burning product development activities and is “seeking to maximize the value of its remaining assets through a strategic transaction or series of strategic transactions.” If the company is unable to identify and complete an alternate strategic transaction, it proposes to liquidate. One concern of ours has been a lawsuit against VXGN by its landlords, in which they sought $22.4M. That lawsuit was dismissed in May, so the path for VXGN to liquidate has now hopefully cleared.

VXGN has now also attracted the attention of BA Value Investors, which has disclosed an activist holding and called on VXGN to “act promptly to reduce the size of the board to three directors; reduce director compensation; change to a smaller audit firm; terminate the lease of its facilities; otherwise cut costs; make an immediate $10 million distribution to shareholders; make a subsequent distribution of substantially all the remaining cash after settling the lease termination; distribute any royalty income to shareholders; and explore ways to monetize the public company value of the Issuer and use of its net operating losses.”

At its $0.50 close yesterday, VXGN has a market capitalization of $16.6M. We last estimated the company’s liquidation value to be around $26.5M or $0.80 per share. Following our review of the most recent quarterly report, we’ve slightly reduced our estimate to $25.4M or $0.77 per share. VXGN has other potentially valuable assets, including a “state-of-the-art biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility with a 1,000-liter bioreactor that can be used to make cell culture or microbial biologic products” and rights to specified percentages of future net sales relating to its anthrax vaccine product candidate and related technology.

The value proposition updated

VXGN has taken steps to minimize its cash burn, reducing its workforce to three employees, terminating its anthrax and smallpox development activities and selling the assets related to its anthrax product candidate. The company’s value rests on its vestigial holding of cash and equivalents (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):

VXGN Summary 2009 6 30 v2Balance sheet adjustments

We’ve made the following adjustments to the balance sheet estimates above:

  • Cash burn: The company used $1.1M in cash in the second quarter, down from $2.1M in the first quarter. We have included cash burn of $4M in our estimate for the year. We have also assumed professional fees and termination payments of $1.1M.
  • Off-balance sheet arrangements and contractual obligations: According to VXGN’s 10Q, it has no off-balance sheet arrangements.

The lawsuit against VXGN by its landlords, in which they sought $22.4M, has been dismissed:

In February 2009, a lawsuit was filed against us in the Superior Court of California for the County of San Mateo by plaintiffs, Oyster Point Tech Center, LLC. The plaintiffs generally allege that we defaulted on our lease for our facility located at 349 Oyster Point, South San Francisco, California. The complaint seeks possession of the premises and the balance of the lease plus unpaid rent and expenses totaling $22.4 million, as well as an award of plaintiffs’ attorneys’ fees and costs. Our biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility is located in the leased premises that are the subject of the dispute. At a February hearing, the court denied the writ and the temporary protective order sought by landlord. In May 2009, the lawsuit was dismissed.

Conclusion

At its $0.50 close yesterday, VSGN has a market capitalization of $16.6M. We estimate the net current asset / liquidation value to be around 74% higher at $25.4M or $0.77 per share. VXGN has other potentially valuable assets, including rights to a portion of future net sales on its anthrax technology and a state-of-the-art biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility. One concern has been a lawsuit brought by the landlord against the company, so it is encouraging that the lawsuit has been dismissed. With its stock at a substantial discount to its net current asset / liquidation value, its cash-burning product development activities at an end and a proposal to identify and complete an alternate strategic transaction or liquidate, we think VXGN is still a good prospect, and we’re going to maintain our position.

[Full Disclosure: We have a holding in VXGN. 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.]

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Valuing the SOAP stub

Posted in Activist Investors, Mithras Capital, Net Cash Stocks, Net Net Stocks, Soapstone Networks Inc (NASDAQ:SOAP), Stocks, tagged , , , , on August 3, 2009| 3 Comments »

Soapstone Networks Inc (NASDAQ:SOAP) closed Friday at $0.495 following the payment last week of a $57.5M or $3.75 per share special dividend. The company estimates the final distribution at between $0.25 and $0.75 per share. The higher end of the distribution range represents a ~50% upside from Friday’s close, so we’re going to do some work now to determine whether we hold on to the stub, buy some more or close out the position.

We opened the position in SOAP on February 2nd (see our post archive here) because it was trading well below our estimate of its net cash value. An activist investor, Mithras Capital, had disclosed an 8.7% holding and called on the company to liquidate. After some urging on Mithras Capital’s part, management acceded to the request and announced a liquidation. SOAP stockholders approved the liquidation of the company last week and were paid a special dividend of $3.75 per share. Based on our $2.50 purchase price, the $3.75 per share special dividend returns our initial capital plus 50%. At the Friday close, the $0.495 stub represents an additional 20% on our initial purchase price for a total return to date of 70%. Management estimates the final distribution will be between $0.25 and $0.75 per share, which means the stub is trading at a fraction under the midpoint of the distribution range.

The value proposition for the SOAP stub

Following the payment of the special dividend, SOAP has cash of around $17.5M or a little over $1.00 per share. The basis for SOAP management’s calculation of the $0.25 and $0.75 per share distribution is set out below (extracted from the Preliminary Proxy Statement):

SOAP Estimated Liquidating Distributions

(The table above has been modified from the original to fit this space)

(1) Estimated balance is net of cash used for the period April 1, 2009 through June 30, 2009 for estimated operating expenses ($4.2 million), severance costs ($1.7 million) and accounts payable and accrued liabilities ($1.5 million), partially offset by interest income ($0.1 million).

(2) Estimated Extraordinary Dividend payments of $55.8 million are associated with 14,886,107 shares of our common stock outstanding as of June 16, 2009 and Extraordinary Dividend payments of $1.7 million are associated with 460,828 shares of our common stock subject to currently vested options that are in-the-money at $4.13, the per share closing price of our stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on June 16, 2009, which options are assumed to be exercised prior to the dividend payment.

(3) Estimated proceeds from the exercise of currently vested options for 460,828 shares of our common stock that are in-the-money at $4.13, the per share closing price of our stock on the Nasdaq Global Market on June 16, 2009, which options are assumed to be exercised prior to the dividend payment.

(4) Estimated range of cash proceeds from sale of assets, including technology, intellectual property, furniture, fixtures and equipment.

(5) Estimated operating expenses for the period of July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010 for personnel, facilities and other expenses to conduct our wind up operations but exclusive of all other line items specifically allocated in the table above.

(6) Estimated severance costs for remaining employees involved in the wind up operations.

(7) Estimated accounts payable and accrued liabilities as of June 30, 2009.

(8) Estimated range of cash payments associated primarily with lease and lease related commitments for our headquarters facility.

(9) Estimated range of cash use for the purchase of insurance, including Directors and Officers liability insurance covering the six years from the date of stockholder approval of the plan of dissolution.

(10) Estimated range of cash use for professional fees related to our liquidation and dissolution, as well as ongoing SEC reporting requirements.

(11) Estimated range of cash use for unanticipated claims and contingencies, including potential deductibles and retentions associated with potential insurance claims.

Set out below is an analysis of SOAP management’s estimates, showing the differences between the upper and lower estimates:

SOAP Estimated Liquidating Distributions 2

It becomes clear from the preceding table that two categories account for the majority (80%) of the difference between the upper and lower estimates of the final distribution:

  1. Real Estate and Equipment Lease termination costs: Around $3.8M or $0.25 per share.
  2. Proceeds from the sale of Assets: Around $2.2M or $0.14 per share.

We’ve got no real idea about the likely final figures in either of these categories, which means we won’t be buying any more at this stage. Given that the stock is trading at a fraction under the midpoint of management’s estimate of the final distribution, we’re going to hold on to our remaining stock for the time being and see how it plays out.

[Full Disclosure:  We have a holding in SOAP. 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.]

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SOAP stockholders approve plan of liquidation; $3.75 dividend paid

Posted in Activist Investors, Greenbackd Portfolio, Mithras Capital, Net Cash Stocks, Soapstone Networks Inc (NASDAQ:SOAP), Stocks, tagged , , , , on July 30, 2009| 9 Comments »

Soapstone Networks Inc (NASDAQ:SOAP) has announced that the stockholders have approved the liquidation and dissolution of the company.

We started following SOAP (see our post archive here) because it was trading well below its net cash value with an activist investor, Mithras Capital, disclosing an 8.7% holding in October last year. The stock is up 68.4% from $2.50 when we initiated our position to close today at $4.13, giving SOAP a market capitalization of $61.0M. We last estimated the company’s net cash value to be $80.3M or $5.21 per share. The company has now announced that it proposes to liquidate. It estimates that the total distribution, including an extraordinary cash dividend of $3.75 per share, will be between $4.00 and $4.50 per share. The initial dividend was paid yesterday and the stock trade’s ex-dividend today.

The press release from the company is set out below:

BILLERICA, MA–(Marketwire – July 28, 2009) – Soapstone Networks Inc. (NASDAQ: SOAP), today announced that, at the Company’s annual meeting of stockholders held on July 28, 2009, the stockholders of Soapstone Networks voted to approve the liquidation and dissolution of the Company pursuant to a Plan of Liquidation and Dissolution (the “Plan of Liquidation”).

As previously announced by the Company, in connection with the approval of the Plan of Liquidation, the Company’s Board of Directors has approved an extraordinary cash dividend of $3.75 per share of the Company’s common stock. The dividend will be paid on July 29, 2009 and the Company’s stock will trade ex-dividend commencing July 30, 2009.

The Company intends to file a certificate of dissolution on July 31, 2009 with the Delaware Secretary of State in accordance with the Plan of Liquidation. At the close of business on July 31, 2009, the Company expects to close its stock transfer books and cease recording transfers of shares of its common stock. At that time, the Company’s common stock, and stock certificates evidencing the shares of common stock, will no longer be assignable or transferable on the Company’s books. We have notified Nasdaq OMX of the date we intend to file our certificate of dissolution, and we will seek to delist our shares of common stock as soon as practicable thereafter. In addition, we requested that the Nasdaq Global Market suspend the trading of our common stock effective at the close of business on July 31, 2009. After the Company ceases trading on the Nasdaq Global Market as a result of such suspension, shares of the Company’s common stock held in street name with brokers may be traded in the over-the-counter market on an electronic bulletin board established for unlisted securities such as the OTC Bulletin Board or the Pink Sheets. Such trading will reduce the market liquidity of the Company’s common stock. As a result, an investor would find it more difficult to dispose of, or obtain accurate quotations for the price of the Company’s common stock, if they are able to trade the Common Stock at all.

The Board of Directors has fixed July 31, 2009 as the record date for determining stockholders entitled to receive any future distributions of available assets and as the final date for the recording of stock transfers. Only those stockholders of record as of the close of business on July 31, 2009 (the “Record Stockholders”), will be entitled to such future distributions. The Company anticipates that its first distribution after the July 31, 2009 record date is not likely to occur prior to the first quarter of 2010. Prior to winding up its affairs under Delaware law, the Company intends to make at least one additional liquidating distribution to the Record Stockholders. The Company has not yet established the timing or per share amount of any such distributions.

[Full Disclosure:  We have a holding in SOAP. 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.]

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Blank checks: Fertile fishing grounds for liquidation value investors

Posted in Activist Investors, Liquidation Value, Net Cash Stocks, Stocks, tagged , , on July 22, 2009| 8 Comments »

In Blank Checks Firing Blanks (Breakingviews.com via NYTimes.com), Lauren Silva Laughlin and George Hay write about the recent performance of blank check companies, otherwise known as special-purpose acquisition corporations or SPACs. Blank checks are shell companies that raise money from the public in order to acquire a business the identity of which is not known at the time the capital is raised. The trick is that a deal must be consumated before a certain date or the funds must be returned to the investors.

Many of the blank checks raised in 2007 are running out of time to complete an aquisition. While some 2007 SPACs did manage to seal a deal, it seems most were unable to do so because of the turmoil in the markets and were forced to liquidate:

About 40 of 66 SPACs that started in 2007 have been liquidated or will probably end up being liquidated, according to SPAC Research Partners.

It turns out that those SPACs forced to liquidate have outperformed those that actually completed a transaction:

And SPACs that sat on cash and safe investments have actually outperformed those that did deals. Take the GSC Acquisition Company, established by GSC Group, a debt-focused investment firm. The SPAC’s bosses tried to acquire Complete Energy, a power producer. But the deal wasn’t completed in time, and GSC Acquisition was liquidated last month.

Investors received around $9.80 a share in cash, just shy of the $10 they paid in its initial public offering two years earlier.

Investors in SPACs that did deals haven’t been so lucky. Shares of Aldabra 2 Acquisition Corporation, for instance, have plunged more than 75 percent since that SPAC bought Boise Cascade’s paper, packaging and transportation business and changed its name to Boise Inc. in February 2008.

From a deep value investor’s point of view, SPACs present an interesting investment opportunity. The value analysis is simple enough: Most trade at a discount to net cash. The difficulty is in assessing which will actually return the cash and which will spray it away on an acquisition. In making such an assessment, it helps to have a large activist investor sitting on the register. Cue Daniel Loeb and Third Point LLC. Third Point’s most recent 13F filing shows a number of SPACs in Loeb’s portfolio, including the following (via Market Folly):

  1. Liberty Acquisition Holdings (LIA): 11.75% of Loeb’s portfolio
  2. Victory Acquisition Corp (VRY): 5% of Loeb’s portfolio
  3. Trian Acquisition (TUX): 4.95% of Loeb’s portfolio
  4. Triplecrown Acquisition (TCW): 4.35% of Loeb’s portfolio
  5. Global Brands Acquisition (GQN): 2.4% of Loeb’s portfolio
  6. Global Consumer Acquisition (GHC): 1.8% of Loeb’s portfolio

We haven’t looked at any of these in detail, but they might present a happy hunting ground for the liquidation value investor. We’ll return to these stocks if there’s further turmoil in the market.

[Full Disclosure: We do not have a holding in any of the securities listed above. 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.]

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AVGN merger with MediciNova back on the table

Posted in Activist Investors, Avigen (NASDAQ:AVGN), Biotechnology Value Fund, Greenbackd Portfolio, Liquidation Value, Net Cash Stocks, Stocks, tagged , , , , on July 21, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Avigen Inc (NASDAQ:AVGN) is back in negotiations with MediciNova, Inc. regarding a proposed acquisition of AVGN by MediciNova. The consideration for the deal is AVGN’s “net cash liquidation value plus $3 million” and “a contingent payment right for a specific product program milestone payment associated with Avigen’s Assignment Agreement with Genzyme Corporation, potentially subject to certain adjustments.”

We started following AVGN in December last year (see archived posts here) because it was a net cash stock and specialist biotechnology investor Biotechnology Value Fund (BVF) was pushing it to liquidate and return its cash to shareholders. Despite BVF’s failure to remove the board, we continued to maintain our position in AVGN because BVF won a number of important concessions from the board that made AVGN a much more attractive stock than it was when we started following it. The stock price reflects this: AVGN closed yesterday at $1.32, up 103.8% from our $0.65 purchase price. We last estimated the net cash liquidation value at around $34M or $1.14 per share. Including the $3M from MediciNova would increase that value to around $37M or $1.24 per share. We believe that there is a reasonable chance that AVGN will yield more than its current $1.32 share price when the “contingent payment right” capturing the near term payments from Genzyme is taken into account. AVGN shareholders also have an option-like exposure to any value in AVGN’s AV411 assets and program, although we cannot estimate the value of this with any certainty.

The press release from AVGN regarding the business combination with MediciNova is set out below:

MediciNova and Avigen Confirm Understanding for Key Terms for a Business Combination

SAN DIEGO and ALAMEDA, Calif., June 25, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — MediciNova, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company that is publicly traded on the Nasdaq Global Market (Nasdaq:MNOV – News) and the Hercules Market of the Osaka Securities Exchange (Code Number:4875), and Avigen, Inc. (Nasdaq:AVGN – News), a biopharmaceutical company, today announced that they have confirmed their understanding of certain key terms for a proposed acquisition of Avigen by MediciNova that would combine the companies’ broad neurological clinical development programs based on ibudilast (Avigen’s AV-411 and MediciNova’s MN-166).

MediciNova and Avigen currently contemplate that the terms of the merger would provide that Avigen shareholders receive consideration approximating Avigen’s net cash liquidation value plus $3 million. Avigen shareholders would be able to elect to receive this consideration in cash at closing or to receive a convertible security by which that cash consideration may be converted into MediciNova stock at a conversion price equal to the greater of $4.00 or a mutually agreeable volume-weighted average price of MediciNova common stock. At the end of 18 months, any unexercised convertible securities would be paid out at their cash value. This would allow shareholders of both companies the opportunity to participate in the future value created by combining the companies’ product portfolios. In addition to the consideration above, all Avigen shareholders would receive a contingent payment right for a specific product program milestone payment associated with Avigen’s Assignment Agreement with Genzyme Corporation, potentially subject to certain adjustments.

Yuichi Iwaki, M.D., Ph.D., MediciNova’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are excited to announce this important step towards a potential acquisition of Avigen and believe that the proposed merger presents clear advantages for the shareholders of both companies, most notably, the ability to more fully take advantage of the opportunities that the ibudilast compound and analogs provide in a variety of indications and markets. We look forward to finalizing definitive documentation as expeditiously as possible and to presenting this transaction for shareholder approval in due course.”

“Avigen believes the proposed merger on the terms currently contemplated would be in the best interests of our shareholders and we intend to continue to negotiate with the goal of reaching agreement on all of the terms and presenting it to our shareholders for approval in the third quarter of 2009,” commented Andrew Sauter, Avigen’s Chief Executive Officer, President and Chief Financial Officer. “We believe that combining our ibudilast programs, AV411 and MN-166, would enhance the global development potential for the compound in a range of neurological indications, including Multiple Sclerosis, neuropathic pain and drug addiction.”

The understanding reached by the parties is nonbinding and subject to definitive documentation and due diligence. The closing of any proposed merger would also be subject to customary closing conditions, including required shareholder and regulatory approvals and the absence of material adverse changes. MediciNova and Avigen are not legally obligated to continue discussions regarding the proposed transaction on the terms described herein or on any other terms. No definitive agreements have been reached, and there can be no assurances that definitive agreements will be successfully negotiated, that the proposed terms will not be revised or that the proposed merger will be completed.

[Full Disclosure: We have a holding in AVGN. 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.]

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Forward Industries Inc (NASDAQ:FORD)

Posted in Activist Investors, Forward Industries Inc (NASDAQ:FORD), Liquidation Value, Net Cash Stocks, Stocks, Trinad Management, tagged , on July 20, 2009| 4 Comments »

Forward Industries Inc (NASDAQ:FORD) is a new position for us. We haven’t deviated from our love of deep value (it’s trading at a discount to net cash and liquidation value), but there’s no obvious catalyst in the stock at this stage. Management appears to be considering a “strategic transaction” of some kind, although this might include an “acquisition or some other combination.” At its $1.44 close Friday, FORD has a market capitalization of $11.4M. We estimate the liquidation value to be around 60% higher at $18.7M, or $2.60 per share. Trinad Management did have an activist position in the stock, but has been selling recently and only one stockholder owns more than 5% of the stock. We’re attracted to it because it looks cheap, and we think the elements are in place for a catalyst to emerge, so we’re adding it to the Greenbackd Portfolio.

About FORD

FORD designs, markets, and distributes “custom-designed, soft-sided carrying cases and other carry solutions products made from leather, nylon, vinyl, and other synthetic fabrics.” The cases and other products protect “portable electronic devices such as medical devices and cellular phones.” It sells directly to original-equipment-manufacturers in Europe, the “APAC Region,” and the Americas and to retailers and distributors in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It has been in operation since 1961.

The value proposition

FORD has been confronted with blustery headwinds over the last four years. FORD management write in the most recent 10Q (for the year ended March 31, 2009) that “deteriorating economic conditions, rising unemployment, tight credit markets, and heightened uncertainty in financial markets” has “adversely impacted discretionary consumer spending, including spending on the types of electronic devices that are accessorized by [FORD’s] products. [FORD’s management] expect this challenging business environment to continue in the foreseeable future.” Revenues are down from $50M+ in 2005 to less than $20M this year. The drop in net income has been even more precipitous, from a profit of $12M in 2005 to a loss of $1.1M in the most recent quarter, bringing the loss for the last 12 months to around $1.9M. Despite this, FORD still had around $19M of cash and equivalents at the end of March (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):

FORD SummarySummary balance sheet adjustments

We’ve made the following adjustments to the balance sheet estimates (included in the valuation above):

  • Cash burn: We’ve got no real idea about FORD’s prospects. Its cash burn over the last 6 months has been around $0.8M. That was made up of a net loss of $1.3M, reduced by $0.6M for non-cash items, and changes in working capital items of $0.1M. Accounts payable decreased $0.6M, which had the effect of contributing to the net cash used by operating activities. If we assume, as management has, that the company will face a similarly tough operating environment over the next 12 months, we estimate cash burn of around $2M.
  • Off-balance sheet arrangements: According to FORD’s most recent 10Q, it has no off-balance sheet arrangements.
  • Contractual obligations: FORD’s contractual obligations are minimal, totalling $0.6M.

After making the adjustments above, we estimate FORD’s liquidation value at around $18.7M or $2.60 per share.

Possible catalysts

FORD’s President and Acting Chairman, Mr. Doug Sabra, said in the letter to FORD shareholders accompanying the notice of annual shareholders’ meeting, that in 2008 “management began to implement operational and strategic initiatives in order to put [FORD]’s business on a stronger, more sustainable footing. …  This past August we retained an outside consultant to assist us in vetting possible partners for a strategic transaction.” It seems that the “strategic transaction” might include a “possible acquisition or other combination that makes sense in the context of [FORD’s] existing business, without jeopardizing the strong financial position that we have worked so hard to build.” FORD’s focus on a “strategic transaction” is a positive, in our view, although our vast preference is for a sale of the company, buyback, special dividend or return of capital over an acquisition.

Any transaction will require the consent of FORD’s board. While it has a free float of around 92%, the company’s so-called “Anti-takeover Provisions” authorize the board to issue up to 4M shares of “blank check” preferred stock. From the 10Q:

The Board of Directors has the authority and discretion, without shareholder approval, to issue preferred stock in one or more series for any consideration it deems appropriate, and to fix the relative rights and preferences thereof including their redemption, dividend and conversion rights.

Conclusion

At its $1.44 close Friday, FORD is trading at a substantial 60% discount to its $2.60 per share liquidation value and $2.16 per share net cash value. While there’s no obvious catalyst in the stock at this stage, management’s consideration of a “strategic transaction” is a positive. The risk to this position is management spending the cash on an acquisition. We think a far better use of the company’s cash is a buyback, special dividend or return of capital. Another concern is Trinad Management exiting its activist position in the stock. Those concerns aside, we’re attracted to FORD because it looks cheap at such a discount to net cash. We’re adding it to the Greenbackd Portfolio.

FORD closed Friday at $1.44.

The S&P500 Index closed Friday at 940.38.

Hat tip PP.

[Full Disclosure:  We do not have a holding in FORD. 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.]

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Lamassu Holdings blasts DITC board

Posted in Activist Investors, Ditech Networks Inc (NASDAQ:DITC), Greenbackd Portfolio, Lamassu Holdings LLC, Lloyd I. Miller III, Net Cash Stocks, Stocks, tagged , , , , , on July 17, 2009| Leave a Comment »

Lamassu Holdings has blasted the board of Ditech Networks Inc (NASDAQ:DITC). In a letter to the board, Lamassu Holdngs accuses DITC management of “spending as though Ditech Networks has money to burn, adding to the amount of money you have already lost for shareholders during your tenure,” “aggressively [overstepping] the bounds of good corporate governance” and “clearly [violating] your fiduciary responsibility.”

We’ve been following DITC (see our archive here) because it is trading below its net cash value with an investor, Lamassu Holdings LLC, disclosing a 9.4% holding in November last year. Lamassu has previously offered to acquire DITC for $1.25 per share in cash. Lamassu says that it “anticipates its due diligence requirement will take no more than two weeks and there is no financing contingency.” Lamassu has now nominated two candidates for election to the board “who are committed to enhancing shareholder value through a review of the Company’s business and strategic direction.” Lloyd I Miller III has also disclosed a 5.9% holding and has come out in support of Mr. Leehealey and Mr. Sansone – the director candidates nominated by Lamassu Holdings for election to the board of directors at the DITC annual meeting – as “candidates who are independent of management and he seeks to encourage greater attention to corporate governance by all members of the Board of Directors.” The stock is up 44.9% from our initial $0.89 to close yesterday at $1.29, giving the company a market capitalization of $33.9M. We last estimated the net cash value at around $32.2M or $1.23 per share and the liquidation value at around $43.4M or $1.65 per share. While the deterioration in value is a concern, Mr. Miller’s support of Lamassu Holding’s director candidates introduces a new element to the position. We’re inclined to hold on to see how the annual meeting plays out.

The press release setting out the text of the letter from Lamassu Holdings is set out below (via Yahoo Finance):

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Lamassu Holdings, LLC (“Lamassu”) has sent the following letter to the Board of Directors of Ditech Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:DITC – News) (“Ditech Networks”) Members of the Board:

Over the past month a significant number of shareholders have either publicly, through filings, or privately rejected your leadership by expressing their support for Lamassu’s director nominees. Instead of listening to these shareholders and correcting your course, you push forward spending as though Ditech Networks has money to burn, adding to the amount of money you have already lost for shareholders during your tenure. Your recent decision to tie executive compensation to a level of investment associated with mStage/toktok, an unproven technology that to date has produced no revenues and has no immediate prospects, is outrageous and limits management’s ability to make the hard but intelligent decisions to reduce investment in that technology if its prospects for revenue continue to be elusive. With this measure we believe you have aggressively overstepped the bounds of good corporate governance and have clearly violated your fiduciary responsibility.

Investors in Ditech Networks (NASDAQ: DITC – News) are not venture capitalists and did not sign up for this type of speculative investing with such a large portion of the Company’s assets. Management needs to have the latitude to make the decisions that are appropriate given the revenue prospects of each product and the Board should ensure that no individual investment puts the Company in as much jeopardy of total failure as the mStage/toktok investment does.

In addition, given the level of support for Lamassu’s slate of director nominees, we remain completely perplexed by your apparent desire to engage in a pointless proxy fight and waste Company resources to protect your own interests. It is obvious shareholders will aggressively reject the idea of spending millions of dollars of their money in this manner when the addition of Lamassu’s nominees to the Board will clearly provide a much needed new perspective that is not steeped in the countless mistakes of the past or married to visions and dreams that produce little or nothing in the way of actual revenue.

For the sake of all investors we encourage you to radically alter your behavior and begin listening to shareholders as opposed to pursuing your own interests and extremely risky agendas. While you personally will not be significantly harmed if mStage/toktok is unsuccessful and Ditech Networks ultimately fails, many investors are not in a position to so casually lose their money.

Sincerely Lamassu Holdings, LLC

Hat tip to Toby.

[Full Disclosure:  We do not have a holding in DITC. 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.]

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MATH announces merger; CEO resigns in protest; Greenbackd exits

Posted in Activist Investors, MathStar Inc (OTC:MATH), Net Cash Stocks, Net Net Stocks, S. Muoio & Co, Salvatore Muoio, Stocks, Zachary McAdoo, tagged , , , on July 16, 2009| 4 Comments »

MathStar Inc’s (OTC:MATH) board has announced a “possible merger” with a company called Sajan, Inc, presumably the private company discussed in the presentation at the annual meeting. Douglas M. Pihl, MATH’s CEO, has resigned in protest, saying in his resignation letter that he was resigning because of the board’s “rejection of the plan I have presented to restart MathStar based on Video Encoding technology.” Pihl goes on to say:

I do not believe the proposed Sajan acquisition is in the best interest of MathStar shareholders. I do not believe that Sajan, or the advisors hired to do the due diligence, have presented a business plan that warrants committing over $13 million of cash, nearly half of which will not remain in the combined company but will be distributed to the current Sajan shareholders. In addition the newly issued shares will result in nearly a 50% dilution of the equity currently held by MathStar shareholders.

The full text of Pihl’s letter is set out below. We tend to agree with Pihl’s assessment that the Sajan acquisition is a loser for MATH shareholders. On that basis, we’re out at yesterday’s close of $1.20. We initiated the position on December 17 last year at $0.68, which means we’re up 76.5% on an absolute basis. The S&P500 closed at 913.18 when we intiated the position, and closed yesterday at to close yesterday at 932.68, which means we’re up 74.3% on a relative basis.

Post mortem

We started following MATH in December last year (see our post archive here) because it was trading below its net cash value and had two substantial stockholders lobbying management to liquidate. MATH’s board had suspended the company’s operations and had been exploring “strategic alternatives, which could include merger, acquisition, increasing operations in another structure or liquidation.” Two activist investors, Mr. Zachary McAdoo of The Zanett Group and Mr. Salvatore Muoio of S. Muoio & Co., urged MATH’s board to consider liquidation rather than merger, but MATH’s management seem intent on a merger. The liquidation was presented to stockholders on Friday last week, and rejected. Tiberius Capital has a tender offer for MATH at $1.25 per share in cash expiring on July 20. We’ve elected to sell our stock on market rather than tender to Tiberius Capital because there’s no certainty that Tiberius Capital will be successful, and it’s time to get as far away from MATH’s management as humanly possible. While the position didn’t play out as we had hoped, we’re still satisfied with the result.

The company’s press release announcing the merger is set out below:

MathStar Announces Letter of Intent for Possible Merger;

Board Announces Special Committee

HILLSBORO, Ore., July 15, 2009 — MathStar, Inc. (MATH.PK) today announced that it has entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent with Sajan, Inc. regarding a potential merger. Sajan is a leading provider of language translation management solutions. Sajan’s language translation services use advanced process and quality management through their next generation SaaS technology. Sajan’s patent-pending data management and on-demand collaboration and workflow platform create a unique blend of technology and service, resulting in the most advanced and measurable solution available today. Among their clients are several Fortune 500 companies.

MathStar also announced that on July 14, 2009, the Board of Directors appointed a special committee consisting of MathStar’s independent directors, Richard C. Perkins and Benno G. Sand, to negotiate the completion of a definitive merger and ancillary agreements with Sajan. Craig-Hallum Capital Group, LLC is representing MathStar as its investment banker in connection with the proposed transaction.

The Mathstar Board, in conjunction with Craig-Hallum and several independent technology and financial consultants, has conducted extensive due diligence of Sajan; however, entry into definitive merger and ancillary agreements with Sajan is subject to the completion of due diligence, among other customary conditions. Final terms and conditions of the proposed transaction will be disclosed upon any signing of the definitive merger agreement.

Statements in this press release, other than historical information, may be “forward-looking” in nature within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and are subject to various risks, uncertainties and assumptions. These statements are based on management’s current expectations, estimates and projections about MathStar and include, but are not limited to, those set forth in the section of MathStar’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2008 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 31, 2009 under the heading “Item 1A. Risk Factors” and in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2009. Except as may be required by law, MathStar undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements in order to reflect events or circumstances that may arise after the date of this release.

The CEO’s resignation letter is set out below:

July 14, 2009

Gentlemen;

In response to your decision today to pursue the Sajan acquisition I hereby tender my resignation as President, CEO and CFO of MathStar and also my position on the Board of Directors, effective immediately. I am disappointed by the actions you took regarding Sajan and by your rejection of the plan I have presented to restart MathStar based on Video Encoding technology.

Further, I do not believe the proposed Sajan acquisition is in the best interest of MathStar shareholders. I do not believe that Sajan, or the advisors hired to do the due diligence, have presented a business plan that warrants committing over $13 million of cash, nearly half of which will not remain in the combined company but will be distributed to the current Sajan shareholders. In addition the newly issued shares will result in nearly a 50% dilution of the equity currently held by MathStar shareholders.

Douglas M. Pihl

[Full Disclosure:  We do not have a holding in MATH. 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.]

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NSTR pays initial distribution of $2.06

Posted in Activist Investors, Catalysts, Liquidation, Net Cash Stocks, Northstar Neuroscience Inc (NASDAQ:NSTR), Stocks, tagged , , on July 16, 2009| 8 Comments »

Northstar Neuroscience Inc (NASDAQ:NSTR) has paid an initial distribution of $2.06 per share.

We’ve been following NSTR (see our post archive here) because it was a net cash stock that had announced a plan to liquidate. We estimated that the final pay out figure in the liquidation would be around $59M or $2.26 per share, which presented an upside of around 18% from our initial $1.91 position. The company had estimated a slightly lower pay out figure of between $1.90 and $2.10 “assuming we are unable to sell our non-cash assets” and expected the initial distribution to be approximately $1.80 per share. The $2.06 distribution returns our initial capital and makes our profit since inception 7.9%, with further distributions to come.

From the relevant report:

As previously disclosed, on June 12, 2009 Northstar Neuroscience, Inc. (the “Company”) filed Articles of Dissolution (the “Articles of Dissolution”) with the Secretary of State of the State of Washington in accordance with the Company’s Plan of Complete Liquidation and Dissolution (the “Plan of Dissolution”). The Articles of Dissolution became effective, and the Company became a dissolved corporation under Washington law, on July 2, 2009 (the “Effective Date”) at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

In addition, the Company’s common stock (the “Common Stock”) was officially delisted from the NASDAQ Global Market at the opening of trading on the Effective Date, pursuant to the previously filed Form 25, which the Company filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and The NASDAQ Stock Market, Inc. on June 22, 2009. The Company has instructed its transfer agent to close the Company’s stock transfer records as of the close of business on the Effective Date and no longer to recognize or record any transfers of shares of the Common Stock after such date except by will, intestate succession or operation of law.

On July 13, 2009, pursuant to the Plan of Dissolution, the board of directors of the Company approved an initial liquidating distribution of $2.06 per share to the shareholders of record of the Common Stock as of the Effective Date. The Company expects to pay this initial liquidating distribution in cash on or about July 15, 2009.

Pursuant to the requirements of Washington law, the Company intends to retain certain of the remaining assets of the Company to satisfy and make reasonable provision for the satisfaction of any current, contingent or conditional claims and liabilities of the Company until such time as the Company’s board of directors determines that it is appropriate to distribute some or all of such remaining assets. The amount and timing of any subsequent and final distributions will be at the discretion of the Company’s board of directors.

(emphasis added)

[Full Disclosure:  We do not have a holding in NSTR. 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.]

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MATH announces results of annual meeting; Shareholders reject liquidation

Posted in Activist Investors, MathStar Inc (OTC:MATH), Net Cash Stocks, S. Muoio & Co, Stocks, tagged , , , on July 15, 2009| 5 Comments »

MathStar Inc’s (OTC:MATH) board has announced the results of the annual meeting and, disappointingly, MATH’s stockholders have rejected the proposal to liquidate MATH.

We’ve been following MATH since December last year (see our post archive here) when it was trading at $0.68. The stock is up 73.5% to close yesterday at $1.18, giving it a market capitalization of $10.8M. We estimate MATH’s net cash value to be around $11.7M or $1.27 per share. The board’s estimate of the company’s liquidation value is slightly higher than ours, at $1.40 per share. Both estimates exclude revenue from any sales of MATH’s existing inventory of field programmable object array chips or its FPOA technology, although we have ascribed negligible value to these assets. We initiated the position because MATH was trading below its net cash value and had two substantial stockholders lobbying management to liquidate. MATH’s board has suspended the company’s operations and has been exploring “strategic alternatives, which could include merger, acquisition, increasing operations in another structure or liquidation.” Two activist investors, Mr. Zachary McAdoo of The Zanett Group and Mr. Salvatore Muoio of S. Muoio & Co., have been urging MATH’s board to consider liquidation rather than a merger. Tiberius Capital has also launched a tender offer for MATH at $1.25 per share in cash. MATH’s board has recommended against acceptance.

The company’s press release announcing the results is set out below:

MathStar Announces Results of Annual Meeting;

CEO Doug Pihl Announces Strategic Plan

HILLSBORO, Ore., July 13, 2009 — MathStar, Inc. (MATH.PK) today announced the results of its annual meeting of stockholders, held Friday, July 10, 2009 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Three proposals were voted on at the meeting: (i) stockholders voted to re-elect the four nominated Directors of MathStar’s Board of Directors; (ii) stockholders ratified the appointment of MathStar’s independent registered public accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP; and (iii) as had been recommended by the Board, stockholders rejected the stockholder proposal recommending liquidation of MathStar.

After the vote tallies were announced, Doug Pihl, the Chairman, President and CEO of MathStar made a presentation regarding the strategic alternatives currently being explored by the Board, which include the possibility of a merger with a private company or a restart of MathStar upon the acquisition of certain video encoding technology.

Mr. Pihl said, “After the meeting, I am confident that our stockholders continue to support the vision of the MathStar Board and we are working hard to identify a business opportunity that leverages MathStar’s assets with the goal of growing revenues and enhancing shareholder value.”

As such, MathStar’s Board of Directors continues to recommend that MathStar stockholders reject the cash tender offer from Tiberius Capital II, LLC (Tiberius).

The MathStar Board of Directors continues to recommend AGAINST stockholders tendering their MathStar shares to Tiberius for several reasons, some of which include:

· MathStar stockholders voted to reject liquidation, signaling a continued confidence in the Board’s strategic vision;

· the myriad changes to the tender offer highlight that it continues to be inadequate and that MathStar stockholders are generally rejecting it;

· Tiberius’ offer still would eliminate the use of MathStar’s $140 million net operating loss carryforwards, which could shield taxes on more than $10 in earnings per share, if MathStar attains sufficient profitable operations in the future; and

· Tiberius still has not set forth any specific plans for the Company were it to acquire a controlling interest.

The Board’s reasons for recommending that you reject the Tiberius tender offer are explained in more detail in MathStar’s Solicitation/Recommendation Statement on Schedule 14D-9, as amended (MathStar Statement) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). You may review and obtain copies of the MathStar Statement and all amendments thereto free of charge at the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. You may also obtain copies of the MathStar Statement at http://www.mathstar.com or by contacting calling MathStar’s information agent, The Proxy Advisory Group, LLC, at (888) 337-7699 (888-33PROXY) and requesting a copy.

[Full Disclosure:  We do not have a holding in MATH. 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.]

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