Acquisition of Precision Industries, Inc.

On July 14, 2020 (the “Closing Date”), the Company entered into a definitive Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Merger Agreement”) with Precision Industries, Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation (“Precision”), President Merger Sub Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Live Ventures (“Merger Sub”), and D. Jackson Milhollan, as shareholders’ representative, pursuant to which Live Ventures acquired Precision by the consummation of a merger (the “Merger”) of its Merger Sub with and into Precision, with Precision surviving the Merger.

Pursuant to the Merger Agreement, and subject to the terms and conditions contained therein, at the closing of the Merger, Live Ventures paid Precision’s shareholders aggregate consideration of $31,475 in cash (the “Merger Consideration”), subject to (i) certain adjustments with respect to Precision’s cash, expenses incurred in connection with the Merger, debt, and net working capital balances at the closing of the Merger, (ii) the withholding of a portion of the Merger Consideration in connection with the Precision shareholders’ indemnification obligations under the Merger Agreement, and (iii) the withholding of a portion of the Merger Consideration as an expense account for the shareholders’ representative. At the effective time of the Merger (the “Effective Time”), shares of Precision’s outstanding common stock (the “Precision Common Stock”) were converted into the right to receive a portion of the Merger Consideration in accordance with the terms of the Merger Agreement.  

The Merger Agreement contains customary representations, warranties, covenants, and agreements of Live Ventures, Merger Sub, and Precision, including indemnification rights in favor of Live Ventures that are customary for a transaction of this nature and magnitude.

In connection with the Merger, Live Ventures formed “Precision Affiliated Holdings LLC”, a Delaware limited liability company (“Precision Holdings”), as its wholly-owned subsidiary for the purpose of its holding 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of Precision.  Pursuant to the terms of a Contribution Agreement (the “Contribution Agreement”) and in connection with the Merger and the financing of the acquisition of Precision, Live Ventures caused the capital stock of Precision to be vested in Precision Holdings.  

Financing Transactions

Loan with Encina Business Credit, LLC

On the Closing Date, Precision Holdings, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Live Ventures and the holder of 100% of the issued and outstanding shares of capital stock of Precision and Merger Sub entered into a Loan and Security Agreement (the “Loan Agreement”) by and among Precision and Merger Sub, as Borrowers, Precision Holdings, as a Loan Party Obligor, the lenders from time to time party thereto, and Encina Business Credit, LLC, as Agent (the “Agent”).  The Loan Agreement provides for a $1.72 million secured term loan (the “Term Loan”), and secured revolving loans (the “Revolving Loans”, and together with the Term Loan, the “Encina Loans”) in a principal amount not to exceed the lesser of (i) $23,500 and (ii) a borrowing base equal to the sum of (a) 85% of eligible accounts receivable of the two Borrowers, plus (b) 85% of eligible inventory of the two Borrowers, subject to an eligible inventory sublimit that begins at $14,000 and declines to $12,000 during the term of the Loan Agreement, minus (c) customary reserves.  The Encina Loans will be used (v) in connection with the consummation and financing of  the Merger, (w) to repay in full certain indebtedness of Precision, (x) to pay the fees, costs, and expenses incurred in connection with the Loan Agreement and the Merger Agreement, (y) for Borrowers’ working capital purposes, and (z) for other lawful business purposes.

The Revolving Loans bear interest at an interest rate equal to the one-month London interbank offered rate (“LIBOR”) plus the applicable margin. The applicable margin ranges from 4.50% to 5.50% per annum (subject to a LIBOR floor of 1.00%) and is determined based on a pricing grid based on the Borrowers’ inventory-to-accounts receivable availability ratio and average Revolving Loan excess availability. The applicable margin through January 31, 2021 is 5.50%.  The Term Loan bears interest at an interest rate equal to LIBOR plus 6.50%.

The outstanding principal amounts of the Encina Loans and all accrued and unpaid interest are due and payable on July 14, 2023 (the “Scheduled Maturity Date”).  The Term Loan requires monthly payments of principal in the amount of $28,666.67 plus accrued and unpaid interest. The Revolving Loans require monthly payments of accrued and unpaid interest.  The Borrowers may prepay the Term Loan in whole or in part, and may prepay the Revolving Loans in part, at any time without penalty or premium.  The Borrowers may prepay and terminate the Revolving Loans in whole at any time, subject to the payment (with certain exceptions described below) of an early termination fee equal to: (i) 3.0% of the Revolving Loan Commitment ($23,500) if prepaid during the period of time from and after the Closing Date up to the first anniversary of the Closing Date; (ii) 1.0% of the Revolving Loan Commitment on and after the first anniversary of the Closing Date, but on or before the second anniversary of the Closing Date, or (iii) 0.50% on and after the second anniversary of the Closing Date, but on or before the third anniversary of the Closing Date; provided, during the three months preceding the Scheduled Maturity Date, no early termination fee will be payable so long as Borrowers provide at least 90-days’ prior written notice to Agent of such proposed Revolving Loan Commitment termination.

The Encina Loans are also subject to customary mandatory prepayments upon the occurrence of certain asset dispositions, casualty, taking or condemnation events, equity issuances, the incurrence of certain indebtedness, and receipt of extraordinary receipts.

The Encina Loans are secured by a lien on substantially all of the assets of Precision Holdings, the Borrowers, and any future subsidiaries of the Borrowers, and are guaranteed by Precision Holdings and future subsidiaries of the Borrowers.

Loan from Isaac Capital Group LLC

On July 10, 2020, the Company borrowed $2,000 (the “ICG Loan”) from Isaac Capital Group LLC (“ICG”).  The ICG Loan matures on May 1, 2025 and bears interest at a rate of 12.5% per annum. Interest is payable in arrears on the last day of each month, commencing July 31, 2020. Live Ventures used the proceeds from the ICG Loan to finance the acquisition of Precision.  The ICG Loan documents contain events of default and other provisions customary for a loan of this type.

Jon Isaac, the Company President and Chief Executive Officer, is the President and sole member of ICG.  As of June 17, 2020, Mr. Isaac is the beneficial owner of approximately 52.9% of the outstanding capital stock (on an as-converted and as-exercised basis) of the Company, which percentage includes ICG’s beneficial ownership of approximately 45.4% of the outstanding capital stock (on an as-converted and as-exercised basis) of the Company.

The foregoing description of the ICG Loan is qualified in its entirety by reference to the complete text of the Loan and Security Agreement among Isaac Capital Fund I, LLC (“ICF”) and certain direct and indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries of Live Ventures, dated as of July 6, 2015, and that certain Consent, Joinder and First Amendment to Loan and Security Agreement among ICF and certain of the same subsidiaries and one additional indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Live Ventures, dated as of January 31, 2020, the Second Amendment to Loan and Security Agreement and Novation by and among Live Ventures, Marquis Affiliated Holdings LLC, Marquis Industries, Inc., and Isaac Capital Fund I LLC, and the Assignment and Assumption Agreement between ICF and ICG, dated as of July 10, 2020.

Loan from Spriggs Investments LLC

On July 10, 2020, the Company executed a promissory note (the “Spriggs Promissory Note”) in favor of Spriggs Investments LLC (“Spriggs Investments”), a limited liability company whose sole member is Rodney Spriggs, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Vintage Stock, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, that memorializes a loan by Spriggs Investments to the Company in the initial principal amount of $2,000 (the “Spriggs Loan”). The Spriggs Loan matures on July 10, 2022 and bears simple interest at a rate of 10.0% per annum. Interest is payable in arrears on the last day of each month, commencing July 31, 2020. the Company may prepay the Spriggs Loan in whole or in part at any time or from time to time without penalty or premium by paying the principal amount to be prepaid, together with accrued interest thereon to the date of prepayment; provided, however, that, if the Company prepays the Spriggs Loan in whole or in part on or prior to December 10, 2020, then the Company would also be obligated to pay a prepayment penalty to Spriggs Investments in an amount equal to $100, less the amount of any interest paid or to be paid by the Company up to the date of prepayment.  the Company used the proceeds from the Spriggs Loan to finance the acquisition of Precision.  The Spriggs Promissory Note contains events of default and other provisions customary for a loan of this type. The Spriggs Loan was guaranteed by Jon Isaac, Live Ventures’ President and Chief Executive Officer, and by ICG.  

ApplianceSmart Bankruptcy and Other ApplianceSmart Litigation Matters

On August 4, 2020, Valassis Communications, Inc. and Valassis Digital Corp. (collectively, “Valassis”) filed suit against ApplianceSmart Holdings LLC in the State of Michigan, Third Judicial Circuit, Wayne County, alleging, among other things, breach of contract and account stated and seeking damages of approximately $700.  The Company believes that ApplianceSmart, Inc., not ApplianceSmart Holdings LLC is the responsible party.  On December 9, 2019, ApplianceSmart filed a Chapter 11 Case in the Bankruptcy Court seeking relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code. The bankruptcy affects Live Ventures’ indirect subsidiary ApplianceSmart only and does not affect any other subsidiary of Live Ventures, including, but not limited to ASH, or Live Ventures itself.  The Company believes that this matter has been stayed by the Chapter 11 Case, and, if the Bankruptcy Court determines that this matter has not been stayed, the Company intends to vigorously defend on behalf of ASH.

SEC Notice

On August 12, 2020, three of the Company’s corporate executive officers (together, the “Executives”) each received a “Wells Notice” from the Staff of the SEC relating to the Company’s previously-disclosed SEC investigation.  The Wells Notices relate to, among other things, the Company’s reporting of its financial performance for its fiscal year ended September 30, 2016, certain disclosures related to executive compensation, and its previous acquisition of ApplianceSmart. A Wells Notice is neither a formal charge of wrongdoing nor a final determination that the recipient has violated any law. The Wells Notices informed the Executives that the SEC Staff has made a preliminary determination to recommend that the SEC file an enforcement action against each of the Executives that would allege certain violations of the federal securities laws. The Executives and the Company maintain that their actions were appropriate and intends to vigorously defend against any and all allegations brought forth.