Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Stockholders' Equity

v3.2.0.727
Stockholders' Equity
 12 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2015
Equity [Abstract]  
Stockholders' Equity
STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Effectiveness of Registration Statement and Distribution of Shares
A-Mark filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission a registration statement on Form S-1 relating to the Distribution by SGI to its shareholders of all the shares of common stock of the Company. The registration statement was declared effective by the SEC on February 11, 2014.
The spinoff of the Company from SGI was effected on March 14, 2014 and an aggregate of 7,402,664 shares of A-Mark's common stock were distributed to SGI stockholders. On March 17, 2014, A-Mark's shares began trading on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "AMRK". All share and per share information has been retrospectively adjusted to give effect for the Distribution.
Subsequent to the Distribution, SGI informed the Company that an aggregate of 71,922 shares of A-Mark's common stock should not have been distributed because the SGI shares with respect to which those shares were distributed had been incorrectly classified as outstanding. Accordingly, effective as of March 14, 2014, those 71,922 shares were canceled and returned to the status of authorized but unissued stock.
Repurchase of Common Shares
On June 4, 2014, A-Mark entered into an amendment (“Amendment No. 1”) to the Purchase Agreement (as amended, the “Purchase Agreement”) dated February 26, 2014 with Afinsa, Auctenia and SGI pursuant to which, among other things, SGI agreed to purchase all shares of SGI’s common stock held by Afinsa and Auctentia and Afinsa and Auctentia agreed to sell to A-Mark any shares of common stock of A-Mark received by Afinsa and Auctentia in SGI’s spinoff of A-Mark, which was effected on March 14, 2014. As previously disclosed, the first closing under the Purchase Agreement occurred on February 26, 2014.
Pursuant to Amendment No. 1, also on June 4, 2014, A-Mark purchased 5,520 shares of A-Mark common stock from Afinsa and 373,513 shares of A-Mark common stock from Auctentia for an aggregate purchase price of $2.2 million plus interest in the amount of $0.02 million calculated from February 26, 2014 at the rate of 4% per annum. Afinsa and Auctentia no longer hold any shares of A-Mark common stock.
Shares of A-Mark common stock purchased under the Purchase Agreement have been returned to the status of authorized but unissued shares.
Payment of Dividends to Former Parent
On July 1, 2013, the Board of Directors of the Company declared a $5.0 million dividend to SGI, which was paid on July 5, 2013. On February 12, 2014, the Board of Directors of the Company declared a dividend to SGI in the aggregate amount of $5.0 million, which was paid on February 26, 2014.
Payment of Dividends After Spinoff
    In fiscal 2015, the Board of Directors of the Company initiated a cash dividend policy that calls for the payment of a quarterly cash dividend of $0.05 per common share. On February 6, 2015, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.05 per common share that was paid on March 20, 2015 to stockholders of record at the close of business on March 12, 2015. On May 1, 2015, the Board of Directors declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.05 per common share that was paid on May 25, 2015 to stockholders of record at the close of business on May 14, 2015. On September 11, 2015, the Board of Directors of the Company declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.05 per common share to stockholders of record at the close of business on September 24, 2015, which is scheduled to be paid on October 5, 2015.
2014 Stock Award and Incentive Plan
Prior to the Distribution, the Company’s Board of Directors ("Board") adopted and the Company's then sole stockholder approved the 2014 Stock Award and Incentive Plan ("2014 Plan"). Under the 2014 Plan, the Company may grant options and other equity awards as a means of attracting and retaining officers, employees, non-employee directors and consultants, to provide incentives to such persons, and to align the interests of such persons with the interests of stockholders by providing compensation based on the value of the Company's stock. Awards under the 2014 Plan may be granted in the form of incentive or non-qualified stock options, stock appreciation rights ("SARs"), restricted stock, restricted stock units, dividend equivalent rights and other stock-based awards (which may include outright grants of shares). The 2014 Plan also authorizes grants of performance-based cash incentive awards. The 2014 Plan is administered by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, which, in its discretion, may select officers and other employees, directors (including non-employee directors) and consultants to the Company and its subsidiaries to receive grants of awards. The Board of Directors itself may perform any of the functions of the Compensation Committee under the 2014 Plan.
Under the 2014 Plan, the exercise price of options and base price of SARs may be set at the discretion of the Committee, but generally may not be less than the fair market value of the shares on the date of grant, and the maximum term of stock options and SARs is 10 years. The 2014 Plan limits the number of share-denominated awards that may be granted to any one eligible person to 250,000 shares in any fiscal year. Also, in the case of non-employee directors, the 2014 Plan limits the maximum grant-date fair value at $300,000 of stock-denominated awards granted to a director in a given fiscal year, except for a non-employee Chairman of the Board whose grant-date fair value maximum is $600,000 per fiscal year. The 2014 Plan will terminate when no shares remain available for issuance and no awards remain outstanding; however, the authority to grant new awards will terminate on December 13, 2022.
As of June 30, 2015, 622,000 shares were available for grant under the 2014 Plan.
Equity Awards Assumed in Connection with the Spinoff
Prior to the Distribution Date, the SGI Board of Directors and the Compensation Committee of the SGI Board of Directors, and the Board of Directors of A-Mark, had taken action to provide that the holders of share-based awards, outstanding as of March 14, 2014, denominated in and settleable by delivery of shares of SGI common stock, would have their SGI share-based awards canceled upon the effectiveness of the Distribution, and in place of the canceled awards would become entitled to receive share-based awards denominated in and settleable by delivery of shares of the Company's common stock. The exchange ratio was based on the average closing market price of SGI’s common stock in the final three trading days on which SGI common stock traded before trading ex-dividend with respect to the Distribution, and the average closing market price of A-Mark’s common stock on its first three trading days in the NASDAQ Global Select Market (the “Exchange Ratio”). This resulted in an Exchange Ratio of 0.2397, based on an average closing price for SGI shares of $3.32 and an average closing price for A-Mark shares of $13.85. (For reference, the closing SGI price per share on March 14, 2014 was $3.37 per share and the closing A-Mark price per share on March 17, 2014 was $13.30 and on March 19, 2014 was $14.00.)
Accordingly, to provide for the equitable treatment of holders of then outstanding SGI equity awards in connection with the spinoff, the Company modified (reduced) the number of shares underlying each affected SGI award in the form of stock options, stock appreciation rights (“SARs”) or restricted stock units (“RSUs”) by a factor of 0.2397 to one (with the number of shares rounded up to the next whole share for the entire award, with rounding up of previously vested tranches first and rounding down (where necessary) of later vested tranches). For stock options and SARs, the Company modified (increased) the holders’ award exercise price or base price by a factor 4.1717 to one (the inverse of the Exchange Ratio), with per share exercise prices or base prices then rounded up to the next whole cent. These actions were taken pursuant to the anti-dilution assumption and adjustments approved by SGI and A-Mark. As a result, the Company granted, on March 19, 2014 (the date as of which the exchange ratio became determinable based on the average closing market price of A-Mark common stock), 130,646 RSUs, 8,990 SARs and options to purchase 249,846 shares of common stock. These awards are deemed to be granted under the original plans and arrangements of SGI that have been assumed by the Company, not under the 2014 Plan. However, the Company has not assumed those SGI plans and arrangements insofar as they authorize future grants of share-based compensation (as distinguished from the grants of replacement awards described above).
The cancelation and reissuance of share-based awards are accounted for as modifications in accordance with ASC 718, Compensation-Stock Compensation. The Company compared the fair value of each award immediately before and after modification and determined that the modification did not create any incremental compensation costs. Accordingly, there were no changes to the compensation costs of these awards, as determined using the Black-Scholes fair value model for stock options and SARs, and the common stock value for RSUs, on the original grant dates of each award.
Of the 249,846 stock options, 130,646 RSUs and 8,990 SARs issued in connection with the spinoff, 216,943 stock options, 50,340 RSUs and 8,990 SARs were issued to employees of the Company and the remainder were issued to employees of SGI. After the spinoff, the Company will recognize remaining compensation costs related to awards held by employees of the Company, including SGI employees who transferred to the Company in conjunction with the spinoff, over the remaining service period for each award. The Company does not recognize compensation cost for financial reporting purposes relating to the awards replaced by A-Mark following the Distribution which were held by persons who remained employees of SGI.
From June 30, 2015, the Company will recognize compensation expense of $0.4 million, $0.1 million and $0.0 million, related to stock-options, RSUs and SARs, respectively, over weighted average periods 2.3 years, 0.8 years and 0.0 years respectively. The Company will not recognize compensation costs for awards held by employees of SGI, as they are not providing any services to the Company.
Valuation and Significant Assumptions of Equity Awards Issued After Spinoff
The Company uses Black-Scholes option pricing model, which has various inputs such as the estimated common share price, the risk-free interest rate, volatility, expected life and dividend yield, all of which are estimates. The Company also records share-based compensation expense net of expected forfeitures. Valuation models and significant assumptions for share-based compensation are as follows: 

•
Determining Fair Values. For all equity grants granted, the primary factor in the valuation of equity awards was the fair value of the underlying common stock at the time of grant.
•
Expected Volatility. The Company has limited data regarding company-specific historical or implied volatility of its share price. Consequently, the Company estimates its volatility based on the average of the historical volatilities of peer group companies from publicly available data for sequential periods approximately equal to the expected terms of its option grants. Management considers factors such as stage of life cycle, competitors, size, market capitalization and financial leverage in the selection of similar entities.
•
Expected Term. The expected term represents the period of time in which the options granted are expected to be outstanding. The Company estimates the expected term of options granted based on the midpoint between the vesting date and the end of the contractual term under the “short-cut” or simplified method permitted by the SEC implementation guidance for “plain vanilla” options. The Company will continue to use the short-cut method, as permitted, until we have developed sufficient historical data for employee exercise and post-vesting employment termination behavior after our common stock has been publicly traded for a reasonable period of time.
•
Forfeitures.  The Company estimates forfeitures at the time of grant and revises those estimates in subsequent periods if actual experience differs from those estimates. For the year ended June 30, 2015, the Company estimated an average overall forfeiture rate of 0%, based on the historical forfeitures rates of executives on our Former Parent prior to the spinoff transaction. Share-based compensation is recorded net of expected forfeitures. The Company will periodically assess the forfeiture rate and the amount of expense recognized based on estimated historical forfeitures as compared to actual forfeitures. Changes in estimates are recorded in the period they are identified.
•
Risk-Free Rate.  The risk-free interest rate is selected based upon the implied yields in effect at the time of the option grant on U.S. Treasury zero-coupon issues with a term approximately equal to the expected life of the option being valued.
•
Dividends.  The Company anticipates on paying quarterly cash dividends 5% of outstanding shares of common stock in the foreseeable future. For the year ended June 30, 2015, the Company used an expected dividend yield rate of 0.5%.

 The weighted-averages for key assumptions used in determining the fair value of options granted during the year ended June 30, 2015 follows:
Average volatility
 
33.44
%
 
Risk-free interest rate
 
1.47
%
 
Weighted-average expected life in years
 
6.43

 
Dividend yield rate
 
0.5
%
 
There are no awards with performance conditions nor awards with market conditions.
Employee Stock Options
Our Former Parent had granted employee stock options to certain members of management, key employees, and directors, including to A-Mark personnel, that were denominated in and settleable by delivery of shares of SGI common stock. Effective with the Distribution, the SGI share-based awards were canceled and in place of the canceled awards the holders of the awards were entitled to receive share-based awards denominated in and settable by delivery of shares of the Company's stock.
During the years ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, the Company incurred compensation expense related to stock options granted to the Company's employees (including SGI employees who transferred to the Company in conjunction with the spinoff) that were settleable in shares of SGI common stock (prior to the date of Distribution) and settleable in shares of Company's common stock (subsequent to the date of Distribution and award modification) as set forth below.
in thousands
 
 
 
Years Ended June 30,
 
2015
 
2014
 
Stock option based Compensation Cost related to Shares Settleable in:
 
 
 
 
 
SGI common stock
 
$
—

 
$
—

 
A-Mark common stock
 
153.9

 
60.7

 
Total stock option based compensation costs
 
$
153.9

 
$
60.7

 

As of June 30, 2015, there was total remaining compensation expense of $0.4 million related to employee stock options, which will be recorded over a weighted average period of approximately 2.3 years.
The following table summarizes the stock option activity for the year ended June 30, 2015.
 
 
Options
 
Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share
 
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
(in thousands)
 
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Per Award (1)
Outstanding at June 30, 2014
 
230,787

 
$
10.00

 
$
407

 
$
5.98

Granted through stock option plan
 
3,000

 
10.08

 
 
 
 
Exercised
 
—

 
—

 
 
 
 
Cancellations, expirations and forfeitures
 
(660
)
 
48.02

 
 
 
 
Outstanding at June 30, 2015
 
233,127

 
9.89

 
$
283

 
$
5.96

Shares exercisable at June 30, 2015
 
158,213

 
10.60

 
$
128

 
$
5.87


_________________________________
(1)
 
For awards held by A-Mark employees, the fair value of the awards assumed in Distribution was based on the awards' fair value at grant date, which were determined by SGI prior to the Distribution. Since the Company does not recognize compensation costs for the awards assumed in the Distribution held by employees of SGI, the calculation of the weighted average fair value per share price at grant date was solely based on the awards' fair value at grant date that were awarded to employees of A-Mark.
 

Following is a summary of the status of stock options outstanding at June 30, 2015:
 
 
 
 
Options Outstanding
 
Options Exercisable
Exercise Price Ranges
 
Number of Shares Outstanding
 
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (Years)
 
Weighted Average Exercise Price
 
Number of Shares Exercisable
 
Weighted Average Remaining Contractual Life (Years)
 
Weighted Average Exercise Price
From
 
To
 
 
 
 
 
 
$
—

 
$
10.00

 
134,239

 
7.36
 
$
8.39

 
62,325

 
7.39
 
$
8.44

10.01

 
15.00

 
98,888

 
7.29
 
11.94

 
95,888

 
7.21
 
12.00

 
 
 
 
233,127

 
7.33
 
9.89

 
158,213

 
7.28
 
10.60


The following table summarizes the stock option activity for the year ended June 30, 2014.
 
 
Options
 
Weighted Average Exercise Price Per Share
 
Aggregate Intrinsic Value
(in thousands)
 
Weighted Average Grant Date Fair Value Per Award (1)
Outstanding at June 30, 2013
 
—

 
$
—

 
$
—

 
$
—

Granted through stock option plan
 
—

 
—

 
 
 
 
Stock options issued in spinoff
 
249,846

 
13.75

 
 
 
 
Exercised
 
—

 
—

 
 
 
 
Cancellations, expirations and forfeitures
 
(19,059
)
 
59.10

 
 
 
 
Outstanding at June 30, 2014
 
230,787

 
10.00

 
$
407

 
$
5.98

Shares exercisable at June 30, 2014
 
134,902

 
11.18

 
$
137

 
$
5.77

_________________________________
(1)
 
For awards held by A-Mark employees, the fair value of the awards assumed in Distribution was based on the awards' fair value at grant date, which were determined by SGI prior to the Distribution. Since, the Company does not recognize compensation costs for the awards assumed in the Distribution held by employees of SGI, the calculation of the weighted average fair value per share price at grant date was solely based on the awards' fair value at grant date that were awarded to employees of A-Mark.
 

Restricted Stock Units
During the years ended June 30, 2015 and 2014, the Company incurred compensation expense related to RSUs granted to the Company's employees (including SGI employees who transferred to the Company in conjunction with the spinoff) that were settleable in shares of SGI common stock (prior to the date of Distribution) and settleable in shares of Company's common stock (subsequent to the date of Distribution and award modification) as set forth below.
in thousands
 
 
Years Ended June 30,
 
2015
 
2014
RSUs-based Compensation Cost related to Share Settleable in:
 
 
 
 
SGI common stock
 
$
—

 
$
98.2

A-Mark common stock
 
99.5

 
34.9

Total RSUs based compensation costs
 
$
99.5

 
$
133.1


The remaining compensation expense that will be recorded under restricted stock grants totals $0.1 million, which will be recorded over a weighted average period of approximately 0.8 years.
The following table summarizes the RSU activity for the year ended June 30, 2015:
 
Shares
 
Weighted Average Share Price at Grant Date (1)
Outstanding at June 30, 2014
106,674

 
$
2.72

Shares granted
—

 
—

Shares released
(10,806
)
 
4.31

Shares surrendered to cover employee minimum withholding taxes
(9,570
)
 
4.31

Shares forfeited
—

 
—

Outstanding at June 30, 2015
86,298

 
$
2.34

Vested but unissued at June 30, 2015
—

 
$
—

_________________________________
(1)
 
For awards held by A-Mark employees, the fair value of the awards assumed in Distribution was based on the awards' fair value at grant date, which were determined by SGI prior to the Distribution. Since, the Company does not recognize compensation costs for the awards assumed in the Distribution held by employees of SGI, the calculation of the weighted average share price at grant date was solely based on the awards' fair value at grant date that were awarded to employees of A-Mark.
 
 
 
 
 

     The following table summarizes the RSU activity for the year ended June 30, 2014:
 
Shares
 
Weighted Average Share Price at Grant Date (1)
Outstanding at June 30, 2013
—

 
$
—

Shares granted
—

 
—

Shares issued in spinoff
130,646

 
2.22

Shares released
(11,033
)
 
—

Shares surrendered to cover employee minimum withholding taxes
(4,549
)
 
—

Shares forfeited
(8,390
)
 
—

Outstanding at June 30, 2014
106,674

 
$
2.72

Vested but unissued at June 30, 2014
—

 
$
—

_________________________________
(1)
 
For awards held by A-Mark employees, the fair value of the awards assumed in Distribution was based on the awards' fair value at grant date, which were determined by SGI prior to the Distribution. Since, the Company does not recognize compensation costs for the awards assumed in the Distribution held by employees of SGI, the calculation of the weighted average share price at grant date was solely based on the awards' fair value at grant date that were awarded to employees of A-Mark.
 
 
 
 
 

During fiscal years 2015 and 2014, certain RSUs of SGI and A-Mark employees that vested were net share-settled to cover the Company's minimum withholding tax obligation and the remaining amounts were converted into an equivalent number of shares of the Company's common stock. The Company withheld shares with value equivalent to the employer's minimum statutory obligation for the applicable income and other employment taxes, and remitted payment to SGI, the related-party entity obligated to remit the withholding taxes to the appropriate taxing authorities. The total shares withheld for fiscal years 2015 and 2014, were 9,570 and 4,549 RSUs respectively, which was based on the value of the RSUs on their vesting date as determined by the Company's closing stock price. Total payments for the employees' tax obligations to the taxing authorities during fiscal years 2015 and 2014 were approximately $100,000 and $53,000, respectively. These net-share settlements had the effect of share repurchases by the Company as they reduced and retired the number of shares that would have otherwise have been issued as a result of the vesting and did not represent an expense to the Company.
Tax benefit recognized for year ended June 30, 2015 was equal to the amount of vested shares included in the employees’ Forms W-2. No tax benefit was recognized in the consolidated statements of income related to share-based compensation for the year ended June 30, 2014. No share-based compensation was capitalized for the years ended June 30, 2015 and 2014.
Stock Appreciation Rights
The Company, from time to time, may grant SARs to certain key employees and executive officers. The number of shares to be received under these awards ultimately depends on the appreciation in the Company’s common stock over a specified period of time, generally 3.0 years. At the end of the stated appreciation period, the number of shares of common stock issued will be equal in value to the appreciation in the shares of the Company’s common stock, as measured from the stock's closing price on the date of grant to the average price in the last month of the third year of vesting. As of June 30, 2015, the Company had issued and outstanding 8,990 SARs with an average base price of $50.31, in connection with the spinoff. At June 30, 2015 and June 30, 2014, there was no intrinsic value associated with these arrangements. The Company did not recognize any compensation expense related to these awards during the years ended June 30, 2015 and 2014. There is no remaining compensation expense that will be recorded for these awards.
Certain Anti-Takeover Provisions
The Company’s Certificate of Incorporation and by-laws contain certain anti-takeover provisions that could have the effect of making it more difficult for a third party to acquire, or of discouraging a third party from attempting to acquire, control of the Company without negotiating with its Board. Such provisions could limit the price that certain investors might be willing to pay in the future for the Company’s securities. Certain of such provisions provide for a Board with staggered terms, allow the Company to issue preferred stock with rights senior to those of the common stock, or impose various procedural and other requirements which could make it more difficult for stockholders to effect certain corporate actions.