Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Description of Business

v3.19.2
Description of Business
12 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2019
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
Description of Business
DESCRIPTION OF BUSINESS
Basis of Presentation
The consolidated financial statements comprise those of A-Mark Precious Metals, Inc. ("A-Mark" or the "Company") and its consolidated subsidiaries.
Business Segments
The Company conducts its operations in three reportable segments: (1) Wholesale Trading & Ancillary Services, (2) Secured Lending, and (3) Direct Sales. Each of these reportable segments represents an aggregation of operating segments that meets the aggregation criteria set forth in the Segment Reporting Topic 280 of the Financial Accounting Standards Board’s ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”). (See Note 18.)
Wholesale Trading & Ancillary Services
The Wholesale Trading & Ancillary Services segment operates as a full-service precious metals trading company. The products that this segment sells include: gold, silver, platinum, and palladium primarily in the form of coins, rounds, bars, wafers, and grain. This segment's trading-related services include: consignment, storage, logistics, hedging, and various customized financial programs.
Through its wholly owned subsidiary, A-Mark Trading AG (“AMTAG”), the Company promotes A-Mark's products and services throughout the European continent. Transcontinental Depository Services (“TDS”), also a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company, offers worldwide storage solutions to institutions, dealers, and consumers.
The Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, A-M Global Logistics, LLC. ("Logistics"), operates the Company's logistics fulfillment center. Logistics provides customers an array of complementary services, including packaging, shipping, handling, receiving, processing, and inventorying of precious metals and custom coins on a secure basis.
Through our partially-owned subsidiary, AM&ST Associates, LLC. ("AMST" or "SilverTowne" or the "Mint"), the Company designs and produces minted silver products. The Company operates the Mint pursuant to a joint venture agreement with SilverTowne, L.P. The Company and SilverTowne L.P. own 69% and 31%, respectively, of AMST. The Company acquired its interest in AMST from SilverTowne L.P. to provide greater product selection to our customers and greater pricing stability within the supply chain, as well as to gain increased access to silver products during volatile market environments.
Secured Lending
The Company operates its Secured Lending segment through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Collateral Finance Corporation LLC. ("CFC".) CFC is a California licensed finance lender that originates and acquires commercial loans secured by bullion and numismatic coins. CFC's customers include coin and precious metal dealers, investors, and collectors.
AM Capital Funding, LLC. (“AMCF”), a wholly owned subsidiary of CFC, was formed for the purpose of securitizing eligible secured loans of CFC. AMCF issued, administers, and owns Secured Senior Term Notes: Series 2018-1, Class A, with an aggregate principal amount of $72.0 million and Secured Subordinated Term Notes: Series 2018-1, Class B with an aggregate principal amount of $28.0 million (collectively, the "Notes".)  The Class A Notes bear interest at a rate of 4.98% and the Class B Notes bear interest at a rate of 5.98%.  The Notes have a maturity date of December 15, 2023. For additional information regarding this securitization, see Note 14.
Direct Sales
The Company's wholly-owned subsidiary, Goldline, Inc. ("Goldline"), is a direct retailer of precious metals to the investor community. Goldline markets its precious metal products primarily on radio and the internet. Goldline sells gold and silver bullion in the form of coins, rounds, and bars.
AM IP LLC. ("AMIP"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Goldline, manages intellectual property (“IP”) that includes lists of customers and sales lead information that is licensed to third parties in the industry who can further exploit such assets and provide the Company with ancillary income.
In the fourth quarter of 2019, Goldline entered into a joint venture agreement with one of the Company's related parties to form Precious Metals Purchasing Partners, LLC, ("PMPP"), a 50% owned subsidiary, primarily for the purpose of purchasing precious metals from the partners' retail customers for resale back into the market place. PMPP was capitalized in fiscal 2019, but did not commence operations until fiscal 2020. Metals purchased by the joint venture will be sold to the partners or their affiliates per terms of the joint venture agreement.