SEC Company Response from NEON SYSTEMS INC (CIK 0001072978) — Oct 7, 2005
NEON SYSTEMS INC (CIK 0001072978)
Date: Oct. 7, 2005 · CIK: 0001072978 · Accession: 0001104659-05-047765
AI Filing Summary & Sentiment
Referenced dates: August 26, 2004, September 2, 2005
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CORRESP 1 filename1.htm CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT REQUESTED BY NEON SYSTEMS, INC. Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C. 8911 Capital of Texas Highway Westech 360, Suite 3350 Austin, Texas 78759 October 7, 2005 CERTAIN PORTIONS OF THIS LETTER HAVE BEEN OMITTED AND FILED SEPARATELY WITH THE COMMISSION. CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT HAS BEEN REQUESTED WITH RESPECT TO THE OMITTED PORTIONS. OMITTED INFORMATION HAS BEEN REPLACED IN THIS LETTER WITH A PLACEHOLDER IDENTIFIED BY THE MARK “[***]”. VIA EDGAR AND OVERNIGHT COURIER Securities and Exchange Commission Division of Corporation Finance 100 F Street, N.E. Washington, D.C. 20549 Attn: Kathleen Collins Kari Jin Re: NEON Systems, Inc. Form 10-K for Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2005 Filed June 29, 2005 Form 10-Q for Fiscal Quarter Ended June 30, 2005 Filed August 15, 2005 File No. 0-25457 Dear Ms. Collins and Ms. Jin: On behalf of NEON Systems, Inc. (the “Company” or “NEON”), we submit this letter in response to the comment letter dated September 2, 2005 (the “Staff Comment Letter”) from the staff (the “Staff”) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) relating to the above-referenced Annual Report on Form 10-K (the “Form 10-K”) and above-referenced Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q (the “Form 10-Q”). *** Confidential treatment requested pursuant to a request for confidential treatment filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Omitted portions have been filed separately with the Commission. Because of the commercially sensitive nature of information contained herein, this submission is accompanied by a request for confidential treatment for selected portions of this letter and the supplemental materials. The Company is requesting confidential treatment for selected portions of this letter, including in connection with the Freedom of Information Act, and has filed a separate letter with the Office of Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Operations in connection with that request, pursuant to Rule 406 promulgated by the Commission under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. For the Staff’s reference, we have enclosed a copy of the Company’s letter to the Office of Freedom of Information and Privacy Act Operations as well as a copy of this correspondence, marked to show the portions redacted from the version filed via EDGAR and for which the Company is requesting confidential treatment. In this letter, we have reproduced the comments from the Staff in italicized, bold type and have followed the comment with the Company’s response. The numbered paragraphs of this letter set forth below correspond to the numbered paragraphs of the Staff Letter. References in this letter to “we,” “our” or “us” means NEON Systems, Inc. All information included in this letter related to the activities and stock ownership of NEON Enterprise Software, Inc. (“NESI”), Scalable Software, Inc. (“Scalable”) and Mr. John J. Moores was provided to NEON by such persons, including through questionnaires completed by Mr. Moores. Mr. Moores, having founded BMC Software, is an active venture capital investor in emerging software and other technology companies. Information related to the beneficial ownership of Mr. Moores and his affiliated entities is based on public filings and/or non-confidential information available to the Company. NEON is relying on the truth and accuracy of all such information and all information provided by all third parties referred to herein. Form 10-K for the Fiscal Year Ended March 31, 2005 Other - ObjectStar 1. We note that on July 30, 2004 the Company signed a letter of intent to acquire all of the outstanding capital stock of ObjectStar for $17,200,000 in cash and shares of common stock having an aggregate value of $3.2 million. Was this transaction ever consummated? If so, tell us when the Company filed the financial statements of ObjectStar as previously proposed. Also tell us what consideration you gave to including a discussion of this acquisition in your financial statement footnotes pursuant to paragraphs 51-52 of SFAS 141. If this transaction was terminated, then tell us how you considered the disclosure requirements of Item 1.02 of Form 8-K. *** Confidential treatment requested pursuant to a request for confidential treatment filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Omitted portions have been filed separately with the Commission. 2 Response: As indicated in a letter dated August 26, 2004 to the Staff from the Company, on June 30, 2004, the Company signed a letter of intent to acquire all of the outstanding capital stock of ObjectStar International Limited (the “Letter of Intent”). Except for provisions relating to confidentiality, access to information, exclusivity, termination and public announcements, the provisions of the Letter of Intent were nonbinding. The parties did not enter into a definitive agreement related to the proposed transaction, and the Letter of Intent was terminated on October 1, 2004 by the Company in accordance with its terms. In connection with the termination of the Letter of Intent, the Company had previously determined that the Letter of Intent was not a “material definitive agreement,” as that term is defined pursuant to Item 1.01(b) of the General Instructions to Form 8-K. The General Instructions and the adopting release (Release 34-49424) provide that the term “material definitive agreement” only includes agreements that provide for obligations that are material to and enforceable against the issuer, or rights that are material to the issuer and enforceable by the issuer against one or more parties to the agreement. Furthermore, the adopting release provides that if a company enters into a nonbinding letter of intent that also contains some binding, but non-material elements, such as a confidentiality agreement or a no-shop agreement, the letter of intent would not constitute a “material definitive agreement.” As set forth above, except for provisions relating to confidentiality, access to information, exclusivity, termination and public announcements, the provisions of the Letter of Intent were nonbinding. As a result, the obligations of the Letter of Intent were not enforceable against or by the Company, except for certain provisions that are not material to the Company. Accordingly, the Company determined that the Letter of Intent was not a “material definitive agreement” and that the termination of the Letter of Intent did not require disclosure on Form 8-K pursuant to Item 1.02 of the General Instructions thereto. Note 4 – Related Party Transactions Neon Enterprise Software, Inc. (NESI), page 41 2. We note that you held a non-interest bearing promissory note of $3.6 million and a non-interest bearing convertible note of $3.0 million with NESI at March 31, 2004, which you determined had a net present value of $4.3 million. With regard to these notes, please address the following: *** Confidential treatment requested pursuant to a request for confidential treatment filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Omitted portions have been filed separately with the Commission. 3 a. Tell us how you determined the aggregate value of $4.3 million in August 2002 and tell us how you determined the loss on disposal of $687,000 given the notes’ original aggregate balance of $6.6 million. Response: In August 2002, the Company terminated its distribution agreement with NESI (see Appendix A for the history of the relationship between the Company and NESI). Upon execution of the Termination and Customer Support Agreement, the Company received two promissory notes in an aggregate principal amount of $6.6 million, which were secured by all of NESI’s intellectual property (the “NESI Notes”). The Company recorded the NESI Notes at their estimated net realizable value. In determining the net realizable value of the NESI Notes, the Company considered NESI’s ability to repay the notes as well as the value of NESI’s intellectual property, which secured the NESI Notes. As of August 2002, based on our review of NESI’s financial statements, the Company determined that NESI had a substantial negative net worth and, as a result, the Company had concerns regarding NESI’s ability to repay the NESI Notes. Accordingly, the Company determined that the estimated fair value of the NESI intellectual property securing the NESI Notes was a more appropriate estimate of the net realizable value of the NESI Notes. Because the intellectual property of NESI represented the primary assets of NESI, the Company used the enterprise value for NESI as a basis for the determination of the value of the NESI intellectual property securing the NESI Notes. The Company’s calculation of the enterprise value of NESI resulted in a range of approximately $4.3 million to $7.0 million. However, the Company also considered the costs associated with and the potential diminution in the value of the NESI intellectual property as a result of a foreclosure by the Company of its security interest in NESI’s intellectual property. Based on such considerations, the Company determined that the lower end of this range was more representative of the value the Company would realize if it was forced to foreclose on its security interest. As a result, in August 2002 the Company recorded the NESI Notes at an estimated realizable value of $4.3 million. The Company subsequently received an independent valuation of NESI on March 31, 2003 and 2004. The results of these valuation reports provide support for the reasonableness of the Company’s initial valuation analysis. The valuation report on March 31, 2003 estimated the fair value of NESI to be between $4.9 million and $7.4 million. The valuation report on March 31, 2004 indicated a probability weighted estimated fair value of NESI of $10.1 million. *** Confidential treatment requested pursuant to a request for confidential treatment filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Omitted portions have been filed separately with the Commission. 4 The following is the Company’s calculation of the loss recognized by the Company in association with the termination of the NESI distribution agreement on August 1, 2002, as reflected in the Company’s financial statements for such period. Estimated fair value of the notes received by NEON $ 4,260,000 Recognition of deferred revenue on termination date (1) 1,137,000 $ 5,397,000 Less: Prepaid royalty balance on termination date - August 1, 2002 $ (3,884,000 ) Final advance payment provided upon termination (2,200,000 ) Unearned advances provided to NESI (2) (6,084,000 ) Loss related to termination of the NESI distribution agreement $ (687,000 ) (1) The Company had a $1,137,000 balance of deferred revenue on August 1, 2002, the effective date of the Termination and Customer Support Agreement (the “Termination Date”). Such deferred revenue balance related principally to maintenance fees attributed to NESI products distributed by the Company, and pertained principally to customer maintenance and support obligations to be provided by the Company subsequent to the Termination Date. NESI contractually assumed the customer maintenance and support obligations in Termination and Customer Support Agreement. The Company’s license and support agreements with customers of NESI’s products were assigned to and assumed by NESI, and the affected customers were notified of the transfer. The Company was therefore relieved of its obligation to provide future maintenance and support for previously distributed NESI products. Accordingly, the balance of the associated deferred revenue was recognized in earnings and included in the calculation of the loss related to termination of the NESI distribution agreement. (2) This amount excludes $0.5 million included in the NESI Notes, which was related to consideration provided by NESI to the Company for the assignment of the customer license agreements and the licensing of certain source code and trademarks of the Company. *** Confidential treatment requested pursuant to a request for confidential treatment filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Omitted portions have been filed separately with the Commission. 5 It is important to note that although the Company recorded an initial loss of $687,000 as a result of this transaction, the Company believed that the decision to terminate the NESI distribution agreement was a reasonable business decision under the circumstances, as it ultimately released the Company from its obligation to make $7.0 million in additional advance future royalty payments to NESI; relieved the Company of its obligation to market and support the NESI products; and resulted in further cost savings as a result of the termination of approximately 15 NEON personnel that solely supported the sale of the NESI products distributed by the Company. b. You indicate that both NESI notes were sold to Mr. John Moores, a sole shareholder of NESI on April 15, 2005 in exchange for $4.35 million in cash and a note receivable of $2.2 million, for which you expect to record a gain on sale beginning the first quarter of fiscal year 2006. Considering the relationship between Mr. Moores and both NESI and NEON, tell us how you determined that gain recognition is appropriate. Tell us how you determined this is not, in substance, a capital transaction and provide the specific guidance you are relying upon for your accounting treatment of this transaction. Response: On April 15, 2005, the Company sold the NESI Notes to Mr. John J. Moores for a one-time $4.35 million cash payment paid on April 15, 2005 and a note receivable from Mr. Moores in a principal amount of $2.24 million, bearing interest at 4.0% per annum and payable in quarterly installments through October 2007. As discussed in the response to comment 2.a., the aggregate principal amount of the NESI Notes was $6.6 million and the carrying amount on the Company’s books was $4.3 million. As of the date of sale, Mr. Moores owned approximately 44% of the outstanding common stock of the Company and a majority of the capital stock of Skunkware, Inc. (“Skunkware”), a holding company of which NESI is a wholly owned subsidiary. In determining the appropriate accounting treatment for the sale of the NESI Notes to Mr. Moores, we considered separately both the relevant accounting guidance identified in our analysis below and the substance of the transaction. The Company considered whether NESI and the Company were under the common control of Mr. Moores. The Company considered the definition of “common control” in Emerging Issues Task Force (“EITF”) Issue No. 02-5, Definition of “Common Control” in Relation to FASB *** Confidential treatment requested pursuant to a request for confidential treatment filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Omitted portions have been filed separately with the Commission. 6 Statement No. 141, and concluded that NEON and NESI were not under the common control of Mr. Moores. As previously stated, Mr. Moores was the largest stockholder of Skunkware at the time of the sale of the NESI Notes, as he beneficially owns over [***]% of its voting capital stock, [***], after considering the exercise of all outstanding warrants and stock options. However, on April 15, 2005, Mr. Moores only held approximately 44% of the Company’s outstanding capital stock. On August 1, 2002, the termination date of the distribution agreement between the Company and NESI, Mr. Moores only held approxi