SEC Company Response from SoftBrands, Inc. (CIK 0001311926) — May 6, 2005
SoftBrands, Inc. (CIK 0001311926)
Date: May 6, 2005 · CIK: 0001311926 · Accession: 0001104659-05-021115
AI Filing Summary & Sentiment
Referenced dates: April 14, 2005, August 28, 2002
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CORRESP 1 filename1.htm MAIL STOP 4-6 Ms. Barbara C. Jacobs, Esq. Mr. Jeffrey Werbitt Securities and Exchange Commission 450 Fifth Street NW Washington, DC 20549 Re: SoftBrands, Inc. Form 10/A filed March 15, 2005 Form 10-Q filed March 15, 2005 for the period ended December 31, 2004 Form 10-Q/A filed March 17, 2005 for the period ended December 31, 2004 File No. 0-51118 Dear Ms. Jacobs and Mr. Werbitt: This letter is in response to your letter dated April 14, 2005 relating to the above filings. We are filing via EDGAR, simultaneous with this letter, an amended Form 10 and an amended Form 10-Q that we believe address your comments. With respect to each of your comments, we have repeated the text of your comment below followed by our response. If our response includes a revision to our Form 10/A or Form 10-Q, where practical, we have also included the text of the revision. Form 10/A Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations, page 22. Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates, page 23 1. It seems that any failure of your controls over contract preparation and review could have adverse consequences in addition to recognizing less revenue. Revise to expand your disclosure to include the impact of possible “ineffective” conclusions regarding your disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting. In response to your comment and upon further review of the disclosure, we have revised the critical accounting policy on revenue recognition to omit the language “Although we anticipate that our controls over contract preparation and review are adequate to avoid these revenue issues, if we fail to properly document sales, or if the objective evidence of the value of the other elements in a multi-element contract change, we might be required to record less, or even no, revenue on shipment of products.” This language is omitted for two reasons – 1) it inappropriately implied that we experience revenue deferrals due to issues with our internal controls, which is not accurate, and 2) the main point of the sentence is a repeat of the language earlier in the paragraph, that is, that revenue is not necessarily recognized upon shipment but only when all criteria of revenue recognition are met. We have replaced this language with a new sentence that further clarifies that, if necessary, revenue is deferred until all revenue recognition criteria are clearly met. The paragraph, as revised, is as follows: “We generate revenue primarily from sale of licenses to our software under perpetual license agreements, from sale of software maintenance or “customer support” for that software, from sale of services related to the software, and in some instances from sale of related hardware. In many cases in which we sell a software license, we also sell customer support services, implementation services and hardware. We generally recognize software license revenue when we ship product to a customer. In order to do so, we must make a determination that the software license fees are fixed or determinable, that the shipment is not contingent on customer acceptance or on the delivery of any other element of services or products we provide, and that it is likely that we will collect the license fees. We must also have vendor-specific objective evidence of fair value for each element of the contract that is not delivered with the license and these elements can not be essential to the performance of the software in order for revenue to be recognized up-front. We document our sales with contracts or purchase orders that make it clear that the purchase of the software license is not contingent or conditioned on the delivery of another element. Although infrequent, if for any reason documentation of an arrangement is incomplete or if our achievement of the other criteria described above is not clear, we defer all or part of the related revenue until the revenue recognition criteria are met.” Liquidity and Capital Resources, page 44 2. We have read your response to prior comment 23 and the corresponding revised disclosure, which includes the non-GAAP measure “working capital surplus, excluding the impact of deferred revenue.” Given that this measure excludes deferred revenue, but includes the cash generated by the transactions that resulted in the deferred revenue, it is not clear to us why you believe that this measure is useful to investors. Additionally, given that your failure to perform according to the terms of the underlying arrangements could result in you refunding deferred amounts to your customers, it is not clear to us why you believe that presentation of this measure is appropriate under Rule 10(e)(1)(ii)(A) of Regulation S-K. Accordingly, explain to us why you believe your presentation complies with the requirements of Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K. Alternatively, consider removing this measure. We acknowledge your comment and the nature of “working capital as adjusted for deferred revenue” as a non-GAAP financial measure. In response to your comment, we have revised the disclosure in the enclosed Form 10/A as follows: “We believe that cash flows from operations together with our cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to meet our commitments and our cash requirements for at least the next twelve months. Our working capital deficit (current assets less current liabilities) of $13.4 million at September 30, 2004, included $18.0 million of deferred revenue representing our obligation to provide maintenance services. We typically satisfy our obligations for maintenance services at a cost of approximately 30% to 35% of the deferred revenue and fund the cost of that obligation from cash flow and from renewals from the next subsequent annual contract period for the maintenance contracts.” In addition, in response to this question we have revised similar liquidity and capital resources disclosure in the December 31, 2004 Form 10-Q on page 17 as follows: “As of December 31, 2004, we had $9.7 million of cash and cash equivalents and $899,000 of restricted cash. Our working capital deficit (current assets less current liabilities), increased from $13.4 million at September 30, 2004 to $15.6 million at December 31, 2004. This increase in working capital deficit is due to the reclassification from long-term to current of the $2.0 million principal payment of debt that is due on December 31, 2005. The working capital deficit at December 31, 2004 includes deferred revenue of $19.9 million. These deferred revenue obligations are typically satisfied for substantially less than the carrying value. Deferred maintenance revenues comprise the majority of our deferred revenues and our cost to perform these revenues has recently been between 30% and 35% of total maintenance revenue. Our most significant source of operating cash flows is derived from license, maintenance and service fees. Our primary uses of cash from operating activities are for employee costs, third-party costs for services and the cost of our facilities.” Consolidated Financial Statements Note 1. Nature of Business and Company Operations Basis of Presentation, page F-7 3. Supplementally, explain to us, in detail, how you evaluated the legal and accounting impact of AremisSoft’s bankruptcy on SoftBrands. In your response, indicate whether your evaluation would have changed had SoftBrands been identified as the accounting spinee under EITF 02-11. We considered all relevant legal and accounting matters as a result of AremisSoft’s bankruptcy. We would have preferred to find a basis upon which to treat SoftBrands as the accounting spinnee, which would have allowed us to register with the SEC much earlier than we have. We met with the SEC Staff on August 22, 2002, and we emphasized that SoftBrands had separate facilities and was never integrated into AremisSoft. We requested dispensation – seeking either 1) that SoftBrands to be treated as the accounting spinnee (rather than the spinnor) or 2) that carve-out financials be considered adequate for Rule 3-05 purposes. We presented this in detail at the meeting as well as in follow-up letters dated August 28, 2002 and September 27, 2002. The SEC staff, however, was unable to provide any dispensation. With this background, we evaluated various legal and accounting issues regarding the bankruptcy and related transactions. In particular, we evaluated whether the separation should be treated as a forward or reverse spin, we considered whether fresh start accounting applied and we evaluated whether to report AremisSoft as a discontinued operation. Each of these is discussed below in detail. Forward or reverse spin Legal view: Legally, SoftBrands was spun off as a NEWCO. After August 2, 2002, SoftBrands had no further interaction with AremisSoft qua former parent. Historically, the activities of AremisSoft and its non-SoftBrands subsidiaries had minimal interaction with SoftBrands, and post spin, SoftBrands has had no “privileged” status in transactions between the two entities. Accounting view: Although EITF 02-11 did not technically apply to a spin transaction in August 2002, given that it was effective for spinoffs completed after September 12, 2002, we still considered it at the time and disclosed consideration of EITF 02-11 in our footnotes. This GAAP guidance articulated long-standing views of the Staff such as those articulated in Mr. R. Scott Blackley’s speech on December 4, 2000. From an accounting perspective, SoftBrands spun off the non-operating and much smaller parent as a discontinued subsidiary. Based on the facts and circumstances, it was determined that AremisSoft did not represent the larger, more substantive business. In fact, AremisSoft did not even qualify as a business under EITF 98-3 as it did not have the required inputs, processes and outputs to conduct normal operations. SoftBrands had all of the operations and clearly was intended to be the ongoing operation. In accordance with EITF 02-11, as well as informal SEC guidance from prior to the effective date of the EITF, we concluded that the legal spinoff of SoftBrands from AremisSoft should be accounted for as a reverse spinoff. As previously mentioned, we considered the issuance of EITF 02-11 to be simply confirming GAAP and SEC guidance that existed prior to this formalization. Each of the indicators noted in paragraph 8 of EITF 02-11 support treating this as a reverse spinoff, as follows: • The size of the legal spinnor and the legal spinnee – In all respects including assets, revenues and earnings, SoftBrands (the legal spinnee) was significantly larger than AremisSoft (the legal spinnor) on August 2, 2002. • The fair value of the legal spinnor and the legal spinnee – The fair value of SoftBrands was greater than the fair value of AremisSoft on August 2, 2002. SoftBrands fair value was approximately $20 million, while the fair value of AremisSoft on a stand-alone basis, given all the fraud and legal issues, was essentially zero. • Senior management – SoftBrands retained the senior management of the formerly combined entity (AremisSoft), including the CEO, COO and CFO. • Length of time to be held – SoftBrands is the only operating entity continuing following the bankruptcy/spinoff. AremisSoft still exists as a legal entity, but it is dormant and is expected to be legally shut down in the near future. In conclusion, we considered both the form (or the legal aspect) as well as the substance (or the accounting aspect) of this spin and ultimately concluded that the substantive approach is the most accurate depiction of the substance of the transaction for shareholders and other users of the financial statements. To quote the words of Mr. Blackley, we believe this is the “most relevant presentation and clearly is a faithful representation of the transaction”. Fresh start accounting Legal view: From a legal perspective, AremisSoft entered bankruptcy. SoftBrands did not. Therefore, fresh start accounting cannot apply to SoftBrands. Accounting view: As a precaution, and due to the fact SoftBrands was the clear accounting successor, we evaluated the impact of the transaction from a substantive standpoint. With SoftBrands having the only operations and the only businesses, we evaluated as if SoftBrands had been in bankruptcy, whether fresh start accounting would apply. As described in our response to prior comment 36 and further described in our responses to comments 5 and 6 below, it was clear to us then that the insolvency criteria did not apply and it appeared that the greater than 50% change in equity did not apply as well. Now, as described in our response to comment 6 below, we continue to believe that both criteria did not apply. Discontinued operations of AremisSoft Legal view – Under normal circumstances, AremisSoft’s disposition of SoftBrands would have required AremisSoft to report SoftBrands’ results as discontinued operations, and freed SoftBrands of any responsibility for recording AremisSoft’s activities, beyond historical related-party disclosures. Accounting view - In accordance with footnote 2 of EITF 02-11, “the accounting spinnee should be reported as a discontinued operation by the accounting spinnor if the spinnee is a component of an entity (paragraph 41 of Statement 144) and meets the conditions for such reporting contained in paragraph 42 of Statement 144.” Using this guidance, we concluded that AremisSoft should be presented as a discontinued operation. From a reverse spinoff perspective, AremisSoft was essentially a wholly-owned subsidiary of SoftBrands. The operations of this “subsidiary” were discontinued prior to December 31, 2001, and the only transactions taking place for AremisSoft in 2002 were the legal expenses and other wind-down costs. In addition, the operations and cash flows of AremisSoft were, as of August 2, 2002, eliminated from the ongoing operations of SoftBrands, and SoftBrands did not have any significant continuing involvement in AremisSoft’s operations. 4. Supplementally, explain how you determined that the spin-off of SoftBrands to both AremisSoft stockholders and class action claimants was considered a pro rata distribution in accordance with paragraph 3 of EITF 02-11. As mentioned in our response to the previous comment, EITF 02-11 did not technically apply. Nonetheless, paragraph 3 of EITF 02-11, which references APB Opinion 29 paragraph 23, is copied below, with emphasis added to the section relevant to our response to your comment. 3. The accounting guidance for spinoffs is provided in Opinion 29. Although the basic principle underlying Opinion 29 is that the accounting for nonmonetary transactions should be based on the fair values of the assets (or services) involved, it provides a modification to that basic principle for nonreciprocal transfers to owners (such as spinoffs). Opinion 29, paragraph 23 (as amended by Statement 144), states: Accounting for the distribution of nonmonetary assets to owners of an enterprise in a spin-off or other form of reorganization or liquidation or in a plan that is in substance the rescission of a prior business combination should be based on the recorded amount (after reduction, if appropriate, for an indicated impairment of value) of the nonmonetary assets distributed. A prorata distribution to owners of an enterprise of shares of a subsidiary or other investee company that has been or is being consolidated or that has been or is being accounted for under the equity method is to be considered to be equivalent to a spin-off. Other nonreciprocal transfers of nonmonetary assets to owners should be accounted for at fair value if the fair value of the nonmonetary asset distributed is objectively measurable and would be clearly realiz