Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Acquisitions

v3.3.0.814
Acquisitions
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Business Combinations [Abstract]  
Acquisitions

4. ACQUISITIONS

 

BEAM LLC ACQUISITION

 

On February 26, 2013, the Company, entered into an equity exchange agreement (the “Beam Exchange Agreement”) by and among the Company, Beam Acquisition LLC, a Nevada limited liability company and wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“Beam Acquisition”), Beam Charging LLC, a New York limited liability company (“Beam”), and Manhattan Charging LLC, a New York limited liability company (“Manhattan Charging”), Eric L’Esperance (“L’Esperance”), and Andrew Shapiro (“Shapiro” and together with Manhattan Charging, L’Esperance and the individual members of Manhattan Charging LLC, the “Beam Members”). The Company had previously entered into an agreement, dated December 31, 2012, (the “Initial Agreement”) with Beam Acquisition and Manhattan Charging, pursuant to which Beam Acquisition acquired all of the outstanding membership interests in Beam in exchange for 1,265,822 restricted shares (the “Exchange Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 (the “Common Stock”) valued at $1,645,569, based on the market price of the Company’s common stock on the date of issuance, subject to certain conditions to be met. In the Beam Exchange Agreement and after the conditions had been met, the Company, through Beam Acquisition, further identified the specific terms under which it acquired all of the outstanding membership interests of Beam and Beam became a wholly owned subsidiary of Beam Acquisition (the “Beam Equity Exchange”).

 

As part of the Beam Equity Exchange, the Company issued an aggregate amount of $461,150 of promissory notes (the “Promissory Notes”) to Manhattan Charging and paid $38,850 in transaction costs. The Promissory Notes accrue interest at a rate of 6% per annum on the aggregate principal amount, and were paid on April 15, 2013 (the “Maturity Date”).

 

Prior to the Beam Equity Exchange, the Company entered into an Assignment of Promissory Note (the “Note Assignment”) with certain creditors of Beam (the “Creditors”), pursuant to which the Creditors sold to the Company two certain secured promissory notes (the “Notes”) totaling an aggregate principal amount of $130,000 and accrued interest of $33,292. In connection with the Note Assignment, the Company entered into an Amendment to the Promissory Note (the “Note Amendment”). Pursuant to the Note Amendment, the Notes held by the Company accrue interest at a rate of 8% per annum on the aggregate principal amount, payable on February 26, 2016. The Notes are secured by a lien on and continuing security interest in all of the Beam assets as described in the Note Amendment and were still outstanding as of December 31, 2013 and are eliminated in consolidation.

 

The Company acquired Beam in order to expand its presence in the New York City market and has accounted for the transaction as a business combination. The following table summarizes the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the closing date:

 

    February 26, 2013  
Cash   $ 69  
Property and equipment     489,469  
Amortizable intangible assets     638,000  
Current liabilities assumed     (622,701 )
Net identifiable assets     504,837  
Goodwill     1,601,882  
Total consideration given   $ 2,106,719  

 

Acquisition related costs consisting of commission expense of $18,000 and legal fees of $20,850 are reflected as compensation and general and administrative expenses, respectively on the statement of operations for the year ended December 31, 2013.

 

Property and equipment were recorded at fair value. Intangible assets at February 26, 2013 consist of awarded government grants for installation of EV charging stations in the New York City metropolitan area of $638,000 based on its fair value on the date of acquisition. The goodwill represents the future economic benefits to be derived from the acquisition as a result of the significant presence of electric charging stations in the New York City metropolitan area. See Note 7 – Intangible Assets for additional details.

 

The Beam Exchange Agreement provided for an anti-dilution benefit to former members of Beam whereby until such time as a former member sells or disposes of all of his Company common shares of stock, any Triggering Event, as defined by the Agreement, whereby the issue price of the Company stock is below $1.58 shall cause the Company to issue a warrant to each former member to purchase an additional number of Company common shares at the Triggering Event price so as to preserve such Beam Member’s pre-Triggering Event percentage ownership in the Company. See Note 12 - Fair Value Measurement for additional details.

 

During 2014, the Company determined the goodwill related to the Beam acquisition had been fully impaired and, as a result, recorded an impairment loss of $1,601,882 during the year ended December 31, 2014.

 

SYNAPSE ASSET ACQUSITION

 

On April 3, 2013 (the “Closing Date”), the Company, entered into an equity exchange agreement (the “Synapse Exchange Agreement”) by and among the Company, EV Pass, LLC, a New York limited liability company (“EV Pass”) and Synapse Sustainability Trust, Inc., a New York non-profit corporation (“Synapse”) pursuant to which the Company acquired from Synapse (i) all of the outstanding membership interests in EV Pass; (ii) the right to operate, maintain and receive revenue from 68 charging stations located throughout Central New York State (“CNY”) in exchange for 671,141 shares (the “Exchange Shares”) of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 (the “Common Stock”) valued at $791,946 based on the market value on the issuance date of the stock; and (iii) title to the registered trademark “EV Pass” (the “Synapse Equity Exchange”).

 

As part of the Synapse Equity Exchange, the Company made a cash payment of $25,000 to Synapse, on the Closing Date and $75,000 was issued in the form of a promissory note (the “Promissory Note”). The Promissory Note does not bear interest and is payable in three installment payments of $25,000 on each subsequent three month anniversary of the Closing Date.

 

On the Closing Date, the parties also executed (i) a Revenue Sharing Agreement wherein the Company agreed to pay Synapse 3.6% of the net revenues, as defined, earned from all current and future charging units installed at any of the 68 CNY locations of which nothing was earned or accrued as of December 31, 2013 and (ii) a Bleed-Out Agreement pursuant to which Synapse agreed to limit its total daily trading of the Common Stock to no more than 5% of the total daily trading volume of the Company’s shares.

 

The Company purchased the assets of EV Pass to expand its presence in central New York State and is accounting for the transaction as a purchase of a collection of assets and liabilities. Under U.S. GAAP, the purchase of a collection of assets requires the allocation of consideration given to be allocated to the assets acquired on a relative fair value basis. The following table summarizes the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the closing date:

 

    April 3, 2013  
Intangible assets   $ 891,946  
Net identifiable assets     891,946  
Consideration given   $ 891,946  

 

There were no acquisition costs associated with this transaction.

 

The fair value of intangible assets acquired on April 3, 2013 consisted of the following:

 

    April 3, 2013  
Awarded government grant for the installation of EV charging stations   $ 285,261  
Trademark     300,000  
Provider agreements for locations awaiting charging station installation     156,685  
Present value of EV charging stations to be acquired in 2016     150,000  
Total purchase price paid   $ 891,946  

 

The fair value of these assets were based on the present value of the awarded government grant on the date of acquisition, the discounted cash flows to be derived from the provider agreements for locations awaiting charging station installation, the present value of the estimated replacement value of the EV charging stations to be acquired in 2016 and the trademark based on the cost to recreate the trademark and its expected useful life. The Company performed an impairment test and determined that an aggregate $606,685 of the intangible assets were fully impaired. Accordingly, the Company recorded an impairment charge of $606,685 during the year ended December 31, 2013, which was equal to the net book value of the assets.

 

350 GREEN ACQUISITION

 

On April 22, 2013 (the “Closing Date”), the Company entered into an addendum (the “Addendum”) to an equity exchange agreement, dated March 8, 2013 (the “350 Green Exchange Agreement”), by and among the Company, 350 Holdings, LLC, a Florida limited liability company (“CCGI Sub”), 350 Green, LLC, a Virginia limited liability company (“350 Green”), Mariana Gerzanych (“Gerzanych”), and Timothy Mason (“Mason” and, together with Gerzanych, the “350 Members”) for the acquisition of 350 Green.

 

350 Green operates a scalable network of plug-in electric vehicle (“EV”) charging stations across the U.S. It distributes its stations by partnering with retail hosts at select, high-traffic shopping centers and other places where EV drivers live and work, to create an expansive and convenient network of EV charging locations. The Company undertook the acquisition to expand its footprint of deployed EV charging stations.

 

Pursuant to the Addendum, the Company (through CCGI Sub) acquired all the membership interests of 350 Green from the 350 Members in exchange for $1,164,525 of which: (a) $719,757, valued at the market price on the date of issuance, was paid in the form of 604,838 unregistered shares of the Company’s common stock, par value $0.001 (such shares, the “Exchange Shares”), and (b) $500,000 was paid in the form of a promissory note (the “Promissory Note”) payable to the 350 Members (the “350 Green Equity Exchange”). The Promissory Note does not bear interest and is payable in the following installments: (i) a payment of $10,000 on the Closing Date, (ii) an additional $10,000 payment on the thirty (30) day anniversary of the Closing Date, and (iii) monthly installments in the amount of $20,000 thereafter until paid in full. Based on the life of the note, the Company imputed interest at 12% per annum and recorded the note at its present value of $444,768 on the date of issuance. The Company has made payments of principal and interest totaling $140,000 through December 31, 2014. See Note 17 – Subsequent Events.

 

In connection with the 350 Green Equity Exchange, the Company entered into a right of first refusal agreement (the “ROFR Agreement”) between the Company and the 350 Members pursuant to which the Company obtained a right of first refusal to participate in any and all EV charging and infrastructure related business opportunities presented to the 350 Members for one (1) year following the Closing Date. If the Company participates in business opportunities presented to it by the 350 Members pursuant to the ROFR Agreement that results in the Company installing EV charging stations (each an “EV Station”), the Company shall pay the 350 Members $250 for the first station, $125 for each additional EV Station, and 1% of any revenues generated by each EV Station for five (5) years from date of installation. The 350 Members are not currently, and will not be, affiliated with, nor employees of, the Company in any way in the future. No stations have been installed as of December 7, 2015 as a result of the ROFR Agreement.

 

On October 19, 2010, 350 Green was awarded a grant from the City of Chicago to install and maintain an EV charging network throughout the city pursuant to a grant agreement (the “Grant”). On or about June 14, 2012, the City of Chicago delivered a Notice of Default to 350 Green citing, among other deficiencies, that all work had stopped on the Grant project because of (i) 350 Green’s failure to pay its subcontractors and; (ii) that 350 Green had made misrepresentations with regard to such payments and financial obligations. On February 5, 2013, the Company and the City of Chicago accepted a Preliminary Terms of Approval of Transfer of Grant Agreement (the “Terms of Approval”) that set forth (i) that the Company will be allowed to receive assignment of the Grant if it, among other criteria, settles all of the outstanding claims by the unpaid subcontractors and finishes the Grant project pursuant to a revised scope and budget and (ii) that the City of Chicago will release 350 Green and the Company from any and all liability with respect to misrepresentations regarding payments and financial obligations made by 350 Green prior to the Closing Date. The 350 Members will not receive a release as part of this settlement with the City of Chicago.

 

On March 1, 2013, the City of Chicago delivered approval of the 350 Green Equity Exchange (the “Chicago Approval”).

 

On April 22, 2013, the Company acquired 350 Green, and 350 Green became a wholly-owned subsidiary of CCGI Sub. The transaction costs associated with this acquisition amounted to $211,000 which were expensed.

 

On April 25, 2013, the Company filed an action against JNS Holdings Corporation (“JNS Holdings”) and JNS Power & Control Systems, Inc. (“JNS Power”, and, together with JNS Holdings, “JNS”) in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (the “Court”), seeking to invalidate an Asset Purchase Agreement dated April 17, 2013 (the “JNS APA”) between 350 Green and JNS Power based on, among other things, the pre-existence of the Equity Exchange Agreement. Pursuant to the 350 Green Asset Purchase Agreement, 350 Green purported to agree to the transfer of certain enumerated assets and liabilities to JNS Power (the “Assets and Liabilities”). On May 25, 2013, JNS Power filed a separate complaint against 350 Green seeking, among other things, specific performance of the JNS APA. The Court consolidated the two actions on or about June 26, 2013.

 

On September 24, 2013 the Court issued a ruling in the combined lawsuits of Car Charging Group, Inc. v. JNS Holdings Corporation, and JNS Power & Control Systems, Inc. v. 350 Green, LLC (the “Court Order”). The Court granted JNS’ motion for specific performance of the JNS APA. Pursuant to the Court Order, 350 Green was required to transfer the Assets and Liabilities to JNS and may be required to pay JNS’ costs and attorneys’ fees as well as indemnify JNS for certain costs incurred with regard to the Assets and Liabilities.

 

The Court Order does not transfer, amend or modify Car Charging Group, Inc.’s ownership of 350 Green; it only requires transfer of ownership of those certain Assets and Liabilities that were listed in the JNS APA entered into between JNS and 350 Green. Car Charging Group, Inc. still owns all of 350 Green’s other assets, in states including, but not limited to: California, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Kansas, Maryland, Colorado, Georgia, Utah, Florida, Ohio, Indiana and Washington. During the fourth quarter of 2013, a bill of sale had been executed between the parties and the assets had been transferred to JNS for the assumption of debt owed by 350 Green to its creditors totaling $2,415,539.

 

The following table summarizes the fair value of the Assets and Liabilities transferred to JNS:

 

Property and equipment   $ 1,286,071  
Accounts payable and accrued expenses     (1,617,041 )
Deferred revenue     (798,498 )
Net liabilities assumed by JNS   $ (1,129,468 )

 

The Company has accounted for the acquisition of 350 Green as a business combination. The following table summarizes the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the closing date after consideration of the JNS APA:

 

    April 22, 2013  
Cash   $ 33,672  
Property and equipment     2,598,208  
Current liabilities assumed     (4,766,734 )
Net liabilities assumed     (2,134,854 )
Goodwill     3,299,379  
Consideration given   $ 1,164,525  

 

The fair value of property and equipment acquired after consideration of the transfer of the net liabilities assumed by JNS was based on market value with consideration for remaining useful life. The goodwill represents the future economic benefits to be derived from the acquisition as a result of the presence of electric charging stations in areas of the United States where the Company formerly did not have a significant presence.

 

On April 17, 2014, the Company’s Board of Directors approved the formation of a trust mortgage (“Trust Mortgage”), a binding contract between 350 Green and a trustee, to serve as fiduciary for the benefit of all creditors of 350 Green, whereby 350 Green conferred upon the trustee the authority and power to manage the operations and assets of the business in a manner that will maximize recovery for 350 Green’s creditors. The Trust Mortgage and the acts of the trustee are not binding upon the creditors of 350 Green (see Note 5 – Assets and Liabilities Transferred to Trust Mortgage – 350 Green). Notwithstanding the Company’s proposal to appoint a trustee, the Company retained ownership of 100% of the membership interests of 350 Green. As a result of this event, the Company’s management determined the goodwill related to the 350 Green acquisition had been fully impaired and, as a result, recorded an impairment loss of $3,299,379 during the year ended December 31, 2014.

 

BLINK NETWORK ACQUISITION

 

On October 16, 2013, Blink Acquisition LLC, a Florida Limited Liability Company (“Blink Acquisition”) and wholly owned subsidiary of Car Charging Group, Inc. (the “Company”), closed on an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “Blink Asset Purchase Agreement”), dated October 10, 2013, with ECOtality, Inc., a Nevada corporation, Electronic Transportation Engineering Corporation, an Arizona corporation, ECOtality Stores, Inc., a Nevada corporation, ETEC North, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, The Clarity Group, Inc., an Arizona corporation, and G.H.V. Refrigeration, Inc., a California corporation, (each, a “Seller” and collectively, the “Sellers” or “ECOtality”) (the “Acquisition”), for the acquisition of the Blink Network, and certain assets and liabilities relating to the Blink Network.

 

The Acquisition was consummated pursuant to the terms of the Blink Asset Purchase Agreement between Blink Acquisition and the Sellers, dated October 10, 2013. The purchase price was initially determined through negotiation between the parties and was subject to certain contingencies, including the approval of the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Arizona (the “Court”). In connection with the approval process, a court-ordered auction was conducted on October 8, 2013. The Company made the prevailing bid, which was approved by the Court on October 9, 2013. Pursuant to the court-approved bid, the Company agreed to acquire the Seller’s assets for approximately $3,335,000 in cash to be delivered at closing, and payment of certain liabilities of the Sellers under certain assumed contracts. The Seller delivered an Assignment and Assumption Agreement, an IP Assignment and Assumption Agreement and a Bill of Sale executed by each Seller relating to the Blink Assets (defined below).

 

The assets purchased in the Acquisition (the “Blink Assets”) include, but are not limited to, all right, title and interest in the Blink Network and all Blink Network-related assets of ECOtality, a clean electric transportation and storage technology firm. The Blink Network is a turnkey electric vehicle (“EV”) charging station network operating system for EV charging stations across the country. The Blink Assets include all of Blink’s charging station inventory of 2,746 Level II and 91 DC fast charging stations, as well as approximately 4,400 installed public charging stations. Blink Acquisition also assumed all Blink Network-related intellectual property, consisting of but not limited to, registered trademarks and patents in the United States and abroad.

 

The Company financed the acquisition using proceeds received in a transaction completed on October 11, 2013 consisting of the issuance of common stock and common stock purchase warrants, which is more fully disclosed in Note 13.

 

as Blink is the largest owner operator of car charging stations in the United States and has accounted for the transaction as a business combination. The following table summarizes the fair value of assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the closing date:

 

    October 16, 2013  
Accounts receivable   $ 29,073  
Inventory     1,396,938  
Intangible assets (patents and trademarks)     150,242  
Property and equipment     4,823,893  
Accounts payable and accrued expenses     (3,065,146 )
Net assets acquired     3,335,000  
Consideration paid   $ (3,335,000 )

 

The consideration paid and the liabilities assumed were deemed to approximate the fair value of assets acquired.

 

ECOTALITY ESTATE ACQUISTION

 

On December 31, 2014, the United States Bankruptcy Court, District Arizona (“Bankruptcy Court”) issued a Confirmation Order Pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule 9024 in the Bankruptcy case, in regards to: Electric Transportation Engineering Corporation (Case No. 13-626), confirming a Plan of Reorganization of Electric Transport Engineering Corporation, whereby the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of the estate (“Creditors”) would own 50% of the Reorganized Electric Transport Engineering Corporation (“Reorganized ETEC”) in consideration, of foregoing the amounts formerly owed by the estate and the Company would own the remaining 50% of the Reorganized ETEC. The initial consideration as of December 31, 2014 was $1,000,000, consisting of an initial payment of $275,000 (including $70,000 to be paid on behalf of the estate directly to their professional service providers and $94,035 representing forbearance of a Blink receivable from the estate) and a subsequent cash payment of $725,000. On April 10, 2015, the consideration was amended to an initial payment of $375,000 (including approximately $281,000 to be paid on behalf of the estate directly to their professional service providers and $94,035 representing forbearance of a Blink network receivable from the estate) and a subsequent cash payment of $825,000 to the Creditors secured by 8,250 shares of Series B Convertible Preferred Stock issued in 2015 under the amendment.

 

As of December 31, 2014, the ECOtality estate consisted of no material assets, liabilities or business other than deferred tax assets associated with carryforward net operating losses (“NOLs”). Given that, as of December 31, 2014, there was no implemented plan to realize the benefit of those NOLs, the Company recorded a full valuation allowance against such deferred tax assets.

As of December 31, 2014, after recording the obligation to pay the estate’s professional service providers and the forbearance of the Blink receivable from the estate, the Company established a payable to the estates’ creditor in the amount of $835,965 and expensed the $1,000,000 of consideration within operating expenses on the consolidated statements of operations during the year ended December 31, 2014.

 

SUMMARY

 

The revenues and net loss of the acquirees from the dates of their respective acquisition dates through December 31, 2013 included in the consolidated statements of operations is as follows:

 

    Car     Beam           Blink        
    Charging     Charging     350 Green     Network        
    Group, Inc.     LLC     LLC     LLC     Total  
Revenue   $ 154,385     $ 56,902     $ 50,795     $ 204,321     $ 466,403  
Net Loss   $ (19,265,774 )   $ (1,592,859 )   $ (1,487,198 )   $ (1,791,454 )   $ (24,137,285 )

 

The unaudited pro forma revenues and net loss of Car Charging Group, Inc. and the acquirees for the year ended December 31, 2013 as if the acquisitions occurred as of January 1, 2013, is as follows:

 

    Car     Beam           Blink        
    Charging     Charging     350 Green     Network        
    Group, Inc.     LLC     LLC     LLC     Total  
Revenue   $ 154,385     $ 57,662     $ 190,907     $ 24,272,000     $ 24,674,954  
Net Loss   $ (19,265,774 )   $ (1,629,770 )   $ (1,981,547 )   $ (18,719,000 )   $ (41,596,091 )