Note 3 - Convertible Instruments

Series B Convertible Preferred Stock

During fiscal 2010, the Company issued 400,000 shares of Series B, $.001 par value Convertible Preferred Stock (“Series B”) at $5.00 per share for cash proceeds totaling $2,009,000, of which 95,100 shares remain outstanding at August 31, 2015. Each share of the Series B is convertible into ten shares of the Company’s $.001 par common stock including any accrued dividends, with an effective fixed conversion price of $.50 per share. The holders of the Series B can only convert their shares to common shares provided the Company has sufficient authorized common shares at the time of conversion. Accordingly, the conversion option was contingent upon the Company increasing its authorized common shares, which occurred in April 2010, when the Company’s shareholders approved an increase in the authorized shares of common stock to 100,000,000. At the commitment date, which occurred upon such shareholder approval, the conversion option related to the Series B was beneficial. The intrinsic value of the conversion option at the commitment date resulted in a constructive dividend to the Series B holders of approximately $6,000,000. The constructive dividend increased and decreased additional paid-in capital by identical amounts. The Series B has liquidation preferences over the common shares at $5.00 per share plus any accrued dividends. Dividends are payable to the Series B holders when declared by the board of directors at the rate of $.25 per share per annum. Such dividends are cumulative and accrue whether or not declared and whether or not there are any profits, surplus or other funds or assets of the Company legally available. The Series B holders have no voting rights.

2013 Convertible Notes

During the year ended May 31, 2013, the Company issued $6,588,250 in aggregate original principal amount of unsecured convertible notes (the “2013 Convertible Notes”) to investors for cash. Each outstanding 2013 Convertible Note is convertible at the election of the holder at any time into common shares at a fixed conversion price. At issuance, total principal of $6,208,250 was convertible at $0.75 per share, and $380,000 was convertible at $0.65 per share. The 2013 Convertible Notes were payable in full between November 30, 2013 and March 6, 2016, and bore interest at rates ranging from 5% to 10% per year, payable in cash semi-annually in arrears beginning on April 1, 2013. At August 31, 2015 and May 31, 2015, one 2013 Convertible Note with an aggregate original principal amount of $50,000 remained outstanding, convertible at $0.75 per share, bearing interest at a rate of 5% per year, and payable in full on October 15, 2015.

 

In connection with the initial sale of the 2013 Convertible Notes, detachable common stock warrants with a two-year term to purchase a total of 8,527,984 common shares at exercise prices ranging from $0.75 to $2.00 per share were issued to the investors. The Company determined the fair value of the warrants at issuance using the Black-Scholes option pricing model utilizing certain weighted average assumptions such as expected stock price volatility, term of the warrants, risk-free interest rates, and expected dividend yield at the grant date.

Additionally, at the commitment date, the Company determined that the conversion feature related to the 2013 Convertible Notes was beneficial to the investors. As a result, the Company determined the intrinsic value of the conversion feature utilizing the fair value of the underlying common stock at the commitment date and the effective conversion price after discounting the 2013 Convertible Notes for the fair value of the warrants. The fair value of the warrants and the intrinsic value of the beneficial conversion feature were recorded as a debt discount to the 2013 Convertible Notes, with a corresponding increase to additional paid-in capital. The debt discount is amortized over the life of the 2013 Convertible Notes. During the three months ended August 31, 2015 and 2014, the Company recognized approximately $4,100 and $356,000, respectively, as interest expense related to amortization of the debt discount. The unamortized discount is fully amortized upon any conversion of the 2013 Convertible Notes before maturity. Activity related to the 2013 Convertible Notes for the three months ended August 31, 2015 and fiscal year ended May 31, 2015 was as follows:

 

		August 31, 2015				May 31, 2015
Face amount of Notes		$	50,000			$	4,271,250
Unamortized discount			(2,375	)			(6,529	)
Conversions			—				(4,221,250	)
Total carrying value of Notes		$	47,625			$	43,471

During the year ended May 31, 2015, certain holders of the 2013 Convertible Notes in the aggregate principal amount of $1,175,000, plus accrued but unpaid interest of $4,703, were induced to convert their 2013 Convertible Notes into common stock, at the rate of $0.75 per share, conditioned upon their immediate exercise of certain of the foregoing warrants, covering an aggregate of 1,413,333 shares of common stock, at an exercise price reduced from $2.00 down to $0.55 per share. The note conversions resulted in the issuance of 1,556,667 shares of common stock, a cash interest payment of $3,793 and the Company’s receipt of $777,333 from the exercise of such warrants.

During the year ended May 31, 2015, certain holders of the 2013 Convertible Notes in the aggregate principal amount of $3,046,250, plus accrued but unpaid interest of $86,296, were induced to convert their 2013 Convertible Notes into 4,181,079 shares of common stock at a conversion price of $0.75, conditioned upon the Company issuing new warrants to replace certain of the foregoing warrants which had previously expired, covering an aggregate of 6,310,677 shares of common stock, at an exercise price of $1.00 per share, with an approximate term of seven months from date of issuance.

The Company determined the fair value of the new warrants using the Black-Scholes option pricing model utilizing certain weighted-average assumptions, such as expected stock price volatility, term of the warrants, risk-free interest rate and expected dividend yield at the commitment date.

 

		2015
Expected dividend yield		0%
Stock price volatility		88.79%
Expected term		5 years
Risk-free interest rate		1.46%-1.58%
Grant-date fair value		$0.52-$0.76

As further described in Note 12, the Company has subsequently extended the term of such replacement warrants for an additional year, with new expiration dates between October 1, 2016 and January 15, 2017.

 

AVCP Convertible Notes

During the year ended May 31, 2015, the Company issued a three-month unsecured convertible promissory note (the “AVCP Bridge Note”) in the aggregate principal amount of $1,500,000 to Alpha Venture Capital Partners, L.P. (“AVCP”). As described in greater detail below, the AVCP Bridge Note has subsequently been converted in a transaction occurring during the quarter ended August 31, 2015. The principal amount of the AVCP Bridge Note plus unpaid accrued interest was convertible at the election of the holder into shares of the Company’s common stock at any time prior to maturity at an initial conversion price of $1.00 per share. The AVCP Bridge Note bore simple interest of 1.2% per month, payable at maturity on May 5, 2015, and monthly thereafter, upon the Company’s election to exercise a one-time option to extend the maturity by an additional three months, which the Company exercised on April 1, 2015 (extending the maturity date to August 5, 2015). Prepayment was permitted without penalty subject to the Company’s obligation to pay at least three months’ interest on the principal amount. The conversion price was subject to (i) adjustment for stock splits and similar corporate events and (ii) reduction to a price per share that is 10% below the lowest sale price that is below $.9444 per share, for shares of common stock sold or deemed sold in future securities offerings, including sales to AVCP and its designees subject to certain exempt transactions. Without AVCP’s prior written consent, the Company was not permitted to incur additional indebtedness for borrowed money, other than up to an additional $6.0 million in convertible promissory notes that may be issued to AVCP or related parties, unless such indebtedness was subordinated in right of payment to the Company’s obligations under the AVCP Bridge Note and any additional notes issued to AVCP or related parties.

Earlier in the year ended May 31, 2015, the Company issued an additional two-year term unsecured convertible promissory note (the “AVCP Two-Year Note” and, together with the AVCP Bridge Note, the “AVCP Convertible Notes”) in the aggregate principal amount of $2,000,000 to AVCP. As described in greater detail below, along with the AVCP Bridge Note, the AVCP Two-Year Note has subsequently been converted in a transaction occurring during the quarter ended August 31, 2015. The AVCP Two-Year Note bore simple interest at the annual rate of 5%, payable quarterly. The principal balance of the AVCP Two-Year Note was due and payable in full on September 26, 2016, subject to acceleration of payment in the event of default. Prepayment was permitted without penalty. The AVCP Two-Year Note included events of default for nonpayment of principal or interest when due or other breaches of the AVCP Two-Year Note, as well as for breach of any term of the AVCP Two-Year Note and related warrant agreement. The principal amount of the AVCP Two-Year Note plus unpaid accrued interest was convertible at the election of the holder into shares of the Company’s common stock at any time prior to maturity at an initial conversion price of $1.00 per share. The conversion price was subject to adjustment on the same terms, and contained similar consent rights to the issuance of additional indebtedness, as the AVCP Bridge Note above.

As a result of the private placement of approximately $4 million in convertible notes during the fourth quarter of fiscal year ended May 31, 2015, as described below, the conversion price of the AVCP Convertible Notes was reduced to $0.675 per share of common stock, which was 90% of the weighted-average price of the deemed issued shares of $0.75 related to the approximately $4 million offering of 2015 Convertible Notes described below. The decrease in the conversion price caused the number of shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of the AVCP Convertible Notes to increase from 3,500,000 to 5,185,185 shares of common stock.

The Company accounted for the AVCP Notes and related warrants (as described below) as a financing transaction, wherein the proceeds received were allocated to the financial instruments issued. Prior to making the accounting allocation, the AVCP Convertible Notes and warrants were evaluated for proper classification under FASB ASC 480 “Distinguishing Liabilities from Equity” and ASC 815. ASC 815 generally requires embedded terms and features that have characteristics of derivatives to be evaluated for bifurcation and separate accounting in instances where their economic risks and characteristics are not clearly and closely related to the risks of the host contract. The embedded derivative features consisted of the conversion price being subject to (i) adjustment for stock splits and similar corporate events and (ii) reduction to a conversion price per share that is 10% below the lowest sale price that is below $.9444 per share for common stock sold or deemed sold in future securities offerings, subject to certain exempt transactions. The note conversion round down (or anti-dilution) provision terms were not consistent with the definition for financial instruments indexed to the Company’s stock. As such, the conversion option and conversion reset price protection in the AVCP Convertible Notes required bifurcation as a derivative liability.

In connection with the original issuance of the two AVCP Convertible Notes, the Company issued warrants to AVCP covering 250,000 and 75,000 shares of the Company’s common stock exercisable at a price of $0.50 per share on September 26, 2014 and February 6, 2015, respectively. The warrants are currently exercisable in full, include a cashless exercise feature, and will expire on December 31, 2019 and February 28, 2020, respectively. The aforementioned warrants have a term of five years from inception and an exercise price of $.50 per share and meet the conditions for equity classification per ASC 815. The fair value of the warrants was determined using a Black-Scholes option model using the following assumptions:

 

		Warrants issued on September 26, 2014		Warrants issued on February 6, 2015
Risk free interest rate		1.82%		1.48%
Expected life		5 years		5 years
Expected volatility		136%		119%
Dividend yield		0.00%		0.00%

Based on the previous conclusions, the Company allocated the cash proceeds first to the derivative liability at its fair value and then to the warrants at their relative fair value, with the residual allocated to the host AVCP Convertible Notes as presented below.

On June 23, 2015, the Company, Alpha Venture Capital Management, LLC and AVCP entered into a Debt Conversion and Termination Agreement pursuant to which (i) AVCP agreed to convert the $3,535,627 in aggregate indebtedness as of June 23, 2015 under the AVCP Convertible Notes in exchange for 5,237,966 shares of the Company’s $.001 par value common stock; (ii) subject to the conversion of the two AVCP Convertible Notes, the Company agreed to issue AVCP an additional five-year warrant covering 1,000,000 shares of common stock at an exercise price of $0.675 per share and (iii) subject to the AVCP’s receipt of the common shares and warrant, the parties agreed to (a) terminate the subscription agreements; and (b) release and discharge each other party from all claims and obligations arising under the two AVCP Convertible Notes and subscription agreements. As a result of the debt conversion, the Company recognized a loss on extinguishment of the AVCP Convertible Notes of $584,177, a non-cash gain on the change in the fair value of the derivative liability of $646,505 and non-cash inducement interest expense of $757,871 arising from the aforementioned warrant.

 

						Three-months Ended August 31, 2015
		May 31, 2015				Debt Discount				Fair Value				Conversion				August 31, 2015
AVCP Convertible notes payable		$	2,637,618			$	94,344			$	—			$	(2,731,962	)		$	—
Compound embedded derivative			2,008,907				—				(646,505	)			(1,362,402	)			—
Warrants (equity allocation)			215,732				—				—				—				—
Accrued interest on notes payable															(35,627	)
Fair Value of Common Stock Issued															4,714,168
Loss on conversion															(584,177	)
		$	4,862,257			$	94,344			$	(646,505	)		$	—			$	—

Short-Term Convertible Notes

During the year ended May 31, 2015, the Company issued approximately $4.0 million of six-month unsecured convertible promissory notes (the “Short-Term Convertible Notes”) and related warrants to investors for cash, of which approximately $1.3 million in aggregate original principal amount remains outstanding, following the consummation of the tender offer transaction on September 21, 2015, as described below. Each Short-Term Convertible Note was originally convertible, at the election of the holder, at any time into common shares at a $0.75 per share. The Short-Term Convertible Notes bore interest of 7% per annum, payable in cash upon maturity. In connection with the issuance of the Short-Term Convertible Notes, the Company also issued warrants with a five-year term to purchase a total of 1,061,586 shares of $.001 par value common stock at an exercise price of $0.75. The Company determined the fair value of the warrants using the Black-Scholes option pricing model utilizing certain weighted-average assumptions, such as expected stock price volatility, term of the warrants, risk-free interest rate and expected dividend yield at the commitment date.

The Company utilized the following weighted-average assumptions to value the above investor warrants:

 

		2015
Expected dividend yield		0%
Stock price volatility		88.79%
Expected term		5 years
Risk-free interest rate		1.46%-1.58%
Grant-date fair value		$0.52-$0.76

Additionally, at the commitment date, the Company determined that the conversion feature related to the Short-Term Convertible Notes was beneficial to the investors. As a result, the Company determined the intrinsic value of the beneficial conversion feature utilizing the fair value of the underlying common stock at the commitment date and the effective conversion price after discounting the Short-Term Convertible Notes for the fair value of the warrants. The fair value of the warrants and the intrinsic value of the conversion feature were recorded as a debt discounts to the Short-Term Convertible Notes, and a corresponding increase to additional paid-in capital. The debt discounts are amortized over the life of the Short-Term Convertible Notes. During the three months ended August 31, 2015, the Company recognized approximately $1,006,000 as interest expense related to amortization of the debt discounts, and the Short-Term Convertible Notes were not outstanding during the three months ended August 31, 2014. The unamortized discounts are fully amortized upon any conversion of the Short-Term Convertible Notes before maturity. Activity related to the Short-Term Convertible Notes for the three months ended August 31, 2015, and fiscal year ended May 31, 2015 was as follows:

 

		August 31, 2015				May 31, 2015
Face amount of Notes		$	3,981,050			$	3,981,050
Unamortized discounts			(1,037,288	)			(2,390,063	)
Total carrying value of Notes		$	2,943,762			$	1,590,987

During the three months ended August 31, 2015 the Company tendered an offer to settle the balances of the Short-Term Convertible Notes. The Company offered to exchange the Short-Term Convertible Notes for (i) the issuance of restricted shares of our $.001 par value common stock, for the settlement of the balance of the Short-Term Convertible Notes, principal and accrued but unpaid interest as of September 21, 2015, which was the commitment date, at a conversion price of $0.675 per share and (ii) the amendment of the related warrants to reduce the exercise price to $0.675 per share. The offer represented a 10.0% discount to $0.75, which is the current conversion price of the Short-Term Convertible Notes and current exercise price of the related warrants. On September 21, 2015, the offering period and withdrawal rights for the exchange offer expired, and the Company completed the exchange offer for approximately $2.7 million in aggregate original principal amount of Short-Term Convertible Notes, as described in Note 12. The principal and interest for Short-Term Convertible Notes that were not exchanged in the exchange offer, or that are not otherwise converted pursuant to their terms, will become due and payable between October 30, 2015 and November 15, 2015, six months from their issuance.