Stockholders' Equity

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2020

Equity [Abstract]

Stockholders' Equity

Stockholders’ Equity

GWG Holdings Equity

Common Stock

In September 2014, GWG Holdings consummated an initial public offering of its common stock resulting in the sale of 800,000 shares of common stock at $12.50 per share, and net proceeds of approximately $8.6 million after the payment of underwriting commissions, discounts and expense reimbursements. In connection with this offering, the common stock of GWG Holdings was listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol “GWGH.”

The 2018 transactions between GWG Holdings, GWG Life, Beneficient and the Seller Trusts described in Note 1 ultimately resulted in the issuance of 27,013,516 shares of GWG Holdings common stock to the Seller Trust in exchange for Common Units. The shares were offered and sold in reliance upon the exemption from registration provided by Section 4(a)(2) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Also, the Purchase and Contribution Agreement described in Note 1 ultimately resulted in the sale of 2,500,000 shares of GWG Holdings common stock to BCC, and the contribution of 1,452,155 shares of GWG Holdings common stock to AltiVerse.

Pursuant to the Exchange Agreement described in Note 1, commencing on December 31, 2019, holders of Ben LP Common Units have the right to exchange their Common Units for common stock of GWG Holdings. The exchange ratio in the Exchange Agreement is based on the ratio of the capital account associated with the Common Units to be exchanged to the market price of the common stock of GWG Holdings based on the volume weighted average price of GWG Holdings’ common stock for the five consecutive trading days prior to the quarterly exchange date. No Ben LP Common Units have been exchanged for common stock of GWG Holdings through September 30, 2020.

On November 15, 2018, the Board of Directors of GWG Holdings approved a stock repurchase program pursuant to which the Company was permitted, from time to time, to purchase shares of its common stock for an aggregate purchase price not to exceed $1.5 million. Stock repurchases were able to be executed through various means, including, without limitation, open market transactions, privately negotiated transactions or otherwise. The stock repurchase program did not obligate the Company to purchase any shares, and expired on April 30, 2019.

The following table includes information about the stock repurchase program for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 (dollar amounts in thousands, except per share data):

2019 Monthly Period	Number of Shares Purchased	Average Price Paid per Share		Total Number of Shares Purchased as Part of the Program	Maximum Dollar Value of Shares that Remained Under the Program
January 2019	42,488	$	8.47	52,523	$	1,072
February 2019	202	8.88		52,725	1,070

(1)No stock was repurchased after February 2019, and the stock repurchase program expired on April 30, 2019.

Redeemable Preferred Stock

On November 30, 2015, our public offering of up to 100,000 shares of RPS at $1,000 per share was declared effective. Holders of RPS are entitled to cumulative dividends at the rate of 7% per annum, paid monthly. Dividends on the RPS are recorded as a reduction to additional paid-in capital, if any, then to the outstanding balance of the preferred stock if additional paid-in capital has been exhausted. Under certain circumstances described in the Certificate of Designation for the RPS, additional shares of RPS may be issued in lieu of cash dividends.

The RPS ranks senior to our common stock and pari passu with our RPS 2 (see further details in the section below) and entitles its holders to a liquidation preference equal to the stated value per share (i.e., $1,000) plus accrued but unpaid dividends. Holders of RPS may convert their RPS into our common stock at a conversion price equal to the volume-weighted average price of our common stock for the 20 trading days immediately prior to the date of conversion, subject to a minimum conversion price of $15.00 and in an aggregate amount limited to 15% of the stated value of RPS originally purchased from us and still held by such purchaser.

Holders of RPS may request that we redeem their RPS at a price equal to their stated value plus accrued but unpaid dividends, less an applicable redemption fee, if any, as specified in the Certificate of Designation. Nevertheless, the Certificate of Designation for RPS permits us in our sole discretion to grant or decline redemption requests. Subject to certain restrictions and conditions, we may also redeem shares of RPS without a redemption fee upon a holder’s death, total disability or bankruptcy. In addition, after one year from the date of original issuance, we may, at our option, call and redeem shares of RPS at a price equal to their liquidation preference.

In March 2017, we closed the RPS offering to additional investors having sold 99,127 shares of RPS for an aggregate gross consideration of $99.1 million and incurred approximately $7.0 million of related selling costs.

At the time of its issuance, we determined that the RPS contained two embedded features: (1) optional redemption by the holder, and (2) optional conversion by the holder. We determined that each of the embedded features met the definition of a derivative; however, based on our assessment under ASC 470, Debt, (“ASC 470”) and ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging, (“ASC 815”), we do not believe bifurcation of either the holder’s redemption or conversion feature is appropriate.

Series 2 Redeemable Preferred Stock

On February 14, 2017, our public offering of up to 150,000 shares of RPS 2 at $1,000 per share was declared effective. The terms of the RPS 2 are largely consistent with those of the RPS, other than the conversion and redemption features discussed below.

Holders of RPS 2 may, less an applicable conversion discount, if any, convert their RPS 2 into our common stock at a conversion price equal to the volume-weighted average price of our common stock for the 20 trading days immediately prior to the date of conversion, subject to a minimum conversion price of $12.75 and in an aggregate amount limited to 10% of the stated value of RPS 2 originally purchased from us and still held by such purchaser. We may, at our option, call and redeem shares of RPS 2 at a price equal to their liquidation preference (subject to a minimum redemption price, in the event of redemptions occurring less than one year after issuance, of 107% of the stated value of the shares being redeemed).

In April 2018, we closed the RPS 2 offering to additional investors having sold 149,979 shares of RPS 2 for an aggregate gross consideration of $150.0 million and incurred approximately $10.3 million of related selling costs.

The RPS 2 was determined to have the same two embedded features discussed in the RPS section above (optional redemption and optional conversion by the holder). We do not believe bifurcation of either the holder’s redemption or conversion feature is appropriate.

Beneficient Equity

As of September 30, 2020, BCH, a consolidated subsidiary of Ben LP, has issued general partnership Class A Units (Subclass A-1 and A-2), Class S Ordinary Units, Class S Preferred Units, FLP Units (Subclass 1 and Subclass 2), Preferred Series A Subclass 1 Unit Accounts, Preferred Series A Subclass 2 Unit Accounts, and Preferred Series C Unit Accounts. The Preferred Series A Subclass 0 Unit Accounts were created under the 5th Amended and Restated LPA; however, none have been issued as of September 30, 2020. The 5th Amended and Restated LPA of BCH governs the terms of these equity securities.

Common Units

As of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, Beneficient has a total of 48,749,630 and 44,146,623 Common Units issued and outstanding, respectively. As of September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, GWG owns 46,887,963 and 42,171,946, Common Units, respectively, which are eliminated in consolidation. The remaining issued and outstanding Common Units are recorded in the condensed consolidated balance sheet in the noncontrolling interests line item.

Preferred Series A Subclass 0 (Noncontrolling Interests)

On July 15, 2020, BCH, a consolidated subsidiary of Ben LP, amended its limited partnership agreement in a 5th Amended and Restated LPA, which created a new subclass of Preferred Series A Unit Accounts, the Preferred A.0.

As a subclass of the Preferred Series A Unit Accounts, the Preferred A.0 receives the same preferred return on a quarterly basis as the other Preferred Series A subclasses. However, the Preferred A.0 is senior to all other classes of preferred equity, including the other subclasses of Preferred Series A in terms of allocations of profits, distributions, and liquidation. The Preferred A.0 can be converted into Class S Units at the election of the holder, at a price equal to (x) prior to the initial public listing, the per Common Unit fair market value as determined by the general Partner and (y) following the initial public listing, the lesser of (i) $10 and (ii) if the Common Units are listed on a national securities exchange, the volume-weighted average closing price of a Common Unit as reported on the exchange on which the Common Units are traded for the twenty (20) days immediately prior to the applicable exchange date, or if the Common Units are not listed on a national securities exchange, then the volume-weighted average closing price of a security traded on a national securities exchange or quoted in an automated quotation system into which the Common Units are convertible or exchangeable for the twenty (20) days immediately prior to the applicable exchange date.

Preferred Series A Subclass 1 (Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest)

BCH, a consolidated subsidiary of Ben LP, has non-unitized equity outstanding. The Preferred Series A Subclass 1 Unit Accounts are non-participating and convertible on a dollar basis.

In 2019, Preferred Series A Subclass 1 Unit Account holders signed an agreement to forbear the right to receive an annualized preferred return in excess of a rate determined materially consistent with the methodology below until, initially, the earlier of December 31, 2019 or three months following the issuance of the limited trust association charters by the Texas Department of Banking. The charters from the Texas Department of Banking were not issued as of December 31, 2019. In 2020, this forbearance agreement was extended through September 30, 2020.

The income allocation methodology under this forbearance agreement was as follows:

•First, Ben, as the sole holder of Class A Units issued by BCH is allocated income from BCH to cover the expenses incurred solely by Ben;

•Second, the remaining income at BCH is allocated 50% to the aggregate of Class A Units and Class S Ordinary Units and 50% to Preferred Series A Subclass 1 Unit Accounts, until the Common Units issued by Ben receive a 1% annualized return on the Common Unit account balance;

•Third, after the 1% annualized return to the Common Unit issued by Ben is achieved, additional income is allocated to the Preferred Series A until the Preferred Series A is allocated the amount required under the LPA, (as amended); and

•Finally, any remaining income is allocated under the terms of the current LPA (pro-rata between the Class A Units and Class S Ordinary Units).

If and when the forbearance agreement expires, account holders will be entitled to a compounded quarterly preferred return. The preferred return to be paid to Preferred Series A Unitholders is limited by a quarterly preferred return rate cap that is based on the annualized revenues of BCH. Annualized revenues are defined as four times the sum of total quarterly interest, fee and dividend income plus total noninterest revenues. This quarterly rate cap is defined as follows:

•0.25% if annualized revenues are $80 million or less;

•0.50% if annualized revenues are greater than $80 million but equal to or less than $105 million;

•0.75% if annualized revenues are greater than $105 million but equal to or less than $125 million;

•1.00% if annualized revenues are greater than $125 million but equal to or less than $135 million;

•1.25% if annualized revenues are greater than $135 million but equal to or less than $140 million; and

•If over $140 million, the preferred return calculation is based on a fraction (i) the numerator of which is (A) the positive percentage rate change, if any, to the seasonally adjusted CPI-U covering the period from the date of the last allocation of profits to such holders, plus (B) (x) 2% prior to an Initial Public Offering (as defined in the BCH LPA) by Ben and (y) 3% thereafter, and (ii) the denominator of which is one minus the highest effective marginal combined U.S. federal, state and local income tax rate in effect as of the beginning of the fiscal quarter for which such determination is being made for an individual resident in New York City, New York, assuming (1) that the aggregate gross income allocable with respect to the quarterly preferred return for such fiscal year will consist of the same relative proportion of each type or character (e.g., long term or short term capital gain or ordinary or exempt income) of gross income item included in the aggregate gross income actually allocated in respect of the quarterly preferred return for the fiscal year reflected in the BCH's most recently filed Internal Revenue Service Form 1065 and (2) any state and local income taxes are not deductible against U.S. federal income tax.

The definition of Initial Public Offering includes an event, transaction or agreement pursuant to which the Common Units are convertible or exchangeable into equity securities listed on a national securities exchange or quotation in an automated quotation system.

No amounts have been paid to the Preferred Series A Subclass 1 Unit Account holders related to the preferred return from inception through September 30, 2020. In connection with the issuance of Preferred Series A Subclass 2 Units as part of the Option Agreement, the preferred return of Preferred Series A Subclass 1 Unit Account holders is reduced by the preferred return allocated to the Preferred Series A Subclass 2 Units during the period the Option Agreement remains outstanding. Additionally, certain Preferred Series A Subclass 1 Unit Account holders agreed to be specially allocated any income or losses associated with the Beneficient Management Partners, L.P. Equity Incentive Plan and certain other costs.

Upon election by a holder, the Preferred Series A Unit Accounts (other than Preferred Series A Subclass 2 Unit Accounts) are, at any time on or after January 1, 2021, convertible in an amount of Preferred Series A Unit Accounts (other than Preferred Series A Subclass 2 Unit Accounts), equal to 20% of their Sub-Capital Accounts into Class S Ordinary Units (with the right to convert any unconverted amount from previous years in any subsequent years). Upon an election, a holder of Preferred Series A Subclass 1 Unit Accounts will be issued Class S Ordinary Units necessary to provide the holder with a number of Class S Ordinary Units that, in the aggregate, equal (a) the balance of the holder’s capital account associated with the Preferred Series A Subclass 1 Unit Accounts being converted divided by (b) either (x) prior to an initial public offering, the appraised per Class A Unit fair market value as determined by Beneficient or (y) following an initial public offering, the average price of a Common Unit for the thirty (30) day period ended immediately prior to the applicable conversion date. The holder of such newly issued Class S Ordinary Units may immediately convert them into Common Units. Additionally, effective December 31, 2030, if the Preferred Series A Subclass 1 Unit Accounts have not been converted, they will redeem for cash in an amount equal to the then outstanding capital account balance of the accounts. If available redeeming cash (as defined in the LPA) is insufficient to satisfy any such redemption requirements, BCH, on a quarterly basis, will redeem additional Preferred Series A Units until all such Preferred Series A Units have been redeemed. The Preferred Series A Subclass 1 Unit Accounts are subject to certain other conversion and redemption provisions.

The current LPA of BCH also includes certain limitations of BCH, without the consent of a majority-in-interest of the Preferred Series A Unit Account holders, to (i) issue any new equity securities and (ii) except as otherwise provided, incur indebtedness that is senior to or pari passu with any right of distribution, redemption, repayment, repurchase or other payments relating to the Preferred Series A Unit accounts. Further, BCH cannot, prior to the conversion of all the Preferred Series A Unit accounts, incur any additional long-term debt unless (i) after giving effect to the incurrence of the new long-term debt on a pro forma basis, the sum of certain preferred stock, existing debt and any new long-term indebtedness would not exceed 55% of BCH’s net asset value (“NAV”) plus cash on hand, and (ii) at the time of incurrence of any new long-term indebtedness, the aggregate balance of BCH’s (including controlled subsidiaries) debt plus such new long-term debt does not exceed 40% of the sum of the NAV of the collateral underlying the loan portfolio of BCH and its subsidiaries plus cash on hand at Ben LP, BCH and its subsidiaries.

The Preferred Series A Subclass 1 Unit Accounts are recorded in the condensed consolidated balance sheet in the redeemable noncontrolling interest line item.

Preferred Series C Unit Accounts

The 5th Amended and Restated LPA also created a new class of preferred equity, the Preferred Series C Unit Accounts. The Preferred Series C Unit Accounts are non-participating and convertible on a basis consistent with the UPA discussed in Note 1. Account holders are entitled to a compounded quarterly preferred return based on a fraction, the numerator of which is (a) the sum of an inflation adjustment amount, plus (1) 0.5% prior to the initial public listing and (2) 0.75% following the initial public listing, and the denominator of which is (b) 1 minus the means of the highest effective marginal combined U.S. federal, state and local income tax rate (including the rate of taxes under Section 1411 of the Code) for a Fiscal Year prescribed for an individual resident in New York, New York (taking into account (a) the nondeductibility of expenses subject to the limitations described in Sections 67 and 68 of the Code and (b) the character (e.g., long-term or short-term capital gain or ordinary or exempt income) of the applicable income, but not taking into account the deductibility of state and local income taxes for U.S. federal income tax purposes), based on the Partnership’s most recently filed IRS form 1065.

BCH calculates two Preferred Series C Unit Accounts capital accounts: the Liquidation Capital Account and the Conversion Capital Account. In calculating the Conversion Capital Account, the Preferred Series C Unit Accounts are allocated profits and losses junior to the Preferred Series A Unit Accounts. In calculating the Liquidation Capital Account, the Preferred Series C Unit Accounts are allocated profits and losses pari passu with the Preferred Series A Unit Accounts.

Following the exchange of any Preferred Series C Unit Accounts into Common Units under the UPA described in Note 1, the excess of the profits and losses allocated to the Preferred Series C Unit Accounts under the Liquidation Capital Account will be deemed the “Excess Amount.” This Excess Amount will be specially allocated at each tax period in accordance with the principals of Treasury Regulation Section 1.704-1(b)(4)(x), to the Preferred Series A Subclass 1 Units Accounts, prior to any amount of profit, income or gain being allocated to any other class of units (other than the Preferred A.0) or limited partners until such special allocations equal, in the aggregate, such Excess Amount.

The only conversion, redemption, or exchange rights available to the Preferred Series C Unit Accounts are those rights afforded in accordance with the UPA, described in Note 1, or such similar agreement.

While any amount of Preferred Series C Unit Accounts is outstanding, BCH cannot make any distributions, other than tax distributions and redemptions, distributions upon a liquidation of BCH, and distributions of net consideration received from a sale of BCH, without the prior consent of a majority in interest of the holders of the Preferred Series C Unit Accounts.

As of September 30, 2020, GWG owns $161.0 million of Preferred Series C Unit Accounts. The Preferred Series C Unit Accounts are eliminated upon consolidation.

Class S Ordinary Units

As of both September 30, 2020 and December 31, 2019, BCH had issued and outstanding 5.7 million Class S Ordinary Units. The Class S Ordinary Units participate on an as-converted basis pro-rata in the share of the profits or losses of BCH and subsidiaries following all other allocations made by BCH and its subsidiaries. As limited partner interests, these units have limited voting rights and do not entitle participation in the management of BCH’s business and affairs. The Class S Ordinary Units are exchangeable for Common Units on a one-for-one basis, subject to customary conversion rate adjustments for splits, distributions and reclassifications, as well as compliance with any applicable vesting and transfer restrictions. Each conversion also results in the issuance to Ben LP of a Class A Unit of BCH for each common unit issued.

The Class S Ordinary Units are recorded in the condensed consolidated balance sheet in the noncontrolling interests line item.

Class S Preferred Units

The limited partnership agreement of BCH allows it to issue Class S Preferred Units. The Class S Preferred Units are entitled to a quarterly preferred return that is limited by the quarterly preferred return rate cap described above for Preferred Series A Subclass 1 except for when annualized revenues exceed $140 million, the Class S Preferred return is based on a fraction (i) the numerator of which is (A) the positive percentage rate change, if any, to the seasonally adjusted CPI-U covering the period from the date of the last allocation of profits to such holders, plus (B) 0.75 percent, and (ii) the denominator of which is one minus the highest effective marginal combined U.S. federal, state and local income tax rate in effect as of the beginning of the fiscal quarter for which such determination is being made for an individual resident in New York City, New York, assuming (1) that the aggregate gross income allocable with respect to the quarterly preferred return for such fiscal year will consist of the same relative proportion of each type or character (e.g., long term or short term capital gain or ordinary or exempt income) of gross income item included in the aggregate gross income actually allocated in respect of the quarterly preferred return for the fiscal year reflected in the Ben Group Partnership’s most recently filed IRS Form 1065 and (2) any state and local income taxes are not deductible against U.S. federal income tax. The Class S Preferred Units also participate on an as-converted basis pro-rata in the share of the profits or losses of BCH and subsidiaries following all other allocations made by BCH and its subsidiaries. As limited partner interests, these units are generally non-voting and do not entitle participation in the management of BCH’s business and affairs. Generally, the Class S Preferred Units are exchangeable for Common Units in Ben LP on a 1.2-for-1 basis, subject to customary conversion rate adjustments for splits, distributions and reclassifications, as well as compliance with any applicable vesting and transfer restrictions. Each conversion also results in the issuance to Ben LP of a Class A Unit for each Common Unit issued. Holders of Class S Preferred Units may elect to convert into Class S Ordinary Units in connection with a sale or dissolution of BCH.

No amounts have been paid to the Class S Preferred Unit holders related to the preferred return from inception through September 30, 2020. The Class S Preferred Units are recorded in the condensed consolidated balance sheet in the noncontrolling interests line item.