INVESTMENT IN US PREMIUM FINANCING HOLDING COMPANY

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2017

Cost Method Investments Disclosure [Abstract]

INVESTMENT IN US PREMIUM FINANCING HOLDING COMPANY

NOTE 3 – INVESTMENT IN US PREMIUM FINANCE HOLDING COMPANY

On December 15, 2016, the Bank entered into a Management and License Agreement with William J. Villari and USPF pursuant to which Mr. Villari will manage a division of the Bank to be operated under the name “US Premium Finance” and which is to be engaged in the business of soliciting, originating, servicing, administering and collecting loans made for purposes of funding insurance premiums and other loans made to persons engaged in the insurance business.

Also on December 15, 2016, the Company entered into a Stock Purchase Agreement with Mr. Villari pursuant to which the Company agreed to purchase from Mr. Villari 4.99% of the outstanding shares of common stock of USPF. As consideration for such shares, the Company agreed to issue to Mr. Villari 128,572 unregistered shares of its common stock in a private placement transaction pursuant to the exemptions from registration provided in Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Rule 506 of Regulation D promulgated thereunder. Those transactions closed on January 18, 2017, and a registration statement was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 13, 2017 to register the resale or other disposition of the shares of common stock that were issued to Mr. Villari.

The Company’s 4.99% investment in USPF was valued at $5.8 million, based upon the closing price of the Company’s common stock immediately prior to the parties’ execution of the Stock Purchase Agreement, as follows:

(dollars in thousands, except per share amount)
Ameris common shares issued		128,572
Price per share of the Company’s common stock	$	45.45
Fair value of consideration transferred	$	5,844

Because USPF does not have a readily determinable fair value and Ameris does not exercise significant influence over USPF, the investment is carried at cost and is included in other investments in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. The net carrying value of the Company’s investment in USPF was $5.8 million as of March 31, 2017.