10-Q

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-Q

☒ QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2019

OR

☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from                       to                     

Commission file Number — 000-02123

MILLS MUSIC TRUST

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

New York	13-6183792
(State or other jurisdiction of	(I.R.S. Employer
incorporation or organization)	Identification No.)

C/O HSBC Bank USA, N.A. Corporate Trust Issuer Services,

452 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10018-2706

(Address of principal executive offices and ZIP Code)

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code) (212) 525-1349

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Title of each class	Trading Symbol(s)	Name of each exchange on which registered
N/A	N/A	N/A

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

Large accelerated filer	☐	Accelerated filer	☐
Non-accelerated filer	☐	Smaller reporting company	☒
		Emerging growth company	☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ☐    No  ☒

The number of the Registrant’s Trust Units outstanding as of September 30, 2019 was 277,712.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I — FINANCIAL STATEMENTS	3
Item 1. Financial Statements	3
Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations	6
Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk	8
Item 4. Controls and Procedures	8
PART II — OTHER INFORMATION	10
Item 1. Legal Proceedings	10
Item 1A. Risk Factors	10
Item 2. Unregistered Sale of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds	10
Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities	10
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures	10
Item 5. Other Information	10
Item 6. Exhibits	10
SIGNATURES	11

2

PART I — FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

ITEM 1. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

MILLS MUSIC TRUST

STATEMENTS OF CASH RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS

THREE AND NINE MONTHS ENDED

SEPTEMBER 30, 2019 AND SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

(UNAUDITED)

	Three Months Ended September 30						Nine Months Ended September 30
	2019			2018			2019			2018
Undistributed Cash—Beginning of Period	$	65		$	65		$	65		$	65
Proceeds from Contingent Portion Payments		315,228			216,396			1,750,694	(1)		722,549	(2)
General and Administrative Expenses		(43,549	)		(72,071	)		(221,269	)		(205,434	)
Balance Available		271,744			144,390			1,529,490			517,180
Cash Distributions to Unit Holders		(271,679	)		(144,325	)		(1,529,425	)		(517,115	)
Undistributed Cash—End of period	$	65		$	65		$	65		$	65
Cash Distribution per Trust Unit (based on 277,712 Trust Units outstanding)	$	0.98		$	0.52		$	5.51		$	1.86

(1) The proceeds received by the Trust for the nine months ended September 30, 2019 include an audit settlement pursuant to which EMI agreed to pay the Trust $1,000,000. For further information see “Recent Audit Settlement Payment” under Part I — Item 2, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”.

(2) The proceeds received by the Trust for the nine months ended September 30, 2018 includes an overpayment in the amount of $32,967.

The accompanying notes are an integral part of the unaudited financial statements.

The Trust does not prepare a balance sheet or a statement of cash flows.

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MILLS MUSIC TRUST

NOTES TO STATEMENTS OF CASH RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS

THREE AND NINE MONTHS ENDED

SEPTEMBER 30, 2019 AND SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

(UNAUDITED)

NOTE 1. ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Organization and Background

Mills Music Trust (the “Trust”) was created by a Declaration of Trust, dated December 3, 1964 (the “Declaration of Trust”), for the purpose of acquiring from Mills Music, Inc. (“Old Mills”), the right to receive payment of a deferred contingent purchase price obligation (the “Contingent Portion”) payable to Old Mills. The obligation to pay the Contingent Portion arose as the result of the sale by Old Mills of its music and lyric copyright catalogue (the “Catalogue”) to a newly formed company pursuant to an asset purchase agreement dated December 5, 1964 (the “Asset Purchase Agreement”). Pursuant to the Asset Purchase Agreement, payment of the Contingent Portion to the Trust continues until the end of the year in which the last copyright in the Catalogue expires and cannot be renewed.

The Contingent Portion amounts are currently payable by EMI Mills Music Inc. (“EMI”), the owner of the copyrighted materials contained in the Catalogue. The Trust has been advised that Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC is the administrator and manager of EMI and the Catalogue.

HSBC Bank, USA, N.A. is the Corporate Trustee of the Trust (the “Corporate Trustee”), and Lee Eastman and Michael E. Reiss are the Individual Trustees of the Trust (the “Individual Trustees” and together with the Corporate Trustee, the “Trustees”).

Proceeds from Contingent Portion Payments

The Trust receives quarterly payments of the Contingent Portion from EMI and distributes the amounts it receives to the registered owners of Trust certificates (the “Unit Holders”) representing interests in the Trust (the “Trust Units”), after payment of, or withholdings in connection with, expenses and liabilities of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust provides that these are the Trust’s sole responsibilities and that the Trust is prohibited from engaging in any business activities.

Payments of the Contingent Portion to the Trust are based on royalty income which the Catalogue generates. The Trust does not own the Catalogue or any copyrights or other intellectual property rights and is not responsible for collecting royalties in connection with the Catalogue. As the current owner and administrator of the Catalogue, EMI is obligated under the Asset Purchase Agreement to use its best efforts to collect all royalties, domestic and foreign, in connection with the Catalogue and to remit a portion of its royalty income to the Trust as its Contingent Portion payment obligation, in accordance with the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement.

The amount of each payment of the Contingent Portion is based on a formula set forth in the Asset Purchase Agreement. For information regarding the calculation of the Contingent Portion and a related dispute between EMI and the Trust see “Contingent Portion Payments” under Part I — Item 2, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”.

Cash Distributions to Unit Holders

The Declaration of Trust provides for the distribution to the Unit Holders of all funds the Trust receives after payment of, or withholdings in connection with, expenses and liabilities of the Trust. For information regarding disbursements made to Unit Holders for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018 see the table headed “Statement of Cash Receipts and Disbursements” under Part I — Item 1, “Financial Statements”.

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The Copyright Catalogue

The Catalogue is estimated to be composed of over 25,000 music titles (the “Copyrighted Songs”), of which approximately 1,600 produced royalty income in recent years. EMI has provided the Trust with a listing of the top 50 earning songs in the Catalogue during the 2018 calendar year (the “Top 50 Songs”), together with certain copyright information with respect to each of the Top 50 Songs (the “2018 Listing”). A copy of the 2018 Listing, as provided to the Trust, is included in the Trust’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018. The 2018 Listing does not include any information regarding Copyrighted Songs for the 2019 calendar year.

Accounting Policies

Payments to the Trust of the Contingent Portion are typically made in March, June, September and December for the prior calendar quarter. The payments received are accounted for on a cash basis, as are expenses of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust provides for the distribution of the amounts it receives in Contingent Portion payments to the Unit Holders after payment of, or withholdings in connection with, expenses and liabilities of the Trust.

The Trust’s financial statements reflect only cash transactions and do not include transactions that would be recorded in financial statements presented on the accrual basis of accounting, as contemplated by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States. The Trust does not prepare a balance sheet or a statement of cash flows.

NOTE 2. INCOME TAXES

No provision for income taxes has been made since the liability is that of the Unit Holders and not the Trust.

NOTE 3. GOVERNANCE OF THE TRUST

The Trust does not have, nor does the Declaration of Trust provide for, officers or a board of directors. HSBC Bank, USA, N.A. is the Corporate Trustee of the Trust, and Lee Eastman and Michael E. Reiss are the Individual Trustees of the Trust. Pursuant to the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees of the Trust serve until their removal, resignation, incapacity, or in the case of Individual Trustees, their death.

On December 23, 2014, the Trust adopted a code of ethics (as defined in Item 406 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Exchange Act of 1933) applicable to the Individual Trustees and the trust officers of the Corporate Trustee. A copy of the Code of Ethics will be provided to any person without charge upon written request to the Trust at its administrative office, c/o HSBC BANK USA, N.A., Corporate Trust, Issuer Services, 452 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY. In addition, the Trust relies on the Corporate Trustee to abide by HSBC Bank, USA, N.A.’s Statement of Business Principles and Code of Ethics, which is available on the Corporate Trustee’s website at http://www.us.hsbc.com.

The Trust is not a corporate entity and thus does not have an Audit Committee. The Trust has established a policy with regard to audit, audit-related and certain non-audit engagements of its independent auditors. Under this policy, the Trust annually approves certain limited, specified recurring services which may be provided by the Trust’s accountant or independent auditors. All other engagements for services to be performed by the Trust’s independent auditors must be separately preapproved by the Trust. Joel Faden of Schulman Lobel et al. LLP acts as Chief Financial Individual providing accounting services for the Trust.

NOTE 4. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The Trustees are paid in accordance with the Declaration of Trust, which provides that each Trustee shall receive annual compensation of $2,500, provided that such aggregate compensation to the Trustees as a group may not exceed 3% of the Contingent Portion amounts received by the Trust in any year. The Declaration of Trust also provides for the reimbursement of expenses reasonably incurred in the performance of a Trustee’s duties to the Trust, including clerical and administrative services. Accordingly, the Trustees are entitled to receive annual compensation and reimbursement for services performed for the Trust, including the Corporate Trustee’s services as the Registrar and Transfer Agent of the certificates representing the Trust Units. The Declaration of Trust also provides that if a Trustee performs unusual or extraordinary services, reasonable compensation for such services shall be paid, subject to the terms and conditions of the Declaration of Trust.

5

Pursuant to the Declaration of Trust, disbursements were made as follows to the Trustees for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018:

	Three Months Ended September 30				Nine Months Ended September 30
	2019		2018		2019		2018
Corporate Trustee Fees and Expenses	$	625	$	625	$	1,875	$	1,875
Individual Trustee Fees and Expenses		1,250		1,250		3,750		3,750
Transfer Agent and Registrar(1)		3,750		3,750		11,250		11,250
Total	$	5,625	$	5,625	$	16,875	$	16,875

(1) These services are performed by the Corporate Trustee.

The administrative office of the Trust is located at the offices of the Corporate Trustee, HSBC Bank, USA, N.A., Corporate Trust Issuer Services, 452 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10018. Except for fees paid to the Corporate Trustee in accordance with the Declaration of Trust, no expense is being charged or paid by the Trust for the office space and office equipment of the Corporate Trustee that is being utilized for the Trust.

NOTE 5. Subsequent Events.

None.

ITEM 2. MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

The Copyright Catalogue

The Catalogue is estimated to be composed of over 25,000 music titles, of which approximately 1,600 produced royalty income in recent years. Based on the 2018 Listing, the Trust’s receipts are derived principally from copyrights established prior to 1958 in the Unites States. The receipts fluctuate based on consumer interest in the nostalgia appeal of older songs and the overall popularity of the songs contained in the Catalogue. The Catalogue also generates royalty income in Canada and other foreign countries in which copyright is claimed.

A number of factors create uncertainties with respect to the Catalogue’s ability to continue to generate royalty income on a continuing, long-term basis for the Trust. These factors include: (i) the effect that foreign and domestic copyright laws and any changes thereto have or will have on renewal rights (e.g., vesting of renewal term rights), (ii) the length of the term of copyright protection under foreign and domestic copyright laws, (iii) reversionary rights that may effect whether EMI is able to retain its rights to the Copyrighted Songs during certain renewal terms (e.g., statutory termination of transfers or “copyright recapture”) and (iv) ongoing disputes regarding the payment and calculation of the Contingent Portion.

The Trust does not own the Catalogue or any copyrights or other intellectual property rights and is not responsible for collecting royalties in connection with the Catalogue. As the current owner and administrator of the Catalogue, EMI is obligated under the Asset Purchase Agreement to use its best efforts to collect all royalties, domestic and foreign, in connection with the Catalogue and to remit a portion of its royalty income to the Trust in accordance with its Contingent Portion payment obligation.

The Trust’s income is dependent, in part, on EMI’s ability to maintain its rights in the Copyrighted Songs through copyright protection. As the copyrights for the Copyrighted Songs expire, less royalty income will be generated and the size of each payment of the Contingent Portion will be reduced accordingly.

Based on the 2018 Listing, the Top 50 Songs obtained copyright registration under the United States Copyright Act of 1909 (the “1909 Act”) between 1918 and 1958. For copyrighted works subject to the 1909 Act, copyright law generally provides for a possible 95 years of copyright protection, subject to certain factors, including the initial registration date of each copyright and compliance with certain statutory provisions including notice and renewal. The Copyright expiration dates for the Top 50 Songs range between 1997 and 2072, as set forth in the 2018 Listing.

6

The Copyrighted Songs are subject to statutory rights of termination of transfers, which may impact whether EMI is able to retain its ownership of the Copyrighted Songs during their respective terms of copyright protection. For copyrights governed by the 1909 Act, this termination right vests at the end of two different renewal terms, which vary for each Copyrighted Song. As the owner of the Catalogue, EMI (and not the Trust) is responsible for administrating the Catalogue and seeking renewals of the Copyrighted Songs. The Asset Purchase Agreement provides that EMI is obligated to use its best efforts to secure renewals.

Contingent Portion Payments

Payments of the Contingent Portion to the Trust are ordinarily made on a quarterly basis, approximately two to three months after a quarter ends. The Trust distributes the amounts it receives in Contingent Portion payments to the Unit Holders after payment of, or withholdings in connection with, expenses and liabilities of the Trust.

The amount of each payment of the Contingent Portion is based on a formula provided in the Asset Purchase Agreement. Prior to the first quarter of 2010, the Contingent Portion was calculated as an amount ranging from 65% to 75% of gross royalty income from the exploitation of the Catalogue for each quarterly period, less royalty expenses. In addition, the Contingent Portion was guaranteed to be at least a minimum of $167,500 per quarter (the “Minimum Payment Obligation”).

Beginning with the first quarter of 2010, the Asset Purchase Agreement provides for certain changes with respect to the calculation of the Contingent Portion. One such change is that the Minimum Payment Obligation is no longer in effect. The Trust is also of the view that the Contingent Portion payable to the Trust changed to a fixed 75% of gross royalty income from the exploitation of the Catalogue for each quarterly period, less royalty related expenses (the “New Calculation Method”). However, EMI has disputed that the New Calculation Method is the correct interpretation of the Asset Purchase Agreement. As a result of the New Calculation Method not being applied, EMI’s payments of the Contingent Portion have been deficient, in the Trust’s view, by the following amounts (the “Underpayments”):

Quarterly Payment Period	Amount of Deficiency
March 31, 2016	$	79,889
September 30, 2016	$	37,529
March 31, 2017	$	85,359
September 30, 2017	$	41,557
March 31, 2018	$	98,901
September 30, 2018	$	75,712
March 31, 2019	$	71,489
June 30, 2019	$	41,786
Total	$	532,222

As of the date hereof, the Trust has not received the Underpayments. The Trust can offer no assurance that it will be able to recover any of the Underpayments or that it will resolve the dispute relating to the New Calculation Method with respect to future payments of the Contingent Portion.

Recent Audit Settlement Payment

In January 2016, the Trustees engaged Prager Metis CPAs, LLC (“Prager”), an accounting firm specializing in auditing royalty income, to conduct a special audit of the books and records of EMI administered by Sony/ATV to determine if payments of the Contingent Portion by EMI have been properly made in accordance with the Asset Purchase Agreement during the period beginning on October 1, 2011 and ending on December 31, 2015 (the “Audit Period”). Prager’s final report (the “Prager Report”) was delivered to Sony/ATV on August 14, 2017. The audit cost the Trust an aggregate of $130,284, all of which has been paid to date. The Prager Report identified multiple asserted royalty omissions and expense over-deductions from the Contingent Portion during the Audit Period.

7

As of April 23, 2019, EMI, the Trust and the Trustees entered into an audit settlement agreement pursuant to which EMI agreed to pay the Trust $1,000,000 in full and final settlement (the “Settlement”) of (i) all Trust claims related to the underpayments identified by the Prager Report and (ii) that portion of the Underpayments attributable to the Audit Period. The Settlement does not cover any claims for any periods of time after expiration of the Audit Period, nor does it adjust the parties’ entitlements arising from the consequences of any future writer royalty underpayment audits relating to the Audit Period.

Recent Contingent Portion Payment

On August 29, 2019 the Trust received a Contingent Portion payment of $315,228 (or $1.1351 per Trust Unit) from EMI, which was attributable to royalties from the second quarter of 2019.

Recent Distributions to Unit Holders

On September 24, 2019, the Trust made a distribution of $271,679 (or $0.9783 per Trust Unit) to the Trust’s Unit Holders of record at the close of business on September 23, 2019. For computation details regarding the distribution please refer to the quarterly distribution report, dated September 24, 2019, attached as Exhibit 99.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K, filed by the Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 24, 2019.

Cash and Administrative Expenses

As of September 30, 2019, the Trust was holding $65 in cash and had received invoices for an aggregate of $9,689 in unpaid administrative expenses for services rendered to the Trust.

Inflation

The Trust does not believe that inflation has materially affected its activities.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The Declaration of Trust provides for the distribution to the Unit Holders of all funds the Trust receives after payment of, or withholdings in connection with, expenses and liabilities of the Trust.

See the table headed “Statement of Cash Receipts and Disbursements” under Part 1 — Item 1, “Financial Statements” for information regarding cash disbursements made to Unit Holders during the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018.

Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements

There are no off-balance sheet arrangements that have or are reasonably likely to have a current or future effect on the Trust’s financial condition, changes in financial condition, revenues or expenses, results of operations or liquidity that is material to investors.

ITEM 3. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

Not applicable

ITEM 4. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

(a) Controls and Procedures

As of the end of the period covered by this quarterly report, the Trust carried out an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the Trust’s “disclosure controls and procedures” (as defined in Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e) of the Exchange Act) under the supervision and with the participation of the Trust’s management, including the Chief Financial Individual providing accounting services and the trust officer of the Corporate Trustee. Based on that evaluation, the Chief Financial Individual providing accounting services and the trust officer of the Corporate Trustee concluded that the Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures are effective.

8

Disclosure controls and procedures are controls and other procedures that are designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the Trust’s reports filed or submitted under the Exchange Act are recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the Securities and Exchange Commission’s rules and forms. Disclosure controls and procedures include, without limitation, controls and procedures designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the Trust’s reports filed under the Exchange Act is accumulated and communicated to Trust’s management, including the Chief Financial Individual providing accounting services and the trust officer of the Corporate Trustee, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.

(b) Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting

There were no changes in the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting (as such term is defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) during the fiscal period covered by this quarterly report that have materially affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, the Trust’s internal control over financial reporting.

9

PART II — OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

None.

ITEM 1A. RISK FACTORS

Not applicable.

ITEM 2. UNREGISTERED SALE OF EQUITY SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

None.

ITEM 3. DEFAULT UPON SENIOR SECURITIES

None.

ITEM 4. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURES

Not applicable.

ITEM 5. OTHER INFORMATION

None.

ITEM 6. EXHIBITS

Exhibit     No.	Description
31.1	Certification by the Chief Financial Individual providing accounting services pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (filed herewith)
31.2	Certification by the trust officer of the Corporate Trustee pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (filed herewith)
32.1*	Certification by the Chief Financial Individual providing accounting services pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (furnished herewith)
32.2*	Certification by the trust officer for the Corporate Trustee Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (furnished herewith)
101.INS	XBRL Instance Document
101.SCH	XBRL Schema Document
101.CAL	XBRL Calculation Linkbase Documents
101.DEF	XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document.
101.LAB	XBRL Labels Linkbase Documents
101.PRE	XBRL Presentation Linkbase Documents

* Furnished, not filed

10

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

November 14, 2019	Mills Music Trust (Registrant)
	By:	/s/ Garfield Barrett
		Garfield Barrett
		Trust Officer of the Corporate Trustee HSBC Bank USA, NA

11

EX-31.1

EXHIBIT 31.1

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO

SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

I, Joel Faden, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Mills Music Trust;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; *

4. The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5. The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

a) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

b) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

* The statements of cash receipts and disbursements reflect only cash transactions and do not include transactions that would be recorded in financial statements presented on the accrual basis of accounting. The Trust is required to distribute all funds received. Accordingly, the Trust has not prepared any statements of financial condition or cash flows.

November 14, 2019	/s/ Joel Faden
	Joel Faden
	Chief Financial Individual (principal financial officer)
	Schulman Lobel et al. LLP

EX-31.2

EXHIBIT 31.2

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO

SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

I, Garfield Barrett, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Mills Music Trust;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report; *

4. The registrant’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the registrant and have:

a) Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is being prepared;

b) Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

c) Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by this report based on such evaluation; and

d) Disclosed in this report any change in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the registrant’s most recent fiscal quarter (the registrant’s fourth fiscal quarter in the case of an annual report) that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting; and

5. The registrant’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over financial reporting, to the registrant’s auditors and the audit committee of the registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

c) All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record, process, summarize and report financial information; and

d) Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting.

* The statements of cash receipts and disbursements reflect only cash transactions and do not include transactions that would be recorded in financial statements presented on the accrual basis of accounting. The Trust is required to distribute all funds received. Accordingly, the Trust has not prepared any statements of financial condition or cash flows.

November 14, 2019	/s/ Garfield Barrett
	Garfield Barrett
	Trust Officer of The Corporate Trustee
	HSBC Bank USA, NA

EX-32.1

Exhibit 32.1

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO

SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

(18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350)

In connection with the Quarterly Report of Mills Music Trust (the “Trust”) on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2019, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Report”), the undersigned hereby certifies, pursuant to § 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (18 U.S.C. § 1350), that to his knowledge:

1. The Report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

2. The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition* and results of operations of the Trust.

* The statements of cash receipts and disbursements reflect only cash transactions and do not include transactions that would be recorded in financial statements presented on the accrual basis of accounting. The Trust is required to distribute all funds received after payment of expenses. Accordingly, the Trust has not prepared any statements of financial condition or cash flows.

November 14, 2019	/s/ Joel Faden
	Joel Faden
	Chief Financial Individual (principal financial officer)
	Schulman Lobel et al. LLP

EX-32.2

EXHIBIT 32.2

CERTIFICATION PURSUANT TO

SECTION 906 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

(18 U.S.C. SECTION 1350)

In connection with the Quarterly Report of Mills Music Trust (the “Trust”) on Form 10-Q for the fiscal quarter ended September 30, 2019, as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Report”), the undersigned hereby certifies, pursuant to § 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 (18 U.S.C. § 1350), that to his knowledge:

1. The Report fully complies with the requirements of section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and

2. The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition* and results of operations of the Trust.

* The statements of cash receipts and disbursements reflect only cash transactions and do not include transactions that would be recorded in financial statements presented on the accrual basis of accounting. The Trust is required to distribute all funds received after payment of expenses. Accordingly, the Trust has not prepared any statements of financial condition or cash flows.

November 14, 2019	/s/ Garfield Barrett
	Garfield Barrett
	Trust Officer of The Corporate Trustee
	HSBC Bank USA, NA

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Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]
Provision for income taxes	$ 0

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Income Taxes

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Income Taxes

NOTE 2. INCOME TAXES

No provision for income taxes has been made since the liability is that of the Unit Holders and not the Trust.

XML

Cover Page	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019 shares
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	10-Q
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Sep. 30, 2019
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2019
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q3
Entity Registrant Name	MILLS MUSIC TRUST
Entity Central Index Key	0000066496
Entity Address, State or Province	NY
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Small Business	true
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	277,712

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Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Organization and Background

Organization and Background

Mills Music Trust (the “Trust”) was created by a Declaration of Trust, dated December 3, 1964 (the “Declaration of Trust”), for the purpose of acquiring from Mills Music, Inc. (“Old Mills”), the right to receive payment of a deferred contingent purchase price obligation (the “Contingent Portion”) payable to Old Mills. The obligation to pay the Contingent Portion arose as the result of the sale by Old Mills of its music and lyric copyright catalogue (the “Catalogue”) to a newly formed company pursuant to an asset purchase agreement dated December 5, 1964 (the “Asset Purchase Agreement”). Pursuant to the Asset Purchase Agreement, payment of the Contingent Portion to the Trust continues until the end of the year in which the last copyright in the Catalogue expires and cannot be renewed.

The Contingent Portion amounts are currently payable by EMI Mills Music Inc. (“EMI”), the owner of the copyrighted materials contained in the Catalogue. The Trust has been advised that Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC is the administrator and manager of EMI and the Catalogue.

HSBC Bank, USA, N.A. is the Corporate Trustee of the Trust (the “Corporate Trustee”), and Lee Eastman and Michael E. Reiss are the Individual Trustees of the Trust (the “Individual Trustees” and together with the Corporate Trustee, the “Trustees”).

Proceeds from Contingent Portion Payments

Proceeds from Contingent Portion Payments

The Trust receives quarterly payments of the Contingent Portion from EMI and distributes the amounts it receives to the registered owners of Trust certificates (the “Unit Holders”) representing interests in the Trust (the “Trust Units”), after payment of, or withholdings in connection with, expenses and liabilities of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust provides that these are the Trust’s sole responsibilities and that the Trust is prohibited from engaging in any business activities.

Payments of the Contingent Portion to the Trust are based on royalty income which the Catalogue generates. The Trust does not own the Catalogue or any copyrights or other intellectual property rights and is not responsible for collecting royalties in connection with the Catalogue. As the current owner and administrator of the Catalogue, EMI is obligated under the Asset Purchase Agreement to use its best efforts to collect all royalties, domestic and foreign, in connection with the Catalogue and to remit a portion of its royalty income to the Trust as its Contingent Portion payment obligation, in accordance with the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement.

The amount of each payment of the Contingent Portion is based on a formula set forth in the Asset Purchase Agreement. For information regarding the calculation of the Contingent Portion and a related dispute between EMI and the Trust see “Contingent Portion Payments” under Part I — Item 2, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”.

Cash Distributions to Unit Holders

Cash Distributions to Unit Holders

The Declaration of Trust provides for the distribution to the Unit Holders of all funds the Trust receives after payment of, or withholdings in connection with, expenses and liabilities of the Trust. For information regarding disbursements made to Unit Holders for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018 see the table headed “Statement of Cash Receipts and Disbursements” under Part I — Item 1, “Financial Statements”.

The Copyright Catalogue

The Copyright Catalogue

The Catalogue is estimated to be composed of over 25,000 music titles (the “Copyrighted Songs”), of which approximately 1,600 produced royalty income in recent years. EMI has provided the Trust with a listing of the top 50 earning songs in the Catalogue during the 2018 calendar year (the “Top 50 Songs”), together with certain copyright information with respect to each of the Top 50 Songs (the “2018 Listing”). A copy of the 2018 Listing, as provided to the Trust, is included in the Trust’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018. The 2018 Listing does not include any information regarding Copyrighted Songs for the 2019 calendar year.

Accounting Policies

Accounting Policies

Payments to the Trust of the Contingent Portion are typically made in March, June, September and December for the prior calendar quarter. The payments received are accounted for on a cash basis, as are expenses of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust provides for the distribution of the amounts it receives in Contingent Portion payments to the Unit Holders after payment of, or withholdings in connection with, expenses and liabilities of the Trust.

The Trust’s financial statements reflect only cash transactions and do not include transactions that would be recorded in financial statements presented on the accrual basis of accounting, as contemplated by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States. The Trust does not prepare a balance sheet or a statement of cash flows.

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Subsequent Events

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Subsequent Events [Abstract]

Subsequent Events

NOTE 5. Subsequent Events.

None.

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Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies

NOTE 1. ORGANIZATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES

Organization and Background

Mills Music Trust (the “Trust”) was created by a Declaration of Trust, dated December 3, 1964 (the “Declaration of Trust”), for the purpose of acquiring from Mills Music, Inc. (“Old Mills”), the right to receive payment of a deferred contingent purchase price obligation (the “Contingent Portion”) payable to Old Mills. The obligation to pay the Contingent Portion arose as the result of the sale by Old Mills of its music and lyric copyright catalogue (the “Catalogue”) to a newly formed company pursuant to an asset purchase agreement dated December 5, 1964 (the “Asset Purchase Agreement”). Pursuant to the Asset Purchase Agreement, payment of the Contingent Portion to the Trust continues until the end of the year in which the last copyright in the Catalogue expires and cannot be renewed.

The Contingent Portion amounts are currently payable by EMI Mills Music Inc. (“EMI”), the owner of the copyrighted materials contained in the Catalogue. The Trust has been advised that Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC is the administrator and manager of EMI and the Catalogue.

HSBC Bank, USA, N.A. is the Corporate Trustee of the Trust (the “Corporate Trustee”), and Lee Eastman and Michael E. Reiss are the Individual Trustees of the Trust (the “Individual Trustees” and together with the Corporate Trustee, the “Trustees”).

Proceeds from Contingent Portion Payments

The Trust receives quarterly payments of the Contingent Portion from EMI and distributes the amounts it receives to the registered owners of Trust certificates (the “Unit Holders”) representing interests in the Trust (the “Trust Units”), after payment of, or withholdings in connection with, expenses and liabilities of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust provides that these are the Trust’s sole responsibilities and that the Trust is prohibited from engaging in any business activities.

Payments of the Contingent Portion to the Trust are based on royalty income which the Catalogue generates. The Trust does not own the Catalogue or any copyrights or other intellectual property rights and is not responsible for collecting royalties in connection with the Catalogue. As the current owner and administrator of the Catalogue, EMI is obligated under the Asset Purchase Agreement to use its best efforts to collect all royalties, domestic and foreign, in connection with the Catalogue and to remit a portion of its royalty income to the Trust as its Contingent Portion payment obligation, in accordance with the terms of the Asset Purchase Agreement.

The amount of each payment of the Contingent Portion is based on a formula set forth in the Asset Purchase Agreement. For information regarding the calculation of the Contingent Portion and a related dispute between EMI and the Trust see “Contingent Portion Payments” under Part I — Item 2, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”.

Cash Distributions to Unit Holders

The Declaration of Trust provides for the distribution to the Unit Holders of all funds the Trust receives after payment of, or withholdings in connection with, expenses and liabilities of the Trust. For information regarding disbursements made to Unit Holders for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018 see the table headed “Statement of Cash Receipts and Disbursements” under Part I — Item 1, “Financial Statements”.

The Copyright Catalogue

The Catalogue is estimated to be composed of over 25,000 music titles (the “Copyrighted Songs”), of which approximately 1,600 produced royalty income in recent years. EMI has provided the Trust with a listing of the top 50 earning songs in the Catalogue during the 2018 calendar year (the “Top 50 Songs”), together with certain copyright information with respect to each of the Top 50 Songs (the “2018 Listing”). A copy of the 2018 Listing, as provided to the Trust, is included in the Trust’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018. The 2018 Listing does not include any information regarding Copyrighted Songs for the 2019 calendar year.

Accounting Policies

Payments to the Trust of the Contingent Portion are typically made in March, June, September and December for the prior calendar quarter. The payments received are accounted for on a cash basis, as are expenses of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust provides for the distribution of the amounts it receives in Contingent Portion payments to the Unit Holders after payment of, or withholdings in connection with, expenses and liabilities of the Trust.

The Trust’s financial statements reflect only cash transactions and do not include transactions that would be recorded in financial statements presented on the accrual basis of accounting, as contemplated by generally accepted accounting principles in the United States. The Trust does not prepare a balance sheet or a statement of cash flows.

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Related Party Transactions - Additional Information (Detail)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019 USD ($)
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Trustee annual compensation	$ 2,500
Expense Charged Or Paid Trust For Office SpaceAnd Office Equipment	$ 0
Maximum [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Aggregate compensation percentage to Trustees	3.00%

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Governance of the Trust

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Business Combinations [Abstract]

Governance of the Trust

NOTE 3. GOVERNANCE OF THE TRUST

The Trust does not have, nor does the Declaration of Trust provide for, officers or a board of directors. HSBC Bank, USA, N.A. is the Corporate Trustee of the Trust, and Lee Eastman and Michael E. Reiss are the Individual Trustees of the Trust. Pursuant to the Declaration of Trust, the Trustees of the Trust serve until their removal, resignation, incapacity, or in the case of Individual Trustees, their death.

On December 23, 2014, the Trust adopted a code of ethics (as defined in Item 406 of Regulation S-K under the Securities Exchange Act of 1933) applicable to the Individual Trustees and the trust officers of the Corporate Trustee. A copy of the Code of Ethics will be provided to any person without charge upon written request to the Trust at its administrative office, c/o HSBC BANK USA, N.A., Corporate Trust, Issuer Services, 452 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY. In addition, the Trust relies on the Corporate Trustee to abide by HSBC Bank, USA, N.A.’s Statement of Business Principles and Code of Ethics, which is available on the Corporate Trustee’s website at http://www.us.hsbc.com.

The Trust is not a corporate entity and thus does not have an Audit Committee. The Trust has established a policy with regard to audit, audit-related and certain non-audit engagements of its independent auditors. Under this policy, the Trust annually approves certain limited, specified recurring services which may be provided by the Trust’s accountant or independent auditors. All other engagements for services to be performed by the Trust’s independent auditors must be separately preapproved by the Trust. Joel Faden of Schulman Lobel et al. LLP acts as Chief Financial Individual providing accounting services for the Trust.

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Statements of Cash Receipts and Disbursements - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Operating Cash Flows, Direct Method [Abstract]
Undistributed Cash — Beginning of Period	$ 65	$ 65	$ 65	$ 65
Proceeds from Contingent Portion Payments	315,228	216,396	1,750,694	722,549
General and Administrative Expenses	(43,549)	(72,071)	(221,269)	(205,434)
Balance Available	271,744	144,390	1,529,490	517,180
Cash Distributions to Unit Holders	(271,679)	(144,325)	(1,529,425)	(517,115)
Undistributed Cash—End of period	$ 65	$ 65	$ 65	$ 65
Cash Distribution per Trust Unit (based on 277,712 Trust Units outstanding)	$ 0.98	$ 0.52	$ 5.51	$ 1.86

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Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail)	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019 Songs
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Date of formation of Mills Music Trust	Dec. 03, 1964
Top 50 Songs in the Catalogue	EMI has provided the Trust with a listing of the top 50 earning songs in the Catalogue during the 2018 calendar year (the “Top 50 Songs”), together with certain copyright information with respect to each of the Top 50 Songs (the “2018 Listing”). A copy of the 2018 Listing, as provided to the Trust, is included in the Trust’s annual report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018. The 2018 Listing does not include any information regarding Copyrighted Songs for the 2019 calendar year.
2018 Listing Top 50 [Member]
Organization And Summary Of Significant Accounting Policies [Line Items]
Estimated number of songs in the Catalogue	25,000
Estimated number of songs producing royalty income	1,600
Number of Copyrighted Songs in the Top 50 list	50

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Related Party Transactions - Disbursements to Trustees (Detail) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Trustee Fees and Expenses	$ 5,625	$ 5,625	$ 16,875	$ 16,875
Individual [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Trustee Fees and Expenses	1,250	1,250	3,750	3,750
Corporate Trustee [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Trustee Fees and Expenses	625	625	1,875	1,875
Transfer Agent Registrar Fees [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Trustee Fees and Expenses	$ 3,750	$ 3,750	$ 11,250	$ 11,250

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Related Party Transactions (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Related Party Transactions [Abstract]

Disbursements to Trustees

Pursuant to the Declaration of Trust, disbursements were made as follows to the Trustees for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018:

	Three Months Ended September 30				Nine Months Ended September 30
	2019		2018		2019		2018
Corporate Trustee Fees and Expenses	$	625	$	625	$	1,875	$	1,875
Individual Trustee Fees and Expenses		1,250		1,250		3,750		3,750
Transfer Agent and Registrar(1)		3,750		3,750		11,250		11,250
Total	$	5,625	$	5,625	$	16,875	$	16,875

(1) These services are performed by the Corporate Trustee.

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Related Party Transactions

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

Related Party Transactions [Abstract]

Related Party Transactions

NOTE 4. RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

The Trustees are paid in accordance with the Declaration of Trust, which provides that each Trustee shall receive annual compensation of $2,500, provided that such aggregate compensation to the Trustees as a group may not exceed 3% of the Contingent Portion amounts received by the Trust in any year. The Declaration of Trust also provides for the reimbursement of expenses reasonably incurred in the performance of a Trustee’s duties to the Trust, including clerical and administrative services. Accordingly, the Trustees are entitled to receive annual compensation and reimbursement for services performed for the Trust, including the Corporate Trustee’s services as the Registrar and Transfer Agent of the certificates representing the Trust Units. The Declaration of Trust also provides that if a Trustee performs unusual or extraordinary services, reasonable compensation for such services shall be paid, subject to the terms and conditions of the Declaration of Trust.

Pursuant to the Declaration of Trust, disbursements were made as follows to the Trustees for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019 and September 30, 2018:

	Three Months Ended September 30				Nine Months Ended September 30
	2019		2018		2019		2018
Corporate Trustee Fees and Expenses	$	625	$	625	$	1,875	$	1,875
Individual Trustee Fees and Expenses		1,250		1,250		3,750		3,750
Transfer Agent and Registrar(1)		3,750		3,750		11,250		11,250
Total	$	5,625	$	5,625	$	16,875	$	16,875

(1) These services are performed by the Corporate Trustee.

The administrative office of the Trust is located at the offices of the Corporate Trustee, HSBC Bank, USA, N.A., Corporate Trust Issuer Services, 452 Fifth Avenue, New York, New York 10018. Except for fees paid to the Corporate Trustee in accordance with the Declaration of Trust, no expense is being charged or paid by the Trust for the office space and office equipment of the Corporate Trustee that is being utilized for the Trust.

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Statements of Cash Receipts and Disbursements (Parenthetical) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2019	Sep. 30, 2018
Operating Cash Flows, Direct Method [Abstract]
Number of Trust Units Outstanding	277,712	277,712	277,712	277,712
Settlement			$ 1,000,000
Excess payment for proceeds from Contingent Portion Payments				$ 32,967