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Legal Matters
6 Months Ended
May 31, 2011
Legal Matters [Abstract]  
Legal Matters
15.  
Legal Matters
South Edge, LLC Litigation
On December 9, 2010, certain lenders to South Edge filed the Petition against South Edge in the United States Bankruptcy Court, District of Nevada, titled JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. v. South Edge, LLC (Case No. 10-32968-bam). The petitioning lenders were JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., and Crédit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank. KB HOME Nevada Inc., the Company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, is a member of South Edge together with unrelated homebuilders and a third-party property development firm.
The Petition alleged that South Edge failed to undertake certain development-related activities and to repay amounts due on secured loans that the petitioning lenders (as part of a lending syndicate) made to South Edge in 2004 and 2007, totaling $585.0 million in initial aggregate principal amount (the “Loans”), that the petitioning lenders were undersecured, and that South Edge was generally not paying its debts as they became due. The Loans were used by South Edge to partially finance both the purchase of certain real property located near Las Vegas, Nevada and the development of a residential community on that property. The Loans are secured by the underlying property and related South Edge assets. As of May 31, 2011, the outstanding principal balance of the Loans was $327.9 million.
The petitioning lenders also filed a motion to appoint a Chapter 11 trustee for South Edge, and asserted that, among other actions, the trustee can enforce alleged obligations of the South Edge members to purchase land parcels from South Edge, which would likely result in repayment of the Loans, or enforce alleged obligations of the South Edge members to make capital contributions to the South Edge bankruptcy estate. On February 3, 2011, the bankruptcy court entered an order for relief on the Petition and appointed a Chapter 11 trustee for South Edge. The Chapter 11 trustee may or may not pursue remedies proposed by the petitioning lenders, including attempted enforcement of alleged obligations of the South Edge members as described above.
As a result of the February 3, 2011 order for relief on the Petition, the Company considers it probable that it became responsible to pay certain amounts to the Administrative Agent related to the Springing Guaranty that the Company provided in connection with the Loans, as discussed further above in Note 10. Investments in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures. Each of KB HOME Nevada Inc., the other members of South Edge and their parent companies provided a similar repayment guaranty to the Administrative Agent.
Effective June 10, 2011, the Company and the other Participating Members of South Edge became parties to a consensual agreement together with the Administrative Agent and several of the lenders to South Edge, as discussed above in Note 10. Investments in Unconsolidated Joint Ventures. The Chapter 11 trustee for South Edge has expressed its consent to the agreement. Each of the parties has agreed to use commercially reasonable efforts to support the Plan, to obtain bankruptcy court approval of a disclosure statement that will accompany the Plan, to obtain bankruptcy court confirmation of the Plan following, and subject to, the bankruptcy court’s approval of a disclosure statement, to obtain the requisite support of the South Edge lenders to the Plan, and to consummate the Plan promptly after confirmation, in each case by certain specified dates. Under the agreement, the effective date of the Plan following its confirmation is to occur on or before November 30, 2011, though it may be extended by the Participating Members and the Administrative Agent jointly by up to 30 days, depending on the date of Plan confirmation.
Pursuant to the terms of the Plan, the Company would pay to the South Edge lenders an amount between approximately $214 million and $225 million on the effective date of the Plan. The Company has deposited approximately $21 million of this amount in an escrow account. The other Participating Members also would pay certain amounts to the South Edge lenders on the effective date of the Plan and have similarly deposited amounts into the escrow account. The exact sum that the Company and the other Participating Members would pay to the South Edge lenders depends on the outcome of proceedings the Chapter 11 trustee for South Edge has commenced against, among others, a South Edge member that is not a Participating Member in order to determine the amount of pledged infrastructure development funds that can be applied to the South Edge debt. In addition to their payments to the South Edge lenders, each of the Company and the other Participating Members would be responsible for certain fees, expenses and charges and for certain allowed general unsecured claims, and would receive the benefit of potential contributions and recoveries that would, in the aggregate, affect their respective costs related to the Plan. Taking all of this into account, the Company estimates that its probable net payment obligation under the terms of the agreement effective June 10, 2011 regarding the Plan is $226.4 million, though it could possibly be as high as $240 million.
If the Plan becomes effective, the Company anticipates that it would (a) acquire its share of the land owned by South Edge (amounting to at least approximately 65% of the land and as much as approximately 68%) as a result of a bankruptcy court-approved disposition of the land to a newly created entity in which the Company would expect to be a part owner, and (b) without further payment, satisfy or assume the respective liens of the Administrative Agent and the South Edge lenders on the land. In addition, if the Plan becomes effective, the Company anticipates that all South Edge-related claims, potential guaranty obligations (including the Company’s potential Springing Guaranty obligation), and litigation between the Administrative Agent (on behalf of itself and the South Edge lenders) and the Participating Members would be resolved, although lenders holding less than 8% ownership in the loans made to South Edge that are not currently expected to consent to the Plan may assert certain claims against the Company, which claims the Company would vigorously dispute.
The agreement is subject to bankruptcy court approval and may be terminated by the Administrative Agent or the Participating Members upon the occurrence of certain specified events, including a failure to meet the specified dates on which the above-described activities in support of the Plan are to occur. The Participating Members and the Administrative Agent currently expect to file the Plan and accompanying disclosure statement with the bankruptcy court in or around late July 2011. As of the date of this report, the Company believes that the other Participating Members, the Administrative Agent and the South Edge lenders that are party to the agreement are able to and will fulfill their respective obligations as contemplated under the Plan if it becomes effective.
The Administrative Agent had previously filed lawsuits in December 2008 against the South Edge members and their respective parent companies (including the Company and KB HOME Nevada Inc.) (JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A. v. KB HOME Nevada, et al., U.S. District Court, District of Nevada (Case No. 08-CV-01711 PMP) and consolidated and related actions) (the “Lender Litigation”). The Lender Litigation seeks to enforce completion guarantees provided to the Administrative Agent in connection with the Loans, seeks to compel the South Edge members (including KB HOME Nevada Inc.) to purchase land parcels from South Edge, seeks to compel the South Edge members to provide certain financial support to South Edge, and also seeks various damages based on other guarantees and claims. The Lender Litigation has been stayed in light of the South Edge bankruptcy and, as stated above, would be resolved between the Administrative Agent (on behalf of itself and the South Edge lenders consenting to the Plan) and the Participating Members if the Plan becomes effective.
A separate arbitration proceeding was also commenced in May 2009 to address one South Edge member’s claims for specific performance by the other members to purchase land parcels from and to make certain capital contributions to South Edge or, in the alternative, damages. On July 6, 2010, the arbitration panel issued a decision denying the specific performance and damages claim asserted on behalf of South Edge, but the panel awarded the claimant damages of $36.8 million against all of the respondents. Motions to partially vacate the award were denied and judgment was entered on the award, which the respondents have appealed to the United States Courts of Appeal for the Ninth Circuit, titled Focus South Group, LLC, et al. v. KB HOME Nevada Inc, et al., (Case No. 10-17562). The appeal is pending. If the appeals of the arbitration panel’s July 6, 2010 decision ultimately are not successful, the Company has estimated that its probable maximum share of the $36.8 million awarded as damages to the claimant in the arbitration is approximately $25.5 million. This estimate is based on KB HOME Nevada Inc.’s interest in South Edge in relation to that of the other four respondents in the arbitration and the Company’s assumption that liability for the awarded amount would be joint and several among the five respondents. Although the appeal remains pending, the Company has since the third quarter of 2010 segregated an accrual for $25.5 million for this matter from its previously established reserve balances relating to South Edge. The ultimate amount of the Company’s share, however, could be subject to negotiations and/or potential arbitration among all of the respondents in the arbitration. The accrual for this matter is separate from the accrual the Company established with respect to its probable net payment obligation related to South Edge.
The ultimate resolution of the South Edge bankruptcy, the Lender Litigation and the appeal of the arbitration panel decision, and the time at which any resolution is reached with respect to each matter, are uncertain and involve multiple factors, including whether the Plan becomes effective, as described above, the actions of the Chapter 11 trustee for South Edge, and court decisions. Further, the ultimate resolution of the South Edge bankruptcy (including with respect to the Company’s potential net payment obligation related to South Edge), the Lender Litigation and the appeal of the arbitration panel decision could have a material effect on the Company’s liquidity, as further discussed below under “Part I. Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations — Liquidity and Capital Resources.”
In addition to the specific proceedings described above, the Company is involved in other litigation and regulatory proceedings incidental to its business that are in various procedural stages. The Company believes that the accruals it has recorded for probable and reasonably estimable losses with respect to these proceedings are adequate and that, as of May 31, 2011, it was not reasonably possible that an additional material loss had been incurred in an amount in excess of the estimated amounts already recognized on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. The Company evaluates its accruals for litigation and regulatory proceedings at least quarterly and, as appropriate, adjusts them to reflect (i) the facts and circumstances known to the Company at the time, including information regarding negotiations, settlements, rulings and other relevant events and developments; (ii) the advice and analyses of counsel; and (iii) the assumptions and judgment of management. Similar factors and considerations are used in establishing new accruals for proceedings as to which losses have become probable and reasonably estimable at the time an evaluation is made. Based on its experience, the Company believes that the amounts that may be claimed or alleged against it in these proceedings are not a meaningful indicator of its potential liability. The outcome of any of these proceedings, including the defense and other litigation-related costs and expenses the Company may incur, however, is inherently uncertain and could differ significantly from the estimate reflected in a related accrual, if made. Therefore, it is possible that the ultimate outcome of any proceeding, if in excess of a related accrual or if no accrual had been made, could be material to the Company’s consolidated financial statements.