NOTE 4: STRATEGIC INVESTMENTS

Cash Converters International Limited

As of December 31, 2014, we owned 151,948,000 shares, or approximately 32%, of Cash Converters International, a company headquartered in Perth, Australia and publicly traded on the Australian Stock Exchange. Cash Converters International franchises and operates a worldwide network of over 750 specialty financial services and retail stores, with significant store concentrations in Australia and the United Kingdom, that buy and sell second-hand goods and provide pawn loans, short-term unsecured loans and other consumer finance products. Our initial total investment in Cash Converters International was acquired between November 2009 and November 2012 for approximately $68.8 million. An additional 15,100,000 shares were subsequently acquired in December 2014 for approximately $12.1 million in connection with a non-underwritten placement of 47,400,000 shares issued by Cash Converters International.

We account for our investment in Cash Converters International using the equity method. Since Cash Converters International’s fiscal year ends three months prior to ours, we report the income from this investment on a three month lag. Cash Converters International files semi-annual financial reports with the Australian Securities & Investments Commission for its fiscal periods ending December 31 and June 30. Due to the three month lag, income reported for our three month periods ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 represents our percentage interest in the results of Cash Converters International’s operations from July 1, 2014 to September 30, 2014 and July 1, 2013 to September 30, 2013, respectively.

During the quarters ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 our equity in Cash Converters International’s net income was $2.2 million and $2.4 million, respectively. Additionally, during the quarters ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 we recorded dividends from Cash Converters International of $2.4 million and $2.6 million, respectively.

The following table presents summary financial information for Cash Converters International’s most recently reported results after translation to U.S. dollars (using the exchange rate as of June 30 of each year for balance sheet items and average exchange rates for the income statement items for the periods indicated):



	As of June 30,
	2014			2013
	(in thousands)
Current assets	$	207,415		$	158,373
Non-current assets	178,764			153,279
Total assets	$	386,179		$	311,652

Current liabilities	$	95,242		$	90,524
Non-current liabilities	60,441			451
Shareholders’ equity:
Equity attributable to owners of the parent	233,788			220,676
Non-controlling interest	(3,292		)	1
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity	$	386,179		$	311,652



	Year ended June 30,
	2014			2013
	(in thousands)
Gross revenues	$	304,432		$	280,059
Gross profit	195,325			183,368
Profit for the period attributable to:
Owners of the parent	$	22,206		$	33,754
Non-controlling interest	(2,809		)	—
Profit for the year (net income)	$	19,397		$	33,754

Cash Converters International’s total assets increased 24% from June 30, 2013 to June 30, 2014 and its net income attributable to the owners of the parent decreased 34% for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, in U.S. dollars.

Albemarle & Bond Holdings, PLC

Prior to its bankruptcy reorganization, Albemarle & Bond Holdings, PLC ("Albemarle & Bond") was primarily engaged in pawnbroking, retail jewelry sales, check cashing and lending in the United Kingdom.

Albemarle & Bond’s fiscal year ended three months prior to ours; therefore, we reported the income from this investment on a three month lag. When it was a publicly traded reporting company on the London Stock Exchange, Albemarle & Bond filed semi-annual financial reports for its fiscal periods ending December 31 and June 30. Due to the three month lag, income reported for our three month period ended December 31, 2013 represents our percentage interest in the results of Albemarle & Bond’s operations from July 1, 2013 to September 30, 2013.

In March 2014, Albemarle & Bond entered into bankruptcy reorganization in the United Kingdom, and on April 15, 2014 Albemarle & Bond announced that the majority of its business and assets had been sold. In fiscal 2014 and 2013 we recognized other-than-temporary impairments of $7.9 million ($5.4 million, net of taxes) and $42.5 million ($28.7 million, net of taxes) which brought our carrying value of this investment to zero during the quarter ended June 30, 2014.

Prior to the quarter ended March 31, 2014, we accounted for our investment in Albemarle & Bond using the equity method.

During the quarter ended December 31, 2013 our equity in Albemarle & Bond’s net loss was $1.2 million. We received no dividends from Albemarle & Bond during the quarter ended December 31, 2013.

Fair Value Measurements

The fair value for Cash Converters International as of December 31, 2014 and 2013 and September 30, 2014 was considered a Level 1 estimate within the fair value hierarchy of FASB ASC 820-10-50, and was calculated as (a) the quoted stock price on the Australian Stock Exchange multiplied by (b) the number of shares we owned multiplied by (c) the applicable foreign currency exchange rate at the dates indicated. We included no control premium for owning a large percentage of outstanding shares.

There was no fair value attributable to Albemarle & Bond as of December 31, 2014 or September 30, 2014. The fair value for Albemarle & Bond as of each of those dates was considered a Level 2 estimate within the fair value hierarchy of FASB ASC 820-10-50. We calculated the fair value based on Albemarle & Bond's announcement of limited, if any, value available to the ordinary shares of its stock, which was considered to be an unobservable input insignificant to the overall determination of the Albemarle & Bond fair value.

The fair value for Albemarle & Bond as of December 31, 2013 was considered a Level 1 estimate within the fair value hierarchy of FASB ASC 820-10-50, and was calculated as (a) the quoted stock price on the London Stock Exchange multiplied by (b) the number of shares we owned multiplied by (c) the applicable foreign currency exchange rate at the date indicated. We included no control premium for owning a large percentage of outstanding shares.

The table below summarizes the carrying amount and fair value of each of these strategic investments as of the dates indicated:



	December 31,				September 30,
	2014		2013		2014
	(in thousands of U.S. dollars)
Cash Converters International:
Recorded value	$	99,219	$	89,522	$	91,098
Fair value	123,932		117,778		128,956
Albemarle & Bond:
Recorded value	$	—	$	7,902	$	—
Fair value	—		4,871		—