UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
FORM 10-K
FOR ANNUAL AND TRANSITION REPORTS
PURSUANT TO SECTIONS 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
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ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934 FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED MAY 31, 2004 |
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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 000-26565 |
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LIBERATE TECHNOLOGIES
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
| DELAWARE (State or Other Jurisdiction of Incorporation or Organization) |
94-3245315 (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.) |
2655 Campus Drive, Suite 250
San Mateo, California 94403
(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)
(650) 645-4000
(Registrant's Telephone Number, Including Area Code)
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act: None
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: Common Stock, $0.01 par value per share
Indicate by check mark whether the Company (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 Company was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days. Yes ý No o
Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of the Company's knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K. ý
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Exchange Act Rule 12b-2). Yes ý No o
As of November 28, 2003, the last business day of the Registrant's second fiscal quarter, the aggregate market value of the voting stock held by non-affiliates of the Company was approximately $240.9 million based on the last reported sale price of the Company's common stock on that date. As of July 30, 2004, there were 105,726,947 shares of common stock outstanding (including shares held by affiliates).
DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE
Portions of the Registrant's Proxy Statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders to be held on October 27, 2004 are incorporated by reference in Items 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14 of Part III of this Report.
LIBERATE TECHNOLOGIES
Annual Report on Form 10-K
For The Fiscal Year Ended May 31, 2004
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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| PART I | |||||
| Item 1. | Business | 1 | |||
| Item 2. | Properties | 14 | |||
| Item 3. | Legal Proceedings | 14 | |||
| Item 4. | Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders | 17 | |||
PART II |
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| Item 5. | Market for Registrant's Common Equity, Related Stockholder Matters and Issuer Purchases of Equity Securities | 18 | |||
| Item 6. | Selected Financial Data | 19 | |||
| Item 7. | Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations | 22 | |||
| Item 7A. | Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk | 45 | |||
| Item 8. | Financial Statements and Supplementary Data | 47 | |||
| Item 9. | Changes in and Disagreements With Accountants on Accounting and Financial Disclosure | 96 | |||
| Item 9A. | Controls and Procedures | 96 | |||
PART III |
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| Item 10. | Directors and Executive Officers of the Registrant | 97 | |||
| Item 11. | Executive Compensation | 97 | |||
| Item 12. | Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Related Stockholder Matters | 97 | |||
| Item 13. | Certain Relationships and Related Transactions | 97 | |||
| Item 14. | Principal Accountant Fees and Services | 97 | |||
PART IV |
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| Item 15. | Exhibits, Financial Statement Schedules, and Reports on Form 8-K | 98 | |||
SIGNATURES |
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The discussion in this report, which is filed on behalf of Liberate Technologies ("Liberate," "we," "us," or "our") and its wholly owned subsidiaries, contains statements that involve expectations or intentions (such as those relating to future business or financial results, new products or features, anticipated deployments, management strategies or the outcome of legal proceedings). These statements are forward-looking and are subject to risks and uncertainties, so actual results may vary materially. These risks and uncertainties include the emerging nature of our market, unknown revenue potential, limited number of potential customers, risks associated with the bankruptcy process, shareholder and patent litigation and the other risks discussed below under "Risk Factors." Other factors and assumptions not identified above were also involved in the derivation of these forward-looking statements, and the failure of such other assumptions to be realized as well as other factors may also cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Most of these factors are difficult to predict accurately and are generally beyond our control. We assume no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. You should consider our forward-looking statements in light of the risks discussed below, our consolidated financial statements, related notes, and the other financial information appearing elsewhere in this report and our other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC").
In this report, we sometimes use the words "fiscal" or "FY" followed by a year to refer to our fiscal years, which end on May 31 of the specified year. We also sometimes use "Q1," "Q2," "Q3," and "Q4" to refer to our fiscal quarters, which end on August 31, November 30, the last day of February, and May 31 of each fiscal year.
Filing of Voluntary Petition for Reorganization Under Chapter 11 of U.S. Bankruptcy Code
During the period from January through April of 2004, Liberate's Board of Directors, management and professional advisors analyzed and considered the various options and alternatives for Liberate's business. In February 2004, Liberate retained Allen & Company LLC as investment bankers to advise our Board of Directors and management on potential strategic alternatives.
In April 2004, Liberate's directors and officers concluded that our best course of action would be to reorganize through a Chapter 11 process that would provide for the payment in full to all valid creditor claims and preserve value for equity holders. We also believe that a Chapter 11 reorganization will facilitate a strategic transaction (in the event that the Board determines it is in the best interest of stockholders to undertake such a transaction) as, for example, Chapter 11 provides protections to potential strategic partners that are not available outside of Chapter 11.
On April 30, 2004, Liberate filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the United Stated Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware in order to resolve certain outstanding liabilities, reduce costs and strengthen Liberate's financial condition. On May 12, 2004, this case was transferred to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California, San Francisco Division. During the bankruptcy process, Liberate continues to manage and operate its business in the normal course, including continued compliance with active customer and vendor contracts, and service and support of its cable customers and their subscribers. We cannot predict or determine the outcome or resolution of the bankruptcy case, and the timing of the final resolution of this proceeding is uncertain.
Liberate has filed a proposed Plan of Reorganization providing for the payment of 100% of valid creditor claims. One of Liberate's significant creditors, the landlord of its former San Carlos headquarters, has filed a motion to dismiss the case, and the Company has filed an opposition to this motion. At a hearing on August 12, 2004, the Bankruptcy Court issued a tentative ruling indicating that
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it was inclined to abstain from exercising jurisdiction with respect to Liberate's bankruptcy case for some period of time, subject to the possibility of resuming the exercise of jurisdiction for the limited purpose of a potential sale of Liberate's assets. The Court has set the matter for a final hearing on August 30, 2004. Although Liberate is opposing the motion and the Court's tentative ruling, the motion may be granted or the tentative ruling may be adopted by the Court, in which case (absent a stay or a reversal on appeal) Liberate would not be able to realize savings or the other benefits of a Chapter 11 proceeding described above and, among other things, Liberate's liability under the San Carlos lease would not be capped. In the event the Court adopts the tentative ruling, Liberate will consider alternatives available to it, including a potential appeal of the ruling. The bankruptcy reorganization will allow Liberate to continue its focus on the TV Navigator software. By way of example, Liberate has approximately 140 contracts in place that are not necessary to its continued focus on its TV Navigator software. Therefore, Liberate is seeking to reject the majority of those contracts in the bankruptcy proceeding.
In addition, the bankruptcy process will enable Liberate to potentially deal with a variety of claims that have been asserted against Liberate, including certain pending litigation and certain disputed claims that have been asserted by former employees. Among other things, the filing of the bankruptcy has resulted in a stay of all pending litigation.
Under the Bankruptcy Code, actions to collect pre-petition indebtedness are stayed, and certain other contractual obligations may not be enforced against us. Absent any further order of the Bankruptcy Court, no party may take any action to recover any pre-petition claims, enforce any lien against or obtain possession of any property. In addition, we may assume or reject executory contracts, including the lease obligations, subject to approval of the bankruptcy court. Parties affected by these rejections may file claims with the Bankruptcy Court in accordance with the reorganization process. We have mailed notices to all known creditors and shareholders that the deadline for filing proofs of claim with the Bankruptcy Court is August 19, 2004.
Completion of Restatement of Liberate's Financial Statements
In late 2002, our audit committee, composed of independent outside directors, retained independent counsel to review the revenue reported during our fiscal year ended May 31, 2002. On November 21, 2002, we announced that we had discovered facts that called into question the appropriateness and timing of revenue recognition for various transactions that accounted for a total of approximately $10 million in revenue during fiscal 2002. While our audit committee's investigation was pending, we were not able to file our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q.
Our audit committee completed its investigation in September 2003, and we restated our financial statements for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2002 and for the quarters ended November 30, 2001, February 28, 2002, and May 31, 2002. We also revised our financial statements for the quarter ended August 31, 2002, which had been previously announced in a press release. In September 2003, two members of the audit committee left the board and were replaced on the committee by two other independent directors. The financial statements and related information contained in this report include the effects of the restatement of those historical financial statements. For further information regarding the restatement, see our amended annual report on Form 10-K/A for our fiscal year ended May 31, 2002.
Business Overview
Liberate is a provider of software for digital cable television systems. Based on industry standards, Liberate's software enables cable operators to run multiple services, including high-definition television, interactive programming guide, video on demand, personal video recorders and games, on multiple platforms.
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Corporate Background
Liberate began its operations in late 1995 as a division of Oracle Corporation, developing client and server software for the consumer, enterprise, and educational markets. Liberate was incorporated in Delaware in April 1996 when Oracle spun off a division as Network Computer, Inc. ("NCI"). NCI's initial focus was selling software to original equipment manufacturers of network computer products for enterprise customers. In August 1997, NCI merged with a Netscape-backed company, Navio Communications, Inc., which was developing internet application and server software for the consumer market. NCI, the surviving entity in the merger, changed its strategic direction and restructured its operations to focus development and marketing efforts on products targeted primarily at the consumer device market, targeting sales to a limited number of large network operators and consumer device manufacturers. In May 1999, the company changed its name from Network Computer, Inc. to Liberate Technologies.
Between our incorporation and our initial public offering, we raised a significant amount of capital by selling small equity positions to a number of investors, including some major network operators. In order to continue funding our operations, we issued shares of our stock to the public in July 1999. In January 2000, we effected a two-for-one split of our stock. We raised additional capital in February 2000 through a secondary public offering, and again in July 2000 when Cisco Systems invested $100.0 million through a private placement of 3,963,780 shares of common stock. In July 2002, we repurchased all of these shares from Cisco Systems for $10.0 million.
We have made three acquisitions since becoming a publicly traded company: in March 2000, we acquired the VirtualModem assets of SourceSuite LLC, a company based in Canada; in June 2000, we acquired MoreCom, Inc, a company based in Horsham, Pennsylvania; and in August 2002, we acquired Sigma Systems Group (Canada). In May 2003, we sold our Bill-Care business and in November 2003 we sold our Operations Support Systems (OSS) business and related assets, both of which we had acquired in the Sigma Systems acquisition in August 2002.
Through the end of fiscal 2004, we operated in one segment and generated revenues from licenses, royalties, and services. Our 2004 fiscal year started on June 1, 2003 and ended on May 31, 2004.
Client and Server Products for Digital Television
We provide software and services for digital cable systems. We offer client software products and server software products collectively called Liberate TV Navigator. Our products enable cable operators to run multiple applications and servicesincluding high-definition television, interactive programming guide, video on demand, personal video recorders and gameson multiple platforms. Our software, can run on digital set-top boxes of various typessuch as cable, digital terrestrial broadcast, and digital subscriber lines (DSL)enabling interactive and enhanced services. These products have been deployed primarily in digital cable networks.
Professional Services
Our Professional Services group provides deployment, integration, and support services to network operators. The Professional Services group works closely with our product development and technical support teams to integrate and install appropriate system elements. We also rely on technology partners and system integrators to provide our customers with products and technologies from others in the industry.
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Trademark Notice
Liberate®, the Liberate logo, and the various Liberate products and programs described above are registered trademarks and trademarks of Liberate Technologies. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Research and Development
As of May 31, 2004, we had development offices in San Mateo, California and Ontario, Canada. Our total research and development expenses were $44.6 million in fiscal 2002, $26.1 million in fiscal 2003, and $16.3 million in fiscal 2004. These amounts exclude acquisition-related charges for purchased in-process research and development of $300,000 in fiscal 2003.
Sales and Marketing
We license our software directly to cable operators in North America and Europe. In late fiscal 2003, we substantially reduced our sales force to focus primarily on the U.S. and U.K. cable markets. As of May 31, 2004, we had four employees in sales and marketing positions.
Customers
Our customers are typically large cable network operators who introduce, market, and promote products and services based on our technology. For fiscal 2002, Telewest accounted for 19% and NTL accounted for 16% of total revenues. For fiscal 2003, NTL accounted for 22%, Telewest accounted for 17%, and Shaw accounted for 11% of total revenues. For fiscal 2004, Insight Communications, NTL, Telewest and UPC accounted for 24%, 44%, 27% and 16% of revenue, respectively. Certain customers generated negative revenues in fiscal 2004 due to warrant-related revenue offsets and the reclassification of revenues attributed to discontinued operations. Consequently, the customer percentages sum to greater than 100%.
Competition
We face intense competition in licensing software. Our principal competitors in the interactive television software market include Gemstar-TV Guide, Microsoft, OpenTV, including Liberty Broadband Interactive Technologies, its controlling shareholder, and NDS Group, a subsidiary of NewsCorp. Other established and emerging companies in the television, computer software, and telecommunications sectors may also become competitors. The principal competitive factors in our industry include:
Intellectual Property Rights and Proprietary Information
We have a portfolio of technologies and intellectual property that addresses various features of interactive networks and devices. We seek to safeguard our proprietary information and our other
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intellectual property through a combination of domestic and international copyrights, trademarks, patents, and trade secret protection, as well as through contractual protections such as proprietary information agreements and nondisclosure agreements. However, we cannot guarantee that these steps will prevent misappropriation of our proprietary information, and we may not be able to detect unauthorized use and take appropriate steps to enforce our intellectual property rights.
As of May 31, 2004, we had 37 issued U.S. patents in the general area of interactive networking technologies, 31 pending U.S. patent applications, and 20 foreign patents.
We have registered "Liberate" and the Liberate logo in the United States and extensively throughout the world, and use our other product trademarks in association with these marks.
Employees
As of May 31, 2004, we had 171 employees, of whom 120 were based in Canada, 45 were based in the U.S. and 6 were based in Europe. Our employees are not represented by any collective bargaining agreement and we have never experienced a work stoppage. We consider our employee relations to be good.
Available Information
We make available free of charge on or through our Internet website our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and all amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable after they are electronically filed with, or furnished to, the SEC. Our Internet website address is www.liberate.com. Information contained on our website is not part of this report. We are subject to the informational requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. We therefore file periodic reports, proxy statements and other information with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Such reports may be obtained by visiting the Public Reference Room of the SEC at 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20549, or by calling the SEC at 1-800-SEC-0330. In addition, the SEC maintains an internet site (http://www.sec.gov) that contains reports, proxy and information statements and other information regarding issuers that file electronically.
Risk Factors
In evaluating Liberate and our business, you should consider the following factors in addition to the other information in this annual report on Form 10-K. Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial also may impair our business operations. Any of the following risks could seriously harm our business, financial condition, and results of operations, causing the price of our stock to decline.
Since the market for interactive television and related services is emerging and may not achieve broad acceptance, our revenue potential is unknown.
Because the market for advanced cable services (including interactive television, high definition television, video on demand, and personal video recorders) is emerging, the potential size of the market opportunity and the timing of its development are uncertain. As a result, our revenue potential is unknown.
Sales of our technology and services depend upon the commercialization and broad acceptance by consumers and cable operators of advanced digital cable services. This will depend in turn on many factors, including the development of compatible devices, content, and applications of interest to significant numbers of consumers, the willingness of cable operators to make the investment required to deploy these new services, and competition between digital cable and satellite or other content delivery
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technologies. Because demand for these types of products and services has fluctuated, and our revenues have recently declined markedly, our revenue growth is uncertain. If this market does not develop, develops slowly, or develops in a different direction than we project, our revenues will not grow, and may decline.
Our success depends on a limited number of network operators introducing and promoting products and services incorporating our technology.
Our success depends on large network operators adopting and deploying products and services based on or using our technology. There are, however, only a limited number of these large network operators worldwide, some of whom have elected not to adopt our products. Mergers or other business combinations among these network operators could reduce the number of potential customers, disrupt our existing business relationships, and cause demand for our products and services to decline.
Our customers are not contractually obligated to deploy our technology, or to achieve any specific deployment schedules. Because our agreements are not exclusive, network operators may choose to license technology from one or more of our competitors or develop technology internally, which could cause our revenues to decline.
Because the large-scale deployment of products and services incorporating our technology is complex, time-consuming, and expensive, network operators are cautious about proceeding with these deployments. The commercialization process for new customers typically requires a lengthy and significant commitment of resources by our customers and us, and it is difficult for us to predict the timing of obtaining new customers or deployment of our technology by our customers.
Changes in our relationships with major customers could cause our revenues to decline.
We currently derive, and expect to continue to derive, a significant portion of our revenues from a limited number of customers. The specific customers may vary from period to period. As a result, if we do not sell our products and services to one or more customers in any particular period, or a large customer purchases fewer of our products or services, defers or cancels orders, fails to meet its payment obligations, or terminates or fails to renew its relationship with us, our revenues could decline significantly.
Filing for reorganization under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code could harm our business and results of operations.
On April 30, 2004, Liberate filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code to resolve certain outstanding liabilities, reduce costs and strengthen its financial condition. Because of inherent uncertainties in legal proceedings, we may not be able to realize savings or any other benefits in a Chapter 11 proceeding. In addition, the legal and other expenses associated with a Chapter 11 reorganization are substantial and could harm our results of operations and financial condition. A Chapter 11 proceeding may also take much longer to complete than we anticipate and may result in the diversion of substantial amounts of time and corporate resources. Moreover, one of Liberate's significant creditors, the landlord of its former San Carlos headquarters, has filed a motion to dismiss our Chapter 11 case. At a hearing on August 12, 2004, the Bankruptcy Court issued a tentative ruling indicating that it was inclined to abstain from exercising jurisdiction with respect to Liberate's bankruptcy case for some period of time, subject to the possibility of resuming the exercise of jurisdiction for the limited purpose of a potential sale of Liberate's assets. The Court has set the matter for final hearing on August 30, 2004. Although Liberate is opposing the motion to dismiss and the Court's tentative ruling, the motion may be granted or the tentative ruling may be adopted by the Court, in which case (absent a stay or a reversal on appeal) Liberate would not be able to realize savings or the other benefits of a Chapter 11 proceeding described above. For example, Liberate's
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liability under the San Carlos lease would not be capped pursuant to Chapter 11 and Liberate would continue to be liable for its obligations under the lease in accordance with the terms thereof (which over the life of the lease could be up to approximately $45.3 million, including common area maintenance expenses). In addition, if a bankruptcy plan is confirmed, the Bankruptcy Court could require Liberate to establish restricted cash reserves to satisfy contingent liabilities that are not resolved by the time of confirmation of the plan. The amount of reserve could be substantial and could harm our liquidity and cash flows for an indefinite period. In summary the outcome of the Chapter 11 proceeding is uncertain and may differ materially from our expectations.
The filing of a Chapter 11 petition may create a perception of instability in our business, which could cause potential new customers to delay or suspend adoption of our technology and certain existing customers or vendors to seek to alter or terminate their relationships with us or delay or suspend deployment of our software. Such an occurrence could cause our revenues to decline. It may also become more difficult to retain and motivate employees as a result of the Chapter 11 filing.
The U.S. Bankruptcy Court has set a claims bar date of August 19, 2004. The Chapter 11 filing may prompt third parties to assert claims that would otherwise be barred if not raised in accordance with the Chapter 11 proceedings. Although we cannot predict the nature or outcome of any such claims, we may incur significant expense in assessing, defending, or settling them. A negative outcome of any potential claim could seriously harm our financial condition and results of operations.
Diversion of management and financial resources resulting from the SEC's inquiry into the restatement of our financial statements could harm our business.
In February 2003, we were informed that the SEC had initiated a formal, non-public investigation into the events and circumstances that led to the restatement of our financial statements for fiscal 2002. Conducting our internal investigation and responding to the SEC investigation have required significant time and attention from management and are likely to further occupy management's attention and resources in the future. This diversion of resources could harm our business. If the SEC elects to pursue an enforcement action, the defense may be costly and require additional management resources. If we are unsuccessful in defending against such an action, we may face penalties or fines that could seriously harm our business and our financial condition.
Securities class-action and shareholder derivative litigation could continue to generate substantial costs and divert management attention and resources and harm our financial condition.
Liberate and certain of its officers and directors are currently the subject of securities class actions in federal court and shareholder derivative lawsuits in state court related to our announcement in 2002 that we would restate our financial results for fiscal 2002 and that we were investigating other periods. The cost of participating and defending against these actions is substantial and will continue to require management's attention and corporate resources.
We have entered into a memorandum of understanding with counsel for the securities class action plaintiffs to settle the securities class action for a payment of $13.8 million. The proposed settlement is subject to and will be effective only if and when, among other things, the parties execute final settlement documents and obtain approval from the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California and the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. If the proposed settlement does not become effective, the securities class action will continue. The proposed settlement of the federal securities class action does not cover or settle the state derivative action.
The possible resolutions of these proceedings, including the securities class action in the event the proposed settlement of the securities class action does not become effective, could include judgments against us or settlements that could require substantial payments by us, which could harm our financial
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condition, results of operations, and cash flows. The timing of the final resolution of these proceedings is uncertain.
We have agreed to indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent allowed by Delaware law. As a consequence, we are advancing expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) incurred by directors and officers in connection with the securities class action, the shareholder derivative action, and the SEC investigation, although these payments are subject to reimbursement if such expenses are ultimately found to be non-indemnifiable. Additionally, we may ultimately be obligated to pay indemnifiable judgments, penalties, fines, and amounts paid in settlement in connection with these proceedings.
We have notified our various insurance carriers of the litigation and the SEC investigation. Our primary carrier and one of our secondary carriers have disputed whether certain costs incurred in connection with the restatement-related litigation and the SEC investigation are covered under their respective policies. Our insurance may not cover all or portions of our defense costs, any settlement, any judgment rendered against us, or amounts we are required to pay to any indemnified person in connection with the litigation, the SEC investigation, or any other matter. These costs and liabilities, if not covered by insurance, could harm our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows.
Our recent workforce restructurings may harm morale and performance of our personnel and may harm our financial condition and operating results.
In order to reduce costs, we significantly restructured our organization in fiscal years 2002, 2003, and 2004, in part through substantial reductions in our workforce. There have been and may continue to be substantial costs associated with the workforce reductions, including severance and other employee-related costs. Our restructuring plan may result in negative consequences, such as poor employee morale, attrition beyond our planned reduction, or a significant loss of customers and revenue. As a result of these reductions, we may not be able to take advantage of new business opportunities.
Some of the employees who were terminated may possess specific knowledge or skills that may prove to have been important to our operations. In that case, the absence of these employees may create significant difficulties for our operations. We may need to further reduce our expenses in the future, which could seriously disrupt our business operations and harm morale and performance of our personnel.
Because of the large number of employees whose positions were eliminated in fiscal 2002 and 2003, we may be subject to unanticipated claims or litigation related to employment, employee benefits, or termination. The types of claims could divert the attention and resources of management, which could harm our financial condition.
Our executive officers, key employees and highly skilled technical and managerial personnel are critical to our business, and they may not remain with us in the future.
Our performance substantially depends on the performance of our executive officers and key employees. We also rely on our ability to retain and motivate qualified personnel, especially our management and highly skilled development teams. The loss of the services of any of our executive officers or key employees could cause us to incur increased operating expenses and divert senior management resources in searching for replacements. The loss of their services also could harm our reputation if our customers were to become concerned about our future operations. We do not carry "key person" life insurance policies on any of our employees. Our future success also depends on our continuing ability to identify, hire, train and retain other highly qualified technical and managerial personnel.
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We may incur net losses or increased net losses if we amortize or impair deferred costs related to the issuance of warrants.
In fiscal 1999, we entered into agreements to issue warrants to several network operators to allow them to purchase up to approximately 4.6 million shares of our common stock. Those warrants were earned as network operators satisfied specific milestones. The value of the warrants is subject to classification as an offset to revenues up to the amount of cumulative revenues recognized or to be recognized, in accordance with EITF 01-09, "Accounting for Consideration Given by a Vendor to a Customer or Reseller of the Vendor's Products." Total license and royalties revenue has been negative in three quarters of fiscal 2004 in part because these warrant related revenue offsets exceeded the amount of new license and royalty revenue recognized during those periods. We may record negative license and royalty revenue in future periods to the extent that these offsets exceed our new license and royalty revenues during a quarter.
If we do not meet our financial goals or if our operating results do not improve, our stock price could decline.
Since our inception, we have not had a profitable reporting period, and may never achieve or sustain profitability. We may continue to incur significant losses and negative cash flows in the future. Our revenues have declined significantly and we have withdrawn our guidance regarding future revenues and earnings, including our previous projections for profitability. We expect our future revenues to continue to depend significantly on a small number of relatively large orders from network operators and we may need to identify new sources of revenue. We have found it difficult to forecast the timing and amount of specific sales because our sales process is complex and our sales cycle is long.
In some cases, we recognize revenues from services based on the percentage of completion of a services project. Our ability to recognize these revenues may be delayed if we are unable to meet service milestones on a timely basis. Delays in network operators' deployment schedules or delays in our receipt of royalty reports could reduce our revenues for any given quarter. As a result, our revenues are likely to vary from period to period and may be difficult to forecast. Because our expenses are relatively fixed in the near term, any shortfall in anticipated revenues could result in greater short-term losses, which could cause our stock price to decline.
Some of our revenues consist of one-time revenues derived from the termination of certain customers' unused rights to use prepayments for our products and services. We may be unable to replicate these revenues after customers have exhausted their pre-paid balances. If we cannot substantially increase our sources of sustainable revenues, our financial condition and results of operations will suffer and our stock price is likely to decline.
Our future license and royalty revenues and margins may continue to decline if our customers do not adopt our software licensing model.
We recently announced our plans to shift to a new software-licensing model under which we intend to charge fees from network operators based on the number of subscribers who have access to our software. Because this is a new payment model, its revenue potential is unknown, and we may not be able to secure customer commitments to adopt this model. If we are unable to obtain commitments from new customers or renewals with existing customers under this model, our revenues may decline.
Competition in our market could result in price reductions, reduced gross margins, and loss of market share.
We face intense competition in licensing our interactive television platform software for networks and set-top boxes. Our principal competitors in this market include Gemstar-TV Guide, Microsoft, NDS, and OpenTV (including Liberty Broadband Interactive Technologies, its controlling shareholder).
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We also face competition from set-top box manufacturers that have their own platform offerings. Additionally, certain network operators may elect to develop their own software platforms that compete with our products.
We expect additional competition from other established and emerging companies in the television, computing, software, and telecommunications sectors and from stronger competitors created by the current consolidation among vendors to the telecommunications industry. Increased competition may result in further price reductions, and may also lead to fewer customer orders, reduced gross margins, longer sales cycles, reduced revenues, and loss of market share.
Several of our competitors have one or more of the following advantages: longer operating histories, larger customer bases, greater name recognition, more patents relating to important technologies, and significantly greater financial, technical, sales and marketing, and other resources. This may place us at a competitive disadvantage in responding to their pricing strategies, technological advances, advertising campaigns, strategic partnerships, and other initiatives. In addition, many of our competitors have well-established relationships with our current and potential customers. Some of our competitors, particularly Microsoft, have made and may continue to make large strategic investments in our current and potential customers. Such investments may allow our competitors to strengthen existing relationships or quickly establish new relationships with our current or potential customers.
International revenues account for a significant portion of our revenues and are subject to operational risks and currency fluctuations.
International revenues consist of sales to customers outside of the United States and are assigned to specific countries based on the location of the customer. We derive, and may continue to derive a significant portion of our revenues from sources outside the United States. Accordingly, our success will depend, in part, upon international economic, political, legal, and regulatory conditions; our ability to manage international sales and marketing operations; and our ability to collect international accounts receivable.
To date, the majority of our revenues and costs have been denominated in U.S. dollars. The effect of changes in foreign currency exchange rates on revenues and operating expenses are reflected in our financial statements. We have recorded, and may in the future record, losses in a quarter as a result of the revaluation of historical activities between Liberate and its foreign subsidiaries at current exchange rates. Changes in international operations may result in increased foreign currency receivables and payables. Although we may, from time to time, undertake foreign exchange hedging transactions to cover a portion of our foreign currency transaction exposure, we do not currently do so. Accordingly, fluctuations in the value of foreign currency could significantly reduce our international revenues, increase our international expenses, and increase our net loss.
Acquisitions or dispositions of businesses or product lines could be difficult to implement or integrate and could disrupt our business and dilute stockholder value.
We have acquired and may acquire businesses or assets in an effort to compete effectively in our market or to acquire new technologies. With any acquisitions, it may be difficult to integrate product lines, technologies, personnel, customers, widely dispersed operations, and distinct corporate cultures. These integration efforts have in some cases proven more difficult than anticipated and may not succeed or may distract our management from operating our existing business. Our failure to successfully manage acquisitions could seriously harm our operating results. In addition, our stockholders would be diluted if we were to finance acquisitions by incurring convertible debt or issuing equity securities, and our liquidity may be adversely affected if we were to use our cash to make acquisitions.
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We have been sued for patent infringement by one of our competitors and may be subject to other third-party intellectual property infringement claims that could be costly and time-consuming to defend. We do not have insurance to protect against these claims.
On February 7, 2002, OpenTV filed a lawsuit against Liberate alleging that Liberate is infringing two of OpenTV's patents and seeking monetary damages and injunctive relief. We have filed an answer denying OpenTV's allegations and have counter-claimed that OpenTV infringes one of our patents for information retrieval systems. We are seeking to have OpenTV's two patents invalidated, requesting a finding that our technology does not infringe OpenTV's patents, and seeking monetary damages and injunctive relief against OpenTV. The court has issued a claim construction ruling, and although the case is currently stayed pending resolution of our Chapter 11 proceeding, the trial is currently scheduled for 2005. While we intend to vigorously defend this lawsuit and are confident in our technology and intellectual property, because litigation is by its nature uncertain, we are unable to predict the outcome of this litigation and whether we may face any material exposure for damages or the need to alter our software arising from this case.
We expect that, like other software product developers, we will increasingly be subject to infringement claims as the number of products and competitors developing digital television software grows, software and business-method patents become more common, and the functionality of products in different industry segments overlaps.
We currently do not have liability insurance to protect against the risk that our own technology or licensed third-party technology infringes the intellectual property of others. Claims relating to our technology, regardless of their merit, may seriously harm our ability to develop and market our products and manage our day-to-day operations because they are time-consuming and costly to defend, and may divert management's attention and resources, cause product shipment delays, require us to redesign our products, or require us to enter into royalty or licensing agreements.
Our products may contain errors or be unable to support and manage a large number of users.
Software development is an inherently complex and subjective process, which frequently results in products that contain errors, as well as defective or non-competitive features or functions. Moreover, our technology is integrated into the products and services of our network operator customers. Accordingly, a defect, error, or performance problem with our technology could cause our customers' cable television or other telecommunications systems to fail for a period of time. Any such failure could cause severe customer service and public relations problems for our customers and could result in delayed or lost revenues or increased expenses due to adverse customer reaction, negative publicity, and damage claims.
Despite frequent testing of our software's scalability in a laboratory environment and in customer deployments, the ability of our products to support and manage a potentially large number of subscribers is uncertain. If our software does not efficiently scale while maintaining a high level of performance, demand for our products and services and our ability to sell additional products to our existing customers will decline.
We have been named in securities class-action litigation involving the underwriters to our public offerings, which may result in substantial costs and occupy management attention and resources.
Beginning on May 16, 2001, a number of class-action lawsuits seeking monetary damages were filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against several of the firms that underwrote our initial public offering, naming Liberate and certain of our officers and directors as co-defendants. The suits, which have since been consolidated with hundreds of similar suits filed against underwriters and issuers, allege that the underwriters received excessive and improper commissions that were not disclosed in our prospectus and that the underwriters artificially increased
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the price of our stock. The plaintiffs subsequently added allegations regarding our secondary offering, and named additional officers and directors as co-defendants. While we deny allegations of wrongdoing, we have agreed to enter into settlement discussions of these claims and expect our insurers to cover amounts in excess of our deductible. Failure to resolve this litigation on favorable terms could result in substantial costs or otherwise harm our business. While the plaintiffs in this lawsuit have filed a proof of claim in connection with Liberate's bankruptcy for approximately $830 million, we believe that this amount should be reduced to zero as a result of the global settlement and our insurance coverage.
Our limited ability to protect our intellectual property and proprietary rights may harm our competitiveness.
Our ability to compete and continue to provide technological innovation depends substantially upon internally developed technology. We rely primarily on a combination of patents, trademark laws, copyright laws, trade secrets, confidentiality procedures, and contractual provisions to protect our proprietary technology. While we have a number of patent applications pending, patents may not be issued from these or any future applications. In addition, our existing and future patents may not survive a legal challenge to their validity or provide significant protection for us.
The steps we have taken to protect our proprietary rights may not be adequate to prevent misappropriation of our proprietary information. Further, we may not be able to detect unauthorized use of, or take appropriate steps to enforce, our intellectual property rights. Our competitors may also independently develop similar technology. In addition, the laws of many countries do not protect our proprietary rights to as great an extent as do the laws of the United States. If we fail to protect our intellectual property, our competitors could offer products that incorporate our most technologically advanced features, reducing demand for our products and services.
A small group of stockholders owns a majority of our outstanding shares and can exercise significant control over Liberate.
As of May 31, 2004, to our knowledge, five stockholders, who are not affiliated with one another, beneficially owned a total of approximately 51% of our outstanding common stock. As a result, these stockholders will be able to exercise control over all matters requiring stockholder approval, including the election of directors and approval of significant corporate transactions. The concentration of ownership may have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control of Liberate.
We incur expenses related to equity awards issued to our employees.
As a result of our recent introduction of restricted stock units as a form of equity compensation for employees and non-employee directors, we recorded an expense of approximately $612,000 in Q4 FY04 and $1.9 million for fiscal 2004, and we expect to record significant expenses in future periods related to stock units. The continuation of granting of restricted stock units or other similar equity awards will increase our loss.
In addition, current proposed legislation in Congress and proposals before the International Accounting Standards Board and the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB"), if adopted, may require us to record the value of stock options or other equity awards granted to all or certain of our employees as an expense. If we begin recording these amounts as an expense, either voluntarily or in response to proposed legislation or standards, our net loss would increase.
New or changed government regulations could significantly reduce demand for our products and services.
We are subject not only to regulations applicable to businesses generally, but also to laws and regulations directly applicable to the internet, cable television networks, and other telecommunications
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content and services. State, federal, and foreign governments may adopt laws and regulations that adversely affect us or our markets in any of the following areas: user privacy, copyrights, consumer protection, taxation of e-commerce, the distribution and modification of programming and content, transmission of advanced television services, the collection and exchange of personally identifiable information, and the characteristics and quality of online products and services.
In particular, the market for cable television is extensively regulated by a large number of national, state, and local government agencies. New or altered laws or regulations regarding cable television that change its competitive landscape, limit its market, or affect its pricing could seriously harm our business prospects.
Compliance with new regulations relating to internal controls over financial reporting may be costly and time-consuming.
In future periods, we will be required under the provisions of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 to review and assess the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting and to provide a related attestation report from our independent auditors. We are still in the early stages of reviewing our internal controls, and there can be no assurance that we will not identify significant control deficiencies, or that our auditors will be able to attest to the adequacy of our internal controls. In addition, the implementation of new internal controls, if required, may be costly and time-consuming for management and our employees.
We expect our operations to continue to produce negative cash flows in the near term; consequently, if we require additional capital and cannot raise it, we may not be able to fund our continued operations.
Since our inception, cash used in our operations has substantially exceeded cash received from our operations and this trend may continue. We believe that our existing cash balances will be sufficient to meet our working capital and capital expenditure needs for at least the next twelve months. At some point in the future, we may need to raise additional funds and we cannot be certain that we will be able to obtain additional financing on favorable terms, or at all. If we need additional capital and cannot raise it on acceptable terms, we may not be able to develop our products and services, acquire complementary technologies or businesses, hire and retain employees, or respond to competitive pressures or new business requirements. Our inability to obtain additional financing on favorable terms could have a material adverse effect on our company.
Provisions of our corporate documents and Delaware law could deter takeovers and prevent stockholders from receiving a premium for their shares.
Certain provisions of our certificate of incorporation and bylaws may discourage, delay, or prevent a change in control of our company that a stockholder may consider favorable. These include provisions that:
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In addition, Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law and provisions in our stock incentive plans may discourage, delay, or prevent a change in control of our company.
Our board of directors has adopted a stockholder rights plan, which is designed to give the board flexibility in responding to unsolicited acquisition proposals and discourage coercive takeover offers. In general, the stockholder rights plan would provide our existing stockholders (other than an existing stockholder who becomes an acquiring person) with rights to acquire additional shares of our common stock at 50% of its trading price if a person or entity acquires 15% or more of the outstanding shares of our common stock, unless our board of directors elects to redeem these rights.
As of May 31, 2004, we leased office space in various locations throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe. Our headquarters is currently located in San Mateo, California. We also have a development center in Canada, and sales and customer support offices in the United Kingdom (U.K.).
We lease approximately 15,000 square feet of office space for our headquarters and development center in San Mateo, California.
We previously leased approximately 181,000 square feet of office space for our former headquarters and development center in San Carlos, California. On June 7, 2004, the U.S. Bankruptcy Court granted our motion to reject this lease. However, the landlord has appealed that decision and has filed a motion to dismiss our Chapter 11 case. At a hearing on August 12, 2004, the Bankruptcy Court issued a tentative ruling indicating that it was inclined to abstain from exercising jurisdiction with respect to Liberate's bankruptcy case for some period of time, subject to the possibility of resuming the exercise of jurisdiction for the limited purpose of a potential sale of Liberate's assets. The Court has set the matter for final hearing on August 30, 2004. Although Liberate is opposing the motion to dismiss and the Court's tentative ruling, the motion may be granted, or the tentative ruling may be adopted by the Court, in which case (absent a stay or a reversal on appeal) Liberate would not be able to realize savings or the other benefits of a Chapter 11 proceeding. For example, Liberate's liability under the San Carlos lease would not be capped pursuant to Chapter 11 and Liberate would continue to be liable for its obligations under the lease in accordance with the terms thereof (which over the life of the lease could be up to approximately $45.3 million, including common area maintenance expenses). We have accrued $25.4 million as excess facilities provision included in liabilities subject to compromise.
Underwriting Litigation. Beginning on May 16, 2001, a number of class-action lawsuits seeking monetary damages were filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York against several of the firms that underwrote our initial public offering, naming Liberate and certain of our officers and directors as co-defendants. The suits, which have since been consolidated with hundreds of similar suits filed against underwriters and issuers, allege that the underwriters received excessive and improper commissions that were not disclosed in our prospectus and that the underwriters artificially increased the price of our stock. The plaintiffs subsequently added allegations regarding our secondary offering, and named additional officers and directors as co-defendants. While we deny allegations of wrongdoing, we have agreed to enter into a global settlement of these claims, and expect our insurers to cover amounts in excess of our deductible. The settlement is being negotiated among plaintiffs, insurers and co-defendants. While the plaintiffs in this lawsuit have filed a proof of claim in connection with Liberate's bankruptcy for approximately $830 million, we believe that this amount should be reduced to zero as a result of the global settlement and our insurance coverage. We cannot predict the outcome of this proof of claims or estimate the amounts of, or potential range of loss with respect to this claim.
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OpenTV Patent Litigation. On February 7, 2002, OpenTV filed a lawsuit against Liberate in the United States District Court for Northern California, alleging that Liberate is infringing two of OpenTV's patents and seeking monetary damages and injunctive relief. We have filed an answer denying OpenTV's allegations. Our counter-claim alleges that OpenTV infringes one of our patents for information retrieval systems. We are seeking to have OpenTV's patents invalidated, requesting a finding that our technology does not infringe OpenTV's patents, and seeking monetary damages and injunctive relief against OpenTV. The court has issued a claim construction ruling hearing and although the case is currently stayed pending resolution of our Chapter 11 proceeding, the trial is currently scheduled for early 2005. While we intend to vigorously defend this lawsuit and are confident in our technology and intellectual property, because litigation is by its nature uncertain, we are unable to predict the outcome of this litigation and whether we may face any material exposure for damages or the need to alter our software arising from this case.
Restatement Class-Action Litigation. Beginning on October 17, 2002, five securities class-action lawsuits were filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California against us and certain officers and directors (collectively, the "Class Action Defendants"), which were subsequently consolidated into a single action (the "Class Action"). The Class Action is based on our announcements in October and November 2002 that we would restate our financial results for fiscal 2002 and that we were investigating other periods. The Class Action generally alleges, among other things, that members of the purported class were damaged when they acquired our securities because, as a result of accounting irregularities, our previously issued financial statements were materially false and misleading, and caused the price of our securities to be inflated artificially. The Class Action further alleges that, as a result of this conduct, the Class Action Defendants violated Section 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and SEC Rule 10b-5, promulgated thereunder. The Class Action seeks unspecified monetary damages and other relief from all Class Action Defendants. We have entered into a memorandum of understanding with counsel for the Class Action plaintiffs to settle the Class Action for a payment of $13.8 million. The proposed settlement is subject to and will be effective only if and when, among other things, the parties execute final settlement documents and obtain approval from the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California and the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. If the proposed settlement does not become effective, the Class Action will continue. The proposed settlement of the Class Action does not cover or settle the state derivative action. In the event the proposed settlement of the Class Action does not become effective, the possible resolutions of this proceeding could include judgments against us or settlements that could require substantial payments by us, which could harm our financial condition, results of operations, and cash flows. The timing of the final resolution of this proceeding is uncertain.
Restatement Derivative Litigation. In addition, on or about October 29, 2002, a shareholder derivative action was filed in the California Superior Court for the County of San Mateo, naming Liberate as a nominal party and naming certain of our officers and directors as defendants (collectively, the "Derivative Defendants"). A second shareholder derivative action was filed on or about November 6, 2002. On February 26, 2003, these actions were consolidated into a single action (the "Derivative Action"). The Derivative Action is based on substantially the same facts and circumstances as the Class Action and generally alleges that the Derivative Defendants failed to adequately oversee our financial reporting, and thus are liable for breach of their fiduciary duties, abuse of control, gross mismanagement, and waste of corporate assets. The Derivative Action also alleges that the Derivative Defendants are liable for unjust enrichment and that certain current or former officers and directors are liable for violations of California Code Section 25402 and breach of fiduciary duty for insider selling and misappropriation of information. The Derivative Action seeks unspecified monetary damages and other relief.
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SEC Investigation. When we announced that we would restate our financial statements, we contacted the SEC and provided them with additional information regarding our findings. In February 2003, we learned that the SEC had initiated a formal, non-public investigation into the events and circumstances that led to the restatement of our financial statements. We have been cooperating with the SEC and will continue to do so.
The cost of participating and defending against these actions is substantial and will require the continued diversion of management's attention and corporate resources.
We cannot predict or determine the outcome or resolution of the Class Action, the Derivative Action, the OpenTV litigation, or the SEC investigation, or estimate the amounts of, or potential range of, loss with respect to these proceedings. In addition, the timing of the final resolution of these proceedings is uncertain. The possible resolutions of these proceedings could include judgments against us or settlements that could require substantial payments by us, which could have a material adverse impact on our financial position, results of operations, and cash flows.
On August 29, 2003, Liberate purchased a $100 million supplemental loss mitigation insurance policy from a AAA/A++ rated insurance carrier to cover damages that may arise from pending securities and derivative litigation related to Liberate's restatement. This policy is in addition to Liberate's existing policies that provide up to $15 million of coverage. Liberate paid a $17.9 million premium for the loss mitigation policy, with a rebate of up to $4.4 million if an eventual settlement or judgment is less than specified amounts. Liberate has certain deductibles under its insurance arrangements for which it is solely responsible.
Litigation-Related Indemnification Obligations. We have agreed to indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. As a consequence, we are advancing expenses (including reasonable attorneys' fees) incurred by directors and officers in connection with the Class Action, the Derivative Action, and the SEC investigation, although these payments are subject to reimbursement if such expenses are ultimately found to be non-indemnifiable. Additionally, we may ultimately be obligated to pay indemnifiable judgments, penalties, fines, and amounts paid in settlement in connection with these proceedings.
We have notified our various insurance carriers of the Class Action, the Derivative Action, and the SEC investigation. Our primary carrier and one of our secondary carriers have disputed whether certain costs incurred in connection with the restatement-related litigation and the SEC investigation are covered under their respective policies. Our insurance may not cover all or portions of our defense costs, any settlement, any judgment rendered against us, or amounts we are required to pay to any indemnified person in connection with the Class Action, the Derivative Action, the SEC investigation, or any other matter.
Voluntary Petition Under Chapter 11 of U.S. Bankruptcy Code. On April 30, 2004, Liberate filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the United Stated Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, case number 04-11299. On May 12, 2004, this case was transferred to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California, San Francisco Division, case number 04-31394. Liberate has filed a proposed Plan of Reorganization providing for the payment of 100% of valid creditor claims. One of Liberate's significant creditors, the landlord of its former San Carlos headquarters, has filed a motion to dismiss the case. At a hearing on August 12, 2004, the Bankruptcy Court issued a tentative ruling indicating that it was inclined to abstain from exercising jurisdiction with respect to Liberate's bankruptcy case for some period of time, subject to the possibility of resuming the exercise of jurisdiction for the limited purpose of a potential sale of Liberate's assets. The Court has set the matter for final hearing on August 30, 2004. Although Liberate is opposing the motion to dismiss and the tentative ruling, the motion may be granted or the tentative ruling may be adopted by the Court in which case (absent a stay or a reversal on appeal) Liberate would not be able to realize savings or the other benefits of a Chapter 11 proceeding. For
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example, Liberate's liability under the San Carlos lease would not be capped pursuant to Chapter 11 and Liberate would continue to be liable for its obligations under the lease in accordance with the terms thereof (which over the life of the lease could be up to approximately $45.3 million, including common area maintenance expenses). During the bankruptcy process, Liberate expects to operate its business in the normal course, including continued compliance with active customer and vendor contracts, and service and support of its cable customers and their subscribers. We cannot predict or determine the outcome or resolution of the bankruptcy case, and the timing of the final resolution of this proceeding is uncertain.
As of July 30, 2004, excluding the litigation matters set forth above, claims totaling approximately $5.0 million had been asserted against Liberate in the bankruptcy proceeding. Approximately $4.4 million of these claims are not recorded as liabilities on Liberate's financial statements. We expect to resolve these claims in the course of the bankruptcy proceeding. We cannot predict the outcome or resolution of these claims or estimate the amounts of, or potential range of loss with respect to, these claims.
On June 10, 2004, Liberate filed a complaint for breach of contract and related claims against Source Suite Acquisition LLC, Source Suite LLC, Source Media, Inc. and Insight Communications Company, Inc. in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of California, San Francisco Division. In the complaint, Liberate seeks damages of approximately $2.0 million for unpaid fees owed to Liberate under certain contracts.
ITEM 4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS
Not applicable.
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ITEM 5. MARKET FOR REGISTRANT'S COMMON EQUITY, RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS AND ISSUER PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES
Price Range of Common Stock
Our common stock has been quoted on the Pink Sheets system since January 17, 2003, and now trades under the symbol "LBRTQ." From July 28, 1999 to January 16, 2003, our common stock was traded on the Nasdaq National Market. The following table sets forth, for the periods indicated, the high and low closing sale prices per share of our common stock:
| Fiscal 2003 |
High |
Low |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Quarter | $ | 4.15 | $ | 1.89 | ||
| Second Quarter | $ | 1.88 | $ | 1.11 | ||
| Third Quarter | $ | 1.89 | $ | 0.96 | ||
| Fourth Quarter | $ | 2.82 | $ | 1.57 | ||
| Fiscal 2004 |
High |
Low |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Quarter | $ | 4.45 | $ | 2.50 | ||
| Second Quarter | $ | 4.00 | $ | 3.30 | ||
| Third Quarter | $ | 4.08 | $ | 3.00 | ||
| Fourth Quarter | $ | 3.45 | $ | 2.60 | ||
As of July 30, 2004, the quoted closing price of our common stock on the Pink Sheets system was $2.45 per share, and there were 105,726,947 shares of Liberate common stock outstanding. According to information obtained from Equiserve LLP, there were approximately 268 holders of record of our common stock. Based upon security position listings, we believe that there are more than 10,000 beneficial owners of our common stock.
Recent Sales of Unregistered Securities
During the period covered by this report on Form 10-K, Liberate did not issue any unregistered securities.
Dividend Policy
We have not paid any cash dividends and do not intend to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future.
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Equity Compensation Plan Information
The following table summarizes information about our equity compensation plans as of May 31, 2004.
| Plan category |
Number of securities to be issued upon exercise of outstanding options, warrants and rights |
Weighted average exercise price of outstanding options, warrants and rights |
Number of securities remaining available for future issuance (excluding securities reflected in column (a)) |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
(a) |
(b) |
(c) |
|||||
| Equity compensation plans approved by security holders(1)(2) | 6,231,411 | (3) | $ | 6.28 | 23,638,296 | |||
| Equity compensation plans not approved by security holders(4)(5) | 7,033,330 | $ | 2.72 | | ||||
| Total | 13,264,741 | $ | 4.39 | 23,638,296 | ||||
ITEM 6. SELECTED FINANCIAL DATA
Please read the following selected consolidated financial data in conjunction with the Item 7, "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations;" Item 8, "Financial Statements and Supplementary Data;" and with other financial data included elsewhere in this report. We have derived the Consolidated Statements of Operations data for the years ended May 31, 2002, 2003 and 2004 and the Consolidated Balance Sheet data as of May 31, 2003 and 2004 from the audited consolidated financial statements included in Item 8. We have derived the Consolidated Statements of Operations data for the years ended May 31, 2000 and 2001 and the Consolidated Balance Sheets data as of May 31, 2000, 2001 and 2002 from audited consolidated
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financial statements not included in this report. These historical results do not necessarily indicate the results to be expected in any future period.
| |
Years ended May 31, |
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |
2004 |
2003 |
2002 |
2001 |
2000 |
|||||||||||||
| |
(In thousands, except per share data) |
|||||||||||||||||
| Consolidated Statements of Operations Data: | ||||||||||||||||||
| Revenues: | ||||||||||||||||||
| License and royalty | $ | (263 | ) | $ | 6,501 | $ | 32,251 | $ | 14,694 | $ | 2,970 | |||||||
| Service | 8,875 | 18,893 | 38,212 | 25,138 | 18,850 | |||||||||||||
| Total revenues | 8,612 | 25,394 | 70,463 | 39,832 | 21,820 | |||||||||||||
| Cost of revenues: | ||||||||||||||||||
| License and royalty | 597 | 1,315 | 2,091 | 1,836 | 2,006 | |||||||||||||
| Service | 5,317 | 24,262 | 40,414 | 30,525 | 22,804 | |||||||||||||
| Total cost of revenues | 5,914 | 25,577 | 42,505 | 32,361 | 24,810 | |||||||||||||
| Gross margin | 2,698 | (183 | ) | 27,958 | 7,471 | (2,990 | ) | |||||||||||
| Operating expenses: | ||||||||||||||||||
| Research and development | 16,325 | 26,080 | 44,580 | 51,243 | 32,271 | |||||||||||||
| Sales and marketing | 3,007 | 18,783 | 26,137 | 24,176 | 18,740 | |||||||||||||