VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES AND OTHER INVESTMENTS IN SIGNIFICANT AFFILIATES |
3 Months Ended | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Jun. 30, 2020 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES AND OTHER INVESTMENTS IN SIGNIFICANT AFFILIATES |
VARIABLE INTEREST ENTITIES AND OTHER INVESTMENTS IN SIGNIFICANT AFFILIATES A VIE is an entity that either (i) has insufficient equity to permit the entity to finance its activities without additional subordinated financial support or (ii) has equity investors who lack the characteristics of a controlling financial interest. A VIE is consolidated by its primary beneficiary. The primary beneficiary has both the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the entity’s economic performance and the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the entity that could potentially be significant to the VIE. If the Company determines that it has operating power and the obligation to absorb losses or receive benefits, it will consolidate the VIE as the primary beneficiary, and if not, the Company does not consolidate.
As of June 30, 2020 (Successor), the Company had interests in five VIEs of which the Company was the primary beneficiary, which are described below, and had no interests in VIEs of which the Company was not the primary beneficiary. See Note 3 to the fiscal year 2020 condensed consolidated financial statements for a description of other investments in significant affiliates.
Bristow Aviation Holdings Limited (“Bristow Aviation”) — The Company owns 49% of Bristow Aviation’s common stock and a significant amount of its subordinated debt. Bristow Aviation is incorporated in England and, through its subsidiaries, holds all the outstanding shares in Bristow Helicopters Limited (“Bristow Helicopters”). Bristow Aviation’s subsidiaries provide aviation services to customers primarily in the U.K., Norway, Australia, Nigeria and Trinidad and fixed wing services primarily in Australia. Bristow Aviation is organized with three different classes of ordinary shares having disproportionate voting rights. The Company, and a European Union investor, Impigra Aviation Holdings Limited (“Impigra”), owned 49% and 51%, respectively, of Bristow Aviation’s total outstanding ordinary shares (the “Bristow Aviation shares”). Impigra purchased its 51% of Bristow Aviation shares in fiscal year 2020 with proceeds from two loans received from Bristow Holdings Company Ltd. III (“BHC III”), an Old Bristow subsidiary. Impigra, a British company owned 100% by U.K. Bristow employees however is considered a VIE that the Company consolidates as the primary beneficiary and eliminates the loans described below in consolidation. Brexit is anticipated to require that the majority owner of the Bristow Aviation shares be a qualified U.K. investor rather than a qualified E.U. investor. Impigra is expected to meet the requirements to satisfy a qualified U.K. investor requirement.
In addition to the ownership of 49% of Bristow Aviation shares, in May 2004, Old Bristow acquired eight million shares of deferred stock, essentially a subordinated class of stock with no voting rights, from Bristow Aviation for £1 per share ($14.4 million in total). The Company also holds a £91.0 million ($112.4 million) principal amount of subordinated unsecured loan stock (debt) of Bristow Aviation bearing interest at an annual rate of 13.5% and payable semi-annually. Payment of interest on such debt has been deferred since its incurrence in 1996. Deferred interest accrues at an annual rate of 13.5% and aggregated $2.8 billion as of June 30, 2020 (Successor).
The Company’s operations in the U.K. are subject to the Civil Aviation Act 1982 and other similar English and E.U. statutes and regulations. The Company carries persons and property in its aircraft pursuant to an operating license issued by the Civil Aviation Authority (the “CAA”). The holder of an operating license must meet the ownership and control requirements of Council Regulation 2407/92. To operate under this license, the company through which the Company conducts operations in the U.K., Bristow Helicopters, must be owned directly or through majority ownership by E.U. nationals, and must at all times be effectively controlled by them. The Company’s ownership of 49% of the ordinary shares of Bristow Aviation, the entity that owns Bristow Helicopters, is to comply with these restrictions. The Company and Impigra also entered into a put/call agreement under which, upon giving specified prior notice, the Company has the right to buy all the Bristow Aviation shares held by Impigra, who, in turn,
has the right to require the Company to purchase such shares. As discussed above, under current English law, the Company would be required, in order for Bristow Aviation to retain its operating license, to find a qualified E.U. investor to own any Bristow Aviation shares the Company has the right to acquire under the put/call agreement. In addition, the put/call agreement limits the Company’s ability to exercise the put/call option through a requirement to consult with the CAA in the U.K. regarding the suitability of the new holder of the Bristow Aviation shares. The put/call agreement does not contain any provisions should the CAA not approve the new E.U. investor. However, the Company would work diligently to find an E.U. investor suitable to the CAA. The amount by which the Company could purchase the shares of the other investors holding 51% of the equity of Bristow Aviation is fixed under the terms of the call option.
Furthermore, the call option provides a mechanism whereby the economic risk for the other investor is limited should the financial condition of Bristow Aviation deteriorate. The call option price is the nominal value of the Bristow Aviation shares held by the noncontrolling shareholder (£1.0 million as of June 30, 2020 (Successor)) plus an annual guaranteed rate of return less any prepayments of such call option price and any dividends paid on the shares concerned. The Company can elect to pre-pay the guaranteed return element of the call option price wholly or in part without exercising the call option. No dividends have been paid by Bristow Aviation. The Company has accrued the annual return due to the other shareholder at a rate of sterling LIBOR plus 3% by recognizing noncontrolling interest expense on its condensed consolidated statements of operations, with a corresponding increase in noncontrolling interest on its condensed consolidated balance sheets however these amounts are eliminated in consolidation due to the consolidation of Impigra. Prepayments of the guaranteed return element of the call option are reflected as a reduction in noncontrolling interest on its condensed consolidated balance sheets which is also eliminated in consolidation of Impigra. Impigra has an option to put its shares in Bristow Aviation to the Company. The put option price is calculated in the same way as the call option price. If the put option is exercised, any pre-payments of the call option price are set off against the put option price.
Bristow Aviation and its subsidiaries are exposed to similar operational risks as the Company and are therefore monitored and evaluated on a similar basis by management. Accordingly, the financial information reflected on the Company’s condensed consolidated balance sheets and statements of operations for Bristow Aviation and its subsidiaries is presented in the aggregate, including intercompany amounts with other consolidated entities, as follows (in thousands):
Bristow Helicopters (Nigeria) Limited — Bristow Helicopters (Nigeria) Limited (“BHNL”) is a joint venture in Nigeria in which Bristow Helicopters owns a 48% interest, a Nigerian company owned 100% by Nigerian employees owns a 50% interest and an employee trust fund owns the remaining 2% interest as of June 30, 2020 (Successor). BHNL provides aviation services to customers in Nigeria.
In order to be able to bid competitively for services in the Nigerian market, the Company was required to identify local citizens to participate in the ownership of entities domiciled in the region. However, these owners do not have extensive knowledge of the aviation industry and have historically deferred to the Company’s expertise in the overall management and day-to-day operation of BHNL (including the establishment of operating and capital budgets and strategic decisions regarding the potential expansion of BHNL’s operations). The Company has also historically provided subordinated financial support to BHNL and will need to continue to do so unless and until BHNL acquires sufficient equity to permit itself to finance its activities without that additional support from the Company. As the Company has the power to direct the most significant activities affecting the economic performance and ongoing success of BHNL and holds a variable interest in the entity in the form of the Company’s equity investment and working capital infusions, the Company consolidates BHNL as the primary beneficiary. The employee-owned Nigerian entity referenced above purchased a 19% interest in BHNL in December 2013 with proceeds from a loan received from BGI Aviation Technical Services Nigeria Limited (“BATS”). In July 2014, the employee-owned Nigerian entity purchased an additional 29% interest with proceeds from a loan received from Bristow Helicopters (International) Limited (“BHIL”). In April 2015, Bristow Helicopters purchased an additional 8% interest in BHNL, and the employee-owned Nigerian entity purchased an additional 2% interest with proceeds from a loan received from BHIL. Both BATS and BHIL are wholly-owned subsidiaries of Bristow Aviation. The employee-owned Nigerian entity is also a VIE that the Company consolidates as the primary beneficiary, and the Company eliminates the loans discussed above in consolidation.
BHNL is an indirect subsidiary of Bristow Aviation; therefore, financial information for this entity is included within the amounts for Bristow Aviation and its subsidiaries presented above.
Pan African Airlines (Nigeria) Limited — Pan African Airlines (Nigeria) Limited (“PAAN”) is a joint venture in Nigeria with local partners in which the Company owns a 50.17% interest.
The activities that most significantly impact PAAN’s economic performance relate to the day-to-day operation of PAAN, setting the operating and capital budgets and strategic decisions regarding the potential expansion of PAAN’s operations. Throughout the history of PAAN, the Company’s representation on the board and secondment to PAAN of its managing director has enabled the Company to direct the key operational decisions of PAAN (without objection from the other board members). The Company has also historically provided subordinated financial support to PAAN. As the Company has the power to direct the most significant activities affecting the economic performance and ongoing success of PAAN and hold a variable interest in the form of the Company’s equity investment and working capital infusions, the Company consolidates PAAN as the primary beneficiary. However, as long as the Company owns a majority interest in PAAN, the separate presentation of financial information in a tabular format for PAAN is not required.
Other Significant Affiliates — Unconsolidated
PAS — The Company has a 25% interest in Petroleum Air Services (“PAS”), an Egyptian corporation that provides helicopter and fixed wing transportation to the offshore energy industry in Egypt. Additionally, spare fixed wing capacity is chartered to tourism operators. PAS is accounted for under the cost method as the Company is unable to exert significant influence over its operations. As of June 30 and March 31, 2020 (Successor), the investment in PAS was $33.0 million and is included on the consolidated balance sheets in investment in unconsolidated affiliates.
Líder — During the three months ended June 30, 2020 (Successor), the Company recorded an $18.7 million non-cash impairment charge to its investment in Líder Táxi Aéreo S.A. (“Líder”), an unconsolidated affiliate in Brazil, upon evaluating its equity investment in the company.
Loss on Sale of Subsidiaries
Loss on sale of subsidiaries includes the following (in thousands):
Eastern Airways
Bristow Helicopters Limited, a subsidiary of Old Bristow, together with its legal and financial advisors, pursued various transactions to exit the Eastern Airways business, which made negative contributions to Old Bristow’s operating income in each of the last three fiscal years, including pursuing a sales process with several third parties over an extended period. On May 10, 2019 (Predecessor), Bristow Helicopters completed the sale of all of the shares of Eastern Airways to Orient Industrial Holdings Limited (“OIHL”), an entity affiliated with Mr. Richard Lake, who at such time was a director of Bristow Helicopter Group Limited, which indirectly wholly owns Bristow Helicopters, pursuant to a Sale and Purchase Agreement (the “EAIL Purchase Agreement”). Pursuant to the EAIL Purchase Agreement and related agreements, Bristow Helicopters contributed approximately £17.1 million to Eastern Airways as working capital and OIHL acquired Eastern Airways. Bristow Helicopters retained its controlling ownership of the shares in Humberside International Airport Limited that it previously held through Eastern Airways. Certain intercompany balances between Bristow Helicopters and Eastern Airways were also written off. As a result of the transaction, OIHL now owns and operates Eastern Airways, which had previously operated as a separate unit within Old Bristow, and Bristow Helicopters maintains its controlling interest in Humberside Airport, from which Bristow Helicopters provides U.K. SAR services.
The EAIL Purchase Agreement contained customary representations and warranties. OIHL agreed to certain covenants with respect to non-solicitation of directors, officers or employees of Bristow Helicopters for a period of 12 months. Pursuant to the terms of the EAIL Purchase Agreement, Bristow Helicopters has the right to appoint an observer to the board of directors of Eastern Airways for an initial period of 12 months following the sale. Eastern Airways also agreed to provide certain transition services for a minimum of 12 months from the date of the completion of the transaction.
The loss on the sale of Eastern Airways for the three months ended June 30, 2019 (Predecessor) of $46.9 million includes the write-off of net assets of $35.0 million and write-off of cumulative translation adjustment of $11.9 million.
Aviashelf and Bristow Helicopters Leasing Limited
As of March 31, 2019 (Predecessor), Bristow Aviation had an indirect 48.5% interest in Aviashelf Aviation Co. (“Aviashelf”), a Russian helicopter company. Additionally, Old Bristow owned 60% of two U.K. joint venture companies, Bristow Helicopters Leasing Limited (“BHLL”) and Sakhalin Bristow Air Services Ltd. These two U.K. companies leased aircraft to Aviashelf which held the client contracts for Old Bristow’s Russian operations. Aviashelf was consolidated based on the ability of certain consolidated subsidiaries of Bristow Aviation to control the vote on a majority of the shares of Aviashelf, rights to manage the day-to-day operations of the company which were granted under a shareholders’ agreement, and the Company’s ability to acquire an additional 8.5% interest in Aviashelf under a put/call option agreement. In April 2019 (Predecessor), Old Bristow sold its 60% ownership interest in BHLL for $1.4 million. In June 2019 (Predecessor), Old Bristow sold its 48.5% ownership interest in Aviashelf for $2.6 million.
The loss on the sale of Aviashelf and BHLL for the three months ended June 30, 2019 (Predecessor) of $9.5 million includes the loss on sale of net assets of $2.3 million and write-off of cumulative translation adjustment of $7.2 million.
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||