pre14a
UNITED STATES SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
SCHEDULE 14A
Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
(Amendment No. ______)
Filed by the Registrant þ
Filed by a Party other than the Registrant o
Check the appropriate box:
þ Preliminary Proxy Statement
o Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))
o Definitive Proxy Statement
o Definitive Additional Materials
o Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12
AMERCO
(Name of Registrant as Specified in Its Charter)
(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement if Other Than the Registrant)
Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):
þ No fee required.
o Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.
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Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies: |
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Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange
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was determined): |
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Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction: |
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Total fee paid: |
o Fee paid previously with preliminary materials:
o Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.
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Amount previously paid: |
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Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.: |
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Date Filed: |
INVITATION TO THE 2008 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS OF AMERCO
DATE: Thursday, August 22, 2008
TIME: 8 a.m. PDT/11 a.m. EDT
Please register to participate
in the webcast at
www.amerco.com
Dear Stockholders:
July xx, 2008
We are excited to once again offer our Annual Meeting materials over the Internet and to
webcast the meeting. We believe that using the Internet to distribute our meeting materials and to
host the meeting will allow more stockholders to attend the meeting. We also expect to lower the
costs of the meeting and reduce its environmental impact. Should you need a paper copy of the proxy
materials, just print what you need.
During the meeting, three matters will be presented for your consideration and approval:
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Election of two Directors; |
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Appointment of BDO Seidman, LLP as the Companys independent auditors for our
fiscal year ending March 31, 2009; |
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Re-ratification of a proposal to re-approve and re-affirm the SAC Transactions,
including the actions taken by all AMERCO and its subsidiaries Boards of Directors,
officers and employees in entering into the SAC Transactions. |
We encourage you to read the proxy statement for more information.
In addition to these formal items of business, we will review other business developments and
share our plans for the Companys future. You will have the opportunity to ask questions of and
communicate with members of our management team. Members of the AMERCO Board of Directors will also
be participating.
I encourage stockholders to attend the Annual Meeting via the webcast so as to promote the
Companys sustainability initiatives. I encourage you to vote. Internet voting must be completed
before midnight prior to the meeting. So, you can attend the Annual Meeting via the webcast but you
should cast your vote prior to the midnight deadline.
Prior to the meeting, I encourage you to visit the AMERCO stockholder Forum at www.amerco.com.
This Forum has been created for AMERCO stockholders to post and exchange thoughts regarding this
proxy solicitation.
This is an exciting way for more stockholders to communicate directly.
Sincerely yours,
E.J. (Joe) Shoen
TABLE OF CONTENTS
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Questions and Answers about these Proxy Materials and Voting |
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Proposal 1 Election of Directors |
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Board Committees, Meetings and Attendance |
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Proposal 3 Management Proposal Regarding Ratification of SAC Transactions |
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Exhibit A Meeting Procedures |
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Exhibit B Not used |
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Exhibit C Not used |
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Exhibit D Proxy |
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Exhibit E Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials |
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Exhibit F Complaint |
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Exhibit G AMERCOs Dispositive Motion |
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Exhibit H Opposition to Dispositive Motion |
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Exhibit I AMERCO Reply to Opposition |
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Exhibit J Denial of AMERCOs Dispositive Motion |
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Exhibit K Dismissal of Case |
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Exhibit L Previous Disclosure |
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Exhibit M April 2008 Stockholder Proposal |
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Exhibit N Robbins Letter |
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Exhibit O New Fee Structure Agreements |
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1
PROXY STATEMENT
2008 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
TO BE HELD ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 22, 2008
This Proxy Statement is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies on behalf of
the Board of Directors of AMERCO, a Nevada corporation (the Company), with respect to the
election of directors, the ratification of the appointment of BDO Seidman, LLP as the Companys
independent auditors for fiscal year 2009 and the re-ratification of the contracts and transactions
between the Company and its affiliates on the one hand and SAC Holding Corporation and its
affiliates (SAC) on the other hand, which occurred between January 1, 1992 and March 31, 2007
(collectively the SAC Transactions) for the 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of AMERCO and at
any adjournment or adjournments thereof (the Annual Meeting).
Why am I being provided with these materials?
Record owners of AMERCO common stock as of the close of business on June 30, 2008 are entitled to
vote at the Annual Meeting, which will be held on August 22, 2008. As a stockholder, you are
requested to vote on the items of business described in this proxy statement. This proxy statement
describes the items presented for stockholder action at our Annual Meeting and includes information
required to be disclosed to stockholders. The accompanying proxy card enables stockholders to vote
on the matters without having to attend the Annual Meeting in person.
Why have I received a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials?
In accordance with electronic delivery rules, we are permitted to furnish proxy materials to our
stockholders on the Internet, in lieu of mailing a printed copy of our proxy materials to each
stockholder of record. You will not receive a printed copy of our proxy materials, unless you
request a printed copy. The Notice instructs you as to how you may access and review on the
Internet all of the important information contained in the proxy materials. The Notice also
instructs you as to how you may vote your proxy. If you received a Notice by mail and would like to
receive a printed copy of our proxy materials, you must follow the instructions for requesting such
materials included in the Notice. Alternatively, you may download or print these materials, or any
portion thereof, from any computer with Internet access and a printer. The proxy statement,
including all Exhibits hereto, consists of approximately xx pages.
Who can vote at the Annual Meeting?
You may vote if you were the record owner of AMERCO common stock as of the close of business on
June 30, 2008. As of June 30, 2008, there were 19,631,314 shares of common stock outstanding and
entitled to vote.
How do I attend the 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of AMERCO?
The 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of AMERCO will be webcast live over the Internet at 8:00
am (local time) on Friday, August 22, 2008, at http://www.amerco.com. The meeting will be hosted
at U-Haul 2626 East Indian School Road Phoenix, Arizona 85016 at 8:00 am on August 22, 2008. We
encourage stockholders to attend via the live webcast, so as to promote the Companys
sustainability goals. All stockholders who attend the Annual Meeting in person will be required to
present valid picture identification. If your shares are held in street name (for instance, if
your shares are held through a brokerage firm, bank, dealer or other similar organization), you
will also need to bring evidence of your beneficial ownership, such as your most recent brokerage
statement.
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What am I voting on?
You are voting on:
Item 1: |
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The election of two directors; |
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The ratification of the appointment of BDO Seidman, LLP as the Companys independent
auditors for fiscal year 2009; |
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Re-ratification of the SAC Transactions, including the actions taken by all AMERCO and its
subsidiaries Boards of Directors, officers and employees in entering into the SAC
Transactions. |
As well as any other business that may properly come before the meeting.
Is there a controversy surrounding the SAC Transactions? If so, what are the principal allegations?
The SAC Transactions, or at least certain of them, are the subject of a lawsuit known as Paul F.
Shoen et al., vs. AMERCO and SAC Holding Corporation et al., which has been appealed to the Nevada
Supreme Court and is known as Case No. CV 02-05602 consolidated with Cases No. CV 02-06331, CV
03-02482 and CV 03-02617, Washoe County, Nevada (the Derivative Litigation). Reference is hereby
made to page xx of this proxy statement for a more detailed description of the Derivative
Litigation. A copy of the Amended Consolidated Verified Stockholders Derivative Complaint for
Damages and Equitable Relief (the Complaint) is attached to this Proxy Statement as Exhibit
F. The Derivative Litigation was dismissed on April 7, 2008, on the basis that the subject
matter of the lawsuit had been settled and dismissed in earlier litigation. On May 8, 2008, the
Plaintiffs filed a Notice of Appeal of such dismissal.
The principal allegations of the plaintiffs (Plaintiffs) in the Derivative Litigation are that
various properties were sold by the Company to SAC; that SAC is owned by Company insiders; and that
the sales were on terms that were unfair to the Company and its stockholders. SAC is owned by
Blackwater Investments, Inc., which in turn is owned by Mark V. Shoen, a controlling stockholder
and an executive officer of the Company. Mark V. Shoen is a director and officer of SAC. James P.
Shoen, a controlling stockholder and an executive officer and director of the Company, owns a
minority interest in the limited partner of Mercury Partners, L.P. Mercury Partners, L.P. is an
affiliate of SAC. The Derivative Litigation also raised other allegations against the Company,
other entities and certain officers and directors of the Company, and reference is hereby made to
Exhibit F (the Complaint) for more detail as to the allegations raised in the Derivative
Litigation. Reference is also hereby made to Exhibit G (the Companys Motion for Judgment
on the Pleadings, or in the Alternative Summary Judgment (the Dispositive Motion) filed on
September 13, 2007), Exhibit H (the Plaintiffs Opposition to the Dispositive Motion (the
Opposition), filed on November 6, 2007), Exhibit I (the reply to the Plaintiffs
Opposition, by the Company and other defendants filed on November 20, 2007), Exhibit J (the
Courts Order denying the Dispositive Motion (the Order), filed on December 17, 2007) and
Exhibit K (the Courts Order dated April 7, 2008 dismissing the Derivative Litigation, on
the basis that the subject matter of the lawsuit had been settled and dismissed in earlier
litigation known as Goldwasser v. Shoen, C.V.N.-94-810-ECR.
A ratification of the SAC Transactions was included in the Proxy Statement for the 2007 Annual
Meeting of Stockholders of AMERCO. Why is it now being re-submitted for vote?
The SAC Transactions are being re-submitted for vote in order to effect the intent of a stockholder
proposal (the Stockholder Proposal) received by the Company in the Spring of 2007 in connection
with the 2007 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of AMERCO (the 2007 Annual Meeting). The
Stockholder Proposal was to approve and affirm the SAC Transactions, including the actions taken by
all AMERCO and its subsidiaries Boards of Directors, officers and employees in entering into the
SAC Transactions.
The Stockholder Proposal was included in the Companys 2007 proxy statement (2007 Proxy
Statement) and was ratified by more than a majority vote (the 2007 Stockholder Ratification
Vote) at the 2007 Annual Meeting. On the basis of the 2007 Stockholder Ratification Vote, the
Company filed the Dispositive Motion, seeking to terminate the Derivative Litigation. The
Plaintiffs filed an opposition, opposing the Dispositive Motion, and thereafter the court issued
the Order denying the Companys Dispositive Motion. In denying the Dispositive Motion, the Court
stated that . . . genuine issues of material fact remain in dispute regarding the sufficiency of
the disclosure to the shareholders of the
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common directorship, office, or financial interest. Plaintiffs allegations of irregularities in
the shareholder proposal and proxy process create issues of fact which, at this time, preclude
entry of summary judgment.
The Company believes that the 2007 Proxy Statement sufficiently disclosed all material facts
regarding the SAC Transactions and that there were no irregularities in the Stockholder Proposal or
proxy process in connection with the 2007 Annual Meeting. However, in order to address the alleged
deficiencies noted in the Opposition and Order, and in order to implement the 2007 Stockholder
Ratification Vote, the Board of Directors of the Company has decided to have this matter re-voted
upon, as a management-endorsed proposal, with added disclosures as set forth herein regarding the
SAC Transactions.
What are the benefits to the stockholders of voting FOR ratification of the SAC Transactions?
If the SAC Transactions are ratified in good faith by a majority vote of stockholders holding a
majority of the voting power, then the SAC Transactions are neither void nor voidable under
applicable law solely because such transactions were between the Company (or its subsidiaries) and
one or more of the Companys directors or officers or another corporation, firm or association in
which one or more of its directors or officers are directors or officers or are financially
interested. In such event, if the Derivative Litigation has not been terminated on other grounds,
the stockholder vote will be used by the Company to seek to terminate the Derivative Litigation.
Management considers one benefit of submitting to the stockholders a re-vote on the SAC
transactions to be the avoidance or reduction of attorneys fees and other litigation-related costs
for which the Company will be responsible, in the event the Derivative Litigation is reinstated and
continues.
Is there a ready way to identify the additional information regarding the SAC Transactions in this
Proxy Statement, as compared to the disclosures regarding the SAC Transactions in the 2007 Proxy
Statement?
Yes. The additional information regarding the SAC Transactions (i.e., the information contained in
this Proxy Statement regarding the SAC Transactions which was not included in the 2007 Proxy
Statement) is set forth beginning on page xx of this Proxy Statement, under the heading Additional
Information.
Were the SAC Transactions ratified at the 2007 Annual Meeting by a majority of the minority
stockholders of the Company, or just by a majority of all stockholders?
The SAC Transactions were ratified at the 2007 Annual Meeting by both a majority of the minority
stockholders of the Company who in fact voted, and by a majority of all stockholders.
Specifically, the votes approving the Stockholder Proposal constituted 72% of AMERCOs shares
entitled to vote. Of votes cast for or against the Stockholder Proposal, 83% approved the
Stockholder Proposal. Of the minority stockholder votes cast for or against the Stockholder
Proposal (i.e. the shares excluding the votes cast by majority stockholders Edward J. Shoen, Mark
V. Shoen, James P. Shoen and their related entities), 63% approved the Stockholder Proposal.
What will happen if the SAC Transactions are re-ratified at the Annual Meeting?
In the event that the SAC Transactions are re-ratified by more than a majority vote at the Annual
Meeting, and in the event the Derivative Litigation is reinstated, the Company will file another
dispositive motion seeking to terminate the Derivative Litigation. The Company intends to seek a
final closure and termination of the litigation regarding the SAC Transactions.
How does the Board recommend that I vote my shares?
Unless you give other instructions on your proxy card, the person named as proxy holder on the
proxy card will vote in accordance with the recommendations of the Board of Directors. The Board
recommendations are as follows:
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The Board recommends a vote FOR the Boards proposal to elect the two nominated
Directors; |
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The Board recommends a vote FOR the Boards proposal to ratify the appointment of BDO
Seidman, LLP as the Companys independent auditors for fiscal year 2009; |
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The Board recommends a vote FORratification of the SAC Transactions. |
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What types of votes are permitted on each Item?
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For the election of directors, you may either vote FOR all the nominees to the Board of
Directors, you may WITHOLD for all nominees, or you may WITHOLD your vote from any nominee
you specify. |
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For the ratification of the selection of BDO Seidman, LLP as the Companys independent
auditors, you may vote FOR, AGAINST or ABSTAIN. |
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For the ratification of the SAC Transactions, you may vote FOR, AGAINST or ABSTAIN. |
If you vote WITHOLD (in the case of Item 1 above) or ABSTAIN (in the case of Item 2 or Item 3
above) your vote will not be counted towards the vote total for such Item.
How many votes must be present to hold the meeting?
Your shares are counted as present at the Annual Meeting if you attend the Meeting and vote in
person or if you properly return a proxy by Internet, telephone or mail. In order for the meeting
to proceed, holders of one-third of the outstanding shares of common stock as of June 30, 2008 must
be present in person or by proxy at the meeting. This is referred to as a quorum. Abstentions and
broker non-votes will be counted for purposes of establishing a quorum at the meeting.
What are broker non-votes?
Broker non-votes occur when a stockholder of record, such as a broker, holding shares for a
beneficial owner does not vote on a particular item because the stockholder of record does not have
discretionary voting power with respect to that item and has not received voting instructions from
the beneficial owner. Broker non-votes, as well as ABSTAIN votes will each be counted towards
the presence of a quorum but will not be counted towards the vote total for any item.
What if my AMERCO shares are not registered directly in my name but are held in street name?
If at the close of business on June 30, 2008 your shares were held in an account at a brokerage
firm, bank, dealer, or other similar organization, then you are the beneficial owner of shares held
in street name and the Notice or proxy materials, as applicable, are being forwarded to you by
that organization. The organization holding your account is considered the stockholder of record
for purposes of voting at the annual meeting. As a beneficial owner, you have the right to direct
that organization on how to vote the shares in your account.
If I am a stockholder of record of AMERCO shares, how do I cast my vote?
If you are a stockholder of record, you may vote in person at the annual meeting; or if you do not
wish to vote in person or if you will not be attending the Annual Meeting, you may vote by proxy.
You may vote over the Internet, over the telephone, or by mail. The procedures for voting by proxy
are as follows:
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To vote by proxy on the Internet, go to www.proxyvote.com and type in the
control number indicated on your Proxy Card to complete an electronic proxy card. |
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To vote by proxy over the telephone, dial 1-800-579-1639 using a touch-tone phone and
follow the recorded instructions. You will need the control number indicated on your proxy
card. |
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To vote by proxy using the enclosed proxy card (if you received a printed copy of these
proxy materials by mail or if you printed the proxy card off the Internet), complete, sign
and date your proxy card and return it promptly in the envelope provided or mail it to
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If you vote by proxy over the Internet or telephone, your vote must be received by 11:59 p.m.
Eastern Time on August 21, 2008 to be counted
How do I vote If I hold my stock through the AMERCO Employee Stock Ownership Plan (also known as
the ESOP)?
If you hold your stock through the AMERCO Employee Stock Ownership Plan, you may vote in the same
manner as stockholders of record, as described immediately above.
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If I am a beneficial owner of AMERCO shares, how do I vote?
If you are a beneficial owner of shares held in street name and you received a printed copy of
these proxy materials by mail, you should have received a proxy card and voting instructions with
these proxy materials from the organization that is the record owner of your shares rather than
from us. Beneficial owners that received a printed copy of these proxy materials by mail from the
record owner may complete and mail that proxy card or may vote by telephone or over the Internet as
instructed by that organization in the proxy card. Beneficial owners that received a Notice by mail
from the record owner should follow the instructions included in the Notice to view the proxy
statement and transmit their voting instructions. For a beneficial owner to vote in person at the
Annual Meeting, you must obtain a valid proxy from the record owner. To request the requisite proxy
form, follow the instructions provided by your broker or contact your broker.
How many votes are needed to approve each Item?
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For the election of directors, the two nominees receiving the most FOR votes will be
elected. If you do not specify how your shares are to be voted, your proxy will be voted
FOR Item 1. |
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For the ratification of the selection of BDO Seidman, LLP as the Companys independent
auditors for fiscal year 2009, there must be a FOR vote from the majority of the shares
present at the Annual Meeting or represented by proxy. If you do not specify how your shares
are to be voted, your proxy will be voted FOR Item 2. |
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For the ratification of the SAC Transactions, there must be a FOR vote from the
majority of the shares present at the Annual Meeting or represented by proxy. If you do not
specify how your shares are to be voted, your proxy will be voted FOR Item 3. |
How many votes do I have?
On each matter to be voted upon, you have one vote for each share of our common stock that you
owned as of the close of business on June 30, 2008.
Who counts the votes?
We have hired Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. to count the votes. An employee of Broadridge
Financial Solutions, Inc will act as Inspector of Election.
Could other matters be decided at the Annual Meeting?
We are not aware of any other matters that will be considered at the Annual Meeting. If any other
matters are properly brought before the meeting, the person named in your proxy will vote in
accordance with his best judgment.
What does it mean if I receive more than one Notice or proxy card?
If you received more than one Notice or proxy card, your shares are registered in more than one
name or are registered in different accounts. Please follow the voting instructions included in
each Notice and proxy card to ensure that all of your shares are voted.
How do I know the results?
Preliminary voting results will be announced at the Annual Meeting. Final results will be
published in the Companys quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the second quarter of fiscal 2009 or
in a current report on Form 8-K.
How can I access the AMERCO proxy statement and annual report electronically?
To access the AMERCO proxy statement and annual report electronically, please visit
www.proxyvote.com or the Companys Investor Relations web site, www.amerco.com.
Why is AMERCO encouraging webcast participation at the Annual Meeting and using the new electronic
delivery rules with respect to the delivery of this proxy statement?
AMERCO is actively working to conduct itself in a sustainable manner, i.e., in a manner that meets
the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own
needs. Webcast participation at the Annual Meeting reduces the carbon footprint of the meeting.
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delivery of the Annual Meeting materials reduces paper and transportation. It is the Companys
belief that this can be done in a manner that actually increases shareholder participation in the
meeting.
ELECTION OF DIRECTORS
The Companys Board of Directors currently consists of eight directors. The Companys Restated
Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws both provide for the division of the Board of Directors into
four classes, designated as Class I, Class II, Class III, and Class IV. Subject to applicable law,
each class consists, as nearly as may be possible, of one-fourth of the total number of directors
constituting the entire Board of Directors. The term of each directorship is four years and the
terms of the four classes are staggered in a manner so that in most cases only one class is elected
by the stockholders annually.
At the Annual Meeting, two Class II directors will be elected to serve until the 2012 Annual
Meeting of Stockholders. It is the intention of the individual named in the enclosed form of proxy
to vote for the two director nominees named below unless instructed to the contrary. However, if
any nominee named herein becomes unavailable to serve at the time of election (which is not
anticipated), and, as a consequence, other nominees are designated, the person named in the proxy
or other substitutes shall have the discretion or authority to vote or refrain from voting in
accordance with his or her judgment with respect to other nominees.
Directors are elected by a plurality of the shares represented at the meeting, in person or by
proxy, and entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, provided that a quorum is present. Votes may be
cast FOR all nominees, WITHHOLD for all nominees, or WITHHOLD as to specific nominees. The
two Class II nominees who receive the greatest number of votes cast FOR the election of such
nominees shall be elected as directors.
Nominees For Election As Class II Directors
The independent directors have approved the nomination of the following individuals to serve
until the 2012 Annual Meeting:
Edward J. Shoen
M. Frank Lyons
EDWARD J. SHOEN, 59, has served as a Director and Chairman of the Board of the Company since
1986, and as Chairman of the board of directors of Director of U-Haul International, Inc.
(U-Haul) since 1990, as a Director of Amerco Real Estate Company (AREC) since 1988 and as a
Director of Republic Western Insurance Company (Rep West) since 1997. Mr. Shoen has been
associated with the Company since 1971. Mr. Shoen served as President of the Company since 1987.
He also served as President of U-Haul from 1991 until 2006.
M. FRANK LYONS, 72, has served as a Director of the Company since 2002. Mr. Lyons served in
various positions with the Company from 1959 until 1991, including 25 years as the President of
Warrington Manufacturing. From 1991 until his retirement in 2000 he was President of Evergreen
Realty, Inc.
Directors Continuing In Office
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Term Expires |
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Class III |
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John M. Dodds |
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2009 |
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Class III |
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James P. Shoen |
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2009 |
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Class IV |
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Charles J. Bayer |
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2010 |
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Class IV |
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Michael L. Gallagher |
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2010 |
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Class I |
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John P. Brogan |
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Class I |
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Daniel R. Mullen |
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2011 |
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JOHN M. DODDS, 71, has served as a Director of the Company since 1987 and Director of
U-Haul since 1990 and as a Director of AREC since 1990. Mr. Dodds has been associated with the
Company since 1963. He served in regional field operations until 1986 and served in national field
operations until 1994. Mr. Dodds retired from the Company in 1994.
JAMES P. SHOEN, 48, has served as a Director of the Company since 1986 and was Vice President
of the Company from 1989 to November 2000. Mr. Shoen has been associated with the Company since
1976. He served from 1990 to November 2000 as Executive Vice President of U-Haul. He is currently
Vice President of U-Haul Business Consultants, a subsidiary of the Company.
CHARLES J. BAYER, 68, has served as a Director of the Company since 1990 and has been
associated with the Company since 1967. Mr. Bayer has served in various executive positions,
including as President of AREC from September 1990 until his retirement in October 2000.
MICHAEL L. GALLAGHER, 64, has served as a Director of the Company since March 2007. Mr.
Gallagher served on the AMERCO Advisory Board from 2003 until his appointment to the AMERCO Board.
Mr. Gallagher is Chairman Emeritus of the law firm Gallagher & Kennedy. Mr. Gallagher is also a
director of Pinnacle West Capital Corporation.
JOHN P. BROGAN, 64, has served as a Director of the Company since August 1998. Mr. Brogan has
served as the Chairman of Muench-Kreuzer Candle Company since 1980. He has also been involved with
various companies including a seven-year association with Alamo Rent-A-Car that ended in 1986.
DANIEL R. MULLEN, 67, has served as a Director of the Company since February 2005. Mr. Mullen
served as a member of the AMERCO Advisory Board from 2004 until his appointment to the AMERCO Board
and has served as a member of the board of directors of U-Haul since December 2004, and Oxford Life
Insurance Company (Oxford) since 2005. He has served as Director and President of Continental
Leasing Co. since 1970. He was Vice President and Treasurer of Talley Industries, Inc., a
multi-industry conglomerate from 1982 to 1998. Mr. Mullen was employed by the Company from 1968
until 1982.
Controlled Company Status and Director Independence
As
of June 30, 2008, Edward J. Shoen, Chairman of the Board of Directors and President of
AMERCO, James P. Shoen, a director and executive officer of AMERCO, and Mark V. Shoen, an executive
officer of AMERCO, collectively are the owners of 8,968,079 shares (approximately 45.7%) of the
outstanding common stock of AMERCO. On June 30, 2006, Edward J. Shoen, James P. Shoen, Mark V.
Shoen, Rosemarie T. Donovan (Trustee of the Shoen Irrevocable Trusts) and Southwest Fiduciary, Inc.
(Trustee of the Irrevocable C Trusts) (collectively, the Reporting Persons) entered into a
Stockholder Agreement in which the Reporting Persons agreed to vote their AMERCO stock as one block
as provided in the Stockholder Agreement. As of March 1, 2007, Adagio Trust Company replaced
Southwest Fiduciary, Inc. as the trustee of the Irrevocable C Trusts, and became a signatory to
the Stockholder Agreement. As of the Record Date, 10,642,802 shares (approximately 54.2% of the
Companys outstanding voting stock) are owned by the Reporting Persons and are subject to the
Stockholder Agreement. The Reporting Persons appointed James P. Shoen as proxy to vote their
collective shares as provided in the Stockholder Agreement. For additional information, see the
Schedule 13Ds filed on July 13, 2006 and on March 9, 2007 with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC).
As a result of their stock ownership and the Stockholder Agreement, Edward J. Shoen, Mark V.
Shoen and James P. Shoen are in a position to significantly influence the business affairs and
policies of the Company, including the approval of significant transactions, the election of the
members of the Board of Directors and other matters submitted to Company stockholders. There can be
no assurance that the interests of the Reporting Persons will not conflict with the interest of the
other stockholders of the Company. Furthermore, as a result of the Reporting Persons voting power,
the Company is a controlled
8
company as defined in the Nasdaq Marketplace Rules and, therefore, may avail itself of
certain exemptions thereunder, including rules that require the Company to have (i) a majority of
independent directors on the Board; (ii) a compensation committee composed solely of independent
directors; (iii) a nominating committee composed solely of independent directors; (iv) compensation
of executive officers determined by a majority of the independent directors or a compensation
committee composed solely of independent directors; and (v) director nominees selected, or
recommended for the Boards selection, either by a majority of the independent directors or a
nominating committee composed solely of independent directors. The Company currently avails itself
of the exemption to the Nasdaq Marketplace Rule requiring that compensation of executive officers
be determined by a majority of the independent directors or the compensation committee. However,
the Companys Compensation Committee evaluates the compensation of the Companys President at least
annually to ensure that it is fair, reasonable and aligned with the Companys overall objectives.
Based on its evaluation, the Independent Governance Committee recommended to the Board of
Directors that Daniel R. Mullen, M. Frank Lyons, John M. Dodds, Charles J. Bayer, John P. Brogan,
and Michael L. Gallagher be determined to be independent. The full Board of Directors, in
furtherance of the recommendation of the Independent Governance Committee and based upon its own
investigation, has determined that the Directors listed in this paragraph are independent as
defined under applicable NASDAQ and SEC provisions.
OTHER INFORMATION REGARDING THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The full Board of Directors of the Company met seven times during the fiscal year ended March
31, 2008. During the last fiscal year each director attended at least 85% of the meetings of the
full Board of Directors and of the committees on which he served. The independent Directors met in
executive session without management present as part of each regularly scheduled Board meeting.
Directors are encouraged to attend annual meetings of stockholders. This year, the Board is
encouraged to attend the Annual Meeting via webcast. All directors attended our 2007 annual
meeting, which was held on August 20, 2007.
The Board of Directors has established the following standing committees: Audit Committee,
Executive Finance Committee, Compensation Committee and Independent Governance Committee.
Additionally, the Board has formed an Advisory Board and a Special Committee for the evaluation of
a stockholder proposal received in spring 2007 regarding ratification of the SAC Transactions
(2007 Stockholder Proposal). The Company does not have a nominating committee. Currently, the
responsibility for director nominations has been vested by the Company in the independent members
of the Board; however, as a controlled company the Company is not required to do so under the
Nasdaq Marketplace Rules, and the Company reserves the right to cease having the responsibility for
director nominations vested in the independent members of the Board. The Board does not believe
that a nominating committee is necessary because the independent directors participate in the
nominating process. The Board of Directors has adopted a resolution addressing director
nominations process and related matters; however, the Board may, in the future, choose to change
its director nomination policy, including its policy related to stockholder nomination of
directors. This process is described below, under the heading Director Nomination Process.
For fiscal 2009 the annual fee for all services as a Director of the Company is $55,000.
Additionally, Audit Committee, Advisory Board and Independent Governance Committee members receive
a $55,000 annual fee and Executive Finance Committee and Compensation Committee members receive a
$25,000 annual fee. For fiscal 2008 the annual fee for all services as a Director of the Company
was $50,000. Additionally, Audit Committee, Advisory Board and Independent Governance Committee
members received a $50,000 annual fee and Executive Finance Committee and Compensation Committee
members received a $20,000 annual fee. These amounts are paid in equal monthly installments.
Listed below are summaries of the Companys committees and the Advisory Board, and the
memberships thereof.
9
Audit Committee. The Audit Committee is comprised of John P. Brogan, Charles J. Bayer, John
M. Dodds and Daniel R. Mullen. The Audit Committee assists the Board of Directors in fulfilling its
oversight responsibilities as to financial reporting, audit functions and risk management. The
Audit Committee monitors the financial information that is provided to stockholders and others, the
independence and performance of the Companys independent auditors and internal audit department
and the systems of internal control established by management and the Board of Directors. The Audit
Committee operates pursuant to a written charter approved by the Board of Directors. Messrs.
Brogan, Bayer, Dodds and Mullen are each considered independent pursuant to the NASDAQ listing
standards and the rules of the SEC. The Board of Directors has determined that each member meets
the applicable requirements of audit committee members under NASDAQ listing standards. Mr. Brogan
is designated the Audit Committee financial expert as defined by the rules of the SEC and the
other similar financial sophistication rules under NASDAQ regulations. Shareholders should
understand that this designation is a disclosure requirement of the SEC related to Mr. Brogans
experience and understanding with respect to certain accounting and auditing matters. The
designation does not impose on Mr. Brogan any duties, obligations or liability that are greater
than are generally imposed on him as a member of the Audit Committee and the Board, and his
designation as an audit committee financial expert pursuant to these SEC and NASDAQ requirements
does not affect the duties, obligations or liability of any other member of the Audit Committee or
the Board. Messrs. Bayer and Mullen have been determined by the Board to meet the qualifications of
audit committee financial expert as well. The Audit Committee met six times during the fiscal
year ended March 31, 2008 (Fiscal 2008).
Executive Finance Committee. The Executive Finance Committee is comprised of Edward J. Shoen,
John P. Brogan and Charles J. Bayer. The Executive Finance Committee is authorized to act on
behalf of the Board of Directors in approving any transaction involving the finances of the
Company. The Committee has the authority to give final approval for the borrowing of funds on
behalf of the Company without further action or approval of the Board of Directors. This committee
acted by unanimous written consent on approximately ten occasions during Fiscal 2008.
Compensation Committee. The Compensation Committee is comprised of John P. Brogan and John M.
Dodds. The Compensation Committee reviews the Companys executive compensation plans and policies,
including benefits and incentives, to ensure that they are consistent with the goals and objectives
of the Company. The Committee reviews and makes recommendations to the Board of Directors
regarding management recommendations for changes in executive compensation and monitors management
plans and programs for the retention, motivation and development of senior management. The
Compensation Committee operates pursuant to a written charter approved by the Board of Directors in
fiscal 2007. The Compensation Committee met four times during Fiscal 2008.
Independent Governance Committee. The Independent Governance Committee is comprised of Paul
A. Bible, Michael L. Gallagher and Thomas W. Hayes. Neither Mr. Bible nor Mr. Hayes is a member of
the Companys Board of Directors. The Independent Governance Committee monitors and evaluates the
Companys corporate governance principles and standards and proposes to the Board any modifications
which are deemed appropriate for sound corporate governance. The committee may review other
matters as referred to it by the Board. The committee has the authority and a budget from which to
retain professionals. Each member of the Independent Governance Committee is determined by the
Board to be free of any relationship that would interfere with his or her exercise of independent
judgment as a member of this committee. The Independent Governance Committee met once during
Fiscal 2008. Additionally, the non-Board members of the Independent Governance Committee are
encouraged to attend all Board meetings of the Company.
Mr. Hayes was President of Metropolitan West Financial Inc, a diversified financial management
company with over $60 billion in managed funds. He has also served as the State Treasurer of
California, Californias Director of Finance, and was responsible for overseeing the successful
restructuring of Orange Countys investment pool, following that countys Chapter 11 filing.
Mr. Bible is the president and a partner in the Reno, Nevada law firm Bible Mousel, P.C., and
currently serves as the Chairman of the Compliance Committee for H Group Holding, Inc., the holding
10
company of Hyatt Corporation. He also serves as Chairman of the Compliance Committee for
Jacobs Entertainment, Inc., the holding company of Black Hawk Gaming & Development Company, Inc.
He is the former Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the University of Nevada, Reno Foundation,
and is the former Chairman of the Nevada Gaming Commission.
Advisory Board Members. In addition to the committees described above, the Company has an
Advisory Board. Advisory Board members do not officially vote, but are given full and complete
access to the affairs of the Board, including all meetings and votes of the Board and are treated
in all other respects as a Board member. The Board has authorized up to two advisory Board members
who serve at the will of the Board.
In 2005, the Board appointed Barbara Smith Campbell as a member of the Advisory Board. Ms.
Campbell is President and founder of Consensus, LLC. Prior to founding Consensus, Ms. Campbell
served as the Chairman of the Board for the State of Nevada Tax Commission and Vice President of
Finance for MGM Grand Resorts Development. Ms. Campbell is also a Trustee for the Donald W.
Reynolds Foundation and previously served as Chairwoman of the Audit Committee for the Federal Home
Loan Bank of San Francisco.
In 2007, the Board of Directors appointed Richard J. Herrera as a second Advisory Board
member. Mr. Herrera has a long history in the retail industry, most recently as Executive Vice
President of Eastern Seaboard Packaging and Executive Vice President of ABUS Lock USA. Mr. Herrera
was employed as Marketing Vice President/Retail Sales Manager for U-Haul from 1988-2001, and served
on the Companys Board of Directors from 1993-2001 and the U-Haul Board from 1990-2001.
See Security Ownership of Certain Beneficial Owners and Management and Certain
Relationships and Related Transactions for additional information relating to the directors.
DIRECTOR NOMINATION PROCESS
Director Qualifications. Persons nominated to the Board should have personal integrity and
high ethical character. Candidates should not have any interests that would materially impair his
or her ability to exercise independent judgment or otherwise discharge the fiduciary duties owed by
a director to the Company and its stockholders. Candidates must be able to represent fairly and
equally all stockholders of the Company without favoring any particular stockholder group or other
constituency of the Company and must be prepared to devote adequate time to the Board and its
committees. In selecting nominees for director, the Board will assure that:
at least three of the directors satisfy the financial literacy requirements required
for service on the Audit Committee; and
at least one of the directors qualifies as an audit committee financial expert under
the rules of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Identifying Director Candidates. The Board utilizes a variety of methods for identifying and
evaluating nominees to serve as directors. The Board has a policy of re-nominating incumbent
directors who continue to satisfy the Boards criteria for membership and whom the independent
directors believe continue to make important contributions to the Board and who consent to continue
their service on the Board.
In filling vacancies of the Board, the independent directors will solicit recommendations for
nominees from the persons the independent directors believe are likely to be familiar with (i) the
needs of the Company and (ii) qualified candidates. These persons may include members of the Board
and management of the Company. The independent directors may also engage a professional search
firm to assist in identifying qualified candidates.
11
In evaluating potential nominees, the independent directors will oversee the collection of
information concerning the background and qualifications of the candidate and determine whether the
candidate satisfies the minimum qualifications required by the Board for election as director and
whether the candidate possesses any of the specific skills or qualities that under the Boards
policies must be possessed by one or more members of the Board.
The independent directors may interview any proposed candidate and may solicit the views about
the candidates qualifications and suitability from the Companys chief executive officer and other
senior members of management.
The independent directors will make their selections based on all the available information
and relevant considerations. The independent directors selection will be based on who, in the
view of the independent directors, will be best suited for membership on the Board.
In making its selection, the independent directors will evaluate candidates proposed by
stockholders under criteria similar to other candidates, except that the independent directors may
consider, as one of the factors in their evaluation, the size and duration of the interest of the
recommending stockholder in the stock of the Company. The independent directors may also consider
the extent to which the recommending stockholder intends to continue to hold its interest in the
Company, including whether the recommending stockholder intends to continue holding its interest at
least through the time of the meeting at which the candidate is to be elected.
Stockholder Nominees. The policy of the Board of Directors is to consider properly submitted
stockholder recommendations for candidates for membership on the Board of Directors as described
below. The evaluation process for such nominations is overseen by the Companys independent
directors. In evaluating such nominations, the independent directors seek to achieve qualified
directors that can represent fairly and equally all stockholders of the Company and based on the
membership qualifications and criteria described above. Any stockholder nominations for
consideration by the independent directors should be mailed or delivered to the Companys Secretary
at 2721 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004. The recommendation must be accompanied by the
following information about the stockholder:
the stockholders name and address, including telephone number;
the number of shares of the Companys stock owned by the recommending stockholder and
the time period for which such shares have been held;
if the recommending stockholder is not a stockholder of record, a statement from the
record holder of the shares (usually a broker or bank) verifying the holdings of the stockholder
and a statement from the recommending stockholder of the length of time the that the shares have
been held; and
a statement from the stockholder as to whether the stockholder has a good faith
intention to continue to hold the reported shares through the date of the next annual meeting at
which the candidate would be elected.
If the recommendation is submitted by a group of two or more stockholders, the above
information must be submitted with respect to each stockholder in the group. The recommendation
must be received by the Company not later than 120 days prior to the first anniversary of the date
of the proxy statement for the prior annual meeting, except in the event that the date of the
annual meeting for the current year is moved more than 30 days from the anniversary date of the
annual meeting for the prior year, the submission will be considered timely if it is submitted a
reasonable time in advance of the mailing of the Companys proxy statement for the annual meeting
for the current year. The recommendation must be accompanied by a consent of the proposed nominee
to be interviewed by the independent directors and other Board members and to serve as director of
the Company.
12
The recommendation must also contain information about the proposed nominee, including:
the proposed nominees name and address;
the information required by Items 401, 403 and 404 of SEC Regulation S-K (generally
providing for disclosure of arrangements or understandings regarding the nomination, the business
experience of the proposed nominee, legal proceedings involving the proposed nominee, the proposed
nominees ownership of securities of the Company, and transactions and relationships between the
proposed nominee and the Company);
a description of all relationships between the proposed nominee and any of the
Companys competitors, customers, suppliers, labor unions or other persons with special interests
regarding the Company;
the qualifications of the proposed nominee;
a statement from the recommending stockholder that in his or her view, the nominee, if
elected, would represent all the stockholders and not serve for the purpose of advancing or
favoring any particular stockholder or other constituency of the Company.
The Secretary will forward all recommendations to the independent directors. The acceptance
of a recommendation from a stockholder does not imply that the independent directors will recommend
to the Board of Directors the nomination of the stockholder recommended candidate. In addition, the
Companys Bylaws permit stockholders to nominate directors at an annual meeting and nothing in the
above procedures is intended to conflict with the provisions of the Companys Bylaws governing
nominations by stockholders.
This information contained in this proxy statement about the Companys nominations process is
just a summary. A complete copy of the policies and procedures with respect to stockholder
director nominations can be obtained from the Company, free of charge, by writing to our Secretary
at the address listed above.
COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Interested persons may communicate with the Board of Directors by writing to the Company
Secretary at 2721 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004. All such communications, or summaries
thereof, will be relayed to the Board.
SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS
AND MANAGEMENT
To the best of the Companys knowledge, the following table lists, as of June 30, 2008 the
beneficial ownership of the Companys Common Stock of (i) each director and director nominee of the
Company, (ii) (A) all persons serving as the Companys principal executive officer or as principal
financial officer during Fiscal 2008; and (B) the three most highly paid executive officers who
were serving as executive officers at the end of Fiscal 2008 other than the principal executive
officer and the principal financial officer (the Named Executive Officers) and (iii) all
directors and executive officers of the Company as a group. The table also lists those persons who
beneficially own more than five percent (5%) of the Companys Common Stock. The percentages of
class amounts set forth in the table below are based on 19,631,314 shares of the Companys Common
Stock outstanding on June 30, 2008.
13
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares of |
|
Percentage of |
|
|
Common Stock |
|
Common |
|
|
Beneficially |
|
Stock |
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner |
|
Owned |
|
Class |
Directors: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Charles J. Bayer |
|
|
2,261 |
|
|
|
** |
|
Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John P. Brogan |
|
|
6,000 |
|
|
|
** |
|
Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John M. Dodds |
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
** |
|
Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael L. Gallagher |
|
|
0 |
|
|
|
** |
|
Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. Frank Lyons |
|
|
300 |
|
|
|
** |
|
Director and Director Nominee |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Daniel R. Mullen |
|
|
7,000 |
|
|
|
** |
|
Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Named Executive Officers: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Edward J. Shoen (1) |
|
|
10,642,802 |
|
|
|
54.2 |
% |
Chairman and President of AMERCO and Chief Executive
Officer and Chairman of U-Haul,
Director and Director Nominee |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James P. Shoen (1) (2) |
|
|
10,642,802 |
|
|
|
54.2 |
% |
Vice President of U-Haul Business Consultants,
Director |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mark V. Shoen (1) (2) |
|
|
10,642,802 |
|
|
|
54.2 |
% |
Vice President of U-Haul Business Consultants |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John C. Taylor |
|
|
1,800 |
|
|
|
** |
|
President of U-Haul International |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jason A. Berg |
|
|
489 |
|
|
|
** |
|
Chief Accounting Officer of AMERCO |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Executive Officers and Directors as a group - 20 persons. (5) |
|
|
10,677,797 |
|
|
|
54.4 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5% Beneficial Owners: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Adagio Trust Company (1)
|
|
|
10,642,802 |
|
|
|
54.2 |
% |
as Trustee under the C Irrevocable Trusts dated
December 20, 1982 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rosemarie T. Donovan (1)
|
|
|
10,642,802 |
|
|
|
54.2 |
% |
As Trustee of the Irrevocable Trust dated
November 2, 1998 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
The AMERCO Employee Stock Ownership Plan (4) |
|
|
1,785,670 |
|
|
|
9.1 |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
14
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shares of |
|
Percentage of |
|
|
Common Stock |
|
Common |
|
|
Beneficially |
|
Stock |
Name and Address of Beneficial Owner |
|
Owned |
|
Class |
5% Beneficial Owners: |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Atticus Capital, L.L.C. (3) |
|
|
1,381,831 |
|
|
|
7.0 |
% |
767 Fifth Avenue
New York, New York 10153 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sophia M. Shoen |
|
|
1,305,560 |
|
|
|
6.6 |
% |
5104 N. 32nd Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85018 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
** |
|
The percentage of the referenced class beneficially owned is less than one percent. |
|
(1) |
|
This consists of 10,642,802 shares subject to a Stockholder Agreement dated June 30, 2006, which includes shares beneficially
owned by Edward J. Shoen (3,488,023); Mark V. Shoen (3,529,748); James P. Shoen (1,950,308); Rosemarie T. Donovan, as Trustee of
the Irrevocable Trusts dated November 2, 1998 (250,250); and Adagio Trust Company, as Trustee under the C Irrevocable Trusts
dated December 20, 1982 (1,424,473). |
|
(2) |
|
As of June 30, 2008 Mark V. Shoen and James P. Shoen also beneficially own 122,325 shares (2.01 percent) and 36,045 shares
(.59 percent), respectively, of the Companys Series A 81/2% Preferred Stock. The executive officers and directors as a group
beneficially own 165,870 shares (2.67 percent) of the Companys Series A 81/2% Preferred Stock. |
|
(3) |
|
Share data based on information in Form 13F filed on May 15, 2008 with the SEC by Atticus Management LLC and Timothy R.
Barakett. As of March 31, 2008, the Form 13F indicates that the reporting person had voting and dispositive power as to 1,381,831
shares. |
|
(4) |
|
The Trustee of the AMERCO Employee Stock Ownership Plan (the ESOP) consists of three individuals without a past or present
employment history or business relationship with the Company and is appointed by the Companys Board of Directors. Under the ESOP,
each participant (or such participants beneficiary) in the ESOP is entitled to direct the ESOP Trustee with respect to the voting
of all Common Stock allocated to the participants account. In the event such participant does not provide such direction to the
ESOP Trustee, the ESOP Trustee votes such participants shares in the ESOP Trustees discretion. In addition, all shares in the
ESOP not allocated to participants are voted by the ESOP Trustee in the ESOP Trustees discretion. As of June 30, 2008, of the
1,810,747 shares of Common Stock held by the ESOP, 1,393,971 shares were allocated to participants and 416,776 shares remained
unallocated. The number of shares reported as beneficially owned by Edward J. Shoen, Mark V. Shoen, James P. Shoen, and Sophia M.
Shoen include Common Stock held directly by those individuals and 4,342; 4,067; 3,994; and 197 shares of Common Stock,
respectively, allocated by the ESOP to those individuals. Those shares are also included in the number of shares held by the
ESOP. |
|
(5) |
|
The 10,677,797 shares constitutes the shares beneficially owned by the directors and officers of the Company as a group,
including the 10,642,802 shares subject to the Stockholder Agreement discussed in footnote 1 above. |
To the best of the Companys knowledge, there are no arrangements giving any stockholder the
right to acquire the beneficial ownership of any shares owned by any other stockholder.
Compensation Discussion and Analysis
Overview
The purpose of this Compensation Discussion and Analysis (CD&A) is to provide material
information about the Companys compensation philosophy, objectives and other relevant policies and
to explain and put into context the material elements of the disclosure that follows in this proxy
statement with respect to the compensation of our Named Executive Officers. For Fiscal 2008, the
Companys Named Executive Officers were:
Edward J. Shoen, Chairman and President of AMERCO and Chief Executive Officer and
Chairman of U-Haul (the President);
Mark V. Shoen, Vice President of U-Haul Business Consultants;
James P. Shoen, Vice President of U-Haul Business Consultants;
John C. Taylor, President of U-Haul International; and
15
Jason A. Berg, Chief Accounting Officer of AMERCO.
Compensation Philosophy and Objectives
The objectives of the Companys executive compensation program are to retain current executive
officers, to encourage existing personnel to self-develop and grow into the job and to entice
qualified executives to join the Company in executive positions as they are created or vacated.
The compensation program encourages an environment of teamwork, loyalty and fairness at all levels
of the Company.
While this CD&A focuses on the compensation of the Named Executive Officers, the philosophy
and objectives we discuss are generally applicable to all of the Companys senior officers.
Implementation of Objectives
It is the duty of the Compensation Committee to review and determine the annual compensation
paid to the President and review the general compensation policies for the Companys other
executive officers regularly. The Compensation Committee and the President implement these
policies while keeping in mind the Companys approach to overhead costs and such executive
officers impact on the Companys objective of providing customers with an affordable product and
service. The Compensation Committee traditionally delegates significant responsibility to the
President for establishing and reviewing the performance of the other Named Executive Officers,
appropriate levels and components of compensation, and any other items as the Compensation
Committee may request.
The Compensation Committee evaluates the compensation of the President at least annually to
ensure that it is fair, reasonable and aligned with the Companys overall objectives. The
President performs this function for the remainder of the Named Executive Officers.
The Compensation Committee did not utilize any benchmarking measure in Fiscal 2008 and
traditionally has not tied compensation directly to a specific profitability measurement, market
value of the Companys common stock or benchmark related to any established peer or industry group.
Rather, the Company generally seeks to compensate individual executives commensurate with historic
pay levels for such position adjusted for time and tenure with the Company. Salary increases are
strongly correlated to the Presidents assessment of each Named Executive Officers performance and
his recommendation on the appropriateness of any increase. The Company also generally seeks to
increase or decrease compensation, as appropriate, based upon changes in an executive officers
functional responsibilities within the Company.
The intention of the Company has been to compensate the Named Executive Officers in a manner
that maximizes the Companys ability to deduct such compensation expenses for federal income tax
purposes. However, the Compensation Committee and the President have the discretion to provide
compensation that is not performance-based under Section 162(m) of the Internal Revenue Code when
they determine that such compensation is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.
For Fiscal 2008 the Company expects to deduct all compensation expenses paid to the Named
Executive Officers.
Elements Used to Achieve Compensation Objectives
The principal components of the Companys compensation program in Fiscal 2008 were:
|
|
|
Base salary; |
|
|
|
|
Discretionary cash bonus; |
|
|
|
|
Certain long-term incentives; and |
|
|
|
|
Other benefits. |
16
Base Salary. The Company pays its Named Executive Officers base salaries commensurate with
the scope of their job responsibilities, individual experience, performance, and the period of time
over which they have performed their duties. The base salary is typically reviewed annually with
adjustments made based upon an analysis of performance and the addition or removal of functional
responsibilities. There are no guarantees of base salary adjustments. The amount of base salary paid to each of the Named Executive Officers
during Fiscal 2008 is shown in the Summary Compensation Table (SCT).
Discretionary Cash Bonus. Discretionary cash bonuses are awarded on occasion to Named
Executive Officers based upon subjective criteria determined by the Compensation Committee. These
criteria may include such factors as level of responsibility, contributions to results, and
retention considerations. The Company has not entered into any agreements stipulating or
guaranteeing bonuses for any of its Named Executive Officers. The amount of discretionary cash
bonuses paid to each of the Named Executive Officers during Fiscal 2008 is shown in the SCT.
Certain Long-Term Incentives. The Company did not grant in Fiscal 2008 equity interests to
Named Executive Officers other than through its Employee Stock Ownership Plan, which is available
to all employees of the Company. The Company has not implemented any specific policy requiring its
Named Executive Officers or other officers and/or employees to own the Companys Common Stock.
Other Benefits. The Named Executive Officers participate in employee benefits plans generally
available to all full-time employees of the Company on a non-discriminatory basis including
medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug insurance, life insurance, accidental death and
dismemberment insurance, disability insurance, a 401(k) plan, vacation and sick pay, and
postretirement benefits. The Company does not provide other perquisites to its executive officers.
SUMMARY COMPENSATION TABLE
|
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|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Stock |
|
All Other |
|
|
|
|
Fiscal |
|
Salary |
|
Bonus |
|
Awards |
|
Compensation |
|
Total |
Name and Principal Position |
|
Year |
|
($) |
|
($) |
|
($) (1) |
|
($) (2) |
|
Compensation ($) |
Edward J. Shoen |
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
675,004 |
|
|
|
490,000 |
|
|
|
4,647 |
|
|
|
80,000 |
|
|
|
1,239,651 |
|
Chairman and
President of AMERCO
and U-Haul |
|
|
2007 |
|
|
|
678,004 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,472 |
|
|
|
80,000 |
|
|
|
763,476 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mark V. Shoen |
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
623,077 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,647 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
627,723 |
|
Vice President of |
|
|
2007 |
|
|
|
646,154 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,472 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
651,626 |
|
U-Haul Business
Consultants |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
James P. Shoen |
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
565,962 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,647 |
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
620,609 |
|
Vice President of |
|
|
2007 |
|
|
|
568,952 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
5,472 |
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
624,424 |
|
U-Haul Business
Consultants |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John C. Taylor |
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
285,581 |
|
|
|
75,000 |
|
|
|
4,647 |
|
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
375,228 |
|
President of U-Haul |
|
|
2007 |
|
|
|
271,637 |
|
|
|
100,000 |
|
|
|
5,472 |
|
|
|
10,000 |
|
|
|
387,109 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Jason A. Berg |
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
183,462 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
3,807 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
187,269 |
|
Chief Accounting |
|
|
2007 |
|
|
|
175,385 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4,228 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
179,613 |
|
Officer of AMERCO |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
17
|
|
|
(1) |
|
Amounts in this column represent the compensation cost recognized for financial statement
reporting purposes under SOP 93-6 for Fiscal 2008 and 2007 with respect to Common Stock allocated
under the ESOP. Grant date fair value is the closing price on date of grant for stock. |
|
(2) |
|
Amounts in this column represent annual fees paid to each Named Executive Officer in his
capacity as a Director of the Company or U-Haul or as a member of a committee of the AMERCO Board. |
Director Compensation
The Companys director compensation program is designed to fairly pay directors for their time
and efforts on behalf of AMERCO and its direct subsidiaries, as the case may be, in recognition of
their fiduciary obligations to stockholders and for their liability exposure. Directors are
primarily compensated in the form of a cash fee. The Company offers no stock options or grants to
its directors. For fiscal 2009 the annual fee for all services as a Director of the Company is
$55,000. Additionally, Audit Committee, Advisory Board and Independent Governance Committee
members receive a $55,000 annual fee and Executive Finance Committee and Compensation Committee
members receive a $25,000 annual fee. For fiscal 2008 the annual fee for all services as a
Director of the Company was $50,000. Additionally, Audit Committee, Advisory Board and Independent
Governance Committee members received a $50,000 annual fee and Executive Finance Committee and
Compensation Committee members received a $20,000 annual fee. Additionally, the Company reimburses
directors and the non-director committee members for the incidental costs associated with their
attendance at Board and committee meetings. These amounts are paid in equal monthly installments.
DIRECTOR COMPENSATION
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Fees |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Earned or |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Paid in |
|
All Other |
|
Total |
Name of Director |
|
Year |
|
Cash ($) |
|
Compensation ($) |
|
Compensation ($) |
Charles J. Bayer (1), (2), (3) |
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
120,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
120,000 |
|
|
John P. Brogan (1), (2), (3), (4), (5), (12) |
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
208,750 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
208,750 |
|
|
John M. Dodds (1), (2), (4), (7) |
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
130,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
130,000 |
|
|
Michael L. Gallagher (1), (5), (9) |
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
93,333 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
93,333 |
|
|
M. Frank Lyons (1) |
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
50,000 |
|
|
Daniel R. Mullen (1), (2), (7), (8), (9), (11) |
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
115,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
115,000 |
|
|
Paul A. Bible (5), (10) |
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
55,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
55,000 |
|
|
Barbara Smith Campbell (6), (10) |
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
55,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
55,000 |
|
|
Thomas W. Hayes (5), (10) |
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
55,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
55,000 |
|
|
Richard J. Herrera (6) |
|
|
2008 |
|
|
|
45,833 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
45,833 |
|
|
|
|
(1) |
|
AMERCO Director |
|
(2) |
|
Audit Committee Member |
|
(3) |
|
Executive Finance Committee Member |
|
(4) |
|
Compensation Committee Member |
|
(5) |
|
Independent Governance Committee Member |
|
(6) |
|
Advisory Board Member |
|
(7) |
|
U-Haul International Board Member |
|
(8) |
|
Oxford Board Member |
|
(9) |
|
Special Committee Member Stockholder Proposal |
|
(10) |
|
Special Committee Advisor Stockholder Proposal |
|
(11) |
|
Mr. Mullen waived his fee as a Special Committee Member the company made a charitable
donation in this amount |
|
(12) |
|
Mr. Brogan received $58, 333 for services on the Independent Governance Committee from February
2005 through June 2007 |
18
COMPENSATION COMMITTEE REPORT
The Compensation Committee has reviewed and discussed with management the Compensation
Discussion and Analysis prepared by management and included in the proxy statement for the 2008
Annual Meeting of Stockholders. In reliance on these reviews and discussions with management, the
Compensation Committee recommended to the Board of Directors of AMERCO, and the Board of Directors
has approved, that the Compensation Discussion and Analysis be included in the Proxy Statement for
the 2008 Annual Meeting of Stockholders for filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
This report is submitted by the Compensation Committee.
|
|
|
John P. Brogan
|
|
John M. Dodds |
Pursuant to Item 407(e)(5) of Regulation S-K this Compensation Committee Report shall not be
deemed to be filed with the SEC for purposes of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended
(Exchange Act), nor shall such report be deemed to be incorporated by reference in any past or
future filing by the Company under the Exchange Act or the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
Securities Act), unless the intention to do so is expressly indicated.
AUDIT COMMITTEE REPORT
The Audit Committee of the Board of Directors (Audit Committee) is comprised of four
independent directors and operates under a written charter recommended by the Audit Committee and
adopted by the Board of Directors. Each member of the Audit Committee meets the independence
requirements of NASDAQ and the SEC rules and regulations.
Management is responsible for the Companys internal controls and the financial reporting
process. The independent registered public accounting firm is responsible for performing an
independent audit of the Companys consolidated financial statements in accordance with the
standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) and to issue a report
thereon. The Audit Committees responsibility is to monitor and oversee these processes.
In this context, Management represented to the Audit Committee that the Companys consolidated
financial statements were prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, and
the Audit Committee has reviewed and discussed the consolidated financial statements with
management and the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee reviewed and
discussed with the independent registered public accounting firm the matters required to be
discussed by Statement on Auditing Standards No. 61 as amended (Communication with Audit
Committees) as adopted by the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board.
The Companys independent registered public accounting firm also provided to the Audit
Committee the written disclosures and the letter required by Independence Standards Board Standard
No. 1 (Independence Discussions with Audit Committees) as adopted by the Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board, and the Audit Committee discussed with the independent registered public
accounting firm that firms independence.
Based on the Audit Committees discussions with management and the independent registered
public accounting firm and its review of the representation of management and the report of the
independent registered public accounting firm to the Audit Committee, the Audit Committee
recommended that the Board of Directors include the audited consolidated financial statements in
the Companys Annual
19
Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2008 filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
John P. Brogan
|
|
Charles J. Bayer
|
|
John M. Dodds
|
|
Daniel R. Mullen |
Pursuant to Instruction 1 to Item 407(d) of Regulation S-K, the information set forth under
Audit Committee Report shall not be deemed to be soliciting material or to be filed with the
SEC or subject to Regulation 14A or 14C, other than as provided in Item 407 of Regulation S-K, or
to the liabilities of Section 18 of the Exchange Act, except to the extent that we specifically
request that the information be treated as soliciting material or specifically incorporate it by
reference into a document filed under the Securities Act or the Exchange Act. Such information will
not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing under the Securities Act or the Exchange
Act, except to the extent we specifically incorporate it by reference.
EXECUTIVE OFFICERS OF THE COMPANY
The Companys executive officers are:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Name |
|
Age * |
|
Office |
Edward J. Shoen
|
|
|
59 |
|
|
Chairman of the Board, President, and Director |
Richard M. Amoroso
|
|
|
49 |
|
|
President of Republic Western Insurance Company |
Jason A. Berg
|
|
|
35 |
|
|
Principal Accounting Officer of AMERCO |
Laurence J. DeRespino
|
|
|
47 |
|
|
General Counsel |
Ronald C. Frank
|
|
|
67 |
|
|
Executive Vice President of U-Haul field operations |
Mark A. Haydukovich
|
|
|
51 |
|
|
President of Oxford Life Insurance Company |
Gary B. Horton
|
|
|
64 |
|
|
Treasurer of AMERCO and U-Haul |
Robert T. Peterson
|
|
|
57 |
|
|
Controller of U-Haul |
James P. Shoen
|
|
|
48 |
|
|
Vice President of U-Haul Business Consultants, Director |
Mark V. Shoen
|
|
|
57 |
|
|
Vice President of U-Haul Business Consultants |
John C. Taylor
|
|
|
50 |
|
|
President and Director of U-Haul |
Carlos Vizcarra
|
|
|
61 |
|
|
President of Amerco Real Estate Company |
Rocky D. Wardrip
|
|
|
50 |
|
|
Assistant Treasurer of AMERCO and U-Haul |
Robert R. Willson
|
|
|
57 |
|
|
Executive Vice President of U-Haul field operations |
|
|
|
* |
|
Ages are as of June 30, 2008. |
See Election of Directors for information regarding Edward J. Shoen and James P. Shoen.
Richard M. Amoroso has served as President of Republic Western Insurance Company (RepWest),
a subsidiary of the Company, since August 2000. He was Assistant General Counsel of U-Haul from
1993 until February 2000. He served as Assistant General Counsel of ON Semiconductor Corporation
from February to August 2000.
Jason A. Berg, has served as Principal Accounting Officer of the Company since July 8, 2005.
Prior to his appointment he served as Treasurer and Secretary of Oxford. He has been with the
Company since 1996.
Laurence J. DeRespino has served as General Counsel for the Company since October 2005. He
has been an attorney for the Company since 2000.
Ronald C. Frank has served as Executive Vice President of U-Haul field operations since 1998.
He has been associated with the Company since 1959.
Mark A. Haydukovich has served as President of Oxford since June 1997. From 1980 to 1997 he
served as Vice President of Oxford.
20
Gary B. Horton has served as Treasurer of the Company since 1982. He has been associated with
the Company since 1969.
Robert T. Peterson has served as Controller of U-Haul since joining the Company in November
2002. He has held a number of executive positions in the transportation industry and is presently
Chief Financial Officer of U-Haul.
Mark V. Shoen has served as a Director of the Company from 1990 until February 1997. He has
served as a Director of U-Haul from 1990 until November 1997 and as President, Phoenix Operations,
from 1994 to 2007. He is currently Vice President of U-Haul Business Consultants.
John C. Taylor has served as Director of U-Haul since 1990. He has been associated with the
Company since 1981 and was named President of U-Haul in 2006.
Carlos Vizcarra has served as President of Amerco Real Estate Company, a direct subsidiary of
AMERCO, since September 2000. He began his previous position as Vice President/Storage Product
Group for U-Haul in 1988.
Rocky D. Wardrip has served as Assistant Treasurer of the Company since 1990. He has been
associated with the Company since 1978 in various capacities within accounting and treasury
operations.
Robert R. Willson has served as Executive Vice President of field operations since 2006. He
has been employed by U-Haul since 1980 and has held various executive positions, including Area
District Vice President, Marketing Company President and General Manager.
Edward J., Mark V., and James P. Shoen are brothers. William E. Carty, who resigned as a
director of the Company in December 2006, is the uncle of Edward J. and Mark V. Shoen. M. Frank
Lyons was married to William E. Cartys sister and the aunt of Edward J. and Mark V. Shoen until
her death in 1992.
CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS
As set forth in the Audit Committee Charter the Audit Committee reviews and approves all
related-party transactions which are required to be disclosed under SEC rules and regulations.
Accordingly, all such related-party transactions are submitted to the Audit Committee for ongoing
review, and the Audit Committee approves or disapproves such related-party transactions. The
Companys internal processes ensure that the Companys legal and/or finance departments identify
and monitor potential related-party transactions which may require disclosure and Audit Committee
approval.
AMERCO has engaged in related party transactions, and has continuing related party interests,
with certain major stockholders, directors and officers of the consolidated group.
Samuel J. Shoen, the son of Edward J. Shoen, is employed by U-Haul as Vice President. Mr.
Shoen was paid an aggregate salary and bonus of $177,274 for his services during fiscal 2008.
SAC Holding Corporation and SAC Holding II Corporation (collectively, SAC Holdings) were
established in order to acquire self-storage properties. These properties are being managed by the
Company pursuant to management agreements. The sale of self-storage properties by the Company to
SAC Holdings has in the past provided significant cash flows to the Company.
Management believes that its past sales of self-storage properties to SAC Holdings has
provided a unique structure for the Company to earn moving equipment rental revenues and property
management fee revenues from the SAC Holdings self-storage properties that the Company manages.
During fiscal 2008, subsidiaries of the Company held various junior unsecured notes of SAC
Holdings. Substantially all of the equity interest of SAC Holdings is controlled by Blackwater,
wholly-owned by Mark V. Shoen, a significant stockholder and executive officer of AMERCO. The
Company does not have an equity ownership interest in SAC Holdings. The Company recorded interest
income of
21
$18.6 million, $19.2 million and $19.4 million, and received cash interest payments of
$19.2 million, $44.5 million and $11.2 million, from SAC Holdings during fiscal 2008, 2007 and
2006, respectively. The cash interest payments for fiscal 2007 included a payment to significantly
reduce the outstanding interest receivable from SAC Holdings. The largest aggregate amount of notes
receivable outstanding during fiscal 2008 was $203.7 million the aggregate notes receivable balance
at March 31, 2008 was $198.1 million. In accordance with the terms of these notes, SAC Holdings may
repay the notes without penalty or premium.
Interest accrues on the outstanding principal balance of junior notes of SAC Holdings that the
Company holds at a rate of 9% per annum. A fixed portion of that basic interest is paid on a
monthly basis. Additional interest can be earned on notes totaling $122.2 million of principal
depending upon the amount of remaining basic interest and the cash flow generated by the underlying
property. This amount is referred to as the cash flow-based calculation.
To the extent that this cash flow-based calculation exceeds the amount of remaining basic
interest, contingent interest would be paid on the same monthly date as the fixed portion of basic
interest. To the extent that the cash flow-based calculation is less than the amount of remaining
basic interest, the additional interest payable on the applicable monthly date is limited to the
amount of that cash flow-based calculation. In such a case, the excess of the remaining basic
interest over the cash flow-based calculation is deferred. In addition, subject to certain
contingencies, the junior notes provide that the holder of the note is entitled to receive a
portion of the appreciation realized upon, among other things, the sale of such property by SAC
Holdings. To date, no excess cash flows related to these arrangements have been earned or paid.
During fiscal 2008, AMERCO and U-Haul held various junior notes from Private Mini Storage
Realty, L.P. or a subsidiary thereof (Private Mini). The equity interests of Private Mini are
ultimately controlled by Blackwater. The Company recorded interest income of $5.1 million and $5.0
million, and received cash interest payments of $5.1 million and $5.0 million, from Private Mini
during fiscal 2008 and 2007, respectively. The balance of notes receivable from Private Mini at
March 31, 2008 and 2007 was $69.1 million and $70.1 million, respectively. The largest aggregate
amount outstanding during fiscal 2008 was $70.1 million.
The Company currently manages the self-storage properties owned or leased by SAC Holdings,
Mercury Partners, L.P. (Mercury), Four SAC Self-Storage Corporation (4 SAC), Five SAC
Self-Storage Corporation (5 SAC), Galaxy Investments, L.P. (Galaxy), and Private Mini pursuant
to a standard form of management agreement, under which the Company receives a management fee of
between 4% and 10% of the gross receipts plus reimbursement for certain expenses. The Company
received management fees, exclusive of reimbursed expenses, of $23.7 million, $23.5 million and
$22.4 million from the above mentioned entities during fiscal 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively.
This management fee is consistent with the fee received for other properties the Company previously
managed for third parties. SAC Holdings, 4 SAC, 5 SAC, Galaxy and Private Mini are substantially
controlled by Blackwater. Mercury is substantially controlled by Mark V. Shoen. James P. Shoen, a
significant stockholder and director of AMERCO, has an interest in Mercury.
The Company leases space for marketing company offices, vehicle repair shops and hitch
installation centers from subsidiaries of SAC Holdings, 5 SAC and Galaxy. Total lease payments
pursuant to such leases were $2.1 million, $2.7 million and $2.7 million for fiscal 2008, 2007 and
2006, respectively. The terms of the leases are similar to the terms of leases for other properties
owned by unrelated parties that are leased to the Company.
At March 31, 2008, subsidiaries of SAC Holdings, 4 SAC, 5 SAC, Galaxy and Private Mini acted
as U-Haul independent dealers. The financial and other terms of the dealership contracts with the
aforementioned companies and their subsidiaries are substantially identical to the terms of those
with the Companys other independent dealers whereby commissions are paid by the Company based upon
equipment rental revenue. During fiscal 2008, 2007 and 2006 the Company paid the above mentioned
entities $36.0 million, $36.6 million and $36.8 million, respectively in commissions pursuant to
such dealership contracts.
These agreements and notes with subsidiaries of SAC Holdings, 4 SAC, 5 SAC, Galaxy and Private
Mini, excluding Dealer Agreements, provided revenue of $43.6 million, expenses of $2.1 million and
cash flows of $68.8 million during fiscal 2008. Revenues and commission expenses related to the
Dealer Agreements were $170.0 million and $36.0 million, respectively.
22
In prior years, U-Haul sold various properties to SAC Holding Corporation at prices in excess
of U-Hauls carrying values resulting in gains which U-Haul deferred and treated as additional
paid-in capital. The transferred properties had historically been stated at the original cost basis
as the gains were eliminated in consolidation. In March 2004, these deferred gains were recognized
and treated as contributions from a related party in the amount of $111.0 million as a result of
the deconsolidation of SAC Holding Corporation. In November 2007, the remaining portion of these
deferred gains were recognized and treated as contributions from a related party in the amount of
$46.1 million as a result of the deconsolidation of SAC Holding II Corporation.
EMERGENCE FROM CHAPTER 11
On June 20, 2003, AMERCO filed a voluntary petition for relief under Chapter 11 of the United
States Bankruptcy Code. Amerco Real Estate Company also filed a voluntary petition for relief
under Chapter 11 on August 13, 2003. The other subsidiaries of AMERCO were not included in either
of the filings. On March 15, 2004, AMERCO and Amerco Real Estate Company emerged from Chapter 11
(less than nine months from the petition date) with full payment to creditors while preserving the
interests of Company stockholders.
DERIVATIVE ACTION
The disclosure in this section is required by the federal securities laws because the
plaintiff, Paul F. Shoen, is the brother of one or more directors, officers and 5% stockholders.
In September 2002, Paul F. Shoen filed a shareholder derivative lawsuit in the Second Judicial
District Court of the State of Nevada, Washoe County, captioned Paul F. Shoen vs. SAC Holding
Corporation et al., CV 02-05602, seeking damages and equitable relief on behalf of AMERCO from
SAC Holdings and certain current and former members of the AMERCO Board of Directors, including
Edward J. Shoen, Mark V. Shoen and James P. Shoen as Defendants. AMERCO is named as a nominal
Defendant in the case. The complaint alleges breach of fiduciary duty, self-dealing, usurpation of
corporate opportunities, wrongful interference with prospective economic advantage and unjust
enrichment and seeks the unwinding of sales of self-storage properties by subsidiaries of AMERCO to
SAC prior to the filing of the complaint. The complaint seeks a declaration that such transfers are
void as well as unspecified damages. In October 2002, the Defendants filed motions to dismiss the
complaint. Also in October 2002, Ron Belec filed a derivative action in the Second Judicial
District Court of the State of Nevada, Washoe County, captioned Ron Belec vs. William E. Carty,
et al., CV 02-06331 and in January 2003, M.S. Management Company, Inc. filed a derivative
action in the Second Judicial District Court of the State of Nevada, Washoe County, captioned
M.S. Management Company, Inc. vs. William E. Carty, et al., CV 03-00386. Two additional
derivative suits were also filed against these parties. Each of these suits is substantially
similar to the Paul F. Shoen case. The Court consolidated the five cases and thereafter dismissed
these actions in May 2003, concluding that the AMERCO Board of Directors had the requisite level of
independence required in order to have these claims resolved by the Board. Plaintiffs appealed this
decision and, in July 2006, the Nevada Supreme Court reversed the ruling of the trial court and
remanded the case to the trial court for proceedings consistent with its ruling, allowing the
Plaintiffs to file an amended complaint and plead in addition to substantive claims, demand
futility.
In November 2006, the Plaintiffs filed an amended complaint. In December 2006, the Defendants
filed motions to dismiss, based on various legal theories. In March 2007, the Court denied AMERCOs
motion to dismiss regarding the issue of demand futility, stating that Plaintiffs have satisfied
the heightened pleading requirements of demand futility by showing a majority of the members of the
AMERCO Board of Directors were interested parties in the SAC transactions. The Court heard oral
argument on the remainder of the Defendants motions to dismiss, including the motion (Goldwasser
Motion) based on the fact that the subject matter of the lawsuit had been settled and dismissed in
earlier litigation known as Goldwasser v. Shoen, C.V.N.-94-00810-ECR (D.Nev.), Washoe
County, Nevada. In addition, in September and October 2007, the Defendants filed Motions for
Judgment on the Pleadings or in the Alternative Summary Judgment, based on the fact that the
stockholders of the Company had ratified
23
the underlying transactions at the 2007 annual meeting of stockholders of AMERCO. In December 2007,
the Court denied this motion. This ruling does not preclude a renewed motion for summary judgment
after discovery and further proceedings on these issues. On April 7, 2008, the litigation was
dismissed, on the basis of the Goldwasser Motion. On May 8, 2008, the Plaintiffs filed a notice of
appeal of such dismissal to the Nevada Supreme Court. On May 20, 2008, AMERCO filed a cross appeal
relating to the denial of its Motion to Dismiss in regards to Demand Futility. The appeals are
currently pending.
RELATIONSHIP WITH INDEPENDENT AUDITORS
BDO Seidman, LLP served as the Companys principal independent registered public accounting
firm since August 2002 and the Audit Committee has selected BDO Seidman, LLP to audit AMERCOs
financial statements for fiscal 2009. Representatives of BDO Seidman, LLP are expected to be
present at the Meeting. The following table shows the fees that AMERCO and its consolidated
entities paid or accrued for the audit and other services provided by BDO Seidman, LLP for fiscal
2008 and 2007.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
March 31, |
|
|
2008 |
|
2007 |
|
|
(in thousands) |
Audit fees |
|
|
3,656 |
|
|
|
4,130 |
|
Audit-related fees |
|
|
60 |
|
|
|
55 |
|
Tax fees |
|
|
|
|
|
|
375 |
|
All other fees |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
|
|
3,716 |
|
|
|
4,560 |
|
Audit Fees. This category includes the audit of AMERCOs annual financial statements and the
effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of fiscal year end, review of
financial statements included in AMERCOs Form 10-Q quarterly reports, and services that are
normally provided by the independent registered public accounting firm in connection with statutory
and regulatory filings or engagements for those fiscal years. This category also includes advice on
accounting matters that arose during, or as a result of, the audit or the review of interim
financial statements, statutory audits required by U.S. jurisdictions and the preparation of an
annual management letter on internal control matters.
Audit-Related Fees. This category consists of assurance and related services provided by BDO
Seidman, LLP that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of AMERCOs
financial statements and are not reported above under Audit Fees. The services for the fees
disclosed under this category include benefit plan audits.
Tax Fees. This category consists of tax related services provided by BDO Seidman, LLP. The
services for the fees disclosed under this category in fiscal 2007 included the performance of a
cost segregation study of the buildings and equipment owned by AMERCO.
Each year, the Audit Committee approves the annual audit engagement in advance. The Audit
Committee also has established procedures to pre-approve all non-audit services provided by the
independent registered public accounting firm. All fiscal 2008 non-audit services listed above
were pre-approved. The Audit Committee has determined that the provision of services by BDO
Seidman, LLP described in the preceding paragraphs were compatible with maintaining BDO Seidman,
LLPs independence as the Companys principal independent registered public accounting firm.
24
RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
BDO Seidman, LLP currently serves as the Companys independent registered public accounting
firm, and has conducted the audit of the Companys accounts since 2002. The audit committee has
appointed BDO Seidman, LLP to serve as the independent registered public accounting firm to conduct
an audit of our accounts for fiscal year 2009.
Selection of the Companys independent registered public accounting firm is not required to be
submitted to a vote of the stockholders for ratification. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires
the audit committee to be directly responsible for the appointment, compensation and oversight of
the audit work of the independent registered public accounting firm. However, the Board of
Directors has elected to submit the selection of BDO Seidman, LLP as the Companys independent
registered public accounting firm to stockholders for ratification as a matter of good corporate
practice. Even if stockholders vote on an advisory basis in favor of the appointment, the audit
committee may, in its discretion, direct the appointment of a different independent registered
public accounting firm at any time during the year if it determines that such a change would be in
the best interests of the Company and our stockholders.
Representatives of BDO Seidman, LLP are expected to be present at the annual meeting. They
will have the opportunity to make a statement if they desire to do so and are expected to be
available to respond to appropriate questions.
PROPOSAL TO RATIFY THE SAC TRANSACTIONS, INCLUDING THE ACTIONS TAKEN BY
AMERCO AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES BOARDS OF DIRECTORS, OFFICERS AND
EMPLOYEES IN ENTERING INTO THE SAC TRANSACTIONS
The following Stockholder Proposal was included in the Companys 2007 Proxy Statement and was
voted upon at the Companys 2007 Annual Meeting. The Board of Directors of the Company has decided
to have this matter re-voted upon, as a management-endorsed proposal, on the basis of the
disclosures regarding the SAC Transactions included in the 2007 Proxy Statement (which are also
included as Exhibit L hereto) and the additional disclosures included herein.
Motion:
That the shareholders vote to approve and affirm the actions taken by all
AMERCO and its subsidiaries Boards of Directors, officers and employees in
entering into, and all resulting contracts with SAC and ratify all SAC
transactions amended or entered into by AMERCO and any of its subsidiaries
between 1992 and March 31, 2007.
Reason for Making the Proposal:
Pending litigation and to protect potential diminishment of shareholder equity.
Relevant Notices:
1) We do not have any material interest in the subject matter of the proposal.
2) We are not members of any partnership, limited partnership, syndicate or
other group pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, relationship,
understanding, or otherwise, whether or not in writing, organized in whole
or in part for the purpose of acquiring, owning or voting shares of AMERCO
stock.
3) The above shareholders have continuously held at least $2,000.00 in
market value of AMERCO shares and we intend to hold the stock through the
date of the annual meeting.
Attachments: All relevant schedules and timelines associated with this motion.
The Company is seeking re-ratification of the SAC Transactions and the actions taken by the
Company and its subsidiaries boards of directors, officers and employees relating to the SAC
Transactions. This proposal is referred to as the Management Proposal. The SAC Transactions
were ratified by more than a majority of the Companys stockholders at the 2007 Annual Meeting.
The disclosure provided to the stockholders in connection therewith is set forth in Exhibit
L hereto. Additional information regarding the SAC Transactions is set forth below.
25
The Company included the Stockholder Proposal in its 2007 Proxy Statement and on the ballot
for the 2007 Annual Meeting but made no recommendation with respect to the Stockholder Proposal. To
help Company stockholders make an informed decision with respect to the Stockholder Proposal, the
Company set forth in the 2007 Proxy Statement descriptions of the material contracts and
transactions between the Company (including its affiliates) and SAC. The Company also attached as
Exhibits to the 2007 Proxy Statement copies of the various material contracts, or templates
thereof, between SAC and the Company. These descriptions, contracts and templates were intended to
provide an understanding of the relationship and transactions between the Company and SAC between
1992 and March 31, 2007.
A substantial majority of the AMERCO stockholders approved the Stockholder Proposal at the
2007 Annual Meeting. The SAC Transactions were ratified at the 2007 Annual Meeting by both a
majority of the minority stockholders of the Company who in fact voted, and a majority of all
stockholders. Specifically, the votes approving the Stockholder Proposal constituted 72% of all of
AMERCOs shares outstanding and entitled to vote. Of votes cast for or against the Stockholder
Proposal, 83% approved the Stockholder Proposal. Of the minority stockholder votes cast for or
against the Stockholder Proposal (i.e. the shares voted excluding the votes cast by majority
stockholders Edward J. Shoen, Mark V. Shoen, James P. Shoen and their related entities), 63%
approved the Stockholder Proposal
On the basis of the 2007 Stockholder Ratification Vote, the Company filed a Dispositive
Motion, seeking to dispose of the Derivative Litigation. On November 6, 2007, the Plaintiffs filed
an Opposition to the Companys Dispositive Motion. On December 17, 2007, the Court issued an Order
denying the Companys Dispositive Motion. In this Order, the Court stated . . . The Court finds
genuine issues of material fact remain in dispute regarding the sufficiency of the disclosure to
the shareholders of the common directorship, office or financial interest. Plaintiffs allegations
of irregularities in the shareholder proposal and proxy process create issues of fact which, at
this time, preclude entry of summary judgment.
On April 4, 2008, the Company received another proposal (the 2008 Stockholder Proposal) from
approximately 79 employee shareholders, requesting a re-vote on the Stockholder Proposal. The
2008 Stockholder Proposal states as follows, and is set forth in its entirety on Exhibit M
hereto:
We the undersigned respectfully request a vote by the shareholders to approve
and affirm the actions taken by all AMERCO and its subsidiaries Boards of
Directors, officers and employees in entering into, and all resulting contracts
with SAC and ratify all SAC transactions amended or entered into by AMERCO and
any of its subsidiaries between 1992 and March 31, 2007.
On April 7, 2008, the Derivative Litigation was dismissed, on the basis that the subject
matter of the lawsuit had been settled and dismissed in earlier litigation known as Goldwasser
v. Shoen, C.V.N.-94-00810-ECR (D.Nev.), which was filed in District Court in Washoe County,
Nevada. On May 8, 2008, the Plaintiffs filed a Notice of Appeal of such dismissal to the Nevada
Supreme Court.
The Company believes that the 2007 Proxy Statement sufficiently disclosed all material facts
regarding the SAC Transactions and that there were no irregularities in the Stockholder Proposal or
proxy process. However, in order to address the alleged deficiencies noted in the Opposition and
Order, and in order to implement the purpose of the 2007 Stockholder Ratification Vote, the Board
of Directors of the Company has decided to have this matter re-voted upon, as a management-endorsed
proposal, with added disclosures as set forth herein regarding the SAC Transactions. Prior to the
filing of this Proxy Statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Company provided a
draft of the proxy statement to counsel for the Plaintiffs in the Derivative Litigation, seeking
its comments on the document. Such counsel provided comments to the Company in a letter dated May
29, 2008, which letter is attached as Exhibit N hereto. The Company made certain changes
to this Proxy Statement, which changes are reflected in this Proxy Statement, after reviewing that
letter By seeking re-ratification of the SAC Transactions with the additional information herein,
the Company is in no way admitting that the prior disclosures were insufficient. In the event the
SAC Transactions are ratified (again) by more than a majority vote at the Annual Meeting, and in
the event the Derivative Litigation is reinstated, the Company will file another dispositive motion
seeking to terminate the Derivative Litigation. In the case of a negative vote by the
26
stockholders
with respect to the SAC Transactions, the Company will continue to defend the Derivative
Litigation.
Management considers one benefit of submitting to the stockholders a re-vote on the SAC
transactions to be the avoidance or reduction of attorneys fees and other litigation-related costs
for which the Company will be responsible, in the event the Derivative Litigation is reinstated. In
the event the Derivative Litigation is reinstated, such litigation-related costs may include the
cost of an investigation by a special committee of independent directors, if authorized by the
Board of Directors. Under applicable law, such an investigation may be undertaken, in the event the
Derivative Litigation reinstated, to determine whether, in the judgment of the special committee,
the Derivative Litigation is in the best interests of the Company; and if not, whether it should be
terminated. Subject to review by the Court, a special committees investigation can affect the
course of the Derivative Litigation.
The Management Proposal is not based on an investigation of the SAC Transactions by a special
committee of independent directors. In March of 2007, the Court in the Derivative Litigation ruled,
on the assumption the allegations in the Complaint are true, that for purposes of the requirement
of a pre-litigation demand upon the Board of Directors, the following officers and current and
former members of the Companys Board of Directors are interested directors: Edward J. Shoen,
James P. Shoen, Mark V. Shoen, William E. Carty, Charles J. Bayer, John P. Brogan, and James
Grogan. This finding of the Court is being challenged by the Company on appeal.
Additional Information
While the Company believes its disclosure in the 2007 Proxy Statement was sufficient, the
disclosure set forth in this section of the Proxy Statement is intended to supplement the
disclosure provided in the 2007 Proxy Statement regarding the Derivative Litigation and the SAC
Transactions.
Based upon information provided to the Company, the Company believes that the Plaintiffs in
the Derivative Litigation are the registered owners of a relatively small amount of AMERCO stock.
The Company has requested that the Plaintiffs inform us of the number of shares they own, but the
Plaintiffs have refused to do so. The Company does not know if the Plaintiffs are beneficial
owners of Company stock in street name. As of the Record Date, the Company has 19,631,314 shares
of common stock outstanding and entitled to vote.
In September 2002, Plaintiffs filed the Derivative Litigation, during a time when the Company
was seeking to refinance a substantial amount of Company debt. The refinancing did not occur, due
to a combination of factors including the pendency of the Derivative Litigation. Ultimately, as a
result of the failure to timely secure the refinancing, the Companys subsidiary, Amerco Real
Estate Company, and AMERCO each filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, in the United States
Bankruptcy Court for the District of Nevada in June and August of 2003, respectively. The Company
and Amerco Real Estate Company were each discharged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March
2004. The Chapter 11 bankruptcy cost the Company $50.6 million in direct restructuring charges and
tens of millions of dollars in other costs. Although the Derivative Litigation has been pending
for approximately five and one-half years, an answer to the Complaint has not been due or filed,
and no discovery has been conducted. As of April 2008, in excess of $2 million in legal fees had
been incurred by the Company in defending the Derivative Litigation
The Company believes that the 2007 Proxy Statement sufficiently disclosed all material facts
regarding the SAC Transactions and that there were no irregularities in the Stockholder Proposal or
2007 Annual Meeting proxy process. In its Order denying the Companys Dispositive Motion, the Court
held that issues of material fact in the litigation are in dispute, and noted that:
Plaintiffs contend the proxy should have informed the shareholders:
(1) that the proposal was an attempt to dispose of this litigation
and preclude the company from recovering funds from the SAC
entities; (2) of the potential benefits of the litigation to the
company; (3) why Plaintiffs believe the transactions were unfair;
(4) of the specific terms
27
of the disputed transactions; (5) that the
transactions were not reviewed for fairness by an independent party;
(6) how the terms of the disputed transactions were settled; and
(7) that the SAC entities use the companies employees and resources
without compensating the company.
The Plaintiffs have also alleged in their Opposition that the following matters were not
adequately disclosed in the 2007 Proxy Statement: (8) the matters considered, and the conclusions
of, the Special Committee in respect of the Stockholder Proposal; (9) an explanation of who
conducted and commissioned the real estate appraisals of the SAC Properties, and why appraisals of
certain of the SAC Properties were generated after such properties were sold from the Company to
SAC; (10) disclosure of whether the SAC Properties were listed publicly for sale or were subject to
a competitive bidding process; and (11) disclosures regarding the Companys strategic business
plan. In its May 29, 2008 letter (attached as Exhibit N hereto), the Plaintiffs also
alleged that the Company did not discuss what interests the Company retained in the properties sold
to the SAC entities nor what rights the Company reserved with respect to the proceeds of sales when
the SAC entities re-sold properties to third parties.
The Company is providing additional information, as set forth below, on the subjects
specifically identified in each of the contentions noted above, so that the Companys stockholders
can consider this information in deciding whether and how to re-vote on the ratification of the SAC
Transactions. By seeking re-ratification of the SAC Transactions with the additional information in
this proxy statement, the Company is in no way admitting that the prior disclosures were
insufficient, but, instead, has opted to do so as an efficient means for resolving any disputes
about the prior vote.
Plaintiffs Alleged Disclosure Deficiencies
(1) The Stockholder Proposal was an attempt to dispose of the Derivative Litigation and
preclude the Company from recovering funds from the SAC entities.
Disclosure: AMERCO sought to use the 2007 Stockholder Ratification Vote to dispose of
the Derivative Litigation. In the event the SAC Transactions are ratified (again) by more than a
majority vote at the Special Meeting, and in the event the Derivative Litigation is reinstated, the
Company will file another dispositive motion, seeking to terminate such action. The Company intends
to seek a final closure and termination of the litigation regarding the SAC Transactions.
The Nevada General Corporations Law provides that a contract or other transaction is not void
or voidable solely because the contract or transaction is between a corporation and one or more of
its directors or officers or another corporation, firm or association in which one or more of its
directors or officers are directors or officers or are financially interested, if
The fact of the common directorship, office or financial interest is known to the
stockholders, and they approve or ratify the contract or transaction in good faith by a
majority vote of stockholders holding a majority of the voting power. The votes of the
common or interested directors or officers must be counted in any such vote of stockholders.
NRS 78.140(2)(b)
In deciding how to vote on the Management Proposal, Stockholders may consider
what the Plaintiffs say they sought to accomplish in the Derivative Litigation.
Plaintiffs claims are detailed in their Complaint (attached as Exhibit F
hereto).
The Derivative Litigation has recently been dismissed, on grounds that the subject matter of
the lawsuit had been settled in earlier litigation. Such dismissal was appealed by the Plaintiffs
to the Nevada Supreme Court. If the Derivative Litigation is reinstated, the Management Proposal,
if approved by the Companys stockholders through this proxy and as provided for in the statute,
will be used as the basis for
28
renewing the Companys argument that the ratified SAC Transactions
can no longer be challenged by Plaintiffs after approval of the SAC Transactions by a majority of
the Companys Stockholders holding a majority of voting power in the Company. The Company cannot
predict whether the Court would grant such motion, and the Company notes that it will be up to the
Court to decide the ultimate effect of the stockholder vote on the Management Proposal.
If the Derivative Litigation is finally dismissed, the Plaintiffs claims against the Company,
the officers and directors of the Company, and the other parties to the Derivative Litigation would
terminate. If that occurs, the
Plaintiffs maintain that the Company and the other defendants in the Derivative Litigation
would be released from potential liability and the Company would be precluded from recovering a
monetary judgment or a return of the SAC Properties from SAC. As a result, the individual
defendants would be released from potential personal liability and stockholders would be barred
from recovering on the claims set forth in the Derivative Litigation. The Plaintiffs further
contend that the individual officers and directors who have been named as defendants in the
Derivative Litigationincluding without limitation Mark V. Shoen and James P. Shoen, who are the
owners of SAC, executive officers or directors of the Company and majority stockholders of the
Company, and Edward J. Shoen, who is the President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, a
majority stockholder of the Company and sibling to Mark V. Shoen and James P. Shoenwill benefit
from a dismissal or termination of the Derivative Litigation because the dismissal or termination
would relieve those individuals from potential personal liability, including claims for punitive
damages as set forth in the Complaint.
(2) The potential benefits of the Derivative Litigation to the Company.
Disclosure: The Complaint (attached as Exhibit F hereto) and Plaintiffs
Opposition (attached as Exhibit H hereto) set forth Plaintiffs position as to the
potential benefits of the Derivative Litigation to the Company. One of Plaintiffs contentions in
the Derivative Litigation is that the SAC Properties were sold by the Company at a price that was
lower than what the Plaintiffs believe the price should have been. The Plaintiffs contend that one
possible outcome of the Derivative Litigation could involve a court ordered payment by SAC to the
Company of a substantial sum of money. The Plaintiffs contend that another possible outcome of the
Derivative Litigation could involve a return of the SAC Properties to the Company. The Company is
expressing no view on the likelihood of any outcome in the event the Derivative Litigation is
reinstated. If the Derivative Litigation is reinstated and the case goes forward, however, it is
reasonable to expect that discovery, pretrial, trial, and appellate proceedings could continue for
years.
(3) Reasons why Plaintiffs believe the SAC Transactions were unfair to the Company.
Disclosure: At pages 10 to 18 of the Complaint (attached as Exhibit F
hereto), the Plaintiffs set forth allegations about the Companys transactions with SAC.
Plaintiffs Opposition (attached as Exhibit H hereto) also identifies reasons why the
Plaintiffs believe the SAC Transactions were unfair to the Company. Among other things, the
Plaintiffs have noted that 230 of the SAC Properties were sold by Company subsidiaries to SAC.
Plaintiffs further note that this was done at a price of $15.3 million below their aggregate
appraised value of $615.9 million. As noted in the 2007 Proxy Statement, these properties had an
aggregate sale price of $600.6 million, an aggregate appraised value of $615.9 million and an
aggregate book value of $330.1 million. The Court in the Derivative Litigation has ruled, on the
assumption that the allegations of the Complaint are true, that for purposes of the requirement of
a pre-litigation demand upon the Board of Directors, the following officers and current and former
members of the Companys Board of Directors are interested directors: Edward J. Shoen, James P.
Shoen, Mark V. Shoen, William E. Carty, Charles J. Bayer, John P. Brogan, and James Grogan. This
finding of the Court is being challenged by the Company on appeal.
The Company is providing access to Plaintiffs allegations for stockholders to consider in
deciding whether or how to vote on the Management Proposal but the Company has not filed an answer
to the Complaint and has not taken a position on the contentions alleged by the Plaintiffs.
29
(4) The specific terms of the SAC Transactions.
Disclosure: The specific terms of the SAC Transactions were disclosed in the 2007
Proxy Statement, and are disclosed herein as well, in Exhibit L hereto.
(5) Fairness review of SAC Transactions by an independent party.
Disclosure: One of Plaintiffs complaints in the Derivative Litigation is that the
SAC Transactions were not reviewed for fairness by an independent party. The Company acknowledges
that it has never sought nor obtained a fairness opinion as to the terms of the SAC Transactions
from an independent party. The Company did,
however, disclose the appraised values and book values of the SAC Properties. In addition,
independent appraisers retained by lenders confirmed the appraised values shown in Exhibit
L hereto.
(6) How the terms of the SAC Transactions were settled.
Disclosure: The terms of the SAC Transactions were settled following discussion and
negotiation between management of the Company and management of SAC. The sales prices of the SAC
Properties were determined based on various factors including historical income of the properties,
book values, comparable values and the storage net operating income. With respect to the property
management agreements, the 6% rate, which is the rate payable on several of the property management
agreements between the Company and SAC, is consistent with the rate historically charged by the
Company with respect to non-SAC managed properties and is considered a standard management fee in
the self-storage industry. The 4% plus incentive ratewhich is a rate applicable to some of the
more recent property management agreements entered between the Company and SACwas negotiated to
allow U-Haul as property manager (the U-Haul Manager) to participate in improving performance.
The interest rates under the SAC Notes are reflective of an assessment of both SACs credit risk
and the anticipated performance of the assets supporting the payments under the SAC Notes. By
having control over the day-to-day management of the SAC Properties (which control has existed by
virtue of the property management agreements), the Company has been able to anticipate and readily
assess the performance of the SAC Properties and accordingly the viability of the SAC Notes. The
terms of the U-Haul dealership contracts between subsidiaries of the Company and SAC are
substantially similar to the terms of those with U-Hauls other independent dealers.
(7) Use of Company Resources
Disclosure: One of Plaintiffs complaints in the Derivative Litigation is that the
SAC entities use the Companys employees and resources without compensating the Company. Company
employees and resources are and have been used in connection with the SAC Transactions and the SAC
Properties, in the conduct of day-to-day operations pursuant to the property management agreements
between the U-Haul Manager and SAC. The property management agreements require the U-Haul Manager,
as the property manager, to conduct the day-to-day operations of the SAC Properties. Pursuant to
the property management agreements, the U-Haul Manager is reimbursed for its out-of-pocket costs
associated with managing the SAC Properties. Payments to the U-Haul Manager under the property
management agreements provide compensation for such services and resources. The Company and SAC
have recently negotiated fee structures, separate and apart from the fees contemplated under the
property management agreements, pursuant to which SAC has agreed to pay the Company specified fees
upon the closing of a refinancing of SAC Properties, and specified fees for SAC entity maintenance,
as compensation for the Companys work in those matters. Documentation with respect to such fee
structures is attached hereto as Exhibit O.
(8) Matters considered by, and the conclusions of, the Special Committee.
Disclosure: In connection with the Companys receipt of the Stockholder Proposal in
June 2007, the Companys Board of Directors formed a special committee of members of the Companys
Board (the Special Committee). The Special Committee was charged with reviewing the Stockholder
Proposal and providing recommendations to the Board of Directors with respect thereto.
Specifically, the Special Committee reviewed the Stockholder Proposal, gave consideration to the
fact that the Stockholder Proposal was submitted to the Company after the published deadline for
submission of stockholder proposals, and satisfied itself, based upon conversations with Company
management, that the Company did not solicit the Stockholder Proposal. The Special Committee
reviewed applicable laws with the assistance of counsel, made a recommendation to the full Board to
include the Stockholder Proposal in the 2007 Proxy Statement,
30
and reviewed and provided disclosures
regarding the SAC Transactions, as contained in the 2007 Proxy Statement. However, the Special
Committee was not requested to, and did not, review the underlying SAC Transactions, including the
terms thereof or the fairness of the SAC Transactions to the Company.
(9) Explanation of who conducted and commissioned the real estate appraisals of the SAC
Properties, and why the appraisals of certain of the SAC Properties were generated after such
properties were sold from the Company to SAC.
Disclosure: Substantially all of the SAC Properties purchased by AMERCO subsidiaries
have been appraised by third party appraisers, each of whom have earned an MAI designation.
MAIwhich stands for Member of the Appraisal Instituteis a trade organization which monitors
appraisers and holds them to a standard.
The MAI designation is frequently used in connection with commercial real estate appraisals.
The appraisals of the SAC Properties were conducted by various regional and national real estate
firms and were commissioned by SACs mortgage lenders. Applicable banking regulations prohibited
the Company and SAC from commissioning such appraisals or obtaining copies of same prior to the
closing of the financing on the respective property, thus neither the Company nor SAC had influence
over the appraised values. In instances where the SAC Properties were sold to SAC prior to the
closing of the applicable mortgage loan to the SAC entity, appraisals were not immediately
conducted. Rather, in such cases, the appraisals on such properties were conducted closer to the
time of the mortgage loan closing, so as to comport with the lenders freshness requirements for
the age of an appraisal.
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Disclosure of whether the SAC Properties were listed publicly for sale or were
subject to a competitive bidding process. |
Disclosure: The properties sold from the Company to SAC were not listed publicly for
sale and were not subject to a competitive bidding process. Rather, such properties were offered
exclusively to SAC.
(11) Disclosure regarding the Companys strategic business plan.
Disclosure: The Plaintiffs contend that the Company failed to disclose in the 2007
Proxy Statement why the Companys strategic business plan relating to the SAC Transactions was
never approved by the Board of Directors of the Company or disclosed to stockholders. Since
inception, the AMERCO Board of Directors has been aware of and familiar with the SAC Transactions.
Various AMERCO subsidiary entitiesas opposed to AMERCO itselfare the parties to the various
contracts that constitute the SAC Transactions. Accordingly, formal board of director approvals
were obtained from the respective subsidiary entities, and not from the AMERCO Board. The Company
has disclosed its relationship with SAC in its public filings.
As previously disclosed in the 2007 Proxy Statement, SAC was established to help implement the
Companys strategic business plan of expanding the self-storage portfolio operated under the U-Haul
name and expanding the number of U-Haul dealer outlets for the rental of U-Haul equipment. Many of
the Companys credit facilities that existed prior to 2004 contained covenants that restricted the
Companys ability to mortgage its assets. As a result, prior to 2004, the Company could not obtain
the desired amount of mortgage financing as a means to implement its strategic business plan. SAC,
however, was not subject to such lender restrictions. Accordingly, the Company utilized the
flexibility inherent in SAC as a means for achieving certain business goals and objectives. Over
the course of several years, contractual relationships were established between subsidiaries of the
Company and SAC. Templates of such contracts were attached to the 2007 Proxy Statement.
(12) Disclosure regarding what interests the Company retained in the properties sold to the
SAC entities; Rights reserved by the Company with respect to the proceeds of sales when the SAC
entities re-sold properties to third parties.
Disclosure: The Company has retained the right to act as Property Manager with
respect to the properties sold to the SAC entities. The template property management agreements
were attached as Exhibits to the 2007 Proxy Statement. Between fiscal 1996 and fiscal 2008, the
Company received in excess of $100 million in property management fees from SAC. The SAC
Properties also operate as U-
31
Haul dealers for the rental of U-Haul trucks, trailers and other
equipment, thus affording the Company with an expanded dealer network for the rental of U-Haul
equipment. In addition, Company subsidiaries hold or have held various promissory notes from SAC
(collectively, the SAC Notes), evidencing loans extended from Company subsidiaries to SAC. The
template SAC Notes were attached as Exhibits to the 2007 Proxy Statement. Between fiscal 1996 and
fiscal 2008, the Company received in excess of $244 million in interest payments from SAC,
pursuant to the SAC Notes. The SAC Notes also entitle the lender subsidiaries of the Company to
participate in the appreciation of underlying SAC real property realized upon the sale or
refinancing of certain properties by SAC to third parties. To date, no payments have been
triggered or paid under such property appreciation sharing provisions. Since their inception,
there have been no events of default or events which, with notice or passage of time or both, would
constitute an event of default by SAC under the SAC Notes. In March 2004, approximately half of
the SAC Notes (based on outstanding principal amount) were repaid and satisfied by SAC, in
connection with the Companys court approved bankruptcy restructuring.
SECTION 16(a) BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP REPORTING COMPLIANCE
Section 16(a) of the Exchange Act requires the Companys directors and executive officers, and
persons who own more than 10% of a registered class of the Companys equity securities, to file
reports of ownership of, and transactions in, the Companys securities with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Such directors, executive officers and 10% stockholders are also required to
furnish the Company with copies of all Section 16(a) forms they file.
Based solely on a review of the copies of such forms received by it, the Company believes that
during fiscal 2008, all Section 16(a) filings applicable to its directors, officers and 10%
stockholders were filed on a timely basis.
STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR NEXT ANNUAL MEETING
For inclusion in the proxy statement and form of proxy relating to the 2009 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders of AMERCO, a stockholder proposal intended for presentation at that meeting must be
submitted in accordance with the applicable rules of the Commission and received by the Secretary
of AMERCO, c/o U-Haul International, Inc., 2721 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004, on or
before March 6, 2009. Proposals to be presented at the 2009 Annual Meeting of Stockholders of
AMERCO that are not intended for inclusion in the proxy statement and form of proxy must be
submitted by that date and in accordance with the applicable provisions of the Companys Bylaws, a
copy of which is available upon written request, delivered to the Secretary of AMERCO at the
address in the preceding sentence. The Company suggests that proponents submit their proposals to
the Secretary of AMERCO by Certified Mail-Return Receipt Requested.
OTHER MATTERS
A copy of the Companys Annual Report for the year ended March 31, 2008 may be viewed and
downloaded from www.proxyvote.com, from the Companys Investor Relations website at
http://www.amerco.com, may be requested via e-mail through either such website, or may be requested
telephonically at 1-800-579-1639. The Annual Report is not to be regarded as proxy solicitation
material.
With respect to Company stockholders meetings following the 2008 Annual Meeting, the Company
anticipates to continue furnishing proxy materials to stockholders by posting such materials on an
Internet web site in accordance with applicable laws, and providing stockholders with notice of
Internet availability of such materials. Paper copies of such materials will be available to
stockholders on request, for a period of one year, at no cost, in accordance with applicable laws.
32
UPON REQUEST, THE COMPANY WILL PROVIDE BY FIRST CLASS US MAIL, TO EACH STOCKHOLDER OF RECORD ON THE
RECORD DATE, WITHOUT CHARGE, A COPY OF THIS PROXY STATEMENT AND ALL ATTACHMENTS HERETO, THE PROXY
CARD, AND THE COMPANYS ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDED MARCH 31, 2008,
INCLUDING THE REQUIRED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENT SCHEDULES. WRITTEN REQUESTS FOR
THIS INFORMATION SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO: DIRECTOR, FINANCIAL REPORTING, U-HAUL INTERNATIONAL, INC.,
P.O. BOX 21502, PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85036-1502.
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EXHIBIT A
AMERCO
2008 ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS
_______________, 2008
Phoenix, Arizona
MEETING PROCEDURES
In fairness to all stockholders attending the 2008 Special Meeting of Stockholders, and in the
interest of an orderly meeting, we ask you to honor the following:
A. Admission to the meeting is limited to stockholders of record or their proxies.
Stockholders of record voting by proxy will not be admitted to the meeting unless their proxies are
revoked, in which case the holders of the revoked proxies will not be permitted to attend the
meeting. The meeting will not be open to the public. The media will not be given access to the
meeting.
B. With the exception of cameras and recording devices provided by the Company, cameras and
recording devices of all kinds (including stenographic) are prohibited in the meeting room.
C. After calling the meeting to order, the Chairman will require the registration of all
stockholders intending to vote in person, and the filing of all proxies with the teller. After the
announced time for such filing of proxies has ended, no further proxies or changes, substitutions,
or revocations of proxies will be accepted. (Bylaws, Article II, Section 9)
D. The Chairman of the meeting has absolute authority to determine the order of business to be
conducted at the meeting and to establish rules for, and appoint personnel to assist in, preserving
the orderly conduct of the business of the meeting (including any informal, or question-and-answer,
portions thereof). (Bylaws, Article II, Section 9)
E. When an item is before the meeting for consideration, questions and comments are to be
confined to that item only.
F. Pursuant to Article II, Section 5 of the Companys Bylaws, only such business (including
director nominations) as shall have been properly brought before the meeting shall be conducted.
Pursuant to the Companys Bylaws, in order to be properly brought before the meeting, such
business must have either been (1) specified in the written notice of the meeting given to
stockholders on the record date for such meeting by or at the direction of the Board of Directors,
(2) brought before the meeting at the direction of the Board of Directors or the Chairman of the
meeting, or (3) specified in a written notice given by or on behalf of a stockholder on the record
date for such meeting entitled to vote thereat or a duly authorized proxy for such stockholder, in
accordance with all of the following requirements.
a) Such notice must have set forth:
i. a full description of each such item of business proposed to be brought before the
meeting and the reasons for conducting such business at such meeting,
ii. the name and address of the person proposing to bring such business before the
meeting,
iii. the class and number of shares held of record, held beneficially, and represented
by proxy by such person as of the record date for the meeting,
A-1
iv. if any item of such business involves a nomination for director, all information
regarding each such nominee that would be required to be set forth in a definitive proxy
statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) pursuant to Section 14
of the Exchange Act, as amended, or any successor thereto (the Exchange Act), and the
written consent of each such nominee to serve if elected,
v. any material interest of such stockholder in the specified business,
vi. whether or not such stockholder is a member of any partnership, limited
partnership, syndicate, or other group pursuant to any agreement, arrangement,
relationship, understanding, or otherwise, whether or not in writing, organized in whole or
in part for the purpose of acquiring, owning, or voting shares of the corporation, and
vii. all other information that would be required to be filed with the SEC if, with respect to
the business proposed to be brought before the meeting, the person proposing such business was a
participant in a solicitation subject to Section 14 of the Exchange Act.
No business shall be brought before any meeting of the Companys stockholders otherwise than
as provided in this Section. The Chairman of the meeting may, if the facts warrant, determine that
any proposed item of business or nomination as director was not brought before the meeting in
accordance with the foregoing procedure, and if he should so determine, he shall so declare to the
meeting and the improper item of business or nomination shall be disregarded.
G. At the appropriate time, any stockholder who wishes to address the meeting should do so
only upon being recognized by the Chairman of the meeting. After such recognition, please state
your name, whether you are a stockholder or a proxy for a stockholder, and, if you are a proxy,
name the stockholder you represent. All matters should be concisely presented.
H. A person otherwise entitled to attend the meeting will cease to be so entitled if, in the
judgment of the Chairman of the meeting, such person engages in disorderly conduct impeding the
proper conduct of the meeting against the interests of all stockholders as a group. (Bylaws,
Article II, Section 6)
I. If there are any questions remaining after the meeting is adjourned, please take them up
with the representatives of the Company at the Secretarys desk. Also, any matters of a personal
nature that concern you as a stockholder should be referred to these representatives after the
meeting.
J. The views, constructive comments and criticisms from stockholders are welcome. However, it
is requested that no matter be brought up that is irrelevant to the business of the Company.
K. It is requested that common courtesy be observed at all times.
Our objective is to encourage open communication and the free expression of ideas, and to
conduct an informative and meaningful meeting in a fair and orderly manner. Your cooperation
will be sincerely appreciated.
A-2
EXHIBIT
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1650
MARTHAJ ASHCRAFT
Nevada State Bar No. 1208
JAMES E. BERCHTOLD
Nevada Bar No. 5874
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
3993 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Suite 600
Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
Telephone: (702) 949-8200
Facsimile: (702) 949-8352
JASMINE MEHTA
Nevada Bar No 8188
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
5355 Kietzke Lane, Suite 200
Reno, NV 89511
(775) 770-2600
(775) 770-2612(fax)
[Additional Counsel on last page]
IN THE SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT OF THE STATE OF NEVADA
IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WASHOE
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PAUL F. SHOEN et al,
Plaintiffs
VS.
SAC HOLDING CORPORATION et al,
Defendants
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Case No. CV02-05602
Consolidated with: (1) Case No. CV02-06331;
(2) Case No. CV03-02486; and (3) Case No.
CV03-02617
Dept No. B6 |
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ERRATA TO AMENDED CONSOLIDATED VERIFIED STOCKHOLDERS
DERIVATIVE COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND EQUITABLE RELIEF
Plaintiffs, by and through their undersigned counsel, hereby file an errata to the Amended
Consolidated Verified Stockholders Derivative Complaint for Damages and Equitable Relief (Amended
Complaint), filed on November 8, 2006. The page numbers of the Amended
Lewis and Roca LLP
5335 Kietzke Lane,
Suite 220
Reno, NV 89511
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Complaint were in Roman numerals. Attached hereto as Exhibit A is a corrected Amended Complaint
with Arabic numerals rather than Roman numerals. There is no other difference between the Amended
Complaint filed on November 8, 2006, and the Amended Complaint attached hereto as Exhibit A.
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Dated: November 17, 2006 |
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
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By: |
/s/ Jasmine K. Mehta
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MARTHA J. ASHCRAFT |
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JAMES E. BERCHTOLD |
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3993 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Suite 600
Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
Telephone: (702) 949-8200
Facsimile: (702) 949-8352
JASMINE K. MEHTA
5355 Kietzke Lane, Suite 200
Reno, Nevada 89511
Telephone: (775) 770-2600
Facsimile: (775) 770-2612
Attorneys for Plaintiff Paul F. Shoen
LATHAM & WATKINS LLP
MARC W. RAPPEL (admitted pro hac vice)
BRIAN T. GLENNON (admitted pro hac vice)
633 West Fifth Street, Suite 4000
Los Angeles, California 90071-2007
Telephone: (213)485-1234
Facsimile: (213)891-8763
Attorneys for Plaintiff Paul F. Shoen
ROBBINS UMEDA & FINK LLP
BRIAN J. ROBBINS
KELLY M. McINTYRE
610 West Ash Street, Suite 1800
San Diego, CA 92101
Telephone: (619) 525-3990
Facsimile: (619) 525-3991
Attorneys for Plaintiff Ron Belec
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Lewis and Roca LLP
5335 Kietzke Lane,
Suite 220
Reno, NV 89511
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BECKLEY SINGLETON CHTD
IKE L. EPSTEIN
DANIEL F. POLSENBERG
1875 Plumas Street, Suite 1
Reno, Nevada 89509-3387
Telephone: (775) 823-2900
Facsimile: (775) 823-2929
Attorneys for Plaintiff Ron Belec
BERMAN, DEVALERIO, PEASE, TABACCO,
BURT & PUCILLO
JOSEPH J. TABACCO, JR.
CHRISTOPHER HEFFELFINGER
425 California Street, Suite 2025
San Francisco CA 94104
Telephone: (415) 433-3200
Facsimile: (415) 433-6382
Attorneys for Plaintiff Glenbrook Capital Limited Partnership
HAROLD B. OBSTFELD P.C.
HAROLD B. OBSTFELD
260 Madison Avenue, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (212) 696-1212
Facsimile: (212) 696-1398
Attorneys for Plaintiff Alan Kahn
BECKLEY SINGLETON CHTD
DAVID WASICK
1875 Plumas Street, Suite 1
Reno, Nevada 89509-3387
Telephone: (775) 823-2900
Facsimile: (775) 823-2929
Attorneys for Plaintiffs Glenbrook Capital
Limited Partnership and Alan Kahn
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5335 Kietzke Lane,
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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
Pursuant to Nev. R Civ. P. 5(b), I hereby certify that service of the foregoing ERRATA TO
AMENDED CONSOLIDATED VERIFIED STOCKHOLDERS DERIVATIVE COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND EQUITABLE RELIEF
was made this date by depositing a copy for mailing, first class mail, postage prepaid, at Las
Vegas, Nevada, to the following:
Beckley Singleton, Chtd
Attn: Daniel F. Polsenberg
Ike Lawrence Epstein
530 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Attorneys for Ron Belec, Glenbrook Capital LP, and Alan Kahn
Berman De Valerio Pease Tabacco Butt & Pucillo
Attn: Joseph J. Tobacco Jr.
Christopher T. Heffelfinger
425 California Street, Suite 2025
San Francisco, CA 94104
Attorneys for Glenbrook Capital LP
Harold B. Obstfeld P.C.
Attn: Harold B. Obstfeld
100 Park Avenue, 20th Floor
New York, NY 10017-5510
Attorneys for Alan Kahn
Irell & Manella LLP
Attn: Charles Edward Elder
Daniel Patrick Lefler
David Siegel
1800 Avenue of the Stars
Suite 900
Los Angeles, CA 90067-4276
Attorneys for Charles Bayer, Aubrey Johnson, M. Frank Lyons, John P.
Brogan, James J. Rogan, and John M. Dodds
Latham & Watkins
Attn: Mark W. Rappel
Brian T. Glennon
633 W. Fifth Street, Suite 4000
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Attorneys for Plaintiff Paul F. Shoen
Law Offices of Bruce G. Murphy
Attn: Bruce G. Murphy
265 Llwyds Lane
Vero Beach, FL 32963
Attorneys for Ron Belec
Lewis and Roca LLP
5335 Kietzke Lane,
Suite 220
Reno, NV 89511
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Law Offices of Calvin R. X. Dunlap
Attn: Calvin Dunlap
691 Sierra Rose Dr., Ste. A
P.O. Box 3689
Reno, NV 89505
Attorneys for SAC Defendants and Mark Shoen
Law Offices of Peter D. Fischbein
Attn: Peter D. Fischbein
777 Terrace Avenue, 5th Floor
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604
Attorneys for M.S. Management Company, Inc.
Laxalt & Nomura
Attn: Daniel Hayward
9600 Gateway Drive
Reno, NV 89521
Attorneys for AMERCO
Lerach Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP
Attn: William S. Lerach
Travis E. Downs, III
Amber L. Eck
655 West Broadway, Suite 1900
San Diego, CA 92101
Attorneys for Ron Belec
Marshall Hill Cassas & De Lipkau
Attn: John Fowler
Rew R. Goodenow
Holcomb Professional Bldg.
333 Holcomb Ave, Ste. 300
Reno, NV 89505
Attorneys for John M. Dodds, Richard Herrera, Aubrey Johnson, Charles
J. Bayer, John P. Brogan, and James J. Grogan
McDonald, Carano, Wilson LLP
Attn: Thomas R. C. Wilson
100 West Liberty Street, 10th Floor
P.O. Box 2670
Reno, NV 89505-2670
Attorneys for Edward Shoen, James P. Shoen, and William E. Carty
Morrison & Forester
Attn: Jack Londen
Melvin Goldman
425 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94105-2482
Attorneys for AMERCO
Morrison & Forester LLP
Attn: Mark R. McDonald
444 W. Fifth Street, Ste. 3500
Los Angeles, CA 90013-0124
Attorneys for AMERCO
Lewis and Roca LLP
5335 Kietzke Lane,
Suite 220
Reno, NV 89511
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Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
Attn: Walter J. Robinson
Theodore Keith Bell
2475 Hanover Street
Palo Alto, CA 94304
Attorneys for Defendants Edward J. Shoen, James P. Shoen, and William E. Catty
Quarles & Brady, Streich & Lang
Attn: James Ryan
Deanna Peck
Renaissance One
Two North Centrl Avenue
Phoenix, Arizona 85004-2391
Attorneys for Defendants Edward J. Shoen, James P. Shoen, and William E. Carty
Robbins Umeda & Fink
Attn: Brian Robbins
610 W. Ash Street, #1800
San Diego, CA 92101
Attorneys for Ron Belec
Squire Sanders & Dempsey LLP
Attn: Mark A. Nadeau
Brian A. Cabianca
Two Renaissance Square
40 North Central Avenue, Ste. 2700
Phoenix, AZ 85004-4498
Attorneys for SAC Defendants and Mark Shoen
DATED this 17th day of November, 2006
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/s/ Jeannie Brandes
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An Employee of LEWIS AND ROCA LLP |
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Lewis and Roca LLP
5335 Kietzke Lane,
Suite 220
Reno, NV 89511
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1090
MARTHA J. ASHCRAFT
Nevada State Bar No. 1208
JAMES E. BERCHTOLD
Nevada Bar. No. 5874
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
3993 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Suite 600
Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
Telephone: (702) 949-8200
Facsimile: (702)949-8352
[Additional Counsel on last page]
IN THE SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT OF THE STATE OF NEVADA
IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WASHOE
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PAUL F. SHOEN et al,
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Case No. CV02-05602 |
Plaintiffs |
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Consolidated with: (1) Case No. CV02-06331; |
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(2) Case No. CV03-02486; and (3) Case No. |
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CV03-02617 |
vs. |
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SAC HOLDING CORPORATION et al,
Defendants |
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Dept. No. B6 |
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AMENDED CONSOLIDATED VERIFIED STOCKHOLDERS |
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DERIVATIVE COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND EQUITABLE
RELIEF |
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AMENDED CONSOLIDATED VERIFIED STOCKHOLDERS DERIVATIVE
COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND EQUITABLE RELIEF
LATHAM & WATKINS LLP LA\1649412 1 ATTORNEYS AT LAW LOS ANGELES
AMENDED VERIFIED STOCKHOLDERS DERIVATIVE COMPLAINT FOR DAMAGES AND EQUITABLE RELIEF
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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INTRODUCTION |
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JURISDICTION AND VENUE |
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PARTIES |
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FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS |
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AMERCO AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES |
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THE SAC ENTITIES |
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AMERCOS TRANSACTIONS WITH THE SAC ENTITIES |
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AMERCOs Sells Self-Storage Properties To The SAC Entities At
Unfairly Low Prices |
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Amerco Finances The Acquisition Of Self-Storage Properties For
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The SAC Entities Exploit AREC And U-Hauls Human Resources
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The SAC Entities Use U-Haul To Operate A Competing Self-
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THE INDIVIDUAL DEFENDANTS INVOLVEMENT |
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Defendants Orchestrated AMERCOs Transactions With The SAC
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B. |
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AMERCOs Deficient Public Filings From 1995 Through 2002
Concealed The Nature And Magnitude Of The Transactions With
The SAC Entities |
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V. |
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DEMAND ON AMERCOS BOARD OF DIRECTORS WOULD BE FUTILE |
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A. |
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A Majority Of The Board Has A Material Interest In The Subject
Of The Demand |
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JOE and JAMES SHOEN Have a Material Interest in the Demand |
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BAYER has a Material Interest in the Demand |
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CARTY has a Material Interest in the Demand |
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DODDS has a Material Interest in the Demand |
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The AMERCO Board Is Not Independent Of The Shoen Insiders |
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The Issuance of Stock to Five Key Employees |
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JOE and MARK SHOEN Misappropriated AMERCO
Resources to Prosecute a Defamation Action |
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The Manipulation of Shareholder Voting Procedures |
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JOE SHOENs Treatment of Those Who Have Opposed Him |
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Other Instances of the Shoen Insiders Engaging in Self-Dealing |
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A Former Board Member Personally Witnessed JOE
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AMERCOs Dealings With The SAC Entities Are Ultra Vires |
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INTRODUCTION
1. Plaintiffs seek to halt and unwind a series of self-dealing transactions through which
AMERCO Directors and Executive Officers EDWARD JOE SHOEN, JAMES SHOEN and MARK SHOEN
(collectively, the Shoen Insiders) with the assistance of current and former AMERCO Directors
JOHN DODDS, WILLIAM CARTY, RICHARD HERRERA, AUBREY JOHNSON, CHARLES BAYER, JOHN BROGAN and JAMES
GROGAN have transferred hundreds of self-storage properties and over $200 million of equity away
from AMERCO to a series of companies (the SAC Entities) created by the Shoen Insiders. The
scheme to strip AMERCO of its self-storage business is the latest example of a long standing
pattern of the Shoen Insiders elevating their personal interests over their fiduciary duties and
exercising unfettered control over the AMERCO Board of Directors.
2. Before the Shoen Insiders created the SAC Entities, AMERCO vigorously expanded its
lucrative self-storage business by acquiring, developing and operating storage facilities. After
creating the SAC Entities, however, Defendants transferred all self-storage properties and
development opportunities to the SAC Entities at prices that were unfair to AMERCO and which
prevented AMERCO from realizing any profits on the transactions AMERCOs Directors who also
served as Directors and Executive Officers of AMERCOs subsidiary companies forced the
subsidiaries to provide over $600 million in non-recourse financing to the SAC Entities which then
was used to purchase self-storage properties. After the SAC Entities acquired the self-storage
properties (using loans provided by AMERCOs subsidiaries), they entered into management
agreements through which U-Haul International, Inc. AMERCOs largest subsidiary would operate
the business using U-Haul employees and the U-Haul trade name. The SAC Entities, however, retain
94% of the revenue generated by the self-storage property. Through this ruse, the SAC Entities have
acquired one of the nations largest and most profitable self-storage businesses for a fraction of
its value and with virtually no risk.
3. The Shoen Insiders hatched the scheme to transfer AMERCOs self-storage
business to the SAC Entities in 1994, at a time when they were facing the prospect of losing
control of AMERCO. Defendants concealed this plan because AMERCOs Articles of
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Incorporation require that AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities be approved by two-thirds
shareholder vote, or approved by the AMERCO Board. Defendants did not have the required shareholder
support and a presentation to the Board would have exposed the scheme essentially to take
AMERCOs self-storage business private to attack by Plaintiffs and other concerned shareholders.
Thus, from 1994 until March 2002, AMERCOs public filings concealed the nature, extent and
magnitude of AMERCOs dealing with the SAC Entities by referring to the transactions in a confusing
and incomplete matter, without the context needed to allow investors to comprehend the magnitude of
the self-dealing scheme.
4. In March 2002, AMERCOs longtime auditor revealed the scheme by forcing Defendants to
consolidate the financial statements of the SAC Entities and AMERCO, At the same time, AMERCOs
auditor disclosed numerous material weaknesses in AMERCOs internal controls. By this time,
however, it was too late, AMERCO already had transferred hundreds of self-storage properties to the
SAC Entities at unfair prices and provided the SAC Entities with over $600 million in non-recourse
loans. Moreover, despite the profitability of SAC Entities, the consolidation had a devastating
impact on AMERCO. Non-cash charges recorded in the consolidation (e. g., depreciation) eliminated
90% of AMERCOs 2001 net income and over $100 million of stockholders equity. In addition, the
disclosure of the SAC Entities (and Defendants self- dealing) reduced AMERCOs stock to an
all-time low and caused a liquidity crisis Ultimately, AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities
sparked an SEC investigation and sent AMERCO scrambling for protection in the bankruptcy court.
Judicial intervention has been required to curb Defendants past abuses, and it is needed again.
JURISDICTION AND VENUE
5. The Court has jurisdiction over the Defendants because each is either: (1) a corporation
incorporated and authorized to do business in Nevada; (2) an individual serving as a director of a
Nevada corporation; or (3) otherwise subject to this Courts jurisdiction.
6. Venue is proper in Washoe County because AMERCOs offices are located in this county, at
1325 Airmotive Way, Suite 100, Reno, Nevada.
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PARTIES
7. Plaintiff PAUL SHOEN is a Nevada resident and, at all times relevant hereto, a
minority stockholder of AMERCO. PAUL SHOEN owns shares of AMERCO stock directly and
as part of AMERCOs Employee Stock Ownership Program (the ESOP Trust). Plaintiff
served as a Director of AMERCO from December 1986 to August 1991, and from January 17,
1997 to August 28, 1998.
8. Plaintiff RON BELEC is and has been an owner and holder of AMERCO
common stock at all times relevant to this lawsuit.
9. Plaintiff GLENBROOK CAPITAL, L.P., is a Nevada Limited Partnership and, at
all times relevant to this lawsuit, has been an owner and holder of AMERCO common stock.
10. Plaintiff ALAN KAHN is and has been at all times relevant to this lawsuit, an
owner and holder of AMERCO common stock.
11. Nominal Defendant AMERCO (AMERCO or the Company) is a Nevada corporation, AMERCO is a
holding company whose best-known subsidiary is U-Haul International, Inc. (U-Haul), AMERCO
conducts its real estate operations through a subsidiary, Amerco Real Estate Corporation (AREC)
Nationwide Commercial Company (Nationwide) is a first-level subsidiary of AREC and second-level
AMERCO subsidiary.
12. Defendant EDWARD JOE SHOEN (hereinafter JOE SHOEN) has served as
Chairman of AMERCOs Board of Directors since 1986, and as President since 1987. In
addition, he has served on the Board of Directors of U-Haul since 1990, and as President of U-Haul
since 1991, JOE SHOEN has served on the AREC and Nationwide Boards since 1996.
JOE SHOEN was a member of the AMERCO Audit Committee in 1994, and he has served as a
member of the AMERCO Executive Finance Committee since 1994, JOE SHOEN currently
owns more than 3.4 million shares of AMERCO common stock.
13. Defendant MARK SHOEN was a member of both the AMERCO and U-Haul
Boards of Directors from 1990 through 1997, MARK SHOEN also served on the AREC Board
of Directors from 1990 until 1998. He has served as an executive officer of AMERCO, with the
title of President of Phoenix Operations of U-Haul, since 1997. MARK SHOEN also owns more
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than 3.4 million shares of AMERCO common stock. He purports to be the sole remaining shareholder of
the SAC Entities, after his brothers JOE and JAMES SHOEN transferred their shares in the SAC
Entities to him for a fraction of their value on the eve of filing personal bankruptcies.
14. Defendant JAMES SHOEN has served on the AMERCO Board of Directors since 1986; he
also served as Executive Vice President of AMERCO and U-Haul from 1989 to November of 2000. JAMES
SHOEN served on the U-Haul Board of Directors from 1990 until 1996, and on the AREC Board of
Directors from 1996 until 1999 JAMES SHOEN currently owns more than two million shares of AMERCO
common stock.
15. Defendant JOHN DODDS (DODDS) has served on the AMERCO Board of Directors since
1986, and the U-Haul Board of Directors since 1990. In addition, DODDS has served on the Audit
Committee and the AREC Board of Directors since 1999. DODDS has been associated with the Company
since 1963 and, he served in various executive capacities with AMERCO until his retirement in 1994.
DODDS receives $26,400 annually as compensation for his services on the Board of Directors, in
addition to his pension
16. Defendant WILLIAM CARTY (CARTY) has served on the AMERCO Board of Directors since
1986, the U-Haul Board of Directors since 1986 and the AREC Board of Directors since 2000. In
addition, CARTY served on the Companys Audit Committee from 1994 to 1999, and the Compensation
Committee from 1995 until 1998, CARTY has been associated with the Company since 1946, serving in
various executive positions until his retirement in 1987. He is the uncle of JOE, MARK and PAUL
SHOEN, and the brother-in-law of AMERCO Director M. Frank Lyons, CARTY receives $26,400 annually as
compensation for his services on the Board of Directors, in addition to his pension.
17. Defendant CHARLES BAYER (BAYER) has served on the AMERCO Board of Directors since
1990. In addition, BAYER served as the President of AREC from 1990 until 2000, he served on the
AREC Board of Directors from 1990 through 2000 and he served on the Nationwide Board of Directors
from 1996 through 1998. BAYER also has been a member of AMERCOs Executive Finance Committee since
1994 and he served on the Compensation
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Committee from 1995 until 1998. BAYER has been associated with the Company since 1967, and has
served in various executive positions until his retirement in 2000. BAYER receives $26,400
annually as compensation for his services on the Board of Directors, in addition to his pension.
18. Defendant JOHN BROGAN (BROGAN) has served on the AMERCO Board of
Directors since 1998. In addition, BROGAN also has served on the Companys Audit
Committee since 1998 and the Compensation Committee since 1999. BROGAN currently
receives $26,400 annually as compensation for his services on the Board of Directors.
19. Defendant RICHARD HERRERA (HERRERA) served on the AMERCO
Board of Directors from 1991 until 2000 (excluding the latter half of 1997). In addition,
HERRERA served on the U-Haul Board of Directors from 1990 until 2001. HERRERA has
been associated with the Company since 1988, and currently serves as the Vice President of
Marketing, Retail Sales, for U-Haul.
20. Defendant AUBREY JOHNSON (JOHNSON) served on the AMERCO Board of Directors from
1987 to 1991, and from 1994 to 1998. In addition, JOHNSON served on the Audit Committee from 1994
until 1999, the Compensation Committee from 1995 until 1998 and the Executive Finance Committee in
1998.
21. Defendant JAMES GROGAN (GROGAN) served on the AMERCO Board of
Directors from 1998 until March 2005, when he was replaced by AMERCO Director Daniel
Mullen. During his tenure as AMERCO Director, GROGAN served on the Companys Audit
Committee (beginning in 1998), and the Compensation and Executive Finance Committees from
1999 until 2005. During this time, GROGAN received $26,400 annually as compensation for his
services on the Board of Directors.
22. Defendants SAC HOLDING CORPORATION and SAC HOLDING
CORPORATION II (collectively, SAC HOLDINGS) are Nevada corporations that purportedly
are owned and controlled by Defendant MARK SHOEN.
23. Defendants THREE SAC SELF-STORAGE CORPORATION (THREE SAC)
through EIGHTEEN-SAC SELF-STORAGE CORPORATION (including SIX-A, SIX-B and
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SIX-C), and Defendants TWENTY SAC SELF-STORAGE
CORPORAT ION through TWENTY-THREE SAC SELF-STORAGE CORPORATION, are Nevada corporations (collectively, the SAC CORPORATIONS).
24. Defendants NINETEEN SAC SELF-STORAGE LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, as well as TWENTY-FOUR SAC
SELF-STORAGE LIMITED PARTNERSHIP through TWENTY-SEVEN SAC SELF-STORAGE LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, are
Nevada limited partnerships (collectively, the SAC PARTNERSHIPS).
25. Upon information and belief, SAC HOLDINGS owns and controls all of the SAC
CORPORATIONS and SAC PARTNERSHIPS. As noted above, Defendants SAC HOLDINGS,
the SAC CORPORATIONS and the SAC PARTNERSHIPS collectively are referred to in this
Complaint as the SAC Entities.
26. Plaintiffs are unaware of the true names of the Defendants sued as DOES 1
through 100, inclusive. Therefore, Plaintiffs sue these Defendants by fictitious names
Plaintiffs
will seek leave of Court to amend this Complaint to allege their true names and capacities
when
they are ascertained. These fictitiously named Defendants are unknown SAC Entities, officers,
other members of management, employees or consultants of the SAC Entities, AMERCO, or its
subsidiaries who aided and abetted, or participated with the named Defendants in the wrongful
acts alleged herein, and are responsible in some manner for the consequences of those acts.
FACTUAL ALLEGATIONS
I. AMERCO AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES
27. AMERCO is the holding company for U-Haul and AREC AREC, in turn, is the holding
company for Nationwide. AMERCO and each of its subsidiaries currently are controlled by the Shoen
Insiders brothers JOE, MARK and JAMES SHOEN. The Shoen Insiders collectively own approximately
42% of AMERCOs common stock. In addition to their own stock, the Shoen Insiders control the
appointment of the Trustees who vote the stock of the ESOP Trust, which owns another 101% of the
common stock. Their executive positions with AMERCO, combined stock ownership and control over the
votes of the ESOP Trust, give the Shoen Insiders effective control over AMERCO and its Board of
Directors. As discussed in
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detail below, the Shoen Insiders have used this power to pack the Board with loyal subordinates
and they have terminated those who have challenged their control in the past.1
28. U-Haul was founded by L.S. Shoen in 1945. From 1945 to 1974, U-Haul rented trailers
and, starting in 1959, tracks on a one-way and in-town basis through independent dealers. Since
1974, U-Haul has developed a network of Company-owned rental centers which U-Haul uses to rent its
trucks and trailers, and provide related products and services U-Haul currently owns over 1,380
Company-owned rental centers, in addition to having a distribution network of over 15,300
independent dealers.
29. AMERCOs leadership position in the truck and trailer rental industry facilitated its
success in the self-storage business. According to AMERCO, most incoming self-storage customers are
in the midst of moving and the thousands of U-Haul truck and trailer rental centers offer prime
opportunities for storage facility development. U-Haul entered the self-storage business in 1974.
Thereafter, AMERCO increased the rentable square footage of its storage locations through the
acquisition of existing self-storage facilities and new construction.
30. AMERCOs success in the self-storage industry has been made possible largely through
the efforts of its subsidiaries. AREC owns approximately 90% of AMERCOs real estate assets,
including U-Hauls rental centers and the self-storage locations. AREC is responsible for the
purchase, sale and lease of all properties used by AMERCO, or any of its other subsidiaries AREC
has over 25 years of experience identifying and acquiring existing self-storage properties and
developing them from raw land.2
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1 |
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The Shoen Insiders have taken further steps to solidify their control over AMERCO since this
Complaint originally was filed in 2002. In June 2006, JOE SHOEN, JAMES SHOEN, MARK SHOEN, and the
Trustees of the Shoen Irrevocable Trust and the Irrevocable C Trust, which collectively own
50.0004% of AMERCOs common stock, entered into a Stockholder Voting Agreement. The Stockholder
Voting Agreement grants James Shoen a proxy to vote each partys shares. Thus, the Shoen Insiders
no longer need to rely upon the votes of the ESOP Trust to exercise majority voting control over
AMERCO. |
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As noted above, although the composition of the U-Haul and AREC Boards of Directors changed
over time between 1994 and 2002, the individually-named Defendants comprised a majority of both
Boards of Directors at all times relevant to this lawsuit. |
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31. The U-Haul brand and logo creates instant name recognition for consumers throughout
the United States and Canada. As a result, AMERCO has reaped huge competitive advantages by
locating storage facilities in close proximity to U-Haul truck rental centers.
32. The Shoen Insiders formed SAC SELF-STORAGE CORPORATION and TWO-SELF STORAGE
CORPORATION in 1993 to operate as real estate holding companies. JOE, MARK and JAMES SHOEN each
received one-third (10,000 shares) of the common stock issued by the SAC Entities. Thereafter, JOE
and JAMES SHOEN transferred their shares to MARK SHOEN for only $100 in December 1994, shortly
before they filed personal bankruptcies to avoid a massive judgment stemming from another violation
of their fiduciary duties. Notably, a contemporaneous appraisal of the SAC Entities business and
assets valued the SAC Entities at $850,000. Given the timing and circumstances surrounding the
stock sale, the nominal price that MARK SHOEN paid for JOE and JAMES SHOENs shares and the terms
of AMERCOs subsequent transactions with the SAC Entities (discussed below), Plaintiffs are
informed and believe that JOE and JAMES SHOEN have retained an undisclosed pecuniary interest in
the SAC Entities.
33. In March of 1996, the first two SAC Entities were merged into a new corporation, Defendant
THREE SAC. Since 1996, Defendants have created many additional SAC Entities Some are corporations,
while others are partnerships; all are formed under Nevada law. MARK SHOEN is the President of all
of the SAC Corporations and the President of the corporate general partner of each of the SAC
Partnerships. Notably, according to public records, the Secretary and Treasurer of each SAC Entity
(usually a single individual) is an AREC employee who uses an AREC address to conduct the SAC
Entities business.
34. In 1997, in an effort to create an appearance of legitimacy (a few years after JOE and
JAMES SHOEN transferred their shares in the SAC Entities to MARK SHOEN), MARK SHOEN stepped down
from the AMERCO Board and assumed the seemingly innocuous title of President of Phoenix Operations
of U-Haul. In reality, however, MARK SHOEN serves as the de facto Chief Operating Officer of
AMERCO. AMERCOs recent public filings (i.e ,
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AMERCOs Form 10-Q for the period ended June 30, 2005, among others) concede that MARK SHOEN,
along with brothers JOE and JAMES SHOEN, remain in a position to exert considerable influence over
the composition and decision-making of AMERCOs Board:
As of June 30, 2005, Edward J. Shoen, Chairman of the Board of Directors and
President of AMERCO, James P. Shoen, a director of AMERCO, and Mark V. Shoen,
an executive officer of AMERCO, collectively control 8,890,224 shares
(approximately 41.8%) of the outstanding common shares of AMERCO Accordingly,
Edward J. Shoen, Mark V. Shoen and James P. Shoen will be in a position to
continue to influence the election of the members of the Board of Directors and
approval of significant transactions. In addition, 2,130,134 shares
(approximately 10.0%) of the outstanding common shares of AMERCO, including
shares allocated to employees and unallocated shares, are held by our Employee
Savings and Employee Stock Ownership Trust.
35. Prior to the formation of the SAC Entities, AMERCO pursued an aggressive campaign to
add self-storage properties to its portfolio. During this period, AMERCO used ARECs expertise
to purchase and build millions of square feet of storage centers, and it used U-Hauls goodwill
to capitalize on the needs of consumers who were in the process of moving.
36. Since the formation of the SAC Entities, however, AMERCO has refocused these efforts to
benefit the SAC Entities, rather than AMERCO. Specifically, AMERCO has transferred properties to
the SAC Entities in three different ways:
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AMERCO sold its existing self-storage facilities to the SAC Entities at
unfairly low prices; |
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AMERCO identified self-storage facilities owned by third parties, and
facilitated and financed the SAC Entities purchase of the self-storage properties;
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AMERCO identified parcels of raw land, developed them into lucrative
self-storage facilities and then sold them to the SAC Entities |
37. Thus, rather than acquiring or developing self-storage properties for AMERCO,
Defendants have transferred hundreds of valuable self-storage properties to the SAC Entities at
unfairly low prices, and they have used AMERCOs subsidiaries to identify, finance and develop
hundreds of other self-storage properties for the SAC Entities. As a result, the SAC Entities have
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developed a valuable self-storage business with very little money and virtually no risk that
competes directly with AMERCO and its subsidiaries
III. AMERCOS TRANSACTIONS WITH THE SAC ENTITIES
38. Beginning in 1994, and continuing today, AMERCO entered into a series of loan,
purchase, lease and management agreements with the SAC Entities. The transactions between AMERCO
and the SAC Entities can be grouped into three general categories:
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Sale agreements through which AMERCO has sold existing,
mature self-storage facilities to the SAC Entities at below-market prices; |
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Loan agreements through which AMERCO has provided hundreds of
millions of dollars in non-recourse financing to facilitate the SAC
Entities acquisition and development of the self-storage properties; and |
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Management agreements, pursuant to which U-Haul has developed
and currently operates the SAC Entities self-storage properties
under the U-Haul trade name. |
39. The agreements between AMERCO and the SAC Entities evince a concerted effort to
transfer AMERCOs self-storage properties, and virtually all revenues generated by AMERCOs
self-storage business, to the SAC Entities at a fraction of their
value. Although none of these
transactions was approved by the AMERCO Board or its shareholders, as explained below, each
individual Defendant knowingly and intentionally participated in and approved this gross
misappropriation of AMERCOs self-storage business and the exploitation of AMERCOs resources
through their positions with AMERCOs subsidiaries.
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A. |
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AMERCO Sells Self-Storage Properties To The SAC Entities At Unfairly Low Prices |
40. AMERCO began selling self-storage properties to the SAC Entities on June 4, 1994.
These properties generally were owned by AREC, and were located throughout the United States and
Canada. In fiscal year 1995, AREC sold the SAC Entities 24 self-storage properties for
$26,287,000. In fiscal year 1996, AREC sold the SAC Entities an additional 27 self-storage
properties for an undisclosed purchase price. In fiscal year 1997, AREC sold the SAC Entities.
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seven self-storage properties for an undisclosed purchase price. In fiscal year 1998, AREC sold
three self-storage properties to the SAC Entities for an undisclosed purchase price. In fiscal year
1999, AREC sold the SAC Entities 26 self-storage properties for $99,685,000. In fiscal year
2000, AMERCO sold 24 self-storage properties to the SAC Entities for
$98,351,000.
41. In fiscal year 2001, although AMERCOs financial position had begun to
deteriorate, AREC sold the SAC Entities 24 self-storage properties for approximately
$98,351,000. Moreover, on September 28, 2001. AMERCO purchased nine self-storage properties
back from the SAC Entities for $35.2 million. As discussed below, AMERCOs subsidiaries
financed the SAC Entities acquisition of these nine properties
to begin with.
42. In fiscal year 2002, AMERCO sold more properties to the SAC Entities than in the first
five years of the SAC Entities existence combined. On
January 11, 2002, AMERCO sold 37
self-storage properties to the SAC Entities for $93.7 million. Less than one month later, on
February 1, 2002, AMERCO sold an additional 62 self-storage properties to the SAC Entities for
$146.9 million AMERCOs sales to the SAC Entities is illustrated by the following table:
Sales of Properties to SAC Entities
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43. Tellingly, in an effort to conceal AMERCOs transactions with the SAC Entities,
Defendants significantly reduced AMERCOs sales of self-storage properties to the SAC Entities
during the limited time when Plaintiff PAUL SHOEN served on the
AMERCO Board. As noted above,
Plaintiff PAUL SHOEN served on the AMERCO Board from January 17, 1997 until August 29, 1998. In
1996, shortly before PAUL SHOEN came onto the Board, AMERCO sold 27 self-storage properties to the
SAC Entities. In 1999, shortly after PAUL SHOEN left the Board, AMERCO sold 26 self-storage
properties to the SAC Entities. In 1997 and 1998, however, AMERCO sold a combined total of 10
properties to the SAC Entities. None of these transactions was presented to or even discussed by
the AMERCO Board during this time.
44. AMERCOS public filings from 1995 through 2001 did not disclose the reason for any of
these sales, did not set forth the addresses of any of the self-storage properties and failed to
disclose the prices of the individual parcels of property. Moreover, AMERCOs public filings did
not consistently disclose the total price at which AMERCO sold blocks
of self-storage properties.
However, AMERCOs annual reports from 1995 through 2001 do reveal how the prices were determined.
The vast majority of AMERCOs sales to the SAC Entities were calculated at acquisition cost plus
capitalized expenses. The prices at which AMERCO sold the remaining self-storage properties to the
SAC Entities were determined by the Treasurer of U-Haul who reports directly to JOE and MARK
SHOEN.
45. The acquisition cost method for determining the sale price of AMERCOs
self-storage properties is an inappropriate and unfairly low measure of value because it ignores
the expected earnings potential of the property and it fails to account for numerous other
characteristics that would affect the purchase price in an arms length transaction. For instance,
by selling self-storage properties at prices based on AMERCOs acquisition costs, AMERCO and its
subsidiaries were prevented from realizing any profits regardless of whether the properties had
appreciated since AREC originally acquired them. Moreover, the prices at which AMERCO sold the
self-storage properties to the SAC Entities failed to account for the value added by:
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The location of the storage facilities near U-Haul Centers,
where potential customers go to pick up and drop off moving vehicles; |
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The goodwill associated with use of the U-Haul trade name; and |
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The increase in value which a new self-storage facility
experiences when it is leased by the developer, U-Haul (discussed below) |
46. MARK SHOEN and the SAC Entities frequently took advantage of these unfair prices
simply to turn a quick profit and thus usurp valuable corporate
opportunities from AMERCO. For
instance, on May 11, 1999, Defendant FIVE SAC SELF-STORAGE
CORPORATION used non-recourse financing
from AMERCOs subsidiaries (as discussed below) to purchase a developed self-storage facility
located at 2450 Rainbow Blvd., in Las Vegas, Nevada, for $800,000. Defendant MARK SHOEN sold this
property to Joseph Bliss of BMO Global Capital Solutions on December 23, 1999 for a $273,741 profit.
Similarly, on December 24, 1997, Defendant FOUR SAC SELF-STORAGE CORPORATION used non-recourse
loans obtained from Nationwide to purchase raw land in Littleton,
Colorado, for $719,176. After
MARK SHOEN and BAYER used ARECs extensive resources to develop the land into a functioning
self-storage property at no cost to the SAC Entities (as discussed below), MARK SHOEN sold the
property to Michael Joyce of BMO Capital Solutions on March 30,
2001, for over $4.3 million. A
third example involves property located at 14523 Telegraph Road, Woodbridge, Virginia; on October
1, 1996, Defendant FOUR SAC SELF-STORAGE CORPORATION purchased a developed self-storage property at
this address for $1,750,000 using non-recourse loans provided by an
undisclosed AMERCO subsidiary.
MARK SHOEN and the SAC Entities sold this property six months later, on March 31, 1997, for
$1,925,000, a $175,000 profit.
47. These isolated examples illustrate the significance of the corporate opportunities
that were diverted away from AMERCO shareholders to the SAC Entities. Perhaps more revealing, the
sale prices of AMERCOs self-storage properties to the SAC Entities never were negotiated nor
approved by any independent directors or outside auditors. Nor did Defendants put in place any
procedural safeguards to ensure that AMERCOs interests and the interests of
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AMERCOs shareholders were protected. In sum, Defendants stripped AMERCO of its corporate assets
at below-market prices, and they denied AMERCO the opportunity to enjoy the future earnings
potential of these self-storage properties.
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B. |
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Amerco Finances The Acquisition Of Self-Storage Properties For The SAC
Entities |
48. During this same period of time, AMERCO, through its subsidiaries, provided the SAC
Entities with over $600 million dollars worth of non-recourse financing. The SAC Entities, in
turn, used these loans to acquire and develop self-storage properties in direct competition with
AMERCOs subsidiaries.
49. In fiscal year 1995, when AMERCO was in need of capital for its own business
purposes, its subsidiaries loaned the SAC Entities $54,671,000 for the purchase of 44 self-storage
properties. In fiscal year 1996, AMERCOs subsidiaries funded additional loans to the SAC Entities
in the principal amount of $51,168,000. In fiscal year 1997, AMERCOs subsidiaries funded
approximately $43 million in non-recourse loans to the SAC
Entities. During fiscal year 1998,
AMERCOs subsidiaries funded additional loans to the SAC Entities in the amount of $24,574,000.
During fiscal 1999, AMERCOs subsidiaries provided the SAC Entities with non-recourse loans for
the purchase of property and construction costs in the
amount of approximately $26,116,000. In
fiscal year 2000, AMERCOs subsidiaries funded $44,934,000 in loans to the SAC Entities for the
purchase of additional properties and construction costs.
50. By
fiscal year 2001, AMERCOs involvement with the SAC Entities spiked considerably.
During that year, AMERCOs subsidiaries loaned $187,595,000 to the SAC Entities for the purchase
of properties and construction costs. In fiscal 2002, just prior to AMERCOs restatement (the
impact of which is discussed in detail below), AMERCOs subsidiaries provided the SAC Entities with
an additional $44 million in non-recourse loans. As AMERCO conceded in its SEC filings, the loans
due from the SAC Entities constituted a significant portion of AMERCOs total assets during this
time. The following table illustrates the loans AMERCOs subsidiaries provided to the SAC Entities
from 1995 through 2002:
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Non-Recourse Loans
51. AMERCOs public filings frequently referred to these loans as having been funded by
AMERCOs subsidiaries, without identifying which subsidiary actually provided the loan. However,
public records and on-line databases indicate that Nationwide and U-Haul were the primary vehicles
through which AMERCO provided over $600 million in non-recourse loans to the SAC Entities between
1994 and 2002. Upon information and belief, between 1994 and 2002, Nationwide provided the SAC
Entities with approximately $379,020,488 in non-recourse loans while U-Haul provided the SAC
Entities with approximately $316,305,252 in non-recourse loans.
52. The non-recourse loans provided by Nationwide and U-Haul were secured only by the value of
the properties the SAC Entities acquired. Any reasonable lender would not issue a loan to an entity
unless it was assured that the property securing the loan had the
ability to service the debt.
AMERCO and its subsidiaries, however, had no such assurances. Thus, the transfer of AMERCOs
self-storage properties was a self-financing proposition: it provided a risk-free or arbitrage
profit opportunity to the SAC Entities.
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53.
In the end, all the benefits of property ownership such as appreciation, tax benefits, net cash flow and other value in the transferred properties
resides with the SAC Entities. On the other hand, all of the risks associated with financing these acquisitions
such as the possibility of cash flow not meeting debt service remained with AMERCO and its
subsidiaries, the holders of the non-recourse loans.
|
C. |
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The SAC Entities Exploit AREC And U-Hauls Human Resources
To Locate And Acquire Self-Storage Properties |
54. The SAC Entities also use AREC and U-Hauls employees and offices to conduct
their business, without providing any consideration or remuneration
to AREC or U-Haul. For
example, according to online databases, the SAC Entities purchased 28 properties from third
parties between 1996 and 2000. These transactions involved approximately $48 million worth of
property assets. On paper, neither AMERCO nor any of its subsidiaries were involved in any
aspect of these 28 transactions.
55. Although AMERCO and its subsidiaries allegedly were not involved in the SAC Entities
acquisition of these 28 properties,3 the names and addresses of AREC employees are set
forth in the Buyer Information category. Specifically, Gail Ward, Cheryl Colbert, Bill Coleman,
Paul Green, Treen Clark, George Eversole and Tracy Ginger all of whom worked for AREC at the time
each of the transactions closed are listed in the section devoted to Buyer
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3 |
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These properties are located at the following addresses: (1) 1600 Highland Ave.,
Chester, Pennsylvania, (2) 3900 Whitetire Road, Landover, Maryland, (3) 8501 Snouffer School Road,
Gaithersburg, Maryland, (4) 3995 Westfax Drive, Chantilly, Virginia, (5) 14523 Telegraph Road,
Woodbridge, Virginia, (6) 311 N. Polk Street, Pineville, North Carolina, (7) 144 Dodd Street,
Marietta, Georgia, (8) 7242 Georgia Highway 85, Riverdale, Georgia, (9) 5390 Old National Highway,
Atlanta, Georgia, (10) 7803 North Orange Blossom, Orlando, Florida, (11) 3850 Cleveland Avenue,
Columbus, Ohio, (12) 255 Remington, Bolinbrook, Illinois, (13) 4100 West Fullerton Avenue, Chicago,
Illinois, (14) SW Kathryn Lane & Highway 121, Piano, Texas, (15) 2455 West Tarrant Road, Grand
Prairie, Texas, (16) W IH 20 E of SH 360, Grand Prairie, Texas, (17) 3401 Alma Road, Richardson,
Texas, (18) 1245 South Beckley Avenue, DeSoto, Texas, (19) 11383 Amanda Lane, Dallas, Texas, (20)
Route 10 SW State Highway 114, Roanoke, Texas, (21) 1750 East County Line Road, Littleton,
Colorado, (22) 500 North Scottsdale, Tempe, Arizona, (23) 3450 South 40th Street,
Phoenix, Arizona, (24) SE Center of Frye & Price Road, Chandler, Arizona, (25) 3527 Ivar, Rosemead,
California, (26) 6414 44th Street, Sacramento, California, (27) 11705-07 82nd
Avenue, Portland, Oregon, and (28) Highway 99 & North of 148th Street SW, Lynnwood,
Washington. |
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information.
Moreover, the address listed for the Buyer is an AREC office. In other words,
the SAC Entities were using AREC employees and offices to perform the work entailed in acquiring
and developing the self-storage properties.
56. Other than the management fee paid by the SAC Entities to U-Haul (which, as
discussed below, is for a different purpose), AMERCOs annual reports for fiscal years 1995
through 2001 do not disclose the SAC Entities use of ARECs human resources, nor do they indicate
that AMERCO receives any consideration in exchange for ARECs facilities, employees, development
expertise or ability to access prime locations near U-Haul truck and
trailer rental centers.
57. The SAC Entities exploitation of the resources of AMERCOs subsidiaries did not stop
with AREC. Instead, the SAC Entities also used U-Hauls personnel and facilities to assist in
locating properties, managing construction and dealing with cities to obtain the proper zoning and
other approvals. One former U-Haul President, who worked in three different states (Wisconsin,
Washington and Arkansas) stated that he spent so much time locating self-storage properties for the
SAC Entities, assisting in the acquisition of the properties, dealing with the government and
overseeing constructing being performed by AREC employees (under BAYERS direction) that he hardly
had time to operate the U-Haul business.
|
D. |
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The SAC Entities Use U-Haul To Operate A Competing
Sell-Storage Business Under The U-Haul Trade Name |
58. Once the SAC Entities acquire a self-storage property (either from AREC or a third
party), the SAC Entities enter into a management agreement with U-Haul. The management
agreements require U-Haul to upgrade and manage existing
facilities on behalf of the SAC Entities.
59. Moreover, under the management agreements, U-Haul runs all aspects of the
self-storage business and the properties operate under the U-Haul
trade name. The terms of these
management agreements provide that U-Haul is not a partner or joint venturer with the SAC Entities,
U-Haul purchases all furniture, fixtures and equipment, U-Haul hires and maintains all employees,
U-Haul covers all overhead expenses, U-Haul maintains all the books and records
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and the SAC Entities are permitted to use the U-Haul logo for the duration of the management
agreement. In return, the SAC Entities pay
U-Haul a management fee, equal to six percent of the
gross revenue generated from the self-storage property. The remainder of the revenue generated
by the self-storage property, i.e., 94% of the total gross revenue is kept by MARK SHOEN and the
SAC Entities.
60. Even though AMERCO or its subsidiaries identified, developed, financed and operated
the self-storage facilities for the benefit of the SAC Entities, the
management agreements are
terminable at will by the SAC Entities on 30 days notice. Moreover, under the terms of the
management agreements, U-Hauls management fee is subordinate to the SAC Entities other creditors.
IV. |
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THE INDIVIDUAL DEFENDANTS INVOLVEMENT |
|
A. |
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Defendants Orchestrated AMERCOs Transactions With The SAC Entities
Through Their Rotes With AMERCOs Subsidiaries |
61. In addition to serving as current and former AMERCO Directors, JOE SHOEN, JAMES
SHOEN, MARK SHOEN, BAYER, CARTY, DODDS and HERRERA were responsible for the day-to-day operations
of AMERCOs subsidiaries. In these capacities, Defendants were involved in every aspect of AMERCOs
dealings with the SAC Entities.
62. JOE SHOEN helped establish the SAC Entities with brothers MARK and JAMES SHOEN. As
member of ARECs Board, JOE SHOEN approved of the sale of at least 210 self-storage properties at
prices that were fundamentally unfair to AMERCO Moreover, as a member of the Nationwide and U-Haul
Boards, JOE SHOEN authorized over $600 million in non-recourse loans to the SAC Entities; the SAC
Entities used the loans to acquire and develop self-storage properties. As President of U-Haul, JOE
SHOEN approved the management agreements through which the SAC Entities operate a competing
self-storage business under the U-Haul trade name and retain 94% of the revenues generated by the
self-storage properties.
63.
JAMES SHOEN, like brothers JOE and MARK SHOEN, helped establish the SAC Entities.
As a Director of AREC and U-Haul, JAMES SHOEN approved of ARECs transfer of at least 63 self-storage
properties to the SAC Entities at prices that were unfair to
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AMERCO, and he approved hundreds of millions of dollars in non-recourse financing which the SAC
Entities used to help establish a competing self-storage business. During his tenure as Executive
Vice President of U-Haul, JAMES SHOEN approved the management agreements through which the SAC
Entities operate a competing self-storage business under the U-Haul trade name and retain 94% of
the revenues generated by the self-storage properties.
64. MARK SHOEN, during varying times since 1993, has been involved in every aspect of
AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities. From 1994 through 1997, MARK SHOEN served as an AMERCO
Director, an AREC Director and as the only alleged executive officer and sole shareholder of the
SAC Entities. During this period of time, MARK SHOEN stood on both sides of the transactions
between AMERCO and the SAC Entities. Thereafter, in 1997, MARK SHOEN assumed the title of
President of Phoenix Operations of U-Haul where he continued to exercise managerial responsibility
at AMERCO and U-Haul. In this capacity, MARK SHOEN approved of U-Hauls issuance of hundreds of
millions of dollars in non-recourse loans to the SAC Entities, and the management agreements
through which the SAC Entities operate a competing self-storage business under the U-Haul trade
name. MARK SHOEN not only deprived AMERCO of millions in self-storage business opportunities, but
he usurped additional valuable corporate opportunities by preventing AMERCO from acquiring
potentially lucrative self-storage properties from third parties.
65. In addition to serving on both the AMERCO and AREC Boards of Directors, BAYER served
as the President of AREC from 1990 through 2000. During this time, Bayer authorized the sale of at
least 111 self-storage properties to MARK SHOEN and the SAC Entities. Under BAYERS direction, AREC
sold these properties to the SAC Entities at prices that were unfair to AMERCO, without any
competitive bidding process or procedural safeguards to protect the interests of AMERCO and its
shareholders. Furthermore, as set forth above, BAYER exploited ARECs personnel and offices to help
MARK SHOEN and the SAC Entities acquire, develop and operate a competing self-storage business
without any consideration Finally, as a member of the Nationwide Board from 1996 through 1998,
Bayer approved over $100 million dollars in non-recourse loans for the benefit of the SAC Entities.
The SAC Entities,
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in turn, used the loans to purchase self-storage properties belonging to AREC at below-market
prices during the time BAYER served as President of AREC.
66. CARTY, who is the uncle of JOE, MARK and Plaintiff PAUL SHOEN, also
actively participated in AMERCOs transactions with the SAC Entities. While serving on the U-Haul Board from 1996 through 2002, CARTY approved of hundreds of millions of dollars in
non-recourse loans and the management agreements through which the SAC Entities exploit
U-Hauls resources to operate a competing self-storage business. CARTY also served on the
AREC Board from 2000 through 2002, during which time he approved the transfer of
approximately 210 self-storage properties to the SAC Entities. In fact, from 2000 through 2002
(when CARTYs service on the AREC and U-Haul Boards overlapped), CARTY authorized the
SAC Entities financing, acquisition and management of the self-storage properties.
67. DODDS served on the U-Haul Board from 1990 through 2002, during which time
he authorized hundreds of millions of dollars in non-recourse loans to the SAC Entities.
DODDS also approved of the management agreements through which the SAC Entities
operate competing self-storage businesses under the U-Haul trade name, while at the same time,
retain 94% of the revenues generated from the business. Moreover, while serving on the AREC
Board from 1999 through 2002, DODDS approved of the transfer of approximately 210 self-storage
properties to the SAC Entities at below-market prices. Thus, at least from 1999 through
2002 (when DODDSs service on the AREC and U-Haul Boards overlapped), DODDS
participated in every aspect of AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities: he authorized the
sale of the self-storage properties, approved hundreds of millions of dollars in non-recourse
financing that the SAC Entities used to acquire and develop the properties and he authorized the
management agreements through which the SAC Entities operate a competing self-storage
business under the U-Haul trade name.
68. HERRERA, in addition to serving on the AMERCO Board from 1991 through 2000, also
served as a Director of U-Haul from 1990 and 2001, In this capacity, HERRERA authorized hundreds
of millions of dollars in non-recourse loans for the benefit of the SAC Entities, and approved the
management agreements through which the SAC Entities operate a
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competing self-storage business using U-Hauls trade name and resources, but at the same time,
retain 94% of the gross revenues generated by the self-storage property.
69. Shortly after this lawsuit originally was filed, the individual Defendants conceded
that although none of AMERCOs transactions with the SAC Entities was approved by the AMERCO Board
from 1994 through 2002, the individual Defendants personally approved, at the subsidiary level,
the transactions at issue in this case. In AMERCOs Annual Report for fiscal year 2003, AMERCO
disclosed for the first time:
Although the Board of Directors of the appropriate subsidiary which
was party to each transaction with SAC Holdings approved such
transaction at the time it was completed, the Company did not seek
approval by AMERCOs Board of Directors for such transactions.
However, AMERCOs Board of Directors, including the independent
members, was made aware of and received periodic updates regarding
such transactions from time to time. All future real estate
transactions with SAC Holdings that involve the Company or any of
its subsidiaries will have the prior approval of AMERCOs Board of
Directors, even if it is not legally required, including a majority
of the independent members of AMERCOs Board of Directors.
70. As set forth above, JOE SHOEN, JAMES SHOEN, MARK SHOEN, DODDS, CARTY, BAYER and
HERRERA all served on the Boards of AMERCOs subsidiaries when AMERCO was engaging in the unfair
transactions with the SAC Entities. The fact that the AMERCO Board decided to approve all future
transactions with the SAC Entities only after this lawsuit originally was filed is further evidence
of an effort to conceal the nature and magnitude of AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities from
1994 until 2002. In the end, however, by the time AMERCO made this disclosure, it was too late. The
SAC Entities already had acquired a thriving self-storage business at a fraction of its value, and
AMERCO was spiraling towards bankruptcy.
|
B. |
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AMERCOs Deficient Public Filings From 1995 Through 2002 Concealed
The Nature And Magnitude Of The Transactions With The SAC Entities |
71. Even though Defendants participated in the sales, financing and management
components of AMERCOs transactions with the SAC Entities and, therefore, were aware of the
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details surrounding these transactions, Defendants knowingly signed incomplete and misleading
public filings from 1995 through 2002.
72. JOE SHOEN, who served on AMERCOs Audit Committee in 1994 and on Executive Finance
Committees from 1994 to the present, signed every AMERCO annual report for fiscal years 1995
through 2002. MARK SHOEN signed AMERCOs annual reports for fiscal years 1994 through 1996. CARTY,
who served on AMERCOs Audit Committee from 1994 through 1999, signed AMERCOs annual reports for
fiscal years 1997 through 2002. BAYER, who in addition to serving as the President of AREC also has
served on the Executive Finance Committee since 1994, signed AMERCOs annual reports for fiscal
years 1995 through 2002. DODDS, who has served on the AMERCO Audit Committee since 1999, signed
AMERCOs annual reports for fiscal years 1994, and 2000 through 2002. BROGAN and GROGAN, both of
whom also served on AMERCOs Audit Committee since 1998, signed AMERCOs annual reports for fiscal
years 2000 through 2002. HERRERA signed AMERCOs annual reports for fiscal years 1995 through 2000.
Moreover, neither JOHNSON, who served on the AMERCO Board and the Audit Committee from 1994 until
1998, nor any other Defendant, did anything to clarify or remedy AMERCOs deficient disclosures.
73. None of AMERCOs annual reports for fiscal years 1995 through 2001 discussed the SAC
transactions in the Management Discussion & Analysis (MD&A) sections. The MD&A is intended to
provide a narrative that enables investors to look at the company through the eyes of management
because a numerical presentation and brief accompanying footnotes alone are insufficient. It is the
responsibility of management to describe, in plain English, any known trends that have had a
material impact on revenues. See SEC Interpretive Release No. 6835 May 18, 1989, 17 C.F. R.
§ 229.303.
74. AMERCOs transactions with the SAC Entities which involved the sale of over $500
million in self-storage properties and over $600 million in non-recourse financing had a material
impact on AMERCOs revenues. Moreover, AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities constituted a known
trend that increased over time. Given the coordinated effort of AMERCOs subsidiaries (AREC,
Nationwide and U-Haul) in facilitating the transactions with
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the SAC Entities, it was impossible for investors to discover the full extent of AMERCOs
relationship with the SAC Entities without the proper context or a discussion of known trends and
contingencies. In the annual report for fiscal year 2002 when the Company announced the
restatement AMERCO discussed the SAC Entities at length in the MD&A for the first time. This
discussion, however, occurred over eight years after AMERCOs transactions with the SAC Entities
began, and after hundreds of millions of dollars worth of self-storage properties already had been
transferred away from AMERCO to MARK SHOEN and the SAC Entities.
75. Moreover, none of AMERCOs annual or quarterly reports between 1995 and 2001
disclosed that ARECs resources were being used by the SAC Entities to identify, purchase and
develop self-storage properties. AMERCOs annual reports also failed to disclose that the financing
that AMERCOs subsidiaries had provided to the SAC Entities were non-recourse loans. In addition,
AMERCOs annual reports between 1995 and 2001 also omitted the total gross revenue that the SAC
Entities earned through the operation of the self-storage properties under the auspices of
management agreements.
76. Where the public filings did include some data about AMERCOs dealings with
the SAC Entities, the descriptions often were vague and missing critical pieces of
information. For example, in some instances (i.e., AMERCOs Form 10-Qs for the periods ended September
30, 1995, December 31, 1995, June 30, 1996, September 30, 1996 and December 31, 1996, as
well as AMERCOs Form 10-Ks for fiscal years 1996, 1997 and 1998), AMERCO failed to
disclose the price at which AMERCO (or certain unidentified subsidiaries) sold self-storage
properties to the SAC Entities.
77. In other instances (i.e., AMERCOs Form 10-Qs for the periods ended December
31, 1998, June 30, 1999, as well as AMERCOs Form 10-Ks for fiscal years 1999 and 2000)
AMERCO disclosed the total sale price of the self-storage properties, but failed to describe how
the price was calculated. Indeed, many of these public filings (i.e., AMERCOs Form 10-Qs for
the periods ended December 31, 1999, June 30, 2000, September 30, 2000, December 31, 2000,
June 30, 2001 and September 30, 2001, as well as AMERCOs Form 10-Ks for fiscal years 1999,
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2000 and 2001), simply provided: Management believes that the foregoing transactions were
consummated on terms equivalent to those that prevail in arms length transactions.
78. AMERCOs disclosures regarding the non-recourse loans were similarly deficient. For
instance, in the Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements, AMERCOs Form 10-Q for the period
ended September 30, 1994 disclosed that an unidentified subsidiary loaned the SAC Entities which,
as of 1994, still were owned and operated by all three Shoen Insiders $32 million for the
purchase of 21 self-storage properties. However, the public filing did not explain: (1) which
AMERCO subsidiary made the loan, (2) whether the acquired properties (if any) belonged to AMERCO or
its subsidiaries, (3) the price paid for (or the address of) any individual self-storage property,
or (4) why AMERCO was loaning money and selling properties to a market competitor in the first
place. AMERCOs other quarterly reports (i.e., for periods ended December 31, 1994, June 30, 1995,
June 30, 1996, December 31, 1996, December 31, 1998, June 30, 1999 and June 30, 2000, among others)
suffered from similar maladies.
79. Making matters worse, it was impossible for AMERCOs investors to fill in the missing
pieces simply by looking at the exhibits to AMERCOs public filings. A majority of the management
agreements and loan documents were filed late, in some instances years late. Specifically, 32 of the
35 promissory notes executed between AMERCOs subsidiaries and the SAC Entities, and 15 of the 28
management agreements were filed late. In fact, until March 2002, when AMERCO filed its Form 10-Q/A
for the period ended December 31, 2001, AMERCO had not consistently filed the management agreements
or notes as exhibits to its public filings. The delinquent filing of these exhibits prevented
investors from examining the operative documents in order to fill in the gaps left by the cursory
and incomplete discussion of AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities. Upon information and belief,
AMERCOs deficient disclosures regarding the transactions with the SAC Entities were part of an
intentional effort to obfuscate the relationship between AMERCO and the SAC Entities in order to
obtain favorable financing from third-party lenders during a period of time when AMERCO was
desperate for cash.
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80. Perhaps more importantly, by failing to consolidate AMERCOs financial statements
with those of the SAC Entities, AMERCO disseminated materially false and misleading reports
regarding its financial condition from 1995 until 2001. The notes issued by AMERCOs subsidiaries
in connection with the $600 million in non-recourse financing appeared as debts on the SAC
Entities balance sheets, and as assets on AMERCOs balance sheets. Thus, each time AMERCO
consummated a transaction with the SAC Entities, AMERCO immediately recognized the gain on the sale
of real estate on its income statement, boosting net income, as well as making the return on its
assets and equity appear higher by not showing the real estate or debt on its balance sheet.
81. Defendants improper financial reporting and disclosures between fiscal years 1995
through 2001 ultimately brought AMERCO into conflict with its outside auditors, PriceWaterhouseCoopers,
LLP (PwC). At PwCs insistence, AMERCO announced in March 2002 that it would
restate its previous years audited financial statements, its interim unaudited financial statement
to correct these omissions, and that its forthcoming annual report would include the SAC Entities
on a consolidated basis. At the same time, PwC also disclosed years of unaddressed material
weaknesses in AMERCOs internal controls, including the fact that AMERCO gave too many employees
access to the general ledger and needed to fill financial positions on a timely basis with
competent personnel. Defendants responded promptly by filing PwC, which had audited AMERCOs
financial results for more than 20 years.
82. The firing of PwC sent Shockwaves through the industry. For instance, Alan
Willenbrock, Vice President and Investment Manager at Northern Trust Bank, stated publicly that
[a] rule of thumb is it always is a red flag when they fire an auditor who looks like theyre
doing a decent job ... the most likely scenario is that the audit company made them consolidate
(their financial statements)... they didnt want to do it... they didnt like it so they fired them.
Jay Taparia, a Chicago-based financial analyst whose firm reviewed AMERCOs financial statements,
stated publicly that by reading AMERCOs annual financial statements from 1998 through 2001,
investors never would have been able to understand SAC Holdings or the impact of AMERCOs
dealings with the SAC Entities. Similarly, Philip Reckers, Director of the
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Arizona State University School of Accountancy and Information Management, publicly observed that
[t]here is clear indication that PricewaterhouseCoopers believes that AMERCO exhibits sloppy
internal controls and has not responded to past suggestions that they clean this up. Even with
rumors swirling in the spring of 2002, however, it was difficult for AMERCOs investors to imagine
the magnitude of the impending restatement or the resulting fallout.
83. On July 17, 2002, AMERCO restated its financial results for its fiscal years 2000 and
2001, in order to reflect the consolidation of the SAC Entities, The result was catastrophic for
AMERCO and its shareholders. As a result of the consolidation, AMERCO reported that the net income
actually was $1 million for the year ended March 31, 2001, not $13 million as previously reported,
and $63.2 million for the year ended March 31, 2000, not $65.5 million as previously reported.
AMERCO also stated that its liabilities actually were $3.1 billion for the year ended March 31,
2001, not $2.1 billion as previously reported, and $2.8 billion for the year ended March 31, 2000,
not $2.5 billion as previously reported. Furthermore, AMERCO announced that its stockholders
equity actually was $512.3 million for the year ended March 31, 2001, not $615.4 million as
previously reported, and $532.5 million for the year ended March 31, 2000, not $585.3 million as
previously reported. The following table illustrates the drop in income and stockholders equity
coupled with the rise in liabilities following the restatement:
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84. At the time AMERCO announced its restatement, Defendants stated publicly that the
consolidation of the financial statements of the SAC Entities and AMERCO would have no material
effect on AMERCOs reported financial performance. Contrary to these assurances, however, the
impact of the consolidation on AMERCOs 2001 financial statement (included for comparative
purposes in the 2002 Form 10-K filed on July 17, 2002) was a 90% reduction in earnings and a $103
million reduction in stockholders equity. The restated results for AMERCOs fiscal years ended
March 31, 2001 and 2000, showed less net income, plunging shareholder equity and increased
liability as follows:
|
(1) |
|
Net income fell precipitously in fiscal 2001, from $12.9
million to $1 million, and from $65.5 million to $63.2 million in fiscal 2000; |
|
|
(2) |
|
Earnings per share were negative in fiscal 2001 (a loss of
$0.56 a share) and fiscal 2002 (a loss of $0.49 a share); |
|
|
(3) |
|
Liabilities jumped from $2.7 billion to $3.1 billion in fiscal
2001, and from $2.5 billion to $2.7 billion in fiscal 2000, which increased
AMERCOs leverage, including off-balance sheet leases and SAC debt,
from 3.21x at March 31, 2002, excluding the SAC liabilities, to 4.14x at
March 31, 2002, including the SAC liabilities; and |
|
|
(4) |
|
Stockholders equity dropped by $153 million, from $612 million
to $512 million in fiscal 2001 and from $585 million to $532 million in fiscal 2000. |
85. As members of AMERCOs Audit Committee during the relevant time period, JOE SHOEN,
DODDS, CARTY, BROGAN, GROGAN and JOHNSON had an elevated duty to ensure the accuracy of AMERCOs
financial statements. However, AMERCOs financial statements for fiscal years 2000 and 2001 are
presumed to be (and, in fact, are) misleading under federal law because they were restated.
According to Generally Accepted Accounting Principals, previously issued financial statements
should be restated only to correct material accounting errors that existed at the time the
statements originally were issued. According to federal law, [f]inancial statements filed with
the Commission which are not prepared in
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accordance with generally accepted accounting principles will be presumed to be misleading or
inaccurate, despite footnote or other disclosures. 17 C F.R. § 210.4-01
86. As a result of the revelations regarding the SAC Entities and Defendants self-dealing,
AMERCOs stock price fell precipitously. In part as a result of corporate governance practices,
AMERCO was placed on credit watch by Moodys and Standard & Poors, and later downgraded
Commercial lenders reduced AMERCOs line of credit from $400 million to $200 million the only
significant reduction in the last 20 years. After consolidating SAC Entities on the balance sheet,
AMERCOs total debt was $1.6 billion, nearly six times earnings before interest, taxes,
depreciation and amortization.
87. The fallout, however, continued AMERCO defaulted on its payment of dividends on its
preferred stock, and violated loan covenants. AMERCO became the focus of an SEC investigation and
ultimately was forced to seek protection under the bankruptcy laws. The steep decline in AMERCOs
stock prices far exceeded the losses suffered by the marketplace as a whole, and it was
attributable largely (if not entirely) to the revelations about Defendants self-dealing.4
.
V. |
|
DEMAND ON AMERCOS BOARD OF DIRECTORS WOULD BE FUTILE |
88. Plaintiffs incorporate by reference the allegations of paragraphs 1 through 87, above
89. Pursuant to Nev. Rev. Stat § 41 520 and Nev R. Civ. Pro. 23.1, a shareholder generally is
required to make a demand on a corporations board of directors, prior to commencing a derivative
action on behalf of the corporation. At the time this lawsuit originally was filed, the AMERCO
Board of Directors consisted of: (1) JOE SHOEN; (2) JAMES SHOEN; (3) WILLIAM CARTY; (4) CHARLES
BAYER; (5) JOHN DODDS; (6) JOHN BROGAN; (7) JAMES GROGAN; and (8) M. Frank Lyons. As set forth
below, the demand
|
|
|
4 |
|
After this action originally was filed, AMERCO announced (in connection with its
fiscal
year 2004 financial results) that it had deconsolidated its financial statements from those of
the SAC Entities. The properties which AMERCO transferred to the SAC Entities, however, remain with
the SAC Entities. To date, AMERCO has not received adequate consideration for the self-storage
properties or use of AMERCOs resources and goodwill. |
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requirement is excused in this case because making a demand would be futile for three
independent reasons.
|
A. |
|
A Majority Of The Board Has A Material Interest In The Subject Of The
Demand. |
|
1. |
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JOE and JAMES SHOEN Have a Material Interest in the Demand |
90. JOE and JAMES SHOEN (along with MARK SHOEN) established the SAC Entities. On the eve of
filing personal bankruptcies, JOE and JAMES SHOEN transferred their interests in the SAC Entities
to MARK SHOEN for $100 each even though a contemporaneous appraisal valued the business at
$850,000. Thereafter, JOE and JAMES SHOEN have (through their respective positions with AMERCO,
U-Haul, Nationwide and AREC) facilitated the transfer of hundreds of millions of dollars worth of
self-storage properties to the SAC Entities. Based upon these facts, and the inadequate
consideration for which MARK SHOEN obtained JOE and JAMES SHOENs interests in the SAC Entities,
Plaintiffs are informed and believe, and therefore allege, that JOE and JAMES SHOEN have retained
an undisclosed pecuniary interest in the SAC Entities.
91. JOE and JAMES SHOEN approved the transfer of hundreds of valuable self-storage properties
to the SAC Entities at prices that were unfair to AMERCO. Furthermore, as AREC Directors, JOE and
JAMES SHOEN allowed the SAC Entities to exploit ARECs human resources without compensation.
Moreover, JOE and JAMES SHOEN served as Executive Officers of U-Haul, and they served on the
Nationwide and U-Haul Boards, when these subsidiaries provided over $600 million in non-recourse
loans to the SAC Entities (which were used to acquire properties from AREC while JOE and JAMES
SHOEN served on the AREC Board). JOE and JAMES SHOEN also served as Directors and Executive
Officers of U-Haul when U-Haul entered into multiple management agreements for the benefit of the
SAC Entities. JOE and JAMES SHOEN face a substantial likelihood of personal liability for their
participation in the self-dealing transactions.
92. Furthermore, despite their involvement in creating the SAC Entities and their orchestration
of AMERCOs transactions with the SAC Entities, JOE and JAMES SHOEN.
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knowingly signed incomplete and misleading annual reports designed to conceal the self-dealing
scheme. These public filings concealed the nature and extent of AMERCOs dealings with the SAC
Entities and misrepresented AMERCOs financial condition. JOE and JAMES SHOEN ignored years of
warnings from PwC regarding material weaknesses in AMERCOs internal controls. Thus, JOE and JAMES
SHOEN violated Nevada and federal securities laws which prohibit signing and approving false and
misleading financial statements.
93. Finally, JOE and JAMES SHOEN cannot be considered disinterested for purposes of
considering a demand adverse to their brother, MARK SHOEN. As discussed below, JOE, JAMES and MARK
SHOEN (along with CARTY, BAYER and DODDS) have remained closely aligned for decades, throughout the
various battles for control over AMERCO. Their close family relationship with MARK SHOEN, standing
alone, creates a disabling interest which prevents JOE and JAMES SHOEN from giving disinterested
consideration to a demand adverse to MARK SHOEN and the SAC Entities.
|
2. |
|
BAYER has a Material Interest in the Demand |
94. BAYER participated in every aspect of AMERCOs transactions with the SAC Entities. As a
Director and President of AREC, BAYER approved the sales of at least 111 self-storage properties to
the SAC Entities at below-market prices. Indeed, under BAYERs direction, AREC began the process of
transferring all of AMERCOs self-storage properties to MARK SHOEN and the SAC Entities, BAYER also
used ARECs human resources and offices to help MARK SHOEN and the SAC Entities locate, obtain and
develop valuable self-storage properties without compensation, without disclosing these
arrangements to AMERCOs stockholders. In addition, BAYER approved over $100 million in
non-recourse loans during his tenure as a Director of Nationwide. The SAC Entities used these loans
to acquire self-storage properties from AREC at below-market prices during the same period of time
BAYER served as President of AREC. Thus, BAYER faces a substantial likelihood of personal liability
for his participation in AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities.
95. Furthermore, despite his extensive involvement in AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities,
BAYER knowingly signed incomplete and misleading annual reports from 1995
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through 2002. These public filings concealed the nature and scope of AMERCOs dealings with the
SAC Entities and misrepresented AMERCOs financial condition. BAYER also ignored years of warnings
from PwC regarding material weaknesses in AMERCOs internal controls. Thus, BAYER violated Nevada
and federal securities laws which prohibit signing and approving false and misleading financial
statements.
|
3. |
|
CARTY has a Material Interest in the Demand |
96. CARTY participated in every aspect of AMERCOs transactions with the SAC Entities. As a
Director of AREC, CARTY approved the sale of approximately 210 self-storage properties at below
market prices to the SAC Entities. As a Director of U-Haul, CARTY approved hundreds of million of
dollars in non-recourse loans that the SAC Entities used to purchase self-storage properties from
AREC at unfair prices. In addition, during CARTYs tenure on the U-Haul Board, he also approved of
multiple management agreements through which U-Haul runs the day-to-day operations of the
self-storage properties under the U-Haul trade name, but MARK SHOEN and the SAC Entities retain 94%
of the gross revenues. Thus, CARTY faces a substantial likelihood of personal liability for his
participation in AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities.
97. Furthermore, despite his extensive involvement in AMERCOs dealings with the SAC
Entities, CARTY who also served on AMERCOs Audit Committee from 1994 through 1999 signed
incomplete and misleading annual reports from 1997 through 2002. As set forth above, these public
filings concealed the nature and scope of AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities and
misrepresented AMERCOs financial condition. CARTY also ignored years of warnings from PwC
regarding material weaknesses in AMERCOs internal controls. Accordingly, CARTY violated Nevada and
federal securities laws which prohibit signing and approving false and misleading financial
statements.
98. Finally, CARTY is JOE and MARK SHOENs uncle CARTY is the brother of Anna Mary, L S
Shoens first wife and JOE and MARK SHOENs mother. CARTY, JOE and MARK SHOEN share an intensely
close and deep familial relationship, going back decades After the death of Anna Mary, JOE and MARK
SHOEN spent much of their childhood and
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adolescent years with
CARTY at CARTYs ranch. CARTY became a father figure to JOE and MARK SHOEN
considering the fact that L.S. Shoen spent such a considerable amount of time traveling on business.
CARTY, JOE and MARK SHOEN, collectively, were the first to turn against L.S. Shoen, first by
accusing L.S. Shoen of murdering Anna Mary (JOE and MARK SHOENs mother) and then by attributing
U-Hauls success to Anna Mary, rather than L.S. Shoen. Indeed, CARTY and JOE SHOEN became so close
over the years, JOE SHOENs wife publicly commented that JOE SHOEN was beginning to closely
resemble CARTY; she observed that JOE SHOEN had the same facial expression, carried his body in the
same manner and was prone to engage in name petty calling, just like CARTY was known to do.
99. At one point, Mike Shoen, who had supported L.S. Shoen, fired CARTY from U-Haul in 1980 due
to his combative personality. However, as soon as JOE SHOEN wrested power from L.S. Shoen, JOE
SHOEN, with the assistance of MARK SHOEN, immediately placed CARTY back on the AMERCO Board as part
of a concerted effort to stack the AMERCO Board with loyal supporters. Shortly after the Shoen
Insiders appointed CARTY to the Board, CARTY told them that for $10,000, he could hire a guy who
would take care of anyone who stood in [their] way Moreover, CARTY frequently was overheard
commenting at AMERCO Board meetings that the Shoen Insiders should engage in inside deals with
AMERCO because he believed that was the real benefit of owning a business. In other words, CARTY
repeatedly encouraged the Shoen Insiders to funnel money out of AMERCO on a pre-tax basis.
Unfortunately, AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities are only one example of the Shoen Insiders
engaging in such self-dealing.
100. As discussed below, in the years that followed, AMERCO became the focus of an ongoing
inter-family battle for control. CARTY, however, steadfastly sided with and supported JOE and MARK
SHOEN even when the Shoen Insiders were engaging in conduct detrimental to AMERCO that courts and
juries alike found to be reprehensible, illegal and warranting of massive judgments against AMERCO.
The strength of CARTYs relationship with JOE and MARK SHOEN is illustrated by his prior service
on the AMERCO Board. Given CARTYs
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unwavering allegiance to his nephews JOE and MARK SHOEN, he cannot be considered
disinterested in a demand adverse to them.
|
4. |
|
DODDS has a Material Interest in the Demand |
101. As a Director of AREC, DODDS approved the sales of approximately 110 self-storage
properties at below market prices to the SAC Entities. In addition, as a U-Haul Director, DODDS
approved hundreds of million of dollars in non-recourse loans to the SAC Entities, and he
authorized the management agreements through which U-Haul runs the day-to-day operations of the
self-storage properties, but MARK SHOEN and the SAC Entities retain 94% of the gross revenue.
Indeed, for at least two years (when DODDS service on the AREC and U-Haul Boards overlapped),
DODDS orchestrated the financing, acquisition and management of the self-storage properties for the
benefit of MARK SHOEN and the SAC Entities Thus, DODDS faces a substantial likelihood of personal
liability for his participation in AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities.
102. Furthermore, despite his extensive involvement in AMERCOs dealings with the
SAC Entities, DODDS who also has served on AMERCOs Audit Committee since 1999
knowingly signed incomplete and misleading annual reports in 1994, and 2000 through 2002.
These public filings concealed the nature and scope of AMERCOs dealings with the SAC
Entities and misrepresented AMERCOs financial condition. DODDS also ignored years of
warnings from PwC regarding material weaknesses in AMERCOs internal controls.
Accordingly, DODDS violated Nevada and federal securities laws which prohibit signing and
approving false and misleading financial statements.
103. DODDS also has a material interest in the subject of a demand in this case given
his close, bias-producing relationship with JOE SHOEN. As discussed below, during JOE
SHOENs initial efforts to oust L.S. Shoen from power, DODDS actively solicited votes from
other AMERCO Board members in support of JOE SHOEN and he even terminated AMERCO
District Vice President John Fowler for not pledging his support for JOE SHOEN Thereafter, in
an effort to thwart a takeover attempt, JOE SHOEN devised a plan to issue stock to five loyal
employees on the condition that they give him proxies to vote their shares. JOE SHOEN chose
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DODDS as one of the five employees because he knew DODDS could be trusted to support JOE SHOEN.
Because DODDS could not afford the stock, JOE SHOEN personally loaned DODDS $162,000 from his
childrens trust, and JOE SHOEN convinced the AMERCO Board to loan DODDS the balance of the
purchase price, $4.2 million, on an unsecured basis. In return, DODDS gave JOE SHOEN proxies to
vote the newly-issued stock. This transaction resulted in a staggering jury verdict against AMERCO
and JOE SHOEN personally. As set forth below, however, this is not the only instance of DODDS
elevating his loyalty to JOE SHOEN over his fiduciary duties to AMERCO and its shareholders.
|
5. |
|
BROGAN and GROGAN Have a Material Interest in the Demand |
104. Both BROGAN and GROGAN served on AMERCO s Audit Committee since 1998. Notwithstanding the
magnitude of AMERCOs transactions with the SAC Entities, BROGAN and GROGAN knowingly signed
incomplete and misleading annual reports for fiscal years 1998 through 2001. As set forth above,
these public filings concealed the nature and scope of AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities and
misrepresented AMERCOs financial condition. BROGAN and GROGAN also ignored years of warnings from
PwC regarding material weaknesses in AMERCOs internal controls. As a result, BROGAN and GROGAN
violated Nevada and federal securities laws which prohibit signing and approving false and
misleading financial statements. Accordingly, BROGAN and GROGAN also face a substantial likelihood
of personal liability for their participation in AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities.
105. In sum, JOE SHOEN, JAMES SHOEN, CARTY, BAYER, DODDS, BROGAN and GROGAN helped orchestrate
and conceal the wrongful conduct alleged herein and each faces a substantial likelihood of
personal liability for his involvement in the self-dealing scheme. Because these Defendants
represent seven of the eight members of the AMERCO Board at the time this action originally was
commenced, it is impossible for the AMERCO Board to give disinterested consideration to a demand in
this case. The demand requirement is thus excused on this basis alone. As set forth below, however,
the demand requirement is excused for two additional reasons.
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|
B. |
|
The AMERCO Board Is Not Independent Of The Shoen Insiders |
106. Even if a director is not interested in a demand, a director nevertheless is incapable
of considering a demand if he or she is not independent of another director who is interested in
the demand. Here, the Shoen Insiders dominate and control the AMERCO Board. It is precisely
because of this domination and control that the other Directors knowingly and intentionally
participated in the self-dealing transactions in the first place.
107. The Shoen Insiders have absolute power over the selection and election of AMERCOs Board.
The Shoen Insiders have used their collective stock ownership and control over the votes of the
ESOP Trust to pack the AMERCO Board with loyal subordinates. Indeed, BAYER, CARTY, DODDS and
HERRERA were selected to serve on the AMERCO Board only after years of service under JOE SHOEN,
during which time they demonstrated their unquestioning allegiance to the Shoen Insiders. The extent
of the Shoen Insiders influence over the AMERCO Board is demonstrated conclusively by a brief
historical account of their prior abuses of their fiduciary duties, and the Boards repeated
failure to intervene and protect the interests of AMERCO and its shareholders.
|
1. |
|
The Issuance of Stock to Five Key Employees |
108. In the 1980s, U-Hauls founder, L.S. Shoen, was in charge of AMERCO and those aligned
with him collectively owned 49 66% of AMERCOs stock L.S Shoens sons JOE, MARK, JAMES and PAUL
SHOEN also held blocks of stock, but slightly less in the aggregate than the group aligned with
L.S. Shoen. In 1986, L.S. Shoens children took control of the company and forced him out as
President and CEO Although L.S. Shoen and his children had agreed that AMERCO would be run jointly
by JOE SHOEN and his brother Sam Shoen, JOE SHOEN ousted Sam Shoen and took control of AMERCO. The
Shoen family was polarized, splitting into one faction led by L.S. Sam and Mike Shoen (the
Insurgent Group) and another faction led by JOE SHOEN. At this time, JAMES SHOEN, DODDS and CARTY
aligned themselves with JOE SHOEN.
109. In 1988, the Insurgent Group attempted to regain control of the Company. The Insurgent
Group reached a tentative agreement with the trustee of a trust established for the
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benefit of L.S. Shoens minor son (the Trustee), to seize control from JOE SHOEN and his faction.
The Insurgent Group planned to obtain written consents from a bare majority of shareholders to
expand and take control of the AMERCO Board of Directors.
110. JOE SHOEN discovered the Insurgent Groups plan a few days before an agreement could be
finalized with the Trustee. In response, JOE SHOEN devised a scheme to issue 8,999 new shares
(constituting 8% of AMERCOs stock) to five key employees to shift majority control of AMERCOs
stock in favor of JOE SHOEN and his faction. Notably, JOE SHOEN selected DODDS as one of the five
key employees who received stock.
111. JOE SHOEN personally loaned each of the five employees (including DODDS)
$162,000 for down payments for the stock. JOE SHOEN convinced the Board to authorize
AMERCO to loan the employees the balance of the purchase price ($4.2 million) on an
unsecured basis, despite the employees manifest inability to repay such a large loan. In
return,
the employees (including DODDS) gave JOE SHOEN proxies to vote their shares, giving his
faction 50.2% control of the stock.
112. JOE SHOEN called an emergency meeting and persuaded the Board (which, at
that time included JAMES SHOEN, DODDS and CARTY), to authorize the issuance of the new
shares. JOE SHOEN then convinced the Board to change AMERCOs bylaws to requite a two-
thirds majority to institute the changes sought by the Insurgent Group. After defeating the
Insurgent Groups effort to reclaim AMERCO, JOE SHOEN cut off L.S. Shoens retirement
benefits and terminated his lifetime employment contract (which was, in essence, his pension),
citing insubordination..
113. The Insurgent Group filed suit in August 1988. By that time, however, the Board
had deposited the stock issued to the five key employees into the ESOP Trust, and the judge
held that the trust could not be dissolved. In the 1994 trial of their claims, an Arizona jury
awarded $1.47 billion to the Insurgent Group. The jury also levied $70 million in punitive
damages against JOE SHOEN personally, based upon a finding that he had acted with hatred
and ill will and the deliberate and evil intent to injure plaintiffs .
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114. After the judgment was reduced to $461 million (and $7 million against JOE SHOEN
personally), JOE SHOEN, JAMES SHOEN, DODDS and CARTY all filed
personal bankruptcies. As noted
above, JOE and JAMES SHOEN transferred their stock in the SAC Entities to MARK SHOEN for a nominal
sum days before filing for bankruptcy. In the end, however, JOE SHOEN convinced the Board to
settle the judgment by using AMERCOs funds to repurchase the Insurgent Groups stock, thereby
relieving JOE SHOEN (as well as JAMES SHOEN, DODDS and CARTY) from having to pay any portion of
the judgment. In fact, on December 31, 1998, JOE SHOEN caused AMERCO to pay the Insurgent Group $6
million to satisfy JOE SHOENs punitive damages judgment. AMERCO made this payment on JOE SHOENs
behalf even though the punitive damages award was based on a jury finding that JOE SHOEN acted
with deliberate intent to injure stockholders.
115. This represents the first instance of the AMERCO Board failing to act independently of
JOE SHOEN, JAMES SHOEN, CARTY and DODDS helped devise the scheme to issue new stock to the five
key employees in an effort to entrench JOE SHOEN, JAMES SHOEN, CARTY and DODDS participated in the
emergency meeting during which they approved the issuance of the stock and the loans that the
employees used to purchase the stock. Tellingly, DODDS was one of five employees JOE SHOEN
entrusted with the stock, and to whom JOE SHOEN personally loaned money, because JOE SHOEN knew
that DODDS would not betray him. JOE SHOENs conduct resulted in a jury verdict against AMERCO for
$1.47 billion, and a $70 million punitive damages award against JOE SHOEN personally JAMES SHOEN,
CARTY and DODDS prior service on the AMERCO Board creates a reasonable doubt as to their ability
to act independently of JOE SHOEN in considering a demand in this case.
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JOE and MARK SHOEN Misappropriated AMERCO Resources to Prosecute a
Defamation Action |
116. JOE and MARK SHOEN also have misappropriated AMERCOs resources for their own purposes
without any Board intervention. Following the 1993 publication of Birthright, a book in
which author Ron Watkins suggested that JOE and MARK SHOEN were
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involved
in the murder of Eva Shoen. (Sam Shoens late wife), JOE and MARK SHOEN filed a defamation
action against L. S Shoen. JOE and MARK SHOEN claimed, among other things, that L.S. Shoen was a
source that the author had used in attempting to connect them to the
crime.
117. The defamation action purely was a personal lawsuit. Nevertheless, rather than fund the
prosecution of this litigation on their own, JOE and MARK SHOEN used Richard Amoroso who, at the
time, served as Assistant General Counsel / Litigation Counsel for U-Haul, to prosecute the matter
on their behalf. In essence, JOE and MARK SHOEN caused AMERCO to foot the bill for the legal fees
associated with prosecuting a personal action having nothing to do with AMERCO. Directors JAMES
SHOEN, CARTY and DODDS again refused to intervene on AMERCOs behalf, and they allowed JOE and MARK
SHOEN to treat AMERCO as their private war chest. This is another example of JAMES SHOEN, CARTY and
DODDS unwavering loyalty to the Shoen Insiders.
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The Manipulation of Shareholder Voting Procedures |
118. In 1994, Plaintiff PAUL SHOEN nominated himself as an AMERCO Director and proposed
several pro-stockholder bylaw amendments. Faced again with the prospect of losing control, JOE
SHOEN convinced the Board (which, at that time, included MARK SHOEN, JAMES SHOEN, DODDS, CARTY and
BAYER) to advance the date of AMERCOs annual meeting. In addition, JOE SHOEN convinced the ESOP
Trustees to refuse to distribute Plaintiff PAUL SHOENs proxy materials to the ESOP participants.
These actions prevented Plaintiff from obtaining a seat on the AMERCO Board.
119. In the litigation that followed, Judge Reed of the United States District Court
enjoined the flagrant breaches of fiduciary duties
committed by JOE SHOEN and his faction.
Judge Reed found that JOE SHOEN had gone beyond the realm of predictable malfeasance in
his attempts to manipulate shareholder voting on the proposed reforms. The Court concluded
that JOE SHOENs actions constitute[d] a flagrant breach of [his] fiduciary duties under any
conceivable test......
120. In order to settle the litigation before Judge Reed, AMERCO and the Shoen
Insiders agreed to support the election of Plaintiff PAUL SHOEN to the AMERCO Board for a
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two-year term Even then, however, the Shoen Insiders were able to limit PAUL SHOENs tenure on
the Board by causing AMERCO to seek and obtain an injunction (in the bankruptcy proceedings)
against the holding of AMERCOs annual meeting. As a result, PAUL SHOEN only was able to serve on
the AMERCO Board from January 1997 until August 1998, instead of the normal two year term.
121. This
is the third example of the AMERCO Board failing to act independently of JOE SHOEN.
Thus, an overwhelming doubt surrounds CARTY, DODDS and BAYERs ability to consider a demand in
AMERCOs best interest free from the undue influence of the Shoen Insiders,
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JOE SHOENs Treatment of Those Who Have Opposed Him |
122. JOE SHOEN has solidified his control over the AMERCO Board by retaliating against or
terminating anyone who opposes him. As set forth above, JOE SHOEN ousted his brother Sam Shoen and
terminated his father, L.S. Shoen and out off his pension after the Insurgent Group unsuccessfully
attempted to take control of AMERCO.
123. In 1991, PAUL SHOEN came into conflict with JOE SHOEN over PAUL SHOENs desire to
promote employee participation in AMERCO management. As a result, JOE and MARK SHOEN summarily
fired PAUL SHOEN as the President of U-Haul, and he was not nominated to continue serving as a
Director. Any question surrounding CARTYs loyalty was answered, conclusively, in 1991, By this
time, he not only had sided with the Shoen Insiders to oust L.S. Shoen, but he sided with JOE and
MARK SHOEN in terminating Plaintiff PAUL SHOEN as well. He had selected his faction, and his
loyalty has never wavered.
124. In 2002, JOE SHOEN terminated PwC AMERCOs auditor for over 20 years
after PwC required AMERCO to consolidate its financials with the SAC
Entities. As set forth
above, PwC had identified and disclosed numerous material weaknesses in AMERCOs
internal controls shortly before being terminated by AMERCO.
125. CARTY, DODDS and BAYER each have enjoyed long and lucrative careers at
AMERCO as a result of their loyalty to the Shoen Insiders. CARTY, DODDS and BAYER
receive a salary and pension for their services on the AMERCO Board CARTY, DODDS and
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BAYER have witnessed JOE SHOENs retaliation against those who have opposed him in the past
CARTY, DODDS and BAYER know that by considering a demand adverse to JOE SHOEN, they would
jeopardize their continued salary and pension benefits. Thus, because the Shoen Insiders are in a
position to influence or control CARTY, DODDS and BAYER, they cannot be considered independent for
purposes of considering a demand adverse to the Shoen Insiders in this case.
126. Notably, CARTY has three children who currently are employed at U-Haul, under JOE
SHOEN. Martin Carty works at the U-Haul Technical Center in Tempe, Arizona, Katie Carty works in
the U-Haul Legal Department, and Timothy Carty, CARTYs step son, works at the U-Haul Purchasing
Department. Thus, by considering a demand adverse to JOE SHOEN, CARTY not only would jeopardize his
continued receipt of salary and pension benefits, but he also would jeopardize the continued
employment of three of his children.
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Other Instances of the Shoen Insiders Engaging in Self-Dealing |
127. The Shoen Insiders have engaged in numerous other self-dealing transactions,
which also is indicative of their control over the Board. In fiscal year 2002, U-Haul
purchased
$3,238,000 worth of printing from Form Builders, Inc. (Form Builders), which is owned and
operated by MARK SHOEN, MARK SHOENs daughter and JOE SHOENs sons. Form
Builders earns all of its revenue through contracts with U-Haul. There is no competitive
bidding,
process nor review and approval of these agreements by independent directors or auditors.
128. Form Builders has run into trouble with the Internal Revenue Service in the past.
Indeed, at one point, Form Builders was required to pay $470,000 in back taxes when it claimed
a $1 million deduction for payments made to the trusts of the Shoen Insiders children.
Notably,
Form Builders claimed the payments as business expenses. Notwithstanding the inherent
suspiciousness of U-Hauls dealings with Form Builders and the size of these related-party
transactions, AMERCO has failed to disclose any details regarding these agreements. In fact,
it
is unclear from AMERCOs public filings what printing U-Haul purchases from Form
Builders,
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129. Similarly, in fiscal year 2001, U-Haul sold $10,510,000 worth of remanufactured engine
parts to Equipment Universe, and purchased $53,671,000 worth of automotive parts and tools from
Equipment Universe. During the time of the Equipment Universe transactions, JAMES SHOEN had an
interest in Equipment Universe. Again, the details of U-Hauls transactions with Equipment Universe
have never been disclosed to AMERCO shareholders. These related party transactions are further
evidence of the Shoen Insiders unbridled control over the AMERCO Board.
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A Former Board Member Personally Witnessed
JOE SHOENs Control Over the AMERCO Board |
130. As noted above, Plaintiff PAUL SHOEN served as a Director of AMERCO from
December 1986 to August 1991, and from January 17,
1997 to August 28, 1998. During this
period of time, he witnessed first hand JOE SHOENs domination and control over the Boards
deliberative process and decision making. Plaintiff PAUL SHOEN also observed the other
Defendants fear of retaliation by JOE SHOEN which effectively prevents them from
independently considering a demand in this case.
131.
In sum, the Board is not independent of the power and influence of the Shoen
Insiders. As discussed above, the Shoen Insiders repeated violations of their fiduciary
duties, coupled with the Boards consistent acquiescence, active participation in the wrongdoing and
fear of retaliation cast serious doubts over the Boards ability to independently consider a
demand in this case.
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AMERCOs Dealings With The SAC Entities Are Ultra Vires |
132. The demand
requirement is excused in this case for a third reason. Under Nevada law, the articles of
incorporation limit the powers and authority conferred upon the board of directors in managing the
business and affairs of a corporation. See, e.g., Nev. Rev, State § 78.120 (1) Where a
corporate act violates an express provision of the corporations articles of incorporation, the act
is ultra vires. Where a derivative action challenges an act as ultra vires, the demand requirement
is excused.
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133. Article 11 of AMERCOs Articles of Incorporation requires approval by shareholders
for: (A) Any agreement for the merger, consolidation, amalgamation or combination of this
corporation with or into any other corporation which is an Interested Stockholder (as hereafter
defined); [or] (B) Any sale, lease, exchange or other disposition to or with this corporation of
any assets of any Interested Stockholder, Article 11 defines Interested Stockholder as the
beneficial owner, directly or indirectly of more than five percent of AMERCO stock (calculated as
of the transaction date), and any affiliates and associates of such person.
134. Defendant MARK SHOEN is an Interested Stockholder because he owns (and
owned) more than five percent of AMERCOs common stock at all times relevant to this case
MARK SHOEN also owns the SAC Entities, and acts as the President of the SAC Corporations
and as the President of the general corporate partner of each of the SAC Partnerships. Because
the SAC Entities are affiliates and associates of MARK SHOEN, they also are Interested
Stockholders for purposes of Article 11.5
135. AMERCOs transactions with the SAC Entities violated Article 11 of
AMERCOs Articles of Incorporation in three different ways. First, AMERCOs SEC filings
admit a prohibited sale of assets to AMERCO in violation of Section
(B) of Article 11. As
noted above, on September 28, 2001, AMERCO purchased nine self-storage properties from the SAC
Entities for $35.2 million. This transaction was an obvious
sale to ... this corporation [i.e.,
AMERCO] of assets of an Interested Stockholder, Nevertheless, no shareholder approval of
the sale was sought or obtained.
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See Nev, Rev. Stat § 78,412 (defining affiliate as a person that directly, or
indirectly through one or more intermediaries, is controlled by, or is under common control with a
specified person ); Nev, Rev Stat. § 78,413 (defining affiliate as [a]ny corporation or
organization of which that person is an officer or partner or is, directly or indirectly, the
beneficial owner of 10 percent or more of any class of voting shares.). |
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136. Second, the transactions between AMERCO and the SAC Entities have resulted in a
combination in violation of Subsection (A) of Article 11.6 In this case, AMERCO has
sold over $500 million worth of self-storage properties to MARK SHOEN and the SAC Entities None of
these transactions ever was presented to (much less approved by) AMERCOs shareholders. |
137. Third, the management agreements between U-Haul and the SAC Entities violate Section
(B) of Article 11 because they are de facto leases of the SAC Entities assets to AMERCO. Although
title to the self-storage facilities is vested with the SAC Entities, the properties are operated
by AMERCO in return for a fee equal to six percent of the gross rental
revenue. The management agreements therefore constitute a lease... with this corporation
[i.e., AMERCO] of any assets of any Interested Stockholder [i.e., Mark Shoen and the SAC
Entities], in violation of Subsection (B) of Article 11. None of the management agreements ever
was approved by AMERCOs shareholders. |
FIRST CAUSE OF ACTION
Breach of the Fiduciary Duty of Loyalty
(Against All Defendants) |
138. Plaintiffs incorporate by reference the allegations of paragraphs 1 through 137,
above. |
139. All Defendants (other than the SAC Entities) owe a duty of loyalty to AMERCO and its
stockholders. That duty of loyalty requires them to act in the utmost good faith Where a director
or officer has a self-interest in a transaction, the transaction must be fair and serve the best
interests of the corporation and its stockholders. See N.R.S. § 78.140(2)(d) (The
circumstances in which a contract or other transaction is not void or voidable [are]... [t]he
contract or transaction is fair as to the corporation at the time it
is authorized or approved ) |
6 Although Article 11 does not define combination, under Nevada law a combination
includes any sale or lease to an interested stockholder of assets of the corporation (a) having
an aggregate market value equal to five percent or more of... the assets of the corporation, (b)
having an aggregate market value equal to five percent or more of the... market value of all the
outstanding shares of the corporation, or (c) representing 10 percent or more of the earning
power or net income of the corporation. See Nev. Rev. Stat. §78.416. |
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140. Defendant MARK SHOEN is an AMERCO Executive Officer who currently
holds the title of President of U-Haul Phoenix Operations. He has a material self-interest in
the transfers of AMERCO assets to the SAC Entities because he owns
and controls the SAC Entities.
Defendants JOE and JAMES SHOEN also have a self-interest in the transfers because they have
retained an undisclosed pecuniary interest in the SAC Entities, and because they are MARK
SHOENs brothers. |
141. The transfers of real estate from AMERCO to the SAC Entities are not fair and do
not serve the best interests of AMERCO or its stockholders. The prices paid do not reflect the
true value of the properties sold, and AMERCO resources are exploited in accomplishing the
transfers. |
142. Defendants DODDS, CARTY, BAYER, HERRERA, JOHNSON, BROGAN and GROGAN breached their
duty of loyalty by knowingly orchestrating, participating, facilitating and aiding and abetting the
self-dealing transactions. Each of these Defendants helped the SAC Entities misappropriate
AMERCOs self-storage business and they knowingly signed
misleading and incomplete public filings.
In doing so, these Defendants elevated their loyalty to the Shoen Insiders over their loyalty to
AMERCO and its shareholders. Moreover, Defendants DODDS, CARTY, BAYER, HERRERA, JOHNSON, BROGAN and
GROGAN also failed to clarify years worth of incomplete and misleading public filings. As a
result, it was impossible for Plaintiffs (and AMERCOS other shareholders) to determine the nature
and scope of Defendants self-dealing transactions. |
143. The SAC Entities are liable for aiding and abetting these breaches of fiduciary
duties. The SAC Entities (acting through Defendant MARK SHOEN) knowingly participated in
the breaches of fiduciary duties by facilitating the transfer of AMERCOs assets at
below-market prices, and by relying upon AMERCOs extensive resources to develop and market properties to
the detriment of AMERCO and its stockholders. |
144. Because the transfers of AMERCO real estate to SAC Entities were unfair and
represent a breach of fiduciary duty by the Officers and Directors of AMERCO, Plaintiffs are |
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entitled to a judgment declaring all such transfers to be void and quieting title to the
properties in AMERCO. |
145. Plaintiffs, AMERCO, and AMERCOs other stockholders have been damaged by the
Defendants breaches of the fiduciary duty of loyalty because those transactions have reduced the
value of AMERCO and, accordingly, Plaintiffs stock. These misdeeds were intentional and thus
warrant the imposition of personal liability on the individual Defendants for the damages they
have caused. |
146. In breaching their fiduciary duties, Defendants JOE, MARK and JAMES SHOEN
acted maliciously and fraudulently, and they oppressed AMERCO and its stockholders, thus
warranting the imposition of exemplary and punitive damages. |
147. By reason of Defendants actions, AMERCO and its stockholders have suffered
and continue to suffer irreparable injury consisting of past financial losses, future losses
of the opportunity to profit from AMERCOs position in the self-storage market, and the loss of the
stockholders democratic rights. Plaintiffs have no adequate or speedy remedy at law for these
irreparable injuries and therefore are entitled to injunctive relief. |
SECOND CAUSE OF ACTION
Breach of the Fiduciary Duty of Loyalty: Usurpation of Corporate Opportunities
(Against Mark Shoen) |
148. Plaintiffs incorporate by reference the allegations of paragraphs 1 through 137,
above. |
149. In his capacity as an Executive Officer of AMERCO and U-Haul, MARK
SHOEN learned of the self-storage real estate opportunities alleged
herein. He failed to offer
these opportunities to AMERCO, or caused AMERCO to reject them, even though he knew or
should have known the opportunities would be of interest to AMERCO. He then usurped the
opportunities for himself by causing the SAC Entities, which he purportedly owns and controls,
to buy the properties. This usurpation of corporate opportunities is a breach of his fiduciary duty
of loyalty. |
150. Plaintiffs, AMERCO, and AMERCOs other stockholders have been damaged by
MARK SHOENs breaches of fiduciary duty because the transactions
with the SAC Entities. |
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have reduced substantially the value of AMERCO and, accordingly, Plaintiffs stock. MARK SHOENs
misdeeds were intentional and thus warrant the imposition of personal liability for the damages he
has caused.
151. In breaching his fiduciary duties, MARK SHOEN acted maliciously and fraudulently, and
oppressed AMERCO and its stockholders, thus warranting the imposition of exemplary and punitive
damages.
152. By reason of MARK SHOENs actions, AMERCO and its stockholders have suffered and
continue to suffer irreparable injury consisting of past financial losses, future losses of the
opportunity profit from U-Hauls position in the self-storage market, and the loss of stockholders
democratic rights. Plaintiffs have no adequate or speedy remedy at law for these irreparable
injuries and therefore are entitled to (among other relief) injunctive relief.
THIRD CAUSE OF ACTION
Breach of Fiduciary Duty: Ultra Vires Acts
(Against All Defendants)
153. Plaintiffs incorporate by
reference the allegations of paragraphs 1 through 137, above.
154. AMERCOs Articles of Incorporation limit the actual
authority of the Companys Officers
and Directors. AMERCOs Officers and Directors also have a
fiduciary duty of loyalty and care which
requires them to act in a manner consistent with the Articles of Incorporation.
155. Article 11 of AMERCOs Articles of Incorporation
(which has remained unchanged at all
times relevant to this suit) requires approval by shareholders for:
(A) Any agreement for the
merger, consolidation, amalgamation or combination of this
corporation with or into any other
corporation which is an Interested Stockholder (as hereafter
defined); [or] (B) Any sale, lease,
exchange or other disposition to or with this corporation of any
assets of any Interested
Stockholder. Article 11 defines an Interested
Stockholder as the beneficial owner, directly or
indirectly of more than five percent of AMERCO stock
(calculated as of the transaction date), and
any affiliates and associates of such person.
As set forth above, Defendant MARK SHOEN and the
SAC Entities are Interested Stockholders for purposes of Article 11.
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156. AMERCOs transactions with the SAC Entities violated Article 11 of AMERCOs Articles
of Incorporation in three different ways. First, AMERCOs SEC filings admit a prohibited sale of
assets to AMERCO in violation of Section (B) of Article 11. Second, the transactions between
AMERCO and the SAC Entities have resulted in a combination in violation of Subsection (A) of
Article 11. Third, the management agreements between U-Haul and the SAC Entities violate Section
(B) of Article 11 because they are de facto leases of the SAC Entities assets to AMERCO. None of
these transactions ever was presented to (much less approved by) AMERCOs shareholders.
157. Defendants exceeded the limits of their authority and
breached their fiduciary duty of
care to AMERCO and its stockholders by failing to comply with the
requirements of Article 11. This
renders AMERCOs transactions with the SAC Entities ultra vires.
158. The SAC Entities (acting through Defendant MARK SHOEN)
knowingly participated in the
breach of fiduciary duties by facilitating the transfer of
AMERCOs assets at below-market prices,
in violation of the Article 11 of AMERCOs Articles of Incorporation.
159. Plaintiffs, AMERCO, and AMERCOs other stockholders have been damaged by Defendants
breaches of fiduciary duty and ultra vires acts because AMERCOs transactions with the SAC Entities
have reduced the value of AMERCO and its outstanding stock. Defendants misdeeds were intentional
and thus warrant the imposition of personal liability on the individual Defendants for the damages
they have caused.
160. In breaching their fiduciary duties and violating Article 11, Defendants JOE, MARK and
JAMES SHOEN acted maliciously and fraudulently, and they oppressed AMERCO and its stockholders,
thus warranting the imposition of exemplary and punitive damages.
161. By reason of Defendants actions, AMERCO and its stockholders have suffered and
continue to suffer irreparable injury consisting of past financial losses, future losses of the
opportunity to profit from U-Hauls position in the self-storage market and the loss of stockholder
democratic rights. Plaintiffs have no adequate or speedy remedy at law for these irreparable
injuries and therefore are entitled to injunctive relief.
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FOURTH CAUSE OF ACTION
Wrongful Interference with Prospective Economic Advantage
(Against all Defendants)
162. Plaintiffs incorporate by reference the allegations of
paragraphs 1 through 137, above.
163. AMERCO had prospective economic or contractual relationships with customers who
would have rented self-storage units in the U-Haul facilities. In addition,
AMERCO had prospective economic or
contractual relationships with third parties who owned and sold properties which could be used as
self-storage locations. Defendants, by virtue of their positions as Directors and Officers of
AMERCO, knew of AMERCOs prospective economic relationships. By seizing upon the economic
opportunities that otherwise would have been available to AMERCO, Defendants acted for the benefit
of the SAC Entities, with the intent to harm AMERCO No privilege excuses Defendants acts. AMERCO
has been damaged as a result of Defendants conduct because it has lost significant assets, lost the
opportunity to obtain the appreciation in value of the self-storage properties transferred to the
SAC Entities and missed the chance to capitalize on the economic opportunities usurped by Defendants.
164. Plaintiffs, AMERCO, and AMERCOs other stockholders
have all been damaged by Defendants
wrongful interference. Defendants wrongful interference was intentional,
warranting the imposition
of personal liability on the individual Defendants for the damages
they have caused.
165. In wrongfully interfering with AMERCOs prospective
economic advantage, Defendants
JOE, MARK and JAMES SHOEN acted maliciously and fraudulently, and
they oppressed AMERCO and
its stockholders, thus warranting the imposition of exemplary and punitive damages.
166. By reason of Defendants actions, AMERCO and its stockholders have suffered and
continue to suffer irreparable injury consisting of past financial losses, future losses of the
opportunity profit from U-Hauls position in the self-storage market, and the loss of stockholder
democratic rights. Unless restrained by this Court, this injury will
continue. Plaintiffs have no
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adequate or speedy remedy at law for these irreparable injuries and therefore are entitled to
injunctive relief.
FIFTH CAUSE OF ACTION
Unjust Enrichment
(Against the SAC Entities)
167. Plaintiffs incorporate by reference the allegations of paragraphs 1 through 137, above.
168. As a result of the misconduct alleged in this Complaint, the SAC Entities have received,
and they retain, money and property of AMERCO against the fundamental principles of justice or
equity and good conscience. The SAC Entities have been unjustly enriched at the expense of AMERCO and
its stockholders.
169. Conversely, AMERCO, Plaintiffs, and AMERCOs other stockholders have suffered irreparable
injuries for which they have no adequate remedy at law. Plaintiffs therefore are entitled to a
constructive trust on (a) all real properties that were transferred to the SAC Entities, (b) any
proceeds from those properties, and (c) any stockholder distributions paid by any of the SAC
Entities to any of the individual Defendants.
SIXTH CAUSE OF ACTION
Abuse of Control
(Against All Defendants)
170. Plaintiffs incorporate by reference the allegations of paragraphs 1 through 137,
above.
171. The Defendants owed duties, as controlling persons, to AMERCOs public shareholders not to
use their positions of control within the Company for their own personal interests and contrary to
the interest of AMERCOs public shareholders or permit their own bias and prejudice to influence
decisions they make affecting the Company so as to cause the Company or its subsidiaries to violate
the law.
172. The conduct by Defendants has amounted to an abuse of their abilities to control AMERCO in
violation of their obligations to AMERCO and AMERCOs public shareholders. As a result of Defendants
abuse of control, AMERCO has sustained and will continue to sustain
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irreparable injury for which it has no adequate remedy at law and therefore is entitled to
injunctive relief.
PRAYER FOR RELIEF
WHEREFORE, Plaintiffs, on behalf of AMERCO, pray for judgment as follows:
A. Declaring that the individual Defendants breached their fiduciary duties to AMERCO and
its stockholders through the misconduct alleged herein;
B. Declaring the transfers of self-storage properties from AMERCO to the SAC Entities to
be void, and quieting title to those properties in AMERCO;
C. Declaring that the transfers of self-storage properties from AMERCO, and the
exploitation of AMERCO resources in locating and developing those properties, have resulted in the
unjust enrichment of the SAC Entities at the expense of Plaintiffs and AMERCOs other stockholders
and imposing a constructive trust on all assets which those Defendants cannot, in equity and good
conscience, be allowed to retain;
D. Declaring that MARK SHOEN usurped AMERCOs corporate opportunities;
E. Awarding damages against all Defendants, jointly and severally, in an amount
representing the monetary damage suffered by AMERCO by reason of the misconduct alleged herein;
F. Imposing punitive damages on Defendants JOE, MARK and JAMES SHOEN for their oppressive,
fraudulent and malicious acts;
G. Awarding to Plaintiffs the costs and disbursements of this action, including
reasonable attorneys and experts fees;
H. Imposition of a constructive trust in favor of the Company for the amount of profits
each of the Defendants received since 1994 by diverting funds and assets away from AMERCO as
alleged herein;
I. Granting extraordinary equitable and/or injunctive relief as permitted by law,
equity, and state statutory provisions used hereunder;
LATHAM & WATKINS
LLP ATTORNEYS AT LAW LOS ANGELES |
LA\1649412.1 |
DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL |
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J. Preliminarily and permanently enjoining (1) any further transfers of AMERCO assets to
the SAC Entities; (2) any further use of AMERCO (or its subsidiaries) resources, including
employees, to identify, purchase or develop properties on behalf of the SAC Entities; (3) any
disposition of self-storage properties by the SAC Entities to third parties; and (4) any
disbursement of assets from the SAC Entities to MARK SHOEN; and
L. For such other and further relief as the Court may determine is just and proper.
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Dated: November 8, 2006 |
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
MARTHA J. ASHCRAFT
JAMES E. BERCHTOLD
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By: |
/s/ Jasmine K. Mehta for (SBN 8188)
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JAMES E. BERCHTOLD |
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3993 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Suite 600
Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
Telephone: (702) 949-8200
Facsimile: (702) 949-8352
Attorneys for Plaintiff Paul F. Shoen
LATHAM & WATKINS LLP
MARC W. RAPPEL (admitted pro hac vice)
BRIAN T. GLENNON (admitted pro hac vice)
633 West Fifth Street, Suite 4000
Los Angeles, California 90071-2007
Telephone: (213) 485-1234
Facsimile: (213) 891-8763
Attorneys for Plaintiff Paul F. Shoen
ROBBINS UMEDA & FINK LLP
BRIAN J. ROBBINS
KELLY M. McINTYRE
610 West Ash Street, Suite 1800
San Diego, CA 92101
Telephone: (619) 525-3990
Facsimile: (619) 525-3991
Attorneys for Plaintiff Ron Belec
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LATHAM & WATKINS
LLP ATTORNEYS AT LAW LOS ANGELES |
LA\1649412.1 |
DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL |
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BECKLEY SINGLETON CHTD
IKE L. EPSTEIN
DANIEL F. POLSENBERG
1875 Plumas Sheet, Suite 1
Reno, Nevada 89509-3387
Telephone: (775) 823-2900
Facsimile: (775) 823-2929
Attorneys for Plaintiff Ron Belec
BERMAN, DEVALERIO, PEASE,
TABACCO, BURT & PUCILLO
JOSEPH J. TABACCO, JR.
CHRISTOPHER HEFFELFINGER
425 California Street, Suite 2025
San Francisco CA 94104
Telephone: (415) 433-3200
Facsimile: (415) 433-6382
Attorneys for Plaintiff Glenbrook Capital
Limited Partnership
HAROLD B. OBSTFELD P.C
HAROLD B. OBSTFELD
260 Madison Avenue, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (212) 696-1212
Facsimile: (212) 696-1398
Attorneys for Plaintiff Alan Kahn
BECKLEY SINGLETON CHTD
DAVID WASICK
1875 Plumas Street, Suite 1
Reno, Nevada 89509-3387
Telephone: (775) 823-2900
Facsimile: (775) 823-2929
Attorneys for Plaintiffs Glenbrook Capital
Limited Partnership and Alan Kahn
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LLP ATTORNEYS AT LAW LOS ANGELES |
LA\1649412.1 |
DEMAND FOR JURY TRIAL |
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EXHIBIT G
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EXHIBIT C
Code: 2490 DANIEL HAYWARD (State Bar No. 5986) LAXALT & NOMURA, LTD.
9600 Gateway Drive Reno, Nevada 89521 Telephone: (775) 322-1170 Facsimile: (775) 322-1865 |
JACK W. LONDEN (Admitted Pro Hac Vice) MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP 425 Market Street
San Francisco, California 94105-2482 Telephone: (415) 268-7000 Facsimile: (415) 268-7522 |
Attorneys for Nominal Defendant AMERCO |
FILED 2007 SEP 13 AM 10:56 RONALD A. LONGTIN, JR. BY J. Ames DEPUTY |
IN THE SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT OF THE STATE OF NEVADA IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WASHOE |
In re AMERCO DERIVATIVE LITIGATION Master File No. CV02-05602 Dept. No. 6 |
This Document Relates To: ALL ACTIONS |
NOMINAL DEFENDANT AMERCOS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE
PLEADINGS OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, SUMMARY JUDGMENT;
MEMORANDUM OF POINTS AND
AUTHORITIES |
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Page
TABLE OF AUTHORITIES C-3
INTRODUCTION C-5
BACKGROUND AND CONCISE STATEMENT OF UNDISPUTED MATERIAL FACTS C-7
APPLICABLE STANDARDS C-8
ARGUMENT C-9
I. AMERCOS STOCKHOLDERS HAVE RATIFIED THE CHALLENGED SAC TRANSACTIONS C-9
A. Nevada Law Empowers Stockholders to Ratify Self-Interested Transactions C-9
B. The Proxy Statement Disclosed the Fact of Mark Sheens and James
Shoens Financial Interests in the SAC Transactions C-11
C. Holders of a Majority of AMERCOs Stock Voted to Ratify the
Challenged Transactions C-12
D. Because of Stockholder Ratification, the Business Judgment
Rules Presumption of Good Faith Applies to the Transactions C-13
E. Plaintiffs Fail to Allege Facts That Could Overcome the
Presumption of the Business Judgment Rule C-14
II. PLAINTIFF BELECS LETTER COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PROXY STATEMENT
FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT NRS 78.140 PROVIDES C-16
CONCLUSION C-18 |
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Bonicamp v. Vazquez,
120 Nev. 377, 91 P.3d 584 (2004) 4 |
In re BHC Communs. S Holder Litig.,
789 A.2d 1 (Del.Ch. 2001) 10 |
Cede & Co. v. Technicolor,
634 A.2d 345 (Del. 1993) 11
Duff v. Lewis,
114 Nev. 564, 958 P.2d 82 (1998) 4,5 |
In re Gen. Motors Class H Sholders Litig.,
734 A.2d 611 (Del. Ch. 1999) 9, 11 |
Kopicko v. Young,
114 Nev. 1333, 971 P.2d 789, (1998) 5 |
Lewis v. Vogelstein,
699 A.2d 327 (Del. Ch. 1997) 7
Occhiuto v. Occhiuto,
97 Nev. 143, 625 P.2d 568 (1981) 5 |
Parnes v. Bally Entmt Corp.,
722 A.2d 1243 (Del. 1999) 11, 12 |
In re Santa Fe Pac. Corp. Sholder Litig.,
669 A.2d 59 (Del. 1995) 1, 2, 7, s10 |
Shoen v. SAC Holding Corp.,
137 P.3d 1171 (Nev. 2006) 1, 11 fn. 5 |
Skeen v. Jo-Ann Stores, Inc.,
750 A. 2d 1170 (Del. 2000) 7 |
Solomon v. Armstrong,
747 A.2d 1098 (Del. Ch. 1998) 9, 11 |
Weinberger v. UOP. Inc.,
457 A.2d 701 (Del. 1983) 10 fn.4 |
In re Wheelabrator Techs., Inc. Sholders Litig., 663 A.2d 1194 (Del. Ch. 1995) 9 |
White v. Panic, 783 A.2d 543 (Del. 2001) 11 |
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(continued)
Page(s)
Wood v. Safeway, |
121 P.3d 1026 (Nev. 2005) 5
STATUTES & RULES |
Nev. Rev. Stat.
§ 78.138 11 |
§ 78.140 passim
Nev. R. of Civ. Proc.
12(c) 4
56(c) 5
8 Del. Code § 144(a)(2) 7, 8
OTHER AUTHORITIES
S. Bill No. 148, ch. 220, Stats. of Nev., 45th Sess. (1951) 6 fn.1
Assem. Bill No. 112, ch. 94,Stats. of Nev., 55th Sess. (l969) 6 & fn.1
Nev. S. Judiciary Minutes, 55th Sess. (1969) 6 |
Minutes of the Nev. State Leg., Joint S. & Assent. Comm. on the .,
Judiciary, 66th Sess. (1991) 6
Keith P. Bishop, The Delaware of the West: Does Nevada Offer Better |
Treatment for Directors than Delaware?, 7 No. 3 Insights, 20 (1993) 10
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AMERCO hereby moves for judgment on the pleadings or, in the alternative, summary judgment
based on the following memorandum of points and authorities and the supporting affidavit of
AMERCOs Corporate Secretary, Jennifer M. Settles, as well as the other pleadings and papers of
record in this action. AMERCO requests oral argument to be scheduled at the Courts convenience.
INTRODUCTION
The plaintiffs in this action purport to act an behalf of AMERCOs stockholders. But the State
of Nevada has enacted a procedure that allows the exercise of corporate democracy, through which
stockholders can speak for themselves. On August 20, 2007, AMERCOs stockholders cast a vote of
approval of the SAC transactions and a group of related transactions, covering all that has been
challenged in this case. The votes in favor of approval constitute 72% of AMERCOs shares entitled
to vote. Of votes cast for or against the proposal, 83% were votes to approve the transactions;
and the vote to approve would have been a majority without counting the votes of trusts controlled
by Joe Shoen, James Shoen, and Mark Shoen but Nevada law specifically requires that their votes
must be counted, as is discussed below.
The stockholder vote of approval disposes of plaintiffs contentions in this case. Ordinarily,
the actions of corporate officers and directors cannot be second-guessed in litigation because they
arc protected by the business judgment rule. As the Nevada Supreme Court has noted is this case.
The business judgment rule is a presumption that in making a business decision the
directors of a corporation acted on an informed basis, in good faith and in the honest
belief that the action taken was in the best interests of the company, In 1991, the
Nevada Legislature codified the business judgment rule at NRS 78.138.
Shoen v. SAC Holding Corp., 137 P.3d 1171, 1178-79 (Nev. 2006) (footnotes omitted). A shareholder
seeking judicial review of a corporate business decision or transaction must show in his complaint
that the business judgment rule presumption of good faith is not applicable to the decision or
transaction, or else the case will be dismissed. See, e.g., In re Santa Fe Pac. Corp. Sholder
Litig., 669 A.2d 59, 71 (Del. 1995) (where the business judgment rule attaches ab
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initio,... to survive a Rule 12(b)(6) motion, a plaintiff must allege well-pleaded facts to
overcome the presumption.)
Plaintiffs in this case have relied on two arguments as to why the business judgment rule is
not applicable: the assertion that the SAC transactions involved self-dealing by officers and
directors; and the argument that the transactions were ultra vires because the stockholders had not
approved. Both those arguments are no longer available, in view of the August 20 stockholder vote.
Nevada Revised Statute 78.140(2)(b) provides that transactions between the corporation and
directors and officers may be approved by a majority vote of stockholders who are aware of the fact
that officers or directors have a financial interest in the transactions.
The stockholder vote also moots plaintiffs contention that the SAC transactions
were ultra vires. Plaintiffs have contended (erroneously) that Article 11 of AMERCOs Articles of
Incorporation applies to the SAC transactions, and that the absence of stockholder approval of the
SAC transactions readers them ultra vires. Article 11 requires approval by holders of two-thirds of
the outstanding shares of AMERCO stock for certain types of transactions. Assuming for purposes of
argument that the SAC transactions are within these categories, the vote on August 20 would more
than satisfy the requirement of Article 11.
After the stockholder vote, there is no basis for finding that the business judgment rule does
not apply; and as a consequence, this action must be dismissed. AMERCOs stockholders have spoken
for themselves; and the plaintiffs can no longer purport to speak for them. These plaintiffs are,
after all, Paul Shoen, a dissident brother with a score to settle precisely because he does not
control the family voting block; Glenbrook Capital Limited Partnership, an entity controlled by
Paul Shoens attorney; and Ron Belec, who owns a grand total of eight shares of AMERCO stock. The
desire of these plaintiffs to cause AMERCO continued expense through this litigation is exactly
what AMERCOs stockholders voted overwhelmingly to preempt.
The only facts necessary for the Court to grant this motion are: (1) that when the
stockholders voted they were on notice of the fact of the common directorship, office or financial
interest on behalf of officers or directors (NRS 78.140(2)(b)); and (2) that a majority of
stockholders voted in favor of ratifying the transactions. Both are matters beyond good faith
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dispute. The AMERCO Proxy Statement which posed the motion to the stockholders itself clearly
stated that Mark Shoen and James Shoen have had interests in the challenged transactions. Thus, the
Court should dispose of this matter by judgment on the pleadings or, in the alternative, summary
judgment dismissing the action with prejudice.
BACKGROUND AND CONCISE STATEMENT OF UNDISPUTED MATERIAL FACTS
1. A group of 86 employee stockholders submitted to AMERCOs corporate secretary a proposal
that they requested be put to a vote of all stockholders at the Companys 2007 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders. They proposed:
That the shareholders vote to approve and affirm the actions taken by all AMERCO and its
subsidiaries Boards of Directors, officers and employees in entering into, and all
resulting contracts with SAC and ratify all SAC transactions amended or entered into by
AMERCO and any of its subsidiaries between 1992 and March 31, 2007.
(the Stockholder Proposal). See AMERCOs Definitive Proxy Statement filed July 10, 2007 (the
Proxy Statement) for the Companys 2007 Annual Meeting, winch is attached to the Affidavit of
Corporate Secretary Jennifer M. Settles In Support of Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings
(Settles Aff.), Ex. B at 25. The stockholders said the pending litigation and a desire to
protect the potential diminishment of shareholder equity prompted their proposal. (Id.)
2. In light of the pendency of this litigation, AMERCOs Board of Directors appointed a
Special Committee consisting of two Directors, Daniel R. Mullen and Michael L. Gallagher, who are
not named in any of the complaints filed in these actions and are not accused of being interested
in the SAC transactions. The Board delegated to the Special Committee the authority to
independently consider the relevant issues and advise the AMERCO Board as to whether it was
appropriate to include the Stockholder Proposal on the agenda for the Annual Meeting, and include
appropriate disclosures about the Stockholder Proposal in the Proxy Statement. (Settles Aff. Ex. A.).
The Special Committee advised the AMERCO Board that it was appropriate to include the Stockholder
Proposal on the agenda for the Annual Meeting, and reviewed draft disclosures in the Proxy
Statement regarding the Stockholder Proposal. (Settles Aff., ¶ 4.)
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3. The Proxy Statement set forth the Stockholder Proposal.
(Settles Aff., Ex. B at 25.) Among
other things, it disclosed that Defendants Mark Shoen and James Shoen held financial interests in
the SAC transactions and that Mark Shoen substantially owns and controls SAC and that Mark Shoen is
a director and officer of SAC. (Id. at 20-21; 25.) The Proxy Statement also provided a ten page
discussion of the SAC transactions. (Id. at 25-34.) This discussion included a description of 230
properties sold to SAC; their purchase prices, and appraised values. (Id. at 26-31.) It disclosed
the range of interest rates 8% to 9% undertaken by SAC on the debt; and included specific
notes as exhibits. The Proxy Statement set out the management fees collected by the Companys
subsidiaries totaling $111,553,000 in addition to the interest on the debt received by Company
subsidiaries. (Id. at 31-32.) The Proxy Statement also described the transfers between SAC and the
Company of equity interests and purchase options. It disclosed key terms of leases, loans, property
management agreements, and dealership agreements. (See generally id. at 20-22, 25-34.) joe Proxy
Statement also appended 204 pages of related agreements and debt instruments. (Id. at Proxy
Statement Exs. F-Z.) All transactions referred to in the Second Amended Consolidated Derivative
Complaint (and some other transactions not mentioned) were covered by the Stockholder Proposal and
the Proxy Statement.
4. Consistent with the recommendations provided by the Special Committee, the Company took no
position as to whether that proposal should be approved or rejected by the stockholders. (Id. at
25.)
5. On August 20, 2007, AMERCO stockholders approved the Stockholder Proposal. Of the
20,059,314 voting shares outstanding as of the June 22, 2007 record date, the total of shares voted
For the Stockholder proposal is 14,404,454; 2,944,200 shares were voted Against the Stockholder
Proposal; 2,167,075 shares were recorded as Abstain; and 3,866 shares were recorded as Broker
Non-Votes. . (Settles Aff., ¶ 6.) The votes to approve were 72% of shares entitled to vote, and 83%
of votes cast For or Against. (Id.)
APPLICABLE STANDARDS
A court should grant a motion for judgment on the pleadings where there are no material facts
in dispute and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. NRCP 12(c);
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Bonicamp v. Vazquez, 120 Nev. 377,379,91 P.3d 584, 585 (2004); Duff v. Lewis, 114 Nev. 564, 568, 958
P.2d 82, 85 (1998). A motion for judgment on the pleadings succeeds where the allegations in the
complaint, if true, would not entitle plaintiff to relief. Duff, 114 Nev. at 568, 958 P.2d at 85. In
considering a motion for judgment on the pleadings, the court can properly consider the pleadings
and matters subject to judicial notice, Occhiuto v. Occhiuto, 97 Nev. 143, 145, 625 P.2d 569-70;
otherwise, the court shall treat the motion as one for summary judgment. NRCP 12(c); Kopicko v.
Young, 114 Nev. 1333,1335-36, 971 P.2d 789, 790 (1998).
Summary judgment is appropriate whenever the pleadings, discovery, and affidavits show that there
is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to a judgment as
a matter of law. NRCP 56(c); see Wood v. Safeway, 121 P.3d 1026, 1029 (Nev. 2005). The pleadings
and evidence must be construed in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, but that party
bears the burden to do more than simply show that there is some metaphysical doubt as to the
operative facts. Wood, 121 P.3d at 1031 (quoting Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp.,
475 U.S. 574, 586 (1986)).
ARGUMENT
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AMERCOS STOCKHOLDERS HAVE RATIFIED THE CHALLENGED SAC TRANSACTIONS. |
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Nevada Law Empowers Stockholders to Ratify Self-Interested Transactions. |
Nevadas Legislature created a procedure for stockholders to approve transactions challenged
on the basis of interest on the part of corporate officers... or directors. NRS 78.140 of the Nevada
General Corporations Law provides that such a transaction is neither void nor voidable where
stockholders, aware that such a financial interest exists, ratify the transaction by a majority
vote.
Specifically, the statute provides that:
A contract or other transaction is not void or voidable solely because: (a) The
contract or transaction is between a corporation and... [o]ne or more of its directors
or officers... or another corporation, firm or association in which one or more of its
directors or officers are directors or officers or are financially interested.
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NRS 78.140(1)(a)(2).
Subsection 2 of NRS 78.140 then delineates [t]he circumstances in which a contract or other
transaction is not void or voidable because of self-interest. Under that Subsection 2, a contract
is not voidable because of self-dealing if:
(b) The fact of the common directorship, office or financial interest is known to the
stockholders, and they approve or ratify the contract or transaction in good faith by a
majority vote of stockholders holding a majority of the voting power. The votes of the
common or interested directors or officers must be counted in any such vote of
stockholders.
NRS 78.140(2)(b).
Nevada has chosen to make stockholder ratification of corporate transactions with officers and
directors more readily available, and subject to clearer and simpler standards, than is true under
the laws of other states. NRS 78.140 carries out a state policy, articulated repeatedly over the
years, to make Nevada a more favorable place to conduct business and attract new business into the
state. Minutes of the Nev. State Leg., Joint S. & Assem. Comm. on the Judiciary, 66th Sess, at 2
(1991). In 1969, this specific section, NRS 78.140(2)(b), was amended.1 Assem. Bill No.
112, ch. 94, Stats. of Nev., 55th Sess., at 113 (1969). Describing this amendment, the Legislative
Minutes state that it liberalized the law in allowing the officers and directors to operate more
freely. Nev. S. Judiciary Minutes, 55th Sess., at 3 (1969).
Nevada provides the option of allowing an exercise in corporate democracy to decide that the
corporation may validly do business with its officers and directors. By so doing, Nevada allows
corporations a range of business strategies that elsewhere would involve the risk of litigation.
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The amendment provided that transactions between the corporation and financially
interested officers, as well as directors, could be ratified; and that a ratification vote requires
only a majority vote... of stockholders holding a majority of shares. Assem. Bill No. 112, ch.
94, Stats, of Nev., 55th Sess., at 113 (1969) (emphasis original). The previous language had
required a majority vote... of shareholders entitled to vote. S. Bill No. 148, ch. 220, Stats. of
Nev., 45th Sess., at 328 (1951). Before the 1969 change, approval by holders of an absolute
majority of shares would have been required, even if the shares voted were lower. Significantly,
either standard would be met by the August 20 vote. |
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The Proxy Statement Disclosed the Fact of Mark Shoens and James Shoens
Financial Interests in the SAC Transactions. |
As noted above, Nevada requires disclosure of the fact of an officers or directors interest
in a challenged transaction. NRS 78.140(2)(b). In adopting this standard, the Nevada
Legislature rejected the murky disclosure requirements of Delawares statute, which obliges a
transactions proponents to identify all material facts concerning the transaction and the
directors interest in it. 8 Del. C. § 144(a)(2). Because Delawares analogous statute does not
contain anything equivalent to NRS 78.140(2)(b), Delaware courts gauge materiality under the
amorphous standard of whether there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable stockholder
would deem a fact important in deciding their vote, Skeen v. Jo-Ann Stores, Inc., 750 A.2d 1170,
1172 (Del. 2000) (citations omitted). Accordingly, proxy disclosures are a source of endless
controversy. See. e.g., In re Santa Fe Pac. Corp. Sholder Litig., 669 A.2d at 67 (ratification
ineffective where merger and not defensive measures were disclosed); Lewis v. Vogelstein, 699 A.2d
327,331 (Del. Ch. 1997) (plaintiffs argued ratification ineffective because disclosures were
ineffective).
Under the straightforward and objective disclosure standard set by Nevadas statute, the
requirement was fully satisfied by the Proxy Statements disclosures that Mark Shoen and James
Shoen have financial interests in the challenged transactions. (Settles Aff., Ex. B at 20-21, 25.)
Indeed, as discussed above, the Proxy Statement disclosure went much further, disclosing, among
other things, key elements and terms of the transactions, and providing copies of significant
agreements. (See generally id. at. 26-34 and Proxy Statement Exs. G-Z.) As such, the Proxy Statement
exceeded NRS 78.140(2)(b) s requirements.2 A lawyer for one of the plaintiffs in this
case, Ron Belec owner of eight shares of AMERCO stock wrote a letter that was obviously
intended to hedge against a stockholder vote in favor of ratifying the transactions. The letter
criticizes the Proxy Statement for failing to disclose facts about the lawsuit and the
transactions.
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Of course, in weighing whether to ratify the SAC transactions, AMERCO stockholders were not
limited to the Proxy Statement. Stockholders could have reviewed the Companys reported results and
they could have considered the performance of AMBRCOs common stock price, which has increased more
man 180% since the Company emerged from Chapter 11 protection. (Id. at ¶ 12.) |
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(The letter is discussed in detail in Section II below.) The short but sufficient answer to Mr.
Belec is that the disclosures were more than sufficient to meet the requirement of NRS
78.140(2)(b).
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Holders of a Majority of AMERCOs Stock Voted Ratify the Challenged
Transactions. |
NRS 78.140(2)(b)s voting provisions are similarly straightforward, requiring approval by a
majority vote of stockholders holding a majority of the corporations voting power. NRS
78.140(2)(b). Once again, the statute reflects the Nevada Legislatures rejection of Delawares
impediments to ratification of self-interested transactions. For unlike Delaware, which requires
approval of self-interested transactions by a majority of disinterested stockholders, 8 Del. C. §
144(a), Nevada explicitly requires that votes of interested stockholders be counted. NRS
78.140(2)(b) (The votes of the... interested directors or officers must be counted in any such
vote of stockholders) (emphasis added). Importantly, the statute does not disqualify votes by
controlling interested stockholders.
Here, stockholders holding a majority of the voting power cast votes on the proposal and a
majority vote of those stockholders approved and ratified the SAC transactions; and that My
satisfies the requirements of NRS 78.140(2)(b). Indeed, the approval vote far exceeded the
statutory requirement, in that, as discussed above, holders of 72% of the Companys common stock
voted in favor of the Stockholder Proposal. This total includes proxies cast by defendants Joe
Shoen, James Shoen, and Mark Shoan as the statute provides but the Stockholder Proposal would
have received majority approval by those voting, without including their votes.3 In sum,
the stockholders on whose behalf plaintiffs purport to act have soundly rejected further pursuit of
this case.4
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Based on the final official vote count, as set forth in Settles Aff. ¶6, without
including their shares and assuming that all their shares held by brokers were voted in favor of
the proposal (although some may have been voted abstain or not voted), the approval vote would
have been at least 56% of other shares voted for or against the Stockholder Proposal. |
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Over 14 million shares were voted in favor of ratification. (Settles Aff., Ex. C.)
Plaintiff Ron Belec, by contrast, owns eight shares of AMERCO stock. (Settles Aff., Ex. G.) |
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Because of Stockholder Ratification, the Business Judgment Rules
Presumption of Good Faith Applies to the Transactions. |
The Nevada Legislature wrote key provisions of the States corporate governance statutes to
permit Nevada corporations to be free of regulation and judicial scrutiny imposed by other states,
such as Delaware. Ratification of transactions involving interested officers and directors is
exactly such a provision. Although the Nevada Supreme Court has yet to speak to the effect of
ratification under NRS 78.140, the statutes disclosure and voting provisions manifest the
Legislatures determination to depart from Delaware standards and give stockholders undiluted
authority to approve self-interested transactions.
Uniform application of the business judgment rule to ratified transactions avoids a
problematic area of Delaware corporate governance law. The legal effect of shareholder
ratification, as it relates to alleged breaches of the duty of loyalty, may be one of the most
tortured areas of Delaware law. Solomon v. Armstrong, 747 A.2d 1098, 1114 (Del. Ch. 1998) affd,
746 A.2d 277 (Del. 2000). The Delaware Chancery Court has noted that it must apply a different rule
for every permutation of facts that fall under the broad umbrella of duty of loyalty claims. Id.
at 1115.
In cases of self-dealing, after ratification of self-dealing transactions by shareholders
without the participation of interested controlling shareholders, Delaware courts apply the
business judgment rule presumption of good faith. In re Wheelabrator Techs., Inc. Sholders Litig,
663 A.2d 1194, 1202 (Del. Ch. 1995) (business judgment rule applies where shareholders have
ratified transaction with interested party and there is no controlling shareholder); In re Gen.
Motors Class H Sholders Litig., 734 A.2d 611,616 (Del. Ch. 1999) (business judgment rule applies
where shareholders were afforded tie opportunity to decide for themselves on accurate disclosures
and in a non-coercive atmosphere). If, however, the transaction involves a controlling
stockholder, the Delaware courts subject the ratified transaction to judicial review of
sf-2387153
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the fairness of the transaction, with the burden of proof on the plaintiff to prove that the
transaction was not fair.5
The Nevada Legislature deliberately eased stockholder ratification in precisely the
circumstance Delaware would subject transactions to judicial review of their fairness. As discussed
above, NRS 78.140(2)(b) mandates that a corporation count the vote of interested stockholders,
regardless of whether they maintain a controlling interest. As a contemporary commentator noted,
under the plain language of the statute, a substantial stockholder may vote to ratify a transaction
in which he is interested. See, e.g., Keith P. Bishop, The Delaware of the West: Does Nevada Offer
Better Treatment for Directors than Delaware?, 7 No. 3 Insights, 20 (1993).
Nevadas consciously permissive ratification statute is more accommodating to stockholder
democracy in ratifying transactions between the corporation and its officers or directors that a
legal standard, like Delawares, than subjects such ratified transactions to judicial review of
their fairness to the corporation. In Nevada, after stockholder ratification the business judgment
rules presumption of good faith applies.
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E. |
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Plaintiffs Fail to Allege Facts That Could Overcome the Presumption of the
Business Judgment Rule. |
Plaintiffs claims must be dismissed on the pleadings because plaintiffs have not alleged
facts now that the self-dealing allegation has been eliminated by stockholder ratification
that could overcome the business judgment rule presumption of good faith. In re Santa Fe Pac.
Corp. Sholder Litig., 669 A.2d at 71; see also In re BHC Communs. SHolder Litig., 789A.2d 1, 4
(Del. Ch. 2001) (it is a bedrock principle of Delaware corporate law that, where a claim for
breach of fiduciary duty fails to contain allegations of fact that, if true, would rebut
the
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Weinberger v. UOP, Inc., 457 A.2d 701, 703 (Del. 1983) (where corporate action
[involving a controlling shareholder] has been approved by an informed vote of a majority of the
minority shareholders, we conclude that fee burden entirely shifts to the plaintiff to show that
the transaction was unfair to the minority). |
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presumption of the business judgment rule, that claim should ordinarily be dismissed under Rule
12(b)(6)).6
Nevadas statutory business judgment rule provides: Directors and officers, in deciding upon
matters of business, are presumed to act in good faith, on an informed basis and with a view to
the interests of the corporation. NRS 78.138(3). To proceed beyond the pleadings in this action,
plaintiffs must allege well-pleaded facts demonstrating that the decision under attack is so far
beyond the bounds of reasonable judgment that it seems essentially inexplicable on any ground other
than bad faith. Panes v. Bally Entmt Corp.. 722 A.2d 1243,1246 (Del. 1999) (internal quotation and
citation omitted). Where a plaintiff fails to meet this burden, such as here, the business judgment
rule attaches to protect corporate officers and directors and decisions they make. Cede & Co. v.
Technicolor, 634 A.2d 345, 361 (Del. 1993). In applying the business judgment rule, courts will not
overturn action taken by directors unless [the action] cannot be attributed to any rational
business purpose. Id. at 361 (quoting Sinclair Oil Corp. v. Levien, 280 A.2d 717, 720 (Del.
1971)). Delaware courts will not second-guess these business judgments. Id.
Dismissal is proper where the plaintiff fails to rebut the presumption of the business
judgment rule because the purpose of the rule is to preclude a court from imposing itself
unreasonably on the business and affairs of a corporation. Cede & Co., 634 A. 2d at 360. See also
While v. Panic, 783 A.2d 543, 553 (Del. 2001) (failing to plead facts indicating the challenged
decisions were anything other than routine business decisions held insufficient to overcome
business judgment rule presumption); Solomon, 747 A.2d at 1118 (plaintiff failed to allege
allegations sufficient to overcome presumption of business judgment rules); In re Gen. Motors
Class H Sholders Litig., 734 A.2d at 616 (same).
Nothing in the Third Amended Complaint concerning the SAC transactions, however, satisfies
this standard. Shorn of the self-dealing arguments (presented under several legal
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The Nevada Supreme Court has relied on Delaware cases regarding the business
judgment rule and its procedural consequences. Shoen v. SAC Holding Corp., 137 P.3d 1178-79, and
fns. 7-10, 12. |
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rubrics), plaintiffs allegations simply complain that the terms of the SAC transactions should
have been more favorable to the Company. Merely complaining about the soundness of business
transactions, though, is insufficient to rebut the business judgment rule. For a court to Inject
itself in the business dealings of a company because a plaintiff questions to rationale behind a
decision of management or, here, a decision of a majority of the shareholders would defeat
the purpose of the rule and its presumption.
Moreover, plaintiffs allegations of purported ultra vires acts consisted of the absence of
stockholder approval pursuant to Article 11 of the AMERCO Articles of Incorporation. That
contention was legally baseless, but in any event the stockholder approval vote on August 20
exceeded the stockholder approval percentage that would satisfy Article 11. 7
Plaintiffs have not alleged any facts sufficient to rebut the presumption of the business
judgment rule. They have not alleged (and cannot ultimately prove) that the decisions to engage in
the SAC transactions are so far beyond the bounds of reasonable judgment that only bad faith can
explain them. Parnes, 722 A.2d at 1246 (internal quotation and citation omitted). Because plaintiffs
have not met their burden, the Court should grant AMERCOs motion.
II. |
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PLAINTIFF BELECS LETTER COMPLAINING ABOUT THE PKOXY STATEMENT FAILED TO
ACKNOWLEDGE WHAT NRS 78.140 PROVIDES. |
On August 6, 2007, just two weeks before the Companys Annual Meeting, counsel for plaintiff
Ron Belec wrote a letter to the Companys counsel listing purported deficiencies in the Proxy
Statement (Settles Aff., Ex. D.) The letter asserted that the Proxy Statement. (l) should have
described the anticipated effect of ratification on the derivative action; (2) should have
included findings by the Special Committee; (3) improperly omitted the allegations of the Third
Amended Complaint; (4) failed to disclose facts about property sales and related appraisals and
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The Complaints Third Cause of Action asserts that the SAC transactions were
ultra vires because they had not been approved by the holders of two-thirds of the Companys common
stock. (Compl., ¶¶ 153-61.) Plaintiffs allege that such approval is required by Article 11 of the
Companys Articles of Incorporation. (Id.) This contention rests on a misinterpretation of what
Article 11 covers. But even assuming Article 11 applied, fee approval of the Stockholder Proposal
by the holders of 72% of the Companys common stock exceeds the approval percentage in that
provision. (Settles Aff., ¶ 6.) |
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lending; and (5) failed to explain why the Companys strategic business plan had not been
published.
As an initial matter, as discussed above, Nevada does not require disclosure relating to
self-interested transactions beyond the fact of such interest NRS 78.140; see supra Section I.B.
Tellingly, in arguing that the Proxy Statement was materially misleading, plaintiff Belec cited
exclusively to Delaware cases applying that states all material facts standard. (Settles Aff.
Ex. D at 3-4.)
Under Nevada law, the fulsome disclosure of the Proxy Statement was more than adequate.
Plaintiffs complaints were without substance and should be rejected for the following reasons:
1. Effect on Derivative Litigation. Plaintiff Belec argued that the Proxy Statements failure
to describe the impact, if any, the Company believes shareholder ratification will have on the
litigation rendered the Proxy Statement misleading. (Id. at 2.) But companies are not required to
anticipate the Courts legal conclusions. If the Company had made any prediction of the
consequences of ratification, plaintiffs no doubt would have assailed that as misleading and
improper.
2. Findings by the Special Committee. Plaintiff Belec faults the Special Committee for failing
to report findings in the Proxy Statement. (Id.) But Nevada does not require a Board of Directors,
or a committee with delegated authority on behalf of the Board, to make findings. Moreover, the
Proxy Statement accurately and affirmatively stated that the Special Committee took no position on
the Stockholder Proposal. (Settles Aff, Ex. Bat 25.)
3. Allegations of the Derivative Complaint. The Proxy Statement describes this derivative
litigation and its procedural history. (See id. at 22-23.) This did not, however, satisfy plaintiff
Belec. Because the Proxy Statement failed to repeat the key allegations of the Third Amended
Complaint, he asserted, the Company was obligated to make [the Third Amended Complaint] publicly
available and accessible. The Third Amended Complaint, however, is a public document, on file with
the Court, and readily accessible to anyone interested enough to
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request a copy. Moreover, disclosure of the plaintiffs allegations was not necessary to satisfy
the requirement of NRS 78.140(2)(b).
4. Facts Concerning Property Sales, Appraisals, and Lending. Plaintiff Belec claimed that the
Proxy Statement omitted Facts relating to SAC real property sales, appraisals, and loans. Some of
plaintiffs complaints were cryptic. He said, for example, that the Proxy Statement omitted SAC
transactions but plaintiff failed to specify which were missing. Some facts plaintiff said had been
omitted were, in fact, included. Plaintiff charged, for example, that there is no mention of the
SAC Entities sale of real property back to AMERCO. Plaintiff was incorrect. (See id. at 33
(describing conveyance of real property to two Company subsidiaries).) Sometimes plaintiff faulted
the Company for failing fully to reveal the obvious, implied, or unimportant, such as the alleged
participation of Company employees in SAC transactions or the methodology by which purchase prices,
appraisal values, and loans were calculated. (Settles Aff., Ex. D at 3.) Other questions posed by
plaintiff were simply rhetorical. (See, e.g., id. (explain how AMERCO concluded that these terms
were, in all material respects, fair to the Company); id (why would the Company assume the risk
of making loans to SAC).) None of these purported defects, however, altered the fact that the Proxy
Statement disclosed what NRS 78.140(2)(b) requires and far more, including the fundamental business
terms, and many of the details, of every challenged transaction.
5. Strategic Business Plan. Finally and, according to his letter, most importantly, plaintiff Belec laments the Proxy
Statements failure to explain why the referenced strategic
business plan was never disclosed previously, or why it has never been approved by the Board. But
this again is mere rhetoric The Companys business operations and plans are the subject of many
public statements, and a description of the SAC corporate structure and transactions has been
included regularly in quarterly and annual statements during the whole period covered by the Third
Amended Complaint.
CONCLUSION
Using the procedure for stockholder democracy provided by Nevadas corporate governance law,
AMERCOs stockholders have affirmed the very transactions which plaintiffs
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have sought to halt and unwind. (Third Amended Complaint, ¶ 1.) Nevada law, and the States policy
favoring direct stockholder democracy in such matters, require that the stockholders decision be
given full effect. Thus, the Court should dismiss this litigation with prejudice.
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Dated: September 12, 2007 |
LAXALT & NOMURA, LTD.
DANIEL HAYWARD
JACK W. LONDEN
(Admitted Pro Hac Vice)
MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP
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By: |
Daniel Hayward |
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Attorneys for Nominal Defendant AMERCO |
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EXHIBIT H
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exhibit d Code: 2645
MARTHA J. ASHCRAFT
Nevada State Bar No. 1208
JAMES E. BERCHTOLD
Nevada State Bar No. 5874
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
3993 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Suite 600
Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
Telephone: (702) 949-8200
Facsimile: (702) 949-8352 |
MARC W. RAPPEL (admitted pro hac vice)
BRIAN T. GLENNON (admitted pro hac
vice) LATHAM & WATKINS LLP 633 West
Fifth Street, Suite 4000 Los Angeles,
California 90071-2007 Telephone: (213)
485-1234 Facsimile: (213) 891-8763 |
[Additional Counsel listed on signature page] |
IN THE SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT OF THE STATE
OF NEVADA IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WASHOE |
In re AMERCO DERIVATIVE LITIGATION Case no.CV02-05602
Consolidated with:
(1) Case No. CV02-06331;
(2) Case No. CV03-02486; and
(3) Case No. CV03-02617 |
This Document Relates to:
ALL ACTIONS Dept. No. B6 |
PLAINTIFFS OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANT AMERCOS MOTION FOR
JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, SUMMARY
JUDGMENT; PLAINTIFFS REQUEST FOR A CONTINUANCE TO TAKE
LIMITED DISCOVERY PURSUANT TO NEV. R. CIV. P. 56(f) IN THE
ALTERNATIVE |
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
50 WEST LIbeRty Street, StE. 410
RENO. NV 89501
(775) 823-2900 |
PLAINTIFFS OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS/SUMMARY JUDGMENT |
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Page
I. INTRODUCTION D-6
II. FACTUAL BACKGROUND D-7
A.The Self-Dealing Scheme D-7
B.The Proxy and the Shareholder Vote D-7
III. STANDARD OF REVIEW D-11
IV. THE SHAREHOLDER VOTE IS INVALID BECAUSE THE PROXY
FAILED TO DISCLOSE MATERIAL FACTS D-12
A. Defendants Independent Duty of Disclosure D-12
B. Defendants Failed to Disclose Multiple Material Facts in
the Proxy D-13
V. DEFENDANTS ARGUMENTS REGARDING SECTION 78.140 AND
THE BUSINESS JUDGMENT RULE ARE UNSUPPORTABLE D-15
A. Compliance With Section 78.140 Does Not Automatically
Restore the Business Judgment Rule D-15
B. Defendants Bear the Burden of Establishing the Entire
Fairness of the Challenged Transactions D-18
VI. IN THE ALTERNATIVE, THE COURT SHOULD CONTINUE THE MOTION AND
PERMIT PLAINTIFFS TO CONDUCT LIMITED DISCOVERY D-20
VII. CONCLUSION D-21 |
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
50 west LIBERTY Street, ste. 410
RENO, NV 89501
(775) 823-2900 |
PLAINTIFFS OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS/SUMMARY JUDGMENT |
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Ameritrade, Inc. v. First Interstate Bank, 105 Nev. 696, 782 P.2d 1318 (1989) 7
Arnold v. Society for Sav. Bancorp, Inc., 650 A.2d 1270 (Del. 1994) 7
Aviation Ventures, Inc. v. Joan Morris, Inc., 110 P.3d 59 (Nev. 2005) 7
Bakerink v. Orthopedic Assoc. Ltd., 94 Nev. 428, 581 P.2 d9 (1978) 7
Beatty v. Bright, 318 F. Supp. 169 (S.D. Iowa 1970) 9
Bershad v. Curtiss-Wright Corp., 535 A.2d 840 (Del. 1987) 8
Carlson v. Hallinan, 925 A.2d 506 (Del. Ch. 2006) 7,13
Cinerama, Inc. v. Technicolor, Inc., 663 A.2d 1156 (Del. 1995) 15 |
Cohen v. Mirage Resorts, Inc.,
119 Nev. l, 62 P.3d 720 (2003)7,8
Dennison v. Allen Group Leasing Corp.,
110 Nev. 181,871 P.2d 288 (1994) 6
Emerald Partners v. Berlin,
787 A.2d 85 (Del. 2001) 14 |
Fliegler v. Lawrence, 361 A.2d 218 (Del. 1976) 11 14 15
Foster v. Arata, 74 Nev. 143, 325 P.2d 759 (1958) 13 |
Gottlieb v. Heyden Chemical Corp., 91 A.2d 57 (Del. 1952) 14 |
Halimi v. Blacketor, 105 Nev. 105, 770 P.2d 531 (1989) 15 |
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
50 WEST LIBERTY STREET, STE. 410
REHO, NV 89501
(775) 823-2900
PLAINTIFFS OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS/SUMMARY JUDGMENT |
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Hilton Hotels Corp. v. ITT Corp., 978 F. Supp. 1342 (D. Nev. 1997) 11 |
HMG/Courtland Properties v. Gray, 749 A.2d 94 (Del. Ch. 1999) 11 |
In
re General Motors Class H Shareholders Litig.,734 A.2d 611 (Del. Ch. 1999) 8
In re Wheelabrator Tech., Inc. Sec. Litig., 663 A.2d 1194 (Del. 1995) 14 |
Kahn v. Lynch Comm. Sys., Inc., 638 A.2d 1110 (Del. 1994) 13 14
Leavitt v. Leisure Sports Inc., 103 Nev. 81, 734 P.2d 1221 (1987) 7
Lichtenberg v. Besicorp Group, Inc., 43 F. Supp. 2d 376 (S.D.N.Y. 1999) 8 9
Marciano v. Nakash, 535 A.2d 400 (Del. 1987) 11
Orman v. Cullman, 794 A.2d 5 (Del. Ch. 2002) 13
Schmidt v. Washoe County, 159 P.3d 1099 (Nev. 2007) 6
Shoen v. SAC Holding Corporation, 137 P.2d 1171 (Nev. 2006) 11 13
Solomon v. Armstrong, 747 A.2d 1098 (Del. 1999) 13 14
TSC Industs., Inc. v. Northway, Inc., 426 U.S. 438 (1976) 8 10
Valeant Pharm. v. Jenrey, 921 A.2d 732 (Del. Ch. 2007) 11
Weatherhead v. Griffin, 851 P.2d 993 (Idaho Ct. App. 1992) 8
Western Industs., Inc. v. General Ins. Co., 91 Nev. 222, 533 P.2d 473 (1975) 7
Zirn v. VLI Corp., 681 A.2d 1050 (Del. 1996) 7 |
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
50 WEST LIBERTY STREET, STE. 410
REHO, NV 89501
(775) 823-2900
PLAINTIFFS OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS/SUMMARY JUDGMENT |
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8 Del. C. § 144
10, 11, 12 8 Del. C. § 203(3) 15 |
N.R.S.
§78.140 passim N.R.S. § 78.439(3) 15 |
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
50 WEST LIBERTY STREET, STE. 410
REHO, NV 89501
(775) 823-2900
PLAINTIFFS OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS/SUMMARY JUDGMENT |
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This Motion is Defendants latest effort to avoid having to establish the
entire fairness of the transactions between AMERCO and the SAC Entities. Fifteen
years after AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities began, over five years after
this litigation commenced and only after the Court determined that the demand
requirement was excused as futile, Defendants attempted to seek shareholder
ratification of all of AMERCOs transactions with the SAC Entities. This belated
and highly suspect maneuver does not merit entry of judgment as a matter of law.
Moreover, Defendants cannot possibly demonstrate that the SAC transactions were fair
to AMERCO. Indeed, the proxy statement that Defendants filed in anticipation of the
shareholder vote admitted that the properties that AMERCO sold to the SAC Entities
had an appraised value that exceeded the sale prices by over $15 million.
This admission aside, the proxy statement was woefully deficient. Defendants
failed to inform shareholders that an affirmative vote would be used in an attempt
to dispose of this litigation and foreclose the possibility of the Company ever
recovering hundreds of millions of dollars in self-storage properties from the SAC
Entities. Similarly, Defendants stated that a Special Committee reviewed the
proposal, but failed to disclose what the Special Committee considered or concluded.
Finally, Defendants claimed that the proposal was spontaneously submitted by 86
AMERCO employees, but failed to explain how these employees reached a decision to
sponsor the proposal or whether Defendants solicited or encouraged their efforts.
From a legal standpoint, Defendants assertion that the shareholder vote
relieves them of the burden of establishing entire fairness is unsupported by any
authority. The entire fairness test remains the governing standard whenever a
derivative action challenges a transaction between a corporation, and a director or
officer who also is a controlling shareholder. The only question is which party has
the burden of demonstrating the entire fairness, or unfairness, of the challenged
transaction. In this case, because the shareholder proposal was not approved by a
fully-informed majority of non-interested shareholders, Defendants bear the burden
of establishing the entire fairness of AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities.
Defendants have not even attempted to satisfy this burden.
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
50 WEST LIBERTY STREET, STE. 410
REHO, NV 89501
(775) 823-2900
PLAINTIFFS OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS/SUMMARY JUDGMENT |
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In the alternative, if the Court concludes that the shareholder vote defeats
Plaintiffs derivative claims, Plaintiffs request a brief continuance to seek
limited discovery to oppose the Motion. Plaintiffs have not conducted any discovery
in this case. If Defendants improperly manipulated shareholder voting procedures, or
if the disclosures in the proxy contain material omissions or misrepresentations (in
addition to those discussed below), the vote on the shareholder proposal is invalid.
Permitting Plaintiffs to conduct limited discovery into the accuracy and
completeness of Defendants disclosures and the fairness of the shareholder voting
procedures will allow Plaintiffs to create a genuine issue of material fact and
defeat the Motion.
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A. |
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The Self-Dealing Scheme |
Defendants Joe, Mark and James Shoen (the Shoen Insiders), AMERCOs highest
ranking executive officers and controlling shareholders, along with the other
Defendants in this case, stripped AMERCO of its lucrative self-storage business
through a series of self-dealing transactions with special purpose entities owned
and controlled by Mark and James Shoen (the SAC Entities). (See Affidavit of James
E. Berchtold in Support of Plaintiffs Opposition to Defendants Motion (Aff.) at
Ex. A at ¶¶ 32-35.) Through sale contracts, lease arrangements and so-called management
agreements, Defendants transferred AMERCOs self-storage properties, and virtually
all revenues generated by AMERCOs self-storage business, to the SAC Entities at a
fraction of their fair market values. (Id. at ¶¶ 38-60.) The terms of these agreements
were not fair, they were not negotiated or reviewed by independent third parties or
analyzed by any independent committee, and Defendants never imposed any procedural
safeguards to ensure that AMERCOs interests or the interests of its minority
shareholders were protected. (Id.) As a result, the SAC Entities acquired one of
the nations largest and most profitable self-storage businesses with very little
money and virtually no risk. (Id.)
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B. |
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The Proxy and the Shareholder Vote |
On July 10, 2007, AMERCO filed a Definitive Proxy Statement (the Proxy) with
the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) for AMERCOs August 20, 2007
Annual
Shareholder Meeting. (See Affidavit of Jennifer Settles in Support of the Motion
(Settles Dec),
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
50 WEST LIBERTY STREET, STE. 410
REHO, NV 89501
(775) 823-2900
PLAINTIFFS OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS/SUMMARY JUDGMENT |
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at Ex. B.) The Proxy contained a proposal purportedly submitted by 86 employees of
AMERCO who sought to ratify all of Defendants actions involving the SAC Entities
over a 15-year period, including hundreds of self-dealing transactions (the
Stockholder Proposal). (Id. at 24-34.)
The exhibits attached to the Proxy demonstrate that the Stockholder Proposal
was not submitted to AMERCO until June 1, 2007. (See Settles Dec. at Ex. A.) Under
AMERCOs by-laws and the Companys Meeting Procedures, the deadline for submitting
proposals was March 16, 2007. (Aff. at Exs. D at 2, E at 19-20 and F at 3-4.) At
that time, AMERCOs motion to dismiss on demand futility grounds was still pending.
On March 29, 2007, the Court denied AMERCOs motion to dismiss, holding that the
particularized allegations in the amended pleading demonstrated that a majority of
the members of the AMERCO Board of Directors were interested parties
in the SAC transactions. (Id. at Ex. B.) Only after the Court concluded that the demand
requirement was excused, Defendants attempted to gain a strategic advantage in this
lawsuit (and avoid having to establish the entire fairness of the transactions) by
seeking shareholder approval for the transactions with the SAC Entities. Tellingly,
AMERCO filed the Proxy over 15 years after Defendants launched the scheme, and over
five years after Plaintiffs initiated this litigation.
The Proxy explained that the reason behind the Stockholder Proposal was
[p]ending litigation and to protect diminishment of shareholder equity. (See
Settles Dec. at Ex. B at 25.) The Proxy stated that [a] majority vote of
stockholders in favor of the Stockholder Proposal may have an effect on the
disposition of such litigation. (Id.) However, the Proxy failed to describe what
this effect might be. Notably, Defendants did not disclose that AMERCO intended to
use a shareholder vote in favor of the Stockholder Proposal as a basis for filing
a dispositive motion seeking to end the derivative action, to foreclose any
possibility of AMERCO recovering the properties that wrongfully were transferred to
the SAC Entities, to forego the recovery of any damages from the self-dealing scheme
and to release the individual Defendants from personal liability for egregious
breaches of their fiduciary duties.
Defendants description of this derivative litigation was equally
deficient. (Id. at 22.) Defendants failed to explain the reasons why
Plaintiffs alleged that the terms of AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities
were unfair, nor did Defendants explain the potential benefits to
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
50 WEST LIBERTY STREET, STE. 410
REHO, NV 89501
(775) 823-2900
PLAINTIFFS OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS/SUMMARY JUDGMENT |
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AMERCO and its shareholders if the derivative action were to succeed in unwinding
over $500 million in real property transactions and return over $200 million in
equity. (Id.) The Proxy stated that this Court determined that the AMERCO Board of
Directors had the requisite independence required to have these claims resolved by
the Board, but that the Nevada Supreme Court subsequently reviewed and remanded
that decision. (Id.) Defendants admitted that the Court ultimately denied AMERCOs
motion to dismiss, but failed to mention that in doing so, the Court concluded that
the particularized allegations established that a majority of the members of the
AMERCO Board of Directors were interested parties in the SAC transactions. (Aff. at
Ex. B; cf. Settles Dec. at Ex. B at 23.)
The Proxy identified a Special Committee that purportedly had evaluated the
proposal; the Proxy did not, however, disclose the Special Committees findings or
analysis.1 Furthermore, while the Company purportedly [made] no
recommendation with respect to the Stockholder Proposal, AMERCO included with the
Stockholder Proposal selected background information on certain transactions for
the stated purpose of helping stockholders make an informed decision. (Settles
Dec. at Ex. B at 25-34.) This background information was incomplete and inaccurate.
By way of illustration, but not limitation:
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The Proxy sought approval of all AMERCO
transactions with the SAC Entities from 1992 through 2007, yet the Proxy
did not disclose the terms of all such transactions. Instead, the Proxy
merely contained a summary of certain transactions that Defendants
selected. (Id.) |
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The Proxy failed to disclose that the terms of
AMERCOs transactions with the SAC Entities never were reviewed or
approved by an independent body, special committee or third party. (Id.) |
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The Proxy referred to certain independent
appraisals, but failed to identify who conducted and commissioned the
appraisals, nor did it explain why some properties either never were
appraised or were appraised over a year after the properties
were sold to
the SAC Entities. (Id.) |
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Defendants have since conceded that the Special Committee was appointed
solely to determine whether to include the Stockholder Proposal in the Proxy
Statement. (See Motion, at 3.) Thus, it appears that the terms of AMERCOs dealings
with the SAC Entities still have never been analyzed nor approved by any independent
body. |
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The Proxy described AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities as part of
a strategic business plan. (Id at 25.) Defendants failed to disclose
why this so-called strategic business plan was never approved by the
Board, or why the strategic business plan was never disclosed to
shareholders in the 15 years sincethese transactions began. |
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The Proxy failed to describe how the prices of the
properties sold or the terms of the loans made to the SAC Entities were
determined, or how AMERCO concluded that these terms were fair to the
Company. The Proxy also did not disclose whether the properties were
listed publicly for sale, were the subject of a competitive
bidding process or, instead, were made available exclusively to the SAC
Entities. |
Tellingly, the Proxy did contain one critical concession substantiating what
Plaintiffs have said all along: the sale prices at which AMERCO sold the properties
to the SAC Entities were fundamentally unfair, and did not reflect the fair market
value of the properties. (See id. at 26 (conceding that the appraised values of the
properties exceeded the prices at which they were sold by over $15 million).)2
While the Proxy solicitation was pending, Defendants hosted a web-based message
board on AMERCOs website, on which it appears they selectively posted anonymous
messages purportedly submitted by AMERCO stockholders. (Aff. at
¶ 8.). The messages
posted on the board overwhelmingly favored the Stockholder Proposal. Indeed, one
message stated:
I want to see if I am getting this right...
One of the possible benefits to voting in favor of the proposal
would be to add defense to a pending derivative lawsuit. The
suit appears to be a business disruption rather than a business
dispute. Its very clear that the many listed shareholder
sponsors of the proposal believe in the value of passing this
proposal. The lawsuit has the potential to diminish
shareholders equity (legal fees, distraction of key personnel,
etc.); with final judgment not likely many more years. The suit
does not appear to provide any benefit to the shareholders?
It appears to me that the Amerco shareholder proposal (Item #3)
is a no brainer with all upside potential and no downside for
shareholders. Does anyone see this differently?
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After Defendants filed the Proxy, Plaintiffs acknowledged that the
increased disclosure of AMERCOs transactions with the SAC Entities was a step in
the right direction, but Plaintiffs informed Defendants that the disclosures
surrounding the derivative litigation and the terms of the transactions with the SAC
Entities were materially deficient. (See Settles Dec. at Ex. D.) Rather than respond
to the merits of Plaintiffs concerns, Defendants requested proof of Plaintiff Ron
Belecs stock ownership. (Id. at Ex. E.) |
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With such a benefit and no risk, it seems obvious that this
would get a majority vote, although I believe, and would
appreciate confirmation if anyone knows for sure, that this
proposal would require a 2/3 vote in favor to continue? (Id.)
The Stockholder Proposal was put to a vote during AMERCOs Annual Meeting, on
August 20, 2007. The Shoen Insiders used their voting control to force the passage
of the Stockholder Proposal. Of the 14,404,454 shares that voted for the
proposal, at least 9,485,449 votes in favor of the proposal were cast by the Shoen
Insiders. (See Settles Dec. at ¶ 6.) Of the remaining votes, approximately 4,919,005
voted for the proposal (including the votes of the ESOP), while 5,654,860 shares
voted against the proposal, voted to abstain, were recorded as broker
non-votes, or did not cast a vote on the Stockholder Proposal. (Id.) Three weeks
after the vote, and before Plaintiffs conducted any discovery, Defendants filed this
Motion.
Summary judgment is appropriate only if the pleadings and other evidence on
file, viewed in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party, demonstrate that no
genuine issue of material fact remains in dispute and the moving party is entitled
to judgment as a matter of law. See Nev. R. Civ P. 56; see also Schmidt v. Washoe
County, 159 P.3d 1099, 1103 (Nev. 2007). The party moving for summary judgment has
the burden of establishing the non-existence of any genuine issue of material fact.
Dennison v. Allen Group Leasing Corp., 110 Nev. 181, 186-87, 871 P.2d 288, 291
(1994).3
Defendants have not come remotely close to meeting their burden to obtain
summary judgment. However, if the Court is not inclined to deny the Motion outright,
Plaintiffs request that the Motion be continued to permit limited discovery. A party
opposing a motion for summary judgment may move for a continuance to seek discovery
needed to oppose the pending motion. See Nev. R. Civ. P. 56(f); Aviation Ventures,
Inc. v. Joan Morris, Inc., 110 P.3d 59, 62 (Nev. 2005) (holding that the trial court
abused its discretion in granting defendants motion for summary
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Defendants have styled their motion as a Motion for Judgment on the
Pleadings or, in the Alternative, Summary Judgment. However, pursuant to Nev. R.
Civ. P. 12(c), a party may move for judgment on the pleadings only after the
pleadings are closed. In this case, Defendants have not yet filed an answer, and
therefore, a motion for judgment on the pleadings is premature. |
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judgment before plaintiff had any opportunity to conduct discovery). A continuance
is appropriate when the requesting party demonstrates how further discovery will
lead to the creation of a genuine issue of material fact. Id.
IV. |
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THE SHAREHOLDER VOTE IS INVALID BECAUSE THE PROXY FAILED TO DISCLOSE MATERIAL FACTS |
Defendants claim that N.R.S. § 78.140 limits their obligation to disclose
material facts in a proxy solicitation. (See Motion, at 7.) Defendants fiduciary
duty to disclose all material facts when seeking shareholder action, however, exists
independently of and in addition to the disclosure requirements contemplated by
N.R.S. § 78.140. Because Defendants failed to disclose multiple material facts in
the Proxy, the vote on the Stockholder Proposal has no effect.
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Defendants Independent Duty of Disclosure |
To have any effect, stockholder ratification must be by a majority of the
disinterested and fully-informed stockholders. Carlson v. Hallinan, 925 A.2d 506,
530 (Del. Ch. 2006) (emphasis added). Indeed, the Nevada Supreme Court has long
recognized the duty of full disclosure as one of the core fiduciary duties of a
corporate officer or director. See Leavitt v. Leisure Sports Inc., 103 Nev. 81,
86, 734 P.2d 1221, 1224 (1987) (A corporate officer or director stands as a fiduciary
to the corporation.... [t]his fiduciary relationship requires a duty of good faith,
honesty and full disclosure.); Western Industs., Inc. v. Gen. Ins. Co., 91 Nev. 222,
228, 533 P.2d 473, 476 (1975) (same). The duty of disclosure attaches to proxy
statements and any other disclosures in contemplation of stockholder action. Arnold
v. Society for Sav. Bancorp, Inc., 650 A.2d 1270, 1280 (Del. 1994). In fact, even
where fiduciaries are not otherwise required to disclose information, once
defendants travel-down the road of partial disclosure... they [have] an obligation
to provide the stockholders with an accurate, full, and fair characterization of
whatever they disclose. Id. at 1277. See also Zirn v. VLI Corp., 681 A.2d 1050,
1056-58 (Del. 1996).
In Cohen v. Mirage Resorts, Inc., 119 Nev. 1, 11, 62 P.3d 720, 727 (2003), a
case involving alleged violations of fiduciary duties in connection with a proposed
merger, the Nevada Supreme Court (relying on Delaware law), acknowledged corporate
directors general duties ... to fully disclose material information to the
shareholders before a vote is taken on a proposed merger,
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even though no such requirement is set forth in the corresponding merger statute.
Id. (citing N.R.S. § 92A. 120(2)). See also In re General Motors Class H
Shareholders Litig., 734 A.2d 611, 621 (Del. Ch. 1999) (imposing duty to disclose
all material information with respect to proposed charter amendment despite the fact
that the corresponding statute, 8 Del. C. § 242(b)(1), only required notice to
shareholders set[ting] forth such amendment in full or a brief summary of the
changes to be effected thereby[.]). Thus, the duty of full disclosure exists
independently of, and in addition to, any applicable disclosure requirements
contemplated by N.R.S. § 78.140.4
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Defendants Failed to Disclose Multiple Material Facts in the Proxy |
The Supreme Court has held that an omitted or misrepresented fact is
material if there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable shareholder would
consider it important in deciding how to vote. TSC Industs., Inc. v. Northway,
Inc., 426 U.S. 438, 449 (1976). The Nevada Supreme Court has adopted the same test
for determining whether a fact that was omitted from or misrepresented in a proxy
statement is material. See Cohen, 119 Nev. at 18 (acknowledging that [i]nformation
is considered material if there is a substantial likelihood that a reasonable
shareholder would consider it important in deciding how to vote) (quoting
Bershad v. Curtiss-Wright Corp., 535 A.2d 840, 846 (Del. 1987)).
In Lichtenberg v. Besicorp Group Inc., 43 F. Supp. 2d 376, 384-390 (S.D.N.Y.
1999), the court enjoined a merger that effectively would have terminated two
derivative actions and released the individual defendants from liability. Id. The
proxy statement contained only the most general information about the derivative
actions and gave no indication of the potential value of these claims to the
company. Id. at 386. The court reasoned that the fact that shareholders would be
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Nothing in Section 78.140 permits corporate fiduciaries to ignore their
independent duty of disclosure and circumvent bedrock principles governing the
shareholder voting process. Indeed, under Defendants interpretation of the law, the
extent of a corporations disclosure obligations would turn on the identities of the
parties to the transactions, and would require less disclosure regarding interested
party transactions. Thus, the disclosure provisions of Section 78.140(2)(b) must be
viewed as a necessary but not sufficient obligation for obtaining shareholder
ratification of an interested party transaction. See, e.g., Weatherhead v. Griffin,
851 P.2d 993, 995 (Idaho Ct. App. 1992) (requiring interested directors to fully
and fairly disclose the facts surrounding [the interested] transactions under a
statute identical, in relevant part, to Section 78.140) |
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barred from recovering on the claims would have been viewed by the reasonable
shareholder as having significantly altered the total mix of information made
available. Id. at 386. The proxys description of the impact of the merger i.e.,
that Plaintiffs in the [derivative lawsuits] may not [be] able to maintain
their actions also was materially misleading. Id. at 387. The court noted that
the word may implies a possibility that the plaintiffs will be able to continue
the actions as shareholder derivative suits. Id. at 387. Finally, the court held
that the proxys disclosure that certain officers and directors may benefit from
the merger also was misleading because the merger would release defendants from
personal liability and ensure that they never had to return the assets at issue in
the derivative actions. Id. at 388; see also Beatty v. Bright, 318 F. Supp. 169,
172-73 (S.D. Iowa 1970).
The Proxy in this case fails for the same reasons. Here, Defendants failed to
inform shareholders that AMERCO intended to use the Stockholder Proposal in an
attempt to dispose of this litigation, foreclose the possibility of the Company ever
recovering hundreds of millions of dollars in self-storage properties from the SAC
Entities and release the individual Defendants from potential liability for
egregious violations of their fiduciary duties. Defendants failed to disclose any
potential benefits that AMERCO would receive if Plaintiffs succeeded in unwinding
over $600 million in unfair real estate sales, and returned over $200 million in
equity to AMERCO. Defendants failed to explain why Plaintiffs allege that the
transactions with the SAC Entities were unfair to begin with, or the fact that the
Court has determined, based upon particularized pleadings, that a majority of the
members of the AMERCO Board of Directors were interested parties in the SAC
transactions. (Aff. at Ex. B.)
Moreover, while the Stockholder Proposal purportedly sought ratification of
all transactions between AMERCO and the SAC Entities between 1992 and March 31,
2007, it failed to disclose the terms of all such transactions. The summaries of the
transactions that were included in the Proxy were incomplete and misleading. Among
other things, the Proxy failed to disclose that the terms of AMERCOs dealings with
the SAC Entities were never reviewed for fairness by an independent committee or
third party. The Proxy identified a Special Committee that was appointed in June
2007, but did not disclose the Special Committees findings regarding either the
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Stockholder Proposal or the fairness of the transactions. The Proxy also failed to
disclose how AMERCO determined that the prices of the properties or the terms of the
loans with the SAC Entities were entirely fair to AMERCO. In addition, the Proxy
failed to disclose that the SAC Entities use AREC employees and resources, without
compensation, to conduct day-to-day operations. Defendants cannot credibly argue
that there is no genuine issue of material fact regarding whether these disclosures
would be viewed by a reasonable shareholder as important in deciding how to vote.
See, e.g., TSC Industs., 426 U.S. at 448.
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DEFENDANTS ARGUMENTS REGARDING SECTION 78.140 AND THE BUSINESS JUDGMENT RULE ARE UNSUPPORTABLE |
Defendants also contend that compliance with Section 78.140 effectively
immunizes self-dealing transactions by automatically restoring the business judgment
rule. (See Motion, at 8.) Under Defendants view of the law, an interested director
who also is a controlling shareholder essentially can overcome a derivative attack
concerning the fairness of a self-dealing transaction simply by exercising his
voting control to force the approval of the transaction. No court has ever endorsed
this analysis.
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Compliance With Section 78.140 Does Not Automatically Restore the Business Judgment Rule |
Section 78.140 does not even mention the business judgment rule. Instead,
Section 78.140 provides only that [a] contract or other transaction is not void or
voidable solely because . .. [t]he contract or transaction is between a corporation
and ... [o]ne or more of its directors or officers ... if one of the circumstances
specified in subsection 2 exists. Id at (1). Subsection 2, in turn, sets forth four
procedures, including a good faith vote approving the transaction by stockholders
holding a majority of the voting power. Id. at (2)(b). The plain language of Section
78.140 makes clear that the statute merely protects a transaction from being
rendered void or voidable solely by virtue of the fact that it was consummated
between a corporation and one or more of its directors or officers. Id. at (l)(a).
Although Nevada courts have not yet interpreted Section 78.140, Delaware has
enacted (and its courts have analyzed extensively) an interested director
transaction statute containing
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precisely the same limiting language as that found in Section 78.140. See 8 Del. C.
§ 144.5 Section 144 of the Delaware Code provides that [n]o contract or
transaction between a corporation and 1 or more of its directors or officers .. .
shall be void or voidable solely for this reason ... if [one of three procedures are
followed]. Id. Prior to the enactment of Section 144, self-dealing transactions
were considered constructively fraudulent, and therefore, per se voidable if
they were not ratified by shareholders. See Marciano v. Nakash, 535 A.2d 400, 403
(Del. 1987). Section 144 was passed to ameliorate this potentially harsh result by
providing a device to prevent nullification of potentially beneficial transactions
simply because of director self interest. Valeant Pharm. v. Jenrey, 921 A.2d 732,
745 (Del. Ch. 2007).
Consistent with the plain language of Section 78.140, the Delaware courts have
interpreted Section 144 of the Delaware General Corporation Law as merely providing
a means of preventing automatic nullification of a transaction simply because it is
between a corporation and one or more of its officers or directors. As the Delaware
Court of Chancery observed:
While non-compliance with §§ 144(a)(1), (2)s disclosure
requirement by definition triggers fairness review rather than
business judgment rule review, the satisfaction of §§ 144(a)(1)
or (a)(2) alone does not always have the opposite effect of
invoking business judgment rule review that one might presume
would flow from a literal application of the statutes terms.
Rather, satisfaction of §§ 144(a)(l) or (a)(2) simply protects
against invalidation of the transaction solely because it is
an interested one. As such, § 144 is best seen as establishing
a floor for board conduct but not a ceiling.
HMG/Courtland Properties v. Gray, 749 A.2d 94, 114 n.24 (Del. Ch. 1999) (emphasis
added and internal citations omitted). See also Fliegler v. Lawrence, 361 A.2d
218,222 (Del. 1976) ([Section 144] merely... provides against invalidation of an
agreement solely because such a director or officer is involved.... [n]othing in the
statute sanctions unfairness to [the corporation] or removes the transaction from
judicial scrutiny.).
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Nevada generally follows Delaware in matters of corporate law. See,
e.g., Shoen v. SAC Holding Corporation, 137 P.2d 1171, 1184 (Nev. 2006) (adopting
Delawares standard for establishing demand futility); Hilton Hotels Corp. v. ITT
Corp., 978 F. Supp. 1342, 1346 (D. Nev. 1997) (Where, as here, there is no Nevada
statutory or case law on point for an issue of corporate law, this Court finds
persuasive authority in Delaware case law.). |
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Defendants attempt to distance themselves from this case law by claiming that
Nevadas adoption of Section 78.140 represents a reject[ion] of Delawares
analogous statute. (Motion, at 7.)6 Defendants cite no authority in
support of this argument. Considering the substantial similarities between the two
statutes, there is no basis for contending that Nevada rejected Delawares
approach. Compare 8 Del. C. § 144 with N.R.S. § 78.140.7 In any event,
while Defendants claim (incorrectly) that Nevadas statute does not require
disclosure of all material facts concerning the transaction, and Delaware
requires approval of self-interested transactions by a majority of disinterested
stockholders, these differences are beside the point. (See Motion, at 7-8.)
Regardless of the extent of the disclosures and irrespective of whether interested
votes are counted, both statutes unequivocally provide that compliance merely
protects an interested transaction from being rendered void or voidable solely by
virtue of the fact that the transaction involves a corporation and one or more of
its officers or directors.
In this case, Plaintiffs never have argued that Defendants dealings with the
SAC Entities are void or voidable solely because they were interested
transactions. To the contrary, Plaintiffs always have contended that the
transactions are void or voidable because the underlying terms of AMERCOs dealings
with the SAC Entities were fundamentally unfair to AMERCO and its minority
shareholders. (See Aff. Ex. A at ¶¶ 38-60.) Defendants conceded the truth of these
allegations in the Proxy, by acknowledging that AMERCO sold the self-storage
properties to the SAC Entities at prices that were over $15 million less than their
appraised values. (See Settles Dec. at Ex. B at 26.)
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While Defendants claim on one hand that Nevada rejected Delawares
standards for evaluatinginterested director transactions, Defendants rely
exclusively upon Delaware law in articulatingthe purported impact of shareholder
approval and the application of the business judgment rule.(Motion, at 9.)
Defendants cannot have it both ways. |
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7 |
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Notably, in 1951, when the Nevada legislature first enacted the
predecessor statute to N.R.S.§ 78.140, Delaware had not yet enacted any law
articulating the circumstances under which interested director transactions would not
be void or voidable. Delaware first enacted such a statute in 1967 (56 Del. Laws ch.
50), 16 years later. (See Aff. Exs. I and J.) Thus, the languageof Nevadas statute
cannot be viewed as a rejection of Delaware law. |
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B. |
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Defendants Bear the Burden of Establishing the Entire
Fairness of the Challenged Transactions |
The Nevada Supreme Court has held that when an interested fiduciarys
transactions are challenged, the fiduciary bears the burden of establishing good
faith and the transactions fairness. Shoen, 137P.3d at 1184n.61; Foster v. Arata,
74 Nev. 143, 155, 325 P. 2d759, 765 (Nev. 1958). See also Onnan v. Cullman, 794 A.2d
5, 20 (Del. Ch. 2002) (A controlling or dominating shareholder standing on both
sides of a transaction... bears the burden of proving its entire fairness.)
(Quoting Kahn v. Lynch Comrn. Sys., Inc., 638 A.2d 1110, 1115 (Del. 1994)).
The question presented by the Motion, therefore, is what impact does the
purported shareholder approval of the Stockholder Proposal assuming the
shareholders were fully informed have on the application of the entire fairness
test. Although Defendants describe this as a problematic area of the law requiring
a different rule for every permutation of the facts (Motion, at 9), the proper
application of the law to the facts of this case is well-settled and
straightforward. At most, the impact of an informed shareholder vote approving an
interested transaction between a corporation on one hand, and a director who also is
a controlling shareholder on the other hand, may operate to shift the burden of
establishing entire fairness to the plaintiff. See Solomon v. Armstrong, 747 A.2d
1098, 1116-17 (Del. 1999) ([I]n the context of a duty of loyalty claim where
plaintiff minority shareholders can state a claim of self-dealing at their expense,
an informed shareholder ratification by the minority shifts the burden of proof of
entire fairness to the plaintiff.); Kahn, 638 A.2d at 1116 (Del. 1994) (Entire
fairness remains the proper focus of judicial analysis in examining an interested
[transaction], irrespective of whether the burden of proof remains upon or is
shifted away from the controlling ... shareholder, because the unchanging nature of
the underlying interested transaction requires careful scrutiny.).
To effect this shift of the burden, however, the challenged transaction must be
approved by a majority of the minority shareholders. See Carlson, 925 A.2d at
530-31 (refusing to shift burden in the absence of evidence that challenged
transaction was approved a majority of the
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minority shareholders); Emerald Partners v. Berlin, 787 A.2d 85, 95 n.63 (Del. 2001)
([T]he approval of the transaction by a fully informed vote of a majority of the
minority shareholders will shift the burden.) (Internal quotations omitted);
Solomon, 747 A.2d at 1116 ([A]n informed ratification by a majority of minority
shareholders of a transaction between a controlling shareholder and a corporation
has the effect of shifting the burden of proof on the issue of entire fairness from
the controlling shareholder to the challenging shareholder.); Kahn, 638 A.2d at
1117 (same); In re Wheelabrator Tech., Inc. Sec. Litig., 663 A.2d 1194, 1203 (Del.
1995) (same).
As the court explained in Fliegler v. Lawrence, 361 A.2d at 221, [t]he entire
atmosphere is freshened and a new set of rules invoked where formal approval has
been given by a majority of independent, fully informed [shareholders]. Id.
(quoting Gottlieb v. Heyden Chemical Corp., 91 A.2d 57, 59 (Del. 1952)). However, in
the Fliegler case like this case the majority of the shares that voted in favor
of the challenged transaction were cast by defendants in their capacity as
shareholders. Id. The court pointed out that only about one-third of the
disinterested shareholders voted, and the court refused to assume that the
non-voting shareholders either approved or disapproved the challenged transaction.
Id. In concluding that defendants carried the burden of proof, the court observed
that [u]nder these circumstances, we cannot say that the entire atmosphere has
been freshened and that departure from the objective fairness test is permissible.
Id.
In this case, the Shoen Insiders own or control 53.1% of AMERCOs voting stock.
(Settles Dec. at Ex. B at 7.) Moreover, Mark and James Shoen admittedly stand on
both sides of AMERCOs dealings with the SAC Entities, and the Court already has
concluded that the Shoen Insiders (and others) have an interest in AMERCOs
transactions with the SAC Entities. (Aff. at Exs. B and C at 104:3-13.) Defendants
also have admitted that the Stockholder Proposal was not, in fact, approved by a
majority of the minority shareholders. (See Motion, at 4.) According to the
Settles Affidavit, only 4,919,005 for votes were cast by purportedly disinterested
shareholders (including the votes of the ESOP). (See Settles Dec. at ¶ 6.) In
contrast, 5,654,860 voted against the Stockholder Proposal, voted to abstain,
were
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recorded as broker non-votes or did not cast a vote. (Id.) Accordingly, Defendants
still carry the burden of establishing the entire fairness of AMERCOs dealings with
the SAC Entities. See Fliegler, 361 A.2d at 221 ([W]e cannot assume that...
[n]on-voting shareholders either approved or disapproved [of the challenged
transaction].). Far from supporting judgment in Defendants favor, the Proxys
disclosure that Defendants sold self-storage properties to the SAC Entities for more
than $15 million less than their appraised values demonstrates that Defendants
cannot possibly satisfy their burden. (See Settles Dec. at Ex. B at 26.) See
Cinerama, Inc. v. Technicolor, Inc., 663 A.2d 1156, 1162-63 (Del. 1995) (The
concept of entire fairness has two basic aspects: fair dealing and fair price.)
(Emphasis added).8
VI. |
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IN THE ALTERNATIVE, THE COURT SHOULD CONTINUE THE MOTION AND PERMIT
PLAINTIFFS TO CONDUCT LIMITED DISCOVERY |
In the event the Court is inclined to grant
the Motion, Plaintiffs request a brief continuance in order to conduct limited
discovery into the accuracy of the statements in the Proxy and the process
surrounding the shareholder vote. The Nevada Supreme Court has held that when
litigation is still in its early stages and no dilatory motive is shown, a court
should grant additional time for the opposing party to conduct discovery. See Halimi
v. Blacketor, 105 Nev. 105, 106, 770 P.2d 531, 532 (1989). Plaintiffs have not
conducted any discovery in this case.
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8 |
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In addition to the deficient disclosures in the Proxy, and the limited
impact of compliance with Section 78.140, Defendants arguments regarding Article 11
fail for an additional reason. (See Motion, at 2.) Article 11 provides, among other
things, [t]he affirmative vote of the holders of two-thirds (2/3) of the
outstanding shares of common stock of this corporation entitled to vote shall be
required to approve, adopt or authorize ... [a]ny agreements for the ... combination
of this corporation with or into any other corporation which is an Interested
Stockholder. (Aff. at Ex. G at 7.) Plaintiffs have alleged that the transactions
between AMERCO and the SAC Entities resulted in a combination in violation of
Subsection (A) of Article 11. (Id. at Ex. A at 136.) Under both Nevada and Delaware
law, the votes of an Interested Stockholder cannot be counted in approving a
combination. See N.R.S. § 78.439(3) (A combination [must be] approved by the
affirmative vote of the holders of stock representing a majority of the outstanding
voting power not beneficially owned by the interested stockholder ... or any
affiliate or associate of the interested stockholder.) (Emphasis added); 8 Del. C.
§ 203(3) (requiring the affirmative vote of at least 66 2/3% of the outstanding
voting stock which is not owned by the interested stockholder,) (Emphasis added).
Excluding the shares owned by the Shoen Insiders, the Stockholder Proposal did not
acquire a 2/3 vote of the outstanding shares. |
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP 50 WEST LIBERTY STREET, STE. 410 RENO, NV 89501
(775) 823-2900
PLAINTIFFS OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS/SUMMARY JUDGMENT
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In this case, the circumstances surrounding the submission of the Stockholder
Proposal are extremely suspicious. Plaintiffs believe that discovery will quickly
establish that Defendants played a key role in encouraging the submission of the
Stockholder Proposal, actively suppressed facts that would have undermined support
for the proposal and manufactured support for the proposal on AMERCOs message
board. Plaintiffs therefore request the following limited discovery in order to
oppose the Motion: (i) one-day depositions of two of the Shoen Insiders regarding
AMERCOs transactions with the SAC Entities; (ii) one-day depositions of five
employees, to be selected by Plaintiffs, who are identified in the Proxy as having
proposed the Stockholder Proposal; (iii) the identities of the individuals who
posted messages about the Stockholder Proposal on AMERCOs website leading up to
the Annual Meeting, the content of all messages submitted by each individual and
one-day depositions of three of these individuals, to be selected by Plaintiffs;
(iv) 25 special interrogatories concerning the disclosures contained in the Proxy;
and (v) 25 document requests relating to the transactions between AMERCO and the SAC
Entities. (See Aff. at ¶ 13-15.) In the event the voting process was tainted or
manipulated, this limited discovery will allow Plaintiffs to establish a genuine
issue of material fact and defeat the Motion.
For the reasons set forth above, Plaintiffs respectfully request that the Court
deny AMERCOs Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings or, in the Alternative, Summary
Judgment. In the alternative, Plaintiffs respectfully request that the Court
continue the Motion and permit Plaintiffs an opportunity to conduct limited
discovery in order to oppose the Motion.
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Dated: November 6, 2007 |
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
MARTHA J. ASHCRAFT
JAMES E. BERCHTOLD
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By: |
Illegible
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JAMES E. BERCHTOLD |
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3993 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Suite 600
Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
Telephone: (702) 949-8200
Facsimile: (702) 949-8352
Attorneys for Plaintiff Paul Shoen |
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LEWIS AND
ROCA LLP 50 WEST LIBERTY STREET, STE 410 RENO, NV 89501 (775) 823-2900
PLAINTIFFS OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS/SUMMARY JUDGMENT
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LATHAM & WATKINS LLP |
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MARC W. RAPPEL |
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BRIAN T. GLENNON |
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633 West Fifth Street, Suite 4000 |
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Los Angeles, California 90071-2007 |
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Telephone: (213) 485-1234 |
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Facsimile: (213) 891-8763 |
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Attorneys for Plaintiff Paul F. Shoen |
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ROBBINS UMEDA & FINK LLP |
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BRIAN J. ROBBINS |
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610 West Ash Street, Suite 1800 |
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San Diego, CA 92101 |
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Telephone: (619) 525-3990 |
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Facsimile: (619) 525-3991 |
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Attorneys for Plaintiffs Ron Belec |
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BERMAN, DEVALERIO, PEASE, |
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TABACCO, BURT & PUCILLO |
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JOSEPH J. TABACCO, JR. |
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CHRISTOPHER HEFFELFINGER |
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425 California Street, Suite 2025 |
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San Francisco CA 94104 |
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Telephone: (415) 433-3200 |
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Facsimile: (415) 433-6382 |
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Attorneys for Plaintiff Glenbrook
Capital Limited Partnership |
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HAROLD B. OBSTFELD P.C. |
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HAROLD B. OBSTFELD |
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260 Madison Avenue, 18th Floor |
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New York, NY 10016 |
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Telephone: (212) 696-1212 |
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Facsimile: (212) 696-1398 |
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Attorneys for Plaintiff Alan Kahn |
LEWIS AND
ROCA LLP 50 WEST LIBERTY STREET, STE 410 RENO, NV 89501 (775) 823-2900
PLAINTIFFS OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS/SUMMARY JUDGMENT
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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
Pursuant to Nev. R. Civ. P. 5(b), I hereby certify that service of the foregoing PLAINTIFFS
OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANT AMERCOS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE,
SUMMARY JUDGMENT; PLAINTIFFS REQUEST FOR A CONTINUANCE TO TAKE LIMITED DISCOVERY PURSUANT TO NEV.
R. CIV. P.56(f) IN THE ALTERNATIVE was made this date by depositing a copy for mailing, first class
mail, postage prepaid, at Las Vegas, Nevada. to the following:
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Beckley Singleton, Chtd. |
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Attn: Daniel F. Polsenberg |
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Ike Lawrence Epstein |
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530 Las Vegas Blvd, South |
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Las Vegas, NV 89101 |
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Attorneys for Ron Belec, Glenbrook Capital LP, and Alan Kahn |
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Berman De Valerio Pease Tabacco Burt & Pucillo |
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Attn: Joseph J. Tobacco Jr. |
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Christopher T. Heffelfinger |
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425 California Street, Suite 2025 |
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San Francisco, CA 94104 |
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Attorneys for Glenbrook Capital LP |
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Harold B. Obstfeld P.C. |
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Attn: Harold B. Obstfeld |
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100 Park Avenue, 20th Floor |
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New York, NY 10017-5510 |
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Attorneys for Alan Kahn |
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lrell & Manella LLP |
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Attn: Charles Edward Elder |
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Daniel Patrick Lefler |
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David Siegel |
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1800 Avenue of the Stars |
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Suite 900 |
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Los Angeles, CA 90067-4276 |
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Attorneys for Charles Bayer, Aubrey Johnson. M. Frank Lyons, John P. Brogan, |
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James J. Rogan, and John M. Dodds |
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Latham & Watkins |
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Attn: Mark W. Rappel |
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Brian T. Glennon |
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633 W. Fifth Street, Suite 4000 |
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Los Angeles, CA 90071-2007 |
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Attorneys for Plaintiff Paul F. Shoen |
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP Illegible
382754.1
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Law Offices of Bruce G. Murphy |
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Attn: Bruce G. Murphy |
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265 Liwyds Lane |
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Vero Beach, FL 32963 |
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Attorneys for Ron Belec |
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Law Offices of Calvin R. X. Dunlap |
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Attn: Calvin Dunlap |
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691 Sierra Rose Dr., Ste. A |
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P.O. Box 3689 |
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Reno, NV 89505 |
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Attorneys for SAC Defendants and Mark Shoen |
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Law Offices of Peter D. Fischbein |
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Attn: Peter D. Fischbein |
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777 Terrace Avenue, 5th Floor |
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Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604 |
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Attorneys for M.S. Management Company, Inc. |
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Laxalt & Nomura |
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Attn: Daniel Hayward |
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9600 Gateway Drive |
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Reno, NV 89521 |
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Attorneys for AMERCO |
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Lerach Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins LLP |
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Attn: William S. Lerach |
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Travis E. Downs, HI |
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Amber L. Eck |
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655 West Broadway, Suite 1900 |
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San Diego, CA 92101 |
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Attorneys for Ron Belec |
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Parsons Behle &. Latimer |
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Attn: Rew R. Goodenow |
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50 W. Liberty Street, Ste. 750 |
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Reno, Nevada 89501 |
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Attorneys
for John M. Dodds, Richard Herrera, Aubrey Johnson, Charles J. Bayer, John P. Brogan, and James J. Grogan |
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McDonald, Carano, Wilson LLP |
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Attn: Thomas R. C. Wilson |
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100 West Liberty Street, 10th Floor |
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P.O. Box 2670 |
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Reno, NV 89505-2670 |
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Attorneys for Edward Shoen, James P. Shoen, and William E. Carty |
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Morrison & Forester |
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Attn: Jack Londen |
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Melvin Goldman |
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425 Market Street |
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San Francisco, CA 94105-2482 |
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Attorneys for AMERCO |
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP Illegible
382754.1
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Morrison & Forester LLP |
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Attn: Mark R. McDonald |
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555 W. Fifth Street, Ste. 3500 |
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Los Angeles, CA 90013-0124 |
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Attorneys for AMERCO |
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Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP |
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Attn: Walter J. Robinson |
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Theodore Keith Bell |
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2475 Hanover Street |
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Palo Alto, CA 94304 |
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Admitted pro hac vice |
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Attorneys for Defendants Edward J. Shoen, James P. Shoen, and William E. Carty |
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Quarles & Brady, Streich & Lang |
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Attn: James Ryan |
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Deanna Peck |
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Renaissance One |
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Two North Centrl Avenue |
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Phoenix, Arizona 85004-2391 |
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Attorneys for Defendants Edward J. Shoen, James P. Shoen, and William |
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E, Carty |
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Umeda & Fink |
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Attn: Brian Robbins |
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610 W. Ash Street, #1800 |
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San Diego, CA 92101 |
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Attorneys for Ron Belec |
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Squire Sanders & Dempsey LLP |
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Attn: Mark A. Nadeau |
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Brian A. Cabianca |
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Two Renaissance Square |
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40 North Central Avenue, Ste. 2700 |
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Phoenix, AZ 85004-4498 |
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Attorneys for SAC Defendants and Mark Shoen |
DATED this 6th day of November, 2007.
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/s/ Anegla Shadrick
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An Employee of Lewis AND ROCA LLP |
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LEWIS AND ROCA LLP Illegible
382754.1
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MARTHA J. ASHCRAFT
Nevada State Bar No. 1208
JAMES E. BERCHTOLD
Nevada State Bar No. 5874
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
3993 Howard Hughes Pkwy, Suite 600
Las Vegas, Nevada 89109
Telephone: (702) 949-8200
Facsimile: (702) 949-8352
MARC W. RAPPEL (admitted pro hac vice)
BRIAN T. GLENNON (admitted pro hac vice)
LATHAM & WATKINS LLP
633 West Fifth Street, Suite 4000
Telephone: (213) 485-1234
Facsimile: (213) 891-8763
Attorneys for
Plaintiff PAUL SHOEN
THE SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT OF THE STATE OF
NEVADA IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WASHOE
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In re AMERCO DERIVATIVE LITIGATION
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Case No. CV02-05602 |
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Consolidated with: |
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(1) Case No. CV02-06331; |
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(2) Case No. CV03-02486; and |
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(3) Case No. CV03-02617 |
This Document Relates to: |
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ALL ACTIONS
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Dept. No. B6 |
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AFFIDA VIT OF JAMES E. BERCHTOLD IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS
OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS
OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, SUMMARY JUDGMENT; PLAINTIFFS REQUEST
FOR A CONTINUANCE TO TAKE LIMITED DISCOVERY PURSUANT TO NEV. R.
CIV. P. 56(f) IN THE ALTERNATIVE
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LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
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AFFIDAVIT OF JAMES E. BERCHTOLD IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, SUMMARY JUDGMENT |
50 West Liberty Street, STE 410 |
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Reno, NV 89501 |
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(775) 823-2900 |
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STATE OF NEVADA
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) |
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) ss. |
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COUNTY OF CLARK
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) |
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I, James E. Berchtold, declare as follows:
1. I am an attorney duly licensed to practice before all of the courts of the
State of Nevada. I am a partner at the law firm of Lewis & Roca, LLP, and counsel of
record for Plaintiff Paul Shoen in the above-captioned matter. I have personal
knowledge of the matters stated herein and, if called upon, I could and would
competently testify thereto.
2. Plaintiffs filed this derivative lawsuit in this Court on September 24,
2002. The operative complaint is the Amended Consolidated Verified Stockholders
Derivative Complaint for Damages and Equitable Relief, dated November 16, 2006, a
true and correct copy of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A.
3. The parties briefed motions to dismiss brought by nominal Defendant,
AMERCO, and the individually-named Defendants, and a hearing on the motions occurred on
March 30, 2007. The day before the hearing, the Court issued an Order denying
AMERCOs motion to dismiss, holding that the particularized allegations in the
Amended Complaint demonstrated that a majority of the members of AMERCOs Board of
Directors were interested parties in the SAC transactions. A true and correct copy
of the Courts March 29, 2007 Order is attached hereto as Exhibit B. In addition,
attached hereto as Exhibit C is a true and correct copy of an excerpt of the
Transcript of Proceedings, dated March 30, 2007. The Court has not yet ruled on the
other pending motions to dismiss. Accordingly, pursuant to Nevada Rules of Civil
Procedure 16.1 and 26, no discovery has taken place in this case.
4. On or about July 10, 2007, Defendants filed a Definitive Proxy
Statement (Proxy) with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the SEC) for
AMERCOs 2007 Annual Shareholder Meeting. (See AMERCO Definitive Proxy Statement
(Def 14A) (July 10, 2007). attached as Ex. B to the Affidavit of Jennifer M. Settles
in Support of Nominal Defendant AMERCOs Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings or, in
the Alternative, Summary Judgment (Settles Aff.).) The Proxy contained, among
other things, a shareholder proposal purporting to
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LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
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AFFIDAVIT OF JAMES E. BERCHTOLD IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, SUMMARY JUDGMENT |
50 West Liberty Street, STE 410 |
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Reno, NV 89501 |
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(775) 823-2900 |
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ratify all of the Defendants actions over a 15-year period involving the SAC
Entities (the Stockholder Proposal). (See Settles Aff., Ex. B, at 25.) A vote on
the Stockholder Proposal was scheduled for AMERCOs 2007 Annual Shareholder Meeting,
which took place on August 20. 2007. (See Settles Aff., Ex. B, at 2.)
5. The exhibits submitted by Defendants demonstrate that the
Stockholder Proposal was not submitted to AMERCO until June 1, 2007. (See Settles
Aff. at Ex. A.) According to AMERCOs Meeting Procedures for the August 20, 2007
meeting, AMERCOs proxy statement for the 2006 Annual Meeting, and the Companys
by-laws, shareholder proposals were required to have been submitted no later than
March 16, 2007, in order to be presented at the August 2007 meeting. Attached hereto
respectively as Exhibits D, E and F are true and correct copies of AMERCOs Meeting
Procedures (originally filed as Exhibit A to the Definitive Proxy Statement) (see
p. 2 at § (F)(a)); the Definitive Proxy Statement filed July 17, 2006 (see pp.
19-20), and AMERCOs by-laws (see pp. 3-4 at Art. II, § 5). In addition, attached
hereto as Exhibit G is a true and correct copy of AMERCOs Articles of
Incorporation.
6. On or about August 6, 2007, Plaintiffs sent a letter to AMERCO requesting
additional disclosures regarding, among other things, the SAC transactions, this
derivative litigation and the impact of a shareholder vote on the underlying
derivative claims. (See letter from Brian J. Robbins to Jack Londen, dated August 6,
2007, attached as Ex. D to the Settles Aff.) Defendants responded by requesting
confirmation of Plaintiff Ron Belecs stock ownership. (See letter from Jennifer M.
Settles to Brian J. Robbins, dated August 7, 2007, attached as Ex. E to the Settles
Aff.) Plaintiff Ron Belec complied with Defendants request for confirmation of his
stock ownership. (See letter from Brian J. Robbins to Jennifer M. Settles and Jack
Londen, dated August 14, 2007, attached as Ex. G to the Settles Aff.)
7. On or about August 14, 2007, Defendants responded to the substantive
concerns raised in Plaintiffs August 6, 2007 letter, merely by stating that a
Special Committee had been appointed to review the Stockholder Proposal. (See
letter from Jennifer M. Settles to Brian J. Robbins, dated August 14, 2007, attached
as Ex. F to the Settles Aff.) The Special Committee, however, did not make any
recommendation either for or against the Stockholder Proposal, but
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LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
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AFFIDAVIT OF JAMES E. BERCHTOLD IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, SUMMARY JUDGMENT |
50 West Liberty Street, STE 410 |
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Reno, NV 89501 |
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(775) 823-2900 |
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instead, merely decided to include the Stockholder Proposal in the
Proxy. (Id.)
8. I am informed and believe that in the weeks leading up to the
vote on the Stockholder Proposal, Defendants hosted a web-based message board on AMERCOs
website. Based on the content of the messages, it appears that Defendants
selectively posted anonymous messages purportedly submitted by AMERCO
stockholders. One message stated:
I want to see if I am getting this right...
One of the possible benefits to voting in favor of the
proposal would be to add defense to a pending derivative
lawsuit. The suit
appears to be a business disruption rather than a business dispute.
Its very clear that the many listed shareholder sponsors of the
proposal believe in the value of passing this proposal. The lawsuit
has the potential to diminish shareholders equity (legal
fees, distraction of key personnel, etc.); with final
judgment not likely many more years. The suit does not
appear to provide any benefit
to the shareholders?
It appears to me that the Amerco shareholder proposal
(Item #3) is a no brainer with all upside potential and
no downside for shareholders. Does anyone see this
differently?
With such a benefit and no risk, it seems obvious that this would
get a majority vote, although I believe, and would appreciate
confirmation if anyone knows for sure, that this proposal would
require a 2/3 vote in favor to continue?
I am informed and believe that shortly following the Annual Meeting the message
board was removed from AMERCOs website. I have recently checked
AMERCOs website and saw no reference to this message board.
9. On August 20, 2007, at the Annual Shareholder Meeting, AMERCOs
shareholders voted on the Stockholder Proposal. Attached hereto as Exhibit H is a
true and correct copy of the AMERCO Form 8-K/A filed with the SEC on September 14,
2007. Defendants filed their Motion for Judgment on the Pleadings or, in the
Alternative, Summary Judgment (the Motion) on September 12, 2007, approximately
three weeks after the Annual Meeting. The Motion was based on the shareholder vote
on the Stockholder Proposal. As noted above, because this Motion was filed before
any Defendant filed an answer in this case, Plaintiffs
have not been permitted to take any discovery.
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LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
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AFFIDAVIT OF JAMES E. BERCHTOLD IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, SUMMARY JUDGMENT |
50 West Liberty Street, STE 410 |
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Reno, NV 89501 |
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(775) 823-2900 |
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10. Nevadas interested director transaction statute, N.R.S. § 78.140, was
originally
enacted in 1951, over 16 years before Delaware enacted its corollary statute. A
true and correct
copy of Senate Bill 148, enacting Section 78.140, is attached hereto as Exhibit
I. A true and
correct copy of 8 Del. Code § 144, with comments reflecting the fact that the
statute was enacted
in 1967, is attached hereto as Exhibit J.
11. If the Court is inclined to grant the Motion, Plaintiffs request that the
Court
continue the hearing on the Motion and permit Plaintiffs to conduct limited
discovery focused on
the accuracy and completeness of the disclosures in the Proxy, and the fairness
of the shareholder
voting procedures, as described in more detail below.
12. Defendants provided only the following evidence related to the Stockholder
Proposal in support of their Motion: (i) the Secretarys Certificate creating
the Special
Committee to review the Stockholder Proposal; and (ii) the report of the
tabulator that included
the number of votes For, Against, Abstain, and Broker Non-Votes for the
Stockholder
Proposal. Based on this record, Plaintiffs cannot determine if the Stockholder
Proposal was
proper, whether the voting procedures were fair, or to what extent the contents
of the Proxy were
incomplete or inaccurate. To the extent the Proxy contained additional
incomplete or inaccurate
information, or Defendants improperly manipulated shareholder voting procedures
(by, for
instance, improperly soliciting shareholder votes), the vote on the
Stockholder Proposal is
invalid. Such evidence will allow Plaintiffs to establish a genuine issue of
material fact and
overcome the Motion.
13. Plaintiffs request the following limited discovery in connection with
opposing the
Motion: (i) one-day depositions of five of the employees, to be selected by
Plaintiffs, who were
identified in the Proxy as having proposed the Stockholder Proposal; (ii)
one-day depositions of
two of the Shoen Insiders (the group comprised of Joe, Mark and James Shoen)
concerning the
disclosures in the Proxy and AMERCOs transactions with the SAC Entities; (iii)
the identities
of the individuals who posted messages about the Stockholder Proposal on
AMERCOs website
in the weeks leading up to the August 20, 2007 Annual Meeting, the content of
all messages
submitted by each individual and one-day depositions of three of the individuals who
posted
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LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
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AFFIDAVIT OF JAMES E. BERCHTOLD IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, SUMMARY JUDGMENT |
50 West Liberty Street, STE 410 |
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Reno, NV 89501 |
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(775) 823-2900 |
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such messages, to be selected by Plaintiffs; (iv) 25 special interrogatories
concerning the disclosures contained in the Proxy; and (v) 25 document requests
relating to the terms of the underlying transactions between AMERCO and the SAC
Entities.
14. Defendants have stated that they were not involved in the Stockholder
Proposal, that they provided all necessary information to the shareholders and that
the vote on the Stockholder Proposal effectively ratified the self-dealing transactions at issue in
this litigation. Permitting Plaintiffs to conduct the requested limited discovery
will provide Plaintiffs (and AMERCOs other minority shareholders) with the information necessary to assess the
veracity of these statements and establish a genuine issue of material fact
regarding, among other things, to what extent AMERCOs shareholders received
complete and accurate information relating to the Stockholder Proposal and whether
the voting procedures were fair.
15. Considering the importance of the issues presented by this
litigation, as well as the limited nature of the requested discovery, any burden on
Defendants of complying with these discovery requests is greatly outweighed by the
potential benefits of permitting such discovery. For these reasons, the Court should
grant a brief continuance in accordance with Rule 56(f), to allow Plaintiffs to
conduct the requested limited discovery.
I state under penalty of perjury under the laws of the State of Nevada that the
foregoing is true and correct.
Executed this 6th day of November, 2007, in Las Vegas, Nevada.
James E. Berchtold, Esq.
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 6th day of
November, 2007.
NOTARY PUBLIC
ANGELA SHADRICK
Notary Public State of Nevada
No. 03-85552-1
My appt. exp. Nov. 12, 2007
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LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
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AFFIDAVIT OF JAMES E. BERCHTOLD IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS OPPOSITION TO DEFENDANTS MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, SUMMARY JUDGMENT |
50 West Liberty Street, STE 410 |
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Reno, NV 89501 |
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(775) 823-2900 |
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H-31
AFFIRMATION
The undersigned hereby affirms that the foregoing document does not contain the social
security number of any person.
DATED: this 6th day of November, 2007.
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/s/ Jasmine K. Mehta
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Jasmine K. Mehta, Esq. |
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H-32
EXHIBIT
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EXHIBIT E
DANIEL HAYWARD (State Bar No. 5986)
LAXALT & NOMURA, LTD.
9600 Gateway Drive
Reno, Nevada 89521
Telephone: (775) 322-1170
Facsimile: (775) 322-1865 |
JACK W. LONDEN
(Admitted Pro Hac Vice)
MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP
425 Market Street
San Francisco, California 94105-2482
Telephone: (415) 268-7000
Facsimile: (415) 268-7522 |
Attorneys for Nominal Defendant AMERCO |
FILED
Electronically
11-20-2007:01:39:52 PM
Howard W. Conyers
Clerk of the Court
Transaction # 90133 |
IN THE SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT OF THE STATE OF NEVADA IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WASHOE |
In re AMERCO DERIVATIVE LITIGATION Master File No. CV02-05602 Dept. No. 6 |
This Document Relates To: ALL ACTIONS |
NOMINAL DEFENDANT AMERCOS REPLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF MOTION FOR JUDGMENT ON THE PLEADINGS
OR, IN THE ALTERNATIVE, SUMMARY JUDGMENT |
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AMERCOs stockholders voted overwhelming to ratify the transactions that plaintiffs have, for
five years, tried to unwind. Although plaintiffs seek to reject this decision and insist on yet
more litigation, NRS 78.140 gives stockholders the last word. The stockholders decision is
entitled to enforcement and finality because AMERCO belongs to them. |
Plaintiffs concede that the August 2007 ratification complied with NRS 78.140. They do not
dispute that the proxy more than satisfied the statutes disclosure requirements and that
stockholders holding a majority of AMERCOs shares voted to endorse the transactions. |
Instead, plaintiffs offer two objections. First, they claim a challenged transaction may be
ratified only if a proxy statement includes disclosures in addition to those required by NRS
78.140. The statutes narrow requirements, however, reflect the Legislatures determination to
avoid precisely the sort of disclosure squabbles plaintiffs would provoke here. The Proxy Statement
more than satisfied duties owed by the independent directors who reviewed it. |
Second, plaintiffs claim that the transactions remain subject to the entire fairness test,
relying on interpretations of Delawares ratification statute. But Nevada, unlike Delaware, has
enacted a statutory presumption that directors and officers act in good faith. NRS 78.138.
Plaintiffs have relied on allegations of self-dealing to overcome this presumption. But NRS 78.140
provides that a majority vote by stockholders with notice of the fact of a director or officer
financial interest eliminates the self-dealing issue, restoring the statutory presumption that the
Companys officers and directors acted in good faith. |
The 84% stockholder vote ratifying the SAC transactions with notice of the fact of financial
interest on the part of Mark Shoen and James Shoen therefore leaves plaintiffs with only the
assertion that the terms of the challenged transactions should have been more favorable to AMERCO.
Disagreements about the soundness of business decisions, however, have never been sufficient to
rebut the presumption of the business judgment rule. Accordingly, this litigation should be
dismissed with prejudice. |
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I. THE PROXY SATISFIED THE REQUIREMENTS OF NEVADA LAW. |
NRS 78.140(2)(b) requires disclosure of only the fact of an interested director or officers
financial interest in a challenged transaction. AMERCOs opening brief established that the Proxy
Statement disclosed that Mark Shoen and James Shoen held financial interests in the transactions.
Indeed, the Proxy Statement also included discussion of transaction terms, and provided copies of
significant agreements. (AMERCOs Mem. of P. & A. in Supp. of Mot. (Mem.) at 4.) |
Plaintiffs do not dispute this. But they complain that the Proxy Statement should have said
more. (Pls. Opp. to Def. AMERCOs Mot. (Opp.) at 7-10.) The Plaintiffs would require, among other
things, a prediction of the Courts ruling on this motion (Opp. at 3), a recitation of the
allegations of plaintiffs complaint (id.), a discussion of the potential benefits of unwinding
the transactions, (id. at 3-4), a discussion of the Special Committees review of the disclosures
(id. at 4), and detailed descriptions of other, unspecified transaction terms, appraisals, and
business plans. (Id.; see also id. at 9-10.) |
Although plaintiffs concede that NRS 78.140 requires none of these items,1 they
assert that by permitting these omissions, the non-defendant directors on the Special Committee who
reviewed the Proxy Statement violated Nevada fiduciary law.2 (Opp. at 7-8.) In support,
plaintiffs cite a Delaware case, Carlson v. Hallinan, 925 A.2d 506 (Del. Ch. 2006), for the
proposition that stockholder ratification requires approval by fully-informed
stockholders.3 But |
1 Plaintiffs also incorrectly assert that Defendants sought the ratification. The
Proxy Statement states that the proposal was made by a number of stockholder employees, and that
management made no recommendation. In any event, the sponsorship of the proposal is irrelevant to
any requirement of NRS 78.140. |
2 Although plaintiffs seek to understate the role of the Special Committee, they do
not challenge the directors independence or disinterestedness. (Compare Opp. at 4 n.l with Settles
Aff.¶ 4.) |
3 Plaintiffs rely on the Delaware rule requiring ratification by a majority of the
minority stockholders. That rule was expressly rejected by the Nevada Legislature. But, contrary
to plaintiffs bald assertion, a majority of the minority stockholders did approve the proposal
here. There were 9,416,728 AMERCO shares not held by insiders and 4,919,005 of those shares were
voted in favor of the proposal. (See Settles Aff. 6.) |
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Delawares ratification statute explicitly requires disclosure of [t]he material facts relating
to an officers or directors interest a challenged transaction. Del. Code Ann. tit. 8, §
144(a)(2). Shortly after Delaware enacted this standard, the Nevada Legislature re-enacted and
expanded the reach of Nevadas different standard requiring disclosure only of the fact that
directors or officers have a financial interest.4
Plaintiffs spend much time on the uncontroversial proposition that officers and directors owe
duties of good faith and candor. But plaintiffs fail to identify or allege a single false or
misleading statement in the Proxy Statements disclosures. To the contrary, plaintiffs say the
Proxy Statements critical concession, that appraised values exceeded sales prices by $15
million, reveals that the challenged transactions were fundamentally unfair. (Opp. at 5.) And
even as to that point, plaintiffs position is undercut by the fact that they raised these issues
before the vote but did nothing to seek relief that might have been available then, if their
rationale had been correct.5
Rather than showing any misstatements, plaintiffs have simply speculated about additional
facts or contentions they believe stockholders might have liked to have known.6 But the
Legislature delineated precisely the information that stockholders were required to receive in
order to effect ratification. Having more than satisfied those requirements with undisputed
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4 |
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Plaintiffs assert that Nevada originally enacted what is now NRS 78.140 in 1951,
and
Delaware enacted Section 144 in 1967. (Opp. at 12 n.7). But they do not mention that Nevada
amended and reenacted the section in 1969, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1997, and 2003. The 1969
amendment expanded the coverage of the statute from directors only to directors and officers.
(The 1969 amendment thus made the statute applicable to officers such as Mark Shoen.) The
Senate Judiciary Committee said the following about this amendment: AB 112 Clarifies
restrictions upon corporate transactions involving interested directors or officers. Mr.
McDonald
explained this merely liberalized the law in allowing the officers and directors to operate
more
freely. Nev. S. Judiciary Minutes, 55th Sess., at 3 (1969) (emphasis added)), |
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5 |
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Nor did plaintiffs even make the assertion, before the vote, that the proposal was
untimely. (See Settles Aff. Exs. D-G.) That determination was for the Board to make, relying
on
the Special Committee. It has nothing to do with the finality of the stockholder vote under
NRS
78.140. In any event, if he believed the Proxy Statement to be deficient, Paul Shoen could
have
sought to enjoin the vote, a remedy he has sought in the past. Having failed to do so, he
should
not be heard to complain now. |
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6 |
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These complaints were, in any event, anticipated and disposed of in AMERCOs
opening brief. (See Mem. at 12-14.) |
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accuracy, the Special Committee discharged its obligations.7 In sum, the Proxy
Statement provides no basis for overturning the stockholder vote.
II. |
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THE BUSINESS JUDGMENT PRESUMPTION OF VALIDITY DISPOSES OF THIS CASE. |
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A. |
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The Presumption of the Business Judgment Rule Applies To
Self-Dealing Transactions That Have Been Ratified. |
Plaintiffs also contend that the Legislature did not really intend to give stockholders the
power to authorize or ratify interested transactions. Relying on cases interpreting the effect of
Delawares Section 144, plaintiffs assert that compliance with NRS 78.140 simply shifts the burden
of an entire fairness inquiry. (Opp. at 11-12 citing HMG/Courtland Props, v. Gray, 749 A.2d 94
(Del. Ch. 1999) and Fliegler v. Lawrence, 361 A.2d 218 (Del. 1976).)
Plaintiffs ignore a fundamental difference between Nevada and Delaware law: Nevada has a
statutory presumption that the actions of officers and directors are in good faith, on an
informed basis and with a view to the interests of the corporation. NRS 78.138(3). Delaware has no
such statute.
Seeking to overcome this presumption and impose an entire fairness analysis, plaintiffs rely
solely on allegations of self-dealing by defendants. But in NRS 78.140, the Legislature implicitly
recognized that there may be advantages to corporations from transactions in which officers and
directors have a financial interest, and allowed stockholders to remove the issue of self-dealing
by majority approval by stockholders informed of the fact of the directors and officers
interests. The vote of the AMERCO stockholders complied with the statute. The SAC transactions are
therefore no longer void or voidable based on director or officer financial interest.
Stripped of self-dealing as a basis for unwinding the transactions, then, plaintiffs are left
with allegations that the Company should have received more favorable business terms. Such
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7 |
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Thus, plaintiffs cases concerning partial or incomplete disclosure are
inapposite. (See Opp. at 7-8 citing Leavitt v. Leisure Sports, Inc., 103 Nev. 81, 734 P.2d 122
(1987); W. Indus., Inc. v. Gen. Ins. Co., 91 Nev. 222, 533 P.2d 473 (1975); Arnold v. Soc. for Sav.
Bancorp, Inc., 650 A.2d 1270 (Del. 1994), Zirn v. VLI Corp., 681 A.2d 1050 (Del. 1996); Cohen v.
Mirage Resorts, Inc., 119 Nev. 1, 62 P.3d 720 (2003); In re Gen. Motors Class H Sholders Litig.,
734 A.2d 611 (Del. Ch. 1999).) The dicta on which plaintiffs rely in the Idaho opinion, Weatherhead
v. Griffin, 851 P.2d 993 (Idaho Ct. App. 1992), is neither binding nor persuasive. |
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allegations are not sufficient to impose an entire fairness test under Nevada law. Indeed, were
the law otherwise, NRS 78.138(3) and its presumption of good faith would be rendered
meaningless.8
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B. |
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Plaintiffs Fail to Plead Facts Overcoming the Business Judgment Rule. |
As noted in AMERCOs opening brief, to overcome the statutory presumptions of Nevadas
business judgment rule and avoid dismissal, plaintiffs must allege well-pleaded facts demonstrating
that the transactions are so far beyond the bounds of reasonable judgment that bad faith is the
only explanation. Parnes v. Bally Entm t Corp., 722 A.2d 1243, 1246 (Del. 1999).9 It is
flatly insufficient to rely on the facts plaintiffs now present. For example, the fact that the
$601 million in aggregate sale prices was $15 million (2%) below the aggregate of appraisal
amounts and 82% higher than aggregate book values was known to AMERCOs stockholders when
they voted. In the context of transactions that also contained revenue and gain-sharing provisions,
these amounts reflect business judgments that are presumed to be in good faith, given the
stockholder vote.
For the reasons set forth in AMERCOs opening memorandum, plaintiffs allegations do not
satisfy plaintiffs burden, and the Court should dismiss the Complaint with
prejudice.10 (See Mem. at 10-12.)
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8 |
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Plaintiffs ignore that NRS 78.140 provides that fairness is an alternative defense to
nullification, not a prerequisite. Specifically, the statute provides that a transaction may be
ratified by a vote of the board of directors, a stockholder vote, or a showing that the
transaction is fair as to the corporation at the time it is authorized or approved. NRS
78.140(2)(d) (emphasis added). Had the Legislature intended to make a showing of fairness mandatory
for ratification, it could have easily done so. |
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9 |
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Plaintiffs complain that this motion is premature because the pleadings have not yet closed.
(Opp. at 6 n.3.) Judicial economy could not possibly be served by deferring this motion. Indeed,
the Court may treat this as a motion to dismiss or, as set out in AMERCOs moving papers, a motion
for summary judgment. See Nev. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(5), 56(c). |
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10 |
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Plaintiffs insist that ratification does not cure the allegedly ultra vires
nature of the transactions, which plaintiffs say violated Article 11 of AMERCOs Articles of
Incorporation. Plaintiffs claim that because the transactions resulted in a combination,
defendants votes could not be counted. (Opp. at 15 n.8 citing NRS 78.493(3).) Plaintiffs theory
fails on several independent grounds. First, Article 11 does not disqualify certain stockholders
from voting. Second, NRS 78.140(2)(b), which is the basis of AMERCOs motion, explicitly allows
them to vote and their votes to be counted. And finally, even applying the standards plaintiffs
propose, plaintiffs fail to allege facts showing that any single sale, loan, or management
agreement |
[Footnote continues on following page.]
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III. |
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PLAINTIFFS PROPOSED DISCOVERY IS UNNECESSARY AND SHOULD BE
REJECTED. |
Because the facts underlying AMERCOs motion are essentially undisputed, plaintiffs proposed
discovery should be rejected. Allowing this suit to proceed, even to limited discovery, gives
plaintiff Paul Shoen precisely what he seeks harassment of AMERCOs officers and directors.
Plaintiffs request goes to the merits of the litigation rather than discovery aimed at addressing
this motion.
For example, plaintiffs would depose defendants and seek documents concerning the challenged
transactions. Similarly, although it is beyond dispute that the fact of insiders financial
interests, and more, was disclosed in the Proxy Statement, plaintiffs would propound 25 special
interrogatories inquiring into all material facts relating to those interests which is the
Delaware standard that the Nevada Legislature declined to enact. (Opp. at 15-16.) It would be
immaterial, and therefore wasteful of AMERCOs resources, to do more than confirm that stockholders
holding a majority of AMERCOs shares voted in favor of the stockholder proposal.
CONCLUSION
The AMERCO stockholders have spoken. This case is no longer and never was a proper
vehicle for Paul Shoen and his supporters to attempt to continue the saga of major litigation by
brother against brothers. AMERCOs stockholders have made it clear that Paul Shoen and the other
plaintiffs are opposing the interests of the corporation that they purport to represent. The time
for finality has come. No more of AMERCOs money should be spent on
[Footnote continued from previous page.]
transacted over a 14-year period was a combination for purposes of Article 11, much less met the
value requirements of Nevada law. (See Am. Compl. ¶ 136 citing NRS 78.416.)
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this litigation. Dismissal of this case would be precisely the result that the Legislature intended
to achieve in enacting NRS 78.138(3) and NRS 78.140.
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Dated: November 20, 2007 |
LAXALT & NOMURA, LTD.
DANIEL HAYWARD
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By: |
Daniel Hayward
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Daniel Hayward |
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Attorneys for Nominal Defendant AMERCO |
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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE
Pursuant to NRCP5(b), I certify that I am an employee of LAXALT & NOMURA, LTD., and that on
November 20, 2007, I caused a true and correct copy of the foregoing to be served by mail to the
following:
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Martha J. Ashcraft
James Berchtold
LEWIS AND ROCA LLP
3993 Howard Hughes Parkway, Suite 600
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Telephone: (702) 949-8200
Facsimile: (702) 949-8352
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Attorneys for Plaintiff Paul Shoen |
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Mark W. Rappel
Brian T. Glennon
LATHAM & WATKINS LLP
633 W. Fifth Street, Suite 4000
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Telephone: (213) 485-1234
Facsimile: (213) 891-8763
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Attorneys for Plaintiff Paul Shoen |
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Brian J. Robbins
Kelly M. McIntyre
ROBBINS UMEDA & FINK LLP
610 West Ash Street, Suite 1800
San Diego, CA 92101
Telephone: (619) 525-3990
Facsimile: (619) 525-3991
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Attorneys for Plaintiff Ron Belec |
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David C. McElhinney
David W. Wasick
BECKLEY SINGLETON
50 West Liberty Street, Suite 410
Reno, Nevada 89501
Telephone: (775) 823-2900
Facsimile: (775) 823-2929
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Attorneys for Plaintiff Ron Belec |
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Ike Lawrence Epstein
Daniel Polsenberg
BECKLEY SINGLETON
530 Las Vegas Blvd., South
Las Vegas, Nevada 89101
Telephone: (702) 385-3373
Facsimile: (702) 385-9447
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Attorneys for Plaintiff Ron Belec |
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William S. Lerach
Travis E. Downs, III Amber
L. Eck LERACH COUGHLIN STOIA
GELLER RUDMAN & ROBBINS LLP
655 W. Broadway, Suite 1900
San Diego, CA 92101
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Attorneys for Ron Belec |
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Bruce G. Murphy LAW OFFICES
OF BRUCE G. MURPHY 265
Llwyds Lane
Vero Beach, FL 32963
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Attorneys for Plaintiff Ron Belec |
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Joseph J. Tabacco, Jr.
Christopher Heffelfinger
BERMAN, DEVALERIO, PEASE,
TABACCO, BURT & PUCILLO
425 California Street, Suite 2025
San Francisco, CA 94104
Telephone: (415) 433-3200
Facsimile: (415) 433-6382
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Attorneys for Plaintiff Glenbrook Capital Limited Partnership |
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Harold B. Obstfeld
HAROLD B. OBSTFELD P.C.
260 Madison Avenue, 18th Flr.
New York, NY 10016
Telephone: (212) 696-1212
Facsimile: (212) 696-1398
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Attorneys for Plaintiff Alan Kahn |
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David Wasick
BECKLEY SINGLETON CHTD.
1875 Plumas Street, Suite 1
Reno, NV 89509-3387
Telephone: (775) 823-2900
Facsimile: (775) 823-2929
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Attorneys for Plaintiffs Glenbrook Capital
Limited Partnership and Alan Kahn |
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Charles E. Elder Daniel P.
Lefler David Siegel IRELL &
MANELLA LLP 1800 Avenue of
the Stars, Suite 900 Los
Angeles, CA 90067-4276
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Attorneys for Defendants Charles Bayer,
Aubrey Johnson, M. Frank Lyons, John P.
Brogan, James R. Rogan, and John M. Dodds |
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Calvin Dunlap LAW OFFICES OF
CALVIN R. DUNLAP 691 Sierra
Rose, Ste. A P.O. Box 3689
Reno, NV 89505
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Attorneys for SAC Defendants and Mark Shoen |
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Rew R. Goodenow PARSONS,
BEHLE & LATIMER 50 W. Liberty
Street, Suite 750 Reno, Nevada 89501
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Attorneys for John M. Dodds, Richard
Herrera, Aubrey Johnson Charles J.
Bayer, John P. Brogan, and James J.
Grogan |
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PAT LUNDVAL McDONALD CARANO
WILSON LLP
100 West Liberty Street, 10th Floor
P.O. Box 2670 Reno, Nevada
89505-2670
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Attorneys for Defendants Edward J.
Shoen, James P. Shoen, and William
E. Carty |
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Walter J. Robinson Theodore Keith
Bell PILLSBURY WINTHROP SHAW PITTMAN
LLP 2475 Hanover Street Palo Alto,
CA 94304
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Attorneys for Defendants Edward J.
Shoen, James P. Shoen, and William
E. Carty |
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Mark A. Nadeau Brian A. Cabianca
SQUIRE SANDERS & DEMPSEY LLP Two
Renaissance Square 40 North Central
Avenue, Suite 2700 Phoenix, AZ
85004-4498
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Attorneys for Mark Shoen and SAC
Defendants |
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Peter D. Fishbein LAW OFFICES OF
PETER D. FISCHBEIN 777 Terrace
Avenue, 5th Floor Hasbrouck Heights,
NJ 07604
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Attorneys for M.S. Management
Company, Inc. |
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James Ryan Deanna Peck QUARLES &
BRADY, STREICH & LANG Two North
Central Avenue Phoenix, AZ
85004-2391
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Attorneys for Defendants Edward
Shoen, James P. Shoen and William
Carty |
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/s/ Illegible
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An Employee of Laxalt & Nomura, Ltd. |
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SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT
COUNTY OF WASHOE, STATE OF NEVADA
AFFIRMATION
Pursuant to NRS 239B.030
The undersigned does hereby affirm that the preceding document filed in case number
CV02-05602.
þ |
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Document does not contain the social security number of any person |
-OR-
o |
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Document contains the social security number of a person as required by: |
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o |
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A specific state or federal law, to wit: |
(State specific state or federal law)
-OR-
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o |
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For the administration of a public program |
-OR-
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o |
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For an application for a federal or state grant |
DATED this 20 day of November, 2007.
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LAXALT & NOMURA, LTD.
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/s/ Daniel. T. Hayward
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DANIEL T. HAYWARD 9600 Gateway Drive |
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Reno, Nevada 89521 Telephone:
(775) 322-1170 Facsimile:
(775) 322-1865 Attorneys for Nominal
Defendant AMERCO |
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EXHIBIT
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EXHIBIT F
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Code 3370
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FILED
DEC 17 2007 |
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HOWARD W CONYERS CLERK
By: /s/ Illegible |
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DEPUTY CLERK |
IN THE SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT OF THE STATE OF NEVADA
IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WASHOE
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In re |
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Case No. CV02-05602 |
AMERCO DERIVATIVE LITIGATION, |
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Dept. No. 6 |
/
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AND ALL RELATED MATTERS. |
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/
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ORDER
Amerco filed a motion for judgment on the pleadings or, in the alternative, motion for
summary judgment. Plaintiffs filed an opposition, or in the alternative, a request to conduct
discovery pursuant to NRCP 56(f).
Plaintiffs allege that Joe Shoen, Mark Shoen and James Shoen, along with other officers and
controlling shareholders of Amerco, engaged in self-dealing transactions to transfer Amercos
self-storage business to entities owned and controlled by Mark and James Shoen. Subsequently,
Amerco obtained a proxy statement approving a stockholder proposal to ratify the disputed
transactions and filed the instant motion for summary judgment.
Summary judgment is appropriate under NRCP 56 when the pleadings, depositions, answers to
interrogatories, admissions, and affidavits, if any, that are properly before the court demonstrate
that no genuine issue of material fact exists, and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a
matter of law. Wood v. Safeway, Inc., 121 P.3d 1026, 1031 (Nev. 2005).
J-1
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28
A factual dispute is genuine when the evidence is such that a rational trier of fact could
return a verdict for the nonmoving party. Id.
Amerco argues that, due to the ratification, the business judgment rule applies to the
disputed transaction and Plaintiffs have failed to allege sufficient facts to overcome the business
judgment rule.
Plaintiffs contend the proxy is invalid because it fails to disclose all material facts.1
Plaintiffs further assert that even if the proxy is valid, Defendants still must demonstrate
the underlying fairness of the disputed transaction. Finally, Plaintiffs dispute the fairness and
disinterested nature of the circumstances surrounding the shareholder proposal and proxy.
Amerco argues the proxy complied with the requirements of NRS 78.140 and therefore
Plaintiffs cannot challenge the disputed transactions.
NRS 78.140 provides:
1. A contract or other transaction is not void or voidable solely because:
(a) The contract or transaction is between a corporation and:
(1) One or more of its directors or officers; or
(2) Another corporation, firm or association in which one or more of its
directors or officers are directors or officers or are financially interested;
...
if one of the circumstances specified in subsection 2 exists.
2. The circumstances in which a contract or other transaction is not void or
voidable pursuant to subsection 1 are:
...
(b) The fact of the common directorship, office or financial interest is known to
the stockholders, and they approve or ratify the contract or transaction in
|
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1 |
|
Plaintiffs contend the proxy should have informed the shareholders: (1) that the
proposal was an attempt to dispose of this litigation and preclude the company from recovering
funds from the SAC entities; (2) of potential the benefits of the litigation to the company; (3)
why Plaintiffs believe the transactions were unfair; (4) of the specific terms of the disputed
transactions; (5) that the transactions were not reviewed for fairness by an independent party; (6)
how the terms of the disputed transactions were settled; and (7) that the SAC entities use the
companys employees and resources without compensating the company. |
J-2
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28
good faith by a majority vote of stockholders holding a majority of the voting
power. The votes of the common or interested directors or officers must be counted
in any such vote of stockholders.
The Court finds genuine issues of material fact remain in dispute regarding the sufficiency of
the disclosure to the shareholders of the common directorship, office or financial interest.
Plaintiffs allegations of irregularities in the shareholder proposal and proxy process create
issues of fact which, at this time, preclude entry of summary judgment.
Accordingly, Amercos motion for judgment on the pleadings or summary judgment is denied.
DATED:
This
14th
day of December, 2007.
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/s/ Brent Glenn
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DISTRICT JUDGE |
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CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE BY MAILING |
Pursuant to NRCP 5(b), I hereby certify that I am an employee of the Second Judicial
District Court, in and for the County of Washoe; and that on this 17th day of
December, 2007, I deposited in the County mailing system for postage and mailing with the
United States Postal Service in Reno, Nevada, a true and correct copy of the attached
document addressed as follows: |
Rew R. Goodenow, Esq. 333 Holcomb
Avenue, Ste. 300 P.O. Box 2790 Reno,
Nevada 89505 |
Daniel Hayward, Esq. Laxalt
& Nomura, Ltd. 9600 Gateway
Drive Reno, Nevada 89521 |
Thomas R. C. Wilson, Esq.
Pat Lundvall, Esq.
McDonald, Carano, Wilson LLP
100 West Liberty Street, 10th Floor
P.O. Box 2670
Reno, NV 89505-2670 |
Calvin R. X. Dunlap, Esq.
P.O. Box 3689 Reno NV 89505
|
Mark A. Nadeau, Esq. Squire Sanders & Dempsey LLP
Two Renaissance Square
40 North Central Avenue
Suite 2700
Phoenix, AZ 85004-4498 |
James A. Ryan, Esq. Quarles & Brady,
Streich, Lang LLP Two North Central
Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85004-2391 |
Martha J. Ashcroft, Esq.
James E. Berchtold, Esq.
Lewis & Rocha
3993 H. Hughes Parkway, #600 Las
Vegas, NV 89109 |
Brian Robbins, Esq. Robbins
Umeda & Fink 610 W. Ash
Street, #1800 San Diego, CA
92101 |
J-4
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5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28
Christopher T. Heffelfinger, Esq.
Berman Devalerio Pease Tabacco Burt & Pucillo
425 California St., #2025
San Francisco, CA 94104 |
Charles Edward Elder, Esq.
Daniel Patrick Lefler, Esq.
David Siegel, Esq.
1800 Avenue of the Stars
Suite 900
Los Angeles, CA 90067-4276 |
Theodore Keith Bell, Esq.
Walter J. Robinson, Esq.
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP
2475 Hanover Street
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1114 |
Brian T. Glennon, Esq. Marc W. Rappel, Esq. 633 W. Fifth St., Ste.
4000 Los Angeles, CA 90071 |
Harold B. Obstfeld, Esq.
260 Madison Avenue, 18th Floor
New York, NY 10017 |
Bruce G. Murphy, Esq.
265 Llwyds Lane
Vero Beach, FL 32963-3252 |
Peter D. Fischbein,
Esq. Heights Plaza 5th Floor 777 Terrace
Avenue Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604 |
William S. Lerach, Esq.
655 West Broadway, Ste. 1900
San Diego, CA 92101 |
David C. McElhinney, Esq. Beckley, Singleton 50 W. Liberty St.,
Suite 410 Reno NV 89509 |
Daniel F. Polsenberg, Esq. Beckley, Singleton, Jemison Cobeaga &
List, Chartered 530 S. Las Vegas Blvd. Las Vegas NV 89101 |
J-5
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5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28
David Wasick, Esq. Beckley, Singleton Chtd. 1875 Plumas St,. Ste. 1 Reno, NV 80509-3387 |
/s/ Heidi Boe
Heidi Boe Administrative Assistant |
J-6
EXHIBIT K
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5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28
Code 3370
FILED
APR 07 2008
HOWARD W. CONYERS. CLERK
By /s/ HOWARD W. CONYERS deputy clerk |
IN THE SECOND JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT OF THE
STATE OF NEVADA IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF WASHOE |
In re
Case No. CV02-05602 Dept. No. 6 |
AMERCO DERIVATIVE LITIGATION, |
On November 8, 2006, Plaintiffs filed an amended consolidated derivative complaint,
alleging Defendants improperly transferred certain self-storage properties
(hereafter the Property), from Amerco to the SAC entities, for less than fair
value. |
Defendants, Mark Shoen and the SAC entities filed a motion to dismiss.
Defendants, Charles J. Bayer, John P. Brogan, John M. Dodds, James J. Grogan,
Richard Herrera and Aubrey Johnson (collectively the Outside Directors) filed a
motion to dismiss. Defendants, William Carty, Edward Shoen and James Shoen also
filed a motion to dismiss. Plaintiffs filed oppositions. |
With respect to Plaintiffs derivative claims against the officers and/or
directors of Amerco, the Court finds the settlement stipulation, reached in the
Goldwasser litigation, precludes Plaintiffs from bringing this action. |
Copy of original document on file with the Clerk of Court Second Judicial District Court, County
of Washoe, State of Nevada |
K-1
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5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28
The claims in the Goldwasser litigation were derivatively asserted by
Plaintiffs, on behalf of Amerco. Thus, when the release was executed, the claims
were released on behalf of Amerco. Plaintiffs, therefore, cannot relitigate said
claims on behalf of Amerco. |
The Court finds the Goldwasser settlement released the claims which are the
subject of this action. Under the settlement, which was the result of contested
litigation, Amerco expressly agreed to release all claims arising out of, relating
to or in connection with the matters discussed in exhibit 2 [to the stipulation].
Exhibit 2 discusses: (1) Mark Shoens interest and involvement in the SAC entities;
(2) the sale of the Property by Amerco to the SAC entities; (3) the valuation of the
Property; (4) the sales price of the Property; and (5) the terms of the
transactions. |
Plaintiffs, however, argue this action may proceed because the settlement
expressly excluded any claim either individual or derivative of any Amerco
shareholder other than the Plaintiffs herein. The Court finds this argument is
without merit. The language any claim, must, necessarily, be read to mean any
other claim. To hold otherwise would render the release meaningless, because it
would prohibit only a small portion of the shareholders (the Plaintiffs of the
Goldwasser litigation) from again raising said claims, while, at the same time,
permitting each individual remaining shareholder to bring a new derivative action
seeking to relitigate identical claims. Such an arrangement would be nonsensical and
provide no benefit to Amerco as a settling party. |
The claims asserted derivatively on behalf of Amerco are the claims released
by-Amerco in the Goldwasser action. Claims which Amerco released cannot be brought
again on behalf of Amerco. |
Claims Against the SAC Entities |
With respect to Plaintiffs claims against the SAC entities, the Court finds
Plaintiffs lack standing. |
Plaintiffs claims are derivative claims brought on behalf of Amerco. Amerco,
however, participated in the challenged transactions and, therefore, cannot bring a
claim |
Copy of original document on file with the Clerk of Court Second Judicial District Court, County
of Washoe, State of Nevada |
K-2
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5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28
against the SAC entities, based on the transactions. See in re Mediators, Inc., 105
F.3d 822 (2nd Cir, 1997)(the Committee, suing on behalf of the
[corporation], could not bring claims against third parties for facilitating a
fraudulent transfer of assets, where the [corporation] also participated in the
misconduct and [the corporation] has no standing to assert aiding-and-abetting
claims against third parties for cooperating in the very misconduct that it had
initiated). |
Accordingly, Defendants motions to dismiss are granted.
DATED: This 7th day of April, 2008. |
/s/ Brent Glenn
DISTRICT JUDGE |
Copy of original document on file with the Clerk of Court Second Judicial District Court, County
of Washoe, State of Nevada |
K-3
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5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28
CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE BY MAILING |
Pursuant to NRCP 5(b), I hereby certify that I am an employee of the Second Judicial
District Court, In and for the County of Washoe; and that on this 7th
day of April, 2008, I deposited in the County mailing system for postage and malling with the
United States Postal Service in Reno, Nevada, a true and correct copy of the attached
document
addressed as follows: |
Rew R. Goodenow, Esq. 333 Holcomb Avenue, Ste. 300 P.O.
Box 2790 Reno, Nevada 89505 |
Daniel Hayward, Esq.
Laxalt & Nomura, Ltd.
9600 Gateway Drive
Reno, Nevada 89521 |
Thomas R. C. Wilson, Esq.
Matthew Addison, Esq.
McDonald, Carano, Wilson LLP
100 West Liberty Street, 10th Floor
P.O. Box 2670
Reno, NV 89505-2670 |
Calvin R. X. Dunlap,
Esq. P.O. Box 3689
Reno NV 89505
Brian A. Cablanca, Esq.
Squire Sanders & Dempsey LLP Two
Renaissance Square 40 North
Central Avenue Suite 2700,
Phoenix,
AZ 85004-4498 |
James A. Ryan, Esq.
Quarles & Brady, Streich, Lang LLP
Two North Central Avenue
Phoenix, AZ-85004-2391 |
Martha J. Ashcroft, Esq.
James E. Berchtold, Esq.
Lewis & Rocha
3993 H. Hughes Parkway, #600
Las
Vegas, NV 89109 |
Brian Robbins,
Esq.
Robbins
Umeda & Fink 610 W. Ash
Street, #1800 San Diego,
CA 92101 |
Copy of original document on file with the Clerk of Court Second Judicial District Court, County
of Washoe, State of Nevada |
K-4
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28
Joseph J. Tabacco, Jr., Esq.
Christopher T. Heffelfinger, Esq.
Berman Devalerio Pease Tabacco Burt & Pucillo
425 California St, #2025
San Francisco, CA 94104 |
Charles Edward Elder, Esq.
Daniel Patrick Letter, Esq.
David Siegel, Esq.
1800 Avenue of the Stars
Suite 900
Los Angeles, CA 90067-4276 |
Theodore Keith Bell, Esq. Walter J.
Robinson. Esq. Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw
Pittman LLP 2475 Hanover Street Palo
Alto, CA 94304-1114 |
Brian T. Glennon, Esq.
Marc W. Rappel, Esq.
633 W. Fifth St., Ste. 4000
Los Angeles CA 90071 |
Harold B. Obstfeld, Esq.
100 Park Avenue., 20th Floor
New York, NY 10017-5510 |
Bruce G. Murphy, Esq.
265 Llwyds Lane
Vero Beach FL 32963-3252 |
Peter D. Fischbein. Esq., Heights
Plaza 5th Floor 777 Terrace
Avenue Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604 |
William S. Lerach, Esq.
655 West Broadway, Ste. 1900
San Diego, CA 92101 |
David C. McElhinney, Esq.
Beckley, Singleton 50 W.
Liberty St, Suite 410 Reno
NV 89509 |
Daniel F. Polsenberg, Esq.
Beckley, Singleton, Jemison Cobeaga & List, Chartered
530 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas NV 89101 |
Copy of original document on file with the Clerk of Court Second Judicial District Court, County
of Washoe, State of Nevada |
K-5
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28
David Wasick, Esq.
Beckley, Singleton
Chtd. 1875 Plumas St,.
Ste. 1 Reno, NV
80509-3387 |
Jack W. Londen, Esq.
Morrison & Foerster, LLP 425
Market Street San Francisco,
CA 94105-2482 |
Mark R. McDonald, Esq.
Morrison & Foerster, LLP 555
West Fifth Street, Ste; 3500
Los Angeles, CA 90013-1024 |
/s/ Heldi Boa
Heldi Boa
Administrative Assistant |
Copy of original document on file with the Clerk of Court Second Judicial District Court, County
of Washoe, State of Nevada |
K-6
EXHIBIT L
Exhibit H to Special Meeting Proxy Statement
Background of the 2007 Ratification of the SAC Transactions
The following Stockholder Proposal was included in the Companys 2007 Proxy Statement and was
voted upon at the Companys 2007 Annual Meeting.
Motion:
That the shareholders vote to approve and affirm the actions taken by all
AMERCO and its subsidiaries Boards of Directors, officers and employees in
entering into, and all resulting contracts with SAC and ratify all SAC
transactions amended or entered into by AMERCO and any of its subsidiaries
between 1992 and March 31, 2007.
Reason for Making the Proposal:
Pending litigation and to protect potential diminishment of shareholder equity.
Relevant Notices:
1) We do not have any material interest in the subject matter of the proposal.
2) We are not members of any partnership, limited partnership, syndicate or
other group pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, relationship,
understanding, or otherwise, whether or not in writing, organized in whole or
in part for the purpose of acquiring, owning or voting shares of AMERCO stock.
3) The above shareholders have continuously held at least $2,000.00 in market
value of AMERCO shares and we intend to hold the stock through the date of the
annual meeting.
Attachments: All relevant schedules and timelines associated with this motion.
The Stockholder Proposal was received by the Company on June 1, 2007, from the stockholders
identified below. These individuals are (or were at the time of the delivery of the Stockholder
Proposal) employees of U-Haul.
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Aaron Schafer
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Dee McDowell
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Lara Wesson
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Richard Baranski |
Alan L. Weinstein
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Dennis OConnor
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Laura Martins
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Richard Zabriskie |
Amy Henning
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Don Cichon
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Linda Molina
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Rodney McDowell |
Artie Tonan
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Donald Cerimeli
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Lindsay Pobieglo
|
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Russ E. Johnson |
Bernice Owens
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Francis Nebo
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Loretta Wojtak
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Salea Kinealy |
Bob Wesson
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Greg Foster
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Marie Barrows
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Samuel Celaya |
Brian OLoughlin
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James Cain
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Marlene Patton
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Scott Lee |
Bruce Royer
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Jean Covington
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Mary Rivera
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Scott Willson |
Burton Duy
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Jeannie Neff
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Matt Braccia
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Sean Kelly |
Butch H. Greer
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Jeff Jenkins
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Michael G. Colman
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Shirley Brown |
Carlos Vizcarra
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Joanne Fried
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Michael Kinealy
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Silvia Hernandez |
Carol Young
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JoAnne Sasser
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Michael Saur
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Steve Dudley |
Carolyn Hyduke
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Joe Hemauer
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Mike Wiram
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Steven Berman |
Cilia Mallatte
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John Homer
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Mitzi Pack
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Thomas Casey |
Cindy Lycans
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John J. Sampson
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Monica Calvillo
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Thomas Dilgard |
Crystal Clark
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John McCauley
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Nobie Sanders
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Thomas Prefling |
Dale Harpster
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John Mikel
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Olga Sanchez
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Tom Coffee |
Danielle D. Lloyd
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John Ungerer
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Pamela Young
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Tom Kardys |
David Coyle
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Joseph Cook
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Pat Fidazzo
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Tom L. Stallings |
David Rose
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Joy Hodge
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Randy Engen
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Vicki McAuliffe |
Dean Cerimeli
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Kelie Budd-Hale
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Renee Colman |
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Debi Slater
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Kenneth Parker
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Renee Royer |
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L-1
Previous Disclosure Regarding the SAC Transactions
The following disclosure was given in the 2007 Proxy Statement relating to the Stockholder
Proposal:
Background
SAC consists of SAC Holding Corporation (SAC I), and its affiliates, SAC Holding II
Corporation (SAC II), Four SAC Self-Storage Corporation (4 SAC), Five SAC Self-Storage
Corporation (5 SAC), Mercury Partners, LP. (Mercury), and each of their respective subsidiaries
or affiliates, including Private Mini Storage Realty, L.P., and its subsidiaries (Private Mini)
and Galaxy Investors, L.P. (Galaxy, and collectively with SAC I, SAC II, 4 SAC, 5 SAC, Mercury,
Private Mini and each of their respective subsidiaries, SAC). SAC was established to own
self-storage properties and to act as an independent U-Haul dealer for the rental of U-Haul
equipment. SAC is owned by Blackwater Investments, Inc., which in turn is owned by Mark V. Shoen, a
controlling stockholder and an executive officer of the Company. James P. Shoen, a controlling
stockholder and an executive officer and director of the Company, has an equity interest in
Mercury. Mark V. Shoen is a director and officer of SAC.
SAC was established to help implement the Companys strategic business plan of expanding the
self-storage portfolio operated under the U-Haul name and expanding the number of U-Haul dealer
outlets for the rental of U-Haul equipment. Many of the Companys credit facilities that existed
prior to 2004 contained restrictive covenants that prohibited the Company from mortgaging its
assets. As a result, prior to 2004, the Company could not obtain any significant amount of mortgage
financing as a means to implement its strategic business plan. SAC, however, was not subject to
such lender restrictions. Accordingly, the Company utilized the flexibility inherent in SAC as a
means for achieving certain goals and objectives. Over the course of several years, contractual
relationships were established between subsidiaries of the Company and SAC. The following
summarizes certain of the basic contracts:
|
1. |
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Properties owned by subsidiaries of the Company were sold to SAC, generally in
geographically diverse groupings of stabilized properties. Upon the sale of a property
to SAC, such property ceased being an asset of the Company; similarly, the liabilities
secured by the SAC-owned properties (the SAC Properties) are not liabilities of the
Company. In total, the appraised values of the properties sold by the Company to SAC were
approximately $615.9 million and selling prices were approximately $600.7 million. |
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2. |
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Property management agreements were entered between Company subsidiary U-Haul
International, Inc., or subsidiaries thereof (U-Haul) and SAC, pursuant to which U-Haul
subsidiaries were hired to act as property managers for the SAC Properties. These
agreements ensure that the SAC Properties are operated and maintained in accordance with
U-Haul standards, and provide subsidiaries of the Company with management fee revenue.
Management fees for fiscal years 2007, 2006 and 2005 were $23.5 million, $22.5 million and
$14.4 million, respectively. |
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3. |
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U-Haul independent dealer agreements were entered between subsidiaries of the Company
and SAC, pursuant to which the SAC Properties act as U-Haul independent dealers for the
rental of U-Haul equipment. These agreements have resulted in an expansion of the U-Haul
dealer network. |
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4. |
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Subsidiaries of the Company loaned money to SAC to finance SACs purchase of the SAC
Properties, evidenced by promissory notes (the SAC Notes). Such SAC Notes have generally
accrued interest at a rate of 8% to 9% per annum and require minimum monthly cash interest
payments. |
Over the years, SAC has obtained loans from various third party lenders, which loans are
secured by first mortgages on the majority of the SAC Properties. Such mortgage loans have
facilitated SACs purchase of the SAC Properties, which in turn has enabled the Company to
implement its business plan.
L-2
Proceeds from such mortgage loans (net of transaction expenses and customary mortgage loan
hold-backs and reserves) have been remitted by SAC to Company subsidiaries to pay for the purchase
of the SAC Properties and/or to pay down the SAC Notes.
Exclusive of the properties in the Carey Portfolio, the Private Mini Portfolio and the
Securespace Portfolio, each as hereinafter defined, subsidiaries of the Company sold 230 properties
to SAC. Table 1 below sets forth the appraised values, book values and sales prices of such
230 properties.
Table 1
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Name of SAC Entity |
|
Appraised Values |
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Book Values |
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Sales Prices |
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24-25-26-27 |
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$ |
134,940,000 |
|
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$ |
65,260,000 |
|
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$ |
140,406,000 |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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20-21-22-23 |
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91,940,000 |
|
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45,842,000 |
|
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93,679,000 |
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
18 |
|
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44,805,000 |
|
|
|
29,743,000 |
|
|
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43,782,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
12-13-14 |
|
|
119,185,000 |
|
|
|
38,479,000 |
|
|
|
110,741,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
6 |
|
|
91,270,000 |
|
|
|
40,421,000 |
|
|
|
99,686,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
4-5 |
|
|
66,595,000 |
|
|
|
55,940,000 |
|
|
|
57,422,000 |
|
1-2 |
|
|
67,200,000 |
|
|
|
54,425,000 |
|
|
|
54,955,000 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total |
|
$ |
615,935,000 |
|
|
$ |
330,110,000 |
|
|
$ |
600,671,000 |
|
The SAC Properties are located throughout the United States and Canada and consist of the 230
properties referenced above, the self-storage portion of the 78 properties in the Carey Portfolio,
the 60 properties in the Private Mini Portfolio, the 16 properties in the Securespace Portfolio,
and 112 other properties purchased by SAC from non-AMERCO entities. Substantially all of the SAC
Properties are developed and operate as U-Haul moving centers and self-storage facilities (U-Haul
Centers).
SAC Holding Participation and Subordination Agreement in Connection with AMERCO Restructuring
On March 15, 2004, in connection with the Companys court approved Chapter 11 bankruptcy
restructuring and the implementation of the Joint Plan of Reorganization of AMERCO and Amerco Real
Estate Company (collectively, the Restructuring), SAC Holdings issued $200 million of 8.5% senior
notes due 2014 (the SAC Holdings Senior Notes) pursuant to an Indenture (Indenture) dated March
14, 2004, with Law Debenture Trust Company of New York as Trustee (the Trustee), to the Companys
unsecured creditors. In connection with the Indenture, the Company, SAC Holdings, U-Haul and the
Trustee entered a Participation and Subordination Agreement (the PSA), pursuant to which, among
other things, (i) the proceeds from SACs indenture notes were used to repay $200 million in
principal amount of SAC Notes held by U-Haul and Company subsidiary Amerco Real Estate Company
(AREC); (ii) one SAC Note was restated in the form of a Fixed Rate Note; and (iii) the principal
amount of three SAC Notes remained unchanged, but such notes were restated in the form of the
Amended and Restated SAC Notes and were expressly made subordinate to the SAC Holdings Senior
Notes. See Exhibits F, G, H, I and J
L-3
attached to the 2007 Proxy Statement for copies of the PSA, the Amended and Restated SAC Notes and
the Fixed Rate Note, respectively. In August 2004, SAC Holdings redeemed approximately $43.2
million of the SAC Holdings Senior Notes. In June 2007, SAC Holdings completed a full redemption of
the SAC Holdings Senior Notes.
Pursuant to the PSA, the Company reimbursed or paid on behalf of SAC Holdings the reasonable
attorneys fees incurred by SAC Holdings in connection with the preparation, negotiation and
implementation of the PSA and the issuance of the SAC Holdings Senior Notes, in an amount not
exceeding $500,000. In addition, the Company has reimbursed, or paid on behalf of SAC Holding, SAC
Holdings reasonable, direct out of pocket expenses (including reasonable attorneys and
accountants fees and trustees fees) incurred by SAC Holdings in connection with its reporting or
other compliance obligations under the Indenture and the PSA, in an amount not exceeding $1 million
for any twelve-month period.
Pursuant to the PSA, AMERCO executed an Agreement to Indemnify (the Indemnity) in favor of
SAC Holdings and certain of its affiliates as specified therein (the Indemnified Persons). Under
the Indemnity, AMERCO has agreed to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the Indemnified Persons
from and against, among other things, liability under the PSA. See Exhibit K attached to
the 2007 Proxy Statement for a copy of the Indemnity. All of the transactions and agreements in
connection with the Indenture, the PSA, the Fixed Rate Note, the Amended and Restated SAC Notes and
the Indemnity were expressly approved by the Bankruptcy court presiding over the Restructuring.
Sale of properties to Twenty-Four SAC, Twenty-Five SAC, Twenty-Six SAC, and Twenty-Seven SAC
In March 2002, subsidiaries of the Company sold 59 stabilized properties improved with
self-storage facilities (the 24-27 SAC Properties) to SAC Holdings subsidiaries, Twenty-Four SAC
Self-Storage Limited Partnership, Twenty-Five SAC Self-Storage Limited Partnership, Twenty-Six SAC
Self-Storage Limited Partnership and Twenty-Seven SAC Self-Storage Limited Partnership
(collectively, 24-27 SAC) for an aggregate sale price of approximately $140,406,000. 24-27 SAC
closed on a mortgage loan secured by the 24-27 SAC Properties simultaneously or immediately after
the closing of the sale of the properties to 24-27 SAC. Net mortgage loan proceeds, along with a
note issued by SAC Holdings to U-Haul contemporaneously with the sale (the 24-27 SAC Junior Note)
financed 24-27 SACs purchase of such properties. Independent appraisals commissioned by the
mortgage lender to 24-27 SAC were done on the 24-27 SAC Properties within approximately two months
prior to the date of the sale, which appraised values, in the aggregate, equaled approximately
$134,940,000.
Upon the sale of the 24-27 SAC Properties to 24-27 SAC, the 24-27 SAC Properties became
subject to a Property Management Agreement with U-Haul, pursuant to which U-Haul was hired to act
as the property manager. At all times since the sale of the 24-27 SAC Properties, U-Haul has acted
as the property manager at such locations.
Upon the sale of the 24-27 SAC Properties to 24-27 SAC, 24-27 SAC became a U-Haul independent
dealer, pursuant to a standard form of U-Haul dealership agreement. At all times since the sale of
the 24-27 SAC Properties, 24-27 SAC has been a U-Haul dealer at such properties.
In March 2004, the 24-27 SAC Junior Note was amended and restated and subordinated to the SAC
Holdings Senior Notes.
Sale of properties to Twenty SAC, Twenty-One SAC, Twenty-Two SAC and Twenty-Three SAC
In December 2001 and January 2002, subsidiaries of the Company sold 37 stabilized properties
improved with self-storage facilities (the 20-23 SAC Properties) to SAC Holdings subsidiaries,
Twenty SAC Self-Storage Corporation, Twenty-One SAC Self-Storage Corporation, Twenty-Two SAC
Self-Storage Corporation and Twenty-Three SAC Self-Storage Corporation (collectively, 20-23 SAC)
for an aggregate sale price of approximately $93,679,000. 20-23 SAC closed on a mortgage loan
secured by the
L-4
20-23 SAC Properties simultaneously or immediately after the closing of the sale of the
properties from subsidiaries of the Company to 20-23 SAC. Net mortgage loan proceeds, along with a
note issued by SAC Holdings to U-Haul contemporaneously with the sale (the 20-23 SAC Junior Note)
financed 20-23 SACs purchase of such properties. Independent appraisals commissions by the
mortgage lender to 20-23 SAC were done on the 20-23 SAC Properties two months prior to the date of
the sale, which appraised values, in the aggregate, equaled approximately $91,940,000.
Upon the sale of the 20-23 SAC Properties to 20-23 SAC, the 20-23 SAC Properties became
subject to a Property Management Agreement with U-Haul, pursuant to which U-Haul was hired to act
as the property manager. At all times since the sale of the 20-23 SAC Properties, U-Haul has acted
as the property manager at such locations.
Upon the sale of the 20-23 SAC Properties to 20-23 SAC, 20-23 SAC became a U-Haul independent
dealer, pursuant to a standard form of U-Haul dealership agreement. At all times since the sale of
the 20-23 SAC Properties, 20-23 SAC has been a U-Haul dealer at such locations.
In March 2004, the 20-23 SAC Junior Note was amended and restated and subordinated to the SAC
Holdings Senior Notes.
Sale of Properties to Eighteen SAC
In December 2001, subsidiaries of the Company sold 14 stabilized properties improved with
self-storage facilities (the Eighteen SAC Properties) to SAC Holdings subsidiary Eighteen SAC
Self-Storage Corporation (Eighteen SAC) for an aggregate sale price of approximately $43,782,000.
Eighteen SAC closed on a mortgage loan secured by the Eighteen SAC Properties simultaneously or
immediately after the closing of the sale of the properties from subsidiaries of the Company to
Eighteen SAC. Net mortgage loan proceeds, along with a note issued by SAC Holdings to U-Haul
contemporaneously with the sale (the Eighteen SAC Junior Note) financed 18 SACs purchase of such
properties. Independent appraisals commissioned by the mortgage lender to 18 SAC were done on the
Eighteen SAC Properties approximately one month prior to the date of the sale, which appraised
values, in the aggregate, equaled approximately $44,805,000.
Upon the sale of the Eighteen SAC Properties to Eighteen SAC, the Eighteen SAC Properties
became subject to a Property Management Agreement with U-Haul, pursuant to which U-Haul was hired
to act as the property manager. At all times since the sale of the Eighteen SAC Properties, U-Haul
has acted as the property manager at such locations.
Upon the sale of the Eighteen SAC Properties to Eighteen SAC, Eighteen SAC became a U-Haul
independent dealer, pursuant to a standard form of U-Haul dealership agreement. At all times since
the sale of the Eighteen SAC Properties, Eighteen SAC has been a U-Haul dealer at such locations.
In March 2004, the Eighteen SAC Junior Note was amended and restated and subordinated to the
SAC Holdings Senior Notes.
Sale of properties to Twelve SAC, Thirteen SAC and Fourteen SAC
In June 2000, subsidiaries of the Company sold 27 stabilized properties improved with
self-storage facilities (the 12-14 SAC Properties) to SAC Holdings subsidiaries Twelve SAC
Self-Storage Corporation, Thirteen SAC Self-Storage Corporation and Fourteen SAC Self-Storage
Corporation (collectively 12-14 SAC) for an aggregate sale price of approximately $110,741,000.
SAC Holdings financed the purchase of the 12-14 SAC Properties with the issuance of promissory
notes contemporaneously with the sale (the Twelve/Thirteen SAC Junior Note and the
Fourteen/Seventeen SAC Junior Note) to AREC for the full amount of the sale price. As credit
support for the Twelve/Thirteen SAC Junior Note and the Fourteen SAC/Seventeen SAC Junior Note, SAC
Holdings provided a letter of credit in favor of U-Haul for 20% of the aggregate amount of the
Twelve/Thirteen SAC Junior Note and the Fourteen/Seventeen SAC Junior Note. Independent appraisals
commissioned by the mortgage lenders to
L-5
12-14 SAC were done on the 12-14 SAC Properties at various dates within approximately one year
after the sale, which appraised values, in the aggregate, equaled approximately $119,185,000.
Shortly following their purchase of the properties, 12-14 SAC conveyed certain of their properties
to one of their affiliates, Seventeen SAC Self-Storage Corporation (Seventeen SAC).
Upon the sale of the 12-14 SAC Properties to 12-14 SAC, the 12-14 SAC Properties became
subject to a Property Management Agreement with U-Haul, pursuant to which U-Haul was hired to act
as the property manager. At all times since the sale of the 12-14 SAC Properties, U-Haul has acted
as the property manager for such locations.
Upon the sale of the 12-14 SAC Properties to 12-14 SAC, 12-14 SAC became a U-Haul independent
dealer, pursuant to a standard form of U-Haul dealership agreement. At all times since the sale of
the 12-14 SAC Properties, 12-14 SAC has been a U-Haul dealer at such locations.
In March 2001, Twelve SAC and Thirteen SAC closed on a mortgage loan on their properties. The
net proceeds of such mortgage loan were applied to reduce the Twelve/Thirteen SAC Junior Note
balance and the letter of credit referenced above was terminated. In June 2001, Fourteen SAC and
Seventeen SAC closed on a mortgage loan secured by their respective properties. The net proceeds of
such mortgage loan were applied to reduce the Fourteen/Seventeen SAC Junior Note balance.
The Twelve/Thirteen SAC Junior Note and the Fourteen/Seventeen SAC Junior Note were repaid and
satisfied in full on March 15, 2004, with proceeds from the issuance by SAC Holdings of the SAC
Holdings Senior Notes.
Sale Of Properties To Six SAC
In December 1998, subsidiaries of the Company sold 26 stabilized properties improved with
self-storage facilities (the Six SAC Properties) to SAC Holdings subsidiary Six SAC Self-Storage
Corporation (Six SAC) for an aggregate sale price of approximately $99,686,000. SAC Holdings
financed the purchase of the Six SAC Properties with the issuance of promissory notes (the Six SAC
Note) to U-Haul, AREC and Oxford for the full amount of the purchase price. As credit support for
the Six SAC Note, SAC Holdings provided a letter of credit in favor of U-Haul for 20% of the Six
SAC Note amount. Net proceeds from subsequent mortgage loans secured by the Six SAC Properties were
used by SAC Holdings to pay down the Six SAC Note at various times. Upon the initial pay down of
the Six SAC Note, the letter of credit was terminated. Independent appraisals commissioned by the
mortgage lenders to Six SAC and affiliates were done on the Six SAC Properties at various dates up
to approximately fourteen months after the date of sale to Six SAC, which appraised values, in the
aggregate, equaled approximately $91,270,000. Approximately one year following its purchase of the
properties, Six SAC conveyed certain of its properties to affiliate, Eight SAC Self-Storage
Corporation, Nine SAC Self-Storage Corporation and Ten SAC Self-Storage Corporation (8-10 SAC).
Upon the sale of the Six SAC Properties to Six SAC, such properties became subject to a
Property Management Agreement with U-Haul, pursuant to which U-Haul was hired to act as the
property manager. At all times since the sale of the Six SAC Properties to Six SAC, U-Haul has
acted as the property manager for such locations.
Upon the sale of the Six SAC Properties to Six SAC, Six SAC became a U-Haul independent dealer
pursuant to a standard form of U-Haul dealership agreement. At all times since the sale of the Six
SAC Properties to Six SAC, Six SAC has been a U-Haul dealer at such locations.
In May 1999, 8-10 SAC closed on a mortgage loan on their properties. Net proceeds of such loan
were used to pay down the Six SAC note balance. The Six SAC Note was repaid on March 15, 2004, with
proceeds from the issuance by SAC Holdings of the SAC Holdings Senior Notes.
Sale of properties to Four SAC and Five SAC
L-6
At various times subsidiaries of the Company have sold properties to 4 SAC and 5 SAC (the 4-5
SAC Properties). The aggregate sale price for the 4-5 SAC Properties was approximately
$57,422,000. Independent appraisals were done on the 4-5 SAC Properties at various dates on or
after the time of the sale, which appraised values, in the aggregate, equaled approximately
$66,595,000. Subsequent to their acquisition of the properties, 4 SAC and 5 SAC conveyed certain of
the 4-5 SAC Properties to an affiliate, Nineteen SAC Self-Storage Limited Partnership, which later
became known as Galaxy Investors, L.P.
Upon the sale of the 4-5 SAC Properties to 4 SAC and 5 SAC, as the case may be, the 4-5 SAC
Properties constituting U-Haul Centers became subject to a Property Management Agreement with
U-Haul, pursuant to which U-Haul was hired to act as the property manager. U-Haul has acted as the
property manager for all 4-5 SAC Properties constituting U-Haul Centers.
Upon the sale of the 4-5 SAC Properties constituting U-Haul Centers to 4 SAC and 5 SAC, 4 SAC
and 5 SAC became U-Haul independent dealers, pursuant to a standard form of U-Haul dealership
agreement. At all times since the sale of the 4-5 SAC Properties constituting U-Haul Centers to 4
SAC and 5 SAC, 4 SAC and 5SAC have been U-Haul dealers at such locations.
4 SAC and 5 SAC financed the purchase of the 4-5 SAC Properties from junior and senior loans
from subsidiaries of the Company (collectively, the Five SAC Note). The Five SAC Note was
restated in March 2004 in the form of a fixed rate note (the Fixed Rate Note), and was
subordinated to the SAC Holdings Senior Notes.
Sale of properties to One SAC and Two SAC
Between October 1994 and June 1996, subsidiaries of the Company sold approximately 49
properties (the Three SAC Properties) to SAC Holdings subsidiaries One SAC Self-Storage
Corporation and Two SAC Self-Storage Corporation (which entities later merged and became Three SAC
Self-Storage Corporation (as so merged, Three SAC)) for an aggregate sale price of approximately
$54,955,000. SAC Holdings financed the purchase of the Three SAC Properties with the issuance of a
promissory note or notes contemporaneously with the sale (the Three SAC Note) to a subsidiary of
the Company for the full amount of the Three SAC Properties purchase price. In 1997, Three SAC
obtained a mortgage loan on the Three SAC Properties. The net proceeds of such mortgage loan were
used to pay down the Three SAC Note. Independent appraisals were done approximately six months
before to six months after the sale of such properties to Three SAC, which appraised values, in the
aggregate, equaled approximately $67,200,000.
Upon the sale of the Three SAC Properties to Three SAC, such properties became subject to a
Property Management Agreement with U-Haul, pursuant to which U-Haul was hired to act as the
property manager. At all times since the sale of the Three SAC Properties to Three SAC, U-Haul has
acted as the property manager at such locations.
Upon the sale of the properties to Three SAC, Three SAC became a U-Haul independent dealer at
all Three SAC Properties, pursuant to a standard form of U-Haul dealership agreement. At all times
since the sale of the Three SAC Properties to Three SAC, Three SAC has been a U-Haul dealer at such
locations.
The Three SAC Note was repaid on March 15, 2004 with proceeds from the issuance by SAC
Holdings of the SAC Holdings Senior Notes. In June 2004, Three SAC refinanced its mortgage loan on
the Three SAC Properties and the net proceeds from such refinancing were applied to partially
redeem the SAC Holdings Senior Notes.
Junior Loans from U-Haul and AREC to SAC Holdings
U-Haul and AREC hold or have held various promissory notes from SAC (collectively, SAC
Notes). As described in the paragraphs above, the SAC Notes evidence loans extended from U-Haul
and AREC, as the case may be, to SAC to finance SACs purchase of properties from subsidiaries of
the Company. See Exhibit L attached to the 2007 Proxy Statement for an exemplar SAC Note,
which existed
L-7
prior to March 2004. In addition, proceeds from SAC Notes have been used by SAC to purchase
properties from third parties. The SAC Notes are unsecured, structurally subordinate obligations of
SAC.
Until March 2004, the order of SAC Holdings debt payment was as follows: (i) payment to
third party secured lenders of the senior debt service obligations; (ii) reimbursement to U-Haul,
as property manager, for operating expenses; (iii) payment to U-Haul of its property management
fee; and (iv) payment to U-Haul or AREC, as the case may be, as holder of a SAC Note of interest
due thereunder. In March 2004, and as approved by the Bankruptcy Court in connection with the
Restructuring, all SAC Notes held by AREC and certain SAC Notes held by U-Haul were repaid, and the
remaining SAC Notes held by U-Haul were subordinated to the SAC Holdings Senior Notes. In August
2004, SAC Holdings redeemed approximately $43.2 million of the SAC Holdings Senior Notes. In June
2007, SAC Holdings completed a full redemption of the SAC Holdings Senior Notes.
Property Management of SAC Location
Subsidiaries of U-Haul (U-Haul Managers) manage the self-storage properties owned or leased
by SAC pursuant to property management agreements, under which such U-Haul Managers receive a
management fee of between 4% and 10% of the gross receipts plus reimbursement of operating
expenses. The management fee, and the other terms of the property management agreements are
consistent with the fees and other terms for other properties the Company has previously managed
for third parties. Pursuant to this relationship, subsidiaries of the Company manage the day-to-day
affairs of the SAC Properties, and assist or have assisted SAC in, among other things, the
selection, purchase, development and financing of the SAC Properties. SACs mortgage loan
agreements place substantial restriction upon terminating U-Haul as the property manager for the
SAC properties. See Exhibits M and N attached to the 2007 Proxy Statement for exemplar
property management agreements reflecting the two different pricing structures charged by the
Company for management of the SAC Properties.
The following table identifies the amount of management fees, exclusive of reimbursement of
operating expenses, received by the U-Haul Managers from SAC during the fiscal years as set forth
in the table:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Management Fee |
Fiscal Year |
|
Received by U-Haul |
1996 |
|
$ |
1,113,000 |
|
1997 |
|
$ |
1,632,000 |
|
1998 |
|
$ |
1,860,000 |
|
1999 |
|
$ |
2,483,000 |
|
2000 |
|
$ |
4,482,000 |
|
2001 |
|
$ |
6,243,000 |
|
2002 |
|
$ |
8,340,000 |
|
2003 |
|
$ |
12,300,000 |
|
2004 |
|
$ |
12,700,000 |
|
2005 |
|
$ |
14,400,000 |
|
2006 |
|
$ |
22,500,000 |
|
2007 |
|
$ |
23,500,000 |
|
U-Haul Dealership At SAC Locations
SAC acts as a U-Haul independent dealer. The financial and other terms of the dealership
contracts with SAC are substantially similar to the terms of those with U-Hauls other independent
dealers, whereby commissions are paid by U-Haul based on equipment rental revenue. See Exhibit
O attached to the 2007 Proxy Statement for an exemplar of the U-Haul dealership contract.
The following table identifies the amount of dealer commissions paid by U-Haul to SAC during
the
L-8
fiscal years as set forth in the table:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dealer Commissions |
Fiscal Year |
|
Paid by U-Haul |
2002 |
|
$ |
13,695,441 |
|
2003 |
|
$ |
27,700,000 |
|
2004 |
|
$ |
29,100,000 |
|
2005 |
|
$ |
33,100,000 |
|
2006 |
|
$ |
36,800,000 |
|
2007 |
|
$ |
36,600,000 |
|
WP Carey Transaction
During the 1990s, the Company entered two lease facilities for the acquisition, construction
and expansion of self-storage properties, pursuant to which Company subsidiaries were the lessees
of the properties and held options to purchase such properties. In April 2004, and as approved by
the Bankruptcy Court in connection with the Restructuring, the Company repaid all obligations under
the lease agreements and sold the properties (the Carey Portfolio) to a subsidiary of
non-affiliated WP Carey (Carey Lessor). See Exhibit P attached to the 2007 Proxy
Statement for a copy of the sale contract with the Carey Lessor.
As part of the Court approved transaction, a subsidiary of the Company entered a lease with
the Carey Lessor with respect to the portion of the properties in the Carey Portfolio used in
connection with U-Hauls self-moving business (truck and trailer rental and moving supply sales);
and Mercury entered a lease with the Carey Lessor with respect to the remaining portion of each
property in the Carey Portfolio, consisting of the self-storage portion of such properties. The
lease between Mercury and the Carey Lessor is for a term of twenty years with a renewal option in
favor of Mercury for an additional ten years. Mercury has an option to purchase all of the
properties in the Carey Portfolio at the tenth and twentieth anniversaries of the lease pursuant to
certain formulas that are based upon fair market values and the initial sale price subject to
consumer price index adjustments. There are 78 properties in the Carey Portfolio.
Loans To Private Mini
In February 1997, U-Haul, Oxford, RepWest and a non-affiliated third party formed a limited
partnership known as Private Mini. Oxford invested $11.0 million and ultimately obtained a 35.7%
limited partner interest, RepWest invested $13.5 million and ultimately obtained a 43.8% limited
partner interest, and U-Haul obtained a 50% interest in the 1% general partner of Private Mini. The
non-affiliated third party obtained the remaining 20% limited partner interest and remaining 50%
interest in the 1% general partner. Private Mini was formed to own, develop, acquire and operate
self-storage facilities (collectively, the Private Mini Portfolio). Currently, the Private Mini
Portfolio consists of 60 properties. In 1997, Private Mini entered a credit facility (the Private
Mini Credit Facility) which included, among other things, a credit support agreement from the
Company in favor of the lender, pursuant to which the Company agreed to purchase the notes or a
portion thereof held by the lender under the Private Mini Credit Facility upon the occurrence of
specified conditions. From 1997 through 2003, the Private Mini Credit Facility was amended and the
amount owed thereunder was reduced at various times. In October 2002, conditions occurred enabling
the lender to exercise its rights under the Companys credit support agreement, and in December
2002, the lender exercised its option to require the Company to purchase the outstanding notes
under the Private Mini Credit Facility. In March 2004, and as approved by the Bankruptcy Court in
connection with the Restructuring, the Company purchased the $55.0 million of notes outstanding
under the Private Mini Credit Facility. In December 2005, Private Mini executed a promissory note
to the Company, in the original principal amount of $59.4 million evidencing this indebtedness. See
Exhibit Q attached to the 2007 Proxy Statement for a copy of this promissory note.
In 1997, U-Haul loaned Private Mini $10 million for use as operating capital, which loan was
later assumed by a subsidiary of Private Mini. In December 2005, a subsidiary of Private Mini
executed a
L-9
restated promissory note in favor of U-Haul in the original principal amount of $11,700,000
evidencing this indebtedness. See Exhibit R attached to the 2007 Proxy Statement for a copy
of this promissory note.
Private Mini Exchange Transaction
In June 2003, Oxford and RepWest conveyed all of their limited partner interests in Private
Mini to SAC, in exchange for real property owned by 4 SAC and 5 SAC (the Private Mini Exchange
Transaction). Additionally, as part of this transaction, the interest of U-Haul in the general
partner of Private Mini was conveyed to SAC. The Private Mini Exchange Transaction was non-monetary
and was recorded on the basis of the book values of the assets exchanged. Certain of the properties
received by Oxford and RepWest in the Private Mini Exchange Transaction were leased back to
subsidiaries of SAC Holdings. Additionally, in connection with the Private Mini Exchange
Transaction, Oxford and RepWest granted certain subsidiaries of SAC Holdings options to repurchase
such property at stated values. See Exhibits S, T, U, V, W and X attached to the 2007 Proxy
Statement for copies of the Private Mini Exchange Transaction documents.
In June 2005, U-Haul became the property manager of the properties owned by Private Mini.
Since its formation, Private Mini has been a U-Haul dealer, pursuant to a standard form of U-Haul
dealership agreement.
Securespace Transaction
In June 2000, a subsidiary of the Company entered a purchase contract for the purchase of 16
self-storage facilities throughout Canada (the Securespace Portfolio) from a third party seller.
Upon the closing of the purchase of the Securespace Portfolio, the Company obtained a short-term
bridge lease financing facility with a lender for the purpose of financing the Companys purchase
of such properties. Following the maturity of the foregoing lease financing facility, a partnership
(Securespace) composed of Oxford, RepWest, and subsidiaries of SAC Holdings acquired title to the
Securespace Portfolio. Oxford and RepWest each obtained a 23% limited partner interest in
Securespace, with SAC Holdings subsidiaries obtaining the general partner interest and the
remaining limited partner interests. Both the Company and SAC Holdings were granted options to
purchase the Oxford and RepWest interests in Securespace at a specified price.
In September 2006, pursuant to the terms of the Securespace agreement of limited partnership,
a subsidiary of SAC Holdings exercised its option to purchase the limited partner interests of
Oxford and RepWest in Securespace. Such interests were purchased by SAC Holdings for approximately
$11.8 million, which acquisition price was equivalent to the initial investments by Oxford and
RepWest in Securespace. See Exhibit Y attached to the 2007 Proxy Statement for a copy of
the purchase and sale agreement for the Securespace limited partner interests.
Option Exchange Transaction and Sale of Properties from Oxford and RepWest to SAC
In 2001 the Company contributed various parcels of real property (the Property
Contributions) to Oxford and RepWest. Certain of the contributed parcels were first purchased by a
Company subsidiary from SAC prior to contribution to Oxford and RepWest. The Company purchased
these properties from SAC for a purchase price of approximately $35.1 million, which purchase price
was equal to the book value of the properties at that time.
In connection with the Property Contributions, Oxford and RepWest granted purchase options to
a SAC subsidiary with respect to the properties involved in the contribution that had formerly been
owned by SAC, and granted purchase options to AREC, with respect to the remaining properties
involved in the contribution (all of such purchase options, together with the purchase options
granted in connection with the Private Mini Exchange Transaction described above, the Purchase
Options). Generally, the option exercise price pursuant to the Purchase Options was equal to the
book value of the respective property as of the date of the Property Contribution, along with an
annualized return of 6%, and repayment of certain
L-10
transaction expenses and carrying costs.
In June 2006, AREC and SAC exchanged certain of their respective Purchase Options with one
another, thus allowing AREC and SAC to buy back properties from Oxford and RepWest located adjacent
to existing AREC or SAC properties, as the case may be. The Purchase Options were exchanged for
substantially equivalent value, as determined based upon the differential between the fair market
value of the respective property as of June 2006 and the option exercise price for such property.
Following the exchange of options, SAC exercised its purchase right and purchased two of such
properties from RepWest. See Exhibit Z attached to the 2007 Proxy Statement for a copy of
the option exchange agreement.
This completes the transaction descriptions provided in connection with the Stockholder
Proposal in the 2007 Proxy Statement.
L-11
EXHIBIT M
|
|
|
DATE:
|
|
April 3, 2008 |
TO:
|
|
Jennifer Settles, Secretary, Amerco Board of Directors |
FROM:
|
|
Mike Kinealy and Attached list of Shareholders |
RE:
|
|
Shareholder Motion |
|
|
Motion:
That the shareholders vote to approve and affirm the actions taken by AMERCO and its subsidiaries
Board of Directors, officers and employees in entering into, and all resulting contracts with
S.A.C. and ratify all S.A.C transactions amended or entered into by AMERCO and any of its
subsidiaries between 1992 and March 31, 2007.
Reason for Making the Proposal:
Pending Litigation and to protect against potential diminishment of shareholder equity.
Relevant Notices:
|
1) |
|
We do not have any material interest in the subject matter of the proposal. |
|
|
2) |
|
We are not members of any partnership, limited partnership, syndicate or other group
pursuant to any agreement, arrangement, relationship, understanding, or otherwise, whether
or not in writing, organized in whole or in part for the purpose of acquiring, owing or
voting shares of AMERCO stock. |
|
|
3) |
|
The above shareholders have continuously held at least $2000.00 in market value of
AMERCO shares and we intend to hold the stock through the date of the annual meeting. |
This document and the information contained herein is a privileged and confidential
communication. Any unauthorized disclosure is strictly prohibited. All rights and
protections for this document and the information contained herein, including trade
secret protections, are hereby reserved.
M-1
Reason for making the motion:
That the shareholders vote to approve and affirm the actions taken by all AMERCO and its
subsidiaries Boards of Directors, officers and employees in entering into, and all resulting
contracts with S.A.C and ratify all S.A.C transactions amended or entered into by Amerco and any of
its subsidiaries between 1992 and March 31, 2007.
I. Pending litigation and potential diminishment of shareholder equity.
|
1) |
|
Support for past and of current management and decisions made to maximize shareholder value. |
|
|
2) |
|
Belief that basis of the pending lawsuit are unsubstantiated and unfounded because of: |
|
a. |
|
The language contained in the original contracts between Amerco and SAC.
|
|
|
b. |
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Previous due diligence performed by independent third party consultants
such as Price Waterhouse Cooper, SEC, BDO, Crossroads, Alvarez and Marcel and the
bankruptcy court with the emergence from chapter. |
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c. |
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Lack of any Institutional share holder support of the lawsuit.
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d. |
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Knowledge of the transfer values. |
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3) |
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Belief that the suit will not increase shareholder value but will rather
diminish value as a result of the estimated dollars that will be required to defend
against the suit and in the company resources both human and otherwise that will be
diverted from the primary business. |
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4) |
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Desire to avoid negative personnel moral impact. |
M-2
NRS 78.140 Restrictions on transactions involving interested directors or officers;
compensation of directors.
1. A contract or other transaction is not void or voidable solely because:
(a) The contract or transaction is between a corporation and.
(1) One or more of its directors or officers; or
(2) Another corporation, firm or association in which one or more of its directors or officers
are directors or officers or are financially interested;
(b) A common or interested director or officer:
(1) Is present at the meeting of the board of directors or a committee thereof which
authorizes or
approves the contract or transaction; or
(2) Joins in the signing of a written consent which authorizes or approves the contract or
transaction pursuant to subsection 2 of NRS 78,315; or
(c) The vote or votes of a common or interested director are counted for the purpose of
authorizing or
approving the contract or transaction.
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if one of the circumstances specified in subsection 2 exists. |
2. The circumstances in which a contract or other transaction is not void or voidable
pursuant to
subsection 1 are.
(a) The fact of the common directorship, office or financial interest is known to the board
of directors or committee, and the board or committee authorizes, approves or ratifies the
contract or transaction in good faith by a vote sufficient for the purpose without counting the
vote or votes of the common or interested director or directors.
(b) The fact of the common directorship, office or financial interest is known to the
stockholders, and they approve or ratify the contract or transaction in good faith by a majority
vote of stockholders holding a majority of the voting power. The votes of the common or interested
directors or officers must be counted in any such vote of stockholders.
(c) The fact of the common directorship, office or financial interest is not known to the
director or officer at the time the transaction is brought before the board of directors of the
corporation for action.
(d) The contract or transaction is fair as to the corporation at the time it is authorized or
approved.
3. Common or interested directors may be counted in determining the presence of a quorum at a
meeting of the board of directors or a committee thereof which authorizes, approves or ratifies a
contract or transaction, and if the votes of the common or interested directors are not counted at
the meeting, then a majority of the disinterested directors may authorize, approve or ratify a
contract or transaction.
4. Unless otherwise provided in the articles of incorporation or the bylaws, the board of
directors, without regard to personal interest, may establish the compensation of directors for
services in any capacity. If the board of directors establishes the compensation of directors
pursuant to this subsection, such compensation is presumed to be fair to the corporation unless
proven unfair by a preponderance of the evidence.
[31(b):177:1925; added 1951, 328](NRS A 1959, 683; 1969, 113; 1989, 872; 1991, 1218;
1993, 952; 1997, 698: 2003, 3085)
M-3
EXHIBIT N
ROBBINS UMEDA & FINK, LLP
Attorneys at Law
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BRIAN J. ROBBINS*
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610 West Ash Street, Suite 1800
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STEVEN J, SIMERLEIN |
MARC M. UMEDA
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San Diego, California 92101
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CAROLINE A. SCHNURER |
JEFFREY P. FINK
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TELEPHONE (619) 525-3990
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MARK A. GOLOVACH |
FELIPE J.ARROYO
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FACSIMILE (619) 525-3991 |
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LOUIS A. KERKHOFF |
GEORGE C. AGUILAR
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SHANE P. SANDERS |
S. BENJAMIN ROZWOOD
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REBECCA A. PETERSON |
KEVIN A. SEELY
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ASHLEY R. PALMER |
CRAIG W. SMITH
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JILL E. KLEMANN |
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DANIEL R. FORDE |
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ARSHAN AMIRI |
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JULIA M. WILLIAMS |
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GREGORY E. DEL GAIZO |
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*Admitted in CA & CT |
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Admitted in CA, CNMI & Guam |
May 29, 2008
VIA FACSIMILE
(415) 268-7522
Jack W. Londen
MORRISON & FOERSTER LLP
425 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
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Re: In re AMERCO Derivative. Litigation |
Dear Mr. Londen:
We are writing on behalf of the Plaintiffs in the derivative litigation entitled In re AMERCO
Derivative Litigation, Case No. CV02-05602. We are writing in response to your letter dated May 21,
2008, in which you sought Plaintiffs comments on a draft Proxy Statement (the Draft Proxy) to be
used in connection with Defendants latest attempt to manufacture shareholder support for a series
of self-dealing transactions between AMERCO and its subsidiaries on one hand (collectively,
AMERCO or the Company), and SAC Holdings and various affiliated and subsidiary companies on the
other hand (collectively, the SAC Entities).
As we explained in prior correspondence on this subject, dated August 6, 2007, Plaintiffs
encourage the Company to make additional disclosures about AMERCOs dealings with the SAC
Entities, even if motivated by the ongoing derivative litigation. However, the Draft Proxy is not
an effort to objectively provide AMERCO shareholders with the material information necessary to
cast a fully-informed vote, as required under Nevada law. Instead, it is an improper and
transparent effort to enflame the Companys stockholders and discredit the Plaintiffs.
The description of the derivative litigation, the Courts prior rulings, the Companys
response to this action, the recoveries Plaintiffs seek and the potential benefits to AMERCO if
Plaintiffs
N-1
In re AMERCO Derivative Litigation
May
29, 2008
Page 2
successfully prosecute this action are not described in an accurate or fair manner. To the
contrary, among other things, the Draft Proxy;
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accuses Plaintiffs without any basis of pursuing this litigation
for reasons that have nothing to do with the SAC Transactions (Notice of
Special Meeting, at 2); |
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(ii) |
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makes incorrect assertions on multiple occasions about the
number of shares Plaintiffs own, which is irrelevant to the underlying issues
and is aimed at disparaging Plaintiffs and discrediting their motives (id.; see
also Draft Proxy at 11-12); |
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(iii) |
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provides an inaccurate and misleading description of the
shareholder vote on the so-called Stockholder Proposal, which was based upon
insufficient disclosures and never was approved by a majority of the
outstanding, disinterested shares (Notice of Special Meeting, at 2; Draft
Proxy, at 6); |
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(iv) |
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fails completely in its attempt to describe the potential
benefits of this derivative litigation to AMERCO, and instead makes reference
to the legal fees the Company has incurred, and states that [i]f
the Derivative Litigation is reinstated and the case goes forward... it is
reasonable to expect that discovery, pretrial, trial, and appellate proceedings
could continue for years) (Draft Proxy, at 14); |
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(v) |
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attempts to further diminish the merits of this action by making
repeated references to prior dismissals, which also are irrelevant, without
explaining that one such dismissal was without prejudice and another was
reversed by the Nevada Supreme Court (not reviewed and remanded) (Draft
Proxy, at 11); and |
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(vi) |
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even insinuates that Plaintiffs are responsible for AMERCOs
Chapter 11 bankruptcy, thereby costing the Company $50.6 million in direct
restructuring charges and tens of millions of dollars in other costs, (Draft
Proxy, at 12.) |
At the same time, the Draft Proxy scatters and buries many important facts driving this
litigation (to the extent they even are disclosed). Specifically, the Draft Proxy obscures
the fact that these transactions were conducted between AMERCO insiders and involved sales
of properties at prices that admittedly were over $15 million less than their appraised
values, that the underlying transactions never have been reviewed for fairness by any
independent party, and that the properties sold to the SAC Entities never were listed
publicly for sale and were not subject to any type of competitive bidding process. The Draft
Proxy also requires shareholders to piece together various incomplete facts scattered
throughout the document in order to understand that AMERCOs management is endorsing a
proposal in which the Court already has ruled it has a disabling interest, in an attempt to
avoid personal liability and possible punitive damages for egregious breaches of fiduciary
duties, Any bona fide effort to disclose the reasons behind this litigation and its
potential benefits to AMERCO needs to highlight these (and other) facts, not obscure them.
The Draft Proxy also is missing numerous critical facts necessary to achieve a
fully-informed shareholder vote. For instance, the Draft Proxy does not explain what
measures the Company took to ensure that the interests of AMERCOs minority shareholders
were protected in the context of a self-dealing scheme. The Draft Proxy asserts that the
Special Committee satisfied itself that the Company did not solicit or encourage the
Stockholder Proposal, without explaining how the Special Committee reached this
conclusion, or why the Special Committee did not review the underlying
N-2
In re AMERCO Derivative Litigation
May 29, 2008
Page 3
SAC Transactions[.] (Id. at 15.) The Company still has not explained sufficiently the
strategic business plan that motivated Defendants to initiate the admittedly unfair and
one-sided transactions with the SAC Entities. (Id.) Nor has the Company explained why it has
allowed the SAC Entities to use AREC employees and offices to conduct operations (separate
and apart from the property management agreements with U-Haul). (Id. at 14-15.) The Draft
Proxy mentions recently negotiated fee structures, separate and apart from the fees
contemplated under the property management agreements, but it fails to describe the
specific terms of these new fee structures or explain what caused the change in the fee
structures. (Id. at 15.) Moreover, in the Notice of Special Meeting, Joe Shoen references a
meeting with Paul Shoen and Mick Fleming, at which he purportedly supplied documents and
explained the SAC Transactions. (Notice of Special Meeting, at 2.) At a minimum, AMERCO
must include as exhibits to the Proxy whatever documents Joe Shoen presented during that
meeting in his attempt to explain the SAC Transactions. Finally, the Draft Proxy still does
not contain any discussion as to what interests the Company retained in the properties sold
to the SAC Entities, nor does it describe what rights AMERCO reserved with respect to proceeds of sales when the SAC Entities re-sold properties to third parties. (Draft Proxy,
at 15.) This is by no means an exhaustive list; instead, these are just a few examples of
facts (and exhibits) that must be disclosed in order to achieve a fully-informed shareholder
vote.
The deficient disclosures aside, Plaintiffs continue to harbor serious concerns about
whether the Company improperly solicited the 86 employee shareholders responsible for the
Stockholder Proposal, as well as the 79 purported employee shareholders who apparently
have requested a re-vote on the Stockholder Proposal. AMERCO did not seek to ratify these
transactions for nearly fifteen years. It is difficult to believe that only after
Plaintiffs succeeded in demonstrating demand futility (establishing that a majority of the
Board has a disabling interest and is not independent), two different groups of purportedly
disinterested shareholders independently sought ratification twice in two years.
In sum, the Draft Proxy is not so much an effort to increase disclosures and obtain
shareholder ratification as much as it is an exercise in legal posturing designed to impugn
the Plaintiffs, discredit their motives and disparage the underlying merits of the
derivative litigation. It is the responsibility of management to comply with all applicable
regulations to ensure that the Companys investors receive appropriate disclosures on all
material matters. The Draft Proxy does not come close to satisfying this mandate. But even
if the Draft Proxy was adequate for present purposes, ratification of the Management
Proposal still would have no impact on the underlying derivative litigation, for the reasons
set forth in our August 6, 2007 letter.
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Very truly yours,
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/s/ BRIAN J. ROBBINS
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BRIAN J. ROBBINS |
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BJR/sm
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cc: |
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Brian T. Glennon
Chris T. Heffelfinger
Daniel Harris |
N-3
EXHIBIT O
EXECUTION
COPY
Exhibit K to Special Meeting Proxy Statement
FEE AGREEMENT
THIS FEE AGREEMENT is dated as of April 11, 2007 and is between AMERCO, a Nevada corporation
(AMERCO) and SAC Holding Corporation, a Nevada corporation (SAC).
RECITALS
WHEREAS, SAC has requested that AMERCO arrange (the Financing Arrangement), on behalf of
SAC, for the refinancing of the CMBS mortgage loans (the Refinancing) on the SAC 6A, 6B, 6C, 8,
9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17 portfolios.
WHEREAS, in consideration for the Financing Arrangement, SAC shall pay AMERCO a fee as
provided herein.
NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, the parties agree as follows:
1. Fee. The fee payable by SAC to AMERCO for the Financing Arrangement (the Fee)
shall be 12.5 basis points of the gross loan amount of the Refinancing. Such Fee shall be payable
upon the closing of the Refinancing.
2. Scope of Fee. The Fee includes costs and expenses of AMERCO and its subsidiaries
associated with the Refinancing, including with out limitation, loan application negotiation, loan
document negotiation, travel expenses, services provided by the U-Haul Legal Department, services
provided by Amerco Real Estate Company, services provided by the U-Haul MIA Department and other
services, costs and expenses. The U-Haul Legal Department and Amerco Real Estate Company shall
each be entitled to receive from the Fee paid to AMERCO herein, a fee equal to $1,000 per property
involved in the Refinancing, as consideration for services rendered by such departments.
3. Other Provisions. Nothing herein is intended to limit SAC in seeking legal or
other advice in connection with the Refinancing, as SAC deems appropriate. This agreement may be
executed in counterparts, each of which shall be an original and all of when taken together shall
constitute one and the same document. This Agreement shall be governed by, and construed in
accordance with, the laws of the State of Arizona.
[SIGNATURES FOLLOW]
O-1
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Fee Agreement to be duly executed and
delivered as of the day and year first above written.
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AMERCO, a Nevada corporation |
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SAC Holding Corporation, a Nevada
corporation |
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By:
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/s/ Gary b. Horton
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By:
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s/s/ Bruce Brockhagen |
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Gary B. Horton, Treasurer
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Bruce Brockhagen, Secretary and Treasurer
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O-2
U-Haul International, Inc.
2727 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004
Tel. 602-263-4474 Fax 602-277-5017 www.uhaul.com
April 1, 2008
SAC Holding Corporation et al
1250 E. Missouri
Phoenix, AZ 85014.
Re: Annual Invoice for Corporate Entity Maintenance
FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RENDERED, in connection with the corporate maintenance of the
entities set forth on the following pages hereto, including without limitation preparation and
signature coordination of annual corporate Board and Stockholder consent resolutions; establishment
of registered agent service; necessary and appropriate annual or biennial domestic Secretary of
State filings; and necessary or appropriate annual or biennial foreign qualification Secretary of
State filings.
Price per Unit per Year: $70.00
Total Units: 459
Unit is defined as a legal entity qualified to do business in a particular jurisdiction.
TOTAL DUE: $32,130
O-3
U-Haul International, Inc.
2727 North Central Avenue, Phoenix, Arizona 85004
Tel 602-263-4474 Fax 602-277-5017 www.uhaul.com
April 1, 2007
SAC Holding Corporation et al
715 S. Country Club Drive
Mesa, Arizona 84210
Re: Annual Invoice for Corporate Entity Maintenance
FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICES RENDERED, in connection with the corporate maintenance of the
entities set forth on the following pages hereto hereto, including without limitation preparation
of annual corporate Board and Stockholder consent resolutions; establishment of registered agent
services; necessary or appropriate annual or biennial domestic Secretary of State filings; and
necessary or appropriate annual or biennial foreign qualification Secretary of State filings.
Price per Unit per year: $70.00
Total Units: 485
Unit is defined as a legal entity qualified to do business in a particular state.
TOTAL DUE: $33,950
O-4