Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Equity Method Investments

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Equity Method Investments
9 Months Ended
Nov. 30, 2019
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]  
EQUITY METHOD INVESTMENTS EQUITY METHOD INVESTMENTS

Our equity method investments are as follows:
 
November 30, 2019
 
February 28, 2019
 
Carrying Value
 
Ownership Percentage
 
Carrying Value
 
Ownership Percentage
(in millions)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Canopy Equity Method Investment
$
2,879.4

 
35.4
%
 
$
3,332.1

 
36.0
%
Other equity method investments (1)
179.3

 
20%-50%

 
133.5

 
20%-50%

 
$
3,058.7

 
 
 
$
3,465.6

 
 

(1) 
The other equity method investments balance at November 30, 2019, excludes investments reclassified to assets held for sale.

In November 2017, we acquired 18.9 million common shares, which represented a 9.9% ownership interest in Ontario, Canada-based Canopy Growth Corporation (the “November 2017 Canopy Investment”), a public company and leading provider of medicinal and recreational cannabis products (“Canopy”), plus warrants which give us the option to purchase an additional 18.9 million common shares of Canopy (the “November 2017 Canopy Warrants”) for C$245.0 million, or $191.3 million. The November 2017 Canopy Warrants were issued with an exercise price of C$12.98 per warrant share and are exercisable as of November 30, 2019. These warrants expire in May 2020.

The November 2017 Canopy Investment was accounted for at fair value from the date of investment through October 31, 2018. From November 1, 2018, the November 2017 Canopy Investment has been accounted for under the equity method (see “Canopy Equity Method Investment” below). The November 2017 Canopy Warrants have been accounted for at fair value from the date of investment.

On November 1, 2018, we increased our ownership interest in Canopy by acquiring an additional 104.5 million common shares (the “November 2018 Canopy Investment”) (see Canopy Equity Method
Investment below), plus warrants which give us the option to purchase an additional 139.7 million common shares of Canopy (the “November 2018 Canopy Warrants”, and together with the November 2018 Canopy Investment, the “November 2018 Canopy Transaction”) for C$5,078.7 million, or $3,869.9 million.

On November 1, 2018, our ownership interest in Canopy increased to 36.6% which allows us to exercise significant influence, but not control, over Canopy. Therefore, we account for the November 2017 Canopy Investment and the November 2018 Canopy Investment, each of which represents an investment in common shares of Canopy, collectively, under the equity method (the “Canopy Equity Method Investment”). We recognize equity in earnings (losses) and related activities for this investment on a two-month lag. Accordingly, we recognized equity in earnings (losses) and related activities of $(544.2) million for the period January 1, 2019, through September 30, 2019, in our consolidated financial statements for the nine months ended November 30, 2019, and $46.2 million for the period July 1, 2019, through September 30, 2019, in our consolidated financial statements for the three months ended November 30, 2019. Equity in earnings (losses) from the Canopy Equity Method Investment and related activities for the nine months and three months ended November 30, 2019, include, among other items, the amortization of the fair value adjustments associated with the definite-lived intangible assets over their estimated useful lives, the flow through of inventory step-up, and unrealized gains (losses) associated with changes in our Canopy ownership percentage resulting from periodic equity issuances made by Canopy. In addition to the items noted above, the nine months ended November 30, 2019, include our share of the additional loss resulting from the June 2019 Warrant Modification (as defined below) of $(409.0) million (the “June 2019 Warrant Modification Loss”).

The November 2018 Canopy Warrants originally consisted of 88.5 million warrants (the “Tranche A Warrants”) and 51.2 million warrants (the “Tranche B Warrants”). The Tranche A Warrants were immediately exercisable at an exercise price of C$50.40 per warrant share. The Tranche B Warrants were exercisable upon the exercise, in full, of the Tranche A Warrants and at an exercise price based on the volume-weighted average of the closing market price of Canopy’s common shares on the TSX for the five trading days immediately preceding the exercise date. The November 2018 Canopy Warrants originally expired in November 2021 and have been accounted for at fair value from the date of investment.

In June 2019, the Canopy shareholders approved the modification of the terms of the November 2018 Canopy Warrants and certain other rights (the “June 2019 Warrant Modification”), and the other required approvals necessary for the modifications to be effective were granted. These changes are the result of Canopy’s intention to acquire Acreage Holdings, Inc. (“Acreage”) upon U.S. Federal cannabis legalization, subject to certain conditions (the “Acreage Transaction”). As a result of the modifications, we continue to have the option to purchase an additional 139.7 million common shares of Canopy upon exercise of the warrants originally received in November 2018; however, this option now consists of three tranches of warrants, including 88.5 million warrants (the “New Tranche A Warrants”), 38.4 million warrants (the “New Tranche B Warrants”), and 12.8 million warrants (the “New Tranche C Warrants”, and collectively with the New Tranche A Warrants and the New Tranche B Warrants, the “New November 2018 Canopy Warrants”). The New Tranche A Warrants have an exercise price of C$50.40 per warrant share and are currently exercisable, but now expire November 1, 2023. The New Tranche B Warrants now have an exercise price of C$76.68 per warrant share and the New Tranche C Warrants have a VWAP Exercise Price. The New Tranche B Warrants and the New Tranche C Warrants now have an expiration date of November 1, 2026.

The other rights obtained in June 2019 in connection with the Acreage Transaction include a share repurchase credit and the ability to purchase Canopy common shares on the open market or in private agreement transactions. If for any reason Canopy has not purchased the lesser of 27,378,866 Canopy common shares or C$1,583.0 million worth of Canopy common shares for cancellation between April 18, 2019 and two-years after the full exercise of the New Tranche A Warrants, we will be credited an amount that will reduce the aggregate exercise price otherwise payable upon each exercise of the New Tranche B Warrants and New Tranche C Warrants. The credit will be an amount equal to the difference between C$1,583.0 million and the actual price paid by Canopy in purchasing its common shares for cancellation. If we choose to purchase Canopy common shares on the open market or in private agreement with existing
holders, the number of New Tranche B Warrants or New Tranche C Warrants shall be decreased by one for each Canopy common share acquired, up to an aggregate maximum reduction of 20 million warrants. The likelihood of receiving the share repurchase credit if we were to fully exercise the New Tranche A Warrants is remote, therefore, no fair value has been assigned.

The inputs used to estimate the fair value of the New November 2018 Canopy Warrants as of the June 27, 2019 modification date, are as follows:
 
New
  Tranche A Warrants (1)
 
New
  Tranche B Warrants (1)
Exercise price
C$
50.40

 
C$
76.68

Valuation date stock price
C$
53.36

 
C$
53.36

Expected life
4.3 years

 
7.3 years

Expected volatility
66.7
%
 
66.7
%
Risk-free interest rate
1.4
%
 
1.4
%
Expected dividend yield
0.0
%
 
0.0
%

(1) 
Refer to Note 6 for input descriptions.
Accordingly, we have recognized a $1,176.0 million unrealized gain from unconsolidated investments in the second quarter of fiscal 2020 from the June 2019 Warrant Modification. Approximately $322.5 million of the unrealized gain was associated with the New Tranche A Warrants and $853.5 million was associated with the New Tranche B Warrants. No value was associated with the New Tranche C Warrants as they have a VWAP Exercise Price. As the expiration dates of the New Tranche A Warrants and New Tranche B Warrants were extended, we now utilize a blend of Canopy’s historical volatility, implied volatility, and limited consideration of historical peer group volatility in our valuations to supplement the limited trading history.

Canopy has various convertible equity securities outstanding, including primarily equity awards granted to its employees, and options and warrants issued to various third parties, including our November 2017 Canopy Warrants, New November 2018 Canopy Warrants, Canopy Debt Securities, and the Acreage Call Option (as defined below). As of November 30, 2019, the conversion of Canopy equity securities held by its employees and/or held by other third parties, excluding our November 2017 Canopy Warrants, New November 2018 Canopy Warrants, Canopy Debt Securities, and the Acreage Call Option, would not have a significant effect on our share of Canopy’s reported earnings or losses. Additionally, under an amended and restated investor rights agreement, we have the option to purchase additional common shares of Canopy at the then-current price of the underlying equity security to allow us to maintain our relative ownership interest. If we exercised all of our outstanding November 2017 Canopy Warrants and New November 2018 Canopy Warrants, it could have a significant effect on our share of Canopy’s reported earnings or losses and our ownership interest in Canopy would be expected to increase to greater than 50 percent. In connection with the Acreage Transaction, Canopy has a call option to acquire 100% of the shares of Acreage (the “Acreage Call Option”), which would require the issuance of Canopy shares. If Canopy exercised the Acreage Call Option it could have a significant effect on our share of Canopy’s reported earnings or losses and our ownership interest in Canopy would decrease and no longer be expected to be greater than 50 percent.

As of November 30, 2019, the exercise of all Canopy warrants held by us would have required a cash outflow of approximately $6.0 billion based on the terms of the November 2017 Canopy Warrants and the New November 2018 Canopy Warrants. Additionally, as of November 30, 2019, the fair value of the Canopy Equity Method Investment was $2,276.7 million based on the closing price of the underlying equity security as of that date. We have evaluated the Canopy Equity Method Investment as of November 30, 2019, and determined that there was not an other-than-temporary-impairment. Our conclusion was based on several contributing factors, including: (i) the length of time for which the implied fair value has exceeded the carrying value, (ii) an expectation that Canopy’s operating results will
improve, (iii) an expectation that the Canopy stock price will recover in the near term, and (iv) our ability and intent to hold the investment until that recovery.

The following table presents summarized financial information for Canopy presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We recognize our equity in earnings (losses) for Canopy on a two-month lag. Accordingly, we recognized our share of Canopy’s fourth quarter fiscal 2019, first quarter fiscal 2020, and second quarter fiscal 2020 earnings (losses) for the period January through September 2019 in our nine months ended November 30, 2019. We recognized our share of Canopy’s second quarter fiscal 2020 earnings (losses) for the period July through September 2019, in our three months ended November 30, 2019 results. The amounts shown represent 100% of Canopy’s results of operations for the respective periods. However, they exclude the nine months ended November 30, 2019 impact of the June 2019 Warrant Modification Loss because it was recorded by Canopy within equity.
 
For the Nine Months Ended November 30,
 
For the Three Months Ended November 30,
 
2019
 
2018
 
2019
 
2018
(in millions)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Net sales
$
196.4

 
NA
 
$
58.0

 
NA
Gross profit (loss)
$
13.8

 
NA
 
$
(7.3
)
 
NA
Net gain (loss)
$
(246.0
)
 
NA
 
$
172.6

 
NA
Net gain (loss) attributable to Canopy
$
(245.4
)
 
NA
 
$
185.0

 
NA
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
NA = Not Applicable