Delaware Chancery Court rules on post-closing adjustment dispute

A March decision of the Chancery Court in Matria Healthcare v. Coral SR LLC is an essay on post-closing adjustment (true-up) provisions and the interplay of dispute resolution mechanisms in a purchase agreement.

The case involved a merger between two companies in the disease management and wellness business, Matria and CorSolutions. Apparently, before the closing CorSolutions received some complaints from a key customer about their bill and failed to disclose that to the buyer. Matria got the call from the customer - one day after closing - and then spent the next six months negotiating what turned into a $4 million settlement. This was done without discussion with the seller and without their consent. After the settlement, Matria sought relief from the seller for their payment and the dispute ensued.

To complicate things, this agreement had four different types of dispute and resolution mechanisms, two of which are relevant here. The first was a typical post closing adjustment (true up) provision relating to balance sheet adjustments for things like working capital, cash on hand, indebtedness, etc. Disputes arising from adjustments would be submitted to an outside accountant (a “Settlement Accountant”). These claims were not limited by a cap and would be adjusted on a first dollar basis.

Other claims by the parties relating to the transaction, such those arising from breaches of representations, warranties or covenants, would be handled by a AAA arbitration. These claims would be resolved against a $20 million escrow fund, and were subject to a basket (i.e. deductible) of $4.5 million. The agreement also provided a typical exclusive remedy clause where all claims other than fraud or for injunctive relief would be limited to the escrow fund.

The court noted that, in anticipation of a potential hierarchy issue stemming from the different ADR provisions, the parties also provided that any claim that could be brought related to the financial statement adjustments will be subject to that provision and not subject to the escrow fund. ("The items set forth on or reflected in the [financial statements delivered in connection with the true-up] and any matters relating thereto that could have been subject to adjustment or dispute pursuant to [the true-up] are subject solely to the adjustments set forth in Article II [i.e. by the Settlement Accountant] . . . and accordingly shall not be subject to any claim by [Matria]… on the Escrow Fund.”)

If the claim went before the Settlement Accountant, Matria may recover fully on its $4 million claim; if it goes before the AAA, they will likely get nothing since it will be wiped out by the $4.5 million basket. Therefore, it is not surprising that the parties could not agree on the forum.

The interesting part of this decision is the analysis of how Matria’s claim arising from the customer complaint could be characterized under the agreement. The Court noted that the claim could be (1) a potential claim, serious enough to be reflected on CorSolutions’ balance sheet, and therefore properly before the Settlement Account on a first dollar basis; (2) a misrepresentation based on a failure to disclose and a breach of various representations and warranties and, thus properly before the AAA and subject to the cap and basket ; and (3) a Third-Party Claim pursued by the customer, where yet a third mechanism from indemnity and damage relief would apply. The discussion appears on pp. 15-16 of the decision.

At the end of the day, the court being predominately known for its strict construction, directed the dispute to the Settlement Accountant on the basis of the hierarchy clause that was in the agreement, albeit with some reluctance. (“The result reached here is, in large part, unpalatable; it is the product, however, of words chosen by sophisticated parties who drafted a complex and comprehensive agreement. More importantly, it is not for some judge to substitute his subjective view of what makes sense for the terms accepted by the parties.”).

The moral of the story here is that these are very complex provisions that really need to be tested by the drafters in advance to make sure that they will work in the field. The Matria decision has a lot of other interesting nuggets for transactional lawyers relating to arbitrability, contract constuction and drafting examples (that may or may not work, depending on one's viewpoint) and therefore worth a closer a read.

Second Circuit rules that auditors have duty to correct past opinions

A recent ruling against a small accounting firm by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals may have broad implications for the accounting industry. In Overton v. Todman & Co., investors in a privately-held company brought an action for securities fraud under Section 10b-5 against the company's auditor. They alleged that the financial statements were wrong and the auditor's opinion that the statements were correct was false when made. While New York Southern District dismissed the case, the Second Circuit appeals court reversed the decision, holding that the auditor may be held primarily liable for federal securities fraud.

Specifically, the Court held that an accountant has a “duty to correct” the opinions and statements that it issues and violates that duty and becomes primarily liable for securities fraud when it:

(1) makes a statement in its certified opinion that is false or misleading when made;
(2) subsequently learns or was reckless in not learning that the earlier statement was false or misleading;
(3) knows or should know that potential investors are relying on the opinion and
financial statements; yet
(4) fails to take reasonable steps to correct or withdraw its opinion
and/or the financial statements; and
(5) all the other requirements for liability [for securities fraud] are satisfied.

The court also noted that accountants can also be held primarily liable if they assume the role of an insider in the company. ("[I]f the accountant exchanges his or her role for a role as an insider who vends the company’s securities, then the accountant shares in an insider’s duty to disclose.")

The Court attempted to limit the impact of this decision by holding that the duty to correct was not implying that theere was a duty to update its past opinions. ("The duty to correct requires only that the accountant correct statements that were false when made. In contrast, the duty to update requires an accountant to correct a statement made misleading by intervening events, even if the statement was true when made. ") Immediately following that statement, however, the Court cited a case for the proposition that "in limited circumstances, an issuer may have 'a duty to update opinions and projections . . . if the original opinions or projections have become misleading as the result of intervening events'").

While the allegations in this case are a bit extreme, this case may have wide-reaching potential to create a new level of hedging (and CYA memos and disclaimers) for the accounting industry. The court's mere hinting that there could be situations where an auditor could be held liable where it knew or should have known about an issue that needed updating places both accountants and young companies they represent in a tough spot. The decision suggests that accountants are only liable if they make a statement (i.e. issue an audit opinion), which is a sine qua non for many companies in raising their first and following venture round. Accountants (like lawyers) also often play a significant role in the business of a young or small company, i.e. act as insiders, and this case suggests that liability awaits. I guess no good deed goes unpunished! If other courts follow, both accountants and lawyers may really need to limit their role as company business advisors for mitigate potential exposure to these types of claims.