GIS » Topics » (3) Minority Interests

These excerpts taken from the GIS 10-K filed Jul 11, 2008.
NOTE 9. MINORITY INTERESTS
In April 2002, we contributed assets with an aggregate fair market value of $4.2 billion to our subsidiary GMC. The contributed assets consist primarily of manufacturing assets and intellectual property associated with the production and retail sale of Big G cereals, Progresso soups, and Old El Paso products in the United States. In exchange for the contribution of these assets, GMC issued its managing membership interest and its limited preferred membership interests to certain of our wholly owned subsidiaries. We continue to hold the managing membership interest, and therefore direct the operations of GMC. Other than the right to consent to certain actions, holders of the limited preferred membership interests do not participate in the management of GMC.
 
In May 2002, we sold 150,000 Class A Limited Membership Interests (Class A Interests) in GMC to an unrelated third-party investor for $150.0 million. In June 2007, we sold an additional 88,851 Class A Interests to the same unrelated third-party investor for $92.3 million. As of May 25, 2008, the carrying value of all outstanding Class A Interests on our Consolidated Balance Sheets was $242.3 million.
 
In October 2004, we sold 835,000 Series B-1 Limited Membership Interests (Series B-1 Interests) in GMC to a different unrelated third-party investor for $835.0 million. In August 2007, General Mills Sales, Inc., our wholly owned subsidiary, purchased for a net amount of $843.0 million all of the outstanding Series B-1 Interests as part of a required remarketing of those interests. The purchase price reflected the Series B-1 Interests’ original capital account balance of $835.0 million and $8.0 million of capital account appreciation attributable and paid to the third party holder of the Series B-1 Interests. The capital appreciation paid to the third party holder of the Series B-1 Interests was recorded as a reduction to retained earnings, a component of stockholders’ equity, on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, and reduced net earnings available to common stockholders in our basic and diluted EPS calculations.

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We currently hold all interests in GMC other than the Class A Interests. The terms of the Class A Interests are described in the Fifth Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of GMC (the LLC Agreement).
 
The holder of the Class A Interests receives quarterly preferred distributions from available net income based on the application of a floating preferred return rate, currently equal to the sum of three-month LIBOR plus 65 basis points, to the holder’s capital account balance established in the most recent mark-to-market valuation (currently $248.1 million). The LLC Agreement requires that the preferred return rate of the Class A Interests be adjusted every five years through a negotiated agreement between the Class A Interest holder and GMC, or through a remarketing auction. The next remarketing is scheduled to occur in June 2012 and thereafter in five year intervals. Upon a failed remarketing, the preferred return rate over three-month LIBOR will be increased by 75 basis points until the next remarketing, which will occur in 3 month intervals until a successful remarketing occurs or the managing member purchases the Class A Interests. The managing member may at any time elect to purchase all of the Class A Interests for an amount equal to the holder’s capital account balance (as adjusted in a mark-to-market valuation), plus any accrued but unpaid preferred returns and the prescribed make-whole amount.
 
Holders of the Class A Interests may initiate a liquidation of GMC under certain circumstances, including, without limitation, the bankruptcy of GMC or its subsidiaries, GMC’s failure to deliver the preferred distributions on the Class A Interests, GMC’s failure to comply with portfolio requirements, breaches of certain covenants, lowering of our senior debt rating below either Baa3 by Moody’s Investors Service or BBB- by Standard & Poor’s, and a failed attempt to remarket the Class A Interests as a result of GMC’s failure to assist in such remarketing. In the event of a liquidation of GMC, each member of GMC will receive the amount of its then current capital account balance. The managing member may avoid liquidation by exercising its option to purchase the Class A Interests.
 
For financial reporting purposes, the assets, liabilities, results of operations, and cash flows of GMC are included in our Consolidated Financial Statements. The return to the third party investor is reflected in net interest in the Consolidated Statements of Earnings. The third party investor’s interests in GMC are classified as minority interests on our Consolidated Balance Sheets. As discussed above, we may exercise our option to purchase the Class A Interests for consideration equal to the then current capital account value, plus any unpaid preferred return and the prescribed make-whole amount. If we purchase these interests, any change in the unrelated third party investor’s capital account from its original value will be charged directly to retained earnings and will increase or decrease the net earnings used to calculate EPS in that period.
 
Our minority interests contain restrictive covenants. As of May 25, 2008, we were in compliance with all of these covenants.
 
General Mills Capital, Inc. was formed in July 2002 for the purpose of purchasing and collecting our receivables and previously sold $150.0 million of its Series A preferred stock to an unrelated third-party investor. In June 2007, we redeemed all of the Series A preferred stock. We used commercial paper borrowings and proceeds from the sale of the additional Class A Interests in GMC to fund the redemption. There was no gain or loss associated with this transaction.
 
NOTE 9.
MINORITY INTERESTS






In April 2002, we contributed assets with an aggregate fair
market value of $4.2 billion to our subsidiary GMC. The
contributed assets consist primarily of manufacturing assets and
intellectual property associated with the production and retail
sale of Big G cereals, Progresso soups, and Old
El Paso
products in the United States. In exchange for
the contribution of these assets, GMC issued its managing
membership interest and its limited preferred membership
interests to certain of our wholly owned subsidiaries. We
continue to hold the managing membership interest, and therefore
direct the operations of GMC. Other than the right to consent to
certain actions, holders of the limited preferred membership
interests do not participate in the management of GMC.


 



In May 2002, we sold 150,000 Class A Limited Membership
Interests (Class A Interests) in GMC to an unrelated
third-party investor for $150.0 million. In June 2007, we
sold an additional 88,851 Class A Interests to the same
unrelated third-party investor for $92.3 million. As of
May 25, 2008, the carrying value of all outstanding
Class A Interests on our Consolidated Balance Sheets was
$242.3 million.


 



In October 2004, we sold 835,000
Series B-1
Limited Membership Interests
(Series B-1
Interests) in GMC to a different unrelated third-party investor
for $835.0 million. In August 2007, General Mills Sales,
Inc., our wholly owned subsidiary, purchased for a net amount of
$843.0 million all of the outstanding
Series B-1
Interests as part of a required remarketing of those interests.
The purchase price reflected the
Series B-1
Interests’ original capital account balance of
$835.0 million and $8.0 million of capital account
appreciation attributable and paid to the third party holder of
the
Series B-1
Interests. The capital appreciation paid to the third party
holder of the
Series B-1
Interests was recorded as a reduction to retained earnings, a
component of stockholders’ equity, on the Consolidated
Balance Sheets, and reduced net earnings available to common
stockholders in our basic and diluted EPS calculations.















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We currently hold all interests in GMC other than the
Class A Interests. The terms of the Class A Interests
are described in the Fifth Amended and Restated Limited
Liability Company Agreement of GMC (the LLC Agreement).


 



The holder of the Class A Interests receives quarterly
preferred distributions from available net income based on the
application of a floating preferred return rate, currently equal
to the sum of three-month LIBOR plus 65 basis points, to
the holder’s capital account balance established in the
most recent mark-to-market valuation (currently
$248.1 million). The LLC Agreement requires that the
preferred return rate of the Class A Interests be adjusted
every five years through a negotiated agreement between the
Class A Interest holder and GMC, or through a remarketing
auction. The next remarketing is scheduled to occur in June 2012
and thereafter in five year intervals. Upon a failed
remarketing, the preferred return rate over three-month LIBOR
will be increased by 75 basis points until the next
remarketing, which will occur in 3 month intervals until a
successful remarketing occurs or the managing member purchases
the Class A Interests. The managing member may at any time
elect to purchase all of the Class A Interests for an
amount equal to the holder’s capital account balance (as
adjusted in a mark-to-market valuation), plus any accrued but
unpaid preferred returns and the prescribed make-whole amount.


 



Holders of the Class A Interests may initiate a liquidation
of GMC under certain circumstances, including, without
limitation, the bankruptcy of GMC or its subsidiaries,
GMC’s failure to deliver the preferred distributions on the
Class A Interests, GMC’s failure to comply with
portfolio requirements, breaches of certain covenants, lowering
of our senior debt rating below either Baa3 by Moody’s
Investors Service or BBB- by Standard & Poor’s,
and a failed attempt to remarket the Class A Interests as a
result of GMC’s failure to assist in such remarketing. In
the event of a liquidation of GMC, each member of GMC will
receive the amount of its then current capital account balance.
The managing member may avoid liquidation by exercising its
option to purchase the Class A Interests.


 



For financial reporting purposes, the assets, liabilities,
results of operations, and cash flows of GMC are included in our
Consolidated Financial Statements. The return to the third party
investor is reflected in net interest in the Consolidated
Statements of Earnings. The third party investor’s
interests in GMC are classified as minority interests on our
Consolidated Balance Sheets. As discussed above, we may exercise
our option to purchase the Class A Interests for
consideration equal to the then current capital account value,
plus any unpaid preferred return and the prescribed make-whole
amount. If we purchase these interests, any change in the
unrelated third party investor’s capital account from its
original value will be charged directly to retained earnings and
will increase or decrease the net earnings used to calculate EPS
in that period.


 



Our minority interests contain restrictive covenants. As of
May 25, 2008, we were in compliance with all of these
covenants.


 



General Mills Capital, Inc. was formed in July 2002 for the
purpose of purchasing and collecting our receivables and
previously sold $150.0 million of its Series A
preferred stock to an unrelated third-party investor. In June
2007, we redeemed all of the Series A preferred stock. We
used commercial paper borrowings and proceeds from the sale of
the additional Class A Interests in GMC to fund the
redemption. There was no gain or loss associated with this
transaction.


 




This excerpt taken from the GIS 10-Q filed Mar 20, 2008.

(8) Minority Interests

On August 7, 2007, we repurchased for a net amount of $843.0 million all of the outstanding Series B-1 limited membership interests (Series B-1 Interests) previously issued by our subsidiary General Mills Cereals, LLC (GMC) as part of a required remarketing of those interests. The purchase price reflected the Series B-1 Interests’ original capital account balance of $835.0 million and $8.0 million of capital account appreciation attributable and paid to the third party holder of the Series B-1 Interests. The capital appreciation paid to the third party holder of the Series B-1 Interests was recorded as a reduction to retained earnings, a component of stockholders' equity, on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, and reduced net earnings available to common stockholders in our basic and diluted earnings per share (EPS) calculations. We used commercial paper to fund the repurchase.

We and the third party holder of all of GMC’s outstanding Class A limited membership interests (Class A Interests) agreed to reset, effective on June 28, 2007, the preferred rate of return applicable to the Class A Interests to the sum of 3 month LIBOR plus 65 basis points. On June 28, 2007, we also sold $92.3 million of additional Class A Interests to the same third party. There was no gain or loss associated with these transactions. As of February 24, 2008, the carrying value of all outstanding Class A Interests on our Consolidated Balance Sheets was $242.3 million, and the capital account balance of the Class A Interests, upon which preferred distributions are calculated, was $248.1 million.

On June 28, 2007, we repurchased for $150.0 million all of the outstanding Series A preferred stock of our subsidiary General Mills Capital, Inc. using proceeds from the sale of the Class A Interests and commercial paper. There was no gain or loss associated with this repurchase.

Our minority interests contain restrictive covenants. As of February 24, 2008, we were in compliance with all of these covenants.

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This excerpt taken from the GIS 10-Q filed Dec 19, 2007.

(8) Minority Interests

On August 7, 2007, we repurchased for a net amount of $843.0 million all of the outstanding Series B-1 limited membership interests (Series B-1 Interests) previously issued by our subsidiary General Mills Cereals, LLC (GMC) as part of a required remarketing of those interests. The purchase price reflected the Series B-1 Interests’ original capital account balance of $835.0 million and $8.0 million of capital account appreciation attributable and paid to the third party holder of the Series B-1 Interests. The capital appreciation paid to the third party holder of the Series B-1 Interests was recorded as a reduction to retained earnings, a component of stockholders’ equity, on the Consolidated Balance Sheets, and reduced net earnings available to common stockholders in our basic and diluted earnings per share (EPS) calculations. We used commercial paper to fund the repurchase.

We and the third party holder of all of GMC’s outstanding Class A limited membership interests (Class A Interests) agreed to reset, effective on June 28, 2007, the preferred rate of return applicable to the Class A Interests to the sum of 3 month LIBOR plus 65 basis points. On June 28, 2007, we also sold $92.3 million of additional Class A Interests to the same third party. There was no gain or loss associated with these transactions. As of November 25, 2007, the carrying value of all outstanding Class A Interests on our Consolidated Balance Sheets was $242.3 million, and the capital account balance of the Class A Interests, upon which preferred distributions are calculated, was $248.1 million.

On June 28, 2007, we repurchased for $150.0 million all of the outstanding Series A preferred stock of our subsidiary General Mills Capital, Inc. (GM Capital) using proceeds from the sale of the Class A Interests and commercial paper. There was no gain or loss associated with this repurchase.

Our minority interests contain restrictive covenants. As of November 25, 2007, we were in compliance with all of these covenants.

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This excerpt taken from the GIS 10-Q filed Apr 7, 2005.

(3)   Minority Interests

In April 2002, the Company and certain of its wholly owned subsidiaries contributed assets with an aggregate fair market value of approximately $4 billion to another wholly owned subsidiary, General Mills Cereals, LLC (GMC), a limited liability company. GMC is a separate and distinct legal entity from the Company and its subsidiaries, and has separate assets, liabilities, businesses and operations. The contributed assets consist primarily of manufacturing assets and intellectual property associated with the production and retail sale of Big G ready-to-eat cereals, Progresso soups and Old El Paso products. In exchange for the contribution of these assets, GMC issued the managing membership interest and preferred membership interests to wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company. The managing member directs the business activities and operations of GMC and has fiduciary responsibilities to GMC and its members. Other than rights to vote on certain matters, holders of the preferred membership interests have no right to direct the management of GMC.

Page 6


In May 2002, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company sold 150,000 Class A preferred membership interests in GMC to an unrelated third-party investor in exchange for $150 million. On October 8, 2004, another wholly owned subsidiary of the Company sold 835,000 Series B-1 preferred membership interests in GMC in exchange for $835 million. In connection with the sale of the Series B-1 interests, GMC and its existing members entered into a Third Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of GMC (the “LLC Agreement”), setting forth, among other things, the terms of the Series B-1 and Class A interests held by the third-party investors and the rights of those investors. Currently, all interests in GMC, other than the 835,000 Series B-1 interests and 150,000 Class A interests, but including all managing member interests, are held by wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company.

The Class A interests receive quarterly preferred distributions at a floating rate equal to (i) the sum of three-month LIBOR plus 90 basis points, divided by (ii) 0.965. The LLC Agreement requires that the rate of the distributions on the Class A interests be adjusted by agreement between the third-party investor holding the Class A interests and GMC every five years, beginning in June 2007. If GMC and the investor fail to mutually agree on a new rate of preferred distributions, GMC must remarket the Class A interests to set a new distribution rate. Upon a failed remarketing, the rate over LIBOR will be increased by 75 basis points until the next scheduled remarketing date. GMC, through its managing member, may elect to repurchase all of the Class A interests at any time for an amount equal to the holder’s capital account, plus any applicable make-whole amount. Under certain circumstances, GMC also may be required to be dissolved and liquidated, including, without limitation, the bankruptcy of GMC or its subsidiaries, failure to deliver the preferred distributions, failure to comply with portfolio requirements, breaches of certain covenants, lowering of the Company’s senior debt rating below either Baa3 by Moody’s or BBB by Standard & Poor’s and a failed attempt to remarket the Class A interests as a result of a breach of GMC’s obligations to assist in such remarketing. In the event of a liquidation of GMC, each member of GMC would receive the amount of its then capital account balance. The managing member may avoid liquidation in most circumstances by exercising an option to purchase the Class A interests. An election to purchase the preferred membership interests could impact the Company’s liquidity by requiring the Company to refinance the purchase price.

The Series B-1 interests are entitled to receive quarterly preferred distributions at a fixed rate of 4.5% per year, which is scheduled to be reset to a new fixed rate through a remarketing in October 2007. Beginning in October 2007, the managing member of GMC may elect to repurchase the Series B-1 interests for an amount equal to the investor’s then capital account balance plus any applicable make-whole amount. GMC is not required to purchase the Series B-1 interests.

Upon the occurrence of certain exchange events (as described below), the Series B-1 interests will be exchanged for shares of perpetual preferred stock of the Company. An exchange will occur upon the senior unsecured debt rating of the Company falling below either Ba3 as rated by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or BB- as rated by Standard & Poor’s or Fitch, Inc., a bankruptcy or liquidation of the Company, a default on any senior indebtedness of the Company resulting in an acceleration of indebtedness having an outstanding principal balance in excess of $50 million, the Company failing to pay a dividend on its common stock in any fiscal quarter, or certain liquidating events under the LLC Agreement.

If GMC fails to make a required distribution to the holders of Series B-1 interests when due, the Company will be restricted from paying any dividend (other than dividends in the form of shares of common stock) or other distributions on shares of its common or preferred stock, and may not repurchase or redeem shares of its common or preferred stock, until all such accrued and undistributed distributions are paid to the holders of the Series B-1 interests. If the required distributions on the Series B-1 interests remain undistributed for six quarterly distribution periods, the managing member will form a nine-member board of directors to manage GMC. Under these circumstances, the holder of the Series B-1 interests will have the right to appoint one director. Upon the payment of the required distributions, the GMC board of directors will be dissolved.

Page 7


For financial reporting purposes, the assets, liabilities, results of operations, and cash flows of GMC are included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. The third-party investors’ Class A and Series B-1 interests in GMC are reflected as minority interests on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company, and the return to the third party investors is reflected as interest expense in the consolidated statements of earnings.

This excerpt taken from the GIS 10-Q filed Jan 6, 2005.

(3)   Minority Interests

In April 2002, the Company and certain of its wholly owned subsidiaries contributed assets with an aggregate fair market value of approximately $4 billion to another wholly owned subsidiary, General Mills Cereals, LLC (GMC), a limited liability company. GMC is a separate and distinct legal entity from the Company and its subsidiaries, and has separate assets, liabilities, businesses and operations. The contributed assets consist primarily of manufacturing assets and intellectual property associated with the production and retail sale of Big G ready-to-eat cereals, Progresso soups and Old El Paso products. In exchange for the contribution of these assets, GMC issued the managing membership interest and preferred membership interests to wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company. The managing member directs the business activities and operations of GMC and has fiduciary responsibilities to GMC and its members. Other than rights to vote on certain matters, holders of the preferred membership interests have no right to direct the management of GMC.


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In May 2002, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company sold 150,000 Class A preferred membership interests in GMC to an unrelated third-party investor in exchange for $150 million. On October 8, 2004, another wholly owned subsidiary of the Company sold 835,000 Series B-1 preferred membership interests in GMC in exchange for $835 million. In connection with the sale of the Series B-1 interests, GMC and its existing members entered into a Third Amended and Restated Limited Liability Company Agreement of GMC (the “LLC Agreement”), setting forth, among other things, the terms of the Series B-1 and Class A interests held by the third-party investors and the rights of those investors. Currently, all interests in GMC, other than the 835,000 Series B-1 interests and 150,000 Class A interests, but including all managing member interests, are held by wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company.

The Class A interests receive quarterly preferred distributions at a floating rate equal to (i) the sum of three-month LIBOR plus 90 basis points, divided by (ii) 0.965. The LLC Agreement requires that the rate of the distributions on the Class A interests be adjusted by agreement between the third-party investor holding the Class A interests and GMC every five years, beginning in June 2007. If GMC and the investor fail to mutually agree on a new rate of preferred distributions, GMC must remarket the Class A interests to set a new distribution rate. Upon a failed remarketing, the rate over LIBOR will be increased by 75 basis points until the next scheduled remarketing date. GMC, through its managing member, may elect to repurchase all of the Class A interests at any time for an amount equal to the holder’s capital account, plus any applicable make-whole amount. Under certain circumstances, GMC also may be required to be dissolved and liquidated, including, without limitation, the bankruptcy of GMC or its subsidiaries, failure to deliver the preferred distributions, failure to comply with portfolio requirements, breaches of certain covenants, lowering of the Company’s senior debt rating below either Baa3 by Moody’s or BBB by Standard & Poor’s and a failed attempt to remarket the Class A interests as a result of a breach of GMC’s obligations to assist in such remarketing. In the event of a liquidation of GMC, each member of GMC would receive the amount of their then capital account balance. The managing member may avoid liquidation in most circumstances by exercising an option to purchase the Class A interests. An election to purchase the preferred membership interests could impact the Company’s liquidity by requiring the Company to refinance the purchase price.

The Series B-1 interests are entitled to receive quarterly preferred distributions at a fixed rate of 4.5% per year, which is scheduled to be reset to a new fixed rate through a remarketing in October 2007. Beginning in October 2007, the managing member of GMC may elect to repurchase the Series B-1 interests for an amount equal to the Investor’s then capital account balance plus any applicable make-whole amount. GMC is not required to purchase the Series B-1 interests.

Upon the occurrence of certain exchange events (as described below), the Series B-1 interests will be exchanged for shares of perpetual preferred stock of the Company. An exchange will occur upon the senior unsecured debt rating of the Company falling below either Ba3 as rated by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or BB- as rated by Standard & Poor’s or Fitch, Inc., a bankruptcy or liquidation of the Company, a default on any senior indebtedness of the Company resulting in an acceleration of indebtedness having an outstanding principal balance in excess of $50 million, the Company failing to pay a dividend on its common stock in any fiscal quarter, or certain liquidating events under the LLC Agreement.

If GMC fails to make a required distribution to the holders of Series B-1 interests when due, the Company will be restricted from paying any dividend (other than dividends in the form of shares of common stock) or other distributions on shares of its common or preferred stock, and may not repurchase or redeem shares of its common or preferred stock, until all such accrued and undistributed distributions are paid to the holders of the Series B-1 interests. If the required distributions on the Series B-1 interests remain undistributed for six quarterly distribution periods, the managing member will form a nine-member board of directors to manage GMC. Under these circumstances, the holder of the Series B-1 interests will have the right to appoint one director. Upon the payment of the required distributions, the GMC board of directors will be dissolved.


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For financial reporting purposes, the assets, liabilities, results of operations, and cash flows of GMC are included in the Company’s consolidated financial statements. The third-party investors’ Class A and Series B-1 interests in GMC are reflected as minority interests on the consolidated balance sheet of the Company, and the return to the third party investors is reflected as interest expense in the consolidated statements of earnings.

"(3) Minority Interests" elsewhere:

Diageo (DEO)
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