The Board also discussed in detail other aspects of the going private transaction, including the price to be paid to stockholders in lieu of fractional shares. In that regard, the Company noted that since being delisted from NASDAQ in 2018, its trading history was limited and its volume of trading low and, as a result, neither might accurately reflect the value of the Company’s Common Stock, which price was lower than the book value per share reflected in the Company’s public filings with the SEC. Based on these discussions, the Company hired ValueScope to prepare a report on the valuation of the Common Stock, to allow the Board to better determine the value of the Common Stock.
The Board also identified and undertook discussions of the disadvantages of the Reverse Stock Split, namely, the fact that stockholders of record owning fewer than 3,000 shares would not be able to participate in any future growth of the Company. The Board noted that this disadvantage is minimized by the fact that any stockholder who so chooses can remain a stockholder by purchasing a sufficient number of shares in order to increase the number of shares in such stockholder’s record account to at least 3,000. Another disadvantage discussed by the Board is the fact that stockholders who remain after the Reverse Stock Split will no longer have access to information concerning the Company’s operations and financial results that is currently available in its SEC filings.
On December 21, 2020, the Board received the initial report of ValueScope which stated a per share valuation of $3.06. On December 21, 2020, the Board discussed this report and concluded that a valuation of $3.06 per share would be fair to the stockholders who would receive fractional shares as a result of the Reverse Stock Split.
Based on these considerations, the Board determined that the results of a Reverse Stock Split are more predictable and automatic, and determined that the Reverse Stock Split is the most expeditious and economical way of reducing the number of holders of record to fewer than 300 and effecting the termination of its registration and periodic reporting obligations. The Board then unanimously approved by written consent a 3,000-for-1 Reverse Stock Split of the Company’s Common Stock on December 21, 2020.
In November and December 2020, as the Company and the Board continued to have discussions on a going private transaction through the Reverse Stock Split, management of the Company had informal discussions with the Consenting Stockholders, and the Company asked the Consenting Stockholders if this might be something they would support, in order to determine the feasibility and advisability, as the Company did not wish to devote Company time and resources to such actions unless there was significant shareholder interest. The Consenting Stockholders indicated that they would consider supporting a Reverse Stock Split, and asked that the Company provide them with all available information when they were ready to move forward, in order to fully evaluate whether they would provide consent. Other than engaging in discussions initiated by the Company, the Consenting Stockholders were not involved in the planning or structuring of the Reverse Stock Split.
On December 21, 2020, the Company provided a copy of the report of ValueScope to JDS1, who we were informed, shared, and discussed with other Consenting Stockholders. On that same day, the Consenting Stockholders, holding approximately 52.0% of the Company’s outstanding Common Stock, delivered their consent approving the Reverse Stock Split and other transactions contemplated thereby. The stockholder consent is sufficient under the DGCL to approve the Reverse Stock Split without the concurrence of any other stockholders. Therefore, no further action of the stockholders is necessary to approve the Reverse Stock Split. The Company has not required the approval of the Reverse Stock Split by the holders of a majority of the Company’s shares held by persons unaffiliated with the Company.
Subsequently, on January 12, 2021, the Company was due the return of $8,500,000 in aviation deposits. The Company had financed 12 transactions, each of which has utilized the services of Wright Brothers, based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, as the escrow agent. Prior to January 12, 2021, each aviation deposit the Company provided had been returned on time and without incident. Upon inquiry to Wright Brothers and following repeated unsuccessful attempts to contact it or its principal, Debbie Mercer-Erwin, the Company learned that on or about December 17, 2020, Ms. Mercer-Erwin had been arrested by law enforcement and that all assets of Wright Brothers had been frozen. In addition to the deposit funds mentioned above, we were also due the return of a further $5,500,000 in aviation deposits on January 25, 2021. After the announcement of this development on January 26, 2021, the Company's share price declined.
In consideration of the events surrounding the aviation deposits, the lack of information surrounding the investigations and status of the funds, and its implications for the Company's business, at a telephonic meeting of the Board of Directors on February 6, 2021, the Board of Directors determined to revisit the Reverse Stock Split. While it was the continuing sense of the members of the Board of Directors that the Reverse Stock Split remained