Crawford v. Wilson

693 F.2d 606
CourtCourt of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
DecidedNovember 24, 1982
DocketNos. 81-5066, 81-5067
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 693 F.2d 606 (Crawford v. Wilson) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Crawford v. Wilson, 693 F.2d 606 (6th Cir. 1982).

Opinion

LIVELY, Circuit Judge.

This diversity action was begun by Hamilton Crawford and Lillian Crawford, husband and wife, (hereafter “Crawford,” since Hamilton Crawford acted for both throughout the transaction which culminated in this lawsuit) filing suit against Kemmons Wilson (Wilson) to collect on two promissory notes in the aggregate principal amount of $2,206,319.05. In his answer and counterclaim Wilson pled fraud in the inducement by which he executed the notes and breach of warranties which entitled him to set-offs that reduced the amounts payable on the notes. The warranty and set-offs provisions on which Wilson relied were contained in a stock purchase agreement between him and Crawford. He asserted the same defenses against other parties to similar stock purchase agreements. Two of these parties (Mack Hornbeak and Dorothy Kimball) sued Wilson separately, and two corporate entities, Crawford Corporation (the Corporation) and Covington Funding Co., were either plaintiff or defendant in two other related actions. The five actions were consolidated for trial before the district court. A belated motion by Wilson for a jury trial was denied. All parties have appealed from the judgment of the district court, and the appeals were consolidated in this court for hearing and decision.

I.

A.

In an interlocutory order the district court succinctly and accurately stated the background of this lawsuit as follows:

Sometime in 1973, Kemmons Wilson entered into negotiations with W. Hamilton Crawford concerning the acquisition of the Crawford Corporation. During the course of those negotiations, Wilson received a letter from Crawford outlining the values of the assets of the Crawford Corporation and its subsidiaries. In addition, Crawford provided Wilson with the current financial statements establishing the book value of the corporation’s stock. As a result of these negotiations, Wilson and Crawford executed a Stock Purchase Agreement on April 10, 1974, which provided that Wilson would purchase one-third of the Crawford Corporation stock owned by Crawford and his wife. The remaining two-thirds of the Crawfords’ stock was purchased by the Crawford Corporation. As part of the consideration for their stock, the Crawfords received promissory notes from both Wilson [608]*608and the Crawford Corporation. Similar transactions were utilized to purchase the Crawford Corporation stock owned by Dorothy Kimball and Mack Hornbeak. The stock acquisition was completed on May 7,1974 at which time Kemmons Wilson assumed control of the Crawford Corporation.

B.

Wilson was interested in purchasing Crawford’s stock only if a way could be found for the Corporation to provide most of the necessary funds. Thus it was that A. Sam Gittlin, president of Covington Funding Co. of New York, proposed a plan by which Wilson agreed to purchase one-third of Crawford’s stock with the understanding that the Corporation would make a tender offer for approximately two-thirds of the outstanding stock with cash on hand or to be generated by the sale of assets. By employing this device Wilson would eventually own a clear majority of the outstanding stock of the Corporation with a relatively small cash outlay.

During the negotiations between Crawford and Wilson and their agents it was always understood that the basis of any sale of Crawford Corporation stock would be its book value. Crawford originally asked $16 per share, which he supported in a letter to Wilson dated September 12, 1973. In the September 12 letter Crawford listed the audited book value of Corporation stock as of December 81, 1972 ($12.70 per share); the unaudited values as of July 31,1973 and September 30, 1973 ($13.78 and $14.24 respectively); and the projected, unaudited value as of December 31, 1973 ($15.17). In the letter Crawford also estimated the future sales of assets of the Corporation consisting of unimproved real estate. He projected their sale at more than $12 million compared with a book value of about $4 million and an after-tax profit on sales of $4,296,735. Crawford also stated in the letter that an additional after-tax profit “of $3,000,000 to $4,000,000 should develop if all assets are built and sold.” Wilson responded with an offer of $12 per share for all of Crawford’s stock.

C.

On April 10, 1974 Crawford and Wilson executed an agreement which embodied the Gittlin proposal for sale of one-third of the Crawford stock to Wilson to be followed by a tender offer from the Corporation for the purchase of two-thirds of the stock owned by each stockholder. Crawford agreed to accept the tender and sell to the Corporation all the Crawford stock which had not been purchased by Wilson. The purchase price for Crawford’s stock was $14 per share. Wilson paid Crawford $50,000 in cash and gave the two non-negotiable notes which are the subject of this action for the remainder of the purchase price. The notes were due and payable three years after the closing date of the transaction and bore interest at the prime rate as defined in the agreement. They were secured by the stock of the Corporation purchased pursuant to the agreement and 50,000 shares of stock of Holiday Inns, Inc. owned by Wilson. The stock of other major shareholders, Hornbeak and Kimball, was acquired by Wilson under similar agreements. The transaction was closed on May 7, 1974.

The agreement provided in part 4, Conditions Subsequent to Closing, that the book value of all stock purchased by Wilson “shall be not less than $13.50 per share,” after provision for taxes due and to become due. In part 5, Warranties, and Representations of Crawfords, Crawford made a number of warranties, including the following:

Crawfords have heretofore delivered to Wilson a consolidated balance sheet for Crawford Corporation and its subsidiaries, and a separate balance sheet for Crawford Corporation, Crawford Homes, Inc. and Crofton Corporation, all as of December 31, 1973, copies of which are attached hereto as Exhibit “C” and all hereinafter referred to as “Financial Statements.” As of December 31, 1973, said Financial Statements were substantially true, complete and correct and were prepared in accordance with generally ac[609]*609cepted accounting principles, consistently applied, and fairly represent the financial status of Company and each of its subsidiaries. There are no substantial liabilities, either fixed, or contingent, not reflected in such Financial Statements other than contracts or obligations in the usual course of business, and no such contracts or obligations in the usual course of business or liens or other liabilities, if disclosed, will alter substantially the financial conditions of Company as reflected by said Financial Statements.
Since December 31, 1973, there have not been, and prior to closing there will not be, any material changes in the financial position or assets of Company or Subsidiaries, except changes in the ordinary course of business and there have not been and shall not be prior to closing any payment of dividends or distribution in respect to capital stock except as set forth in Section 3 of this Agreement, nor shall there be any material increase in compensation payable to any of the officers, employees or agents of Company.
It is understood that Company has contracts for the sale of certain of its real estate, said contracts being noted in Exhibit “D” hereto, which contracts shall be deemed in the ordinary course of business.

D.

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693 F.2d 606, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/crawford-v-wilson-ca6-1982.