ESI Enterprises, Inc. v. Joseph B. Dahlkemper Co. (In Re Joseph B. Dahlkemper Co.)

165 B.R. 149, 30 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 1901, 1994 Bankr. LEXIS 379, 1994 WL 97582
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Pennsylvania
DecidedMarch 21, 1994
Docket19-70022
StatusPublished
Cited by8 cases

This text of 165 B.R. 149 (ESI Enterprises, Inc. v. Joseph B. Dahlkemper Co. (In Re Joseph B. Dahlkemper Co.)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, W.D. Pennsylvania primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
ESI Enterprises, Inc. v. Joseph B. Dahlkemper Co. (In Re Joseph B. Dahlkemper Co.), 165 B.R. 149, 30 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 1901, 1994 Bankr. LEXIS 379, 1994 WL 97582 (Pa. 1994).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

BERNARD MARKOVITZ, Bankruptcy Judge.

Two matters are before the court at this time. ESI Enterprises, Inc. (“ESI”) has brought a complaint at Adversary No. 93-1263-BM to recover the sum of $188,788.53 which ESI asserts are the proceeds of merchandise owned by it that was sold at going-out-of-business sales (“sales”) it conducted on debtor’s behalf shortly before debtor filed for bankruptcy.

Debtor denies ESI’s exclusive ownership of the proceeds of the sales and, alternatively, denies that ESI’s interest in the proceeds was secured. Additionally, debtor avers that if ESI has an entitlement to any sum it is substantially less than $188,788.53.

Judgment will be entered in the adversary action in favor of ESI and against debtor in the amount of $61,861.99.

ESI also has filed a proof of claim as a general unsecured creditor in which it seeks in excess of $400,000.00 in lost profits as a result of debtor’s alleged breach of the agreement pertaining to the sale(s).

Debtor has objected to the proof of claim. Debtor denies that it breached the agreement and contends that ESI has failed to demonstrate that ESI lost profits as a result of any breach by debtor.

Debtor’s objection will be sustained. ESI’s proof of claim will be disallowed in its entirety.

-I-

FACTS

Debtor is in the business of selling consumer goods to the general public at “discount prices” through retail outlets. Two of its outlets had been located at Monroeville, Pennsylvania, and Ross Township, Pennsylvania, respectively.

ESI was incorporated in November of 1992 for the purpose of conducting going-out-of-business sales for debtor at the above locations. Although ESI’s principal had previously conducted a sale in Michigan, ESI itself had not engaged in business prior to November of 1992.

On October 30, 1992, debtor and ESI executed an agreement (“agreement”) wherein ESI agreed to conduct sales for debtor at the above locations.

The agreement contained several conditions precedent. For instance, debtor agreed to provide “current” inventory costing at least one million four hundred thousand dollars ($1,400,000.00). Also, debtor, ESI, and debtor’s secured creditors were to execute an inter-creditor agreement wherein the latter subordinated their secured interest to ESI’s interest and acknowledged ESI’s *152 ownership of goods ESI provided for the sales.

The agreement provided that ESI would be paid a commission of five percent (5%) on all sales as its compensation for organizing and conducting the sales.

Also, ESI agreed to provide additional jewelry costing at least three million dollars ($3,000,000.00) and so-called “hard goods” to supplement debtor’s merchandise. Debtor acknowledged that such merchandise was “the sole property of ESI until sold” and that ESI was to have a security interest in the merchandise and its proceeds.

The agreement further provided for the establishment of a special checking account under the dual control of debtor and ESI into which receipts from sales of debtor’s merchandise and of ESI’s merchandise were to be deposited on a daily basis. The signature of a representative of debtor and the signature of a representative of ESI were required for any disbursements or withdrawals from the account. 1

ESI was to be paid its commission on a daily basis. Except for hard goods ESI had provided, debtor and ESI were to be paid out of the special account the cost of the merchandise they owned which had been sold the previous day. ESI was to be paid for its jewelry merchandise at cost and for its hard goods at cost plus three percent (3%).

Finally, the agreement provided that ESI, “in consultation with Owner [i.e., debtor]”, had “full authority to direct the conduct of the sale”.

On November 9, 1992, debtor, ESI, and Bank of America Business Credit (“BABC”) executed an inter-creditor agreement wherein BABC subordinated its security interest to ESI’s interest in ESI’s goods only and the proceeds thereof but retained its security inventory in “all other inventory” of debtor. In addition, BABC acknowledged that the goods ESI provided were, “until paid for”, the property of ESI and that debtor had no interest therein.

On November 10, 1992, debtor and ESI executed an addendum to the agreement of October 30, 1992 wherein they agreed that the sales would commence on November 12, 1992.

Pursuant to the provisions of the agreement, a special account in debtor’s name was opened at on November 12, 1992 at Dollar Bank. Checks, withdrawals, or transfers of the funds in the account required the signature of a designated representative of ESI and the signature of any of four (4) designated representatives of debtor. Receipts from sales of all merchandise, including ESI’s merchandise, were deposited on a daily basis into the account. Payment was made the next day to the party whose merchandise had been sold the previous day.

The sales commenced, as anticipated, on November 12, 1992 and continued through December 24, 1992.

Debtor executed a document on November 25, 1992, wherein it granted ESI a security interest in all of debtor’s present and after-acquired inventory, including ESI’s inventory “to the extent that the Debtor is deemed to acquire any interest therein”.

The sales did not go as well as debtor and ESI had hoped. Total receipts were far below what had been anticipated. Also, relations between debtor and ESI were strained.

During the sales, ESI supplied additional hard goods costing $346,910.36 and received disbursements for these goods from the special account in the amount of $345,382.09. It is undisputed that ESI is entitled to the sum of $1,528.27 from the special account for these goods.

ESI also supplied additional jewelry costing $1,928,788.10 for which it received disbursements in the amount of $733,906.76 during the sales. Debtor also subsequently returned some unsold jewelry to ESI. The value of returned jewelry and the balance in the special account due and owing to ESI for sales of its jewelry are in dispute.

*153 On December 30, 1992, some six (6) days after the sales had ended, the total balance in the special account was $1,401,025.25.

On January 4, 1998, without ESI’s prior knowledge or consent, debtor unilaterally amended the endorsements required for the special account. Checks, withdrawals, or transfers from the special account no longer required the signature of ESI’s designated representative. Only the signature of either of two designated representatives of debtor was required.

On January 7, 1993, debtor unilaterally transferred all of the funds in the special account to another account at another bank and closed the special account. ESI had no prior knowledge of these actions, did not consent thereto, and had no control over the account into which the funds had been transferred.

On January 8, 1993, debtor filed a voluntary chapter 11 bankruptcy petition.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
165 B.R. 149, 30 Collier Bankr. Cas. 2d 1901, 1994 Bankr. LEXIS 379, 1994 WL 97582, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/esi-enterprises-inc-v-joseph-b-dahlkemper-co-in-re-joseph-b-pawb-1994.