Imark Industries, Inc. v. Arthur Young & Co.

436 N.W.2d 311, 148 Wis. 2d 605, 1989 Wisc. LEXIS 27
CourtWisconsin Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 3, 1989
Docket86-1125
StatusPublished
Cited by21 cases

This text of 436 N.W.2d 311 (Imark Industries, Inc. v. Arthur Young & Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Wisconsin Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Imark Industries, Inc. v. Arthur Young & Co., 436 N.W.2d 311, 148 Wis. 2d 605, 1989 Wisc. LEXIS 27 (Wis. 1989).

Opinion

LOUIS J. CECI, J.

This case is before the court on petition for review of a decision of the court of appeals, Imark Industries, Inc. v. Arthur Young & Co., 141 Wis. 2d 114, 414 N.W.2d 57 (Ct. App. 1987), which affirmed in part, reversed in part, and remanded with directions a judgment of the circuit court for Milwaukee county, Elliot N. Walstead, reserve circuit judge. The circuit court accepted part one of the jury’s special verdict which found that Arthur Young & Company (Arthur Young) had negligently misrepresented the financial status of National Control Systems, Inc. (NCS) in an audit Arthur Young prepared for NCS which was relied on by Imark Industries, Inc. (Imark) *610 and awarded Imark $425,800 in damages from Arthur Young. The circuit court also accepted part two of the jury’s special verdict which found that Joel B. Konicek (Konicek), David H. James (James), and Carl L. Zaar, Jr. (Zaar), NCS’s president, vice-president, and controller, respectively, had made intentional misrepresentations to Arthur Young and awarded Arthur Young $106,450 in damages from Konicek and James.

Three issues are presented for review. The first issue is whether the court of appeals misinterpreted Fleming v. Threshermen’s Mutual Ins. Co., 131 Wis. 2d 123, 388 N.W.2d 908 (1986), and thereby created a conflict with Pierringer v. Hoger, 21 Wis. 2d 182, 124 N.W.2d 106 (1963), by holding that a covenant not to sue has the same effect as a Pierringer release when given to an intentional tortfeasor. The second issue is whether the special verdict in this case is inconsistent because the jury in part one of the special verdict found that Arthur Young was negligent in its preparation of the audited financial statements of NCS, while at the same time the jury in part two of the special verdict found that Arthur Young was justified in its reliance upon certain misrepresentations given to it by Konicek, James, and Zaar. The third issue is whether the special verdict is incomplete because the jury in part two of the special verdict set the damages for the intentional misrepresentations but failed to apportion the fault among the persons who were specifically responsible.

We conclude that the court of appeals misinterpreted Fleming by holding that a covenant not to sue has the same effect as a Pierringer release when given to an intentional tortfeasor. In addition, we find that the special verdict in this case is consistent because the fact that the jury in part one of the special verdict found that Arthur Young was negligent in its preparation of *611 the audited financial statements of NCS is reconcilable with the fact that the jury in part two of the special verdict found that Arthur Young was justified in its reliance upon certain intentional misrepresentations given to it by Konicek, James, and Zaar. Finally, we hold that part two of the special verdict is incomplete because the special verdict left unanswered the amount of Arthur Young’s liability found in part one of the special verdict which is attributable to Arthur Young’s negligent reliance on certain intentional misrepresentations by Konicek, James, and Zaar. Therefore, we reverse the decision of the court of appeals in part, vacate the circuit court’s judgment in part, and order a new trial limited to determining, for the purpose of indemnification, what portion of Arthur Young’s liability to Imark for negligence is attributable to Arthur Young’s negligent reliance on certain intentional misrepresentations by Konicek, James, and Zaar.

The facts of this case are as follows. In 1981, Konicek and James were president and vice-president, respectively, of NCS, a company engaged in the manufacture and installation of computerized security and energy management systems. In June, 1981, NCS hired Arthur Young to perform a review of NCS’s financial statements for the nine months ending May 31, 1981, and an audit of NCS’s financial statements for the fiscal year ending August 31, 1981. Arthur Young audited NCS’s 1981 financials in September and October, 1981, and issued an opinion dated October 23, 1981.

Also in 1981, NCS hired the investment banking firm of Dain Bosworth, Inc. (Dain Bosworth) to solicit *612 venture capital investors. In November, 1981, Dain Bosworth contacted Imark concerning investing in NCS. As part of an investment package, Dain Bosworth gave Imark a “venture placement” memorandum which included a review of NCS’s financial statements and audited financial statements prepared by Arthur Young. The report indicated that NCS had a profit of $48,000 and shareholder equity of $315,000 as of August 31, 1981. In addition, the audited financial statements reflected that NCS’s projects were eight-five percent complete as of August 31, 1981. A footnote to the audited financials revealed that the uncompleted 1980 projects completed in 1981 produced less revenue than originally estimated. As a result, the 1981 operating revenues were reduced by approximately $390,000.

On January 6, 1982, a meeting was held among Imark, NCS, and Dain Bosworth. At this meeting, NCS disclosed it had lost several hundred thousand dollars since August 31, 1981. In addition, the terms of a possible acquisition by Imark of fifty percent of NCS’s stock for $950,000 were discussed.

On January 27,1982, Imark and NCS met again to discuss the terms of the proposed deal. NCS acknowledged that first-quarter losses of fiscal year 1982 were $276,000 and stated that another $222,000 in losses were expected. Imark requested NCS’s first-quarter 1982 financial statements. According to NCS, losses totaling between $700,000 and $750,000 were expected for the six months ending February 28, 1982. At this meeting, an acquisition by Imark of fifty-five percent of NCS’s stock for $1,000,000 and a loan to NCS of $410,000 were discussed.

On January 28,1982, Imark received NCS’s unaudited first-quarter financial statements, which confirmed that as of November 30, 1981, NCS had lost at *613 least $490,000. On January 29,1982, Imark executed an agreement to purchase fifty-five percent of NCS’s outstanding shares for $1,000,000 and to provide NCS with an interim loan of $410,000. While the closing of the deal was set for mid-March, Imark made the first installment of $150,000 on the loan on January 29, 1982. The Imark board of directors approved the deal on January 30,1982. Assuming a worst-case scenario of a six-month loss of $676,000, Imark determined that NCS would remain a viable entity after Imark made its investment. On February 5, 1982, Imark made the second installment of $100,000 on the loan, and one week later the third and final installment of $160,000 was paid.

At the meeting to close the deal on March 19,1982, NCS tendered its unaudited financial statements for the period ending February 28, 1982, which showed a six-month loss of $1,235,000. Since Imark had anticipated losses of only $676,000, Imark refused to close the deal and demanded that NCS repay the $410,000 it had loaned to NCS.

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Bluebook (online)
436 N.W.2d 311, 148 Wis. 2d 605, 1989 Wisc. LEXIS 27, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/imark-industries-inc-v-arthur-young-co-wis-1989.