Masters v. Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

996 F. Supp. 2d 872, 2014 WL 545138, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19408
CourtDistrict Court, C.D. California
DecidedFebruary 12, 2014
DocketCase No. SACV 14-00053-CJC(RNBx)
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 996 F. Supp. 2d 872 (Masters v. Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, C.D. California primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Masters v. Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 996 F. Supp. 2d 872, 2014 WL 545138, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19408 (C.D. Cal. 2014).

Opinion

[876]*876ORDER DENYING PLAINTIFF’S MOTION FOR PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION

CORMAC J. CARNEY, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

This shareholder class action was filed to enjoin a shareholder vote because of allegedly inadequate disclosures about a proposed equity compensation plan in Defendant Avanir Pharmaceuticals, Inc.’s (“Avanir”) 2014 proxy (the “Proxy”). The Proxy disclosed that the company’s only existing incentive plan was running out of shares available to be issued to employees^ — it disclosed that the board had issued roughly 3 to 3.5 million shares per year in each of the prior three fiscal years, and that only 191,126 shares remained as of December 13, 2013. In order to allow the company to continue to award equity-based compensation, the Proxy requested shareholder approval of the proposed plan, which would authorize an additional 17 million shares for issuance to employees. According to the Proxy, this reserve of shares would allow the company to continue to make awards at historical average annual rates for the next four years.

Plaintiff Robert Masters (“Plaintiff’) alleges that the Proxy misleadingly fails to state that the prior incentive plan is no longer eligible to allow the company to deduct certain executive compensation under Internal Revenue Code (“IRC”) § 162(m). He also alleges that the Proxy omits information regarding the reasons for and effects of the proposed plan, including how, and at what rate, the plan may dilute shareholders’ interests. Plaintiff asserts claims against Defendants 1 for breach of fiduciary duties and violation of § 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and Rule 14a-9. Before the Court is Plaintiffs Motion for Preliminary Injunction, which seeks to enjoin a vote at Avanir’s annual stockholder meeting scheduled to be held on February 12, 2014.2 (Dkt. No. 6 [“Mot. Prelim. Inj.”].)

After considering all the evidence presented by the parties and the arguments of counsel, the Court DENIES Plaintiffs motion. The Proxy provides a full and fair disclosure of the purpose, rationale, and effects of the proposed plan. Each of the disclosures that Plaintiff seeks is factually mistaken, is already disclosed in the Proxy, or is not material to investors. To require more would either risk affirmatively misleading shareholders or would bury shareholders in needless information and summaries.

[877]*87711. BACKGROUND

Avanir is a publicly-held pharmaceutical company that acquires, develops, and commercializes therapeutic products for the treatment of central nervous system disorders. (Dkt. No. 1 [Class Action Compl. (“Compl.”) ] ¶¶ 11, 29.) Avanir is incorporated in Delaware. (Compl. ¶ 11.) The Individual Defendants include all of the members of Avariir’s board of directors as of the date the Complaint was filed. (Id. ¶¶ 12-18.) Plaintiff is a holder of 10,000 shares of Avanir stock. (See Dkt. No. 5, ¶ 4.) Avanir currently has approximately 152 million shares of common stock outstanding. (Compl. ¶ 22.)

The controversy here arises from Ava-nir’s Proxy, which was submitted to Avanir shareholders on December 30, 2013 in anticipation of Avanir’s annual stockholder meeting scheduled to be held on February 12. 2014. (Id. ¶¶ 1-2.) The Proxy solicits shareholder approval of a number of proposals, including Proposal 4, the only proposal at issue here. (Id. ¶ 2.) Proposal 4 seeks approval of the 2014 Incentive Plan (“2014 Plan”), which would increase the number of shares that Avanir may award in the future by 17 million shares. (Id.; see also Dkt. No. 6-2 Ex. C [“Proxy”] at 13.)

At present, Avanir has only one existing equity incentive plan: the 2005 Equity Incentive Plan (the “2005 Plan”). (Proxy at 12.) The 2005 Plan, which was approved by Avanir’s shareholders, allows Avanir to grant non-statutory stock options, stock appreciation rights, stock awards, and cash-based incentive awards to employees, directors, and consultants. (Id. at 13; Dkt. No. 21 [Decl. of Christine G. Ocampo in Supp. of Defs.’ Opp’n to Pl.’s Mot. for Prelim. Inj. (“Ocampo Decl.”) ] Ex. B [“2005 Plan”].) Each year, Avanir files with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) an annual report on Form 10-K disclosing the number of shares issued under the 2005 Plan. (See Dkt. No. 19 [Decl. of Robert M. Daines in Supp. of Defs.’ Opp’n to Pl.’s Mot. for Prelim. Inj. (“Daines Decl.”) ] ¶ 22.) As of December 13, 2013, the 2005 Plan had 191,126 shares available for Avanir to grant as equity awards. (Proxy at 12.) In fiscal years 2011, 2012, and 2013, Avanir made equity awards under its existing equity incentive plans totaling 2,993,888 shares, 3,501,642 shares, and 3,095,910 shares, respectively. (Id. at 13.) The Proxy states that Avanir currently does not have a sufficient number of remaining shares available under the 2005 Plan to compensate its employees in line with past practice. (Id. at 12, 13; see also Ocampo Decl. ¶ 24.) According to the Proxy, Avanir’s ability to offer equity incentive awards to employees is necessary to ensure that its employees, executive officers, and directors remain with the company, as well as to ensure that their interests are aligned with those of the company’s stockholders. (See Proxy at 12.)

The 2014 Plan would replenish Avanir’s share reserves. It would increase the number of shares of Avanir common stock that may be awarded by 17 million shares. (Id. at 14.) The Proxy states that this amount of shares would allow the company to continue to issue shares to employees at historic rates for at least four years. (Id. at 13.) The 2014 Plan would also expand the types of tax-deductible equity awards that the Compensation Committee may grant to covered executives to include stock awards (restricted stock and restricted stock units) and cash-based awards. (Id. at 14.) The 2014 Plan is to be administered by Avanir’s Compensation Committee, which is composed of outside directors on the company’s board. (Id.) The Compensation Committee “has the authority to, among other things, interpret the 2014 Plan, determine eligibility for, grant and determine the terms of awards under the 2014 Plan, and to do all things necessary [878]*878or appropriate to carry out the purposes of the 2014 Plan.” (Id.)

The 2014 Plan states that some compensation to top executives may be intended to qualify as “performance-based compensation” for purposes of IRC § 162(m). (Id. at 15.) As discussed in greater detail below, § 162(m) provides that a corporation may only deduct more than $1 million of compensation paid to covered executives to the extent such compensation qualifies as “performance based,” as defined by the statute and applicable Treasury Regulations.

The board designed the 2014 Plan with the assistance of a hired compensation consultant, Radford. (Dkt. No. 20 [Decl. of Jesus Varela in Supp. of Defs.’ Opp’n to Pl.’s Mot. for Prelim. Inj. (“Varela Decl.”) ] ¶ 6.) Radford was specifically tasked with determining the number of shares that Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc. (“ISS”) would support for reservation under the 2014 Plan. (Id. ¶ 8.) ISS is a proxy advisory service. (See Dkt. No. 18-3 [Decl. of Travis Biffar in Supp. of Defs.’ Opp’n to Pl.’s Mot. for Prelim. Inj. (“Biffar Decl.”) ] Ex.

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Bluebook (online)
996 F. Supp. 2d 872, 2014 WL 545138, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 19408, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/masters-v-avanir-pharmaceuticals-inc-cacd-2014.