Securities and Exchange Commission v. Midland Basic, Inc.

283 F. Supp. 609, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12122
CourtDistrict Court, D. South Dakota
DecidedApril 9, 1968
DocketCiv. 64-27S
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 283 F. Supp. 609 (Securities and Exchange Commission v. Midland Basic, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. South Dakota primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Securities and Exchange Commission v. Midland Basic, Inc., 283 F. Supp. 609, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12122 (D.S.D. 1968).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM DECISION

NICHOL, Chief Judge.

This is an action commenced by the Securities and Exchange Commission (hereinafter SEC) against the above named defendants for injunctive relief and the appointment of a receiver for the defendant Midland Basic, Inc. (hereinafter Midland Basic) due to alleged violations of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Securities Act of 1933, and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to the latter).

The following facts were adduced at a trial to this court. Midland Security, Inc. (hereinafter Midland Security) was incorporated in the State of South Dakota on April 11, 1961, by Donald P. Sandidge and others for the primary purpose of providing an over-the-counter market' place in which stockholders of South Dakota companies could sell as well as buy. The defendants, Donald P. Sandidge and Phyllis J. Sandidge, his wife, were both directors and officers of this corporation, and Donald Sandidge apparently continues to be so at the present time. A considerable portion of the assets of Midland Security was composed of stock of the Commonwealth Investment Company (hereinafter CIC), which was engaged primarily in the business of making small loans. Pursuant to a complaint filed by the SEC, a consent judgment was entered on August 8, 1963, against Midland Security, Donald Sandidge, Phyllis Sandidge and others, permanently enjoining them from, directly or indirectly, (in the offer for sale, sale, offer to purchase or purchase of the common stock of CIC) making use of the mails “to obtain money or property by means of untrue statements of material facts or omissions to state material facts necessary in order to make the statements made, * *

Sometime in June of 1963, Donald Sandidge, disconcerted with the fact that CIC was in a position to declare only a very small dividend if one at all, approached CIC’s board of directors and made the following proposal. It was suggested that the members of the board donate enough of their shares of CIC to the corporation so they would have an additional $100,000 for the purposes of declaring a larger dividend. This proposal was rejected. Subsequently, Donald Sandidge made another proposal with the same purpose in mind. It was explained to CIC’s board that some of its treasury stock (carried at $4.00 per share) could be exchanged for stock in a company called Thermo Panel, Inc., at a value of $5.15 per share (which was Midland Security’s bid price), thereby resulting in a gain of $1.15 per share which would also be available for dividend distribution. Sandidge also offered to sell Midland Security’s CIC stock to CIC at $3.00 per share which Midland Security had purchased at $5.15. These suggestions were also duly rejected by CIC’s board of directors.

The inability of CIC to declare a larger dividend added to the already unpopularity of its stock and thus Midland Security was placed in the quandry as to how to maintain a high and fairly stable price upon it.

On November 13, 1963, Midland Basic was incorporated in the State of South Dakota. Donald and Phyllis Sandidge were officers and directors of this corporation also. The business activity and policies of Midland Basic, as described in its prospectus, were declared to be as follows:

“While the Issuer has broad general powers under its Articles of Incorporation, such powers, being common to most corporations in South Dakota, it is primarily interested in investing, for the long term, in domestic securities which are available in primary issues and in over-the-counter markets, including that of the underwriter.
*613 “In buying such domestic securities, the policy of the Issuer will, in the main, be to purchase such securities in established business operations, which securities have a relatively stable market value and reasonable prospects for growth and, possibly, earnings. Also to be considered in such investments will be the quality of management of the prospective business operations. It is the Issuer’s intention to make such —‘conservative’—investments with at least 90% of what proceeds are realized from this offering. It is our present intention to ‘plough back’ such earnings, if any, as might possibly occur, but there is and can be no guarantee as to growth or earnings or against loss to an investor.
“As to the remaining 10% or less of the proceeds which are realized from this offering, however, such will be invested in what might be considered as ‘highly speculative’ securities with an eye to rapid growth, but also with the hope that this 10% or less can be risked without any serious setback to the total investment picture of the Issuer. * * *”

A meeting of Midland Security’s salesman (including the defendant Robert M. Walz) was conducted by Donald Sandidge in late November of 1963, at which time there was discussed the Midland Basic prospectus and the offering of its securities to the general public of South Dakota. The salesmen were told by Donald Sandidge that Midland Basic was to operate like a statewide mutual fund, a representation which was later conveyed by them to prospective purchasers.

A total of 26,000 shares at $5.00 per share composed the primary offering with Midland Security acting as underwriter. A secondary offering of 124,000 shares was to be made available for the account of Midland Security as a selling stockholder. As partial consideration for the 124,000 shares, Midland Security transferred to Midland Basic 80,000 shares of CIC at $6.00 per share, which it had purchased at $5.15 per share. 1

Most of the original offering was sold to the public for a total of $117,890.00. From the amount received there was deducted an underwriting commission of $17,683.50. This left the sum of $100,-206.50 which, as per the books of Midland Security, was due and owing Midland Basic as of February 29, 1964. Donald Sandidge testified that only a “miniscule” amount was ever transferred over to Midland Basic to satisfy this obligation. In fact, almost all was expended for Midland Security’s operational purposes, which included, among other things, the purchase of an additional $70,000 worth of CIC stock.

On February 29, 1964, Midland Security transferred to Midland Basic 9,664 shares of CIC at a valuation of $6.00 per share to partially satisfy its debt. This valuation was some $8,214.40 more than its original cost to Midland Security. The transaction was perfected by Donald Sandidge alone, in his capacity as president of both corporations. No other officer or director of either corporation was ever consulted. At this time Donald Sandidge had been informed of the dissatisfaction amongst CIC stockholders, and he himself was engaged in a campaign to oust CIC’s management due to certain investments made by CIC and the fact that only a minimal profit had ever been realized during its existence.

An obligation of $42,222.50 remained due and owing from Midland Security to Midland Basic, which was subsequently almost entirely extinguished by the transfer to Midland Basic of shares of stock of the Tea Grain and Cattle Company and the Parks Insurance Company, which Midland Security had theretofore held. This transaction was accomplished by Donald Sandidge after having consulted with various people, the reason being that he had theretofore entered into a *614

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
283 F. Supp. 609, 1968 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12122, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/securities-and-exchange-commission-v-midland-basic-inc-sdd-1968.