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Note 2 - Investments
6 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2018
Notes to Financial Statements  
Investments in Debt and Marketable Equity Securities (and Certain Trading Assets) Disclosure [Text Block]
Note
2
- Investments:
 
Securities Available-for-Sale:
Investments held by the Company and its subsidiaries are classified as securities available-for-sale in accordance with FASB's ASC
320,
Investments - Debt and Equity Securities.  All of the Company's securities classified as available-for-sale were readily marketable or had a maturity of
twelve
 months or less and are classified as current assets on the Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets.
 
Equity Securities:
Equity securities classified as available-for-sale on the Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets, consist of ETFs held for dividend yield that attempt to replicate the performance of certain equity indexes and ETFs that hold preferred shares primarily of financial institutions.  
 
As of
October 31, 2018
and
April 30, 2018,
the aggregate cost of the equity securities classified as available-for-sale, which consist of investments in the SPDR Series Trust S&P Dividend ETF (SDY), First Trust Value Line Dividend Index ETF (FVD), INVESCO Financial Preferred ETF (PGF), Select Utilities Select Sector SPDR ETF (XLU), First Trust Value Line
100
ETF (FVL) and Proshares Trust S&P
500
Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL)  was
$8,385,000
,
and the fair value was
$9,606,000
and
$9,379,000,
respectively.    
 
There were
no
sales or proceeds from sales of equity securities during the
six
months ended
October 31, 2018
or
October 31, 2017.  
The increase in gross unrealized gains on equity securities classified as available-for-sale of
$227,000,
net of deferred  taxes of
$48,000
was included in Shareholders' Equity on the Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheet at
October 31, 2018. 
The increase in gross unrealized gains on equity securities classified as available-for-sale of
$398,000,
net of deferred  taxes of
$140,000
was included in Shareholders' Equity on the Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheet at
October 31, 2017.  
 
The changes in the value of equity securities investments are recorded in Other Comprehensive Income in the Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements.  Realized gains and losses are recorded as of the trade date in the Consolidated Condensed Statements of Income when securities are sold, mature or are redeemed.  As of
October 31, 2018
and
April 30, 2018,
accumulated other comprehensive income included unrealized  gains of
$1,221,000
and
$994,000,
net of deferred taxes of
$256,000
and
$209,000,
respectively.
 
 
The carrying value and fair value of securities available-for-sale at
October 31, 2018
were as follows:
 
     
 
   
Gross Unrealized
   
Gross Unrealized
     
 
 
($ in thousands)
 
Cost
   
Holding Gains
   
Holding Losses
   
Fair Value
 
ETFs - equities
  $
8,385
    $
1,225
    $
(4
)   $
9,606
 
 
The carrying value and fair value of securities available-for-sale at
April 30, 2018
were as follows:
 
     
 
   
Gross Unrealized
   
Gross Unrealized
     
 
 
($ in thousands)
 
Cost
   
Holding Gains
   
Holding Losses
   
Fair Value
 
ETFs - equities
  $
8,385
    $
994
    $
-
    $
9,379
 
 
Government Debt Securities (Fixed Income Securities):
Fixed income securities consist of certificates of deposits and securities issued by federal, state, and local governments within the United States. The aggregate cost and fair value at
October 31, 2018
of fixed income securities classified as available-for-sale were as follows:
 
   
Amortized
   
Gross Unrealized
   
Gross Unrealized
     
 
 
($ in thousands)
 
Historical Cost
   
Holding Gains
   
Holding Losses
   
Fair Value
 
Maturity
                               
Due within 1 year
  $
6,455
    $
17
    $
(7
)   $
6,465
 
Due 1 year through 5 years
   
3,000
     
-
     
(11
)    
2,989
 
Total investment in government debt securities
  $
9,455
    $
17
    $
(18
)   $
9,454
 
 
 
The aggregate cost and fair value at
April 30, 2018
of fixed income securities classified as available-for-sale were as follows:
 
   
Amortized
   
Gross Unrealized
   
Gross Unrealized
     
 
 
($ in thousands)
 
Historical Cost
   
Holding Gains
   
Holding Losses
   
Fair Value
 
Maturity
                               
Due within 1 year
  $
7,868
    $
10
    $
(12
)   $
7,866
 
Due 1 year through 5 years
   
600
     
-
     
(1
)    
599
 
Total investment in government debt securities
  $
8,468
    $
10
    $
(13
)   $
8,465
 
 
Proceeds from maturities and sales of government debt securities classified as available-for-sale during the
six
months ended
October 31, 2018
and
October 31, 2017,
were
$4,638,000
and
$1,394,000,
respectively.  The decrease in gross unrealized  losses of
$1,700
on fixed income securities classified as available-for-sale net of deferred income tax of
$350,
was included in in Shareholders' Equity on the Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheet as of
October 31, 2018. 
The increase in gross unrealized  losses of
$1,000
on fixed income securities classified as available-for-sale net of deferred income tax of
$360,
was included in Shareholders' Equity at
October 31, 2017.  
As of
October 31, 2018
and
April 30, 2018,
accumulated other comprehensive income included unrealized  losses of
$1,000
and
$3,000,
net of deferred tax benefits of
$200
and
$600,
respectively.
 
The average yield on the Government debt securities classified as available-for-sale at
October 31, 2018
and
April 30, 2018
was
2.25%
and
1.24%,
respectively.
 
Income from Securities Transactions:
Income from securities transactions was comprised of the following:
 
   
Three Months Ended October 31,
   
Six Months Ended October 31,
 
($ in thousands)
 
2018
   
2017
   
2018
   
2017
 
Dividend income
  $
62
    $
53
    $
129
    $
105
 
Interest income
   
49
     
25
     
84
     
51
 
Other
   
12
     
13
     
24
     
31
 
Total income from securities transactions, net
  $
123
    $
91
    $
237
    $
187
 
 
Investment in Unconsolidated
Entities:
Equity Method Investment:
 
As of
October 31, 2018
and
April 30, 2018,
the Company's investment in EAM Trust on the Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets was
$58,451,000
and
$58,233,000,
respectively.
 
The value of VLI’s investment in EAM at
October 31, 2018
and
April 30, 2018
reflects the fair value of contributed capital of
$55,805,000
at inception which included
$5,820,000
of cash and liquid securities in excess of working capital requirements contributed to EAM’s capital account by VLI, plus VLI's share of non-voting revenues and non-voting profits from EAM less distributions, made quarterly to VLI by EAM, during the period subsequent to its initial investment through the dates of the Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets.
 
It is anticipated that EAM will have sufficient liquidity and earn enough profit to conduct its current and future operations so the management of EAM will
not
need additional funding.
 
The Company monitors its Investment in EAM Trust for impairment to determine whether an event or change in circumstances has occurred that
may
have a significant adverse effect on the fair value of the investment.  Impairment indicators of an impairment could include, but are
not
limited to the following: (a) a significant deterioration in the earnings performance, asset quality, or business prospects of the investee, (b) a significant adverse change in the regulatory, economic, or technological environment of the investee, (c) a significant adverse change in the general market condition of the industry in which the investee operates, or (d) factors that raise significant concerns about the investee’s ability to continue as a going concern such as negative cash flows, working capital deficiencies, or noncompliance with statutory capital and regulatory requirements.  EAM did
not
record any impairment losses for its assets during the fiscal years
2019
or
2018.
 
 
The components of EAM’s investment management operations, provided to the Company by EAM, were as follows:
 
   
Three Months Ended October 31,
   
Six Months Ended October 31,
 
($ in thousands) (unaudited)
 
2018
   
2017
   
2018
   
2017
 
Investment management fees earned from the Value Line Funds, net of fee waivers
  $
4,181
    $
4,068
    $
8,290
    $
8,026
 
12b-1 fees and other fees, net of fee waivers
  $
1,727
    $
1,619
    $
3,431
    $
3,168
 
Other income
  $
(27
)   $
49
    $
44
    $
104
 
Investment management fee waivers
  $
110
    $
107
    $
221
    $
261
 
12b-1 fee waivers
  $
175
    $
179
    $
334
    $
414
 
Value Line’s non-voting revenues interest
  $
2,095
    $
2,039
    $
4,063
    $
4,017
 
EAM's net income (1)
  $
578
    $
396
    $
1,184
    $
712
 
 
(
1
) Represents EAM's net income, after giving effect to Value Line’s non-voting revenues interest, but before distributions to voting profits interest holders and to the Company in respect of its
50%
non-voting profits interest. 
 
   
October 31,
   
April 30,
 
($ in thousands)
 
2018
   
2018
 
   
(unaudited)
         
EAM's total assets
  $
60,284
    $
60,203
 
EAM's total liabilities (1)
   
(3,303
)    
(3,128
)
EAM's total equity
  $
56,981
    $
57,075
 
 
(
1
) At
October 31, 2018
and
April 30, 2018,
EAM's total liabilities included a payable to VLI for its accrued non-voting revenues interest and non-voting profits interest of
$2,317,000
and
$2,113,000,
respectively.