NOTE B — INVESTMENTS

The Company owns approximately a 30% interest in Grupo Vasconia S.A.B. (“Vasconia”), an integrated manufacturer of aluminum products and one of Mexico’s largest housewares companies. Shares of Vasconia’s capital stock are traded on the Bolsa Mexicana de Valores, the Mexican Stock Exchange. The Quotation Key is VASCONI. The Company accounts for its investment in Vasconia using the equity method of accounting and records its proportionate share of Vasconia’s net income in the Company’s statement of operations. Accordingly, the Company has recorded its proportionate share of Vasconia’s net income (reduced for amortization expense related to the customer relationships acquired) for the three and six month periods ended June 30, 2016 and 2015 in the accompanying condensed consolidated statements of operations. The value of the Company’s investment balance has been translated from Mexican Pesos (“MXN”) to U.S. Dollars (“USD”) using the spot rates of MXN 18.51 and MXN 17.38 at June 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively. The Company’s proportionate share of Vasconia’s net income has been translated from MXN to USD using the average exchange rates of MXN 18.09 and MXN 15.31 during the three months ended June 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively, and MXN 18.06 to MXN 18.07 and MXN 15.13 to MXN 15.19 during the six months ended June 30, 2016 and 2015. The effect of the translation of the Company’s investment resulted in a decrease to the investment of $1.7 million and a decrease to the investment of $2.5 million during the six months ended June 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively (also see Note K). These translation effects are recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss). Included within prepaid expenses and other current assets at December 31, 2015 are amounts due from Vasconia of $55,000. Included within accrued expenses and accounts payable at June 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015 are amounts due to Vasconia of $71,000 and $28,000, respectively.

A summarized statement of income information for Vasconia in USD and MXN is as follows:


	Three Months Ended June 30,
	2016				2015
	(in thousands)
	USD		MXN		USD		MXN
Net sales	$	37,854	$	684,771	$	49,650	$	760,472
Gross profit		7,446		134,700		10,646		163,063
Income from operations		2,073		37,502		3,862		59,150
Net income		516		9,335		2,318		35,510


	Six Months Ended
	June 30,
	2016				2015
	(in thousands)
	USD		MXN		USD		MXN
Net Sales	$	75,178	$	1,357,349	$	96,989	$	1,467,907
Gross Profit		12,864		232,334		20,082		304,075
Income from operations		2,996		54,135		6,609		100,198
Net Income		736		13,294		3,564		54,122

The Company recorded equity in losses of Vasconia, net of taxes, of $171,000 and $321,000 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016, respectively. The Company recorded equity in earnings of Vasconia, net of taxes, of $2,000 and $296,000 for the three and six months ended June 30, 2015, respectively. Due to the requirement to record tax benefits for foreign currency translation losses through other comprehensive income (loss), with a corresponding adjustment to deferred tax liabilities, equity in losses for the three and six months ended June 30, 2016 includes deferred tax expense of $0.3 million and $0.5 million, respectively. Equity in earnings for the three and six month periods ended 2015 include deferred tax expense of $0.6 million.

As of June 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, the fair value (based upon Vasconia’s quoted stock price) of the Company’s investment in Vasconia was $33.8 million and $35.9 million, respectively. The carrying value of the Company’s investment in Vasconia was $23.2 million and $24.7 million as of June 30, 2016 and December 31, 2015, respectively.

During the three months ended June 30, 2016 the Company sold its 40% equity interest in GS Internacional S/A (“GSI”), a wholesale distributor of branded housewares products in Brazil. The Company initially acquired GSI in December 2011 and accounted for this investment using the equity method of accounting; however, impairment losses in 2014 reduced the investment balance to zero. Upon the sale of its equity interest in GSI the Company recognized a net gain of $189,000. This gain is included within Equity in earnings (losses), net of tax, and represents the net consideration received of R$2.3 million (approximately $567,000) reduced by currency translation losses of $378,000 which were reclassified out of Other comprehensive income (loss).

The Company evaluated the disclosure requirements of ASC Topic No. 860, Transfers and Servicing, and determined that at June 30, 2016, the Company did not have a controlling voting interest or variable interest in any of its investments and therefore continued accounting for the investments using the equity method of accounting.