In re Fisker Auto. Holdings, Inc. S'holder Litig.

• Decision Date: 09 September 2015
• Docket Number: Civ. No. 13–2100–SLR
• Citation: 128 F.Supp.3d 814
• Parties: In re Fisker Automotive Holdings, Inc. Shareholder Litigation
• Court: U.S. District Court — District of Delaware

128 F.Supp.3d 814

In re Fisker Automotive Holdings, Inc. Shareholder Litigation

Civ. No. 13–2100–SLR

United States District Court, D. Delaware.

Signed September 9, 2015

Norman M. Monhait, Esquire and P. Bradford deLeeuw, Esquire of Rosenthal, Monhait & Goddess, P.A., Wilmington, Delaware. Counsel for Plaintiffs. Of Counsel: Kurt Olsen, Esquire of Klafter Olsen & Lesser LLP and Todd S. Collins, Esquire and Barbara A. Podell, Esquire of Berger & Montague, P.C.

M. Duncan Grant, Esquire and Christopher B. Chuff., Esquire of Pepper Hamilton LLP, Wilmington, Delaware. Counsel for Defendant Keith Daubenspeck. Of Counsel: Min Choi, Esquire of Pepper Hamilton LLP.

Vernon R. Proctor, Esquire of Proctor Heyman Enerio LLP, Wilmington, Delaware. Counsel for Defendant Peter McDonnell. Of Counsel: Steven J. Rosenberg, Esquire of Steven J. Rosenberg, P.C.

William B. Chandler III, Esquire and Ian R. Liston, Esquire of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C., Wilmington, Delaware. Counsel for Defendants Henrik Fisker and Bernhard Koehler. Of Counsel: David J. Berger, Esquire and Steven Guggenheim, Esquire of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, P.C.

J. Clayton Athey, Esquire of Prickett, Jones & Elliott, P.A., Wilmington, Delaware. Counsel for Defendant Joe DaMour. Of Counsel: Peter M. Stone, Esquire and Panteha Abdollahi, Esquire of Paul Hastings LLP.

Samuel A. Nolen, Esquire and Katharine C. Lester, Esquire of Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A., Wilmington, Delaware. Counsel for Defendants Richard Li Tzar Kai and Ace Strength Ltd. Of Counsel: Glenn M. Kurtz, Esquire, Douglas P. Baumstein, Esquire, and Kimberly A. Haviv, Esquire of White & Case LLP.

Kenneth J. Nachbar, Esquire and Lindsay M. Kwoka, Esquire of Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP, Wilmington, Delaware. Counsel for Defendants Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers LLC and Ray Lane. Of Counsel: Michael D. Celio, Esquire, Laurie Carr Mims, Esquire, and Sophie A. Hood, Esquire of Keker & Van Nest LLP.

MEMORANDUM OPINION

ROBINSON, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

By an order dated June 30, 2014, the court consolidated three securities fraud lawsuits filed against defendants Henrik Fisker, Bernhard Koehler, Joe DaMour, Peter McDonnell, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers LLC, Ray Lane, Keith Daubenspeck, Richard Li Tzar Kai, and Ace Strength, Ltd. (collectively "defendants").¹

(D.l. 23) On July 23, 2014, plaintiffs² filed an amended consolidated complaint ("complaint") alleging violations of the Securities Act of 1933 (the "Securities Act") and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"). (D.l. 24) Presently before the court are defendants' motions to dismiss the consolidated complaint. (D.l. 29; D.l. 31; D.l. 33; D.l. 36; D.l. 38; D.l. 43) Plaintiffs filed a motion for judicial notice of certain documents. (D.l. 54) The court has jurisdiction pursuant to Section 22 of the Securities Act (15 U.S.C. § 77v), Section 27 of the Exchange Act (15 U.S.C. § 78aa), and 28 U.S.C. § 1331.

II. BACKGROUND

A. The Parties

Plaintiffs PEAK6 Opportunities Fund L.L.C. and MCP Fisker are Illinois-based entities. Plaintiff 8888 Investments GmbH is a Swiss-based entity. Plaintiff 12BF Global Investments, Ltd. is a company organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands with limited liability. Plaintiff ASC Fisker L.L.C. is a Florida-based entity. Plaintiff CK Investments LLC ("CK Investments") is a Maryland-based entity. The following entities are based in Texas: Plaintiff Atlas Management, the general partner and investment advisor to plaintiff Atlas Fund (collectively, "Atlas"); plaintiff Hunse Investments, L.P. ("Hunse Investments"); plaintiff Southwell Partners, L.P. ("Southwell"); plaintiff Sandor Master Capital Fund ("Sandor"); and plaintiff Pinnacle Family Office Investments, L.P. ("Pinnacle"). Plaintiffs SAML Partners ("SAML Partners") and Kenneth & Kimberly Roebbelen Revocable Trust of 2001 ("KKRR Trust") are California-based entities. Plaintiffs David W. Raisbeck ("Raisbeck") and Dane Andreeff ("Andreeff") are residents of Florida. Plaintiff John S. Lemak ("Lemak") is a resident of Texas. Plaintiff Brian Smith ("Smith") is a resident of Utah. (D.l. 24 at ¶¶ 9–25)

Non-party Fisker Automotive is a Delaware corporation which had its principal place of business in Anaheim, California. Non-parties Middlebury Group LLC, Middlebury Ventures ll/lll, LLC, and/or Ridgemakers SPV ll/lll, LLC (collectively, " 'Middlebury")³ are Delaware limited liability companies, which were also used by Fisker Automotive to raise capital. (Id. at 26, 36)

Defendant Henrik Fisker ("Fisker") was a co-founder and Director of Fisker Automotive. He was also Fisker Automotive's Chief Executive Officer from its inception through February 2012. Defendant Bernhard Koehler ("Koehler") was a co-founder of Fisker Automotive's predecessor entity, Fisker Coachbuild, LLC, and was Fisker Automotive's Chief Operating Officer at all relevant times. Defendant Joe DaMour ("DaMour") was Fisker Automotive's Chief Financial Officer at all relevant times through July 2012, after which he acted as a "special adviser" to Fisker Automotive. Defendant Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers ("Kleiner Perkins") is a venture capital firm with its headquarters in Menlo Park, California, and was a controlling shareholder of Fisker Automotive. Defendant Ray Lane was a Managing Partner of Kleiner Perkins and was Fisker Automotive's Chairman of the Board of Directors at all relevant times. Defendant Ace Strength Ltd ("Ace Strength") is an investment vehicle through which defendant Richard Li Tzar Kai ("Li") invested in Fisker Automotive. Ace Strength was a controlling shareholder of Fisker Automotive.

Li was a member of Fisker Automotive's Board of Directors at all relevant times. Defendant Keith Daubenspeck ("Daubenspeck") was a Director of Fisker Automotive and cofounder of Advanced Equities, Inc. ("Advanced Equities"), which was one of several investment banks or vehicles that Fisker Automotive used to raise capital. Defendant Peter McDonnell ("McDonnell") was the senior managing director of the investment banking group at Advanced Equities and was responsible for, inter alia, marketing Fisker Automotive's Series D–1 offering. (Id. at ¶¶ 27–35)

B. Fisker Automotive

In 2003, Fisker and Koehler founded Fisker Coachbuild LLC to create "new exterior car designs while utilizing existing luxury car engineering." (D.l. 24 at ¶ 37) On August 7, 2007, Quantum Fuel Systems Technologies Worldwide, Inc. ("Quantum Fuel Systems") and Fisker Coachbuild, LLC, launched Fisker Automotive to build plug-in hybrid cars and in the process sold $5.5 million in Series A financing. Fisker Automotive anticipated initial deliveries of a four-door sports sedan by December 2009. (Id. at ¶¶ 38–39) In January 2008, Fisker Automotive completed a $20 million Series B round of financing, with Kleiner Perkins contributing more than $10 million and Lane joining Fisker Automotive's Board. (Id. at ¶¶ 41–42)

On or about December 31, 2008, Fisker Automotive applied for a loan with the U.S. Department of Energy ("DOE") under the DOE's Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program ("the ATVM loan"). (Id. at ¶ 44) On or about March 2, 2009, Fisker Automotive raised approximately $68.5 million in Series C financing, including another investment from Kleiner Perkins. (Id. at ¶ 45) On August 23, 2009, Koehler wrote an email to the DOE inquiring about the status of the ATVM loan application, because of financial concerns. (Id. at ¶ 46) On September 18, 2009, the DOE issued a $528.7 million Conditional Commitment Letter and allocated $169.3 million for Fisker Automotive to complete its first vehicle, the Fisker Karma ("Karma"), and $359 million to complete a low cost plug-in hybrid, the Fisker Nina. Fisker Automotive had to complete several "milestones" to avoid default, including raising additional outside capital by certain dates and beginning commercial production of the Karma vehicle by February 2011 ("February 2011 Karma production milestone"). (Id. at ¶¶ 47–51)

On or about January 13, 2010, Fisker Automotive and A123 Systems, Inc. ("A123") entered into a supply agreement for automotive batteries. A123 also agreed to invest approximately $20.5 million in Fisker Automotive. (Id. at ¶ 49) On January 20, 2010, an article⁴ based on interviews with Fisker and Lane stated: "Lane said Fisker [Automotive] will grab the investing momentum surrounding the company to complete the $150 million funding round in 'the next month or two.' " (Id. at ¶ 50) On or about May 5, 2010, Fisker Automotive raised an additional $145 million in Series A–1 venture capital from investors, including Kleiner Perkins and Advanced Equities (the latter raising approximately $27 million from 347 private investors a few weeks later). (Id. at ¶ 52)

In March 2011, Fisker Automotive made a non-public presentation to DOE officials, representing that it met the February 2011 Karma production milestone for the ATVM Loan, when in fact it had not. (Id.at ¶ 53) On or about March 23, 2011, Fisker Automotive raised an additional $190 million in private equity including investments from Kleiner Perkins and Advanced Equities. (Id. at ¶ 54) In April 2011, Fisker Automotive solicited qualified investors in connection with a $100 million offering of Series C–1 Preferred Stock (the "April 2011 Offering"). The related offering documents, including a Confidential Private Placement Memorandum dated March 31, 2011 ("March 2011 CPPM"), were available to plaintiffs and other investors. (Id. at ¶ 56) The March 2011 CPPM described related party transactions and stated that "Daubenspeck, AEFC and its affiliates, including [Advanced Equities], have an economic interest in Fisker's success as well as the success of the Offering." (Id. at ¶ 56; D.l. 53, ex. E at 42) It also contained a statement on the cover page—"Preliminary Draft—Terms may Change Subject to Board and Shareholder Approval." (D.l. 53, ex. E) During the same timeframe, Middlebury circulated a...