Attached files

file filename
EX-32 - EX-32 - Motors Liquidation Cod37797dex32.htm
EX-31 - EX-31 - Motors Liquidation Cod37797dex31.htm
Table of Contents

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

FORM 10-Q

 

 

 

QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the quarterly period ended December 31, 2020

or

 

TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the transition period from                      to                     

Commission File No. 001-00043

 

 

Motors Liquidation Company GUC Trust

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Delaware   45-6194071
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (IRS Employer
Identification No.)

c/o Wilmington Trust Company,

as trust administrator and trustee

Attn: David A. Vanaskey Jr.,

Administrative Vice President

Rodney Square North 1100 North Market Street

Wilmington, Delaware

  19890-1615
(Address of principal executive offices)   (Zip Code)

(302) 636-6019

(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)

(Former Name or Former Address, if Changed Since Last Report)

 

 

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

 

Title of each class

 

Trading

Symbol(s)

 

Name of each exchange

on which registered

Not Applicable   Not Applicable   Not Applicable

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  ☐    No  ☒*

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).    Yes  ☒    No  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

 

Large accelerated filer      Accelerated filer  
Non-accelerated filer      Smaller Reporting Company  
     Emerging growth company  

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act.  ☐

Indicate by checkmark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).    Yes  ☐    No  ☒

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed all documents and reports required to be filed by Sections 12, 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 subsequent to the distribution of securities under a plan confirmed by a court.    Yes  ☐    No  ☒*

 

*

The registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Sections 12, 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, but has filed all reports required pursuant to the no-action letter of the Securities and Exchange Commission to the registrant dated May 23, 2012.

 

 

 


Table of Contents

MOTORS LIQUIDATION COMPANY GUC TRUST

FORM 10-Q TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         Page  
  PART I - FINANCIAL INFORMATION   

Item 1.

 

Financial Statements

  
 

Condensed Statements of Net Assets in Liquidation (Liquidation Basis), December 31, 2020 (unaudited) and March 31, 2020

     1  
 

Condensed Statements of Changes in Net Assets in Liquidation (Liquidation Basis), Three and Nine Months Ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 (unaudited)

     2  
 

Condensed Statements of Cash Flows (Liquidation Basis), Nine Months Ended December 31, 2020 and 2019 (unaudited)

     3  
 

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements (unaudited)

     4  

Item 2.

 

Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

     16  

Item 3.

 

Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk

     37  

Item 4.

 

Controls and Procedures

     37  
  PART II - OTHER INFORMATION   

Item 1.

  Legal Proceedings      37  

Item 1A.

  Risk Factors      38  

Item 2.

  Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds      39  

Item 3.

  Defaults Upon Senior Securities      39  

Item 4.

  Mine Safety Disclosures      39  

Item 5.

  Other Information      39  

Item 6.

  Exhibits      39  

 


Table of Contents

Motors Liquidation Company GUC Trust

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF NET ASSETS IN LIQUIDATION (LIQUIDATION BASIS)

(Dollars in thousands)

 

     December 31,
2020
     March 31,
2020
 
     (Unaudited)         

ASSETS

     

Cash and Cash Equivalents (Note 3)

   $ 7,001      $ 42,850  

Marketable Securities (Note 3)

     112,401        392,777  

Accrued Investment Income (Note 3)

     37        2,096  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL ASSETS

     119,439        437,723  

LIABILITIES

     

Accounts Payable and Other Liabilities

     1,978        2,378  

Liquidating Distributions Payable (Note 4)

     58,696        351,876  

Contingent Settlement Obligation (Note 3)

     48,000        48,000  

Reserves for Expected Costs of Liquidation (Note 6)

     2,751        28,712  

Reserves for Residual Wind-Down Claims and Costs (Note 6)

     178        177  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

TOTAL LIABILITIES

     111,603        431,143  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

NET ASSETS IN LIQUIDATION (Note 3)

   $ 7,836      $ 6,580  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

See Accompanying Notes to Condensed Financial Statements.

 

1


Table of Contents

Motors Liquidation Company GUC Trust

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS IN LIQUIDATION (LIQUIDATION BASIS) (UNAUDITED)

(Dollars in thousands)

 

     Three Months
Ended
December 31,
    Nine Months
Ended
December 31,
 
     2020     2019     2020     2019  

Net Assets in Liquidation, beginning of period

   $ 7,638     $ 63,862     $ 6,580     $ 494,504  

Increase (decrease) in net assets in liquidation:

        

Net reduction in (additions to) reserves for Expected Costs of Liquidation and Residual Wind-Down Claims and Costs (Note 6)

     1,670       (1,634     8,004       (29,138

(Liquidating distributions) net reversal of liquidating distributions (Note 4)

     (1,466     5,032       (6,762     (389,532

(Net reversal of interest and dividend income) interest and dividend income (Note 3)

     (6     152       14       (8,422
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net increase (decrease) in net assets in liquidation

     198       3,550       1,256       (427,092
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net Assets in Liquidation, end of period

   $ 7,836     $ 67,412     $ 7,836     $ 67,412  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

See Accompanying Notes to Condensed Financial Statements.

 

2


Table of Contents

Motors Liquidation Company GUC Trust

CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (LIQUIDATION BASIS) (UNAUDITED)

(Dollars in thousands)

 

     Nine Months Ended
December 31,
 
     2020     2019  

Cash flows from (used in) operating activities

    

Cash receipts from interest and dividends

   $ 2,072     $ 6,546  

Cash paid for professional fees, governance costs and other administrative costs

     (18,355     (8,475

Cash paid for liquidating distributions, net

     (299,942     (67,780
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash flows used in operating activities

     (316,225     (69,709

Cash flows from (used in) investing activities

    

Cash used to purchase marketable securities

     (363,962     (1,729,379

Cash from maturities and sales of marketable securities

     644,338       1,800,285  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net cash flows from investing activities

     280,376       70,906  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net (decrease) increase in cash and cash equivalents

     (35,849     1,197  

Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period

     42,850       1,825  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

Cash and cash equivalents, end of period

   $ 7,001     $ 3,022  
  

 

 

   

 

 

 

The GUC Trust has not presented a reconciliation from net income to cash flow from operations. As an entity in liquidation, the GUC Trust does not have continuing operations that result in the measurement of net income as that term is used by generally accepted accounting principles to measure results of operations.

See Accompanying Notes to Condensed Financial Statements.

 

3


Table of Contents

Motors Liquidation Company GUC Trust

Notes to Condensed Financial Statements

December 31, 2020

1. Description of Trust and Reporting Policies

The Motors Liquidation Company GUC Trust (“GUC Trust”) is a successor to Motors Liquidation Company (formerly known as General Motors Corp.) (“MLC”) within the meaning of Section 1145 of the United States Bankruptcy Code (“Bankruptcy Code”). The GUC Trust holds, administers and directs the distribution of certain assets pursuant to the terms and conditions of the Second Amended and Restated Motors Liquidation Company GUC Trust Agreement (the “GUC Trust Agreement”), dated as of July 30, 2015, and as amended from time to time, and pursuant to the Second Amended Joint Chapter 11 Plan (the “Plan”), dated March 18, 2011, of MLC and its debtor affiliates (collectively, along with MLC, the “Debtors”), for the benefit of holders of allowed general unsecured claims against the Debtors (“Allowed General Unsecured Claims”).

The GUC Trust was formed on March 30, 2011, as a statutory trust under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, for the purposes of implementing the Plan and distributing the GUC Trust’s distributable assets. Wilmington Trust Company serves as trustee and trust administrator of the GUC Trust (in such capacity, and not in its individual capacity, the “GUC Trust Administrator”), and FTI Consulting, Inc. serves as trust monitor of the GUC Trust (in such capacity, and not in its individual capacity, the “GUC Trust Monitor”). Prior to the liquidation in July and August 2015 of all New GM Securities (as defined below) then held by the GUC Trust (pursuant to the Liquidation Order (as defined below)), the Plan (as qualified by the Liquidation Order) generally provided for the distribution of certain shares of common stock (“New GM Common Stock”) of the new General Motors Company, formerly known as NGMCO, Inc. (“New GM”) and any associated Dividend Cash (as defined below) and certain warrants for the purchase of shares of such stock (the “New GM Warrants,” and, together with the New GM Common Stock, the “New GM Securities”) to holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims pro rata by the amount of such claims. Since such liquidation of the New GM Securities, distributions to holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims consist entirely of cash distributions in lieu of New GM Securities. In addition, prior to the qualification by the Liquidation Order and the resulting subsequent liquidation of New GM Securities, the Plan provided that each holder of an Allowed General Unsecured Claim would obtain, in the form of GUC Trust Units (as defined below), a contingent right to receive, on a pro rata basis, additional shares of New GM Common Stock (and associated Dividend Cash) and New GM Warrants (if and to the extent such New GM Common Stock and New GM Warrants were not required for the satisfaction of previously Disputed General Unsecured Claims (as defined in Note 2), Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims (as defined on page 36) or liquidation for the payment of the expenses and liabilities of the GUC Trust), and certain cash, if any, remaining at the dissolution of the GUC Trust. Since the aforementioned liquidation of all New GM Securities previously held by the GUC Trust, the holders of GUC Trust Units have a contingent right to receive additional cash, in lieu of New GM Securities, if any, remaining at the dissolution of the GUC Trust.

By order dated July 2, 2015 (the “Liquidation Order”), the Bankruptcy Court approved the conversion of the GUC Trust’s holdings of New GM Securities into cash. To effect such conversion, on July 7, 2015, the GUC Trust converted all of its holdings of New GM Warrants into New GM Common Stock in a cashless exercise. In total, the GUC Trust converted (i) 10,352,556 New GM Series A Warrants (defined below) into 7,407,155 shares of New GM Common Stock, and (ii) 10,352,556 New GM Series B Warrants (defined below) into 4,953,635 shares of New GM Common Stock. Thereafter, the GUC Trust sold all of its holdings of New GM Common Stock for net proceeds aggregating $741.7 million, having completed all such sales on August 5, 2015. As a result, all distributions by the GUC Trust thereafter in respect of Allowed General Unsecured Claims (including in respect of the GUC Trust Units) are made solely in cash. Pursuant to the Liquidation Order, the proceeds of such liquidation (net of applicable costs, fees, and expenses paid in respect thereof) were allocated to the beneficiaries of the GUC Trust on a pro rata basis in the following manner:

 

  (a)

A GUC Trust beneficiary’s entitlement to a particular number of New GM Warrants that were exercised was converted into an entitlement to receive the number of shares of New GM Common Stock into which such New GM Warrants were exercised. Such conversions were 0.71549 shares of New GM Common Stock for each New GM Series A Warrant and 0.47849 shares of Common Stock for each New GM Series B Warrant; and

 

  (b)

A GUC Trust beneficiary’s entitlement to a particular number of shares of New GM Common Stock that were liquidated (including the exercised New GM Warrants as set forth above) was converted into an entitlement to receive an amount of cash equal to the weighted average sales price (net of any applicable costs, fees, and expenses paid in respect thereof) of all of the New GM Common Stock sold, multiplied by the number of shares of New GM Common Stock to which such GUC Trust beneficiary would otherwise be entitled (including exercised New GM Warrants as set forth above). Such weighted average sales price for the GUC Trust’s holdings of New GM Common Stock that were sold subsequent to June 30, 2015 was $31.23 per share.

Following the liquidation described above, the GUC Trust has invested most of the proceeds in certain marketable securities as permitted under the GUC Trust Agreement. The amount of cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities held for distribution to GUC Trust beneficiaries, including Dividend Cash, is referred to herein as Distributable Cash.

 

4


Table of Contents

The GUC Trust exists solely for the purpose of resolving claims, distributing Distributable Cash (following the aforementioned liquidation of all New GM Securities) and winding down the affairs of MLC, all in accordance with a plan of liquidation of MLC approved by the Bankruptcy Court and the Liquidation Order. Accordingly, the GUC Trust has prepared the accompanying financial statements on the liquidation basis of accounting in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). Under the liquidation basis of accounting, assets are stated at their estimated realizable value, which is the non-discounted amount of cash into which an asset is expected to be converted during the liquidation period, while liabilities continue to be recognized at the amount required by other U.S. GAAP, and are not remeasured to reflect any anticipation that an entity will be legally released from an obligation. Additionally, under the liquidation basis of accounting, a reserve is established for estimated costs expected to be incurred during the liquidation period. Such costs are accrued when there is a reasonable basis for estimation. Also, an accrual is made for estimated income or cash expected to be received over the liquidation period to the extent that a reasonable basis for estimation exists. These estimates are periodically reviewed and adjusted as appropriate. The valuation of assets at realizable value, the accrual for investment income on marketable securities expected to be received over the liquidation period and reserves for expected liquidation costs represent estimates, based on present facts and circumstances known to the GUC Trust Administrator, and are subject to change.

As described in Note 6 and Part II, Item 1A (“Risk Factors”), the remaining liquidation period of the GUC Trust is expected to conclude in March 2021.

As described above, the beneficiaries of the GUC Trust are holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims (to the extent their liquidating distributions have not yet been paid to them) and holders of GUC Trust Units (“Trust Beneficiaries”). As Disputed General Unsecured Claims and Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims were resolved and allowed and thereby became Allowed General Unsecured Claims, the holders thereof became entitled to receive liquidating distributions of Distributable Cash (including Dividend Cash) and GUC Trust Units pro rata by the amount of such claims. Upon such occurrence, the GUC Trust incurred an obligation to distribute Distributable Cash and, accordingly, liquidating distributions payable were recorded in the amount of Distributable Cash (previously the fair value of New GM Securities) that the GUC Trust was obligated to distribute as of the end of the period in which the Disputed General Unsecured Claims and Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims were resolved as Allowed General Unsecured Claims. Prior to the resolution and allowance of Disputed General Unsecured Claims and Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims, liabilities were not recorded for the conditional obligations associated with Disputed General Unsecured Claims and Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims. Rather, the beneficial interests of GUC Trust beneficiaries in the residual assets of the GUC Trust were reflected in Net Assets in Liquidation of the GUC Trust in the financial statements.

The accompanying (a) condensed statement of net assets in liquidation as of March 31, 2020, which has been derived from audited financial statements, and (b) the unaudited interim condensed financial statements have been prepared in accordance with the instructions to Form 10-Q and, therefore, do not include all information and footnotes required by U.S. GAAP for complete financial statements. The GUC Trust believes all adjustments, normal and recurring in nature, considered necessary for a fair presentation have been included. The changes in net assets in liquidation for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2020 are not necessarily indicative of the changes in net assets that may be expected for the full year. The GUC Trust believes that, although the disclosures contained herein are adequate to prevent the information presented from being misleading, the accompanying interim condensed financial statements should be read in conjunction with the GUC Trust’s financial statements for the year ended March 31, 2020 included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed by the GUC Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on June 3, 2020.

The preparation of condensed financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires the GUC Trust Administrator to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and are subject to change.

Changes to U.S. GAAP are made by the FASB in the form of accounting standards updates (ASUs) to the FASB’s Accounting Standards Codification. The GUC Trust considers the applicability and impact of all ASUs. ASUs not noted herein were assessed and determined to be not applicable.

2. Plan of Liquidation

On March 31, 2011, the date the Plan became effective (the “Effective Date”), there were approximately $29,771 million in Allowed General Unsecured Claims. In addition, as of the Effective Date, there were approximately $8,154 million in disputed general unsecured claims which reflected liquidated disputed claims and a Bankruptcy Court ordered distribution reserve for unliquidated disputed claims (“Disputed General Unsecured Claims”), but did not reflect Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims. The total aggregate amount of general unsecured claims, both allowed and disputed, asserted against the Debtors, inclusive of the Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims, was approximately $39,425 million as of the Effective Date.

 

5


Table of Contents

Pursuant to the GUC Trust Agreement, holders of Disputed General Unsecured Claims became entitled to receive a distribution of Distributable Cash from the GUC Trust if, and to the extent that, such Disputed General Unsecured Claims became Allowed General Unsecured Claims (such claims, “Resolved Disputed Claims”). Under the GUC Trust Agreement, the GUC Trust Administrator had the authority to file objections to such Disputed General Unsecured Claims and such claims could be prosecuted through alternative dispute resolution proceedings, including mediation and arbitration, if appropriate. As of December 31, 2020, there were no remaining Disputed General Unsecured Claims.

Only one avoidance action, captioned Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Motors Liquidation Co. v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. et al., Adv. Pro. No. 09-00504 (Bankr. S.D.N.Y. July 31, 2009) (the “Term Loan Avoidance Action”), was commenced prior to the statutory deadline for commencing such actions. The Term Loan Avoidance Action was commenced by the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Motors Liquidation Company (the “Committee”), and, among other things, sought the return of approximately $1.5 billion that had been transferred by the Debtors (with funds advanced after the commencement of the Debtors’ chapter 11 cases by the United States Treasury and Export Development Canada (together, the “DIP Lenders”)) to a consortium of prepetition lenders pursuant to the terms of the order of the Bankruptcy Court. On December 15, 2011, in accordance with the Plan, upon the dissolution of MLC, the Term Loan Avoidance Action was transferred to the trust established under the Plan for the purpose of holding and prosecuting the Term Loan Avoidance Action (“the Avoidance Action Trust”). As previously disclosed, a settlement was reached among the parties to the Term Loan Avoidance Action pursuant to which approximately $231.0 million was recovered on July 1, 2019 by the Avoidance Action Trust from the defendants to the Term Loan Avoidance Action. Pursuant to the GUC Trust Agreement, on July 1, 2019, such defendants received Allowed General Unsecured Claims against the GUC Trust in the amount so disgorged to the Avoidance Action Trust (such allowed general unsecured claims “Resolved Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims,” and together with Resolved Disputed Claims, the “Resolved Allowed Claims”). Accordingly, the holders of the Resolved Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims became entitled to receive a distribution from the GUC Trust of approximately $68.5 million. As of December 31, 2020, approximately $67.8 million had been distributed by the GUC Trust to such holders. Pursuant to the Plan, no funds reclaimed from the prepetition lenders in the Term Loan Avoidance Action were transferred to or otherwise benefited the GUC Trust or will be distributed on account of GUC Trust Units.

GUC Trust Distributable Assets

Pursuant to the terms of the Plan, the Bankruptcy Court authorized the distribution by New GM of 150 million shares of New GM Common Stock, warrants to acquire 136,363,635 newly issued shares of New GM Stock with an exercise price set at $10.00 per share that would have expired on July 10, 2016 (“New GM Series A Warrants”), and warrants to acquire 136,363,635 newly issued shares of New GM Stock with an exercise price set at $18.33 per share that would have expired on July 10, 2019 (“New GM Series B Warrants”). Record ownership of the New GM Securities was held by MLC for the benefit of the GUC Trust until the dissolution of MLC on December 15, 2011, at which time record ownership was transferred to the GUC Trust.

As described above, pursuant to the Liquidation Order, during July and August 2015, all of the GUC Trust’s holdings of New GM Securities were liquidated and, following such liquidation, the GUC Trust’s Distributable Assets principally consist of Distributable Cash. Substantially all of such Distributable Cash is invested in certain marketable securities as permitted under the GUC Trust Agreement.

Prior to the liquidation of all of its holdings of New GM Common Stock, the GUC Trust received dividends on such New GM Common Stock aggregating $24.7 million. Such dividends are required to be applied to the same purpose as the New GM Common Stock to which such dividends relate. When the portion of Distributable Cash applicable to the proceeds from the liquidation of New GM Common Stock is distributed to holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims or GUC Trust Units, then the dividends relating to such Distributable Cash are also distributed to such holders. When, however, Distributable Cash is appropriated in accordance with the GUC Trust Agreement to fund the costs and liabilities of the GUC Trust, then, in that case, the dividends relating to such Distributable Cash are applied to such costs and liabilities of the GUC Trust and (just like the appropriated Distributable Cash) are maintained as Other Administrative Cash (as defined below). Because such dividends are applied to the same purposes as the associated Distributable Cash, any references in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q to Distributable Cash should be understood to include the dividends relating to such Distributable Cash, unless expressly stated otherwise. The amount of cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities held by the GUC Trust that relates to dividends received by the GUC Trust on New GM Common Stock previously held by the GUC Trust is referred to as Dividend Cash and is included in the amount of cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities held for distribution to GUC Trust beneficiaries that is referred to herein as Distributable Cash (except to the extent of dividends relating to appropriated Distributable Cash that is classified as Other Administrative Cash following such appropriation).

Funding for GUC Trust Costs of Liquidation

The GUC Trust has incurred and will continue to incur certain costs to liquidate the trust assets and implement the Plan. On or about the Effective Date, pursuant to the Plan, MLC contributed approximately $52.7 million to the GUC Trust to be held and maintained by

 

6


Table of Contents

the GUC Trust Administrator (the “Administrative Fund”) for the purpose of paying certain fees and expenses (including certain tax obligations) incurred by the GUC Trust (including fees of the GUC Trust Administrator and the GUC Trust Monitor and the fees and expenses for professionals retained by the GUC Trust (“GUC Trust Professionals”)), other than the Reporting Costs, as defined below (“Wind-Down Costs”). As of December 31, 2020, the remaining Administrative Fund aggregated approximately $1.0 million (consisting of cash and cash equivalents). Such remaining amount of the Administrative Fund has been designated for the satisfaction of certain specifically identified costs and liabilities of the GUC Trust, and such amount may not be used for the payment of GUC Trust Professionals’ fees and expenses or other Wind-Down Costs. Pursuant to the GUC Trust Agreement, cash or investments from the Administrative Fund, if any, which remain at the winding up and conclusion of the GUC Trust must be returned to the DIP Lenders.

The GUC Trust Agreement authorized the GUC Trust to liquidate approximately $5.7 million of New GM Securities (the “Initial Reporting Cash”) shortly after the Effective Date for the purposes of funding certain fees and expenses of the GUC Trust (the “Reporting Costs”), including those directly or indirectly relating to (i) reports to be prepared and filed by the GUC Trust pursuant to applicable rules, regulations and interpretations of the SEC, (ii) the transfer, registration for transfer and certification of GUC Trust Units, (iii) the application by the Committee to the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) for a private letter ruling regarding the tax treatment of the GUC Trust and the holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims in respect to the distribution of New GM Securities, and (iv) certain legal proceedings relating to the Term Loan Avoidance Action. The GUC Trust Agreement provides that the Administrative Fund may not be utilized to satisfy any Reporting Costs.

The GUC Trust Agreement provides that, to the extent the GUC Trust Administrator determines that the Administrative Fund is not sufficient to satisfy the current or projected Wind-Down Costs or the Initial Reporting Cash is not sufficient to satisfy the current or projected Reporting Costs, the GUC Trust Administrator, with the approval of the GUC Trust Monitor, is authorized to set aside Distributable Cash from distribution for these purposes. The GUC Trust Administrator may then appropriate such Distributable Cash to fund the Wind-Down Costs and/or Reporting Costs with the required approval of the Bankruptcy Court. Distributable Cash that is set aside and/or appropriated in this manner will not be available for distribution to the beneficiaries of GUC Trust Units, and any appropriation of Distributable Cash (including related Dividend Cash) will be classified as “Other Administrative Cash” under the GUC Trust Agreement. The setting aside (or appropriation) of Distributable Cash, including Dividend Cash, itself is not, and has not been, reflected in the Condensed Statements of Net Assets in Liquidation or any of the other financial statements of the GUC Trust. Separate from this process of setting aside (or appropriating) Distributable Cash to satisfy unfunded projected costs and expenses of the GUC Trust, as a matter of financial reporting, the GUC Trust records reserves in its Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation (the source of funding of which is not addressed therein) for all expected costs of liquidation for which there is a reasonable basis for estimation. For this reason, among others, there is not a direct relationship between the amount of such reserves reflected in the Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation and the amount of any Distributable Cash that is set aside (or appropriated) for current or projected costs and expenses of the GUC Trust. Adjustments to the Reserves for Expected Costs of Liquidation as reported in the financial statements are recorded only when there is a reasonable basis for estimation of the expected incurrence of additional costs or a reduction in expected costs. For more information regarding the Reserves for Expected Costs of Liquidation reflected in the accompanying Condensed Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation, see Note 6.

Prior to the liquidation of all New GM Securities in July and August 2015 described above, the GUC Trust was authorized, with the approval of the GUC Trust Monitor, to set aside from distribution New GM Securities for the funding purposes described above and to sell such set aside New GM Securities with the approval of the Bankruptcy Court. The Bankruptcy Court previously approved in March 2012, December 2012 and January 2015, the sale of New GM Securities to fund the then current and projected costs and expenses of the GUC Trust. The March 2012 Bankruptcy Court order also authorized the sale of further New GM Securities aggregating $13.7 million for the purpose of funding certain fees, costs and expenses of the Avoidance Action Trust and the transfer of the sale proceeds to the Avoidance Action Trust (such sale proceeds were so transferred in May 2012). Prior to the liquidation of all New GM Securities described above, sales of New GM Securities to fund projected Wind-Down Costs and Reporting Costs through calendar year 2015 aggregated approximately $61.7 million, including Dividend Cash of $0.2 million and the Initial Reporting Cash (which amounts comprised part of the GUC Trust’s Other Administrative Cash). Such securities sold aggregated 1,043,801 shares of New GM Common Stock, 948,887 New GM Series A Warrants and 948,887 New GM Series B Warrants. In December 2015, February 2017, March 2018, January 2019 and January 2020, the Bankruptcy Court approved the appropriation of Distributable Cash aggregating approximately $58.8 million to fund the projected costs and expenses of the GUC Trust through calendar year 2020. In April 2020, the Bankruptcy Court approved the appropriation of Distributable Cash of $50.0 million for the purpose of satisfying settlement consideration pursuant to the Amended Settlement Agreement described in Part II, Item 1 (“Legal Proceedings”). As of December 31, 2020, $2.0 million of such amount had been appropriated and $48.0 million had not been appropriated. Such appropriations reduced Distributable Cash and increased Other Administrative Cash. On or before February 17, 2021, the GUC Trust expects to appropriate all of its then remaining Distributable Cash to fund a portion of the remaining settlement consideration. As of December 31, 2020, Other Administrative Cash aggregated approximately $26.6 million (including interest and dividend income received on marketable securities and cash equivalents). To the extent that any of the Other Administrative Cash is not ultimately required and is held by the GUC Trust at the time of its dissolution, such remaining Other Administrative Cash will be distributed by the GUC Trust to holders of GUC Trust Units.

 

7


Table of Contents

As of December 31, 2020, Distributable Cash of approximately $32.8 million was set aside for unfunded projected GUC Trust fees, costs and expenses to be incurred beyond 2020 and other liabilities. Such other liabilities include $48.0 million for satisfaction of the remaining settlement consideration pursuant to the Amended Settlement Agreement, which is expected to be paid on or before February 17, 2021. Accordingly, such Distributable Cash is not available for distribution to the beneficiaries of GUC Trust Units. Set aside and/or appropriated Distributable Cash is reflected in cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities in the Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation until expended.

Funding for Potential Tax Liabilities on Dispositions of New GM Securities, Dividends on New GM Common Stock and Investment Income

The GUC Trust is subject to U.S. federal income tax on realized net gains from the distribution and sale of New GM Securities (such taxes, “Taxes on Distribution”). The GUC Trust is also subject to U.S. federal income tax on dividends received on New GM Common Stock held by the GUC Trust (such taxes, “Dividend Taxes”) and on investment income earned on cash equivalents and marketable securities held, or previously held, by the GUC Trust (such taxes, “Investment Income Taxes”). The GUC Trust Agreement provides that the Administrative Fund may not be utilized to satisfy any Taxes on Distribution, Dividend Taxes or Investment Income Taxes. As such, the GUC Trust Administrator is authorized, with the approval of the GUC Trust Monitor, to set aside from distribution Distributable Cash in amounts that would be sufficient to satisfy any potential Taxes on Distribution, Dividend Taxes or Investment Income Taxes. Any Distributable Cash that is set aside for Dividend Taxes and Investment Income Taxes is included in the set-aside for Wind-Down Costs described above in “Funding for GUC Trust Costs of Liquidation.” The GUC Trust Administrator may appropriate such set aside Distributable Cash to fund any such Taxes on Distribution, Dividend Taxes or Investment Income Taxes with the approval of the GUC Trust Monitor and, with respect to Dividend Taxes and Investment Income Taxes only, with the approval of the Bankruptcy Court. Any Distributable Cash that is appropriated in this manner will not be available for distribution to the beneficiaries of GUC Trust Units, and the appropriation of Distributable Cash (including Dividend Cash) will be classified as “Other Administrative Cash” under the GUC Trust Agreement. Set aside and/or appropriated Distributable Cash is reflected in cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities until expended to pay any Taxes on Distribution, Dividend Taxes or Investment Income Taxes. While any set-aside or appropriated Distributable Cash (including Dividend Cash) is not available for distribution, there is no corresponding liability or reserve related to any such set-aside assets reflected in the Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation or any of the other financial statements of the GUC Trust.

Prior to the liquidation of all New GM Securities in July and August 2015 described above, the GUC Trust was authorized, with the approval of the GUC Trust Monitor, to set aside from distribution New GM Securities to fund potential Taxes on Distribution, Dividend Taxes and Investment Income Taxes and to sell such set aside New GM Securities to fund the Taxes on Distribution, Dividend Taxes or Investment Income Taxes with the approval of the GUC Trust Monitor and, with respect to Dividend Taxes and Investment Income Taxes only, with the approval of the Bankruptcy Court.

During the quarter ended December 31, 2020, the GUC Trust Administrator reviewed the potential Taxes on Distribution, Dividend Taxes and Investment Income Taxes. As a result of such review, the GUC Trust Administrator determined that no Distributable Cash should be set aside for potential Taxes on Distribution, Dividend Taxes or Investment Income Taxes. As a result of the application of Section 505(b) of the Bankruptcy Code, the GUC Trust’s federal income tax returns for the year ended March 31, 2020 and all prior years are no longer subject to examination by the IRS, and no income taxes may be assessed for the year ended March 31, 2020 or any prior year. The GUC Trust’s capital loss carryovers have expired and are no longer available for utilization by the GUC Trust. The net operating loss carryovers are still subject to examination by the IRS in subsequent years if those losses, if any, are utilized. Such utilization (on a net basis) is not expected as a result of the sale of all previously held New GM Securities in the year ended March 31, 2016. Accordingly, no income taxes are expected to be paid in the future. See Note 7 and “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates – Income Taxes” in Item 2 (“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”) below for more information regarding income taxes and the GUC Trust’s loss carryovers (including those no longer available for utilization by the GUC Trust) generated in prior years that are still subject to examination by the IRS, and which potentially could succeed to Claimants (as defined below pursuant to tax rules) and the material uncertainties associated therewith. The GUC Trust Administrator intends to continue to reevaluate the amount of Distributable Cash set aside on a quarterly basis.

For additional information regarding set aside Distributable Cash, see “Net Assets in Liquidation—Distributable Cash Set Aside from Distribution” in Item 2 (“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”) below.

 

8


Table of Contents

Residual Wind-Down Claims and Costs

Upon the dissolution of the Debtors, which occurred on December 15, 2011, the GUC Trust became responsible for resolving and satisfying (to the extent allowed) all remaining disputed administrative expenses, priority tax claims, priority non-tax claims and secured claims (the “Residual Wind- Down Claims”). On December 15, 2011, under the Plan, the Debtors transferred to the GUC Trust an amount of assets necessary (the “Residual Wind- Down Assets”) to satisfy the ultimate allowed amount of such Residual Wind-Down Claims (including certain reasonable litigation defense costs related to the Term Loan Avoidance Action (the “Avoidance Action Defense Costs”)), as estimated by the Debtors, and the costs, fees and expenses relating to satisfying and resolving the Residual Wind-Down Claims (the “Residual Wind-Down Costs”). The Residual Wind-Down Assets initially aggregated approximately $42.8 million (which amount consisted of approximately $40.0 million in cash, including approximately $1.4 million designated for the payment of Avoidance Action Defense Costs, and the transferred benefit of approximately $2.8 million in prepaid expenses). To the extent that the Residual Wind-Down Claims and the Residual Wind-Down Costs are less than the Residual Wind-Down Assets, any excess funds will be returned to the DIP Lenders. Also, while not expected at this time, if the GUC Trust Administrator determines that the Residual Wind-Down Assets are not adequate to satisfy the Residual Wind-Down Claims (including the actual amount of Avoidance Action Defense Costs) and Residual Wind-Down Costs, such costs will be satisfied by Other Administrative Cash. If there is no remaining Other Administrative Cash, the GUC Trust Administrator is authorized to, with GUC Trust Monitor approval, set aside and, with Bankruptcy Court approval, appropriate Distributable Cash to cover the shortfall. To the extent that Distributable Cash is set aside and/or appropriated to obtain funding to complete the wind-down of the Debtors, such Distributable Cash will not be available for distribution to the beneficiaries of the GUC Trust. Therefore, the amount of Residual Wind-Down Claims and Residual Wind-Down Costs could reduce the assets of the GUC Trust available for distribution. The setting aside or appropriation of Distributable Cash (including Dividend Cash) itself is not reflected in the Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation or any of the other financial statements of the GUC Trust. Rather, such set aside or appropriated Distributable Cash (including Dividend Cash) is reflected in cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities in the accompanying Condensed Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation until expended. After the GUC Trust has concluded its affairs, any funds remaining that were obtained from the sale of New GM Securities or appropriation of Distributable Cash to fund the wind-down process or the resolution and satisfaction of the Residual Wind-Down Claims will be distributed to the holders of the GUC Trust Units.

The amount of Avoidance Action Defense Costs incurred exceeded the corresponding cash of $1.4 million received by the GUC Trust from MLC on the Dissolution Date by approximately $30.2 million. As a result, new Residual Wind-Down Claims arose in the amount of such excess. As a result of the Term Loan Avoidance Action settlement described above and by virtue of the terms of the settlement agreement, the GUC Trust is not responsible for payment of any further Avoidance Action Defense Costs.

As of December 31, 2020, Residual Wind-Down Assets aggregating approximately $0.2 million were held by the GUC Trust and were recorded in cash and cash equivalents in the accompanying Condensed Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation. There were no remaining expected Residual Wind-Down Claims and Costs against such assets. Accordingly, the GUC Trust expects to return the remaining Residual Wind-Down Assets to the DIP Lenders upon the winding up and conclusion of the GUC Trust. A corresponding amount is recorded in the reserve for Residual Wind-Down Claims and Costs in the accompanying Condensed Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation.

In addition to the Residual Wind-Down Assets, the GUC Trust also received on the Dissolution Date approximately $3.4 million in cash from MLC, which amount included: (i) approximately $1.4 million in respect of certain costs, fees and expenses payable under the Plan to the indenture trustees and fiscal and paying agents for the previously outstanding debt of MLC (the “Indenture Trustee / Fiscal and Paying Agent Costs”), and (ii) $2.0 million in respect of Reporting Costs. The funds received were credited to the reserve for expected costs of liquidation. Any unused portion of the funds designated for the Indenture Trustee / Fiscal and Paying Agent Costs must be returned to the DIP Lenders and will not be available for distribution to the holders of GUC Trust Units at the winding up and conclusion of the GUC Trust. As of December 31, 2020, remaining funds designated for the Indenture Trustee / Fiscal and Paying Agents Costs approximate $0.1 million and are recorded in cash and cash equivalents in the accompanying Condensed Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation. There were no remaining funds of the $2.0 million designated for Reporting Costs.

3. Net Assets in Liquidation

Description

Under the GUC Trust Agreement and the Plan, as described more fully in Note 1, the beneficiaries of the GUC Trust are holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims (to the extent their liquidating distributions have not yet been paid to them) and holders of GUC Trust Units. Assets of the GUC Trust consisting primarily of Distributable Cash (including Dividend Cash) as described in Note 1 are available to be distributed to the Trust Beneficiaries (“GUC Trust Distributable Assets”) in accordance with the Plan and the GUC Trust Agreement, except to the extent that they are set aside or appropriated for funding the expected costs of liquidation of the GUC Trust. The amounts of net assets in liquidation presented in the accompanying Condensed Statements of Net Assets in Liquidation correspond to the amounts of GUC Trust Distributable Assets as of the respective dates, after certain adjustments including reductions

 

9


Table of Contents

for the amounts of set aside Distributable Cash and appropriated Distributable Cash. As of December 31, 2020, GUC Trust Distributable Assets aggregated approximately $56.2 million. For additional information, see “Net Assets in Liquidation—Distributable Assets” in Item 2 (“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”) below.

Cash and Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities

As of December 31, 2020, cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities aggregated approximately $119.4 million and are comprised of the following:

 

(in thousands)       

Distributable Cash (including associated Dividend Cash)

   $ 91,489  

Other Administrative Cash

     26,638  

Administrative Fund

     1,008  

Residual Wind-Down Assets

     178  

Funds for Indenture Trustee / Fiscal Paying Agent Costs

     89  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 119,402  
  

 

 

 

As described in Note 4, as of December 31, 2020, the GUC Trust had accrued liquidating distributions payable aggregating approximately $58.7 million, of which approximately $2.5 million was primarily payable to holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims and approximately $56.2 million was payable to holders of GUC Trust Units in respect of Excess GUC Trust Distributable Assets. In addition, as described in Note 2, as of December 31, 2020, the amount of Distributable Cash reflected in the table above includes approximately $32.8 million of amounts set aside for projected GUC Trust fees, costs and expenses and other liabilities to be incurred beyond 2020. The aggregate amount of Distributable Cash which was pending distribution or was set aside and was not available for distribution as of December 31, 2020 was approximately $35.3 million (exclusive of distributions payable to holders of GUC Trust Units). During January 2021, approximately $54.7 million of Distributable Cash was distributed to holders of GUC Trust Units.

Accrued Investment Income on Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities

As of December 31 and March 31, 2020, the GUC Trust had accrued approximately $7,000 and $0.8 million, respectively, of investment income on marketable securities and cash equivalents expected to be earned over the estimated remaining liquidation period in accordance with the liquidation basis of accounting. Such accrual is estimated principally based on forecasted cash outflows and expected returns based on recent yields on U.S. Treasury bills in which the marketable securities are invested. Modifications are made to the accrual when yields on holdings of U.S. Treasury bills as of the date of the financial statements significantly differ from more recent yields. Estimates of forecasted cash outflows consider the amount and timing of distributions in respect of GUC Trust Units. During the three months ended December 31, 2020, such accrual was reduced by approximately $39,000. During the nine months ended December 31, 2020, such accrual was reduced by approximately $0.8 million primarily due to the liquidation of holdings of marketable securities during the quarter ended June 30, 2020 to fund liquidating distributions in respect of GUC Trust Units described in Note 4. Such accrual, along with receivables for investment income earned as of December 31 and March 31, 2020, is included in Accrued Investment Income in the accompanying Condensed Statements of Net Assets in Liquidation.

Potential Distributable Capital and Net Operating Loss Carryovers

As described in “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates—Income Taxes” in Item 2 (“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”) below, the GUC Trust’s unused capital and net operating loss carryovers potentially could succeed to Claimants (as defined below pursuant to tax rules) upon the termination of the GUC Trust. Reference is made thereto for information regarding such potential distributable loss carryovers and the material uncertainties associated therewith.

Trust Units

As described in Note 1, under the Plan, each holder of an Allowed General Unsecured Claim retains a contingent right to receive, on a pro rata basis, additional Distributable Cash (if and to the extent not required for the satisfaction of previously Disputed General Unsecured Claims or Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims, or appropriation for the payment of the expenses or any tax liabilities of the GUC Trust). The GUC Trust has issued units representing such contingent rights (“GUC Trust Units”) at the rate of one GUC Trust Unit per $1,000 of Allowed General Unsecured Claims to each holder of an Allowed General Unsecured Claim, subject to rounding pursuant to the GUC Trust Agreement, in connection with the initial recognition of each Allowed General Unsecured Claim.

 

10


Table of Contents

The GUC Trust made at its discretion quarterly liquidating distributions to holders of GUC Trust Units to the extent that (i)(a) any previously Disputed General Unsecured Claims asserted against the Debtors’ estates or Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims were either disallowed or were otherwise resolved favorably to the GUC Trust (thereby reducing the amount of GUC Trust assets reserved for distribution in respect of such asserted or potential claims) or (b) certain Excess GUC Trust Distributable Assets (as defined in the GUC Trust Agreement) that were previously set aside from distribution were released in the manner permitted under the GUC Trust Agreement, and (ii) as a result of the foregoing, the amount of Excess GUC Trust Distributable Assets (as defined in the GUC Trust Agreement) as of the end of the relevant quarter exceeded thresholds set forth in the GUC Trust Agreement.

As of December 31 and March 31, 2020, there were 32,086,501 of outstanding GUC Trust Units. As described below, there were no remaining Disputed General Unsecured Claims or Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims as of December 31, 2020 and March 31, 2020 and, accordingly, no additional GUC Trust Units will be issued. The number of outstanding GUC Trust Units does not equal the amount of Allowed General Unsecured Claims on a 1 to 1,000 basis because of additional GUC Trust Units that were issued due to rounding.

Allowed and Disputed Claims

As of December 31 and March 31, 2020, there were no remaining Disputed General Unsecured Claims or Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims. Allowed General Unsecured Claims as of such dates aggregated approximately $32,086 million.

Contingent Settlement Obligation

As described in Part II, Item 1 (“Legal Proceedings”), the GUC Trust has executed the Amended Settlement Agreement with certain representatives of a proposed class of Economic Loss Plaintiffs, the Avoidance Action Trust and New GM. Such agreement received final approval from the District Court on December 19, 2020, and became a final, non-appealable order on January 19, 2021. As a result, the GUC Trust will pay on or before February 17, 2021 the remaining $48.0 million of settlement consideration pursuant to the Amended Settlement Agreement to a fund for the benefit of Economic Loss Plaintiffs. The expected payment of $48.0 million to such fund was accrued as a contingent settlement obligation as of March 31, 2020. Pursuant to the Amended Settlement Agreement, the GUC Trust made a noticing cost payment of $2.0 million during the three months ended June 30, 2020, which was accrued in the reserves for expected costs of liquidation as of March 31, 2020.

4. Liquidating Distributions

Liquidating distributions in the three months ended December 31, 2020 consisted of the following:

 

(in thousands)       

Distributions during the three months ended December 31, 2020

   $ 5  

Less: Liquidating distributions payable as of September 30, 2020

     (57,235

Add: Liquidating distributions payable as of December 31, 2020

     58,696  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 1,466  
  

 

 

 

Liquidating distributions in the nine months ended December 31, 2020 consisted of the following:

 

(in thousands)       

Distributions during the nine months ended December 31, 2020

   $ 299,942  

Less: Liquidating distributions payable as of March 31, 2020

     (351,876

Add: Liquidating distributions payable as of December 31, 2020

     58,696  
  

 

 

 

Total

   $ 6,762  
  

 

 

 

The distributions during the three months ended December 31, 2020 consisted primarily of distributions to beneficiaries that were previously returned to the GUC Trust as described below and were recorded in liquidating distribution payable as of September 30, 2020. The distributions during the nine months ended December 31, 2020 primarily consisted of distributions of $300.0 million to holders of GUC Trust Units. Distributions paid with respect to GUC Trust Units held by the GUC Trust on behalf of certain governmental entities and holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims (who had not yet supplied information required by the GUC Trust in order to effect the distribution to which they are entitled) aggregating approximately $0.3 million were returned to the GUC Trust during the three months ended June 30, 2020. In addition, during the three months ended June 30, 2020, approximately $0.2 million was returned to the GUC Trust for distributions made to holders of Resolved Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims that were not deposited by such holders. Such distributions returned to the GUC Trust not yet distributed to the beneficiaries as of December 31, 2020 are recorded in liquidating distributions payable as of December 31, 2020.

 

11


Table of Contents

The GUC Trust was obligated as of December 31, 2020 to distribute Distributable Cash of $2.5 million to (a) certain holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims who had not then satisfied certain informational requirements necessary to effect the distribution to which they are entitled and (b) to the beneficiaries of the distributions returned to the GUC Trust described above.

5. Fair Value Measurements

Accounting standards provide a framework for establishing the fair value of assets and liabilities presented in the financial statements. The framework for determining fair value is based on a hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs and valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The GUC Trust’s Cash Equivalents, Marketable Securities, and Liquidating Distributions Payable are presented as provided by this hierarchy.

Level 1—In general, fair values determined by Level 1 inputs use quoted prices in active markets for identical assets and liabilities that the GUC Trust has the ability to access.

Level 2—Fair values determined by Level 2 inputs use other inputs that are observable, either directly or indirectly. These Level 2 inputs include quoted prices for similar assets or liabilities in active markets, and other inputs such as interest rates and yield curves that are observable at commonly quoted intervals.

Level 3—Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs, including inputs that are available in situations where there is little, if any, market activity for the related asset or liability. These Level 3 fair value measurements are based primarily on management’s own estimates using pricing models, discounted cash flow methodologies, or similar techniques taking into account the characteristics of the asset or liability. The GUC Trust had no assets or liabilities that are measured with Level 3 inputs as of December 31 and March 31, 2020.

In instances where inputs used to measure fair value fall into different levels in the above fair value hierarchy, fair value measurements in their entirety are categorized based on the lowest level input that is significant to the valuation. The GUC Trust’s assessment of the significance of particular inputs to these fair value measurements requires judgment and considers factors specific to each asset or liability.

The GUC Trust also holds other financial instruments not measured at fair value on a recurring basis, including Accounts Payable and Other Liabilities. The fair value of these liabilities approximates the carrying amounts in the accompanying financial statements due to the short maturity of such instruments.

The following table presents information about the GUC Trust’s assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis as of December 31 and March 31, 2020, and the valuation techniques used by the GUC Trust to determine those fair values.

 

     December 31, 2020  
(in thousands)    Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  

Assets:

           

Cash equivalents:

           

Money market funds

   $ 4,505      $ —      $ —        $ 4,505  

Marketable Securities:

           

U.S. Treasury bills

     —          112,401        —          112,401  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Assets

   $ 4,505      $ 112,401      $ —        $ 116,906  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Liabilities:

           

Liquidating distributions payable

   $ 58,696      $ —      $ —        $ 58,696  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

12


Table of Contents
     March 31, 2020  
(in thousands)    Level 1      Level 2      Level 3      Total  

Assets:

           

Cash equivalents:

           

Money market funds

   $ 40,413      $ —      $ —          40,413  

Marketable Securities:

           

U.S. Treasury bills

     —          392,777        —          392,777  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total Assets

   $ 40,413      $ 392,777      $ —        $ 433,190  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Liabilities:

           

Liquidating distributions payable

   $ 351,876      $ —      $ —        $ 351,876  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

The following are descriptions of the valuation methodologies used for assets and liabilities measured at fair value:

 

   

Due to their short-term liquid nature, the fair value of cash equivalents approximates their carrying value.

 

   

Marketable securities consist of U.S. Treasury bills. Due to their short-term maturities, the fair value of U.S. Treasury bills approximates their carrying value (when receivables for associated interest income earned included in accrued investment income in the accompanying Condensed Statements of Net Assets in Liquidation are combined with the carrying value of such U.S. Treasury bills).

 

   

Liquidating distributions payable are valued at the amount of cash that the GUC Trust is obligated to distribute.

6. Reserves for Expected Costs of Liquidation and Residual Wind-Down Claims and Costs

The following is a summary of the activity in the reserves for expected costs of liquidation for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2020 and 2019:

 

     Three months ended December 31, 2020  

(in thousands)

   Reserve for
Expected
Wind-Down
Costs
     Reserve for
Expected
Reporting
Costs
     Reserve for
Indenture
Trustee/Fiscal
and Paying
Agent Costs
     Total
Reserves for
Expected
Costs of
Liquidation
 

Balance, September 30, 2020

   $ 4,312      $ 2,256      $ 82      $ 6,650  

Less reductions in reserves

     (1,501      (169      —          (1,670

Less liquidation costs incurred:

           

Trust professionals

     (453      (523      —          (976

Trust governance

     (551      (450      (9      (1,010

Other administrative expenses

     (158      (85      —          (243
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance, December 31, 2020

   $ 1,649      $ 1,029      $ 73      $ 2,751  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

     Nine months ended December 31, 2020  

(in thousands)

   Reserve for
Expected
Wind-Down
Costs
     Reserve for
Expected
Reporting
Costs
     Reserve for
Indenture
Trustee/Fiscal
and Paying
Agent Costs
     Total
Reserves for
Expected
Costs of
Liquidation
 

Balance, March 31, 2020

   $ 22,530      $ 6,100      $ 82      $ 28,712  

Less reductions in reserves

     (6,167      (1,838      —          (8,005

Less liquidation costs incurred:

           

Trust professionals

     (1,429      (1,712      —          (3,141

Trust governance

     (1,709      (1,350      (9      (3,068

Other administrative expenses

     (11,576      (171      —          (11,747
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance, December 31, 2020

   $ 1,649      $ 1,029      $ 73      $ 2,751  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

13


Table of Contents
     Three months ended December 31, 2019  

(in thousands)

   Reserve for
Expected
Wind-Down
Costs
     Reserve for
Expected
Reporting
Costs
     Reserve for
Indenture
Trustee/Fiscal
and Paying
Agent Costs
     Total
Reserves for
Expected
Costs of
Liquidation
 

Balance, September 30, 2019

   $ 41,065      $ 18,596      $ 98      $ 59,759  

Plus additions to (reductions in) reserves

     1,639        (5      —          1,634  

Less liquidation costs incurred:

           

Trust professionals

     (567      (553      —          (1,120

Trust governance

     (615      (450      (15      (1,080

Other administrative expenses

     (34      (94      —          (128
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance, December 31, 2019

   $ 41,488      $ 17,494      $ 83      $ 59,065  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

     Nine months ended December 31, 2019  

(in thousands)

   Reserve for
Expected
Wind-Down
Costs
     Reserve for
Expected
Reporting
Costs
     Reserve for
Indenture
Trustee/Fiscal
and Paying
Agent Costs
     Total
Reserves for
Expected
Costs of
Liquidation
 

Balance, March 31, 2019

   $ 23,379      $ 13,996      $ 110      $ 37,485  

Plus net additions to reserves

     22,362        6,776        —          29,138  

Less liquidation costs incurred:

           

Trust professionals

     (2,309      (1,759      —          (4,068

Trust governance

     (1,852      (1,350      (27      (3,229

Other administrative expenses

     (92      (169      —          (261
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance, December 31, 2019

   $ 41,488      $ 17,494      $ 83      $ 59,065  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

During the three months ended December 31, 2020, estimates of expected Wind-Down Costs and estimates of expected Reporting Costs (for which there is a reasonable basis for estimation) decreased by $1.5 million and $0.2 million, respectively. During the nine months ended December 31, 2020, estimates of expected Wind-Down Costs and estimates of expected Reporting Costs (for which there is a reasonable basis for estimation) decreased by $6.2 million and $1.8 million, respectively. During the three months ended December 31, 2019, estimates of expected Wind-Down Costs and estimates of expected Reporting Costs increased by $1.6 million and decreased by $5,000, respectively. During the nine months ended December 31, 2019, estimates of expected Wind-Down Costs and estimates of expected Reporting Costs increased (net of reductions in the three months ended June 30, 2019) by $22.4 million and $6.8 million, respectively. Such revisions in the estimates were recorded as reductions in (additions to) the reserves for expected costs of liquidation in such periods. The GUC Trust has recorded reserves for expected costs of liquidation that represent amounts expected to be incurred over the estimated remaining liquidation period of the GUC Trust for which there was a reasonable basis for estimation as of December 31, 2020.

The amount of liquidation costs that will ultimately be incurred depends both on the time period and on the extent of activities required for the GUC Trust to complete its functions and responsibilities under the Plan and the GUC Trust Agreement. Significant uncertainty remains both as to that time period and as to the extent of those activities. As of December 31, 2020, the recorded reserves for expected costs of liquidation reflect estimated costs for a remaining liquidation period estimated to extend through March 2021, which was unchanged from the prior quarter ended September 30, 2020. The remaining liquidation period has been estimated predominately on a modified probability-weighted basis as permitted under U.S. GAAP and which the GUC Trust believes is the most appropriate measurement basis under the circumstances. Where an outcome is estimated to be likely, the likely outcome has been used as the best estimate and no weight has been given to the unlikely outcome. In addition, consistent with the liquidation basis of accounting, no consideration has been given to potential outcomes to the extent there does not exist a reasonable basis for estimation. The remaining liquidation period is dependent predominantly on the estimate of the remaining period of time for resolution of litigation involving certain General Motors vehicle recalls described in Part II, Item 1 (“Legal Proceedings”), as well as the period of time to wind down the GUC Trust following resolution of the litigation, which period of time is also included in the estimated liquidation period. Certain liquidation costs that are expected to be prepaid by the GUC Trust upon its dissolution have also been estimated and accrued. Future developments in the General Motors vehicle recall litigation could extend the current estimate of such remaining period of time for resolution and, therefore, extend the estimated remaining liquidation period of the GUC Trust beyond March 2021. Changes in estimates regarding the period of time to wind down the GUC Trust could also extend the estimated remaining liquidation period beyond March 2021. The GUC Trust’s estimates regarding the costs and remaining liquidation period may change in the near term, and such change may be material.

 

14


Table of Contents

The following is a summary of the activity in the reserve for Residual Wind-Down Claims and Costs for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.

 

     Three months ended
December 31,
     Nine months ended
December 31,
 
(in thousands)    2020      2019      2020      2019  

Balance, beginning of period

   $ 178      $ 169      $ 177      $ 169  

Plus addition to reserve

     —          —          1        —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance, end of period

   $ 178      $ 169      $ 178      $ 169  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

7. Income Taxes

There was no current tax benefit or provision for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, due to cumulative net operating and capital losses, and no income taxes have been paid by the GUC Trust. There also was no deferred tax benefit or provision in such periods as a result of the establishment of a full valuation allowance against net deferred tax assets as of the beginning and end of such periods.

Deferred taxes in the accompanying Condensed Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation as of December 31, 2020 are comprised of the following components:

 

Deferred tax assets:

  

Reserves for expected costs of liquidation and Residual Wind-Down Claims and Costs

   $ 1,072  

Net operating loss carryovers

     54,397  
  

 

 

 

Gross deferred tax assets

     55,469  

Less: Valuation allowance

     (55,466
  

 

 

 

Deferred tax asset, net of valuation allowance

     3  

Deferred tax liabilities:

  

Accrued investment income

     (3
  

 

 

 

Gross deferred tax liabilities

     (3
  

 

 

 

Net deferred taxes

   $ —  
  

 

 

 

As previously disclosed, during the quarter ended September 30, 2013, the GUC Trust made a determination to file its U.S. federal income tax returns taking the position that beneficial ownership for a substantial majority of New GM Securities was transferred from MLC to the GUC Trust on March 31, 2011, and that the tax basis of such New GM Securities should be determined with reference to the value of such securities on such date, instead of December 15, 2011, when record ownership of the remaining New GM Securities still held by MLC was transferred from MLC to the GUC Trust. For the remaining substantial minority of New GM Securities transferred from MLC to the GUC Trust, the GUC Trust determined that the transfer of beneficial ownership occurred on other dates for which the tax basis should be determined by reference to the value of such securities on such dates. This new tax position resulted in an increased tax basis of the New GM Securities from the prior tax position and, therefore, reduced taxable gains and increased taxable losses on distributions and sales of New GM Securities since March 31, 2011. The new tax position has not been sustained on examination by the IRS as of the date hereof. However, the GUC Trust believes, based on the available evidence and consultation with GUC Trust Professionals, that it is more likely than not that the new tax position will be sustained on examination by the IRS based on the technical merits of the position. Accordingly, this new tax position has been recognized in the current and deferred income tax liabilities and the income tax provision in the GUC Trust’s financial statements since the quarter ended September 30, 2013.

Following the GUC Trust’s determination to utilize the new tax position set forth above, the GUC Trust filed its U.S. federal income tax returns for the years ended March 31, 2013 and thereafter with the IRS using such new tax position. Such tax returns were accompanied by requests for prompt determination of tax liability pursuant to Section 505(b) of the Bankruptcy Code, and the 60-day statutory notification periods set forth in Section 505(b) of the Bankruptcy Code with respect to the GUC Trust’s U.S. federal income tax returns for the year ended March 31, 2020 and prior years have expired. Accordingly, the tax liabilities set forth in the GUC Trust’s U.S. federal income tax returns for the year ended March 31, 2020 and prior years are no longer subject to examination by the IRS, and no income taxes can be assessed for such years. Also, no income taxes are expected to be paid in the future as a result of the liquidation of all the GUC Trust’s holdings of New GM Securities during the year ended March 31, 2016.

 

15


Table of Contents

Remaining net operating loss carryovers generated through December 31, 2020, aggregating approximately $147.0 million, could be subject to examination by the IRS in subsequent years when those losses, if any, are utilized. The GUC Trust does not expect to utilize any net operating loss carryovers (on a net basis) in the future. All capital loss carryovers have expired as of March 31, 2020 and are no longer available for utilization by the GUC Trust. The net operating loss carryovers begin to expire on March 31, 2032. However, pursuant to the enactment of the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” in December 2017, net operating losses generated by the GUC Trust in tax years beginning April 1, 2018, do not expire. These loss carryovers in the aggregate result in a deferred tax asset of $54.4 million as of December 31, 2020 (reflected in the table above). As described in “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates—Income Taxes” in Item 2 (“Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations”), the GUC Trust’s loss carryovers (including those no longer available for utilization by the GUC Trust) potentially could succeed to Claimants (as defined below pursuant to tax rules). Reference is made thereto for further information regarding such potential distributable loss carryovers and the material uncertainties associated therewith.

A full valuation allowance against net deferred tax assets aggregating $55.5 million was established as of December 31, 2020 because, as a result of the liquidation of all of the GUC Trust’s holdings of New GM Securities, it has been determined that such deferred tax assets are not realizable at this time. Such valuation allowance was decreased by $0.1 million and $3.2 million from the full valuation allowance against net deferred tax assets established as of September 30, 2020 and March 31, 2020, respectively.

8. Related Party Transactions

In addition to serving as GUC Trust Administrator, Wilmington Trust Company continues to serve as trustee pursuant to the indentures for certain series of previously outstanding debt of MLC. Wilmington Trust Company has received and may receive in the future certain customary fees in amounts consistent with Wilmington Trust Company’s standard rates for such service. The Bankruptcy Court previously approved the creation of a segregated fund for the purposes of funding such fees for Wilmington Trust Company, as well as the other indenture trustees and fiscal and paying agents for previously outstanding debt of MLC. There were no such fees for Wilmington Trust Company in the three and nine months ended December 31, 2020 and 2019.

In addition, Wilmington Trust Company has entered into certain arrangements with the GUC Trust pursuant to which it or its affiliates have previously received, and may in the future receive, reasonable and customary fees and commissions for services other than services in the capacity of GUC Trust Administrator. Such arrangements include the provision of custodial, investment advisory and brokerage services to the GUC Trust. During the three months ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, the total amounts of such fees and commissions were approximately $13,000 and $55,000, respectively. During the nine months ended December 31, 2020 and 2019, the total amounts of such fees and commissions were approximately $91,000 and $180,000, respectively.

Item 2. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations

The following addresses material changes in the net assets in liquidation of the Motors Liquidation Company GUC Trust, or the GUC Trust, for its third fiscal quarter ended December 31, 2020. It is intended to be read in conjunction with the condensed financial statements of the GUC Trust included in Item 1 above, which we refer to as the financial statements. For additional information about the purpose and administrative operations of the GUC Trust, see the disclosure in the notes to the financial statements filed with this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2020 filed by the GUC Trust with the SEC on June 3, 2020. A glossary of defined terms used in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q is provided under the heading “Glossary” below.

Overview

The GUC Trust is a successor to Motors Liquidation Company (which dissolved on December 15, 2011), or MLC, for the purposes of Section 1145 of title 11 of the United States Code, or the Bankruptcy Code. The GUC Trust was initially formed on March 30, 2011, for the purposes of implementing the Second Amended Joint Chapter 11 Plan, or the Plan, of MLC and its affiliated debtors-in-possession, or the Debtors, which was filed with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York, or the Bankruptcy Court, on March 18, 2011. The Plan subsequently became effective on March 31, 2011, or the Effective Date, and, on April 18, 2013, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order granting the GUC Trust’s request for entry of a final decree administratively closing each of the Debtors’ chapter 11 cases other than the chapter 11 case of MLC.

 

16


Table of Contents

Functions and Responsibilities of the GUC Trust

The functions and responsibilities of the GUC Trust are governed by the Plan and the Second Amended and Restated Motors Liquidation Company GUC Trust Agreement, dated as of July 30, 2015, or the GUC Trust Agreement. The GUC Trust is administered by Wilmington Trust Company, not in its individual capacity but solely in its capacity as trust administrator and trustee, or the GUC Trust Administrator. As set forth in the GUC Trust Agreement, the activities of the GUC Trust Administrator are overseen by FTI Consulting, Inc., solely in its capacity as trust monitor of the GUC Trust, or the GUC Trust Monitor. Although the GUC Trust has no officers, directors or employees, the GUC Trust Administrator is authorized by the GUC Trust Agreement to engage professionals and other service providers to assist the GUC Trust Administrator in the administration of the GUC Trust, or the GUC Trust Professionals. Accordingly, the GUC Trust and GUC Trust Administrator rely on receiving accurate information, reports and other representations from such professionals and service providers and from the GUC Trust Monitor.

Among its other duties and obligations, the GUC Trust is obligated pursuant to the Plan and the GUC Trust Agreement to (i) distribute the assets comprising the corpus of the GUC Trust to satisfy the general unsecured claims against the Debtors that are allowed pursuant to the Plan, or the Allowed General Unsecured Claims, (ii) prosecute and resolve objections to the general unsecured claims against the Debtors that are disputed at a given time, or Disputed General Unsecured Claims, (iii) take all necessary actions to administer the wind-down of the affairs of the Debtors, and (iv) to resolve and satisfy (to the extent allowed) the Residual Wind-Down Claims (as defined below) assumed by the GUC Trust.

Distributions and Distributable Assets of the GUC Trust

As of December 31, 2020, the principal assets comprising the corpus of the GUC Trust are holdings of cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities resulting from the liquidation in July and August 2015 of the GUC Trust’s previously held (i) shares of common stock of General Motors Company, or the New GM Common Stock, (ii) warrants to acquire shares of New GM Common Stock at an exercise price of $10.00 per share that would have expired on July 10, 2016, or the New GM Series A Warrants, and (iii) warrants to acquire shares of New GM Common Stock at an exercise price of $18.33 per share that would have expired on July 10, 2019, or the New GM Series B Warrants. The New GM Series A Warrants and the New GM Series B Warrants are referred to collectively as the New GM Warrants, and the New GM Common Stock and the New GM Warrants are referred to collectively as the New GM Securities.

By order dated July 2, 2015, or the Liquidation Order, the Bankruptcy Court approved the conversion of the GUC Trust’s holdings of New GM Securities into cash. To effect such conversion, on July 7, 2015, the GUC Trust converted all of its holdings of New GM Warrants into New GM Common Stock in a cashless exercise. In total, the GUC Trust converted (i) 10,352,556 New GM Series A Warrants into 7,407,155 shares of New GM Common Stock, and (ii) 10,352,556 New GM Series B Warrants into 4,953,635 shares of New GM Common Stock. Thereafter, the GUC Trust sold all of its holdings of New GM Common Stock for net proceeds aggregating approximately $741.7 million, having completed all such sales on August 5, 2015. As a result, all distributions by the GUC Trust thereafter in respect of Allowed General Unsecured Claims (including in respect of the GUC Trust Units) have been and will be made solely in cash.

Pursuant to the Liquidation Order, the proceeds of such liquidation (net of applicable costs, fees, and expenses paid in respect thereof) were allocated to the beneficiaries of the GUC Trust on a pro rata basis in the following manner:

 

  (a)

A GUC Trust beneficiary’s entitlement to a particular number of New GM Warrants that were exercised was converted into an entitlement to receive the number of shares of New GM Common Stock into which such New GM Warrants were exercised. Such conversions were 0.71549 shares of New GM Common Stock for each New GM Series A Warrant and 0.47849 shares of Common Stock for each New GM Series B Warrant; and

 

  (b)

A GUC Trust beneficiary’s entitlement to a particular number of shares of New GM Common Stock that were liquidated (including the exercised New GM Warrants as set forth above) was converted into an entitlement to receive an amount of cash equal to the weighted average sales price (net of any applicable costs, fees, and expenses paid in respect thereof) of all of the New GM Common Stock sold, multiplied by the number of shares of New GM Common Stock to which such GUC Trust beneficiary would otherwise be entitled (including exercised New GM Warrants as set forth above). Such weighted average sales price for the GUC Trust’s holdings of New GM Common Stock that were sold subsequent to June 30, 2015 was $31.23 per share.

Following the liquidation described above, the GUC Trust has invested most of the proceeds in certain marketable securities as permitted under the GUC Trust Agreement. The amount of cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities held for distribution to GUC Trust beneficiaries, including Dividend Cash (as defined below) is referred to herein as Distributable Cash.

The Plan, as qualified by the Liquidation Order, generally provides for the distribution of Distributable Cash (including Dividend Cash) to holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims pro rata by the amount of such claims. In that regard, the Plan

 

17


Table of Contents

provides that each holder of an Allowed General Unsecured Claim will obtain, in addition to an initial distribution of Distributable Cash (including Dividend Cash) in such amount as described below, a contingent right to receive, on a pro rata basis, additional Distributable Cash (including Dividend Cash) (only if and to the extent such Distributable Cash is not required to satisfy new Allowed General Unsecured Claims or to fund the liquidation and administrative costs or income tax liabilities of the GUC Trust) available for distribution to the holders of such rights. Such rights are represented by units of beneficial interests in the GUC Trust, or GUC Trust Units, distributed to holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims in proportion to the amount of their claims, subject to certain rounding rules set forth in the Plan and the GUC Trust Agreement.

Prior to the aforementioned liquidation of all its holdings of New GM Common Stock, the GUC Trust received dividends on the New GM Common Stock it held as of the respective record dates aggregating approximately $24.7 million. Such dividends are required to be applied to the same purpose as the New GM Common Stock to which such dividends relate. When the portion of Distributable Cash applicable to the proceeds from the liquidation of New GM Common Stock is distributed to holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims or GUC Trust Units, then the dividends relating to such Distributable Cash are also distributed to such holders. When, however, Distributable Cash is appropriated by the GUC Trust in accordance with the GUC Trust Agreement to fund the costs and liabilities of the GUC Trust, then, in that case, the dividends relating to such Distributable Cash are applied to such costs and liabilities of the GUC Trust and (just like the appropriated Distributable Cash) are maintained in Other Administrative Cash (as defined below under the heading “Funding for the GUC Trust’s Liquidation and Administrative Costs”). Because such dividends are applied to the same purpose as the associated Distributable Cash, any references in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q to Distributable Cash should be understood to include the dividends relating to such Distributable Cash, unless expressly stated otherwise. The amount of cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities held by the GUC Trust that relates to dividends received by the GUC Trust on New GM Common Stock previously held by the GUC Trust is referred to as Dividend Cash and is included in the amount of cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities held for distribution to GUC Trust beneficiaries that is referred to herein as Distributable Cash (except to the extent of dividends relating to appropriated Distributable Cash that is classified as Other Administrative Cash following such appropriation).

Pursuant to the GUC Trust Agreement, the GUC Trust was required to make quarterly distributions to the holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims that were allowed during the immediately preceding fiscal quarter. Under the terms of the Plan, the GUC Trust Agreement and the Liquidation Order (and subject to rounding under the Plan), and following the liquidation of the GUC Trust’s holdings of New GM Securities in July and August 2015, each $1,000 in amount of such new Allowed General Unsecured Claims became entitled to receive (upon delivery of any information required by the GUC Trust) approximately $296 in cash (which dollar value shifted slightly due to rounding as required by the Plan), which represented the net cash value of the New GM Securities that otherwise would have been distributed to such claimant prior to entry of the Liquidation Order, together with associated cash in lieu of fractional shares and Dividend Cash, as well as one GUC Trust Unit. Such initial distribution included a pro rata share of Distributable Cash associated with New GM Securities that were distributed as Excess GUC Trust Distributable Assets (as defined below) in respect of GUC Trust Units since the Effective Date of the Plan. Quarterly distributions were made to holders of newly Allowed General Unsecured Claims as promptly as practicable after the first day of the fiscal quarter following the periods ending each March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31, during the life of the GUC Trust.

In addition to the foregoing, the GUC Trust may make at its discretion quarterly distributions in respect of GUC Trust Units if Excess GUC Trust Distributable Assets as of the end of the preceding fiscal quarter exceed certain thresholds set forth in the GUC Trust Agreement. Such distributions in respect of GUC Trust Units, if any, are made as promptly as practicable after the end of the periods ending each March 31, June 30, September 30 and December 31, unless otherwise approved by the Bankruptcy Court. Excess GUC Trust Distributable Assets means (i) Distributable Cash, including Dividend Cash (only if and to the extent such Distributable Cash (a) is not required for the satisfaction of new Allowed General Unsecured Claims and (b) has not been set aside from distribution to fund potential liquidation and administrative costs or income tax liabilities of the GUC Trust (as described below under “Net Assets in Liquidation—Distributable Cash Set Aside from Distribution”) and (ii) Other Administrative Cash available, if any, for distribution to the holders of GUC Trust Units.

As described in “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates—Income Taxes” below, the GUC Trust’s unused Loss Carryovers (as defined below) potentially could succeed to Claimants (as defined below pursuant to tax rules) upon the termination of the GUC Trust. Reference is made thereto for information regarding such potential distributable Loss Carryovers and the material uncertainties associated therewith.

Funding for the GUC Trust’s Liquidation and Administrative Costs

As of the Effective Date, pursuant to the Plan, MLC funded approximately $52.7 million in cash to the GUC Trust, or the Administrative Fund, to be held and maintained by the GUC Trust Administrator for the purpose of paying certain fees and expenses incurred by the GUC Trust (including the fees and expenses of the GUC Trust Administrator and the GUC Trust Monitor, the fees and expenses of other professionals retained by the GUC Trust, and certain tax obligations), which are referred to as the Wind-Down

 

18


Table of Contents

Costs. The United States Department of the Treasury and the Governments of Canada and Ontario (through Export Development Canada), which are referred to collectively as the DIP Lenders, maintain a lien on the Administrative Fund which relates to certain funds advanced at the commencement of the Debtors’ insolvency proceedings. Consequently, pursuant to the GUC Trust Agreement, any cash or investments from the Administrative Fund which remain at the winding up and conclusion of the GUC Trust must be returned to the DIP Lenders. As of December 31, 2020, the remaining Administrative Fund aggregated approximately $1.0 million (consisting of cash and cash equivalents). Such remaining amount of the Administrative Fund has been designated for the satisfaction of certain specifically identified costs and liabilities of the GUC Trust, and such amount may not be used for the payment of GUC Trust Professionals’ fees and expenses or other Wind-Down Costs.

The GUC Trust Agreement provides that the Administrative Fund may not be utilized to fund certain specified costs, fees and expenses, which are referred to as Reporting Costs, including those directly or indirectly relating to (i) reports to be prepared and filed by the GUC Trust pursuant to applicable rules, regulations and interpretations of the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, (ii) the transfer, registration for transfer and certification of GUC Trust Units, (iii) the application by the Committee to the Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, for a private letter ruling regarding the tax treatment of the GUC Trust and the holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims in respect to the distribution of New GM Securities, and (iv) certain legal proceedings relating to the Term Loan Avoidance Action. In addition, the Administrative Fund cannot be used to fund any current or projected tax liabilities of the GUC Trust, other than those included in the Administrative Fund budget. However, the GUC Trust Agreement provides the GUC Trust Administrator with the authority to set aside from distribution and appropriate Distributable Cash to fund such Reporting Costs and projected tax liabilities (other than those included in the Administrative Fund budget), with the approval of the Bankruptcy Court and/or the GUC Trust Monitor, in each case as described below. Prior to the sale of all New GM Securities previously held by the GUC Trust in July and August 2015 as described above, the GUC Trust Administrator was authorized to set aside from distribution and sell New GM Securities to fund such Reporting Costs and projected tax liabilities with the approval of the Bankruptcy Court and/or the GUC Trust Monitor as described below.

The GUC Trust Agreement affords the GUC Trust Administrator, with the approval of the GUC Trust Monitor, the authority to set aside from distribution Distributable Cash (previously New GM Securities were set aside) in amounts sufficient to satisfy (i) any current or projected Wind-Down Costs of the GUC Trust that exceed the amounts budgeted or were not budgeted in the Administrative Fund, including any U.S. federal income taxes on dividends received by the GUC Trust on New GM Common Stock previously held by the GUC Trust (“Dividend Taxes”) and on investment income earned on cash equivalents and marketable securities held, or previously held, by the GUC Trust (“Investment Income Taxes”), (ii) any current or projected Reporting Costs that exceed the then current Reporting and Transfer Cash, or (iii) any current or projected Taxes on Distribution (as defined below). This process is not related to, and is separate from, the process of recognizing any current and deferred income tax liabilities, as well as reserves for expected costs of liquidation in the Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation as a matter of financial reporting, which is only required for expected costs of liquidation for which there is a reasonable basis for estimation under applicable accounting standards. See “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates—Reserves for Expected Costs of Liquidation” and “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates—Income Taxes” below. The GUC Trust Administrator reevaluates, on a quarterly basis, the amount of Distributable Cash needed to be set aside from distribution for purposes of funding projected liquidation and administrative costs (including any projected Dividend Taxes and Investment Income Taxes) and potential Taxes on Distribution.

The GUC Trust Administrator may appropriate Distributable Cash (previously, New GM Securities were sold) that has been set aside from distribution to fund (with the required approval of the Bankruptcy Court) the current or projected Wind-Down Costs (including any Dividend Taxes and Investment Income Taxes) and Reporting Costs of the GUC Trust, and (with the required approval of only the GUC Trust Monitor) any current and projected Taxes on Distribution of the GUC Trust. Such appropriated Distributable Cash (previously the cash proceeds of sales of New GM Securities and the marketable securities in which such cash proceeds were invested) is referred to as Other Administrative Cash. Pursuant to the GUC Trust Agreement, any cash or marketable securities constituting Other Administrative Cash which remain at the winding up and conclusion of the GUC Trust will be distributed to the holders of GUC Trust Units.

Prior to the aforementioned liquidation of all New GM Securities in July and August 2015, the GUC Trust was authorized, with the approval of the GUC Trust Monitor, to set aside from distribution New GM Securities for the funding of Wind-Down Costs and Reporting Costs described above and to sell such set aside New GM Securities with the approval of the Bankruptcy Court. The Bankruptcy Court previously approved in March 2012, December 2012 and January 2015, the sale of New GM Securities to fund certain accrued and projected Wind-Down Costs which were in excess of the amounts budgeted in the Administrative Fund for such costs, and certain projected Reporting Costs. Prior to the aforementioned liquidation of all the GUC Trust’s holdings of New GM Securities, sales of New GM Securities to fund projected Wind-Down Costs and Reporting Costs through calendar year 2015 aggregated approximately $61.7 million, including Dividend Cash of $0.2 million and approximately $5.7 million expressly authorized by the GUC Trust Agreement to be liquidated shortly after the Effective Date for the purposes of funding certain Reporting Costs, which is referred to as the Initial Reporting Cash. In December 2015, February 2017, March 2018, January 2019 and January 2020, the Bankruptcy Court approved the appropriation of Distributable Cash aggregating approximately $58.8 million to fund the

 

19


Table of Contents

projected costs and expenses of the GUC Trust through calendar year 2020. In April 2020, the Bankruptcy Court approved the appropriation of Distributable Cash of $50.0 million for the purpose of satisfying settlement consideration pursuant to the Amended Settlement Agreement described in Part II, Item 1 (“Legal Proceedings”). As of December 31, 2020, $2.0 million of such amount had been appropriated and $48.0 million had not been appropriated. Such appropriations reduced Distributable Cash and increased Other Administrative Cash. On or before February 17, 2021, the GUC Trust expects to appropriate all of its then remaining Distributable Cash to satisfy a portion of the remaining settlement consideration. As of December 31, 2020, approximately $26.6 million remained in Other Administrative Cash (including interest and dividend income received on marketable securities and cash equivalents) and was recorded in cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities in the accompanying Condensed Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation.

Residual Wind-Down Claims and Costs

In addition to resolving Disputed General Unsecured Claims, the GUC Trust Administrator was required to resolve and satisfy (to the extent allowed) certain disputed administrative expenses, priority tax claims, priority non-tax claims, and secured claims against the Debtors, or the Residual Wind-Down Claims. Upon the dissolution and winding up of MLC on December 15, 2011, or the Dissolution Date, the GUC Trust assumed responsibility for the resolution and satisfaction (to the extent allowed) of such Residual Wind-Down Claims. At that time, MLC transferred to the GUC Trust assets, or the Residual Wind-Down Assets, in an amount sufficient, based upon the Debtors’ reasonable estimates, to satisfy the residual Wind- Down Claims and the costs, fees and expenses related to satisfying and resolving the Residual Wind-Down Claims, or the Residual Wind-Down Costs. The Residual Wind-Down Assets so transferred approximated $42.8 million consisting of approximately $40.0 million in cash (including approximately $1.4 million for the payment of certain defense costs related to the Term Loan Avoidance Action, or Avoidance Action Defense Costs) and the transferred benefit of approximately $2.8 million in prepaid expenses.

The amount of Avoidance Action Defense Costs incurred exceeded the corresponding cash received by the GUC Trust from MLC on the Dissolution Date by approximately $30.2 million. As a result, new Residual Wind-Down Claims arose in the amount of such excess. As a result of the Term Loan Avoidance Action settlement described under “Functions and Responsibilities of the GUC Trust—Term Loan Avoidance Action,” below and by virtue of the terms of the settlement agreement, the GUC Trust is not responsible for payment of any further Avoidance Action Defense Costs.

Pursuant to the GUC Trust Agreement and the Plan, the Residual Wind-Down Assets are to be administered in accordance with the GUC Trust Agreement and the Plan and are to be used to satisfy and resolve the Residual Wind-Down Claims and to fund the Residual Wind-Down Costs. Any unused portions of the Residual Wind-Down Assets must be returned to the DIP Lenders and will not be available for distribution to the holders of GUC Trust Units at the winding up and conclusion of the GUC Trust. While not expected, if, collectively, the actual amounts of Residual Wind-Down Claims allowed and the Residual Wind-Down Costs exceed the Residual Wind-Down Assets, the GUC Trust Administrator may be required to set aside from distribution and appropriate Distributable Cash to fund the shortfall. Any such appropriation of Distributable Cash would reduce the amount of Distributable Cash available for distribution to holders of GUC Trust Units.

As of December 31, 2020, Residual Wind-Down Assets aggregating approximately $0.2 million were held by the GUC Trust and were recorded in cash and cash equivalents in the accompanying Condensed Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation. There were no remaining expected Residual Wind-Down Claims and Costs against such assets. Accordingly, the GUC Trust expects to return the remaining Residual Wind-Down Assets to the DIP Lenders upon the winding up and conclusion of the GUC Trust. A corresponding amount is recorded in the reserve for Residual Wind-Down Claims and Costs in the accompanying Condensed Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation.

Other Assets Received from MLC on the Dissolution Date

In addition to the Residual Wind-Down Assets, the GUC Trust also received on the Dissolution Date approximately $3.4 million in cash from MLC, which amount included: (i) $2.0 million designated for Reporting Costs and (ii) approximately $1.4 million designated for reimbursements to indenture trustees and fiscal and paying agents under the Debtors prepetition debt issuances for costs associated with, among other things, administering distributions to registered holders of the debtors’ prepetition debt issuances, or Indenture Trustee / Fiscal and Paying Agent Costs. Any unused portion of the funds designated for Indenture Trustee / Fiscal and Paying Agent Costs must be returned to the DIP Lenders and will not be available for distribution to the holders of GUC Trust Units at the winding up and conclusion of the GUC Trust. As of December 31, 2020, remaining funds designated for the Indenture Trustee / Fiscal and Paying Agent Costs approximate $0.1 million and are recorded in cash and cash equivalents in the accompanying Condensed Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation. A corresponding amount is recorded in the reserves for expected costs of liquidation in the accompanying Condensed Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation as of December 31, 2020. There were no remaining funds of the $2.0 million designated for Reporting Costs.

 

20


Table of Contents

Income Tax Liabilities for Certain Capital Gains, Investment Income and Dividends on New GM Common Stock

Prior to the sale of all the then remaining New GM Securities in the fiscal year ended March 31, 2016, the GUC Trust incurred U.S. federal income tax liabilities on capital gains realized upon the distribution of New GM Securities to holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims or GUC Trust Units or by sale of New GM Securities, unless such capital gains were offset by capital losses, deductible expenses and accumulated net operating losses, which are referred to as Taxes on Distribution. The GUC Trust also incurs U.S. federal income tax liabilities on investment income and dividends received on New GM Common Stock previously held by the GUC Trust, unless such income is offset by deductible expenses and accumulated net operating losses (such income tax liabilities on dividends received on New GM Common Stock and investment income are referred to as Dividend Taxes and Investment Income Taxes, respectively). The GUC Trust records any current taxes payable from such realized net capital gains and interest and dividends (net of deductible operating losses and expenses) and records a deferred tax asset with a corresponding valuation allowance (resulting in no net deferred tax asset) for remaining net operating loss carryovers. A full valuation allowance is recorded because, as a result of the liquidation of all of the GUC Trust’s holdings of New GM Securities, it has been determined that such deferred tax assets are not realizable. See “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates—Income Taxes” below. As a result of cumulative capital losses utilizing the new tax position described below and net operating losses, the GUC Trust has not incurred or paid any income tax liabilities, and, as described below, the GUC Trust does not expect to incur any income tax liabilities in the future.

As previously disclosed, during the quarter ended September 30, 2013, the GUC Trust made a determination to file its U.S. federal income tax returns taking the position that beneficial ownership for a substantial majority of New GM Securities was transferred from MLC to the GUC Trust on March 31, 2011, and that the tax basis of such New GM Securities should be determined with reference to the value of such securities on such date, instead of December 15, 2011, when record ownership of the remaining New GM Securities still held by MLC was transferred from MLC to the GUC Trust. For the remaining substantial minority of New GM Securities transferred from MLC to the GUC Trust, the GUC Trust determined that the transfer of beneficial ownership occurred on other dates for which the tax basis should be determined by reference to the value of such securities on such dates. This new tax position resulted in an increased tax basis of the New GM Securities from the prior tax position and, therefore, reduced taxable gains and increased taxable losses on distributions and sales of New GM Securities since March 31, 2011. The new tax position has not been sustained on examination by the IRS as of the date hereof. However, the GUC Trust believes, based on the available evidence and consultation with GUC Trust Professionals, that it is more likely than not that the new tax position will be sustained on examination by the IRS based on the technical merits of the position. Accordingly, this new tax position has been recognized in the current and deferred income tax liabilities and the income tax provision in the GUC Trust’s financial statements since the quarter ended September 30, 2013.

Following the GUC Trust’s determination to utilize the new tax position set forth above, the GUC Trust filed its U.S. federal income tax returns for the years ended March 31, 2013 and thereafter with the IRS using such new tax position. Such tax returns were accompanied by requests for prompt determination of tax liability pursuant to Section 505(b) of the Bankruptcy Code, and the 60-day statutory notification periods set forth in Section 505(b) of the Bankruptcy Code with respect to the GUC Trust’s U.S. federal income tax returns for the year ended March 31, 2020 and prior years have expired. Accordingly, the tax liabilities set forth in the GUC Trust’s U.S. federal income tax returns for the year ended March 31, 2020 and prior years are no longer subject to examination by the IRS, and no income taxes can be assessed for such years. Also, no income taxes are expected to be paid in the future as a result of the liquidation of all the GUC Trust’s holdings of New GM Securities during the year ended March 31, 2016.

Term Loan Avoidance Action

Prior to the statutory deadline for commencing such action, the Committee commenced a legal action against certain prepetition lenders of the Debtors, styled as Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Motors Liquidation Co. v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. et al. (Adv. Pro. No. 09-00504 (Bankr. S.D.N.Y. July 31, 2009)), which is referred to as the Term Loan Avoidance Action. Among other things, the Term Loan Avoidance Action sought the return of approximately $1.5 billion that had been transferred to a consortium of prepetition lenders of the Debtors, pursuant to the court order approving the debtor-in-possession loans made by the DIP Lenders to MLC. On the Dissolution Date, the Term Loan Avoidance Action was transferred to a trust established for the purpose of holding and prosecuting the Term Loan Avoidance Action, or the Avoidance Action Trust. As previously disclosed, a settlement was reached among the parties to the Term Loan Avoidance Action pursuant to which approximately $231.0 million was recovered on July 1, 2019 by the Avoidance Action Trust from the defendants to the Term Loan Avoidance Action. Pursuant to the GUC Trust Agreement, on July 1, 2019, such defendants received Allowed General Unsecured Claims against the GUC Trust in the amount so disgorged to the Avoidance Action Trust (such allowed general unsecured claims “Resolved Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims,” and together with Resolved Disputed Claims, the “Resolved Allowed Claims”). Accordingly, the holders of the Resolved Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims became entitled to receive a distribution from the GUC Trust of approximately $68.5 million. Pursuant to the Plan, no funds reclaimed from the prepetition lenders in the Term Loan Avoidance Action were transferred to or otherwise benefited the GUC Trust or will be distributed on account of GUC Trust Units.

 

21


Table of Contents

Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates

Liquidation Basis of Accounting

The GUC Trust was created for the purposes described in Note 1 (“Description of Trust and Reporting Policies”) to the financial statements and has a finite life. As a result, the GUC Trust has prepared its financial statements on the liquidation basis of accounting in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). Under the liquidation basis of accounting, assets are stated at their estimated realizable value, which is the non-discounted amount of cash into which an asset is expected to be converted during liquidation, while liabilities continue to be recognized at the amount required by other U.S. GAAP, and are not remeasured to reflect any anticipation that an entity will be legally released from an obligation. Additionally, under the liquidation basis of accounting, a reserve is established for estimated costs expected to be incurred during liquidation. Such costs are accrued when there is a reasonable basis for estimation. An accrual is also made for estimated income or cash expected to be received over the liquidation period to the extent that a reasonable basis for estimation exists. The valuation of assets at realizable value, reserves for expected liquidation costs and the accrual for investment income from marketable securities represent estimates, based on present facts and circumstances known to the GUC Trust Administrator, and are subject to change. These estimates are periodically reviewed and adjusted as appropriate. As described below under the headings “Cash Equivalents, Marketable Securities and Accrued Investment Income on Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities” and “Reserves for Expected Costs of Liquidation,” estimates for investment income expected to be earned over the remaining liquidation period and estimates for the expected costs of liquidation may change in the near term, and such change could be material.

The GUC Trust beneficiaries are holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims (to the extent their liquidating distributions have not yet been paid to them) and holders of GUC Trust Units. As Disputed General Unsecured Claims and Term Loan Avoidance Claims were resolved and allowed and thereby became Allowed General Unsecured Claims, the holders thereof became entitled to receive liquidating distributions of Distributable Cash (including Dividend Cash) and GUC Trust Units pro rata by the amount of such claims. Upon such occurrence, the GUC Trust incurred an obligation to distribute Distributable Cash and, accordingly, liquidating distributions payable were recorded in the amount of Distributable Cash (previously the fair value of New GM Securities) that the GUC Trust was obligated to distribute as of the end of the period in which Disputed General Unsecured Claims and Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims were resolved as Allowed General Unsecured Claims. Prior to the resolution and allowance of Disputed General Unsecured Claims and Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims, liabilities were not recorded for the conditional obligations associated with Disputed General Unsecured Claims and Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims. Rather, the beneficial interests of GUC Trust beneficiaries in the residual assets of the GUC Trust were reflected in Net Assets in Liquidation of the GUC Trust in the financial statements.

Under the liquidation basis of accounting, the GUC Trust presents two principal financial statements: a Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation and a Statement of Changes in Net Assets in Liquidation. In addition, although not required under the liquidation basis of accounting, the GUC Trust also presents a Statement of Cash Flows, in accordance with the requirements of the GUC Trust Agreement.

Dividends Received on New GM Common Stock

The GUC Trust previously held New GM Securities for future distribution in respect of Allowed General Unsecured Claims and the GUC Trust Units. The securities held consisted of shares of New GM Common Stock and New GM Warrants. As described above under “Functions and Responsibilities of the GUC Trust—Distributions and Distributable Assets of the GUC Trust,” pursuant to the Liquidation Order, the GUC Trust liquidated all of its holdings of New GM Securities during July and August 2015. Dividends were received on previously held New GM Common Stock and such dividends are required to be applied to the same purpose as the New GM Common Stock to which such dividends relate. When the portion of Distributable Cash applicable to the liquidated New GM Common Stock is distributed to holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims or GUC Trust Units, then the dividends relating to such Distributable Cash are also distributed to such holders. When, however, Distributable Cash is appropriated by the GUC Trust in accordance with the GUC Trust Agreement to fund the costs and liabilities of the GUC Trust, then, in that case, the dividends relating to such appropriated Distributable Cash are applied to such costs and liabilities of the GUC Trust and (just like the appropriated Distributable Cash) are maintained in Other Administrative Cash. Because such dividends are applied to the same purpose as the associated Distributable Cash, any references to Distributable Cash should be understood to include the dividends relating to such Distributable Cash, unless expressly indicated otherwise. The amount of cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities held by the GUC Trust that relates to dividends received by the GUC Trust on New GM Common Stock previously held by the GUC Trust is referred to as Dividend Cash and is included in the amount of cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities held for distribution to GUC Trust beneficiaries that is referred to as Distributable Cash (except to the extent of dividends relating to appropriated Distributable Cash that is classified as Other Administrative Cash following such appropriation).

 

22


Table of Contents

Cash Equivalents, Marketable Securities and Accrued Investment Income on Cash Equivalents and Marketable Securities

Cash equivalents consist of balances held in money market funds. Marketable securities consist of short-term investments in U.S. Treasury bills. The GUC Trust has valued these securities at carrying value, which approximates fair value (when receivables for associated interest income earned included in accrued investment income in the accompanying Statements of Net Assets in Liquidation are combined with the carrying value of such U.S. Treasury bills). Estimated investment income expected to be earned on short-term investments in marketable securities is accrued under the liquidation basis of accounting to the extent that a reasonable basis for estimation exists. Such accrual is estimated principally based on forecasted cash outflows and expected returns based on recent yields on U.S. Treasury bills in which the marketable securities are invested. Modifications are made to the accrual when yields on holdings of U.S. Treasury bills as of the date of the financial statements significantly differ from more recent yields. Estimates of forecasted cash outflows consider the estimated amount and timing of distributions in respect of GUC Trust Units. Such estimates may change in the near term, and such change may be material.

Reserves for Residual Wind-Down Claims and Residual Wind-Down Costs

Upon the dissolution of MLC, which occurred on December 15, 2011, the GUC Trust became responsible for resolving and satisfying (to the extent allowed) all remaining Residual Wind-Down Claims. On the Dissolution Date, the Debtors transferred to the GUC Trust Residual Wind-Down Assets in an amount necessary to satisfy the ultimate allowed amount of such Residual Wind-Down Claims (including certain Avoidance Action Defense Costs) and the Residual Wind-Down Costs, as estimated by the Debtors. A corresponding amount was recorded in the reserves for Residual Wind-Down Claims and Costs. Should the Residual Wind-Down Claims and the Residual Wind-Down Costs be less than the Residual Wind-Down Assets, any excess funds will be returned to the DIP Lenders. While not expected, if, collectively, the actual amounts of Residual Wind-Down Claims allowed and the Residual Wind-Down Costs exceed the Residual Wind-Down Assets, the GUC Trust Administrator may be required to set aside from distribution and appropriate Distributable Cash to fund the shortfall. Any such appropriation would reduce the amount of Distributable Cash (including Dividend Cash) available for distribution to holders of GUC Trust Units.

Reserves for Expected Costs of Liquidation

Under the liquidation basis of accounting, the GUC Trust is required to estimate and accrue the costs associated with implementing the Plan and distributing the GUC Trust’s distributable assets. These costs, described as Wind-Down Costs and Reporting Costs in Note 2 (“Plan of Liquidation”) to the financial statements, consist principally of professional fees, costs of governance, and other administrative expenses. These amounts may vary significantly due to, among other things, the time and effort required to complete all activities and distributions under the Plan. The GUC Trust has recorded reserves for expected costs of liquidation that represent estimated costs to be incurred over the remaining liquidation period of the GUC Trust for which there is a reasonable basis for estimation. The amount of liquidation costs that will ultimately be incurred depends both on the period of time and on the extent of activities required for the GUC Trust to complete its functions and responsibilities under the Plan and the GUC Trust Agreement. Significant uncertainty remains both as to that time period and as to the extent of those activities. As a result, estimates for the expected costs of liquidation may change in the near term, and such change could be material.

As of December 31, 2020, such remaining liquidation period is estimated to extend through March 2021 and has been estimated predominantly on a modified probability-weighted basis, which the GUC Trust believes is the most appropriate measurement basis under the circumstances. Where an outcome is estimated to be likely, the likely outcome has been used as the best estimate and no weight has been given to the unlikely outcome. In addition, consistent with the liquidation basis of accounting, no consideration has been given to potential outcomes to the extent there does not exist a reasonable basis for estimation. The remaining liquidation period is dependent predominantly on the estimate of the remaining period of time for resolution of litigation involving certain General Motors vehicle recalls described in Part II, Item 1 (“Legal Proceedings”), as well as the period of time to wind down the GUC Trust following resolution of the litigation, which period of time is also included in the estimated liquidation period. Certain liquidation costs that are expected to be prepaid by the GUC Trust upon its dissolution have also been estimated and accrued. Future developments in the General Motors vehicle recall litigation could extend the current estimate of such remaining period of time for resolution and, therefore, extend the estimated remaining liquidation period of the GUC Trust beyond March 2021. Changes in estimates regarding the period of time to wind-down the GUC Trust could also extend the estimated remaining liquidation period beyond March 2021. The GUC Trust’s estimates regarding the costs and remaining liquidation period may change in the near term, and such change may be material.

As the GUC Trust incurs liquidation costs, the reserves are released to offset the costs incurred and a liability to the service provider is recognized as an accounts payable or accrued liability until paid. In addition, because the GUC Trust only records reserves for expected costs for which there is a reasonable basis for estimation under applicable U.S. GAAP, additional costs may be identified from time to time for which additional reserves must be recorded. As such costs are identified, the GUC Trust records an increase to its reserves and charges such increase as an addition to such reserves in the Statement of Changes in Net Assets in Liquidation.

 

23


Table of Contents

The process of recording reserves for expected costs of liquidation as a matter of financial reporting is separate and distinct from the process by which Distributable Cash is set aside from distribution for the purposes of funding projected costs of liquidation. Such projected costs are generally estimated on a more conservative (i.e., more inclusive) basis and include contingencies that are not permitted to be accrued in reserves for expected costs of liquidation under applicable U.S. GAAP. For a more complete description of the process of setting aside Distributable Cash to fund projected costs and potential liabilities of the GUC Trust, see “Functions and Responsibilities of the GUC Trust—Funding for the GUC Trust’s Liquidation and Administrative Costs” above and “Net Assets in Liquidation—Distributable Cash Set Aside from Distribution” below.

Contingent Settlement Obligation

The GUC Trust accrues for loss contingencies when it is probable that a liability has been incurred as of the date of the financial statements and the amount of such liability can be reasonably estimated. In assessing whether a liability has been incurred as of the date of the financial statements, the GUC Trust considers events occurring after the date of the financial statements that provide additional evidence with respect to conditions that existed as of the date of the financial statements, including the estimates inherent in the process of preparing financial statements. Accordingly, during the quarter ended March 31, 2020, the GUC Trust accrued a contingent settlement obligation pursuant to the Amended Settlement Agreement described in Part II, Item 1 (“Legal Proceedings”).

Income Taxes

The GUC Trust is considered to be a Disputed Ownership Fund pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.468B-9. Because all of the assets that have been transferred to the GUC Trust are passive investments, the GUC Trust is taxed as a Qualified Settlement Fund (or QSF) pursuant to Treasury Regulation Section 1.468B-9(c)(1)(ii). The QSF tax status of the GUC Trust was approved by the IRS in a private letter ruling issued on March 2, 2011. In general, a QSF computes taxable income in the same manner as a corporation but pays federal income tax using trust income tax rates on its modified gross income. Modified gross income includes gross income pursuant to Internal Revenue Code Section 61, less administrative expenses, certain losses from the sale, exchange or worthlessness of property, and net operating losses. In general, a Disputed Ownership Fund taxed as a QSF does not recognize gross income on assets transferred to it; therefore, the GUC Trust has not recognized gross income on the transfer of assets from MLC.

The GUC Trust generates gross income in the form of interest and dividend income (including dividends received on its previous holdings of New GM Common Stock) and recognizes capital gains and/or losses upon its disposition of New GM Securities, which are reduced by administrative expenses and accumulated net operating and capital losses (prior to their expiration), to compute modified gross income. As the GUC Trust is taxable for federal income tax purposes, a current income tax liability or asset, if any, is recognized for estimated taxes payable or receivable for the year. Deferred tax liabilities and assets are recognized for the estimated future tax effects of temporary differences between financial reporting and tax accounting. Deferred tax assets are reviewed for recoverability and valuation allowances are provided as necessary.

The GUC Trust is not subject to state income taxes under current law. Accordingly, no current or deferred state income tax liabilities and assets are recorded.

The process of recognizing deferred tax assets and liabilities and any current income taxes payable as a matter of financial reporting is separate and distinct from the process by which any Distributable Cash is set aside from distribution for the purposes of funding potential income tax liabilities. Any such potential income tax liabilities are generally estimated on a more conservative (i.e., more inclusive) basis and may include amounts of potential income tax liabilities beyond the amounts that are permitted to be recorded under applicable accounting standards. For a more complete description of the process of setting aside Distributable Cash to fund projected costs and potential income tax liabilities of the GUC Trust, see “Net Assets in Liquidation—Distributable Cash Set Aside from Distribution” below.

The GUC Trust recognizes the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authority, based on the technical merits of the position, review of available evidence and consultation with GUC Trust Professionals. The GUC Trust’s tax liability with respect to its federal income tax returns for the year ended March 31, 2020 and all prior years are no longer subject to examination as a result of the application of Section 505(b) of the Bankruptcy Code. However, the amounts shown in the schedule below, which include capital loss carryovers as of March 31, 2020, along with net operating loss carryovers generated through March 31, 2020, could be subject to examination by the IRS in subsequent years if those losses are utilized. It is not expected that such losses will be utilized (on a net basis) in the future as a result of the sale of all New GM Securities in the year ended March 31, 2016. As of December 31, 2020, there are no known items which would result in a significant accrual for uncertain tax positions.

 

24


Table of Contents

As described below, the GUC Trust’s capital loss carryovers have expired and are no longer available to be utilized by the GUC Trust under the Five Year Rule. However, as described below, such capital loss carryovers may be utilized by Claimants (as defined below) and could be subject to examination by the IRS in subsequent years if those losses are so utilized.

As of March 31, 2020, the GUC Trust had capital loss carryovers and net operating loss carryovers (or together, the Loss Carryovers) for which the GUC Trust had not taken a deduction in the amounts set forth below, scheduled by the year the losses were incurred, net of losses utilized in subsequent years to offset net taxable income or gains. These amounts reflect the Loss Carryovers shown on the federal income tax returns filed by the GUC Trust, which have not been examined by the IRS, as follows (in thousands):

 

Taxable Year Ended

   Net Operating
Loss
Carryovers
     Capital Loss
Carryovers
 

March 31, 2012

   $ 37,830      $ 158,137  

March 31, 2013

     32,128        22,635  

March 31, 2014

     14,322        —    

March 31, 2015

     1,761        1,674  

March 31, 2016

     15,276        —    

March 31, 2017

     27,596        —    

March 31, 2018

     10,360        —    

March 31, 2019

     —          —    

March 31, 2020

     1,287        —    
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total

   $ 140,560      $ 182,446  
  

 

 

    

 

 

 

As of the quarter ended September 30, 2015, the GUC Trust had disposed of all of its capital assets. Accordingly, the GUC Trust does not expect to recognize any additional capital gains or losses going forward. In general, capital losses may be carried forward by corporations for five years after such losses were incurred (or the Five Year Rule) and may be carried forward indefinitely by non-corporate persons. The capital loss carryovers of $158.1 million, $22.6 million and $1.7 million attributable to the years ended March 31, 2012, 2013 and 2015, respectively, are no longer available for utilization by the GUC Trust under the Five Year Rule. Net operating losses generally may be carried forward for 20 years after such losses are incurred; although, pursuant to the enactment of the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” in December 2017, any net operating losses generated in tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, may be carried over indefinitely. In addition, pursuant to the “Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act” enacted on March 27, 2020, net operating losses are immediately permitted to be carried back for five years. The net operating loss carryover attributable to the year ended March 31, 2012 was reduced by approximately $0.2 million, as a result of the utilization of a portion of the carryover to offset the net taxable income recognized in the year ended March 31, 2019.

Loss Succession Rule

Under Treasury Regulations Section 1.468B-9(c)(6) (or the Loss Succession Rule), upon termination of the GUC Trust, each GUC Trust Claimant (as defined below pursuant to tax regulations) is entitled to succeed to and take into account a portion of any unused (vs. unexpired) Loss Carryovers of the GUC Trust. The Loss Succession Rule provides that, in order to determine the portion of such Loss Carryovers to which each Claimant will succeed, such Loss Carryovers must be allocated among GUC Trust Claimants in proportion to the value of the GUC Trust assets distributable to each such Claimant. For purposes of the rules that govern Disputed Ownership Funds, a claimant (or a Claimant) is defined as a person who claims ownership of, in whole or in part, property immediately before and immediately after such property is transferred to a Disputed Ownership Fund. Accordingly, under the Loss Succession Rule, a person is generally eligible to succeed to the GUC Trust’s Loss Carryovers if the person (i) receives a distribution of GUC Trust assets upon the GUC Trust’s termination and (ii) qualifies as a Claimant with respect to the GUC Trust.

The mechanics of the Loss Succession Rule, as applied to the GUC Trust and the holders of GUC Trust Units, are unclear in several respects. The following discussion describes one possible interpretation of the rules. However, it is possible that the IRS will take a position that differs from that described below. As previously disclosed, the GUC Trust had initiated preliminary discussions with the IRS regarding the Loss Succession Rule, but, at this time, those discussions are not being pursued. Holders of GUC Trust Units should consult their own tax advisors about the application of the Loss Succession Rule upon the termination of the GUC Trust in light of their particular circumstances.

 

25


Table of Contents

Termination of the GUC Trust

It is generally expected that all holders of GUC Trust Units on the final distribution date will receive a distribution of Excess GUC Trust Distributable Assets. The rules that govern Disputed Ownership Funds do not address when a Disputed Ownership Fund is considered to terminate for purposes of the Loss Succession Rule. One possible interpretation of the Loss Succession Rule is that the GUC Trust will be considered to terminate when the GUC Trust distributes all of its remaining assets to the holders of GUC Trust Units (i.e., on the final distribution date). Under this interpretation, all holders of GUC Trust Units would be considered to receive a distribution of GUC Trust assets upon the termination of the GUC Trust. At this time, the GUC Trust is not able to predict with any certainty when a final distribution may occur or when the GUC Trust will be terminated.

Allocation of Loss Carryovers

The rules that govern Disputed Ownership Funds do not address how the Loss Succession Rule should apply when Claimants are permitted to transfer their interests in a Disputed Ownership Fund. Because the GUC Trust Units are transferrable, it is not possible for the GUC Trust to determine which holders of GUC Trust Units may constitute Claimants for purposes of the Loss Succession Rule at any given time. Accordingly, upon its termination, the GUC Trust will not be in a position to provide an allocation of the GUC Trust’s Loss Carryovers among GUC Trust Claimants and/or holders of GUC Trust Units. As of December 31, 2020, there were 32,086,501 GUC Trust Units outstanding and $32.1 billion of Allowed General Unsecured Claims.

In addition, because the GUC Trust computes its taxable income in the same manner as a corporation, it is unclear whether, and if so, to what extent, the Five Year Rule might affect the amount of unused capital loss carryovers to which GUC Trust Claimants may succeed under the Loss Succession Rule.

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements on a liquidation basis in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires the use of estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts of assets and liabilities. These estimates are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could materially impact the amounts reported and disclosed in the financial statements and related footnotes. Significant estimates include the anticipated amounts and timing of future cash flows and estimated yields on investments in marketable securities for estimated investment income expected to be received, expected liquidation costs, the fair value of marketable securities and the contingent settlement obligation. Actual results could materially differ from those estimates.

Statement of Changes in Net Assets in Liquidation

During the three months ended December 31, 2020, net assets in liquidation increased by approximately $0.2 million, from approximately $7.6 million to approximately $7.8 million, principally as a result of reductions of $1.7 million in the reserves for expected costs of liquidation, offset by liquidating distributions of $1.5 million during the three months ended December 31, 2020. During the nine months ended December 31, 2020, net assets in liquidation increased by approximately $1.2 million, from approximately $6.6 million to approximately $7.8 million, principally as a result of reductions of $8.0 million in the reserves for expected costs of liquidation, partly offset by liquidating distributions of $6.8 million. As described in “Liquidation and Administrative Costs” below, the reduction in the reserves for expected costs of liquidation of $1.7 million during the three months ended December 31, 2020 is primarily associated with net reductions in expected costs. The reduction in the reserves for expected costs of liquidation of $8.0 million during the nine months ended December 31, 2020 is primarily associated with a reduction in the estimated length of the remaining liquidation period, along with reductions in expected costs.

There was no income tax provision or benefit during the three and nine months ended December 31, 2020, as a result of cumulative net operating losses and the establishment of a full valuation allowance against net deferred tax assets as of the beginning and end of such period. As a result of the liquidation of all of the GUC Trust’s holdings of New GM Securities, it has been determined that the deferred tax assets are not realizable at this time. See “Functions and Responsibilities of the GUC Trust—Income Tax Liabilities for Certain Capital Gains, Investment Income and Dividends on New GM Common Stock” above and Note 7 (“Income Taxes”) to the financial statements.

Liquidation and Administrative Costs

As described above under “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates,” under the liquidation basis of accounting, the GUC Trust was required upon its establishment to record reserves in respect of its expected costs associated with implementing the Plan and distributing the GUC Trust’s distributable assets. These costs consist principally of professional fees, governance costs and other liquidation and administrative costs.

 

26


Table of Contents

Under U.S. GAAP, these reserves may be established only to the extent there is a reasonable basis for their estimation. From time to time, as additional costs are identified and for which there is reasonable basis for estimation, the GUC Trust records an increase to its reserves for expected costs of liquidation and charges such increase as an addition to reserves for expected costs of liquidation in the Statement of Changes in Net Assets in Liquidation. As costs are actually incurred by the GUC Trust, such costs reduce the previously recorded reserves for expected costs of liquidation by the amount of such incurred costs, with no further effect on the Statement of Changes in Net Assets in Liquidation.

The GUC Trust’s reserves for liquidation and administrative costs (recorded in conformity with U.S. GAAP) are allocable into the following categories:

 

   

reserve for expected Wind-Down Costs, corresponding to expenditures to be made out of the Administrative Fund and, following the depletion of the Administrative Fund, Other Administrative Cash (see “Functions and Responsibilities of the GUC Trust—Funding for the GUC Trust’s Liquidation and Administrative Costs”);

 

   

reserve for expected Reporting Costs, corresponding to expenditures to be made out of Other Administrative Cash (see “Functions and Responsibilities of the GUC Trust—Funding for the GUC Trust’s Liquidation and Administrative Costs”); and

 

   

reserve for Indenture Trustee / Fiscal and Paying Agent Costs, corresponding to expenditures to be made out of the cash received by the GUC Trust from MLC on the Dissolution Date (see “Functions and Responsibilities of the GUC Trust—Other Assets Received from MLC on the Dissolution Date”).

In addition, the GUC Trust maintains reserves for Residual Wind-Down Claims and Costs, corresponding to expenditures to be made out of Residual Wind-Down Assets and, following the depletion of such assets, Other Administrative Cash (see “Functions and Responsibilities of the GUC Trust—Residual Wind-Down Claims and Costs”).

As described in greater detail under “Functions and Responsibilities of the GUC Trust” above and “Liquidity and Capital Resources” below, unused portions of certain of the assets associated with the foregoing reserves are required to be returned to the DIP Lenders upon the winding up and dissolution of the GUC Trust. Therefore, such assets are not available to fund costs of liquidation and administration or any income tax liabilities of the GUC Trust, and are also not available for distribution to the holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims or GUC Trust Units. See “Functions and Responsibilities of the GUC Trust—Funding for the GUC Trust’s Liquidation and Administrative Costs,” “Functions and Responsibilities of the GUC Trust—Residual Wind-Down Claims” and “Functions and Responsibilities of the GUC Trust—Other Assets Received from MLC on the Dissolution Date.”

As of December 31, 2020, the GUC Trust had approximately $2.8 million in reserves for liquidation and administrative costs that are estimated to be incurred through the winding up and conclusion of the GUC Trust, compared to approximately $6.7 million in reserves as of September 30, 2020. The following table summarizes in greater detail the changes in such reserves during the three months ended December 31, 2020:

 

     Three months ended December 31, 2020  

(in thousands)

   Reserve for
Expected
Wind-Down
Costs
     Reserve for
Expected
Reporting
Costs
     Reserve for
Indenture
Trustee/Fiscal
and Paying
Agent Costs
     Total
Reserves for
Expected
Costs of
Liquidation
 

Balance, September 30, 2020

   $ 4,312      $ 2,256      $ 82      $ 6,650  

Less reductions in reserves

     (1,501      (169      —          (1,670

Less liquidation costs incurred:

           

Trust professionals

     (453      (523      —          (976

Trust governance

     (551      (450      (9      (1,010

Other administrative expenses

     (158      (85      —          (243
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Balance, December 31, 2020

   $ 1,649      $ 1,029      $ 73      $ 2,751  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Reserves for expected costs of liquidation were reduced by approximately $1.7 million during the three months ended December 31, 2020, in order to reflect decreases in expected Wind-Down Costs of $1.5 million and expected Reporting Costs of $0.2 million. The decreases in expected Wind-Down Costs and Reporting Costs during the three months ended December 31, 2020 is primarily associated with net reductions in expected costs. In comparison, reserves for expected costs of liquidation were increased by approximately $1.6 million during the three months ended December 31, 2019, in order to reflect an increase in expected Wind-Down Costs of $1.6 million and a decrease in expected Reporting Costs of $5,000. The increase in expected Wind-Down Costs during the three months ended December 31, 2019 is primarily associated with an increase in expected legal fees related to the General Motors vehicle recall litigation described in Part II, Item 1 (“Legal Proceedings”), partly offset by a lesser amount of costs incurred during the three months ended December 31, 2019 than previously estimated.

 

27


Table of Contents

Reserves for expected costs of liquidation were reduced by approximately $8.0 million during the nine months ended December 31, 2020, in order to reflect decreases in expected Wind-Down Costs of $6.2 million and expected Reporting Costs of $1.8 million. The decrease in expected Wind-Down Costs and Reporting Costs during the nine months ended December 31, 2020 is primarily associated with a reduction in estimated legal fees over the remaining liquidation period, along with a reduction of four months in the estimated end date of the remaining liquidation period. In comparison, reserves for expected costs of liquidation were increased by approximately $29.1 million during the nine months ended December 31, 2019, in order to reflect increases in expected Wind-Down Costs of $22.4 million and expected Reporting Costs of $6.8 million (such increases are net of reductions in the reserves and expected costs in the three months ended June 30, 2019). The increase in expected Wind-Down Costs during the nine months ended December 31, 2019 is primarily associated with a net extension of eighteen months in the estimated end date of the remaining liquidation period, along with an increase in legal fees for expected reimbursements of $10.0 million to certain holders of a majority of GUC Trust Units for legal fees. The increase in expected Reporting Costs during the nine months ended December 31, 2019 is primarily associated with the aforementioned net extension in the estimated end date of the remaining liquidation period.

Reserves for expected costs of liquidation were reduced by the amount of liquidation and administrative costs incurred during the three and nine months ended December 31, 2020. Trust professional costs incurred during the three and nine months ended December 31, 2020 were approximately $1.0 million and $3.1 million, respectively, as compared to approximately $1.1 million and $4.1 million, respectively, for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2019. The decrease of $0.1 million from three-month period to period and the decrease of $1.0 million from nine-month period to period is primarily due to a decrease in Wind-Down Costs charged to the reserve. Trust governance costs incurred during the three and nine months ended December 31, 2020 were approximately $1.0 million and $3.1 million, respectively, as compared to approximately $1.1 million and $3.2 million, respectively, for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2019. The decrease of $0.1 million from three-month period to period and from nine-month period to period is primarily due to a decrease in Wind-Down Costs charged to the reserve. Other administrative costs during the three and nine months ended December 31, 2020 were approximately $0.2 million and $11.7 million, respectively, as compared to approximately $0.1 million and $0.3 million, respectively, for the three and nine months ended December 31, 2019. The increase of $0.1 million from the three-month period to period is due to an increase in Wind-Down Costs charged to the reserve. The increase of $11.4 million from the nine-month period to period is due to an increase in Wind-Down Costs charged to the reserve primarily for reimbursements of $8.7 million to certain holders of a majority of GUC Trust Units for legal fees in connection with monitoring the actions of the GUC Trust and participating in litigation related to the General Motors vehicle recalls and for payment of noticing costs under the Amended Settlement Agreement of $2.0 million. For additional information regarding the components of each category of costs, see “Functions and Responsibilities of the GUC Trust—Funding for the GUC Trust’s Liquidation and Administrative Costs” and “Functions and Responsibilities of the GUC Trust—Other Assets Received from MLC Trust on the Dissolution Date.”

The foregoing reserves represent future costs of the GUC Trust for which there is a reasonable basis for estimation as of December 31, 2020, and, therefore, are recorded under the liquidation basis of accounting in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Additional costs may be incurred for which there was not a reasonable basis for estimation as of December 31, 2020. In particular, as of December 31, 2020, the recorded reserves for expected costs of liquidation reflect estimated costs for a remaining liquidation period estimated to extend through March 2021, which date is dependent predominantly on the estimate of the remaining period of time for resolution of litigation involving certain General Motors vehicle recalls described in Part II, Item 1 (“Legal Proceedings”), as well as the period of time to wind down the GUC Trust following resolution of the litigation, which period of time is also included in the estimated liquidation period. This end date of the remaining liquidation period has been estimated predominantly on a modified probability-weighted basis as permitted under U.S. GAAP and which the GUC Trust believes is the most appropriate measurement basis under the circumstances. Where an outcome is estimated to be likely, the likely outcome has been used as the best estimate and no weight has been given to the unlikely outcome. In addition, consistent with the liquidation basis of accounting, no consideration has been given to potential outcomes to the extent there does not exist a reasonable basis for estimation. Certain liquidation costs that are expected to be prepaid by the GUC Trust upon its dissolution have also been estimated and accrued. Future developments in the General Motors vehicle recall litigation could extend the current estimate of the remaining period of time for resolution and, therefore, extend the estimated remaining liquidation period of the GUC Trust beyond March 2021. Changes in estimates regarding the period of time to wind down the GUC Trust could also extend the estimated remaining liquidation period beyond March 2021.

If the funds available for each of the foregoing categories of costs are not sufficient to satisfy any of the costs in that category, the GUC Trust will be required to appropriate a portion of Distributable Cash in order to meet its additional obligations for those costs. Any such appropriation will result in a lesser amount of Distributable Cash available for distribution to holders of GUC Trust Units.

 

28


Table of Contents

The process of recognizing reserves for expected costs of liquidation as a matter of financial reporting is separate and distinct from the process by which Distributable Cash is set aside from distribution for the purposes of funding projected costs of liquidation, which are generally estimated on a more conservative (i.e., more inclusive) basis and include contingencies that are not permitted to be recognized under applicable accounting standards. As described in further detail below, certain amounts of Distributable Cash have already been set aside from distribution for the purposes of meeting such potential additional obligations. However, the amounts set aside from distribution are neither reflected in nor a part of the financial statements included elsewhere in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q because the process of setting aside such assets is not related to the process of recording, as a matter of financial reporting in the Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation, reserves for expected costs of liquidation or any current and deferred income tax liabilities. See “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates—Income Taxes” and “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates—Reserves for Expected Costs of Liquidation” above and “Net Assets in Liquidation—Distributable Cash Set Aside from Distribution” below.

For additional information regarding the reserves described above, see Note 2 (“Plan of Liquidation”) and Note 6 (“Reserves for Expected Costs of Liquidation and Residual Wind-Down Claims and Costs”) to the financial statements.

Net Assets in Liquidation

Allowed and Disputed Claims

As of December 31 and March 31, 2020, there were no remaining Disputed General Unsecured Claims or Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims. Allowed General Unsecured Claims as of such dates aggregated approximately $32,086 million.

Distributable Assets

The table below summarizes the activity in New GM Securities prior to their liquidation and Distributable Cash that comprises the GUC Trust’s distributable assets, including the numbers of New GM Securities and amount of Distributable Cash previously distributed, as well as the amount of Distributable Cash available for distribution to holders of GUC Trust Units as of December 31, 2020 (in thousands):

 

     New GM
Common Stock
     New GM
Series A
Warrants
     New GM
Series B
Warrants
     Distributable
Cash (including
Dividend Cash)
 

Distributable Assets as of Effective Date (March 31, 2011)

     150,000        136,364        136,364      $ —  

Dividends received on New GM Common Stock

     —          —          —          24,746  

Prior distributions (1)

     (137,299      (124,817      (124,817      (613,985

Prior sales to fund GUC Trust costs and Avoidance Action Trust funding obligation

     (1,313      (1,194      (1,194      (170

Prior liquidation of New GM Securities

     (11,388      (10,353      (10,353      741,701  

Prior appropriation of Distributable Cash to fund GUC Trust liquidation and administrative costs

     —          —          —          (60,803
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Holdings as of December 31, 2020

     —          —          —          91,489  

Less: Distributions payable as of December 31, 2020 (2)

              (58,696

Add: Distributions payable to holders of GUC Trust Units as of December 31, 2020

              56,201  

Less: Amounts set aside from distribution to fund projected GUC Trust costs

              (32,786
           

 

 

 

Distributable Assets as of December 31, 2020 (3)

            $ 56,208  
           

 

 

 

 

(1)

The numbers of New GM Securities and the amount of Distributable Cash shown as distributed include sales for (a) cash distributions to governmental entities to the extent such governmental entities requested such sales and demonstrated to the satisfaction of the GUC Trust Administrator that such governmental entities were precluded by applicable law from receiving distributions of New GM Securities and (b) fractional amounts of New GM Securities, in lieu of which the GUC Trust was required pursuant to the GUC Trust Agreement to distribute cash, subject to certain minimum thresholds.

(2)

Distributions Payable includes distributions payable to (a) holders of GUC Trust Units, (b) holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims that were allowed in prior fiscal periods, but for which the holders of such claims had not yet supplied information required by the GUC Trust in order to effect the distribution to which they are entitled and (c) GUC Trust beneficiaries with respect to distributions returned to the GUC Trust described in Note 4 (“Liquidating Distributions”) to the financial statements.

 

29


Table of Contents
(3)

Distributable Assets reflects the amounts of Distributable Cash and Dividend Cash shown as “GUC Trust Distributable Assets” on the report included as Exhibit 99.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the GUC Trust with the SEC on January 29, 2021. The amount of Distributable Cash and associated Dividend Cash set out above as “Distributable Assets” does not directly relate to Net Assets in Liquidation or any other number appearing in the GUC Trust’s financial statements prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

As described above under the heading “Allowed and Disputed Claims,” as of December 31, 2020, there were approximately $32,086 million in Allowed General Unsecured Claims. In respect of such claims, the GUC Trust had previously distributed in the aggregate 137,298,736 shares of New GM Common Stock, 124,817,263 New GM Series A Warrants and 124,817,263 New GM Series B Warrants and $614.0 million of Distributable Cash. In addition, the GUC Trust was obligated to distribute as of December 31, 2020, $2.5 million of Distributable Cash to (a) holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims that were allowed in prior fiscal periods, but for which the holders of such claims had not yet supplied information required by the GUC Trust in order to effect the distribution to which they are entitled and (b) GUC Trust beneficiaries with respect to distributions returned to the GUC Trust described in Note 4 (“Liquidating Distributions”) to the financial statements. Also, as of December 31, 2020, the GUC Trust has recorded liquidating distributions payable to holders of GUC Trust Units of $56.2 million.

As described in Note 2 (“Plan of Liquidation”) to the financial statements, in April 2020, the Bankruptcy Court approved the appropriation of Distributable Cash of $50.0 million for the purpose of satisfying settlement consideration pursuant to the Amended Settlement Agreement described in Part II, Item 1 (“Legal Proceedings”). As of December 31, 2020, $48.0 million had not been appropriated. On or before February 17, 2021, the GUC Trust expects to appropriate all of its then remaining Distributable Cash to satisfy a portion of the remaining settlement consideration.

Distributable Cash Set Aside from Distribution

Overview of Distributable Cash Set Aside from Distribution

In addition to distributions of Distributable Cash, which are reflected as reductions to the GUC Trust net assets in its financial statements, the GUC Trust also, from time to time, sets aside Distributable Cash for potential future appropriation to fund projected liquidation and administrative costs, as well as any potential income tax liabilities, including Dividend Taxes, Investment Income Taxes and Taxes on Distribution. Distributable Cash that is set aside from distribution by the GUC Trust is not deducted from the net assets in liquidation of the GUC Trust in its financial statements unless and until such set aside Distributable Cash is appropriated and expended. Distributable Cash set aside from distribution is segregated by the GUC Trust for such specific purposes and is not available for distribution to holders of GUC Trust Units or other claimants unless and to the extent that the GUC Trust later determines that the set aside Distributable Cash is no longer needed to fund those specific purposes.

This process is not related to, and is separate from, the process of recording any current and deferred income tax liabilities and reserves for expected costs of liquidation in the Statement of Net Assets in Liquidation, as a matter of financial reporting. As a matter of financial reporting, income tax liabilities and reserves for expected costs of liquidation must be determined in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles applicable to the GUC Trust. By contrast, the estimates of projected costs and potential liabilities for which the GUC Trust may set aside Distributable Cash are generally made on a more conservative (i.e., more inclusive) basis and include contingencies that are not permitted to be recognized under applicable accounting standards. See “Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates—Reserves for Expected Costs of Liquidation” above.

As of December 31, 2020, the distributable assets of the GUC Trust available for distribution to holders of GUC Trust Units consisted of Distributable Cash of approximately $56.2 million (including Dividend Cash), after deducting the amounts of Distributable Cash (including Dividend Cash) (a) set aside from distribution to fund additional projected liquidation and administrative costs of the GUC Trust (as described below under the heading “Set Aside Calculations Relating to Projected Liquidation and Administrative Costs, Including Dividend Taxes and Investment Income Taxes”) and (b) set aside for distributions payable in respect of (i) Allowed General Unsecured Claims that were allowed in prior fiscal periods, but for which the holders of such claims had not yet supplied information required by the GUC Trust in order to effect the distributions to which they are entitled, and (ii) distributions returned to the GUC Trust described in Note 4 (“Liquidating Distributions”) to the financial statements. As described above, such Distributable Cash will be depleted by the amount of remaining Distributable Cash that is appropriated by the GUC Trust to satisfy a portion of the remaining settlement consideration under the Amended Settlement Agreement.

Prior to the liquidation of all the GUC Trust’s holdings of New GM Securities in July and August 2015, New GM Securities were set aside to fund projected liquidation and administrative costs and potential income tax liabilities as described below.

 

30


Table of Contents

Set Aside Calculations Relating to Projected Liquidation and Administrative Costs, Including Dividend Taxes and Investment Income Taxes

The GUC Trust Administrator reevaluates, on a quarterly basis, the amount of Distributable Cash (including Dividend Cash) needed to be set aside from distribution for purposes of funding projected liquidation and administrative costs, including any Dividend Taxes and Investment Income Taxes. This determination is made on a basis different than that used to calculate reserves for financial statement purposes. Under the current methodology, the amount to be set aside is equal to the estimates of unfunded projected liquidation and administrative costs (including any Dividend Taxes and Investment Income Taxes). Such estimates of unfunded projected liquidation and administrative costs include contingencies as described above and reflect projected costs over a longer estimated remaining life of the GUC Trust associated with resolution of the GM product recall litigation described in Part II, Item 1 (“Legal Proceedings”) than that used in estimating the remaining life of the GUC Trust for financial reporting purposes.

Prior to the liquidation of all of the GUC Trust’s holdings of New GM Securities, estimates of unfunded projected liquidation and administrative costs (including any Dividend Taxes and Investment Income Taxes) were converted into the number of New GM Securities to be set aside from distribution by dividing such estimates by the trailing twelve-month average closing prices for the New GM Securities. A corresponding amount of Dividend Cash associated with the set-aside New GM Securities was also set aside from distribution.

For the quarter ended December 31, 2020, as a result of the standard quarterly reevaluations described above, the estimates of unfunded projected liquidation and administrative costs (including any Dividend Taxes and Investment Income Taxes) was decreased by $1.5 million to $32.8 million. Such decrease was primarily related to a reduction in projected costs over the remaining liquidation period.

Set Aside Calculations Relating to Potential Taxes on Distribution

In addition to reevaluating the amount of Distributable Cash (including Dividend Cash) to be set aside from distribution to fund projected liquidation and administrative costs, including any Dividend Taxes and Investment Income Taxes, the GUC Trust Administrator also reevaluates, on a quarterly basis, the amount of Distributable Cash needed to be set aside from distribution to fund potential Taxes on Distribution. The current methodology for calculating such set aside estimates potential Taxes on Distribution by applying the applicable U.S. federal income tax rate to any net realized capital gains that are still subject to examination by the IRS, less current period tax deductible expenses and future tax deductible expenses. Such realized capital gains are computed using a tax basis for the New GM Securities based on the date of transfer of record ownership of the New GM Securities to the GUC Trust from MLC on December 15, 2011, and the tax basis of the New GM Common Stock received for the exercise of the New GM Warrants pursuant to the Liquidation Order. However, as a result of the application of Section 505(b) of the Bankruptcy Code, the GUC Trust’s federal income tax returns for the year ended March 31, 2020 and all prior years are no longer subject to examination, and no income taxes may be assessed for the year ended March 31, 2020 or any prior year. The GUC Trust’s remaining capital losses (based on the tax basis of previously held New GM Securities for financial reporting purposes) have expired and can no longer be utilized by the GUC Trust. While the GUC Trust’s remaining net operating losses are still subject to examination by the IRS in subsequent years if those losses are utilized, such utilization (on a net basis) is not expected as a result of the sale of all New GM Securities in the year ended March 31, 2016. Accordingly, no income taxes are expected to be paid in the future. As a result, beginning with the quarter ended September 30, 2016 and as of December 31, 2020, the GUC Trust Administrator determined that no Distributable Cash should be set aside for potential Taxes on Distribution (or Dividend Taxes and Investment Income Taxes) at this time.

The GUC Trust’s calculation of the amount of any Distributable Cash needed to be set aside from distribution to fund such potential Taxes on Distribution was made using a different methodology than that used to calculate any current and deferred taxes for financial statement purposes. As described above, in estimating potential Taxes on Distribution, the current set aside methodology calculates any realized capital gains using the tax basis of the New GM Securities on December 15, 2011 with respect to any tax return years that are still subject to examination. By contrast, in calculating any current and deferred taxes for purposes of financial reporting under applicable U.S. GAAP, the GUC Trust calculates realized capital gains using the tax basis of the New GM Securities for financial reporting purposes, which is based on the date of transfer of beneficial ownership of the New GM Securities to the GUC Trust from MLC (which occurred on March 31, 2011 for a substantial majority of the previously held New GM Securities).

It is the view of the GUC Trust Administrator, after consultation with the GUC Trust Monitor and other professionals retained by the GUC Trust, that the calculation methodologies described above, on the basis of which Distributable Cash (including Dividend Cash) is set aside from distribution, generally estimate the projected liquidation and administrative costs and potential liabilities of the GUC Trust on a conservative basis. Accordingly, it is the view of the GUC Trust Administrator and the GUC Trust Monitor that the Distributable Cash currently set aside from distribution to fund such costs and liabilities would be sufficient to satisfy such obligations of the GUC Trust as of the date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. However, there can be no assurance that the amount of Distributable Cash set aside will be sufficient to fund such costs and liabilities as they are actually incurred. In addition, there can be no assurance that, as a result of future evaluations, additional Distributable Cash will not need to be set aside or appropriated to fund additional costs and liabilities, beyond those that are currently included in the GUC Trust’s estimates, in particular as a result of changes in the GUC Trust’s estimates of projected costs and potential liabilities. See “Liquidity and Capital Resources” below.

 

31


Table of Contents

GUC Trust Units

As of December 31 and March 31, 2020, there were 32,086,501 of outstanding GUC Trust Units. As described above, there were no remaining Disputed General Unsecured Claims or Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims as of December 31 and March 31, 2020 and, accordingly, no additional GUC Trust Units will be issued. The number of outstanding GUC Trust Units does not equal the amount of Allowed General Unsecured Claims on a 1 to 1,000 basis because of additional GUC Trust Units that were issued due to rounding.

Liquidity and Capital Resources

The GUC Trust’s sources of liquidity are principally the funds it holds for the payment of liquidation and administrative costs, and to a significantly lesser degree, the earnings on such funds invested by it. In addition, as a result of the liquidation of all the GUC Trust’s holdings of New GM Securities during the quarter ended September 30, 2015, the GUC Trust holds Distributable Cash for distribution to GUC Trust beneficiaries. The GUC Trust holds such funds primarily in U.S. Treasury bills, as permitted by the Plan and the GUC Trust Agreement.

During the nine months ended December 31, 2020, the GUC Trust’s holdings of cash and cash equivalents decreased approximately $35.8 million from approximately $42.8 million to approximately $7.0 million. The decrease was primarily due to cash paid for liquidating distributions of $299.9 million and professional fees, governance costs and other administrative costs of $18.4 million, largely offset by cash received from the sale of marketable securities in excess of reinvestments of $280.4 million, along with interest income received on such marketable securities of $2.1 million.

During the nine months ended December 31, 2020, the funds invested by the GUC Trust in marketable securities decreased approximately $280.4 million, from approximately $392.8 million to approximately $112.4 million. The decrease was primarily due to the maturities and sale of marketable securities to fund the payments of liquidating distributions during the period. The GUC Trust earned on the accrual basis approximately $0.8 million in interest income on such investments during the period.

As of December 31, 2020, the GUC Trust held approximately $119.4 million in cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities. Of such amount, approximately $91.5 million relates to Distributable Cash (including Dividend Cash), a portion of which the GUC Trust Administrator is permitted to set aside from distribution and to appropriate with the approval of the Bankruptcy Court or Trust Monitor, as applicable, in order to fund additional costs as they become due. Included in Distributable Cash as of December 31, 2020, is approximately $2.6 million of Dividend Cash. As described above, Dividend Cash will be distributed to holders of GUC Trust Units in respect of Distributable Cash that they receive, except to the extent such dividends are in respect of Distributable Cash that is appropriated by the GUC Trust in accordance with the GUC Trust Agreement to fund the GUC Trust’s liquidation and administrative costs, any income tax liabilities or shortfalls in Residual Wind-Down Assets.

As of December 31, 2020, Distributable Cash (including Dividend Cash) held by the GUC Trust was set aside as follows: (a) $2.5 million for liquidating distributions payable (exclusive of distributions payable to holders of GUC Trust Units) as of that date, and (b) $32.8 million to fund projected liquidation and administrative costs. See “Net Assets in Liquidation—Distributable Assets” above.

In addition to Distributable Cash (including Dividend Cash), the GUC Trust held approximately $27.9 million in cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities as of December 31, 2020, representing funds held for payment of costs of liquidation and administration and other liabilities. Of that amount, approximately $1.3 million (comprising approximately $0.2 million of the remaining Residual Wind-Down Assets, approximately $1.0 million of the remaining Administrative Fund and approximately $0.1 million in remaining funds designated for the Indenture Trustee / Fiscal and Paying Agent Costs) is required by the GUC Trust Agreement to be returned, upon the winding-up of the GUC Trust, to the DIP Lenders to the extent such funds are not utilized to satisfy designated Wind-Down Costs, Residual Wind-Down Claims and Costs and Indenture Trustee / Fiscal Paying Agent Costs. Cash and cash equivalents remaining in the Administrative Fund have been designated for the satisfaction of certain specifically identified costs and liabilities of the GUC Trust, and such amounts may not be used for the payment of GUC Trust Professionals’ fees and expenses or other Wind-Down Costs. Such amounts will not at any time be available for distribution to the holders of the GUC Trust Units. The balance of cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities of approximately $26.6 million is available for the payment of certain reporting and administrative costs and other obligations of the GUC Trust, and would be available in the future for distribution to the holders of the GUC Trust Units, if not otherwise used to satisfy those expected costs. See “Liquidation and Administrative Costs” above.

 

32


Table of Contents

There is no assurance that additional amounts of Distributable Cash will not be required to be set aside from distribution and appropriated to fund additional costs and income tax liabilities, beyond what the GUC Trust Administrator has already set aside. Any appropriation of Distributable Cash that occurs to fund such obligations will result in a lesser amount of Distributable Cash available for distribution to holders of GUC Trust Units. In addition, as described above under the headings “Functions and Responsibilities of the GUC Trust—Residual Wind-Down Claims and Costs” and “Functions and Responsibilities of the GUC Trust—Other Assets Received from MLC on the Dissolution Date,” a portion of the GUC Trust’s assets are currently segregated pursuant to the GUC Trust Agreement for the satisfaction of Residual Wind-Down Claims and certain other specified costs. If such assets are insufficient to satisfy the Residual Wind-Down Claims or fund such other specified costs for any reason, the GUC Trust Administrator will similarly be required to set aside from distribution and appropriate additional amounts of Distributable Cash in order to fund such shortfall.

Forward-Looking Statements

This Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q contains forward-looking statements about the assets, financial condition and prospects of the GUC Trust. Actual results could differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements because of various risks and uncertainties, including, without limitation, the GUC Trust’s incurrence of professional fees and other expenses in connection with administration of the GUC Trust, changes in tax and other governmental rules and regulations applicable to the GUC Trust, and other risks. Some of these risks and uncertainties are beyond the ability of the GUC Trust to control, and in many cases, risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by the forward-looking statements cannot be predicted. These forward-looking statements should therefore be considered in light of various important factors, including those set forth in the GUC Trust’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2020 and those set forth in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. When used in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, the words “believes,” “estimates,” “plans,” “expects,” “intends,” and “anticipates” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements.

Glossary

The capitalized terms used in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q but not otherwise defined shall have the respective meanings set forth below. For additional information on any of the matters relating to such terms, see the disclosure in the notes to the financial statements filed with this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and in the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the GUC Trust with the SEC on June 12, 2012.

“Administrative Fund” means the cash contributed to the GUC Trust to be held and maintained by the GUC Trust Administrator for the purpose of paying the Wind-Down Costs.

“Allowed General Unsecured Claims” means the general unsecured claims against the Debtors that are allowed at any given time.

“Amended Settlement Agreement” means the agreement entered into on May 1, 2020 to amend the Settlement Agreement to allow the Avoidance Action Trust to become a party to the settlement.

“Avoidance Action Defense Costs” means certain reasonable costs, fees and expenses which the GUC Trust is obligated to satisfy relating to defending the Term Loan Avoidance Action, subject to the right of the GUC Trust to seek disgorgement in accordance with the terms of the Plan.

“Avoidance Action Trust” means the trust established under the Plan for the purpose of holding and prosecuting the Term Loan Avoidance Action.

“Avoidance Action Trust Administrator” means Wilmington Trust Company, not in its individual capacity but solely in its capacity as the trustee and trust administrator of the Avoidance Action Trust.

“Bankruptcy Code” means title 11 of the United States Code.

“Bankruptcy Court” means the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York.

“Claimant” means, for purposes of the rules that govern Disputed Ownership Funds, a person who claims ownership of, in whole or in part, property immediately before and immediately after such property is transferred to a Disputed Ownership Fund.

“Closing Date” means July 10, 2009, the date on which the sale of substantially all of the assets of Old GM pursuant to the MSPA was completed. “Committee” means the Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of the Debtors appointed by the Office of the United States Trustee in the chapter 11 cases of the Debtors.

 

33


Table of Contents

“Debtors” means MLC and its affiliated debtors and debtors-in-possession.

“DIP Lenders” means the United States Department of Treasury and the Governments of Canada and Ontario, through Export Development Canada.

“Disputed General Unsecured Claims” means the general unsecured claims against the Debtors that are disputed as of the Effective Date and does not include any Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims.

“Dissolution Date” means December 15, 2011, the date that MLC filed a Certificate of Dissolution with the Secretary of State of Delaware and was dissolved.

“Distributable Cash” means the amount of cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities held for distribution to GUC Trust beneficiaries and includes Dividend Cash.

“District Court” means the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York.

“Dividend Cash” means the amount of cash and cash equivalents and marketable securities held by the GUC Trust that relates to dividends received by the GUC Trust on New GM Common Stock previously held by the GUC Trust.

“Dividend Taxes” means federal income taxes incurred in respect of dividends received by the GUC Trust on New GM Common Stock then previously held by the GUC Trust.

“Economic Loss Plaintiffs” means plaintiffs asserting economic loss claims who, prior to the Closing Date, owned or leased a vehicle with an ignition switch defect included in NHTSA Recall No. 14V-047 and plaintiffs asserting economic loss claims who, prior to the Closing Date, owned or leased vehicles with defects in ignition switches, side airbags, or power steering included in NHTSA Recall Nos. 14V-355, 14V-394, 14V-400, 14V-118 and 14V-153.

“Effective Date” means March 31, 2011, the date that the Plan became effective.

“Excess GUC Trust Distributable Assets” means (i) Distributable Cash (previously New GM Securities) and Dividend Cash associated with such Distributable Cash (only if and to the extent such Distributable Cash (or New GM Securities) and Dividend Cash (a) are not required for the satisfaction of new Allowed General Unsecured Claims and (b) have not been set aside from distribution to fund projected liquidation and administrative costs, Dividend Taxes, Investment Income Taxes or Taxes on Distribution of the GUC Trust) and (ii) Other Administrative Cash available, if any, for distribution to the holders of GUC Trust Units.

“Five Year Rule” means the five year period after capital losses are incurred for which such losses may be carried forward by corporations under U.S. tax rules.

“GUC Trust” means the Motors Liquidation Company GUC Trust.

“GUC Trust Administrator” means Wilmington Trust Company, not in its individual capacity but solely in its capacity as trust administrator and trustee of the GUC Trust.

“GUC Trust Agreement” means the Second Amended and Restated Motors Liquidation Company GUC Trust Agreement, dated as of July 30, 2015.

“GUC Trust Monitor” means FTI Consulting, Inc., solely in its capacity as trust monitor of the GUC Trust.

“GUC Trust Professionals” means the professionals engaged by the GUC Trust Administrator to assist in the administration of the GUC Trust.

“GUC Trust Units” means the units of beneficial interests in the GUC Trust distributed to holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims in proportion to the amount of their claims subject to certain rounding rules set forth in the Plan and the GUC Trust Agreement. Each GUC Trust Unit represents the contingent right to receive a pro rata share of the Excess GUC Trust Distributable Assets.

“Ignition Switch Economic Loss Actions” means the various actions (including putative class actions) filed by various plaintiffs against New GM and/or the GUC Trust seeking compensatory and other damages and other relief for economic losses allegedly resulting from the Ignition Switch Recall, or the underlying condition of the vehicles subject to the Ignition Switch Recall.

 

34


Table of Contents

“Ignition Switch Personal Injury Actions” means the various actions (including putative class actions) filed by various plaintiffs against New GM and/or the GUC Trust seeking compensatory and other damages and other relief for personal injury and other claims allegedly arising from accidents that occurred as a result of the underlying condition of the vehicles subject to the Ignition Switch Recall.

“Ignition Switch Recall” means the ignition switch-related recalls initiated by New GM in February and March 2014, NHTSA Recall No. 14v047.

“Indenture Trustee / Fiscal and Paying Agent Costs” means certain costs, fees and expenses payable under the Plan to the indenture trustees and fiscal and paying agents for the previously outstanding debt of MLC.

“Initial Reporting Cash” means the proceeds of approximately $5.7 million from the sale by the GUC Trust of New GM Securities shortly after the Effective Date, expressly authorized by the GUC Trust Agreement for the purposes of funding Reporting Costs.

“Investment Income Taxes” means federal income taxes incurred in respect of investment income earned by the GUC Trust on cash equivalents and marketable securities held, or previously held, by the GUC Trust.

“IRS” means the Internal Revenue Service.

“Late Claims Motions” means the motions filed in the Bankruptcy Court, seeking permission to file late claims against the GUC Trust, by plaintiffs in the Ignition Switch Economic Loss Actions and Ignition Switch Personal Injury Actions.

“Liquidation Order” means the Bankruptcy Court’s order dated July 2, 2015 pursuant to which the Bankruptcy Court approved the conversion of the GUC Trust’s holdings of New GM Securities into cash.

“Loss Carryovers” means capital loss carryovers and net operating loss carryovers of the GUC Trust.

“Loss Succession Rule” means, under Treasury Regulation Section 1.468B-9(C)(6), each Claimant is entitled to succeed to and take into account a portion of any unused Loss Carryovers upon termination of the GUC Trust.

“MDL Court” means, with respect to case number 14-MD-2543 (JMF), the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. “MDL Proceeding” means the actions that have been transferred to and consolidated under the case number 14-MD-2543 (JMF) and are pending before the MDL Court, including certain Recall-Related Actions.

“MLC” means Motors Liquidation Company, which dissolved on December 15, 2011.

“MSPA” means the Master Sale and Purchase Agreement dated as of July 10, 2009, by and among Old GM, certain of its debtor subsidiaries and NGMCO, Inc., as amended.

“New GM” means General Motors Company, together with its consolidated subsidiaries.

“New GM Common Stock” means the common stock of General Motors Company, including with respect to New GM Common Stock that has been set aside from distribution, reserved, or sold and any Dividend Cash related to such New GM Common Stock.

“New GM Securities” means the New GM Common Stock and the New GM Warrants (including with respect to New GM Common Stock and

New GM Warrants that had been set aside from distribution, reserved or sold, and any Dividend Cash related to such New GM Common Stock).

“New GM Series A Warrants” means the warrants to acquire shares of New GM Common Stock at an exercise price of $10.00 per share that were scheduled to expire on July 10, 2016.

“New GM Series B Warrants” means the warrants to acquire shares of New GM Common Stock at an exercise price of $18.33 per share that were scheduled to expire on July 10, 2019.

 

35


Table of Contents

“New GM Warrants” means the New GM Series A Warrants and the New GM Series B Warrants. “Old GM” means MLC, formerly known as General Motors Corporation.

“Other Administrative Cash” means the amount of cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities held by the GUC Trust that relates to proceeds from the sale of New GM Securities or appropriated Distributable Cash that had been set aside from distribution to fund the current or projected liquidation and other administrative costs or income tax liabilities of the GUC Trust, plus (a) any Dividend Cash related to New GM Common Stock so sold or Distributable Cash so appropriated and (b) investment income earned on marketable securities and cash equivalents.

“Personal Injury Actions” means the various actions (including putative class actions) filed by various plaintiffs against New GM seeking compensatory and other damages for personal injury and other claims allegedly arising from accidents that occurred as a result of the underlying condition of the vehicles subject to the recalls initiated by New GM.

“Plan” means the Debtors’ Second Amended Joint Chapter 11 Plan, filed with the Bankruptcy Court on March 18, 2011.

“QSF” means Qualified Settlement Fund under applicable regulations of the United States Department of Treasury.

“Recall-Related Actions” means, collectively, the Ignition Switch Economic Loss Actions and the Personal Injury Actions.

“Reporting Costs” means fees, costs and expenses of the GUC Trust directly or indirectly relating to (i) reports to be prepared and filed by the GUC Trust pursuant to applicable rules, regulations and interpretations of the SEC, (ii) the transfer, registration for transfer and certification of GUC Trust Units, (iii) the application by the Committee to the IRS for a private letter ruling regarding the tax treatment of the GUC Trust and the holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims in respect of the distribution of New GM Securities and (iv) certain legal proceedings relating to the Term Loan Avoidance Action.

“Residual Wind-Down Assets” means the funds remaining of the approximately $42.8 million in cash and prepaid expenses transferred by MLC to the GUC Trust on the Dissolution Date to satisfy the Residual Wind-Down Claims and Residual Wind-Down Costs (which amount consisted of approximately $40.0 million in cash, including approximately $1.4 million for Avoidance Action Defense Costs, and the transferred benefit of approximately $2.8 million in prepaid expenses).

“Residual Wind-Down Claims” means all disputed administrative expenses, priority tax claims, priority non-tax claims, and secured claims against the Debtors that were remaining as of the Dissolution Date and are not resolved at a given time.

“Residual Wind-Down Costs” means certain costs, fees and expenses relating to satisfying and resolving the Residual Wind-Down Claims. “Resolved Allowed Claims” means the Resolved Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims and the Resolved Disputed Claims.

“Resolved Disputed Claims” means previously Disputed General Unsecured Claims that are subsequently allowed.

“Resolved Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims” means the Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims that are subsequently allowed as a result of recoveries by the Avoidance Action Trust pursuant to the Term Loan Avoidance Action.

“SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

“Settlement Agreement” means the agreement entered into on March 27, 2020 for a settlement with the Economic Loss Plaintiffs and New GM providing for the following key terms: (i) the GUC Trust shall pay $50 million in settlement consideration in return for a release from all class members asserting a Recall Related Action based on economic loss against the GUC Trust; (ii) the GUC Trust shall be entitled to make a $300 million Excess Distribution to its Unitholders; and (iii) the GUC Trust shall release any and all potential claims against New GM, including the ability to seek the Adjustment Shares.

“Taxes on Distribution” means federal income taxes incurred in respect of any capital gains realized upon the sale or distribution of New GM Securities to holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims or GUC Trust Units.

“Term Loan Avoidance Action” means the legal action styled as Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Motors Liquidation Co. v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., et al., Adv. Pro. No. 09-00504 (Bankr. S.D.N.Y. July 31, 2009).

“Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims” means the potential Allowed General Unsecured Claims that will arise in the amount of any recovery of proceeds if the Avoidance Action Trust Administrator is successful in its prosecution of the Term Loan Avoidance Action. For the avoidance of doubt, as used in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, the amounts of “Disputed General Unsecured Claims” do not include any Term Loan Avoidance Action Claims.

 

36


Table of Contents

“Trust Beneficiaries” means the beneficiaries of the GUC Trust, who are future holders and, to the extent their liquidating distributions have not yet been paid to them, current holders of Allowed General Unsecured Claims and future and current holders of GUC Trust Units.

“Wind-Down Costs” means certain fees and expenses incurred by the GUC Trust, including fees of the GUC Trust Administrator and the GUC Trust Monitor and the fees and expenses for other professionals retained by the GUC Trust, other than Reporting Costs.

Item 3. Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk.

Disclosure under this item is not required, pursuant to the no-action letter of the SEC to the GUC Trust dated May 23, 2012.

Item 4. Controls and Procedures.

During the fiscal period covered by this report, the management of the GUC Trust, with the participation of the Administrative Vice President of the GUC Trust Administrator, completed an evaluation of the effectiveness of the design and operation of the GUC Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended). Based on this evaluation, the GUC Trust’s management, including that Administrative Vice President of the GUC Trust Administrator, has concluded that, as of the end of the fiscal period covered by this report, the GUC Trust’s disclosure controls and procedures were effective. There were no material changes in the GUC Trust’s internal control over financial reporting during the fiscal period covered by this report.

PART II—OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1. Legal Proceedings

General Motors Product Recalls

Since the beginning of 2014, New GM has recalled millions of vehicles due to defective ignition switches, including, but not limited to, the Ignition Switch Recall, and has recalled millions of additional vehicles to address certain electrical and other safety concerns, including other defects related to the ignition switch. Many of the vehicles affected by the foregoing recalls were manufactured or sold prior to July 10, 2009, or the Closing Date, the date on which the sale of substantially all of the assets of Old GM pursuant to the MSPA was completed.

Since June 2014, Recall-Related Actions have been transferred to the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York, or the MDL Court, and have been consolidated into a single case, case number 14-MD-2543 (JMF), or the MDL Proceeding. Recall-Related Actions pending in state court have been consolidated in a separate state multi-district litigation pending in Texas. Over time, New GM has reached various agreements with certain personal injury claimants regarding possible settlement of their claims. The MDL proceedings are ongoing.

Concurrently with the proceedings before the MDL Court, plaintiffs have sought to file claims against the GUC Trust in the Bankruptcy Court on account of Recall-Related Actions. Litigation regarding whether these plaintiffs can file late proofs of claim has been ongoing in the Bankruptcy Court since 2016, and the GUC Trust attempted to settle with the Economic Loss Plaintiffs on three separate occasions. On March 27, 2020, the GUC Trust entered into a settlement with the Economic Loss Plaintiffs and New GM, which was amended on May 1, 2020 to include the Avoidance Action Trust. Key terms of the Amended Settlement Agreement include (i) the GUC Trust shall pay $50 million in settlement consideration in return for a release from all class members asserting a Recall Related Action based on economic loss against the GUC Trust; (ii) the GUC Trust shall be entitled to make a $300 million Excess Distribution to its Unitholders; and (iii) the GUC Trust shall release any and all potential claims against New GM, including the ability to seek the Adjustment Shares. The Amended Settlement Agreement received final approval from the District Court on December 19, 2020, and became a final, non-appealable order on January 19, 2021.

This description is a summary of key terms only, and does not purport to describe all terms of the Amended Settlement Agreement and the Amended Settlement Agreement is incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to the Current Report on Form 8-K filed by the GUC Trust on May 5, 2020.

The Amended Settlement Agreement does not address or resolve claims based upon personal injury and/wrongful death. Litigation surrounding Personal Injury Actions continues in the Bankruptcy Court. On July 23, 2020, the Bankruptcy Court heard oral argument regarding the ability of the remaining personal injury and wrongful death claimants to file late proofs of claim. On July 24,

 

37


Table of Contents

2020, the Bankruptcy Court sustained the GUC Trust’s objection regarding fifty-nine potential Personal Injury Actions plaintiffs and denied their request to file late claims against the GUC Trust. On August 11, 2020, the Bankruptcy Court denied the twenty remaining potential Personal Injury Actions plaintiffs’ request to file late claims against the GUC Trust. There are no remaining Personal Injury Actions pending before the Bankruptcy Court, and the August 11, 2020 Bankruptcy Court order has become a final order.

Other Matter

On July 22, 2020, the GUC Trust filed a motion seeking authority to reimburse certain unaffiliated holders of GUC Trust Units for fees and expenses incurred through May 2020 totaling in excess of $8.0 million, plus additional reimbursement amounts that may be incurred. On August 7, 2020, the Bankruptcy Court entered an order approving such reimbursement. During the quarters ended September 30 and December 31, 2020, the GUC Trust paid an aggregate of $8.7 million on account of such reimbursements.

Other than the foregoing, during the quarter ended December 31, 2020, no material changes occurred with respect to any legal proceedings relating to the GUC Trust, as compared to the disclosures included in the GUC Trust’s prior filings with the SEC.

Item 1A. Risk Factors.

If the remaining liquidation period exceeds current estimates, Wind-Down and Reporting and Transfer Costs are likely to exceed amounts accrued as of December 31, 2020.

The remaining liquidation period of the GUC Trust is anticipated to conclude in March 2021. The GUC Trust had an initial stated term of three years from the Effective Date. The Bankruptcy Court has entered orders extending the duration of the GUC Trust to March 31, 2021. The GUC Trust is required by the GUC Trust Agreement to continue its existence until the date on which all distributable assets of the GUC Trust have been distributed and the liquidation and wind-down of MLC and its debtor subsidiaries has been completed. The GUC Trust will remain under the jurisdiction of the Bankruptcy Court throughout the term of its existence. While it is not currently anticipated that the GUC Trust will be required to seek further approval to extend its term as it is anticipated that the distribution of assets and wind-down will be completed by March 31, 2021, it is possible that this will not occur and that the remaining liquidation period will extend beyond March 31, 2021. If the GUC Trust is required to seek another extension of the term and such request is approved by the Bankruptcy Court, and if the remaining liquidation period extends beyond March 31, 2021, additional Wind-Down Costs and Reporting and Transfer Costs are likely to be incurred in continuing the operations of the GUC Trust beyond those accrued as of December 31, 2020.

No assurance may be given that claims relating to accidents or other incidents, including recalls involving General Motors vehicles manufactured or sold prior to July 10, 2009, and/or settlements previously reached with plaintiffs asserting such claims, will not adversely affect the GUC Trust, its assets or the Plan.

Since the beginning of 2014, New GM has recalled millions of vehicles due to defective ignition switches, including, but not limited to, the Ignition Switch Recall, and has recalled millions of additional vehicles to address certain electrical and other safety concerns, including other defects related to the ignition switch. Many of the vehicles affected by the foregoing recalls were manufactured or sold prior to July 10, 2009, or the Closing Date, the date on which the sale of substantially all of the assets of Old GM pursuant to the MSPA was completed.

Since June 2014, Recall-Related Actions have been transferred to the United States District Court of the Southern District of New York, or the MDL Court, and have been consolidated into a single case, case number 14-MD-2543 (JMF), or the MDL Proceeding. Recall-Related Actions pending in state court have been consolidated in a separate state multi-district litigation pending in Texas. Over time, New GM has reached various agreements with certain personal injury claimants regarding possible settlement of their claims. The MDL proceedings are ongoing.

Concurrently with the proceedings before the MDL Court, plaintiffs have sought to file claims against the GUC Trust in the Bankruptcy Court on account of Recall-Related Actions. Litigation regarding whether these plaintiffs can file late proofs of claim has been ongoing in the Bankruptcy Court since 2016, and the GUC Trust attempted to settle with the Economic Loss Plaintiffs on three separate occasions. On March 27, 2020, the GUC Trust entered into a settlement with the Economic Loss Plaintiffs and New GM, which was amended on May 1, 2020 to include the Avoidance Action Trust. Key terms of the Amended Settlement Agreement include (i) the GUC Trust shall pay $50 million in settlement consideration in return for a release from all class members asserting a Recall Related Action based on economic loss against the GUC Trust; (ii) the GUC Trust shall be entitled to make a $300 million Excess Distribution to its Unitholders; and (iii) the GUC Trust shall release any and all potential claims against New GM, including the ability to seek the Adjustment Shares. The Amended Settlement Agreement received final approval from the District Court on December 19, 2020, and became a final, non-appealable order on January 19, 2021.

 

38


Table of Contents

The Amended Settlement Agreement does not address or resolve claims based upon personal injury and/wrongful death. Litigation surrounding Personal Injury Actions continues in the Bankruptcy Court. On July 23, 2020, the Bankruptcy Court heard oral argument regarding the ability of the remaining personal injury and wrongful death claimants to file late proofs of claim. On July 24, 2020, the Bankruptcy Court sustained the GUC Trust’s objection regarding fifty-nine potential Personal Injury Actions plaintiffs and denied their request to file late claims against the GUC Trust. On August 11, 2020, the Bankruptcy Court denied the twenty remaining potential Personal Injury Actions plaintiffs’ request to file late claims against the GUC Trust. There are no remaining Personal Injury Actions pending before the Bankruptcy Court, and the August 11, 2020 Bankruptcy Court order has become a final order.

Other than the foregoing, there have been no material changes regarding risk factors from what was previously included in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended March 31, 2020 filed with the SEC on June 3, 2020.

Item 2. Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds.

Disclosure under this item is not required, pursuant to the no-action letter of the SEC to the GUC Trust dated May 23, 2012.

Item 3. Defaults Upon Senior Securities.

Disclosure under this item is not required, pursuant to the no-action letter of the SEC to the GUC Trust dated May 23, 2012.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

Not applicable.

Item 5. Other Information.

None.

Item 6. Exhibits.

 

Exhibit
No.

  

Description

31*    Rule 13a-14(a) Certification
32**    Section 1350 Certification
101*    Interactive Data Files

 

*

filed herewith

**

furnished herewith

 

39


Table of Contents

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

Date: February 12, 2021

 

MOTORS LIQUIDATION COMPANY GUC TRUST
By:   Wilmington Trust Company, not in its individual capacity, but solely in its capacity as trust administrator and trustee of the Motors Liquidation Company GUC Trust
By:  

/s/ David A. Vanaskey Jr.

Name:   David A. Vanaskey Jr.
Title:   Administrative Vice President of Wilmington Trust Company

 

 

40