UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-Q

 

QUARTERLY SCHEDULE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS OF REGISTERED

MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES

 

Investment Company Act file number: 811-22299

 

RENN FUND, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in charter)

 

 

 

  8080 N. Central Expressway, Suite 210, Dallas, TX 75206  
  (Address of principal executive offices) (Zip Code)  

 

 

 

Russell Cleveland

8080 N. Central Expressway, Suite 210 LB 59

Dallas, TX 75206

(Name and address of agent for service)

 

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (214) 891-8294

 

Date of fiscal year end: December 31

 

Date of reporting period: September 30, 2016

 

 

Form N-Q is to be used by management investment companies, other than small business investment companies registered on Form N-5 (§§ 239.24 and 274.5 of this chapter), to file reports with the Commission, not later than 60 days after the close of the first and third fiscal quarters, pursuant to rule 30b1-5 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (17 CFR 270.30b1-5). The Commission may use the information provided on Form N-Q in its regulatory, disclosure review, inspection, and policymaking roles.

 

A registrant is required to disclose the information specified by Form N-Q, and the Commission will make this information public. A registrant is not required to respond to the collection of information contained in Form N-Q unless the Form displays a currently valid Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”) control number. Please direct comments concerning the accuracy of the information collection burden estimate and any suggestions for reducing the burden to the Secretary, Securities and Exchange Commission, 450 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20549-0609. The OMB has reviewed this collection of information under the clearance requirements of 44 U.S.C § 3507.

 

 

 

 

RENN Fund, Inc.

Schedule of Investments

Third Quarter Report

September 30, 2016 (Unaudited)

  

Item 1. SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

Unaffiliated Investments

 

Shares or Principal
Amount
   Company  Cost   Value(5) 
    CONVERTIBLE BONDS – 0.04% (3)(4)(6)        
    Crude Petroleum & Natural Gas – 0.04%        
$1,000,000   PetroHunter Energy Corporation 8.5%  MaturityDecember 31, 2014  $1,000,000   $3,000 
     Total Unaffiliated Convertible Bonds   1,000,000    3,000 
                
                
     COMMON EQUITIES – 57.52% (3)(4)          
     Telecommunications – 4.01%          
 1,500,000     APIVIO Systems, Inc.   482,799    300,000 
                
     Crude Petroleum & Natural Gas – 0.00%          
 808,445   PetroHunter Energy Corporation   101,056    242 
                
     Medicinal Chemicals and Botanical Products – 4.64%          
 193,070       FitLife Brands, Inc.   9,131,687    347,526 
                
      Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus – 48.88%          
 700,000   Bovie Medical Corporation   1,610,358    3,661,000 
                
     Total Unaffiliated Common Equities   11,325,900    4,308,768 
                
     TOTAL UNAFFILIATED INVESTMENTS  $12,325,900   $4,311,768 

  

Aggregate Gross Unrealized Appreciation of all Unaffiliated Securities   2,050,642     
Aggregate Gross Unrealized Depreciation of all Unaffiliated Securities  $(10,064,774)     
Net Unrealized Appreciation/Depreciation of all Unaffiliated Securities  $(8,014,132)     

 

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RENN Fund, Inc.

Schedule of Investments

Third Quarter Report

September 30, 2016 (Unaudited)

 

SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS

Affiliated Investments

 

Shares or Principal
Amount
   Company  Cost   Value(5) 
             
     CONVERTIBLE PREFERRED EQUITIES – 9.84% (1)(2)(3)(4)          
     Communications Service  NEC – 9.84%          
233,229     AnchorFree, Inc. Series A Convertible Preferred  $419,812   $737,004 
                
     Total Affiliated Other Securities   419,812    737,004 
                
     COMMON EQUITIES – 0.60% (1)(2)(3)(4)          
     Communications Service  NEC – 0.60%          
 15,023     AnchorFree, Inc. Common Stock   92,971    44,769 
                
     TOTAL AFFILIATED INVESTMENTS   512,783    781,773 
     TOTAL UNAFFILIATED INVESTMENTS   12,325,900    4,311,768 
     TOTAL INVESTMENTS  $12,838,683   $5,093,541 
     OTHER ASSETS AND LIABILITIES – 32.00%        2,396,811 
     TOTAL NET ASSETS       $7,490,352 

 

 

 

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RENN Fund, Inc.

Schedule of Investments

Third Quarter Report

September 30, 2016 (Unaudited)

 

Name of Issuer and Title of Issue 

Number of

Shares

  

Amount of

Equity in Net

Profit and Loss

for the Period

  

Amount of

Dividends or

Interest

  

Value(5)

09/30/16

 

AnchorFree, Inc.(1)

Preferred A Equity

   233,229   $0   $0   $737,004 
                     

AnchorFree, Inc. .(1)

Common Stock

   15,023   $0   $0   $44,769 
                     

Total Restricted and/or Controlled Securities

       $0   $0   $781,773 

 

 

(1)Securities in a privately owned company.

 

(2)“Affiliated,” generally means that the Fund (and/or affiliated funds) has a director on issuer’s board and/or the Fund owns more than 5% of the issuer’s voting shares.

 

(3)Non-Income Producing.

 

(4)Percentage is calculated as a percentage of net assets.

 

(5)See Fair Value Measurements. See Page 4.

 

(6)The PetroHunter Energy Corporation (“PetroHunter”) note is in default as of December 31, 2014. The note is valued on an as converted basis consistent with prior years, using PetroHunter’s observable stock price of $0.0003.

 

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RENN Fund, Inc.

Third Quarter Report

September 31, 2016 (Unaudited)

 

Fair Value Measurements

 

RENN Capital Group, Inc. (“RENN Group”), a Texas corporation, serves as the Investment Adviser to RENN Fund, Inc. (“the “Fund”). RENN Group is a registered investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended. The Fund, a Texas corporation, is a registered, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 

Investments are carried in the statements of assets and liabilities at fair value, as determined in good faith by RENN Group, subject to the approval of the Fund’s Board of Directors. The fair values reported are subject to various risk including changes in the equity markets, general economic conditions, and the financial performance of the companies. Due to the level of risk associated with certain investment securities and the level of uncertainty related to changes in the fair value of investment securities, it is possible that the amounts reported in the accompanying financial statements could change materially in the near term.

 

The Fund generally invests in common securities, preferred securities, convertible and nonconvertible debt securities, and warrants. These securities may be unregistered and thinly-to-moderately traded. Generally, the Fund negotiates registration rights at the time of purchase and the portfolio companies are required to register the shares within a designated period, and the cost of registration is borne by the portfolio company.

 

On a weekly basis, RENN Group prepares a valuation to determine fair value of the investments of the Fund. The Board of Directors approves the valuation on a quarterly basis. Interim board involvement may occur if material issues arise before quarter end. The valuation principles are described below.

 

Unrestricted common stock of companies listed on an exchange, such as the NYSE or NASDAQ, or in the over-the-counter market is valued at the closing price on the date of valuation. Thinly traded unrestricted common stock of companies listed on an exchange, such as the NYSE or NASDAQ, or in the over-the-counter market is valued at the closing price on the date of valuation, less a marketability discount as determined appropriate by the Fund Managers and approved by the Board of Directors.

 

Restricted common stock of companies listed on an exchange, such as the NYSE or NASDAQ, or in the over-the-counter market is valued based on the quoted price for an otherwise identical unrestricted security of the same issuer that trades in a public market, adjusted to reflect the effect of any significant restrictions.

 

The unlisted preferred stock of companies with common stock listed on an exchange, such as the NYSE or NASDAQ, or in the over-the-counter market is valued at the closing price of the common stock into which the preferred stock is convertible on the date of valuation.

 

Debt securities are valued at fair value. The Fund considers, among other things, whether a debt issuer is in default or bankruptcy. It also considers the underlying collateral. Fair value is generally determined to be the greater of the face value of the debt or the market value of the underlying common stock into which the instrument may be converted.

 

The unlisted in-the-money options or warrants of companies with the underlying common stock listed on an exchange, such as the NYSE or NASDAQ, or in the over-the-counter market are valued at fair value (the positive difference between the closing price of the underlying common stock and the strike price of the warrant or option). An out-of-the money warrant or option has no value; thus the Fund assigns no value to it.

 

Investments in privately held entities are valued at fair value. If there is no independent and objective pricing authority (i.e., a public market) for such investments, fair value is based on the latest sale of equity securities to independent third parties. If a private entity does not have an independent value established over an extended period of time, then the Investment Adviser will determine fair value on the basis of appraisal procedures established in good faith and approved by the Board of Directors.

 

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RENN Fund, Inc.

Third Quarter Report

September 31, 2016 (Unaudited)

 

The Fund follows the provisions of Accounting Standards Codification ASC 820, Fair Value Measurements, under which the Fund has established a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the sources (“inputs”) used to measure fair value into three broad levels: inputs based on quoted market prices in active markets (Level 1 inputs); observable inputs based on corroboration with available market data (Level 2 inputs); and unobservable inputs based on uncorroborated market data or a reporting entity’s own assumptions (Level 3 inputs).

 

The following table shows a summary of investments measured at fair value on a recurring basis classified under the appropriate level of fair value hierarchy as of March 31, 2016:

 

   Level 1   Level 2   Level 3   Total 
Convertible Bonds  $0   $3,000   $0   $3,000 
Convertible                    
  Preferred Equities   0    0    737,004    737,004 
Common stock   4,308,768    0    44,769    4,353,537 
Total Investments  $4,308,768   $3,000   $781,773   $5,093,541 

 

The Fund has adopted a policy of recording any transfers of investment securities between the different levels in the fair value hierarchy as of the end of the year unless circumstances dictate otherwise. There were no transfers between levels during the quarter ending September 30, 2016.

 

One portfolio company is being classified as Level 3. AnchorFree, Inc. is a private company and at September 30, 2016, the investment was valued primarily using forecasted revenues and thus qualifies as a Level 3 security.

 

Quantitative Information about Level 3 Fair Value Measurements

 

Portfolio Company
Investment
  Value at
09/30/16
   Valuation Technique  Unobservable Input  Range   Weighted
Average
 
Convertible Preferred  $737,004   Income Approach  Discount Rate   18%   58%   38%
        Market Approach  Revenue Multiple  $0.39   $5.93   $3.91 
        Option Pricing Method  Volatility   22%   65%   44%
Common Stock  $44,769   Income Approach  Discount Rate   18%   58%   38%
        Market Approach  Revenue Multiple  $0.39   $5.93   $3.91 
        Option Pricing Method  Volatility   22%   65%   44%

 

ITEM 2. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

 

(a) The registrant’s principal executive and principal financial officer has concluded that the registrant’s disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30-13(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended) are effective at the reasonable assurance level based on his evaluation of these controls and procedures as of a date within 90 days of the filing date of this document.

 

(b) There were no significant changes in the registrant’s internal control over financial reporting that could significantly affect these controls subsequent to the date of his evaluation, including any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

  

ITEM 3. EXHIBITS.

 

The certification required by Rule 30a-2 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 is attached as an exhibit hereto.

 

EXHIBIT NO. DESCRIPTION OF EXHIBIT
1 (a) (1) Certification of Principal Executive Officer and Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002

 

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RENN Fund, Inc.

Third Quarter Report

September 31, 2016 (Unaudited)

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

 

(Registrant): RENN Fund, Inc.

 

 

  By: /s/ Russell  Cleveland  
    Russell Cleveland  
    Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and President  
  Date: October 27, 2016  

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

 

  By: /s/ Russell Cleveland  
    Russell Cleveland  
    Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and President  
  Date: October 27, 2016  
       

 

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