Commitments and Contingencies |
9 Months Ended |
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Sep. 30, 2024 | |
| Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] | |
| Commitments and Contingencies | Commitments and Contingencies Commitments
In connection with the commencement of the Company's Bentonville, Arkansas and Michigan leases in 2022, the Company issued standby letters of credit of $9.5 million and $1.1 million, respectively, which are included in restricted cash within the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets as of September 30, 2024. The letters of credit have 5 year and 13 year terms, respectively, and will not be drawn upon unless the Company fails to make its payments.
Refer to Note 11 for information regarding the lease arrangements.
Legal Proceedings
From time to time, the Company may become subject to legal proceedings, claims and litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. Some of these claims, lawsuits and other proceedings may involve highly complex issues that are subject to substantial uncertainties, and could result in damages, fines, penalties, non-monetary sanctions or relief. Refer to Part II. Item I for additional disclosures on certain legal proceedings.
On April 2, 2021, and April 9, 2021, the Company was named as a defendant in putative class action complaints filed in California on behalf of individuals who purchased or acquired shares of the Company’s stock during a specified period. Through the complaint, plaintiffs are seeking, among other things, compensatory damages. On February 28, 2023, the court granted the Company’s motion to dismiss with leave to amend. On March 10, 2023, the lead plaintiff filed a second amended consolidated complaint. On April 10, 2023, the court entered a stipulated order granting the lead plaintiff leave to file a third amended consolidated complaint and relieving defendants of any obligation to respond to the second amended consolidated complaint. The lead plaintiff filed a third amended consolidated complaint on September 8, 2023,
and defendants subsequently filed a motion to dismiss the third amended consolidated complaint. On January 4, 2024, the lead plaintiff filed his opposition to the defendants’ motion to dismiss. On February 1, 2024, the defendants filed their reply in support of the motion to dismiss. On May 10, 2024, the court entered an order placing the motion to dismiss under submission and taking the hearing on the motion off calendar. The final determinations of liability arising from these litigation matters will only be made following comprehensive investigations and litigation processes.
In March 2022, the Company received demand letters on behalf of shareholders of the Company identifying purchases and sales of the Company’s securities within a period of less than six months by DD Global Holdings Ltd. (“DDG”) that resulted in profits in violation of Section 16(b) of the Exchange Act. On May 9, 2022, the Company brought an action against DDG in the Southern District of New York seeking the disgorgement of the Section 16(b) profits obtained by DDG from such purchases and sales. In the action, the Company seeks to recover an estimated $61.1 million of Section 16(b) profits. In September 2022, the Company filed an amended complaint and DDG filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint. On September 21, 2023, the court issued a decision denying DDG's motion to dismiss. DDG's answer to the complaint was filed on October 19, 2023. An initial pretrial conference was held on January 12, 2024, and the court entered the case management order that day. In October 2024, a settlement in principle was reached and the parties are negotiating the settlement agreement.
On January 16, 2024, the Company was named as a defendant in an action for damages and injunctive relief filed in the Southern District of New York by an affiliated party to DD Global Holdings Ltd., Champ Key Limited ("Champ Key"). The complaint alleges that the Company breached a registration rights agreement and violated Delaware law (6 Del. C. Section 8-401) when the Company refused in November 2022 to remove the restrictive legends on 17.2 million shares of Common Stock owned by Champ Key, thereby preventing Champ Key from selling the shares of Common Stock. The complaint alleges claims for breach of contract, violation of Delaware law, and seeks injunctive relief, compensatory damages in excess of $23.0 million and punitive damages, interests, costs of suit and attorneys’ fees. On March 1, 2024, the Company filed an answer and affirmative defenses to the complaint. An initial pretrial conference was held on May 14, 2024 and the court entered a case management schedule that day. Fact discovery is ongoing. In October 2024, a settlement in principle was reached and the parties are negotiating the settlement agreement.
On July 8, 2024, the Company, Canoo Sales, LLC and Canoo Technologies Inc. were each named as defendants, as well as additional employee staffing company defendants, in a putative class action complaint filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of individuals who are alleged to be employees of the defendants. Plaintiffs’ counsel alleges violations under certain California state employment related claims on behalf of the putative class, including, among other things, unpaid compensation, failure to provide employees meal and rest periods, unpaid minimum and overtime wages and unreimbursed business expenses. The Company has retained counsel and has entered into a joint defense agreement with employee staffing company defendants. The defendants are currently reviewing the merits of the complaint. The final determinations of liability arising from this litigation matter will only be made following comprehensive investigations and litigation processes.
Indemnifications
In the ordinary course of business, the Company may provide indemnifications of varying scope and terms to vendors, lessors, investors, directors, officers, employees and other parties with respect to certain matters, including, but not limited to, losses arising out of the Company’s breach of such agreements, services to be provided by the Company, or from intellectual property infringement claims made by third-parties. These indemnifications may survive termination of the underlying agreement and the maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these indemnification provisions may not be subject to maximum loss clauses. The Company provided indemnifications to certain of its officers and employees with respect to claims filed by a former employee.
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