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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Legal
SEC Inquiry
On January 8, 2021, the Company received a letter from the SEC Division of Enforcement seeking the production of documents in connection with a non-public, fact-finding inquiry by the SEC to determine whether violations of the federal securities laws had occurred. Subsequent to January 8, 2021, the Company received subpoenas for production of documents in connection with this matter. The investigation and requests from the SEC do not represent that the SEC has concluded that the Company or anyone else has violated the federal securities laws. The Company has cooperated and will continue to cooperate with the SEC staff in its investigation and requests. At this time, however, the Company cannot predict the length, scope, or results of the investigation or the impact, if any, of the investigation on the Company's results of operations.
Securities Class Action
On March 16, 2022, a putative securities class action lawsuit was commenced against the Company and certain officers in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida. On July 8, 2022, the lead plaintiffs filed an amended complaint alleging violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"). The allegations pertain to purported false and misleading statements or omissions made between August 12, 2021, and March 1, 2022, which allegedly artificially inflated the Company’s stock price.
In response, the Company and the individual defendants filed a motion to dismiss on August 5, 2022, which was partially granted by the Court on March 22, 2023. On July 17, 2023, the parties notified the court that an agreement in principle had been reached to settle the action on a class-wide basis. The agreement in principle provided for a single cash payment of $7.9 million in exchange for the dismissal with prejudice of all claims asserted against the defendants. The $7.9 million was paid on September 7, 2023 and is included in selling, general and administrative expenses for the year ended December 31, 2023. During the final settlement hearing on January 31, 2024, the court approved the settlement, and the case is now closed.
Derivative Actions
On January 11, 2023, certain of the Company’s directors and present and former officers were named as defendants in a derivative action complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, (the "Lampert Derivative Action"). The Company was named as a nominal defendant. This action asserts claims based on the same conduct underlying the securities class action described above for (i) breach of fiduciary duty, (ii) unjust enrichment, and (iii) violations of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder.
Subsequently, substantially similar derivative action complaints were filed, first on May 19, 2023, against the Company, as a nominal defendant, and certain of the Company's directors and present and former officers in a derivative action in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida, (the "Hammond Derivative Action"). This class action asserts claims for (i) breach of fiduciary duty, (ii) aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty, (iii) unjust enrichment, (iv) waste of corporate assets, and (v) violations of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder.
A second action was filed on July 10, 2023, against the Company, as a nominal defendant, and certain of the Company’s directors and present and former officers in a derivative action in the District Court for the Eighth Judicial District in Clark County, Nevada, (the “Ingrao Derivative Action”). The Ingrao Derivative Action asserts claims for (i) breach of fiduciary duty and (ii) unjust enrichment.
A third action was filed on July 12, 2023 against the Company, as a nominal defendant, and certain of the Company’s directors and present and former officers in a derivative action in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida (the “Hepworth Derivative Acton”). This class action asserts claims for (i) breach of fiduciary duty, (ii) aiding and abetting breach of fiduciary duty, (iii) unjust enrichment, (iv) waste of corporate assets, and (v) violations of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder.
The Ingrao Derivative Action remains stayed, following the Court’s entry of an Order, on September 11, 2023, approving the parties’ joint stipulation regarding stay of litigation. The Lampert Derivative Action remains stayed, following the Court's entry of an Order, on April 14, 2023, approving the parties' joint stipulation regarding stay of litigation. On March 11, 2024, the Hammond Derivative Action and the Hepworth Derivative Actions were voluntarily dismissed and, on April 11, 2024, a single complaint containing substantially similar allegations was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada, (the "Refiled Derivative Action"). The defendants have not yet been served in the Refiled Derivative Action. The Company believes the various derivative actions are without merit, but the parties are actively negotiating settlement.
The derivative actions allege facts that are substantially the same as those alleged in the securities class action described above.
Strong Arm Productions
On May 4, 2021, Plaintiffs Strong Arm Productions USA, Inc., Tramar Dillard p/k/a Flo Rida, and D3M Licensing Group, LLC filed a lawsuit against the Company in the Circuit Court of the 17th Judicial Circuit in and for Broward County, Florida. Plaintiffs asserted that the Company breached two endorsement and licensing agreements that were entered into, between Plaintiffs and the Company in 2014 and 2016. Plaintiffs alleged the Company had reached certain revenue and sales benchmarks set forth in the 2014 agreement that entitled them to receive 750 thousand shares of the Company's common stock. In addition, Plaintiffs claimed they were entitled to receive unspecified royalties under the 2016 agreement.
A jury trial commenced on this matter on January 10, 2023. On January 18, 2023, the jury rendered a verdict against the Company for $82.6 million in compensatory damages. On April 27, 2023, the court denied the Company’s post-trial motions which sought (i) dismissal of the case notwithstanding the verdict based on the plain language of the contracts at issue; (ii) in the alternative, granting a new trial; or (iii) in the alternative, reducing the award of damages to $2.1 million, which reflects the Company’s stock price on the date that the jury found the relevant revenue and sales benchmarks at issue were met. The judgment will accrue post-judgement interest at 5.52% per year as of February 13, 2023.
The Company believes that the jury verdict is not supported by the facts of the case or applicable law, is the result of significant trial error, and there are strong grounds for appeal. The Company filed a notice of appeal to the Fourth District Court of Appeal for the State of Florida on February 21, 2023, which is currently proceeding. The Company intends to vigorously challenge the judgment through the appeal processes, and filed its initial brief on October 6, 2023.
The Company believes that the likelihood that the full amount of the judgment will be affirmed is not probable. The Company currently estimates a range of possible outcomes between $2.1 million and $82.6 million plus interest and has accrued a liability as of March 31, 2024, reflected in accounts payable and accrued expenses in the consolidated balance sheets, at the low end of that
range. The ultimate amount of the original judgement that the Company may be required to pay could be materially different than the amount the Company has accrued. The Company cannot predict or estimate the duration or ultimate outcome of this matter.
Commitments
The Company has entered into distribution agreements that provide for the payment of liquidated damages in the event that the Company terminates the distribution agreements without cause. Cause has been defined in various ways. If management makes the decision to terminate an agreement without cause, an estimate of expected damages is accrued, and an expense is recorded within selling, general and administrative expenses for the period in which termination was initiated.
As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had purchase commitments to third parties of $73.0 million and $55.3 million, respectively. The Company's purchase obligations are primarily related to third party suppliers and have arisen through the normal course of business. These obligations vary in terms and none are individually significant.
As of March 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had long term contractual obligations aggregating to approximately $42.5 million and $34.4 million, respectively, which related primarily to suppliers, sponsorships, and other marketing activities.