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Commitments and Contingencies | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingencies | Commitments and Contingencies Legal Proceedings From time to time, the Company may be involved in disputes or regulatory inquiries that arise in the ordinary course of business. When the Company determines that a loss is both probable and reasonably estimable, a liability is recorded and disclosed if the amount is material to the Company’s business taken as a whole. When a material loss contingency is only reasonably possible, the Company does not record a liability, but instead discloses the nature and the amount of the claim and an estimate of the loss or range of loss, if such an estimate can reasonably be made. Legal costs related to the defense of loss contingencies are expensed as incurred. Claims or regulatory actions against the Company, whether meritorious or not, could have an adverse impact on the Company due to legal costs, diversion of management resources and other elements. Except as identified with respect to the matters below, the Company does not believe that the outcome of any individual existing legal or regulatory proceeding to which it is a party will have a material adverse effect on its results of operations, financial condition or overall business in each case, taken as a whole. Real Estate Commission Sell-Side Antitrust Litigation The Company and its subsidiaries have been named as defendants in eight putative class action lawsuits and one individual lawsuit (the "Antitrust Lawsuits") that allege, among other things, violations of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1. Four of the putative class action lawsuits, captioned Gibson, et al. v. National Association of Realtors, et al., No. 4:23-cv-00788-FJG (W.D. Mo.) (“Gibson”), filed on October 31, 2023, Grace v. National Association of Realtors, et al., No. 3:23-cv-06352 (N.D. Cal.) (“Grace”), filed on December 8, 2023, Fierro, et al. v. National Association of Realtors, et al., Case No. 2:24-cv-00449 (C.D. Cal.) (“Fierro”), filed on January 17, 2024, and Whaley v. Arizona Association of Realtors, Case No. 2:24-cv-00105 (D. Nev.) (“Whaley”), filed on January 15, 2024, name the Company as a defendant and allege, among other things, that certain trade associations, including the National Association of Realtors, multiple listing services, and real estate brokerages engaged in a continuing contract, combination, or conspiracy to unreasonably restrain interstate trade and commerce in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1 by entering into a continuing agreement to require sellers of residential property to make inflated payments to brokers representing buyers. Umpa, et al. v. National Association of Realtors, et al., 4:23-cv-00945 (W.D. Mo.) (“Umpa”), filed on December 27, 2023, was consolidated into the Gibson matter on April 23, 2024. Boykin v. National Association of Realtors, et al., No. 2:24-cv-00340 (D. Nev.) (“Boykin”), filed on February 16, 2024, was terminated and consolidated into the Whaley matter on March 20, 2024. The plaintiffs in the Gibson and Umpa matters allege a nationwide scope, while the Grace and Fierro matters are limited in scope to Northern California and Southern California, respectively and the Whaley matter is limited in scope to Nevada. The Grace, Fierro and Whaley matters are stayed pending final approval of the settlement agreement. On December 27, 2023, plaintiffs in the Gibson and Umpa matters filed a motion before the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (“JPML”), captioned In re Real Estate Commission Litigation, No. 48 (J.P.M.L.), seeking to transfer and consolidate for pretrial proceedings the Gibson, Umpa, Grace, March, QJ Team, Martin, and three additional putative class actions to which the Company has not been named as a party, to one multidistrict litigation. On April 12, 2024, the JPML denied consolidation at this time based on the procedural posture of the litigation and recent nationwide class settlements. O n March 21, 2024, the Company entered into a settlement agreement to resolve the Gibson and Umpa cases on a nationwide basis. The settlement resolves all claims in these cases and similar claims in other lawsuits alleging claims on behalf of sellers on a nationwide basis against the Company and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Claims”) and releases the Company, its subsidiaries and affiliated agents from the Claims. Under the settlement agreement, the Company agreed to pay $57.5 million and make certain changes to its business practices. The Gibson and Umpa matters were stayed as to Compass on March 25, 2024. The court preliminarily approved the proposed settlement agreement on April 30, 2024. The Company’s motion for final approval of the settlement agreement was granted on October 31, 2024 and the settlement agreement is now effective. Plaintiffs may appeal the final approval ruling before December 2, 2024. Two of the putative class action lawsuits, March v. Real Estate Board of New York, et al., No. 1:23-cv-09995 (S.D.N.Y.) (“March”), filed on November 13, 2023, and Friedman v. Real Estate Board of New York, et al., Case No. 1:23-cv-09601 (S.D.N.Y.) (“Friedman”), filed on January 18, 2024, name the Company as a defendant and allege, among other things, that the Real Estate Board of New York, and a number of real estate brokerages engaged in a continuing contract, combination, or conspiracy to unreasonably restrain interstate trade and commerce in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1 by entering into a continuing agreement to require sellers of residential property to make inflated payments to brokers representing buyers. The Friedman and March matters also allege violations of the Donnelly Act, N.Y. Gen. Bus. § 340, and the March matter further seeks injunctive relief pursuant to Section 16 of the Clayton Act, 15 U.S.C. § 26. The Friedman and March matters are limited in scope to the New York City boroughs of Brooklyn, and Manhattan, respectively. The March and Friedman matters are stayed pending final approval of the settlement agreement. One putative class action lawsuit, QJ Team, LLC, et al. v. Texas Association of Realtors, Inc., et al., No. 4:23-cv-01013 (E.D. Tx.) (“QJ Team”), filed on November 13, 2023, names Realty Austin, LLC, a subsidiary of the Company, as a defendant and alleges, among other things, that certain trade associations, including the Texas Association of Realtors, and a number of real estate brokerages engaged in a continuing contract, combination, or conspiracy to unreasonably restrain interstate trade and commerce in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1 by entering into a continuing agreement to require sellers of residential property to make inflated payments to brokers representing buyers. Martin, et al. v. Texas Association of Realtors, Inc., et al., No. 423-cv-01104 (E.D. Tx.) (“Martin”), filed on December 14, 2023, was consolidated into the QJ Team matter on March 21, 2024. The QJ Team matter is stayed pending final approval of the settlement agreement. Wang v. National Ass’n of Realtors et al., Case No. 1:24-cv-02371 (S.D.N.Y.) (“Wang”), an individual lawsuit filed on March 28, 2024, names the Company as a defendant and alleges, among other things, that certain trade associations, including the National Association of Realtors and the Real Estate Board of New York, and a number of real estate brokerages engaged in a continuing contract, combination, or conspiracy to unreasonably restrain interstate trade and commerce in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1 by entering into a continuing agreement to require sellers of residential property to make inflated payments to brokers representing buyers. Co-defendants in the Wang matter filed a Motion to Stay the matter on June 14, 2024, pending final approval of the settlement agreement. The Wang matter is stayed until November 26, 2024. During the three months ended March 31, 2024, the Company recognized an expense of $57.5 million within General and administrative expense in the condensed consolidated statements of operations in connection with the settlement agreement. 50% of the settlement was paid during the three months ended June 30, 2024. The remaining 50% is expected to be paid during the second quarter of 2025. Batton, et al. v. Compass, Inc., et al. Batton, et al. v. Compass, Inc., et al., No. 1:23-cv-15618 (N.D. Ill.) (“Batton II”), filed on November 2, 2023, names the Company and seven other brokerages as defendants and alleges that the defendants entered into a continuing contract, combination, or conspiracy to unreasonably restrain interstate trade and commerce in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Act, 15 U.S.C. § 1 and state law antitrust statutes, violated state consumer protection statutes, and were unjustly enriched by industry rules that set the manner by which buyer’s brokers are compensated. The allegations in Batton II are substantially similar to those contained in the case captioned Batton, et al. v. National Association of Realtors, et al., No. 1:21-cv-00430 (N.D. Ill.) (“Batton I”), filed on January 25, 2021, which does not name the Company but names the National Association of Realtors and six other brokerages. The Company and the defendants in the Batton II matter filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint on June 21, 2024. The plaintiffs filed an opposition to the motion to dismiss on August 5, 2024 and the Company and the defendants filed a reply on September 4, 2024. The Company is unable to predict the outcome of Batton II or to reasonably estimate the possible loss or range of loss, if any, arising from the claim asserted therein. The ultimate resolution of Batton II could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations, and cash flow. Letter of Credit Agreements The Company has irrevocable letters of credit with various financial institutions, primarily related to security deposits for leased facilities. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company was contingently liable for $54.9 million and $44.4 million, respectively, under these letters of credit. As of September 30, 2024, $54.9 million of these letters of credit were collateralized by the Revolving Credit Facility. As of December 31, 2023, $43.8 million and $0.6 million of these letters of credit were collateralized by the Revolving Credit Facility and the Company's cash and cash equivalents, respectively. Escrow and Trust Deposits As a service to its home buyers and sellers, the Company administers escrow and trust deposits, which represent undistributed amounts for the settlement of real estate transactions. The escrow and trust deposits totaled $246.1 million and $120.0 million as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively. These deposits are not assets of the Company and therefore are excluded from the accompanying condensed consolidated balance sheets. However, the Company remains contingently liable for the disposition of these deposits.

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