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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2025
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES |
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | 11.COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES From time to time, the Company is subject to potential liability under laws and government regulations and various claims and legal actions that may be asserted against us that could have a material adverse effect on the business, reputation, results of operations, cash flows or financial condition. Such litigation includes, but is not limited to, actions or claims relating to cyber-attacks, data breaches, the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (“RESPA”), the Telephone Consumer Protection Act of 1991 (“TCPA”) and state consumer protection laws, antitrust and anticompetition, worker classification, timely filing required SEC filings, stockholder derivative actions and non-compliance with contractual or other legal obligations. Antitrust Litigation The Company and its affiliated brokerage entities were among several defendants in eight U.S. and one Canadian putative class action lawsuits alleging that the Company participated in a system that resulted in sellers of residential property paying inflated buyer broker commissions in violation of U.S. federal and state antitrust laws and federal Canadian antitrust laws, as applicable, and one U.S. putative class action lawsuit alleging that the Company participated in a system that resulted in buyers of residential property paying inflated home prices as a result of sellers paying inflated buyer broker commissions in violation of federal and Illinois antitrust laws (collectively, the “antitrust litigation”). On December 9, 2024, the Company and certain of its subsidiaries entered into a Settlement Agreement (the “Settlement”) with plaintiffs in the U.S. antitrust lawsuit 1925 Hooper LLC, et al. v. The National Association of Realtors et al., Case No. 1:23-cv-05392- SEG (United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, Atlanta Division), which was filed on November 22, 2023 against the Company and other U.S. brokerage defendants (the “Hooper Action”). The Settlement resolves all claims set forth in the Hooper Action and similar claims on a nationwide basis against the Company (collectively, the “Claims”) and releases the Company, its subsidiaries and affiliates, and their independent contractor real estate agents in the U.S. from the Claims. By the terms of the Settlement, the Company agreed to make certain changes to its business practices and to pay a total settlement amount of $34,000 (the “Settlement Amount”) into a qualified settlement escrow fund (the “Settlement Fund”). The Settlement Amount is expected to be deposited into the Settlement Fund in installments, of which 50% of the settlement (or $17,000) will be deposited into the Settlement Fund within 30 business days after preliminary court approval of the Settlement and the final 50% (or $17,000) will be deposited on or before the one-year anniversary of the initial settlement payment. The Company intends to use available cash to pay the Settlement Amount. Management has determined that a $34.0 million loss is probable and have included a $34.0 million litigation contingency accrual recorded for the year ended December 31, 2024. While management has determined that loss in excess of the accrual is reasonably possible, it is currently unable to reasonably estimate the possible additional loss or range of possible additional loss because, among other reasons, (i) the settlement is subject to court approval and appeals processes, (ii) further developments in the legal proceedings, including but not limited to motions or rulings could impact the Company’s exposure; and/or (iii) potential changes in law or precedent could affect the final determination of liability. The Settlement remains subject to preliminary and final court approval and will become effective following any appeals process, if applicable. The Settlement and any actions taken to carry out the Settlement are not an admission or concession of liability, or of the validity of any claim, defense, or point of fact or law on the part of any party. The Company continues to deny the material allegations of the complaints in the antitrust litigation. The Company entered into the Settlement after considering the risks and costs of continuing the litigation. The Company continues to vigorously defend against the claims in the Canadian antitrust lawsuit Kevin McFall v. Canadian Real Estate Association, et al., Case No. T-119-24-ID 1 (Federal Court of Canada), filed on January 18, 2024. Management is currently unable to reasonably estimate the possible loss or range of possible loss for the Canadian antitrust litigation because, among other reasons, (i) the proceeding is in preliminary stages, (ii) specific damage amounts have not been sought, (iii) damages sought are, in our opinion, unsupported and/or exaggerated, (iv) there are significant factual issues to be resolved; and/or (v) there are novel legal issues or unsettled legal theories presented. For the Canadian antitrust litigation, we have not recorded any accruals as of March 31, 2025. While the Company does not expect such litigation to have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, cash flows or financial condition, due to the complexities inherent in such litigation, including the uncertainty of legal processes and potential developments in the cases, the ultimate liability may differ from current expectations. Derivative Litigation Certain current and former directors and officers of the Company were named as defendants, and the Company was named as a nominal defendant, in a derivative lawsuit in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware, first filed on September 25, 2024, entitled Los Angeles City Employees’ Retirement System, on behalf of eXp World Holdings, Inc. v. Glenn Sanford, et. al. (C.A. No. 2024-0998-KSJM). The lawsuit alleges that certain current and former directors and officers breached fiduciary duties related to the Company’s response to reports of alleged sexual misconduct involving independent contractor real estate agents affiliated with the Company’s subsidiaries and that certain defendants had improper compensation arrangements allowing them to profit from the Company’s revenue share program in connection therewith. The complaint seeks a court declaration of fiduciary duty breaches, disgorgement of profits, damages with interest, injunctive relief for improved oversight of sexual misconduct allegations, and reimbursement of plaintiffs’ costs, including expert and attorney fees. Although the Company does not anticipate that the outcome of such litigation will have a material adverse effect on its business, results of operations, cash flows, or financial condition, the inherent complexities and uncertainties of legal proceedings may result in a liability that differs from current expectations. Management is currently unable to reasonably estimate the possible loss or range of possible loss for this matter because, among other reasons, (i) the proceeding is in preliminary stages, (ii) specific damage amounts have not been sought, (iii) there are significant factual issues to be resolved; and/or (iv) there are novel legal issues or unsettled legal theories presented.

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