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Commitments and Contingencies
6 Months Ended
Dec. 29, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and Contingencies
Litigation
The Company is currently a party to various legal proceedings, including the cases described below. While management presently believes that the ultimate outcome of such proceedings, individually and in the aggregate, will not materially harm the Company’s financial position, cash flows, or overall trends in results of operations, legal proceedings are subject to inherent uncertainties, and unfavorable rulings could occur. An unfavorable ruling could include monetary damages or, in matters for which injunctive relief or other conduct remedies may be sought, an injunction prohibiting the Company from selling one or more products at all or in particular ways. Were unfavorable final outcomes to occur, there exists the possibility of a material adverse impact on the Company’s business, results of operations, financial position and overall trends. The outcomes in these matters are not reasonably estimable.
In October 2021, The Trustees of Purdue University (Purdue) filed a complaint against the Company in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina, alleging infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 7,498,633 (the '633 Patent), entitled "High-voltage power semiconductor device," and 8,035,112 (the '112 Patent), entitled "SIC power DMOSFET with self-aligned source contact." In the complaint, Purdue also alleges willful infringement, and seeks unspecified monetary damages and attorneys’ fees. In August 2022, Purdue voluntarily withdrew all allegations as to the '112 Patent after having disclaimed all rights to that patent. The Company denies Purdue’s remaining allegations and has developed numerous defenses, including non-infringement, multiple invalidity grounds, and unenforceability due to inequitable conduct before the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office. Discovery in this matter concluded in September 2024; the parties are currently in the middle of summary judgment briefing, and the trial will most likely occur in the second half of 2025. Due to the stage of the case, the Company is unable to estimate the possible range of loss, if any, at this time.
On November 15, 2024, the Company and certain current and former executive officers were named as defendants in a securities class action lawsuit captioned Gary Zagami v Wolfspeed, Inc., et al., Case No. 6:24-cv-01395, which was filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York. The complaint alleges violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder. The complaint seeks unspecified compensatory damages and other relief. On January 8, 2025, two additional lawsuits were filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York by shareholders regarding these same matters and name as defendant the Company and current and former officers. The Company denies allegations of wrongdoing and intends to vigorously defend against the claims in the above-referenced actions.
Grant Disbursement Agreement (GDA) with the State of New York
The Company currently has a GDA with the State of New York Urban Development Corporation (doing business as Empire State Development). The GDA provides a potential total grant amount of $500.0 million to partially and fully reimburse the Company for certain property, plant and equipment costs related to the Company's construction of its silicon carbide device fabrication facility in Marcy, New York.
The GDA was signed in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020 and requires the Company to satisfy a number of objectives for the Company to receive reimbursements through the span of the 13-year agreement. These objectives include maintaining a certain level of local employment, investing a certain amount in locally administered research and development activities and the payment of an annual commitment fee for the first six years. Additionally, the Company has agreed, under a separate agreement (the SUNY Agreement), to sponsor the creation of two endowed faculty chairs and fund a scholarship program at SUNY Polytechnic Institute.
As of December 29, 2024, the annual cost of satisfying the objectives of the GDA and the SUNY Agreement, excluding the direct and indirect costs associated with employment, varies from $2.2 million to $5.2 million per year through fiscal 2031.
As of December 29, 2024, the Company has reduced property and equipment, net by a total of $500.0 million as a result of GDA reimbursements, of which $467.2 million has been received in cash and an additional $32.8 million in receivables are recorded in other current assets and in other assets in the consolidated balance sheet.
Supply Commitments
From time to time, the Company may enter into agreements with its suppliers which require the Company to commit to a minimum of product purchases or make capacity reservation deposits.
In fiscal 2023, the Company entered into an agreement with a supplier which requires a minimum commitment of product purchases on a take-or-pay basis of $200.0 million over the life of the contract. During the three and six months ended December 29, 2024, the Company purchased $5.8 million and $12.5 million, respectively, of product under this agreement. As of December 29, 2024, the minimum future product purchases have been satisfied for fiscal 2025, and the remaining future product purchases for fiscal years 2026, 2027 and 2028 are $36.0 million, $50.1 million and $73.7 million, respectively.
In addition, the Company will pay quarterly capacity reservation deposits through the second quarter of fiscal 2026. The capacity reservation deposits will total $60.0 million and are refundable through credits on future product purchases. As of December 29, 2024, the Company has paid $48.9 million in connection with the agreement, which is recognized in prepaid expenses and other long-term assets on the consolidated balance sheet.
In fiscal 2024, the Company entered into an agreement with another supplier which requires a minimum commitment of product purchases on a take-or-pay basis of $86.4 million over the life of the contract. During the three and six months ended December 29, 2024, the Company purchased $7.2 million and $14.4 million, respectively, of product under this agreement which satisfied the minimum future product purchases for the period. Minimum future product purchase for the remainder of fiscal 2025 and fiscal years 2026 and 2027 are $14.4 million, $28.8 million and $9.6 million, respectively.