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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | 6 Months Ended
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Jun. 30, 2023
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES | COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES (a) Legal Matters The Company is subject to certain legal and other claims that arise in the ordinary course of its business. In particular, the Company and its subsidiaries are named in and subject to various proceedings and claims arising primarily from the Company’s securities business activities, including lawsuits, arbitration claims, class actions, and regulatory matters. Some of these claims seek substantial compensatory, punitive, or indeterminate damages. The Company and its subsidiaries are also involved in other reviews, investigations, and proceedings by governmental and self-regulatory organizations regarding the Company’s business, which may result in adverse judgments, settlements, fines, penalties, injunctions, and other relief. In view of the number and diversity of claims against the Company, the number of jurisdictions in which litigation is pending, and the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome of litigation and other claims, the Company cannot state with certainty what the eventual outcome of pending litigation or other claims will be. Notwithstanding this uncertainty, the Company does not believe that the results of these claims are likely to have a material effect on its financial position or results of operations. (b) Babcock & Wilcox Commitments and Guarantees On June 30, 2021, the Company agreed to guaranty (the “B. Riley Guaranty”) up to $110,000 of obligations that B&W may owe to providers of cash collateral pledged in connection with B&W’s debt financing. The B. Riley Guaranty is enforceable in certain circumstances, including, among others, certain events of default and the acceleration of B&W’s obligations under a reimbursement agreement with respect to such cash collateral. B&W will pay the Company $935 per annum in connection with the B. Riley Guaranty. B&W has agreed to reimburse the Company to the extent the B. Riley Guaranty is called upon. The B. Riley Guaranty was in respect of up to $100,000 of B&W obligations after B&W made paydowns of $10,000 during the year ended December 31, 2022. On August 10, 2020, the Company entered into a project specific indemnity rider to a general agreement of indemnity made by B&W in favor of one of its sureties. Pursuant to the indemnity rider, the Company agreed to indemnify the surety in connection with a default by B&W under the underlying indemnity agreement relating to a $29,970 payment and performance bond issued by the surety in connection with a construction project undertaken by B&W. In consideration for providing the indemnity rider, B&W paid the Company fees in the amount of $600 on August 26, 2020. On April 20, 2023, the indemnity rider was reduced to $8,991. On December 22, 2021, the Company entered into a general agreement of indemnity in favor of one of B&W’s sureties. Pursuant to this indemnity agreement, the Company agreed to indemnify the surety in connection with a default by B&W under a 30,000€ payment and performance bond issued by the surety in connection with a construction project undertaken by B&W. In consideration for providing the indemnity, B&W paid the Company fees in the amount of $1,694 on January 20, 2022. (c) FRG Commitments and Guarantees On May 10, 2023, the Company entered into certain agreements pursuant to which the Company has, among other things, agreed to provide certain equity funding and other support in connection with the acquisition (the “Acquisition”) by Freedom VCM, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Parent”), of Franchise Group, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“FRG”). Parent has agreed to acquire FRG pursuant to an Agreement and Plan of Merger, dated as of May 10, 2023, by and among Parent, Freedom VCM Subco, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Parent (the “Merger Sub”), and FRG (the “Merger Agreement”), pursuant to which, upon the terms and subject to the conditions set forth therein, at the closing, Merger Sub will merge with and into FRG, with FRG surviving the merger as a wholly owned subsidiary of Parent. The buyer group includes members of the senior management team of FRG, including FRG’s Chief Executive Officer. The Company is not a party to the Merger Agreement. B. Riley entered into the Equity Commitment Letter and the Limited Guarantee, each as defined below, in connection with the Acquisition. FRG has scheduled a special meeting of stockholders for August 17, 2023 to vote on the transaction and related matters. The proposed transaction is anticipated to close in the second half of 2023, subject to FRG's stockholder's approval and satisfaction or waiver of the closing conditions contained in the definitive documentation. Equity Commitment Letter The Company entered into an Equity Commitment Letter, dated as of May 10, 2023 (the “Equity Commitment Letter”), with Freedom VCM Holdings, LLC (“TopCo”) and Parent, pursuant to which the Company, subject to the terms and conditions of the Equity Commitment Letter, has agreed to contribute to TopCo, at or prior to the closing of the Merger, an amount equal to up to $560,000 in equity financing (the “B. Riley Equity Commitment”). The B. Riley Equity Commitment will then be used by TopCo to fund part of the Acquisition. FRG is a third party beneficiary of the Equity Commitment Letter, and FRG is entitled to specifically enforce the Equity Commitment Letter; provided, however, that the Company’s obligations under the Equity Commitment Letter will terminate in the event that any claim is brought by FRG with respect to the Limited Guarantee, as defined below. Subject to certain conditions set forth in the Equity Commitment Letter, the Company has the right to assign all or a portion of such commitments to its affiliates, financing sources or other investors, and the Company expects the actual amount to be funded by it at Closing to be less than the $560,000. Limited Guarantee The Company and FRG entered into a Limited Guarantee dated as of May 10, 2023 (the “Limited Guarantee”) in favor of FRG, pursuant to which the Company agreed to guarantee to FRG the due and punctual payment, performance and discharge when required by Parent or Merger Sub to FRG of certain liabilities and obligations of Parent or Merger Sub under the Merger Agreement pursuant to and in accordance therewith, including (i) a termination fee due to FRG in the amount of $55,000 if the Merger Agreement is terminated under certain specified circumstances provided for in the Merger Agreement; (ii) certain reimbursement obligations of Parent when required to be paid by Parent pursuant to the Merger Agreement; and (iii) liabilities or damages resulting from any actual fraud or Willful and Material Breach (as defined in the Merger Agreement) by Parent or Merger Sub required to be paid by Parent or Merger Sub pursuant to the Merger Agreement; provided, that, except in the case of actual fraud or Willful and Material Breach by Parent or Merger Sub, the aggregate liability of the Company under the Limited Guarantee will not exceed $57,000. The Company also waived certain defenses arising out of certain events set forth in the Limited Guarantee. (d) Other Commitments In the normal course of business, the Company enters into commitments to its clients in connection with capital raising transactions, such as firm commitment underwritings, equity lines of credit, or other commitments to provide financing on specified terms and conditions. These commitments require the Company to purchase securities at a specified price or otherwise provide debt or equity financing on specified terms. Securities underwriting exposes the Company to market and credit risk, primarily in the event that, for any reason, securities purchased by the Company cannot be distributed at the anticipated price and to balance sheet risk in the event that debt or equity financing commitments cannot be syndicated.

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