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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
9 Months Ended
Sep. 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
On May 10, 2023, the Company entered into certain agreements pursuant to which the Company had, 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 (the “Parent”), of FRG. The Company entered into an Equity Commitment Letter with Freedom VCM (“TopCo”), the parent company of the Parent, and the Parent, pursuant to which the Company agreed to provide to TopCo, at or prior to the closing of the Acquisition, an amount equal to up to $560,000 in equity financing. The Company and FRG also entered into a 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 its subsidiary to FRG of certain liabilities and obligations of the Parent or such subsidiary. On August 21, 2023, in connection with the completion of the Acquisition and the Company's portion of the equity financing, the Company's obligations pursuant to the Equity Commitment Letter and Limited Guarantee were satisfied.
(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. With respect to one of the Company’s investments, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company entered into an agreement whereby the subsidiary may be required, commencing in August 2027 and expiring in August 2028, to purchase additional equity capital at fair value which was originally valued at $15,000.