Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

v3.22.2
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2022
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

11. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

 

PURCHASE COMMITMENTS

 

As of June 30, 2022, the Company had purchase commitments of approximately $41,127 of which, approximately $10,772 is with a related party, which will become payable upon the suppliers’ delivery of the charging stations and other related items. The purchase commitments were made primarily for future sales, deployments of charging stations, inventory management planning and other related items, all of which are expected to be received during the next 12-24 months.

 

LITIGATION AND DISPUTES

 

On August 24, 2020, a purported securities class action lawsuit, captioned Bush v. Blink Charging Co. et al., Case No. 20-cv-23527, was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida against the Company, Michael Farkas (Blink’s Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer), and Michael Rama (Blink’s Chief Financial Officer) (the “Bush Lawsuit”). On September 1, 2020, another purported securities class action lawsuit, captioned Vittoria v. Blink Charging Co. et al., Case No. 20-cv-23643, was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida against the same defendants and seeking to recover the same alleged damages (the “Vittoria Lawsuit”). On October 1, 2020, the court consolidated the Vittoria Lawsuit with the Bush Lawsuit and on December 21, 2020 the court appointed Tianyou Wu, Alexander Yu and H. Marc Joseph to serve as the Co-Lead Plaintiffs. The Co-Lead Plaintiffs filed an Amended Complaint on February 19, 2021. The Amended Complaint alleges, among other things, that the defendants made false or misleading statements about the size and functionality of the Blink Network, and asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The Amended Complaint does not quantify damages but seeks to recover damages on behalf of investors who purchased or otherwise acquired Blink’s common stock between March 6, 2020 and August 19, 2020. On April 20, 2021, Blink and the other defendants filed a motion to dismiss the Amended Complaint, which has now been fully briefed and is ready for review. On April 7, 2022, the court held oral argument on the motion to dismiss, but did not issue a decision. The Company wholly and completely disputes the allegations therein. The Company has retained legal counsel in order to defend the action vigorously. The Company has not recorded an accrual related to this matter as of June 30, 2022 as it determined that any such loss contingency was either not probable or estimable.

 

 

BLINK CHARGING CO. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(in thousands, except for share and per share amounts)

 

11. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES – CONTINUED

 

LITIGATION AND DISPUTES – CONTINUED

 

On September 15, 2020, a shareholder derivative lawsuit, captioned Klein (derivatively on behalf of Blink Charging Co.) v. Farkas et al., Case No. 20- 19815CA01, was filed in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court seeking to pursue claims belonging to the Company against Blink’s Board of Directors and Michael Rama (the “Klein Lawsuit”). Blink is named as a nominal defendant. The Klein Lawsuit asserts that the Director defendants caused Blink to make the statements that are at issue in the securities class action and, as a result, the Company will incur costs defending against the consolidated Bush Lawsuit and other unidentified investigations. The Klein Lawsuit asserts claims against the Director defendants for breach of fiduciary duties and corporate waste and against all of the defendants for unjust enrichment. Klein did not quantify the alleged damages in his complaint, but he seeks damages sustained by the Company as a result of the defendants’ breaches of fiduciary duties, corporate governance changes, restitution, and disgorgement of profits from the defendants and attorneys’ fees and other litigation expenses. The parties agreed to temporarily stay the Klein Lawsuit until there is a ruling on the motion to dismiss filed in the consolidated Bush Lawsuit. On June 17, 2022, the court substituted the executrix of Klein’s estate as the plaintiff. The Company has not recorded an accrual related to this matter as of June 30, 2022 as it determined that any such loss contingency was either not probable or estimable.

 

On December 23, 2020, another shareholder derivative action, captioned Bhatia (derivatively on behalf of Blink Charging Co.) v. Farkas et al., Case No. 20-27632CA01, was filed in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court against the same defendants sued in the Klein Lawsuit and asserting similar claims, as well as additional claims relating to the Company’s nomination, appointment and hiring of minorities and women and the Company’s decision to retain its outside auditor (the “Bhatia Lawsuit”). On February 17, 2021, the parties agreed to consolidate the Klein and Bhatia actions, which the court consolidated under the caption In re Blink Charging Company Stockholder Derivative Litigation, Lead Case No. 2020-019815-CA-01. The parties also agreed to keep in place the temporary stay. The court subsequently vacated the consolidation order and explained the parties should first file a motion to transfer, which the parties have done. On June 22, 2022, the court re-consolidated the Klein and Bhatia actions and reinstated the temporary stay. The Company wholly and completely disputes the allegations therein. The Company has retained legal counsel in order to defend the action vigorously. The Company has not recorded an accrual related to this matter as of June 30, 2022 as it determined that any such loss contingency was either not probable or estimable.

 

On February 12, 2021, another shareholder derivative lawsuit, captioned Wolery (derivatively on behalf of Blink Charging Co.) v. Buffalino et al., Case No. A-21-829395-C, was filed in the Eighth Judicial District Court in Clark County, Nevada seeking to pursue claims belonging to the Company against Blink’s Board of Directors (the “Wolery Lawsuit”). Blink is named as a nominal defendant. The Wolery complaint alleges that the amount of restricted stock awarded to Blink’s outside directors in December 2020 exceeded the amounts permitted by Blink’s incentive compensation plan. The complaint asks the court to rescind the excess restricted stock awards, as well as other relief. On September 15, 2021, the parties entered into a term sheet in which they agreed to settle the claims subject to the court’s approval. On April 18, 2022, the court signed a final judgment approving the settlement and dismissing the lawsuit with prejudice. As a result of the settlement, the Company has agreed to make certain changes to its compensation practices for its directors and officers, including, among other things, eliminating the practice of making cash payments to directors to cover expected income taxes on stock grants and placing a $200 annual limit for two years on the combined stock and cash Awards to outside directors. The defendants did not admit any liability or wrongdoing in the settlement and will not make any cash payment as part of the settlement, but the Company will be responsible for paying the costs to give notice of the settlement to the Company’s shareholders and to pay $190 in attorney’s fees to the plaintiff’s counsel which was paid in April 2022.

 

On February 7, 2022, another shareholder derivative lawsuit, captioned McCauley (derivatively on behalf of Blink Charging Co.) v. Farkas et al., Case No. A-22-847894-C, was filed in the Eighth Judicial District Court in Clark County, Nevada, seeking to pursue claims belonging to the Company against six of Blink’s directors and Michael Rama (the “McCauley Lawsuit”). Blink is named as a nominal defendant. The complaint filed in the McCauley Lawsuit asserts similar allegations to the Klein Lawsuit relating to the statements at issue in the securities class action and asserts claims for breach of fiduciary duty and unjust enrichment. The McCauley Lawsuit seeks both injunctive and monetary relief from the individual defendants, as well as an award of attorneys’ fees and costs. On March 29, 2022, the Nevada court approved the parties’ stipulation to temporarily stay the McCauley Lawsuit until there is a ruling on the motion to dismiss filed in the consolidated Bush Lawsuit. The Company has not recorded an accrual related to this matter as of June 30, 2022 as it determined that any such loss contingency was either not probable or estimable.

 

 

BLINK CHARGING CO. AND SUBSIDIARIES

 

Notes to Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements

(in thousands, except for share and per share amounts)

 

11. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES – CONTINUED

 

WARRANTY

 

The Company estimates an approximate cost of $368 to repair deployed chargers, which the Company owns as of June 30, 2022.

 

CHARGING NETWORK UPGRADES

 

As electric vehicle charging requirements and technologies change, driven by federal, state or local regulatory authorities or by electric vehicle manufacturers or other technology or services providers for the charging station industry, in particular cellular connectivity technology, the Company may need to upgrade or adapt its charging station products or introduce new products in order to serve new vehicles, conform to new standards, or adapt new technologies to serve existing customers or new customers at substantial research, development, and network upgrades costs. During 2021, many cellular technology providers announced they will require the upgrade from 2G/3G connectivity to 4G LTE during 2022 (the “Upgrade”). As of June 30, 2022, the remaining cost for the Upgrade is approximately $1,200 for certain of the Company’s owned and operated EV charging stations. During the six months ended June 30, 2022, the Company incurred $1,313 related to these upgrades.

 

EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

 

Mahi Reddy, is the Chief Executive Officer of SemaConnect, LLC, a Blink Charging company, our wholly owned subsidiary (“SemaConnect”), which we formed in connection with our recent acquisition of SemaConnect, Inc., as previously disclosed in our Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on June 14, 2022. Mr. Reddy founded SemaConnect, Inc. in October 2007 and served as a director and its Chief Executive Officer until the closing of our acquisition of the company. Mr. Reddy co-founded CBay Systems Ltd., a healthcare business process outsourcing company, and served as its Chief Operating Officer and President from August 1998 to September 2008. Mr. Reddy received a B.A. degree from St. Joseph’s College in Bangalore, India.

 

In connection with the SemaConnect acquisition, Mahi Reddy entered into an employment offer letter (the “Offer Letter”) on June 15, 2022 with our SemaConnect subsidiary setting forth the terms of his employment and compensation. Mr. Reddy’s term of employment with SemaConnect is for one year, and we have the right to either (i) renew his term of employment with SemaConnect for an additional one-year term or (ii) offer him a new position as a service provider on terms to be negotiated at such time. In accordance with the Offer Letter, Mr. Reddy receives a base salary of $31,250 per month ($375,000 annually) and is eligible to receive an annual bonus in an amount of up to 50% of his base salary, to be paid based on achieving Key Performance Indicators (“KPIs”) to be established by SemaConnect in collaboration with Mr. Reddy.

 

Mr. Reddy is also entitled to receive equity awards in the form of restricted common stock of our company (“RCSs”) with an aggregate annual value of up to 50% of his base salary, subject to adjustment from time to time, under our 2018 Incentive Compensation Plan (the “Plan”). The RCSs would vest in equal one-third increments on each anniversary of the date of grant, provided that Mr. Reddy (i) is employed by SemaConnect on each such date and (ii) satisfies the KPIs and other performance criteria established by the Plan.

 

Additionally, Mr. Reddy is entitled to certain severance benefits upon the occurrence of one of the following events: (i) we do not elect to renew Mr. Reddy’s employment with SemaConnect or offer him a position as a service provider (a “Non-renewal Trigger Event”) or (ii) SemaConnect terminates Mr. Reddy’s employment without cause (a “Termination Trigger Event”). Upon a Non-renewal Trigger Event, Mr. Reddy is entitled to three months of his base salary. Upon a Termination Trigger Event, Mr. Reddy is entitled to his base salary for an additional number of months equal to the number of months he was employed with SemaConnect, not to exceed 12 months.