Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

8. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

 

PURCHASE COMMITMENTS

 

As of March 31, 2024, the Company had purchase commitments of approximately $20,540, 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, DISPUTES AND SETTLEMENTS

 

The Company may be subject to lawsuits, investigations, intellectual property matters, claims and proceedings, including, but not limited to, contractual disputes with vendors and customers and liabilities related to employment, health and safety matters that may arise in the ordinary course of business. The Company accrues for losses that are both probable and reasonably estimable. Loss contingencies are subject to significant uncertainties and, therefore, determining the likelihood of a loss and/or the measurement of any loss can be complex and subject to change.

 

The Company believes it has recorded adequate provisions for any such lawsuits, investigations, claims, and proceedings as of March 31, 2024, and the Company believes it was not reasonably possible that a material loss had been incurred in excess of the amounts recognized in the condensed consolidated financial statements. Given the inherent uncertainties of litigation, the ultimate outcome of the ongoing matters described herein cannot be predicted with certainty. While litigation is inherently unpredictable, the Company believes it has valid defenses with respect to the legal matters pending against it. However, future events or circumstances, currently unknown to management, may potentially have a material effect on the Company’s financial position, liquidity or results of operations in any future reporting period.

 

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 former 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 Networks 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. On November 27, 2023, the court dismissed Co-Lead Plaintiffs’ claims relating to the size of Blink’s charging network and denied the remainder of the motion to dismiss. Following a mediation on April 3, 2024, the parties agreed to the terms of a settlement, which will be subject to final documentation and court approval. The terms of the settlement are confidential, but will be made public when the parties file a motion in the court seeking preliminary approval. The Company expects the settlement amount, less any remaining retention at the time of payment, which is estimated to be less than $100, will be covered by the Company’s insurance.

 

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 March 31, 2024 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 to defend the action vigorously. The Company has not recorded an accrual related to this matter as of March 31, 2024, as it determined that any such loss contingency was either not probable or estimable.

 

 

BLINK CHARGING CO.

 

NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

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

 

8. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES – CONTINUED

 

LITIGATION, DISPUTES AND SETTLEMENTS – CONTINUED

 

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 March 31, 2024, as it determined that any such loss contingency was either not probable or estimable.

 

WARRANTY

 

The Company estimates an approximate cost of $700 to repair deployed chargers, which the Company owns as of March 31, 2024.