Note 7. Commitments and Contingencies

From time to time, and in the ordinary course of business, the Company is subject to certain claims, charges and litigation concerning matters arising in connection with the conduct of the Company’s business activities.

Shareholder Derivative Litigation

Two shareholder derivative suits were filed in February 2021 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California against 11 officers and directors of the Company and have been consolidated into one action, with the first-filed complaint being designated the operative one. The Company is the nominal defendant. The complaint alleges that the individual defendants breached various duties to the Company and contains similar allegations to the settled and dismissed securities class action brought against the Company and three of its executives in January 2021, in which it was alleged that materially false and misleading statements were made concerning the Company’s business, operations, and prospects, including information regarding its battery technology. VGA is also named as a defendant in the derivative litigation. The action is currently stayed. A shareholder derivative suit was filed in October 2024 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California against current and former officers and directors of the Company and VGA alleging breaches of duties to the Company. The Company is the nominal defendant. The action was deemed related to the consolidated action and is currently stayed.

In June through August 2022, four shareholder derivative suits were filed in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware against current and former directors and officers of the Company. The Company is the nominal defendant. The complaints allege that the individual defendants breached various duties to the Company. VGA is also named as a defendant in three of those actions. In September 2022, the four actions were consolidated and stayed. A consolidated amended complaint was filed on July 30, 2024.

A shareholder derivative action was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware on February 22, 2024, against current and former directors and officers of the Company. The Company is the nominal defendant. The complaint alleges that the individual defendants breached various duties to the Company and includes a claim for contribution related to the securities class action that was brought against the Company and three of its executives in January 2021 and subsequently settled and dismissed. The complaint also alleges that plaintiff previously sent a litigation demand to the Board and alleges that the demand has effectively been rejected. The action is currently stayed.

Two additional shareholder derivative actions were filed in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware in May 2024 and October 2024, against current and former directors and officers of the Company. The Company is the nominal defendant. The complaints allege that the individual defendants breached various duties to the Company. The complaints also allege that the plaintiffs previously sent a litigation demand to the Board and allege that the demands had effectively been rejected. The action filed in May 2024 is currently stayed.

A settlement in principle to resolve all the above-described derivative actions was reached in February 2026. This pending settlement is subject to final documentation, notice to stockholders, and preliminary and final approval of the court.

Private Attorneys General Actions

The Company is a defendant in two Private Attorneys General Act (“PAGA”) wage-and-hour actions filed in Santa Clara County Superior Court by former employees, along with a related class action in arbitration. The complaints allege violations of California’s Labor Code. The actions are presently stayed. The Company denies the allegations. In April 2025, the parties reached an agreement in principle to settle the claims.

For many legal matters, particularly those in early stages, the Company cannot reasonably estimate the possible loss (or range of loss), if any. The Company records an accrual for legal matters at the time or times it determines that a loss is both probable and reasonably estimable. As of December 31, 2025 and 2024, the amount accrued for each matter was individually not material, and the aggregate amount accrued was approximately $4 million as of December 31, 2025 and $12 million as of December 31, 2024. Regarding matters for which no accrual has been made (including the potential for losses in excess of amounts accrued), the Company currently believes, based on its own investigations, that any losses (or ranges of losses) that are reasonably possible and estimable will not, in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. However, the ultimate outcome of legal proceedings involves judgments, estimates, and inherent uncertainties and cannot be predicted with certainty. Should the ultimate outcome of any legal matter be unfavorable, the Company’s business, financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows could be materially and adversely affected. The Company may also incur substantial legal fees, which are expensed as incurred, in defending against legal claims.

 

Other commitments

The Company’s minimum purchase commitments consist of non-cancellable agreements to purchase goods and services, primarily for materials, and licenses and hosting services, entered into in the ordinary course of business.

 

As of December 31, 2025, future minimum purchase commitments in aggregate during the next five years and thereafter are as follows (amounts in thousands):

 

Fiscal Year

 

Minimum Purchase Commitments

 

2026

 

$

2,646

 

2027

 

 

1,923

 

2028

 

 

259

 

Thereafter

 

 

 

Total

 

$

4,828

 

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2025Feb 25, 2026Showing above
2024Feb 26, 2025
2023Feb 27, 2024
2022Feb 28, 2023
2021Feb 28, 2022
2020Feb 23, 2021

About Commitments Disclosures

Commitments and contingencies disclosures catalog a company's off-balance-sheet obligations and legal exposures — purchase commitments, guarantee arrangements, pending litigation, and regulatory proceedings. These items represent potential future cash outflows that may not appear as liabilities on the balance sheet until they become probable and estimable.

Key signals: litigation reserves and disclosed loss ranges quantify management's estimate of legal exposure, but unquantified "reasonably possible" losses often represent the larger risk. Watch for changes in language around pending cases — shifts from "remote" to "reasonably possible" or increases in estimated loss ranges signal deteriorating outcomes. Unconditional purchase obligations and take-or-pay contracts create fixed cost structures that reduce operational flexibility. Guarantee arrangements for subsidiaries or joint ventures can create cascading obligations. Compare the total commitment schedule against projected free cash flow to assess whether the company can meet its obligations without additional financing.