Shutterstock, Inc.SSTK
Shutterstock, Inc. Commitments Disclosure
Commitments and Contingencies
Other Non-Lease Obligations
As of December 31, 2025, the Company’s other unconditional cash obligations, consisting primarily of unconditional purchase obligations related to contracts for cloud-based services, infrastructure and other business services as well as minimum royalty guarantees in connection with certain content licenses, are as follows:
| Year Ending December 31, | Other Obligations | ||||
| 2026 | $ | 73,400 | |||
| 2027 | 49,700 | ||||
| 2028 | 38,100 | ||||
| Total non-lease unconditional obligations | $ | 161,200 | |||
Legal Matters
Although we are not currently a party to any material pending litigation (except as described below), from time to time, third parties assert claims against us regarding intellectual property rights, employment matters, privacy issues and other matters arising during the ordinary course of business. Although we cannot be certain of the outcome of any litigation or the disposition of any claims, nor the amount of damages and exposure, if any, that we could incur, we currently believe that the final disposition of all existing matters will not have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition or cash flows. In addition, in the ordinary course of our business, we are also subject to periodic threats of lawsuits, investigations and claims. Regardless of the outcome, litigation can have an adverse impact on us because of defense and settlement costs, diversion of management resources and other factors. Except as described below, the Company currently has no material active litigation matters and, accordingly, no material reserves related to litigation.
Since the definitive proxy statement filed with the SEC on April 30, 2025 (the “Proxy Statement”), two complaints have been filed against Shutterstock and each member of Shutterstock’s board of directors (the “Individual Defendants”). The two complaints are captioned as follows: Johnson v. Shutterstock, Inc., et al., 682860/2025 (filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, Commercial Division (the “Johnson Action”) and Weiss v. Shutterstock, Inc., et al., 652853/2025 at ECF No. 1, filed in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York, Commercial Division (the “Weiss Action”, and together with the Johnson Action, the “Stockholder Actions”). The Stockholder Actions allege that, among other things, the Proxy Statement contains false and misleading and/or incomplete information regarding the Merger. The Stockholder Actions assert claims for (i) negligent misrepresentation and concealment, and (ii) negligence in connection with the filing of the allegedly false and misleading Proxy Statement. The Stockholder Actions seek an injunction enjoining the consummation of the Merger unless and until the Individual Defendants disclose the allegedly omitted material information, in the event that the Merger are consummated, rescission of the Merger and awarding actual and punitive damages to plaintiff, and an award of attorneys’ and experts’ fees. The Company currently does not expect the outcome of pending legal proceedings to have a material effect on its consolidated results of operations, financial position or cash flows.
In addition to the Stockholder Actions, beginning on April 25, 2025, certain purported stockholders of Shutterstock and Getty Images sent demand letters (the “Demand Letters”, and together with the Stockholder Actions, the “Matters”) alleging similar deficiencies regarding the disclosures made in the Proxy Statement and seeking additional disclosures to address those alleged deficiencies.
Shutterstock believes it has substantial defenses in connection with the Matters and no supplemental disclosure is required under applicable law. However, in order to avoid the risk that the Matters may delay or otherwise adversely affect the implementation of the Merger, to minimize the costs, risks and uncertainties inherent in litigation, and without admitting any liability or wrongdoing, Shutterstock has determined to voluntarily supplement the Proxy Statement as described in the Current Report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on May 30, 2025, to provide additional information to Shutterstock stockholders. Nothing in said Current Report on Form 8-K shall be deemed an admission of the legal necessity or materiality under applicable law of any of the disclosures set forth therein or in the Proxy Statement. To the contrary, Shutterstock denies all allegations in the Matters that any additional disclosure was or is required.
In August 2024, the Company received a Civil Investigative Demand (a “CID”) from the Federal Trade Commission (the “FTC”) regarding its investigation into the Company’s disclosure and subscription enrollment and cancellation practices under Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (“FTC Act”) and the Restore Online Shoppers’ Confidence Act (“ROSCA”). The Company has cooperated throughout the investigation, and in January 2026 the FTC entered into discussions with management to resolve this matter. The defense or resolution of this matter could involve significant monetary costs or penalties and have a significant impact on the Company’s financial results and operations. There can be no assurance that the Company will be successful in reaching a favorable resolution of this matter. Any costs, penalties, remedies or compliance requirements could adversely affect the Company’s ability to operate its business or have a materially adverse impact on its financial results. As of December 31, 2025, a possible range of loss cannot be reasonably estimated and the Company did not record any material legal contingency accrual associated with this matter.
Customer Indemnifications
In the ordinary course of business, the Company enters into contractual arrangements under which it agrees to provide indemnification of varying scope and terms to customers with respect to certain matters, including, but not limited to, losses arising out of the breach of the Company’s intellectual property warranties for damages to the customer directly attributable to the Company’s breach. The Company is not responsible for any damages, costs, or losses to the extent such damages, costs or losses arise as a result of the modifications made by the customer, or the context in which an image is used. The standard maximum aggregate obligation and liability to any one customer for all claims is generally limited to ten thousand dollars. The Company offers certain of its customers greater levels of indemnification, including unlimited indemnification and believes that it has appropriate insurance coverage in place to adequately cover indemnification claims, if necessary. As of and for the year ended December 31, 2025, the Company made no material payments for losses on customer indemnification claims and recorded no liabilities related to indemnification for loss contingencies, before considering any insurance recoveries.
Employment Agreements and Indemnification Agreements
The Company has entered into employment arrangements and indemnification agreements with certain executive officers and with certain employees. The agreements specify various employment-related matters, including annual compensation, performance incentive bonuses, and severance benefits in the event of termination with or without cause.
Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Feb 17, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Feb 25, 2025 | |
| 2023 | Feb 26, 2024 | |
| 2022 | Feb 14, 2023 | |
| 2021 | Feb 10, 2022 | |
| 2020 | Feb 11, 2021 | |
| 2019 | Feb 13, 2020 | |
| 2018 | Feb 26, 2019 | |
| 2017 | Feb 22, 2018 | |
| 2016 | Feb 27, 2017 | |
| 2015 | Feb 24, 2016 | |
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.