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Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies  
Commitments and Contingencies

19. Commitments and Contingencies

Restricted Cash

In connection with certain of the above noted sale/leaseback agreements, cash of $507.8 million and $573.5 million was required to be restricted as security as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively, which restricted cash will be released over the lease term. As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company also had certain letters of credit backed by security deposits totaling $307.9 million and $370.7 million, respectively, of which $276.5 million and $340.0 million are security for the above noted sale/leaseback agreements, respectively, and $31.4 million and $30.7 million are customs related letters of credit, respectively.

As of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, the Company had $80.0 million and $76.8 million held in escrow related to the construction of certain hydrogen production plants, respectively.

The Company also had $0.1 million and $1.2 million of consideration held by our paying agent in connection with each of the Joule and CIS acquisitions, respectively, reported as restricted cash as of September 30, 2024, with a corresponding accrued liability on the Company’s unaudited interim condensed consolidated balance sheet. Additionally, the Company had $9.3 million and $11.7 million in restricted cash as collateral resulting from the Frames acquisition as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively.

Litigation

Legal matters are handled in the ordinary course of business. The outcome of any such matters, regardless of the merits, is inherently uncertain; therefore, assessing the likelihood of loss and any estimated damages is difficult and subject to considerable judgment. Liabilities for loss contingencies arising from claims, assessments, litigation, fines, and penalties and other sources are recorded when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount can be reasonably

estimated. Legal costs incurred in connection with loss contingencies are expensed as incurred. While we are not in a position to accurately predict the outcome of any legal or other proceedings, where there is at least a reasonable possibility that a loss may be incurred, GAAP requires us to disclose an estimate of the reasonably possible loss or range of loss, if material, or make a statement that such an estimate cannot be made. Except for a $0.6 million accrual relating to a settled matter subject to pending court approval, which has not been paid as of September 30, 2024, a reasonably possible loss or range of loss associated with any individual legal proceeding cannot be currently estimated.

Securities Litigation and Related Stockholder Derivative Litigation

2021 Securities Action and Related Derivative Litigation

One action is pending in which alleged stockholders of the Company assert claims derivatively, on the Company’s behalf, based on allegations and claims that were asserted in In re Plug Power, Inc. Securities Litigation, No. 1:21-cv-2004 (S.D.N.Y.), an earlier putative securities class action that is no longer pending (the “2021 Securities Action”). In an opinion and order entered in August 2023, the district court dismissed the 2021 Securities Action with prejudice, and the plaintiffs in that action did not appeal.

A consolidated stockholder derivative action relating to the claims and allegations in the 2021 Securities Action is pending in the Court of Chancery for the State of Delaware, styled In re Plug Power Inc. Stockholder Derivative Litigation, Cons. C.A. No. 2022-0569-KSJM (Del. Ch.). By stipulation and order, the action was stayed until motions to dismiss were finally resolved in the 2021 Securities Action. On March 8, 2024, the alleged stockholder plaintiffs filed a consolidated amended complaint asserting claims against our officers Andrew J. Marsh, Paul B. Middleton, Gerard L. Conway, Jr., and Keith Schmid, and against our current or former directors George C. McNamee, Gary K. Willis, Maureen O. Helmer, Johannes M. Roth, Gregory L. Kenausis, Lucas Schneider, and Jonathan Silver. The Company is named as nominal defendant. Primarily based on allegations in the 2021 Securities Action, the plaintiffs assert claims against the individual defendants for alleged breaches of fiduciary duty, disgorgement, and unjust enrichment based on alleged transactions in the Company’s securities while allegedly in possession of material non-public information concerning (i) the Company’s financial accounting prior to the announcement that the Company would need to restate certain financial statements and (ii) the potential amendment and termination of a warrant agreement between the Company and a significant customer. On May 10, 2024, the Company, as nominal defendant, and all of the individual defendants filed a motion to dismiss (a) for failure to make a pre-suit demand or to adequately allege demand futility and (b) by the individual defendants, for failure to state a claim. Oral argument on the motion was held on November 4, 2024.

2023 Securities Action and Related Derivative Litigation

A consolidated action is pending in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware asserting claims under the federal securities laws against the Company and certain of its senior officers on behalf of a putative class of purchasers of the Company’s securities, styled In re Plug Power, Inc. Securities Litigation, No. 1:23-cv-00576-MN (the “2023 Securities Action”). The plaintiffs filed a consolidated complaint on September 28, 2023, in which they assert claims under the federal securities laws against the Company and four of its senior officers, Mr. Marsh, Mr. Middleton, Sanjay Shrestha, and former officer David Mindnich, on behalf of a putative class of purchasers of the Company’s common stock between January 19, 2022 and March 1, 2023. The complaint alleges that the defendants made “materially false and/or misleading statements” about the Company’s business and operations, including the Company’s revenue goals for 2022, its ability to effectively manage its supply chain and product manufacturing, and its progress in construction of new hydrogen production capacity. The defendants filed a motion to dismiss the complaint on December 14, 2023, and briefing was completed in March 2024. All proceedings are stayed pending resolution of the motion to dismiss.

Beginning on September 13, 2023, three separate actions were filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware and in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York asserting claims derivatively, on behalf of the Company, against certain former and current Company officers and directors based on the allegations and claims in the 2023 Securities Action. Those cases have been consolidated in the District of Delaware under the caption In re Plug Power, Inc. Stockholder Deriv. Litig., No. 1:23-cv-01007-MN (D. Del.). The defendants named in the constituent complaint were Mr. Marsh, Mr. Middleton, Mr. Mindnich, Martin Hull, Ms. Helmer, Mr. Kenausis, Mr. McNamee, Mr.

Schneider, Mr. Silver, Mr. Willis, and current or former directors Jean Bua, Kavita Mahtani, and Kyungyeol Song. In an order entered on April 26, 2024, the Court approved the parties’ stipulation to stay all proceedings until motions to dismiss have been resolved in the 2023 Securities Action.

2024 Securities Litigation

On March 22, 2024, Ete Adote filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York asserting claims under the federal securities laws against the Company, Mr. Marsh, and Mr. Middleton, on behalf of an alleged class of purchasers of the Company’s common stock between May 9, 2023 and January 16, 2024, styled Adote v. Plug Power, Inc. et al., No. 1:24-cv-00406-MAD-DJS (N.D.N.Y.). The complaint alleges that the defendants made misstatements concerning the Company’s progress in construction of new hydrogen production capacity and its ability to effectively manage its supply chain. On April 30, 2024, a second complaint asserting substantially similar claims against the same defendants, but on behalf of a putative class of purchasers of the Company’s common stock between March 1, 2023 and January 16, 2024, was filed in the Northern District of New York, styled Lee v. Plug Power, et al., No. 1:24;cv-0598-MAD-DJS (N.D.N.Y.). The Court has approved stipulations in both actions extending the time for all defendants to respond to any pleading until after the Court appoints lead plaintiff(s).

Other Litigation

On May 2, 2023, a lawsuit entitled Jacob Thomas and JTurbo Engineering & Technology, LLC v. Joule Processing, LLC and Plug Power Inc., Case No. 4:23-cv-01615, was filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas against Joule Processing, LLC and the Company. The only claims that remain are misappropriation of trade secrets under the federal Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016, 18 U.S.C. § 1836, misappropriation of trade secrets under the Texas Uniform Trade Secrets Act, and breach of contract. Currently pending before the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas is Plaintiff[s’] Verified Amended Application for Temporary Restraining Order, Preliminary Injunction and Permanent Injunctive Relief, which was filed on November 17, 2023. Also pending is Defendants Joule Processing, LLC’s and the Company’s Motion for Summary Judgment, which was filed on August 19, 2024, and Plaintiffs’ Amended Motion for Partial Summary Judgment, which was filed on October 1, 2024.

On July 24, 2023, an action entitled Felton v. Plug Power, Inc., Case No. 1:23-cv-887, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York asserting claims against the Company pursuant to the New York State Human Rights Law. The complaint asserts that the plaintiff is seeking damages to redress injuries suffered as a result of harassment and discrimination on the basis of his race, together with creating a hostile work environment, and retaliation. The Company disagrees with plaintiff’s representations about his time at the Company and intends to vigorously defend against his allegations. Plaintiff’s counsel moved to withdraw from the case, which the court approved on March 18, 2024, and therefore plaintiff is now pro se. The current discovery deadline is January 31, 2025.

On October 23, 2024, a case entitled First Solar, Inc. v. Plug Power Inc., Index No. 655610/2024 was filed in the New York State Supreme Court, New York County, asserting a claim for breach of contract associated with a purchase order for solar panels manufactured by First Solar to be purchased by the Company. The complaint seeks monetary relief along with pre-judgment interest.

Concentrations of Credit Risk

Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to credit risk consist principally of cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and accounts receivable. Cash and restricted cash are maintained in accounts with financial institutions, which, at times may exceed the Federal depository insurance coverage of $250 thousand. The Company has not experienced losses on these accounts and management believes, based upon the quality of the financial institutions, that the credit risk with regard to these deposits is not significant.

Concentrations of credit risk with respect to receivables exist due to the limited number of select customers with whom the Company has commercial sales arrangements. To mitigate credit risk, the Company performs appropriate evaluation of a prospective customer’s financial condition.

As of September 30, 2024, one customer individually exceeded 10% of total consolidated accounts receivable balance with a balance of $34.1 million, or 20.4%, of the Company’s consolidated accounts receivable balance. At December 31, 2023, one customer individually exceeded 10% of total consolidated accounts receivable balance with a balance of $52.4 million, or 21.5%, of the Company’s consolidated accounts receivable balance.

For purposes of assigning a customer to a sale/leaseback transaction completed with a financial institution, the Company considers the end user of the assets to be the ultimate customer. For the three months ended September 30, 2024, two customers individually exceeded 10% of total consolidated revenues. One of the customers accounted for $29.0 million, or 16.7%, and one of the customers accounted for $24.6 million, or 14.2%, of total consolidated revenues. For the three months ended September 30, 2023, three customers individually exceeded 10% of total consolidated revenues. One of the customers accounted for $35.1 million, or 17.7%, one of the customers accounted for $30.7 million, or 15.4%, and one of the customers accounted for $22.2 million, or 11.2%, of total consolidated revenues.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2024, two customers individually exceeded 10% of total consolidated revenues. One of the customers accounted for $81.2 million, or 18.6%, and one of the customers accounted for $77.7 million, or 17.8%, of total consolidated revenues. For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, three customers individually exceeded 10% of total consolidated revenues. One of the customers accounted for $169.0 million, or 25.2%, one of the customers accounted for $72.3 million, or 10.8%, and one of the customers accounted for $70.6 million, or 10.6%, of total consolidated revenues, respectively.

Guarantee

On May 30, 2023, our joint venture, HyVia, entered into a government grant agreement with Bpifrance. As part of the agreement, our wholly-owned subsidiary, Plug Power France, was required to issue a guarantee to Bpifrance in the amount of €20 million through the end of January 2027. Plug Power France is liable to the extent of the guarantee for sums due to Bpifrance from HyVia under the agreement based on the difference between the total amount paid by Bpifrance and the final amount certified by HyVia and Bpifrance. As part of the agreement, there are certain milestones that HyVia is required to meet, and the nonperformance of these milestones or termination of this agreement could result in this guarantee being called upon. As of September 30, 2024, no payments related to this guarantee have been made by the Company and Plug Power France did not record a liability for this guarantee as the likelihood of the guarantee being called upon is remote.

Unconditional Purchase Obligations

The Company has entered into certain off–balance sheet commitments that require the future purchase of goods or services (“unconditional purchase obligations”). The Company’s unconditional purchase obligations primarily consist of supplier arrangements, take or pay contracts and service agreements. For certain vendors, the Company’s unconditional obligation to purchase a minimum quantity of raw materials at an agreed upon price is fixed and determinable; while certain other raw material costs will vary due to product forecasting and future economic conditions.

Future payments under non-cancelable unconditional purchase obligations with a remaining term in excess of one year as of September 30, 2024, were as follows (in thousands):

Remainder of 2024

$

25,989

2025

8,023

2026

8,023

2027

2,638

2028

2029 and thereafter

Total

44,673