COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES.

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES.

On February 14, 2017, T. Rowe Price Group, Inc., T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc., T. Rowe Price Trust Company, current and former members of the management committee, and trustees of the T. Rowe Price U.S. Retirement Program were named as defendants in a lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland. The lawsuit alleges breaches of ERISA’s fiduciary duty and prohibited transaction provisions on behalf of a class of all participants and beneficiaries of the T. Rowe Price 401(k) Plan from February 14, 2011, to the time of judgment. The matter has been certified as a class action. T. Rowe Price believes the claims are without merit and is vigorously defending the action. This matter is in the expert discovery phase of litigation and we cannot predict the eventual outcome, or whether it will have a material negative impact on our financial results, or estimate the possible loss or range of loss that may arise from any negative outcome.

On April 27, 2016, certain shareholders in the T. Rowe Price Blue Chip Growth Fund, T. Rowe Price Capital Appreciation Fund, T. Rowe Price Equity Income Fund, T. Rowe Price Growth Stock Fund, T. Rowe Price International Stock Fund, T. Rowe Price High Yield Fund, T. Rowe Price New Income Fund and T. Rowe Price Small Cap Stock Fund (the “Funds”) filed a Section 36(b) complaint under the caption Zoidis v. T. Rowe Price Assoc., Inc., against T. Rowe Price Associates, Inc. (“T. Rowe Price”) in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. The complaint alleges that the management fees for the identified funds are excessive because

T. Rowe Price charges lower advisory fees to subadvised clients with funds in the same strategy. The complaint seeks to recover the allegedly excessive advisory fees received by T. Rowe Price in the year preceding the start of the lawsuit, along with investments’ returns and profits. In the alternative, the complaint seeks the rescission of each fund’s investment management agreement and restitution of any allegedly excessive management fees.

T. Rowe Price believes the claims are without merit and is vigorously defending the action. This matter is in the discovery phase of litigation and we cannot predict the eventual outcome, or whether it will have a material negative impact on our financial results, or estimate the possible loss or range of loss that may arise from any negative outcome.

In addition to the matters discussed above, various claims against us arise in the ordinary course of business, including employment-related claims. In the opinion of management, after consultation with counsel, the likelihood of an adverse determination in one or more of these pending ordinary course of business claims that would have a material adverse effect on our financial position or results of operations is remote.