XML 34 R22.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT v3.19.1
Commitments and Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2019
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments and Contingencies
Letters of Credit
As of March 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018, the Company had $14.4 million and $9.7 million, respectively, of unused letters of credit outstanding, which carry fees of 2.75% - 3.25% per annum and 2.50% - 3.25% per annum, respectively.
Operating and Finance Leases
The Company leases real estate under non-cancellable-operating leases and equipment under finance leases.
The components of lease expense were as follows (in thousands):
 
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
 
2019
 
2018
Finance lease cost:
 
 
 
 
Amortization of right-of-use assets
 
$
3,484

 
$
2,634

Interest on lease liabilities
 
239

 
119

Operating lease cost
 
2,879

 
2,629

Short-term lease cost
 
524

 
201

Variable lease cost
 
877

 
777

Sublease income
 
(156
)
 
(106
)
Total lease cost
 
$
7,847

 
$
6,254

Other information related to leases was as follows (in thousands):
 
 
Three Months Ended March 31,
 
 
2019
 
2018
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities
 
 
 
 
Operating cash flows from operating leases
 
$
2,567

 
$
2,600

Operating cash flows from finance leases
 
201

 
109

Financing cash flows from finance leases
 
3,060

 
2,159

Right-of-use assets obtained in exchange for lease obligations:
 
 
 
 
Operating leases
 
20,395

 
1,117

Finance leases
 
3,566

 
99

Weighted average remaining lease term (years):
 
 
 
 
Operating leases
 
5.55

 
3.89

Finance leases
 
2.90

 
1.87

Weighted average discount rate:
 
 
 
 
Operating leases
 
5.2
%
 
4.1
%
Finance leases
 
4.3
%
 
3.1
%

Future minimum lease payments under non-cancellable leases as of March 31, 2019 were as follows (in thousands):
 
 
Operating Leases
 
Sublease Income
 
Net Operating Leases
 
Finance Leases
2019
 
$
11,952

 
$
777

 
$
11,175

 
$
10,060

2020
 
11,878

 
791

 
11,087

 
5,453

2021
 
10,538

 
439

 
10,099

 
3,587

2022
 
9,101

 

 
9,101

 
1,568

2023
 
8,189

 

 
8,189

 
60

Thereafter
 
10,677

 

 
10,677

 
49

Total future lease payments
 
62,335

 
2,007

 
60,328

 
20,777

Less: Amount representing interest
 
6,200

 

 
6,200

 
1,072

Present value of future payments
 
56,135

 
2,007

 
54,128

 
19,705

Less: Short term leases not recorded as a liability
 
11,761

 

 
11,761

 

Less: Tenant incentives
 
3,186

 

 
3,186

 

Revised Present value of future payments
 
41,188

 
2,007

 
39,181

 
19,705

Less: Current portion
 
9,462

 

 
9,462

 
9,459

Long-term portion
 
$
31,726

 
$
2,007

 
$
29,719

 
$
10,246


During the three months ended March 31, 2019, the Company entered into two non-cancellable operating lease agreements over the next five to seven years for corporate office space in San Francisco, California, and Denver, Colorado, to replace existing office space whose lease terms expire in 2019.
Purchase Commitment
The Company entered into purchase commitments, which have the ability to be canceled without significant penalties, with multiple suppliers to purchase $60.6 million of photovoltaic modules and inverters by the end of 2019.
Warranty Accrual
The Company accrues warranty costs when revenue is recognized for solar energy systems sales, based on the estimated future costs of meeting its warranty obligations. Warranty costs primarily consist of replacement costs for supplies and labor costs for service personnel since warranties for equipment and materials are covered by the original manufacturer’s warranty (other than a small deductible in certain cases). As such, the warranty reserve is immaterial in all periods presented. The Company makes and revises these estimates based on the number of solar energy systems under warranty, the Company’s historical experience with warranty claims, assumptions on warranty claims to occur over a systems’ warranty period and the Company’s estimated replacement costs.
ITC and Cash Grant Indemnification
The Company is contractually committed to compensate certain investors for any losses that they may suffer in certain limited circumstances resulting from reductions in ITCs or U.S. Treasury grants. Generally, such obligations would arise as a result of reductions to the value of the underlying solar energy systems as assessed by the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”). At each balance sheet date, the Company assesses and recognizes, when applicable, the potential exposure from this obligation based on all the information available at that time, including any audits undertaken by the IRS. The Company believes that this obligation is not probable based on the facts known as of the filing date of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q. The maximum potential future payments that the Company could have to make under this obligation would depend largely on the difference between the prices at which the solar energy systems were sold or transferred to the Funds (or, in certain structures, the fair market value claimed in respect of such systems (referred to as "claimed values")) and the eligible basis determined by the IRS. The Company set the purchase prices and claimed values based on fair market values determined with the assistance of an independent third-party appraisal with respect to the systems that generate ITCs that are passed-through to and claimed by the Fund investors. Since the Company cannot determine how the IRS may evaluate system values used in claiming ITCs, the Company is unable to reliably estimate the maximum potential future payments that it could have to make under this obligation as of each balance sheet date, though any potential future payments are mitigated by the insurance policy described below. In April 2018, the Company purchased an insurance policy providing for certain payments by the insurers in the event there is any final determination (including a judicial determination) that reduced the ITCs claimed in respect of solar energy systems sold or transferred to most Funds through April 2018, or later, in the case of Funds added to the policy after such date. In general, the policy indemnifies the Company and related parties for additional taxes (including penalties and interest) owed in respect of lost ITCs, gross-up costs and expenses incurred in defending such claim, subject to negotiated exclusions from, and limitations to, coverage.
Litigation
The Company is subject to certain legal proceedings, claims, investigations and administrative proceedings in the ordinary course of its business. The Company records a provision for a liability when it is both probable that the liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated. These provisions, if any, are reviewed at least quarterly and adjusted to reflect the impacts of negotiations, settlements, rulings, advice of legal counsel and other information and events pertaining to a particular case. Depending on the nature and timing of any such proceedings that may arise, an unfavorable resolution of a matter could materially affect the Company’s future consolidated results of operations, cash flows or financial position in a particular period.
On November 20, 2015, a putative class action captioned Slovin et al. v. Sunrun Inc. and Clean Energy Experts, LLC, Case No. 4:15-cv-05340, was filed in the United States District Court, Northern District of California. The complaint generally alleged violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (the “TCPA”) on behalf of an individual and putative classes of persons alleged to be similarly situated. Plaintiffs filed a First Amended Complaint on December 2, 2015, and a Second Amended Complaint on March 25, 2016, also asserting individual and putative class claims under the TCPA. By Order entered on April 28, 2016, the Court granted the Company’s motion to strike the class allegations set forth in the Second Amended Complaint, and granted leave to amend. Plaintiffs filed a Third Amended Complaint on July 12, 2016 asserting individual and putative class claims under the TCPA. On October 12, 2016, the Court denied the Company’s motion to again strike the class allegations set forth in the Third Amended Complaint. On October 3, 2017, plaintiffs filed a motion for leave to file a Fourth Amended Complaint, seeking to, among other things, revise the definitions of the classes that plaintiffs seek to represent. In each iteration of their complaint, plaintiffs seek statutory damages, equitable and injunctive relief, and attorneys’ fees and costs, on behalf of themselves and the absent classes. On April 12, 2018, the Company and plaintiffs advised the Court that they reached a settlement in principle, and the Court vacated all deadlines relating to the motion for class certification. On September 27, 2018, Plaintiffs filed a motion for preliminary approval to settle all claims against the Company for $5.5 million, which was accrued as of March 31, 2018. On November 27, 2018, a hearing was held on Plaintiff's motion for preliminary approval. The Court requested certain clarifications be made to the proposed settlement agreement and notice documents. On January 11, 2019, Plaintiffs filed revised settlement documents reflecting the changes requested by the Court, and on January 29, 2019, the Court granted preliminary approval of the settlement.
Most, if not all, of the claims asserted in the lawsuit relate to activities allegedly engaged in by third-party vendors, for which the Company denies any responsibility. The vendors are contractually obligated to indemnify the Company for losses related to the conduct alleged. The Company has denied, and continues to deny, the claims alleged and the settlement does not reflect any admission of fault, wrongdoing or liability. The settlement is subject to definitive documentation, class notice and court approval.
On May 3, 2017, a purported shareholder class action captioned Fink, et al. v. Sunrun Inc., et al., Case No. 3:17-cv-02537, was filed in the United States District Court, Northern District of California, against the Company and certain of the Company’s directors and officers. The complaint generally alleges that the defendants violated Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act") and SEC Rule 10b-5, by making false or misleading statements in connection with public filings made between September 15, 2015 and March 8, 2017 regarding the number of customers who canceled contracts after signing up for the Company’s home-solar energy system. The plaintiff seeks compensatory damages, including interest, attorney's fees, and costs, on behalf of all persons other than the defendants who purchased the Company's securities between September 16, 2015 and May 2, 2017. On May 4, 2017, a purported shareholder class action captioned Hall, et al. v. Sunrun Inc., et al., Case No. 3:17-cv-02571, was filed in the United States District Court, Northern District of California. On May 18, 2017, a purported shareholder class action captioned Sanogo, et al. v. Sunrun Inc., et al., Case No. 3:17-cv-02865, was filed in the United States District Court, Northern California District of California. The Hall and Sanogo complaints are substantially similar to the Fink complaint, and seek similar relief against similar defendants on behalf of a substantially similar class. On August 23, 2017, the FinkHall, and Sanogo actions were consolidated, and on September 25, 2017, plaintiffs filed a consolidated amended complaint which alleges the same underlying violations as the original Fink, Hall and Sanogo complaints (such consolidated action referred to as the "federal court litigation"). On April 5, 2018, the court granted the Company’s motion to dismiss without prejudice. Plaintiffs filed a second amended complaint on May 3, 2018. On July 19, 2018, the court again granted defendants' motion to dismiss without prejudice.
On August 8, 2018, the Company reached an agreement in principle with plaintiffs to settle all claims asserted in the federal court litigation against all defendants for $2.5 million, all of which will be funded by the Company's insurers. The Company and all defendants have denied, and continue to deny, the claims alleged in the federal court litigation and the settlement does not reflect any admission of fault, wrongdoing or liability as to any defendant. On November 20, 2018, the Court granted preliminary approval of the settlement. On March 4, 2019, the court granted final approval of the settlement and judgment.
On June 29, 2017, a shareholder derivative complaint captioned Barbara Sue Sklar Living Trust v. Sunrun Inc. et al., was filed in the United States District Court, Northern District of California, against the Company and certain of the Company’s directors and officers. The complaint generally alleges that the defendants violated Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act by making false or misleading statements in connection with public filings, including proxy statements, made between September 10, 2015 and May 3, 2017 regarding the number of customers who cancelled contracts after signing up for the Company’s home solar energy system. The Plaintiff seeks, among other things, damages in favor of the Company, certain corporate actions to purportedly improve the Company’s corporate governance, and an award of costs and expenses to the putative plaintiff stockholder, including attorneys’ fees.
On April 5, 2018, a stockholder derivative complaint captioned Leonard Olsen v. Sunrun Inc. et al., was filed in the United States District Court, District of Delaware, against the Company and certain of the Company’s directors and officers. The Olsen complaint is substantially similar to the Sklar complaint, alleges that the defendants breached their fiduciary duties and violated Section 14(a) of the Exchange Act in connection with public statements made between September 16, 2015 and May 21, 2017, and seeks similar relief.

On January 28, 2019, the Company reached an agreement in principle to settle all claims asserted in the Sklar and Olsen derivative actions against all defendants. Under the terms of the proposed settlement, the Company agreed to adopt certain corporate governance measures in the future. The Company and all defendants have denied, and continue to deny, the claims alleged in the derivative actions and the settlement does not reflect any admission of fault, wrongdoing or liability as to any defendant. The settlement is subject to definitive documentation and court approval.