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Commitments and Contingencies
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

9. Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments

On October 5, 2022, we entered into definitive agreements to sell three Prospect facilities located in Connecticut to Yale for approximately $457 million, of which we are still contractually owed $355 million in cash and have previously received the remainder in additional investments in PHP Holdings - part of the Prospect Transaction discussed in Note 3. This transaction was approved by the state of Connecticut's Office of Health Strategy on March 27, 2024 and is now subject to the completion of Yale's acquisition of the hospital operations from Prospect. No assurances can be given that this transaction will be consummated as described or at all.

Contingencies

With Steward's ongoing operational and liquidity challenges as discussed in Note 3 and in the "Significant Tenant Update" section in "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations" of this Form 10-Q, we and certain of Steward’s asset backed lenders agreed to a new bridge facility in February 2024 and funded an additional $75 million each to Steward during the 2024 first quarter. Of the $75 million funded by Steward's asset backed lenders, up to $60 million can be put to us in 2025 if not previously paid by Steward or through liquidation of Steward's collateral. If any amount is put to us in 2025, we would then be eligible to collect this full amount plus a return from Steward. Given this, we have determined that any liability from this financial guarantee has minimal value at June 30, 2024. In connection with Steward's ongoing bankruptcy process and the impairment of our investment in the Macquarie partnership in the 2024 second quarter, we have an approximate $50 million liability at June 30, 2024, for property taxes, other property related expenses, and other obligations that Steward is required to pay but has not currently paid.

We are party to various lawsuits as described below:

Securities and Derivative Litigation

On April 13, 2023, we and certain of our executives were named as defendants in a putative federal securities class action lawsuit alleging false and/or misleading statements and/or omissions resulted in artificially inflated prices for our common stock, filed by a purported stockholder in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama (Case No. 2:23-cv-00486). The complaint seeks class certification on behalf of purchasers of our common stock between July 15, 2019 and February 22, 2023 and unspecified damages including interest and an award of reasonable costs and expenses. This class action complaint was amended on September 22, 2023 and alleges that we made material misstatements or omissions relating to the financial health of certain of our tenants.

Members of our Board of Directors were also named as defendants in two related shareholder derivative lawsuits filed by purported stockholders in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama on October 19, 2023 (Case No. 2:23- cv-01415) and December 7, 2023 (Case No. 2:23-cv-01667). The Company was named as a nominal defendant in both complaints. These shareholder derivative complaints both make allegations similar to those made in the Alabama securities lawsuit described above relating to purported material misstatements or omissions relating to the financial health of certain of our tenants. Members of our Board of Directors were also named as defendants in two related shareholder derivative lawsuits filed by purported stockholders in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland on February 16, 2024 (Case No. 1:24-cv-00471) and June 28, 2024 (Case No. 1:24-cv-01899). The Company was named as a nominal defendant in both complaints. These shareholder derivative complaints both make allegations similar to those made in the Alabama securities and derivative lawsuits described above relating to purported material misstatements or omissions relating to the financial health of certain of our tenants.

On September 29, 2023, we and certain of our executives were named as defendants in a putative federal securities class action lawsuit filed by a purported stockholder in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (Case No. 1:23-cv- 08597). The complaint seeks class certification on behalf of purchasers of our common stock between May 23, 2023 and August 17, 2023 and alleges false and/or misleading statements and/or omissions in connection with certain transactions involving Prospect. Members of our Board of Directors were also named as defendants in two related shareholder derivative lawsuits filed by purported stockholders in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York on December 18, 2023 (Case No. 1:23-cv- 10934) and March 1, 2024 (Case No. 1:24-cv-01589). The Company was named as a nominal defendant in both complaints. These shareholder derivative complaints both make allegations similar to those made in the New York securities lawsuit described above relating to purported false and/or misleading statements and/or omissions in connection with certain transactions involving Prospect. On February 21, 2024, members of our Board of Directors were named as defendants in a shareholder derivative lawsuit filed by a purported stockholder in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland (Case No. 1:24-cv-00527). The Company was named as a nominal defendant. This shareholder derivative complaint makes allegations similar to those made in the New York securities and derivative lawsuits described above relating to purported false and/or misleading statements and/or omissions in connection with certain transactions involving Prospect.

We believe these claims are without merit and intend to defend the remaining open cases vigorously. We have not recorded a liability related to the lawsuits above because, at this time, we are unable to determine whether an unfavorable outcome is probable or to estimate reasonably possible losses.

Defamation Litigation

On March 30, 2023, we commenced an action in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama (Case No. 2:23-cv-00408), against short-seller Viceroy Research LLC (“Viceroy”) and its members. We are seeking injunctive relief and damages for defamation, civil conspiracy, tortious interference, private nuisance, and unjust enrichment based on defamatory statements expressed against us. On June 29, 2023, we won a preliminary ruling in this lawsuit after Viceroy's motion to dismiss the case was denied by a judge in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Alabama.

From time-to-time, we are a party to other legal proceedings, claims, or regulatory inquiries and investigations arising out of, or incidental to, our business. While we are unable to predict with certainty the outcome of any particular matter, in the opinion of management, after consultation with legal counsel, the ultimate liability, if any, with respect to those proceedings is not presently expected to materially affect our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.