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Commitments and Contingencies: Litigation Settlement
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2020
Commitments and Contingencies: Litigation Settlement.  
Commitments and Contingencies: Litigation Settlement

15. Commitments and Contingencies; Litigation Settlement 

 

Contingencies 

 

In accordance with applicable accounting guidance, the Company establishes an accrued liability when loss contingencies are both probable and estimable. In such cases, there may be an exposure to loss in excess of any amounts accrued. As a matter develops, the Company, in conjunction with any outside counsel handling the matter, evaluates on an ongoing basis whether such matter presents a loss contingency that is probable and estimable. Once the loss contingency is deemed to be both probable and estimable, the Company will establish an accrued liability and record a corresponding amount of litigation-related expense. The Company expenses professional fees associated with litigation claims and assessments as incurred.

 

Heckermann v. Montross et al., Case No. 1:17-CV-01673 (D. Del.) (the “Derivative Suit”)

On November 20, 2017, a purported CPI stockholder filed a stockholder derivative complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware (the “Court”) against certain of CPI’s former officers and current and former directors, along with the sponsors of CPI’s October 2015 initial public offering (“IPO”). CPI is also named as a nominal defendant. The derivative complaint asserts claims under §§10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and SEC Rule 10b-5 and seeks, among other things, injunctive relief, damages and costs. It alleges false or misleading statements and omissions in the Registration Statement filed by CPI in connection with its IPO and subsequent public filings and statements. The derivative complaint also asserts claims for purported breaches of fiduciary duties, unjust enrichment, mismanagement and waste of corporate assets.

On December 18, 2019, the parties filed a Stipulation and Agreement of Settlement to resolve and dismiss the Derivative Suit, and on April 1, 2020, the Court granted final approval of the settlement set forth therein and dismissed with prejudice all claims (the “Settlement”). Under the Settlement, (i) all claims that were or could have been asserted in the Derivative Suit were resolved and discharged, (ii) the Company agreed to implement certain corporate governance reforms, and (iii) the Company’s insurer agreed to pay fees and expenses awarded to the plaintiff’s counsel in the amount of $343 and a service award to the plaintiff of a nominal amount. No liability associated with the Settlement has been recorded by the Company as of March 31, 2020, or December 31, 2019.

 

In addition to the matters described above, the Company is subject to routine legal proceedings in the ordinary course of business. The Company believes that the ultimate resolution of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on its business, financial condition or results of operations.

 

Litigation Settlement

CPI Card Group Inc. v. Multi Packaging Solutions, Inc., et al. Second Case

During the summer of 2017, the Company and its subsidiary, CPI Card Group – Minnesota, Inc. (together, the “Company Plaintiffs”), commenced a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota against a former employee, Multi Packaging Solutions, Inc. (“MPS”), and two MPS employees as individuals (collectively, the Defendants).  On June 12, 2019, the Company Plaintiffs and the Defendants reached a settlement pursuant to which the case was resolved and dismissed by mutual agreement on terms that provided for, among other things, a cash payment to the Company.  The Company received a $6,000 cash settlement payment during the second quarter of 2019, and recorded the gain within income from operations, in the Other segment.  The case was dismissed in its entirety, with prejudice, by court order on July 12, 2019.