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Commitments and Contingencies
6 Months Ended
Aug. 01, 2020
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and Contingencies
The Company is subject to various claims and contingencies related to lawsuits, taxes, insurance, regulatory and other matters arising out of the normal course of business. Actions filed against the Company from time to time include commercial, tort, intellectual property, customer, employment, data privacy, securities and other claims, including purported class action lawsuits. Management believes that the ultimate liability arising from such claims and contingencies, if any, is not likely to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial condition or cash flows.
In July 2019, a plaintiff shareholder filed a putative class action complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio alleging that the Company made false and/or misleading statements relating to the November 2018 announcement that the Company was reducing its quarterly dividend. In September 2019, a different plaintiff shareholder filed a second putative class action complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio containing substantially the same allegations and seeking substantially the same relief.  In October 2019, the Court issued an order consolidating the two putative class actions, appointing a lead plaintiff, and approving that lead plaintiff’s selection of lead counsel.  The lead plaintiff filed a consolidated
amended complaint on December 20, 2019 that asserted substantially the same allegations and sought substantially the same relief as the initial complaint.  The Company filed a motion to dismiss the consolidated amended complaint on February 18, 2020, the lead plaintiff filed an opposition to the Company's motion to dismiss on May 4, 2020, and the Company filed a reply brief in further support of its motion to dismiss on June 3, 2020.  The Company's motion to dismiss the consolidated amended complaint is now fully briefed and pending before the court.  The court will hear oral argument on the motion to dismiss on September 23, 2020. The Company views this lawsuit as meritless and intends to defend against this lawsuit vigorously. 
On February 19, 2020, a plaintiff shareholder filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio alleging derivative claims on behalf of the Company against certain of its current and former directors and officers.  The Company was named as nominal defendant.  The lawsuit asserts claims for breach of fiduciary duty, corporate waste and unjust enrichment in connection with alleged misstatements about the Company's quarterly dividend prior to the announced reduction of the dividend in November 2018. On July 21, 2020, the court so-ordered a stipulation staying all proceedings in this lawsuit, pending resolution of the motion to dismiss that the Company filed on February 18, 2020 in the putative class action lawsuit described above.  The Company intends to seek dismissal of the lawsuit at the appropriate time.
On May 19, 2020, a purported shareholder filed a derivative lawsuit on behalf of L Brands, Inc. in the Court of Common Pleas for Franklin County, Ohio.  The complaint names as defendants certain current and former directors and officers of L Brands, Inc. and alleges, among other things, that these defendants breached their fiduciary duties by violating law and/or company policies relating to workplace conduct.  The Company was named as nominal defendant only, and there are no claims asserted against it.  On June 16, 2020, the lawsuit was removed to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.  On July 6, 2020, the court so-ordered a stipulation staying the lawsuit until December 29, 2020.  The Company is currently evaluating potential options for responding to the lawsuit.
La Senza
In connection with the sale of La Senza in the fourth quarter of 2018, certain of the Company's subsidiaries have remaining contingent obligations of $36 million related to lease payments under the current terms of noncancelable leases expiring at various dates through 2028. These obligations include minimum rent and additional payments covering taxes, common area costs and certain other expenses and relate to leases that commenced prior to the disposition of the business. As of August 1, 2020, the Company has recorded reserves of $37 million related to these lease-related obligations and certain other obligations related to the La Senza business. As of August 1, 2020, reserves of $6 million are included within Accrued Expenses and Other on the Consolidated Balance Sheet and the remaining reserves are included within Other Long-term Liabilities.
Other
In connection with the noncancelable operating lease of an operating asset, the Company provides a residual value guarantee to the lessor if the leased asset cannot be sold for an amount in excess of a specified minimum value at the conclusion of the lease term. The lease expires in 2021, and the total amount of the guarantee is $28 million. The Company did not record a liability as of August 1, 2020.