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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2023
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

11.

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

The Company had purchase commitments aggregating approximately $309.3 million at June 30, 2023, which represented commitments made by the Company and its subsidiaries to various suppliers of raw materials for the production of its products. These obligations vary in terms, but are generally satisfied within one year.

The Company had contractual obligations aggregating approximately $380.4 million at June 30, 2023, which related primarily to sponsorships and other marketing activities.

The Company has a credit facility with HSBC Bank (China) Company Limited, Shanghai Branch, of $15.0 million. At June 30, 2023, the interest rate on borrowings under the line of credit was 5.5%. As of June 30, 2023, $2.7 million was outstanding on this line of credit.

Litigation — From time to time in the normal course of business, the Company is named in litigation, including labor and employment matters, personal injury matters, consumer class actions, intellectual property matters and claims from prior distributors. Although it is not possible to predict the ultimate outcome of such litigation, based on the facts known to the Company, management believes that such litigation in aggregate will likely not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position or results of operations.

The Company evaluates, on a quarterly basis, developments in legal proceedings and other matters that could cause an increase or decrease in the amount of the liability that is accrued, if any, and any related insurance reimbursements. As of June 30, 2023, $0.3 million of loss contingencies were included in the Company’s accompanying consolidated balance sheet. As of December 31, 2022, no loss contingencies were included in the Company’s accompanying consolidated balance sheet.

On September 29, 2022, a jury in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California (the “District Court”) awarded Monster Energy Company (“MEC”) approximately $293 million in damages in its false advertising and trade secrets case (the “Jury Award”) against Vital Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (“VPX”), the maker of Bang Energy. The jury found VPX and its former chief executive officer John H. Owoc to have falsely advertised the “Super Creatine” ingredient of Bang Energy and to have acted willfully and deliberately in violating the federal Lanham Act. The jury also found that VPX stole trade secrets and interfered with MEC’s contracts over shelf space with certain key vendors. On April 12, 2023, the District Court granted Monster’s motion for a permanent injunction which, among other things, enjoined VPX, Mr. Owoc, and others working in concert with them from falsely or deceptively claiming that BANG or any other beverages contain creatine or a form of creatine, requires them to remove all such advertising within 60 days, and required VPX and Mr. Owoc to issue corrective statements to consumers and non-consumer partners, including retailers and distributors.

In April 2022, MEC and Orange Bang, Inc. (“Orange Bang”) filed a joint motion in a separate District Court action to confirm a final arbitration award against VPX that awarded MEC and Orange Bang $175.0 million and a 5% royalty on all future sales of VPX’s Bang Energy drink and other Bang-branded products as well as certain fees and costs (the “Arbitration Award”). The arbitration arose from a settlement agreement that VPX entered into in 2010 with Orange Bang, a family-owned beverage business. Pursuant to the terms of that agreement, VPX is only permitted to use the Bang mark on “creatine-based” products or on Bang products that are marketed and sold only in the vitamin and dietary supplement sections of stores. On September 29, 2022, the District Court entered final judgment confirming the Arbitration Award. On October 28, 2022, VPX filed a notice of appeal of the District Court’s final judgment confirming the Arbitration award.

On October 10, 2022, VPX, along with certain of its domestic subsidiaries and affiliates, filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the Southern District of Florida. Due to such ongoing proceedings, VPX’s appeal of the District Court’s final judgment confirming the Arbitration Award was stayed. While reserving all rights to appeal, VPX made its first royalty payment of $3.6

million on February 14, 2023, which is for sales of Bang Energy drink and other Bang-branded products from October 10, 2022 through December 31, 2022. On May 25, 2023, VPX made an additional royalty payment in the amount of approximately $3.7 million for sales of Bang-branded products from January 1, 2023 through March 31, 2023. Per ASC 450 “Contingencies”, the Company will not recognize the royalty payments until they are realized or realizable.

On June 28, 2023, VPX and certain of its affiliates (“Bang Energy”) entered into an Asset Purchase Agreement (the “APA”) with the Company (“Buyer”), which among other things, provided for the Buyer’s acquisition of substantially all of Bang Energy’s assets. The transactions contemplated by the APA were approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida on July 14, 2023 and closed on July 31, 2023, at which time Monster was deemed to have allowed general unsecured claims in VPX’s bankruptcy case relating to the Jury Award (subject to the potential modification of the Jury Award in light of pending post-verdict motions filed by MEC and VPX) and the Arbitration Award. Pursuant to the APA, Bang Energy and the Company have mutually released each other from all claims and liabilities related to the Jury Award and the Arbitration Award, except any claims that the Company might have against Mr. Owoc in relation to the Jury Award. Per ASC 450 “Contingencies”, the Company will not recognize the allowed general unsecured claims, or the Jury Award as it relates to Mr. Owoc, until they are realized or realizable.

In June 2023, the Company entered into an agreement with Orange Bang regarding the Company’s use and registration of certain Bang® trademarks and trade names, subject to the successful closure of the APA. Under this agreement, the Company will pay Orange Bang a one-time payment of approximately $12.5 million and a 2.5% royalty on all future sales of products bearing the tradename Bang®.