Transition report pursuant to Rule 13a-10 or 15d-10

Commitments and Contingencies

v2.4.0.8
Commitments and Contingencies
11 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2013
Commitments and Contingencies  
Commitments and Contingencies

6. Commitments and Contingencies

Leases

        The following is a schedule of future minimum lease payments under operating leases as of December 31, 2013:

 
  Twelve months ended
December 31,
 
 
  (in thousands)
 

2014

  $ 7,108  

2015

    9,169  

2016

    9,159  

2017

    8,004  

2018

    4,663  

Thereafter

    19,719  
       

Total future minimum lease payments

  $ 57,822  
       
       

        We conduct our operations using leased office facilities in various locations. We lease office space under arrangements expiring through 2024. Rent expenses for the twelve months ended January 31, 2012 and 2013 and the eleven months ended December 31, 2013 were $2.5 million, $3.2 million and $5.7 million, respectively.

        For operating leases that include escalation clauses over the term of the lease, tenant improvement reimbursements and rent abatement periods, we recognize rent expense on a straight-line basis over the lease term including expected renewal periods. The difference between rent expense and rent payments is recorded as deferred rent in current and long-term liabilities. As of January 31, 2013 and December 31, 2013 deferred rent was $3.6 million and $9.4 million.

Purchase Obligation

        As of December 31, 2013, we had a non-cancelable royalty-related contractual obligation which is recoupable against future royalty payments. As of December 31, 2013, the balance of this purchase obligation was $10.0 million.

Indemnification Agreements, Guarantees and Contingencies

        In the ordinary course of business, we are party to certain contractual agreements under which it may provide indemnifications of varying scope, terms and duration to customers, vendors, lessors, business partners and other parties with respect to certain matters, including, but not limited to, losses arising out of breach of such agreements, services to be provided by us or from intellectual property infringement claims made by third parties. In addition, we have entered into indemnification agreements with directors and certain officers and employees that will require us, among other things, to indemnify them against certain liabilities that may arise by reason of their status or service as directors, officers or employees. Such indemnification provisions are accounted for in accordance with guarantor's accounting and disclosure requirements for guarantees, including indirect guarantees of indebtedness of others. To date, we have not incurred, do not anticipate incurring and therefore have not accrued for, any costs related to such indemnification provisions.

        While the outcome of these matters cannot be predicted with certainty, we do not believe that the outcome of any claims under indemnification arrangements will have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

Legal Proceedings

        We have been in the past, and continue to be, a party to privacy and patent infringement litigation which has consumed, and may continue to consume, financial and managerial resources. We are also from time to time subject to various other legal proceedings and claims arising in the ordinary course of our business. We record a liability when we believe that it is both probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount can be reasonably estimated. Our management periodically evaluates developments that could affect the amount, if any, of liability that we have previously accrued and make adjustments as appropriate. Determining both the likelihood and the estimated amount of a loss requires significant judgment, and management's judgment may be incorrect. We do not believe the ultimate resolution of any pending legal matters is likely to have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

        In June 2011, a putative class action lawsuit was filed against Pandora in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California alleging that we unlawfully accessed and transmitted personally identifiable information of the plaintiffs in connection with their use of our Android mobile application. In addition to civil liability, the amended complaint includes allegations of violations of statutes under which criminal penalties could be imposed if we were found liable. Our motion to dismiss the first amended complaint was granted on March 26, 2013. The court allowed the plaintiff to amend his complaint. The second amended complaint, filed May 9, 2013, contains allegations similar to those contained in the previous complaint. Our motion to dismiss the second amended complaint was filed May 30, 2013. The court has not yet ruled on the motion.

        In September 2011, a putative class action lawsuit was filed against Pandora in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California alleging that we violated Michigan's video rental privacy law and consumer protection statute by allowing our listeners' listening history to be visible to the public. Our motion to dismiss the complaint was granted on September 28, 2012, judgment was entered on November 14, 2012. The plaintiff appealed the judgment to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Briefing of the appeal was completed on August 2, 2013. No date has been set for oral argument.

        On September 10, 2012, B.E. Technology, LLC filed suit against Pandora in the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee alleging that we infringe a B.E. Technology patent and seeking injunctive relief and monetary damages. We filed our answer on December 31, 2012. Defendants in other suits in which B.E. Technology is plaintiff have filed inter partes review petitions before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office challenging the validity of the patent Pandora is alleged to have infringed. The trial court granted Pandora's motion to stay this litigation until the inter partes review has been concluded.

        On November 26, 2012, 1st Technology LLC filed suit against Pandora in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois alleging patent infringement. The complaint seeks injunctive relief and monetary damages. On November 20, 2013, the parties negotiated mutually acceptable terms of a settlement of the case.

On November 21, 2013, the court dismissed the complaint with prejudice, granting the plaintiff leave to refile if a written settlement agreement is not signed. The parties fully executed a settlement agreement and release on December 2, 2013.

        On February 26, 2013, Macrosolve, Inc. filed suit against Pandora in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas alleging that Pandora infringes a Macrosolve, Inc. patent and seeks injunctive relief and monetary damages. On December 3, 2013, the parties negotiated mutually acceptable terms of a settlement of the case. On January 2, 2014, the court entered a final judgment of dismissal.

        On December 23, 2013, Operative Media, Inc. filed a complaint in the New York Supreme Court for New York County alleging that Pandora failed to pay invoices when due, failed to cooperate, and anticipatorily breached a software subscription contract. Pandora's responsive pleading was filed in February 2014.

        We currently believe that Pandora has substantial and meritorious defenses to the claims in the lawsuits discussed above and intends to vigorously defend our position.

        We are also subject to legal proceedings involving musical work royalty rates. On November 5, 2012, we filed a petition in the rate court established by the consent decree between the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers ("ASCAP") and the U.S. Department of Justice in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York for the determination of reasonable license fees and terms for the ASCAP consent decree license applicable to the period January 1, 2011 through December 31, 2015. On June 11, 2013 we filed a motion for partial summary judgment seeking a determination that as a matter of law the publishers alleged to have withdrawn certain rights of public performance by digital audio transmission from the scope of grant of rights ASCAP could license on behalf of such publishers subsequent to the date of our request for a license from ASCAP were not valid as to our ASCAP consent decree license. On September 17, 2013, our motion for partial summary judgment was granted, alleviating the need to negotiate direct licenses for such purportedly withdrawn performance rights. A trial to determine the royalty rates we will pay ASCAP concluded in February 2014.

        On June 13, 2013, Broadcast Music, Inc. ("BMI") filed a petition in the rate court established by the consent decree between BMI and the U.S. Department of Justice in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York for the determination of reasonable fees and terms for the BMI consent decree license applicable to the period January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2017. We filed our response on July 19, 2013. On November 1, 2013, we filed a motion for partial summary judgment seeking a determination that as a matter of law the publishers alleged to have withdrawn certain rights of public performance by digital audio transmission from the scope of grant of rights BMI could license on behalf of such publishers subsequent to the date of our request for a license from BMI were not valid as to our BMI consent decree license. On December 18, 2013, our motion for summary judgment was denied.

        The outcome of any litigation is inherently uncertain. Based on our current knowledge we believe that the final outcome of the matters discussed above will not likely, individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, results of operations or cash flows; however, in light of the uncertainties involved in such matters, there can be no assurance that the outcome of each case or the costs of litigation, regardless of outcome, will not have a material adverse effect on our business. In particular, rate court proceedings could take years to complete, could be very costly and may result in royalty rates that are materially less favorable than rates we currently pay.