v3.26.1
Commitments and Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2026
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and Contingencies
At each reporting date, the Company evaluates whether or not a potential loss amount or a potential range of loss is probable and reasonably estimable under the provisions of the authoritative guidance that addresses accounting for contingencies. The Company expenses the costs related to such legal proceedings as incurred. Insurance proceeds, if any, will be recognized as reductions to the related expenses in the period the proceeds are probable. Below is a summary of the various types of matters subject to this guidance.
Indemnification Agreements
In the ordinary course of business, the Company provides indemnification of varying scope and terms to 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 or from intellectual property infringement claims made by third parties. In addition, the Company has entered into indemnification agreements with members of its Board of Directors and certain of its executive officers and employees that require the Company, among other things, to indemnify them against certain liabilities that may arise by reason of their role, status or service as directors or officers. The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these indemnification agreements is, in many cases, unlimited. Based on historical experience and evaluation of the agreements, we do not believe that any payments related to our indemnities will have a material impact on our financial condition or results of operations.
Legal Proceedings
We are from time to time subject to various claims, lawsuits, government and regulatory examinations, inquiries, information requests and investigations, and other legal and administrative proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company has identified certain claims as a result of which a loss may be incurred. This assessment is based on our current understanding of relevant facts and circumstances. As such, our view of these matters is subject to inherent uncertainties and may change in the future. Significant judgment is required in both the determination of probability and the determination as to whether an exposure is reasonably estimable. Actual outcomes of these legal and regulatory proceedings may materially differ from our current estimates. The pending proceedings involve complex questions of fact and law and may require the expenditure of significant funds and the diversion of other resources. The results of legal proceedings are inherently uncertain, and material adverse outcomes are reasonably possible.
General Litigation
Class Action Lawsuits
On March 25, 2024 and November 1, 2024, putative class action lawsuits were filed against the Company in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. On December 13, 2024, the Court consolidated the two lawsuits into one action (the “Class Action”), pursuant to which a consolidated amended complaint was filed against the Company, certain former executives, a current director, and individuals associated with NewHold Investment Corp. Lead Plaintiff Robert Falk and additional plaintiffs Chris Williams, Tim R. Carrillo and Chris Swanson (“Class Action Plaintiffs”) allege that the Company violated federal securities laws by making false or misleading statements relating to the effectiveness of certain products and the Company’s revenue recognition. The Class Action Plaintiffs seek various forms of relief, including compensatory damages, reasonable costs and expenses, attorneys’ fees, and expert fees. The Company filed its motion to dismiss the Class Action on March 28, 2025, and the Class Action Plaintiffs filed their opposition to the motion to dismiss on June 24, 2025. On June 30, 2025, the Court issued an order staying the Class Action, including disposition on the motion to dismiss, pending settlement negotiations. On August 5, 2025, the parties to the Class Action engaged in mediation and reached a settlement in principle in the amount of $15.0 million, which is subject to negotiation of definitive documentation and court approval, of which the Company estimated that $14.0 million would be funded by the Company's Directors and Officers insurance coverage. On August 19, 2025, after receiving notice of the anticipated settlement agreement, the Court denied the motion to dismiss with leave to renew if warranted. On April 13, 2026, Class Action Plaintiffs filed a motion for preliminary approval of the settlement agreement. On April 16, 2026, the Court granted preliminary approval of the settlement agreement, stayed all proceedings in the Class Action other than to carry out and enforce the settlement agreement, and scheduled a final fairness hearing for September 24, 2026.
The Company has previously recognized a settlement accrual of $15.0 million and an estimated insurance recovery of $14.0 million, which remain in accrued expenses and other current liabilities and prepaid and other current assets in the condensed consolidated balance sheets as of December 31, 2025, respectively, representing management's best estimate of the outcome. The Company was subsequently notified that an additional $0.3 million will be recovered and has adjusted the insurance recovery receivable to $14.3 million as of March 31, 2026. The related adjustment was recorded in general and administrative expense in the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss during the three months ended March 31, 2026.
Derivative Lawsuits
On November 12, 2024, a shareholder derivative lawsuit was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts (the “Massachusetts Derivative Action”). The Massachusetts Derivative Action is a consolidation of two shareholder derivative lawsuits based on the same allegations in the Class Action, and filed against certain former and current officers and directors, and nominally against the Company. Plaintiff Bonnie Maas, derivatively on behalf of nominal defendant the Company, brought claims for breach of fiduciary duty, violation of federal securities law, unjust enrichment, waste of corporate assets, and gross mismanagement, seeking monetary damages, including restitution and fees, equitable relief, and an order directing the Company to take all necessary actions to reform and improve its corporate governance and internal procedures. The Massachusetts Derivative Action is stayed pending the outcome of the motion to dismiss in the Class Action or a final order dismissing the Class Action with prejudice.
On March 10, 2025, a shareholder derivative lawsuit was filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery (the “First Delaware Derivative Action”). The First Delaware Derivative Action is based on the same allegations in the Class Action, and was filed against certain former and current officers, and nominally against the Company. Plaintiff Steve Bersch, derivatively on behalf of nominal defendant Evolv, brought claims for breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, and insider trading, seeking various forms of relief, including equitable relief, monetary damages, including restitution and fees, and a declaratory judgment. The First Delaware Derivative Action is stayed pending the outcome of the motion to dismiss in the Class Action or a final order dismissing the Class Action with prejudice.
On October 2, 2025, another shareholder derivative lawsuit was filed in the Delaware Court of Chancery (the “Second Delaware Derivative Action”). The Second Delaware Derivative Action is based on the same allegations in the Class Action, and was filed against certain former and current officers and directors, NHIC directors and officers, and nominally against the Company. Plaintiff Robert Patrick, derivatively on behalf of nominal defendant Evolv, brought claims for breach of fiduciary duties, unjust enrichment, abuse of control, gross mismanagement, and waste of corporate
assets, seeking various forms of relief, including equitable relief directing reform of corporate governance and internal controls, monetary damages including restitution and other fees, and a declaration that the individual defendants breached or aided and abetted breaches of fiduciary duties. On November 7, 2025, the Delaware Court of Chancery entered an order staying the Second Delaware Derivative Action pending the outcome of renewed motions to dismiss or final disposition of the Class Action.
On May 4, 2026, the Company reached an agreement in principle to settle the Massachusetts Derivative Action, the First Delaware Derivative Action, and the Second Delaware Derivative Action. The proposed settlement is subject to the execution of definitive settlement documentation and court approval. The Company has agreed to implement certain corporate governance reforms and to cause the Company’s directors’ and officers’ liability insurance carriers to pay plaintiffs’ counsel a fee of $1.3 million. The Company does not expect the proposed settlement to have a material adverse effect on its condensed consolidated balance sheet, condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss, and condensed consolidated statements of cash flows.
Regulatory and Governmental Matters
In February 2024, the Company received a subpoena from the Division of Enforcement of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), requesting documents and information relating to certain aspects of the Company’s marketing practices, and the Company has since received additional related requests. The Company is cooperating with the SEC’s investigation. On November 1, 2024, the Company received a voluntary document request from the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Southern District of New York (the “DOJ”) relating to a previously disclosed investigation and related restatement of prior period financial statements, and has since received additional requests for documents and information relating to this matter. By letter dated August 7, 2025, the DOJ informed the Company that the Company is no longer the subject of a DOJ investigation.
In view of the inherent unpredictability of such regulatory and governmental matters, the Company cannot determine with certainty the timing or ultimate resolution of such matters or the eventual loss, fines or penalties, if any, that may result from such matters. The Company establishes reserves for such matters when those matters present loss contingencies that are both probable and can be reasonably estimated. The actual costs of resolving such matters, however, may be substantially higher than the amounts reserved for those matters, and an adverse outcome in certain of these matters could have a material adverse effect on the consolidated financial statements in particular quarterly or annual periods. The Company accrues amounts for certain matters for which losses are considered to be probable of occurring based on its reasonable estimate of the most likely outcome. It is reasonably possible actual losses could be significantly different from the Company's current estimates. In addition, there are some matters for which it is reasonably possible that a loss will occur, however the Company cannot estimate a range of the potential losses for these matters.
Any resolution or litigation with the SEC or other parties, could ultimately result in monetary and injunctive relief that may impose costs on the Company and/or require it to make changes to its business practices. These costs and requirements may be material both individually and in the aggregate, but we have not accrued a loss pertaining to the SEC matter. In addition to the expected insurance recovery discussed above related to the Class Action litigation, the Company's defense costs for counsel and consultants in connection with the securities litigation and the related SEC and DOJ matters, including certain expenses that have previously been paid, are also expected to be reimbursed. The Company recognized estimated loss recoveries related to insurance coverage for these matters of $1.1 million and $3.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2026 and 2025, respectively, which were recorded as reductions of general and administrative expense in the condensed consolidated statements of operations and comprehensive loss. These amounts reflects costs that have been confirmed covered by the Company’s insurance providers, as well as an estimate of other claims the Company has determined are probable of recovery. During the three months ended March 31, 2026, $1.2 million of these recoveries were paid out by the Company's insurance provider. No insurance recoveries were paid out during the three months ended March 31, 2025. As of March 31, 2026 and December 31, 2025, remaining estimated recoveries of $1.2 million and $1.3 million were included in prepaid and other current assets in the condensed consolidated balance sheets, respectively.
As it relates to these losses for which the Company has determined recovery to be probable, the Company cannot provide any assurance that additional costs related to these matters will not exceed the limits of its insurance policies, that other such claims, for which a loss recovery could not be estimated, are covered by the terms of its insurance policies or
that its insurance carrier will be able to cover all related claims. There can be no assurance as to the timing or the terms of the ultimate outcome of these investigations or their potential effect, if any, on us or our results of operations. We expect to incur legal and professional services expenses associated with this litigation in future periods. We will recognize these expenses as services are received, net of estimated recoveries.
Contract manufacturers
The Company generally contracts with its contract manufacturers on a cancellable, purchase-order basis. The Company has a contract in the normal course of business with its contract manufacturers to provide manufacturing services for the Company's equipment sold or leased to customers. While these contracts are cancellable by the Company upon prior notice, payments due upon cancellation consist of payments for services provided or expenses incurred, including noncancelable obligations of our service providers, up to the date of cancellation. These payments are not determinable, but could result in a material purchase commitment if the Company were to cancel their open purchase orders.