Commitments and Contingencies |
12 Months Ended | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dec. 31, 2016 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Commitments and Contingencies | COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES Operating Leases
The Company has entered into non-cancelable operating lease agreements for locations within the United States and for its international subsidiaries, with expirations through September 2025. Rent expense in connection with operating leases was $1.8 million, $1.5 million and $777,000 during 2016, 2015 and 2014, respectively.
Future minimum lease obligations as of December 31, 2016 are as follows (in thousands):
Purchase Commitments
In May 2013, the Company entered into an exclusive distribution agreement with one of its suppliers to purchase its product through July 2016 which automatically renews annually unless terminated 90 days prior to the termination date. To maintain exclusivity, the Company is required to purchase a minimum of $40,000 of product per month until the termination date. As of December 31, 2016, the Company was in compliance with the exclusivity provision.
In February 2016, the Company amended a supply agreement with one of its suppliers to maintain worldwide exclusivity in return for purchasing a minimum of $9.4 million of product annually on average over the next three years, plus certain raw material guarantees. If the Company does not purchase the minimum product as required, then a Cure Payment, as defined, will be due to the supplier. The term of the agreement is three years commencing February 2016 and shall automatically renew for successive three year terms unless notice of termination is provided by either party.
Employment Agreements
The Company has employment agreements with certain members of its management team that can be terminated by either the employee or the Company upon four weeks’ notice. The employment agreements entered into with the management team contain provisions that guarantee the payments of specified amounts in the event of a change in control, as defined, or if the employee is terminated without cause, as defined, or terminates employment for good reason, as defined.
Consumer Indemnity
As required by the Door-to-Door Sales Act in South Korea, the Company maintains insurance for consumer indemnity claims with a mutual aid cooperative by possessing a mutual aid contract with Mutual Aid Cooperative & Consumer (the “Cooperative”). The contract secures payment to members in the event that the Company is unable to provide refunds to members. Typically, requests for refunds are paid directly by the Company according to the Company’s normal Korean refund policy, which requires that refund requests be submitted within three months. Accordingly, the Company estimates and accrues a reserve for product returns based on this policy and its historical experience. Depending on the sales volume, the Company may be required to increase or decrease the amount of the contract. The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make to address actual member claims under the contract is equivalent to three months of rolling sales. At December 31, 2016, non-current other assets include KRW 223 million (USD $185,000) underlying the contract, which can be utilized by the Cooperative to fund any outstanding member claims. The Company believes that the likelihood of utilizing these funds to provide for members claims is remote.
Securities Class Action
In January 2016, two putative securities class action complaints were filed against the Company and its top executives. On March 29, 2016, the court consolidated these actions, appointed two Lead Plaintiffs, Messrs. Dao and Juan, and appointed the Rosen Law Firm and Levi & Korsinsky LLP as co-Lead Counsel for the purported class. Plaintiffs filed a consolidated complaint on April 29, 2016. The consolidated complaint purports to assert claims on behalf of all persons who purchased or otherwise acquired our common stock between March 6, 2015 and March 15, 2016 under (i) Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 promulgated thereunder against Natural Health Trends Corp., Chris T. Sharng, and Timothy S. Davidson, and (ii) Section 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 against Chris T. Sharng, Timothy S. Davidson, and George K. Broady. The consolidated complaint alleges, inter alia, that the Company made materially false and misleading statements regarding the legality of its business operations in China, including running an allegedly illegal multi-level marketing business. The consolidated complaint seeks an indeterminate amount of damages, plus interest and costs. The Company filed a motion to dismiss the consolidated complaint on June 15, 2016 and a reply in support of its motion to dismiss on August 22, 2016. On December 5, 2016, the Court denied the Company’s motion to dismiss. On February 17, 2017, the Company filed an answer to the consolidated complaint. The Company believes that these claims are without merit and intends to vigorously defend against them.
Shareholder Derivative Claims
In February 2016, a purported shareholder derivative complaint was filed in the Superior Court of the State of California, County of Los Angeles: Zhou v. Sharng. In March 2016, a purported shareholder derivative complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the Central District of California: Kleinfeldt v. Sharng (collectively the “Derivative Complaints”). The Derivative Complaints purport to assert claims for breach of fiduciary duties, unjust enrichment, abuse of control, gross mismanagement and corporate waste against certain of the Company’s officers and directors. The Derivative Complaints also purport to assert fiduciary duty claims based on alleged insider selling and conspiring to enter into several stock repurchase agreements, which allegedly harmed the Company and its assets. The Derivative Complaints allege, inter alia, that the Company made materially false and misleading statements regarding the legality of its business operations in China, including running an allegedly illegal multi-level marketing business, and that certain officers and directors sold common stock on the basis of this allegedly material, adverse non-public information. The Derivative Complaints seek an indeterminate amount of damages, plus interest and costs, as well as various equitable remedies. On February 1, 2017, pursuant to a stipulation among the parties, the Los Angeles Superior Court entered a stay of the Zhou action pending conclusion of the related federal class action in the United States District Court for the Central District of California: Ford v. Natural Health Trends Corp. and Li v. Natural Health Trends Corp. A nearly identical stipulated stay was entered in the Kleinfeldt case on February 8, 2017. The Company believes that these claims are without merit and intend to vigorously defend against them.
The consolidated class action and the Derivative Complaints, or others filed alleging similar facts, could result in monetary or other penalties that may materially affect the Company’s operating results and financial condition.
Other Claims
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||