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Commitments and Contingencies
6 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2021
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies

Note 14—Commitments and Contingencies

 

Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)

 

The Company continues to monitor and respond to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on all aspects of its business, including its customers, employees, suppliers, vendors, and business partners.

 

Operationally, the Company’s employees transitioned to work-from-home during the third quarter of fiscal 2020 and, to a large degree, continued to work-from-home thereafter. Its salespeople and delivery employees continued to serve its independent retailers and channel partners with minimal interruption.

 

COVID-19 had mixed financial impacts on the Company during the third and fourth quarters of fiscal 2020, and the first and second quarters of fiscal 2021.

 

Legal Proceedings

 

On January 22, 2019, Jose Rosales filed a putative class action against IDT America, IDT Domestic Telecom and IDT International in California state court alleging certain violations of employment law. Plaintiff alleges that these companies failed to compensate members of the putative class in accordance with California law. In August 2019, the Company filed a cross complaint against Rosales alleging trade secret and other violations. The parties are now seeking court approval of a settlement agreement.

 

On April 24, 2018, Sprint Communications Company L.P. filed a patent infringement claim against the Company and certain of its affiliates in the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware alleging infringement of U.S. Patent Nos. 6,298,064; 6,330,224; 6,343,084; 6,452,932; 6,463,052; 6,473,429; 6,563,918; 6,633,561; 6,697,340; 6,999,463; 7,286,561; 7,324,534; 7,327,728; 7,505,454; and 7,693,131. Plaintiff was seeking damages and injunctive relief. On June 28, 2018, Sprint dismissed the complaint without prejudice. The Company is evaluating the underlying claim, and at this stage, is unable to estimate its potential liability, if any. The Company intends to vigorously defend any claim of infringement of the listed patents.

  

On July 5, 2017, plaintiff JDS1, LLC, on behalf of itself and all other similarly situated stockholders of Straight Path, and derivatively on behalf of Straight Path as nominal defendant, filed a putative class action and derivative complaint in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware against the Company, The Patrick Henry Trust (a trust formed by Howard S. Jonas that held record and beneficial ownership of certain shares of Straight Path he formerly held), Howard S. Jonas, and each of Straight Path’s directors. The complaint alleges that the Company aided and abetted Straight Path Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer Davidi Jonas, and Howard S. Jonas in his capacity as controlling stockholder of Straight Path, in breaching their fiduciary duties to Straight Path in connection with the settlement of claims between Straight Path and the Company related to potential indemnification claims concerning Straight Path’s obligations under the Consent Decree it entered into with the Federal Communications Commission (“FCC”), as well as the sale of Straight Path’s subsidiary Straight Path IP Group, Inc. to the Company in connection with that settlement. That action was consolidated with a similar action that was initiated by The Arbitrage Fund. The Plaintiffs are seeking, among other things, (i) a declaration that the action may be maintained as a class action or in the alternative, that demand on the Straight Path Board is excused; (ii) that the term sheet is invalid; (iii) awarding damages for the unfair price stockholders received in the merger between Straight Path and Verizon Communications Inc. for their shares of Straight Path’s Class B common stock; and (iv) ordering Howard S. Jonas, Davidi Jonas, and the Company to disgorge any profits for the benefit of the class Plaintiffs. On August 28, 2017, the Plaintiffs filed an amended complaint. On September 24, 2017, the Company filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint, which was ultimately denied, and which denial was affirmed by the Delaware Supreme Court. The parties are engaged in discovery. The trial is currently scheduled for December 6, 2021. The Company intends to vigorously defend this matter (see Note 10). At this stage, the Company is unable to estimate its potential liability, if any.

 

In addition to the foregoing, the Company is subject to other legal proceedings that have arisen in the ordinary course of business and have not been finally adjudicated. Although there can be no assurance in this regard, the Company believes that none of the other legal proceedings to which the Company is a party will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, cash flows or financial condition.

 

Sales Tax Contingency

 

On June 21, 2018, the United States Supreme Court rendered a decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair, Inc., holding that a state may require a remote seller with no physical presence in the state to collect and remit sales tax on goods and services provided to purchasers in the state, overturning certain existing court precedent. The Company has evaluated its state tax filings with respect to the Wayfair decision and is in the process of reviewing its remittance practices. It is possible that one or more jurisdictions may assert that the Company has liability for periods for which it has not collected sales, use or other similar taxes, and if such an assertion or assertions were successful it could materially and adversely affect the Company’s business, financial position, and operating results. One or more jurisdictions may change their laws or policies to apply their sales, use or other similar taxes to the Company’s operations, and if such changes were made it could materially and adversely affect the Company’s business, financial position, and operating results.

 

Regulatory Fees Audit

 

The Company’s 2017 FCC Form 499-A, which reports its calendar year 2016 revenue, is currently under audit by the Universal Service Administrative Company (“USAC”). The Internal Audit Division of USAC issued preliminary audit findings and the Company has, in accordance with audit procedures, appealed certain of the findings. The Company awaits a final decision by USAC on the preliminary audit findings. Depending on the findings contained in the final decision, the Company may further appeal to the FCC. Although a final decision remains pending, the Company has been invoiced $2.9 million and $1.8 million on behalf of the Federal Telecommunications Relay Services Fund and on behalf of the Universal Service Fund, respectively. The Company does not intend to remit payment for these fees unless and until a negative decision on its appeal has been issued. In response to the aforementioned preliminary audit findings, the Company made certain changes to its filing policies and procedures for years that remain potentially under audit. At January 31, 2021 and July 31, 2020, the Company’s accrued expenses included $41.1 million and $40.8 million, respectively, for FCC-related regulatory fees for the year covered by the audit, as well as prior and subsequent years.

   

Purchase Commitments

 

At January 31, 2021, the Company had purchase commitments of $1.3 million primarily for certain equipment and services.

 

Performance Bonds

 

The Company has performance bonds issued through third parties for the benefit of various states in order to comply with the states’ financial requirements for money remittance licenses and telecommunications resellers. At January 31, 2021, the Company had aggregate performance bonds of $19.8 million outstanding.

 

Company Restricted Cash and Cash Equivalents

 

The Company treats unrestricted cash and cash equivalents held by IDT Payment Services, which provides the Company’s international money transfer services in the United States, as substantially restricted and unavailable for other purposes. At January 31, 2021 and July 31, 2020, “Cash and cash equivalents” in the Company’s consolidated balance sheets included an aggregate of $9.8 million and $11.0 million, respectively, held by IDT Payment Services that was unavailable for other purposes.

 

FCC Investigation of Straight Path Spectrum LLC

 

On September 20, 2016, the Company received a letter of inquiry from the Enforcement Bureau of the FCC requesting certain information and materials related to an investigation of potential violations by Straight Path Spectrum LLC (formerly a subsidiary of the Company and Straight Path) in connection with licenses to operate on the 28 GHz and 39 GHz bands of the Fixed Microwave Services. The Company has cooperated with the FCC in this matter and has responded to the letter of inquiry. If the FCC were to pursue separate action against the Company, the FCC could seek to fine or impose regulatory penalties or civil liability on the Company related to activities during the period of ownership by the Company.