Commitments and Contingencies

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2022

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and ContingenciesIn the ordinary course of business, the Company is involved in various pending or threatened legal actions, arbitration proceedings, claims, subpoenas, and matters relating to compliance with laws and regulations (collectively, "legal proceedings"). Based on our current knowledge, management presently does not believe that the liabilities arising from these legal proceedings will have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. However, it is possible that the ultimate resolution of these legal proceedings could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition for any particular period.

Derivative Lawsuits

On July 10, 2017, a shareholder derivative complaint was filed against the Company and certain of the Company’s directors and officers in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Georgia (“Federal Derivative Action”) seeking recovery on behalf of the Company. The Federal Derivative Action alleges that the defendants issued a false and misleading proxy statement in violation of the federal securities laws; that defendants breached their fiduciary duties by causing or permitting the Company to make allegedly false and misleading public statements concerning the Company’s fee charges and financial and business prospects; and that certain defendants breached their fiduciary duties through allegedly improper sales of stock. The complaint seeks unspecified monetary damages on behalf of the Company, corporate governance reforms, disgorgement of profits, benefits and compensation by the defendants, restitution, costs, and attorneys’ and experts’ fees. On September 20, 2018, the court entered an order deferring the Federal Derivative Action pending a ruling on motions for summary judgment in the then-pending shareholder class action, notice a settlement has been reached in the shareholder class action, or until otherwise agreed to by the parties. After preliminary approval of the proposed settlement of the shareholder class action was granted, the stay on the Federal Derivative Action was lifted. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on February 22, 2020. FLEETCOR filed a motion to dismiss the amended complaint in the Federal Derivative Action on April 17, 2020, which the court granted without leave to amend on October 21, 2020. Plaintiffs filed a notice of appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit on November 18, 2020. The Eleventh Circuit affirmed the district court’s ruling dismissing the case in an order issued on July 27, 2022.

On January 9, 2019, a similar shareholder derivative complaint was filed in the Superior Court of Gwinnett County, Georgia (“State Derivative Action”), which was stayed pending a ruling on motions for summary judgment in the shareholder class action, notice a settlement has been reached in the shareholder class action, or until otherwise agreed by the parties. On the parties’ joint motion, the court has continued the stay of the State Derivative Action “pending further developments in the first-filed Federal Derivative Action.” The defendants dispute the allegations in the derivative complaints and intend to vigorously defend against the claims.

FTC Investigation

In October 2017, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) issued a Notice of Civil Investigative Demand to the Company for the production of documentation and a request for responses to written interrogatories. After discussions with the Company, the FTC proposed in October 2019 to resolve potential claims relating to the Company’s advertising and marketing practices, principally in its U.S. direct fuel card business within its North American Fuel Card business. The parties reached impasse primarily related to what the Company believes are unreasonable demands for redress made by the FTC.

On December 20, 2019, the FTC filed a lawsuit in the Northern District of Georgia against the Company and Ron Clarke. See FTC v. FLEETCOR and Ronald F. Clarke, No. 19-cv-05727 (N.D. Ga.). The complaint alleges the Company and Clarke violated the FTC Act’s prohibitions on unfair and deceptive acts and practices. The complaint seeks among other things injunctive relief, consumer redress, and costs of suit. The Company continues to believe that the FTC’s claims are without merit. On April 17, 2021, the FTC filed a motion for summary judgment. On April 22, 2021, the United States Supreme Court held unanimously in AMG Capital Management v. FTC that the FTC does not have authority under current law to seek monetary redress by means of Section 13(b) of the FTC Act, which is the means by which the FTC has sought such redress in this case. FLEETCOR cross-moved for summary judgment regarding the FTC’s ability to seek monetary or injunctive relief on May 17, 2021; the briefing on both parties’ summary judgment motions was completed on July 12, 2021. On August 13, 2021, the FTC filed a motion to stay or to voluntarily dismiss without prejudice the case pending in the Northern District of Georgia in favor of a parallel administrative action under Section 5 of the FTC Act that it filed on August 11, 2021 in the FTC’s administrative process. Apart from the jurisdiction and statutory change, the FTC’s administrative complaint makes the same factual allegations as the FTC’s original complaint filed in December 2019. The Company opposed the FTC’s motion for a stay or to voluntarily dismiss, and the court denied the FTC’s motion on February 7, 2022. In the meantime, the FTC’s administrative action is stayed. On August 9, 2022, the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia granted the FTC's motion for summary judgment as to liability for the Company and Ron Clarke, but granted the Company's motion for summary judgment as to the FTC's claim for monetary relief as to both the Company and Ron Clarke. The court set a hearing for September 1, 2022, to determine the scope of injunctive relief. The Company intends to appeal this decision after final judgment is issued. The Company has incurred and continues to incur legal and other fees related to this complaint. Any settlement of this matter, or defense against the lawsuit, could involve costs to the Company, including legal fees, redress, penalties, and remediation expenses. At this time, in view of the complexity and ongoing nature of the matter, we are unable to estimate a reasonably possible loss or range of loss that we may incur to settle this matter or defend against the lawsuit brought by the FTC.