Commitments and Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2012

Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

7. COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Operating Leases

The Company leases various types of office, manufacturing and warehouse facilities and equipment under noncancelable operating leases that expire at various terms through 2014.

Royalty Agreements

The Company has certain royalty agreements in place with terms that include payment of royalties based on product revenue from sales of current products. One royalty agreement, which was effective January 1, 2010, has a rate of 1.5% of product sales and includes minimum quarterly payments of $50 through 2015 and a maximum of $2,000 in total royalties over the term of the agreement. Another royalty agreement, which was effective in 2003 and has a term of at least twenty years, has royalty rates of 5% of product sales. Parties to the royalty agreements have the right at any time to terminate the agreement immediately for cause. Royalty expense of $141 and $121 was recorded as part of cost of revenue for the three months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively, and $438 and $377 for the nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011, respectively.

Purchase Agreements

On June 15, 2007 the Company entered into a purchase agreement with MicroPace Pty Ltd Inc. (“MicroPace”). The agreement, as amended, provides for MicroPace to produce a derivative of one of their products tailored for the cardiac surgical environment, known as the “MicroPace ORLab™^” for worldwide distribution by the Company. Pursuant to the terms of the amended agreement, in order for the Company to retain exclusive distribution rights, the Company was required to purchase a minimum of 40 units during the period December 1, 2010 through December 31, 2011 to extend exclusivity through 2012 and an additional 40 units during 2012 to extend exclusivity through December 31, 2013. Units purchased in excess of yearly minimums reduce future minimum purchase requirements. A total of 56 units were purchased by the Company between December 1, 2010 and December 31, 2011, thereby extending exclusive distribution rights through December 31, 2012. A total of 50 units were purchased by the Company between January 1, 2012 and September 30, 2012, fulfilling the purchase requirement to extend exclusive distribution rights through 2013.

In April 2012 the Company entered into a development and manufacturing services agreement with Stellartech Research Corporation (“Stellartech”). Under the terms of the agreement, Stellartech will provide development services for the next generation of the Company’s radio frequency generators and will manufacture at least the first 300 units of the product. The agreement also establishes Stellartech as the exclusive supplier of the generators during the three years after product completion.

Distributor Termination

In July 2010 the Company terminated a distributor agreement with a European distributor. Under the terms of the agreement the Company paid the distributor a termination fee, repurchased saleable disposable product inventory and assigned the distributor’s capital equipment to AtriCure Europe BV. Additionally, the Company entered into a consulting agreement with the distributor to provide ongoing consulting services through September 30, 2012. In exchange for these services, beginning October 1, 2010, the distributor earned €50 (approximately $64) per quarter for a total of €400 (approximately $514).

Chief Financial Officer and Chief Executive Officer Resignations

The Company’s Vice President, Finance and Administration and Chief Financial Officer (“CFO”) resigned effective April 30, 2012. In connection with the resignation, the CFO and AtriCure entered into an agreement pursuant to which the CFO is entitled to receive: (i) all accrued and unpaid base salary through the effective date of the resignation; (ii) payment for any accrued and unused vacation; (iii) continued vesting of all stock options and restricted stock until April 30, 2013; and (iv) twelve (12) months base salary ($250).

On August 2, 2012, The Company’s Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company (“CEO”) notified the Company that he was resigning from his positions with the Company. Pursuant to his Employment Agreement, the CEO continued to serve as Chief Executive Officer and President of the Company through September 30, 2012. The CEO’s term as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors ended effective August 2, 2012. In connection with the resignation, the CEO and AtriCure entered into an agreement pursuant to which he is entitled to receive: (i) all accrued and unpaid base salary through the effective date of the resignation; (ii) payment for any accrued and unused vacation; (iii) continued vesting of all stock options and restricted stock until March 31, 2013; and (iv) six (6) months base salary ($225).

Legal

Class Action Lawsuits

AtriCure, Inc. and certain of its current and former officers were named as defendants in a purported securities class action lawsuit filed in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (Levine v. AtriCure, Inc., Case No. 06 CV 14324 (United States District Court for the Southern District of New York)). The suit alleges violations of the federal securities laws and seeks damages on behalf of purchasers of the Company’s common stock during the period from the Company’s initial public offering in August 2005 through February 16, 2006. The Company filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit for lack of subject matter jurisdiction. This motion was denied in September 2007, and a motion for reconsideration of that denial was denied in January 2009. Although the Company admitted no wrongdoing, as of December 31, 2009, the Company recorded a liability of $2,000, which represented an estimate of the potential defense and/or settlement costs. In addition, the Company recorded a related receivable of $2,000 from its insurance carrier for the potential defense and/or settlement costs, as recovery was expected beyond a reasonable doubt. On October 22, 2010 the parties signed a Definitive Stipulation of Settlement agreement for $2,000, which was subject to notice to the class as well as approval by the court, which occurred in May 2011. The Company’s insurance carrier paid the claim in full in June 2011.

Department of Justice Investigation

On October 27, 2008 the Company received a letter from the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) informing the Company that the DOJ was conducting an investigation for potential False Claims Act (“FCA”) and common law violations relating to its surgical ablation devices. Specifically, the letter stated that the DOJ was investigating the Company’s marketing practices utilized in connection with its surgical ablation system to treat atrial fibrillation (“AF”), a specific use outside the FDA’s 510(k) clearance. The letter also stated that the DOJ was investigating whether the Company instructed hospitals to bill Medicare for cardiac surgical ablation using incorrect billing codes. The Company cooperated with the investigation and operated its business in the ordinary course during the investigation. As of December 31, 2009 the Company reached a tentative settlement with the DOJ to resolve the investigation and recorded a liability and charged operating expenses for a total of $3,955 which represented the net present value of the proposed settlement amount to be paid to the DOJ, the Relator, and Relator’s counsel (total payments based on the settlement inclusive of interest were estimated to be $4,350, payable over five years).

On February 2, 2010 the settlement was finalized pursuant to the preliminary terms and the Company entered into a settlement agreement with the DOJ, the Office of the Inspector General (“OIG”) and the Relator in the qui tam complaint discussed below. The settlement agreement definitively resolved all claims related to the DOJ investigation. The Company did not admit nor will it admit to any wrongdoing in connection with the settlement. As of September 30, 2012 the Company had made $1,788 in payments (including interest), and has a liability related to this settlement totaling $2,473, of which $987 is classified as current.

As part of the resolution, the Company also entered into a five year Corporate Integrity Agreement with the OIG. This agreement acknowledges the existence of the Company’s corporate compliance program and provides for certain other compliance-related activities during the five year term of the agreement. Those activities include specific written standards, monitoring, training, education, independent review, disclosure and reporting requirements.

The Company may, from time to time, become a party to additional legal proceedings.