Contingencies

9 Months Ended

May 30, 2024

Loss Contingency [Abstract]

Contingencies

Contingencies

We are currently a party to legal actions other than those described below arising from the normal course of business, none of which are expected to have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, or financial condition.

Patent Matters

As is typical in the semiconductor and other high-tech industries, from time to time, others have asserted, and may in the future assert, that our products or manufacturing processes infringe upon their intellectual property rights. A description of certain claims is below.

On April 28, 2021, Netlist, Inc. (“Netlist”) filed two patent infringement actions against Micron, Micron Semiconductor Products, Inc. (“MSP”), and Micron Technology Texas, LLC (“MTEC”) in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. The first complaint alleges that one U.S. patent is infringed by certain of our non-volatile dual in-line memory modules. The second complaint alleges that three U.S. patents are infringed by certain of our load-reduced dual in-line memory modules (“LRDIMMs”). Each complaint seeks injunctive relief, damages, attorneys’ fees, and costs. On March 31, 2022, Netlist filed a patent infringement complaint against Micron and Micron Semiconductor Germany, GmbH in Dusseldorf Regional Court alleging that two German patents are infringed by certain of our LRDIMMs. The complaint seeks damages, costs, and injunctive relief.

On June 10, 2022, Netlist filed a patent infringement complaint against Micron, MSP, and MTEC in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas (“E.D. Tex.”) alleging that six U.S. patents are infringed by certain of our memory modules and HBM products. On August 1, 2022, Netlist filed a second patent infringement complaint against the same defendants in E.D. Tex. alleging that one U.S. patent is infringed by certain of our LRDIMMs. On August 15, 2022, Netlist amended the second complaint to assert that two additional U.S. patents are infringed by certain of our LRDIMMs. The complaints in E.D. Tex. seek injunctive relief, damages, and attorneys’ fees. On May 23, 2024, following a four-day trial regarding the second complaint filed by Netlist in the E.D. Tex., a jury rendered a verdict that Micron’s memory modules infringe two asserted patents — U.S. Patent No. 7,619,912 (“the ‘912 patent”) and U.S. Patent No. 11,093,417 (“the ‘417 patent”) — and found that Micron should pay $425 million for infringement of the ‘912 patent and $20 million for infringement of the ‘417 patent. Micron expects to appeal the verdict. On April 17, 2024, the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (“PTAB”) of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) issued a final written decision (“FWD”) finding unpatentable the sole asserted claim of the ‘912 patent. Netlist has sought review of that ruling by the Director of the USPTO. If the Director upholds the FWD, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit subsequently affirms the FWD, then the affirmed FWD will preclude any pending actions asserting infringement of the ‘912 patent (including any infringement verdict that is subject to an ongoing appeal). The PTAB’s final written decision regarding whether all claims of the ‘417 patent are also unpatentable is expected to be issued on or before August 2, 2024.

On August 16, 2022, Sonrai Memory Ltd. filed a patent infringement complaint against Micron in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas. The complaint alleges that two U.S. patents are infringed by certain SSD and NAND flash products. The complaint seeks damages, attorneys’ fees, and costs.

On January 23, 2023, Besang Inc. filed a patent infringement complaint against Micron in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. The complaint alleges that one U.S. patent is infringed by certain of our 3D NAND and SSD products. The complaint seeks an injunction, damages, attorneys’ fees, and costs.

On November 9, 2023, Yangtze Memory Technologies Company, Ltd. (“YMTC”) filed a patent infringement complaint against Micron and one of its subsidiaries in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California. The complaint alleges that eight U.S. patents are infringed by certain of our 3D NAND products. The complaint seeks an injunction, damages, attorneys’ fees, and costs. On January 22, 2024, Micron Semiconductor (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (“MSS”) was served with three patent infringement complaints filed by YMTC in Beijing Intellectual Property Court and on February 27, 2024, Micron Technology, Inc. (“MTI”) was served with the same complaints. The complaints assert that MTI and MSS infringed three Chinese patents owned by YMTC by importing, selling, offering for sale, and assisting others to sell certain 3D NAND products and SSDs in China. The complaint seeks an injunction, damages, attorneys’ fees, and costs.

On June 3, 2024, MimirIP LLC (“MimirIP”) submitted a complaint to the United States International Trade Commission (“ITC”) alleging that certain of Micron’s DRAM and NAND products infringe six patents owned by MimirIP. The complaint requests the ITC to institute an investigation of such alleged infringement pursuant to Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and to issue a permanent limited exclusion order barring from entry into the United States such allegedly infringing DRAM and NAND devices and electronic devices containing the same produced by several alleged customers of Micron.

On June 3, 2024, MimirIP filed a complaint against Micron, two of its subsidiaries, and certain alleged customers of Micron in the E.D. Tex. alleging that the same six patents as are asserted in the ITC are infringed by certain of Micron’s DRAM and NAND products. The complaint seeks damages, attorneys’ fees, and costs.

On June 4, 2024, MimirIP filed a second complaint against Micron, two of its subsidiaries, and certain alleged customers of Micron in the E.D. Tex. alleging that six additional patents are infringed by certain of Micron’s DRAM and NAND products. The complaint seeks damages, attorneys’ fees, and costs.

The above lawsuits pertain to substantially all of our DRAM, NAND, and other memory and storage products we manufacture, which account for substantially all of our revenue.

Antitrust Matters

On May 15, 2018, the Chinese State Administration for Market Regulation (“SAMR”) notified Micron that it was investigating potential collusion and other anticompetitive conduct by DRAM suppliers in China. On May 31, 2018, SAMR made unannounced visits to our sales offices in Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen to seek certain information as part of its investigation. We are cooperating with SAMR in its investigation.

Other Matters

In the normal course of business, we are a party to a variety of agreements pursuant to which we may be obligated to indemnify another party. It is not possible to predict the maximum potential amount of future payments under these types of agreements due to the conditional nature of our obligations and the unique facts and circumstances involved in each particular agreement. Historically, our payments under these types of agreements have not had a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, or financial condition.

Contingency Assessment

We are unable to predict the outcome of any of the matters noted above and cannot make a reasonable estimate of the potential loss or range of possible losses. A determination that our products or manufacturing processes infringe the intellectual property rights of others or entering into a license agreement covering such intellectual property could result in significant liability and/or require us to make material changes to our products and/or manufacturing processes. Any of the foregoing, as well as the resolution of any other legal matter noted above, could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, or financial condition.