Item 3. Legal Proceedings
Item 3. Legal Proceedings
Derivative Litigation
On September 25, 2020, a shareholder filed a derivative complaint in South Carolina state court, Paul Parshall v. World Acceptance et al. , against the Company as the nominal defendant and certain current and former directors and officers as defendants. Pointing to the Company’s resolution with the SEC and DOJ of the Mexico investigation previously disclosed, and summarized below under Part II, Item 7, “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations - Regulatory Matters,” the complaint alleges violations of South Carolina law, including breaches of fiduciary duties and corporate waste, and that the Company has suffered damages as a result of those alleged breaches. On April 19, 2023, the Court preliminarily approved a Stipulation and Agreement of Settlement dated March 31, 2023 (the “Stipulation”), by and among: the plaintiff, derivatively on behalf of the Company; (ii) the individual defendants; and (iii) the Company. If approved, the Stipulation will result in a non-material payment by the Company.
General
In addition, from time to time the Company is involved in litigation matters relating to claims arising out of its operations in the normal course of business.
Estimating an amount or range of possible losses resulting from litigation, government actions, and other legal proceedings is inherently difficult and requires an extensive degree of judgment, particularly where the matters involve indeterminate claims for monetary damages, may involve fines, penalties, or damages that are discretionary in amount, involve a large number of claimants or significant discretion by regulatory authorities, represent a change in regulatory policy or interpretation, present novel legal theories, are in the early stages of the proceedings, are subject to appeal or could result in a change in business practices. In addition, because most legal proceedings are resolved over extended periods of time, potential losses are subject to change due to, among other things, new developments, changes in legal strategy, the outcome of intermediate procedural and substantive rulings and other parties’ settlement posture and their evaluation of the strength or weakness of their case against us. For these reasons, we are currently unable to predict the ultimate timing or outcome of, or reasonably estimate the possible losses or a range of possible losses resulting from, currently pending claims. Based on information currently available, the Company does not believe that any reasonably possible losses arising from currently pending legal matters will be material to the Company’s results of operations or financial conditions. However, in light of the inherent uncertainties involved in such matters, an adverse outcome in one or more of these matters could materially and adversely affect the Company’s financial condition, results of operations or cash flows in any particular reporting period.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures
None.
PART II.
27
Table of Contents
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