v3.20.4
Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Jan. 31, 2021
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Commitments and Contingencies
Purchase Obligations
As of January 31, 2021, we had outstanding inventory purchase obligations totaling $2.54 billion, which are expected to occur over the next 12 months, and other purchase obligations totaling $317 million, which are primarily expected to occur over the next 18 months.
Accrual for Product Warranty Liabilities
The estimated amount of product warranty liabilities was $22 million and $15 million as of January 31, 2021 and January 26, 2020, respectively.
In connection with certain agreements that we have entered in the past, we have provided indemnities to cover the indemnified party for matters such as tax, product, and employee liabilities. We have included intellectual property indemnification provisions in our technology related agreements with third parties. Maximum potential future payments cannot be estimated because many of these agreements do not have a maximum stated liability. We have not recorded any liability for such indemnifications.
Litigation
Securities Class Action and Derivative Lawsuits
The plaintiffs in the putative securities class action lawsuit, captioned 4:18-cv-07669-HSG, initially filed on December 21, 2018 in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and titled In Re NVIDIA Corporation
Securities Litigation, filed an amended complaint on May 13, 2020. The amended complaint asserts that NVIDIA and certain NVIDIA executives violated Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, and SEC Rule 10b-5, by making materially false or misleading statements related to channel inventory and the impact of cryptocurrency mining on GPU demand between May 10, 2017 and November 14, 2018. Plaintiffs also allege that the NVIDIA executives who they named as defendants violated Section 20(a) of the Exchange Act. Plaintiffs seek class certification, an award of unspecified compensatory damages, an award of reasonable costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees and expert fees, and further relief as the Court may deem just and proper. On June 29, 2020, NVIDIA moved to dismiss the amended complaint on the basis that plaintiffs failed to state any claims for violations of the securities laws by NVIDIA or the individual defendants. As of September 14, 2020, the motion was fully briefed but the Court has not yet issued a decision.
The putative derivative lawsuit pending in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, captioned 4:19-cv-00341-HSG, initially filed January 18, 2019 and titled In re NVIDIA Corporation Consolidated Derivative Litigation, remains stayed pending resolution of NVIDIA’s motion to dismiss the complaint in the In Re NVIDIA Corporation Securities Litigation action. The lawsuit asserts claims for breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, waste of corporate assets, and violations of Sections 14(a), 10(b), and 20(a) of the Exchange Act based on the dissemination of allegedly false and misleading statements related to channel inventory and the impact of cryptocurrency mining on GPU demand. The plaintiffs are seeking unspecified damages and other relief, including reforms and improvements to NVIDIA’s corporate governance and internal procedures.
The putative derivative actions initially filed September 24, 2019 and pending in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware, Lipchitz v. Huang, et al. (Case No. 1:19-cv-01795-UNA) and Nelson v. Huang, et. al. (Case No. 1:19-cv-01798- UNA), remain stayed pending resolution of NVIDIA’s motion to dismiss the complaint in the In Re NVIDIA Corporation Securities Litigation action. The lawsuits assert claims for breach of fiduciary duty, unjust enrichment, insider trading, misappropriation of information, corporate waste and violations of Sections 14(a), 10(b), and 20(a) of the Exchange Act based on the dissemination of allegedly false, and misleading statements related to channel inventory and the impact of cryptocurrency mining on GPU demand. The plaintiffs seek unspecified damages and other relief, including disgorgement of profits from the sale of NVIDIA stock and unspecified corporate governance measures.
It is possible that additional suits will be filed, or allegations received from shareholders, with respect to these same or other matters, naming NVIDIA and/or its officers and directors as defendants.
Accounting for Loss Contingencies
As of January 31, 2021, we have not recorded any accrual for contingent liabilities associated with the legal proceedings described above based on our belief that liabilities, while possible, are not probable. Further, except as specifically described above, any possible loss or range of loss in these matters cannot be reasonably estimated at this time. We are engaged in legal actions not described above arising in the ordinary course of business and, while there can be no assurance of favorable outcomes, we believe that the ultimate outcome of these actions will not have a material adverse effect on our operating results, liquidity or financial position.