Note 12. Income Taxes
The Company’s provision for income taxes consists of federal, state, local, and foreign taxes in amounts necessary to align the Company’s year-to-date provision for income taxes with the effective tax rate that the Company expects to achieve for the full year. Each quarter, the Company updates its estimate of the annual effective tax rate and records cumulative adjustments as deemed necessary. The income tax provision for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024, reflects an estimated global annual effective tax rate of approximately 0% from continuing operations.
As of September 30, 2024, deferred tax assets generated from the Company’s U.S. activities were offset by a valuation allowance because realization depends on generating future taxable income, which, in the Company’s estimation, is not more likely than not to be generated before such net operating loss carryforwards expire. Net operating loss carryforwards generated after December 31, 2017, do not expire. The Company expects its effective tax rate for its current fiscal year to be significantly lower than the statutory rate as a result of a full valuation allowance; therefore, any loss before income taxes does not generate a corresponding income tax benefit. Income tax expense/(benefit) for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 was $0, which was attributed to state taxing jurisdictions in which a measure of income is utilized to determine a tax liability. The final annual tax rate cannot be determined until the end of the fiscal year; therefore, the actual tax rate could differ from current estimates.
Note 13. Commitments and Contingencies
Certain of the Company’s outstanding legal matters include speculative claims for substantial or indeterminate amounts of damages. The Company regularly evaluates developments in its legal matters that could affect the amount of any potential liability and adjusts as appropriate. A significant judgment is required to determine both the likelihood of there being any potential liability and the estimated amount of a loss related to the Company’s legal matters.
With respect to the Company’s outstanding legal matters, based on its current knowledge, the Company’s management believes that the amount or range of a potential loss will not, either individually or in the aggregate, have a material adverse effect on its business, consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. However, the outcome of such legal matters is inherently unpredictable and subject to significant uncertainties. The Company evaluated the outstanding legal matters and assessed the probability and likelihood of the occurrence of liability. Based on management’s estimates, the Company has recorded accruals of $0 and $449 as of September 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively, which is included in Accrued expenses and other current liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.
The Company expenses legal fees in the period in which they are incurred.
OTG Management PHL B v. XpresSpa Philadelphia Terminal B et al.
On May 9, 2022, a lawsuit was filed in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas by OTG Management at Philadelphia International Airport, claiming that XWELL improperly backed out of its sublease for space at Terminal B and now owes between $864 and $2,250 in accelerated rent for the 12-year contract. They claim that by refusing to complete the project, failing to commence and maintain operations, refusing to pay rent and improperly purporting to terminate the lease (among other acts and omissions), XWELL breached the lease. On June 20, 2024, an Order to Settle, Discontinue and End with Prejudice was filed as to all claims.
CPC Pain & Wellness SPV, LLC
On July 19, 2024, CPC Pain & Wellness SPV, LLC (“CPC”), a recently formed special purpose vehicle that announced it had acquired a 9.42% stake in XWELL in June 2024, filed suit in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware against the Company, Chairman Bruce T. Bernstein, and directors Michael Lebowitz, Robert Weinstein, Gaëlle Wizenberg, and Scott R. Milford (the “Action”). In the Action, CPC alleged, in pertinent part, that the Board of Directors breached their fiduciary duties and that the Company and Board of Directors engaged in an unlawful, unenforceable, and inequitable application of the Company’s Third Amended and Restated Bylaws to reject CPC’s notice of intent to propose its own slate of directors for election at the 2024 annual meeting of stockholders. On August 2, 2024, the Court set the Action for trial on September 18-19, 2024. The Company has vigorously defended these