Best Buy 2012 Annual Report Download - page 24

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24
Securities Actions
In February 2011, a purported class action lawsuit captioned, IBEW Local 98 Pension Fund, individually and on behalf of all
others similarly situated v. Best Buy Co., Inc., et al., was filed against us and certain of our executive officers in the U.S.
District Court for the District of Minnesota. This federal court action alleges, among other things, that we and the officers
named in the complaint violated Sections 10(b) and 20A of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 under the Exchange Act in
connection with press releases and other statements relating to our fiscal 2011 earnings guidance that had been made available
to the public. Additionally, in March 2011, a similar purported class action was filed by a single shareholder, Rene LeBlanc,
against us and certain of our executive officers in the same court. In July 2011, after consolidation of the IBEW Local 98
Pension Fund and Rene LeBlanc actions, a consolidated complaint captioned, IBEW Local 98 Pension Fund v. Best Buy Co.,
Inc., et al., was filed and served. We filed a motion to dismiss the consolidated complaint in September 2011, and in March
2012, subsequent to the end of fiscal 2012, the court issued a decision dismissing the action with prejudice. In April 2012, the
plaintiffs filed a motion to alter or amend the court's decision on our motion to dismiss. As a result, the court's decision on the
motion to dismiss is not final, and the time period for an appeal thereof is delayed until 30 days after a court order disposing of
the plaintiff's new motion.
In June 2011, a purported shareholder derivative action captioned, Salvatore M. Talluto, Derivatively and on Behalf of Best Buy
Co., Inc. v. Richard M. Schulze, et al., as Defendants and Best Buy Co., Inc. as Nominal Defendant, was filed against both
present and former members of our Board of Directors serving during the relevant periods in fiscal 2011 and us as a nominal
defendant in the U.S. District Court for the State of Minnesota. The lawsuit alleges that the director defendants breached their
fiduciary duty, among other claims, including violation of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder, in
failing to correct public misrepresentations and material misstatements and/or omissions regarding our fiscal 2011 earnings
projections and, for certain directors, selling stock while in possession of material adverse non-public information.
Additionally, in July 2011, a similar purported class action was filed by a single shareholder, Daniel Himmel, against us and
certain of our executive officers in the same court. In November 2011, the respective lawsuits of Salvatore M. Talluto and
Daniel Himmel were consolidated into a new action captioned, In Re: Best Buy Co., Inc. Shareholder Derivative Litigation, and
a stay ordered until after a final resolution of the motion to dismiss in the consolidated IBEW Local 98 Pension Fund v. Best
Buy Co., Inc., et al. case.
The plaintiffs in the above securities actions seek damages, including interest, equitable relief and reimbursement of the costs
and expenses they incurred in the lawsuits. We believe the allegations in the above securities actions are without merit, and we
intend to defend these actions vigorously. Based on our assessment of the facts underlying the claims in the above securities
actions, their respective procedural litigation history, and the degree to which we intend to defend our company in these
matters, the amount or range of reasonably possible losses, if any, cannot be estimated.
Other Legal Proceedings
We are involved in various other legal proceedings arising in the normal course of conducting business. For such legal
proceedings, we have accrued an amount that reflects the aggregate liability deemed probable and estimable, but this amount is
not material to our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. Because of the preliminary nature of
many of these proceedings, the difficulty in ascertaining the applicable facts relating to many of these proceedings, the variable
treatment of claims made in many of these proceedings and the difficulty of predicting the settlement value of many of these
proceedings, we are not able to estimate an amount or range of any reasonably possible additional losses. However, based upon
our historical experience, the resolution of these proceedings is not expected to have a material effect on our consolidated
financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.
Not applicable.