Item 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
7K characters. Original on sec.gov · Markdown
Item 13. CERTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AND RELATED TRANSACTIONS AND DIRECTOR INDEPENDENCE
Review of Related Person Transactions
In accordance with the charter for the Audit Committee of the Board and our written Policies and Procedures with Respect to Related Person Transactions (“RPT Policy”), our Audit Committee reviews and approves any related person transactions.
For purposes of these procedures, “related person” and “transaction” have the meanings contained in Item 404 of Regulation S-K.
Under the RPT Policy, the Audit Committee must review and approve all transactions in which (i) Tesla or one of its subsidiaries is a participant, (ii) the amount involved exceeds $120,000 and (iii) a related person has a direct or indirect material interest, other than transactions available to all Tesla employees generally.
In assessing a related person transaction brought before it for approval the Audit Committee considers, among other factors, whether the related person transaction is on terms no less favorable than terms generally available to an unaffiliated third-party under the same or similar circumstances and the extent of the related person’s interest in the transaction. The Audit Committee may then approve or disapprove the transaction in its discretion, or may request additional information.
Related person transactions will be disclosed in the applicable SEC filing as required by the rules of the SEC.
Related Person Transactions
Elon Musk is an executive officer, director and/or significant shareholder of SpaceX, X, xAI and TBC. In March 2025, xAI and X effected a transaction under which xAI and X became wholly-owned subsidiaries of a new parent company named X.AI Holdings Corp.
SpaceX is party to certain commercial, licensing and support agreements with Tesla. Under these agreements, SpaceX incurred expenses of approximately $2.4 million in 2024 and approximately $0.1 million through February 2025.
Since April 2016, SpaceX has invoiced Tesla for our use of an aircraft owned and operated by SpaceX at rates determined by Tesla and SpaceX, subject to rules of the Federal Aviation Administration governing such arrangements. Tesla incurred expenses of approximately $0.8 million in 2024 and approximately $0.04 million through February 2025.
X is party to certain commercial, consulting and support agreements with Tesla. Under these agreements, Tesla incurred expenses of approximately $0.1 million in 2024. As part of a multi-platform advertising campaign, Tesla also directly or indirectly purchased advertising on X, which totaled approximately $0.4 million in 2024 and approximately $0.01 million through February 2025.
xAI is party to certain commercial (including those for the purchase of Megapacks), consulting and support agreements with Tesla. Under these agreements, xAI incurred expenses of approximately $198.3 million in 2024 and approximately $36.9 million through February 2025. Approximately $191.0 million during 2024 and $36.8 million through February 2025 was incurred by xAI for its purchase of our Megapack products.
TBC is party to commercial agreements with Tesla. Under these agreements, Tesla incurred expenses of approximately $3.6 million in 2024 and approximately $0.8 million through February 2025.
We are party to a service agreement with a security company, owned by Elon Musk and organized to provide security services concerning him, including in connection with his duties to and work for Tesla. Tesla incurred expenses of approximately $2.8 million for such security services in 2024 and approximately $0.5 million through February 2025, representing a portion of the total cost of security services concerning Elon Musk.
JB Straubel is the Chief Executive Officer of Redwood. Tesla is party to an agreement with Redwood to supply certain scrap materials. Under this agreement, Redwood incurred expenses of approximately $30.3 million in 2024 and approximately $0.6 million through February 2025.
Kimbal Musk is the Chief Executive Officer of Nova Sky Stories. In 2024, we entered into a commercial agreement with Nova Sky Stories in relation to the production of an aerial show. Under this agreement, Tesla incurred expenses of approximately $0.3 million in 2024.
Other Transactions
Tesla periodically does business with certain entities its directors are affiliated with. Such transactions are done on terms no less favorable than terms generally available to an unaffiliated third-party under the same or similar circumstances.
In the ordinary course of business, we enter into offer letters with our executive officers. We have also entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and officers. The indemnification agreements and our certificate of formation and bylaws require us to indemnify our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law. In relation to our CEO’s exercise of stock options and sale of common stock from the 2012 CEO Performance Award, Tesla withheld the appropriate amount of taxes. However, given the significant amounts involved, our CEO entered into an indemnification agreement with us in November 2021 to indemnify the Company for additional taxes owed, if any.
Director Independence
The Board periodically assesses, with the recommendation of the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, the independence of its members as defined in the listing standards of Nasdaq and applicable law. The Board undertook an analysis for each director and director nominee and considered all relevant facts and circumstances, including the director’s other commercial, accounting, legal, banking, consulting, charitable and familial relationships. The Board determined that with respect to each of its current members and director nominees, other than Elon Musk, who is our Chief Executive Officer, and Kimbal Musk, who is Elon Musk’s brother, there are no disqualifying factors with respect to director independence enumerated in the listing standards of Nasdaq or any relationships that would interfere with the exercise of independent judgment in carrying out the responsibilities of a director, and that each such member is an “independent director” as defined in the listing standards of Nasdaq and applicable laws.
In particular, the Board reviewed the following considerations:
| · | Ira Ehrenpreis, Joe Gebbia, James Murdoch, Elon Musk, Kimbal Musk and JB Straubel and/or investment funds affiliated with them, have made minority investments in certain companies or investment funds (i) of which other Tesla directors are founders, significant shareholders, directors, officers, or managers, and/or (ii) with which Tesla has had certain relationships, such as those set forth in “Related Person Transactions” under this Item 13 above. The Board concluded that none of these investments are material so as to impede the exercise of independent judgment by any of Messrs. Ehrenpreis, Gebbia, Murdoch or Straubel. |
|---|
Previous: Item 12. SECURITY OWNERSHIP OF CERTAIN BENEFICIAL OWNERS AND MANAGEMENT AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS · Next: Item 14. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES