MARKEL GROUP INC

Thomas Yeransian v. Markel Corporation

In October 2010, we completed the acquisition of Aspen Holdings, Inc. (Aspen). As part of the consideration for that acquisition, Aspen shareholders received contingent value rights (CVRs). Prior to the December 31, 2017 CVR maturity date, the CVR holder representative, Thomas Yeransian, disputed our prior estimation of the value of the CVRs. On September 15, 2016, Mr. Yeransian filed a suit, Thomas Yeransian v. Markel Corporation (U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware), alleging, among other things, that we are in default under the CVR agreement. The suit seeks: $47.3 million in damages, which represents the unadjusted value of the CVRs; plus interest ($29.1 million through December 31, 2023) and default interest (up to an additional $24.4 million through December 31, 2023, depending on the date any default occurred); and an unspecified amount of punitive damages, costs, and attorneys' fees.

At the initial hearing held February 21, 2017, the court stayed the proceedings and ordered the parties to discuss resolving the dispute pursuant to the independent CVR valuation procedure under the CVR agreement. The parties met on April 5, 2017, but were unsuccessful in reaching agreement on a process for resolving the dispute. We subsequently filed a motion to stay the litigation and compel arbitration, and, on July 31, 2017, the court issued an order granting that motion.

On November 13, 2018, Mr. Yeransian filed a second suit, Thomas Yeransian v. Markel Corporation (U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware), which also alleges that the Company is in default under the CVR agreement. The second suit seeks the same monetary damages and relief as the original suit. We filed a motion to stay this suit until the arbitration for the original suit had concluded and the CVR holders received the final amount due under the CVR Agreement. The court granted that motion on August 6, 2019.

On June 5, 2020, Mr. Yeransian filed a third suit, Thomas Yeransian v. Markel Corporation (U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware). Similar to the first and second suits, the third suit alleges that the Company is in default under the CVR agreement and, in addition, has interfered with the arbitration for the CVR valuation. The third suit seeks the same monetary damages and relief as the original suit and the second suit, as well as other declaratory and non-monetary judgments and orders. We filed a motion to stay this suit, which the court granted on March 16, 2021.

Under the arbitration terms of the CVR Agreement, independent experts were appointed to determine the final value of the CVRs. On September 20, 2021, the experts delivered their report indicating a final CVR valuation of $22.4 million, excluding interest. We had previously paid $8.0 million to the CVR holders, representing 90% of the undisputed value of the CVRs, plus interest of $1.9 million. On September 20, 2021, we paid $20.1 million, which represents $14.1 million for the unpaid portion of the final CVR amount (excluding fees payable to a third party), plus $6.0 million in additional interest.

The stay was lifted on each pending suit, and the three suits were consolidated. On June 8, 2023, the court ruled in favor of the Company and against Mr. Yeransian on all counts. Mr. Yeransian has appealed the court's decision.

We believe Mr. Yeransian's suits to be without merit. We further believe that any material loss resulting from the suits to be remote.

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