“Competent-Management” as an Implied Pre-Condition in Earn-Out Turnover Warranties – Commentary on Key Pest Ltd & Anor v Walsh [2025] IEHC 415

1. Introduction

Key Pest Limited and its associated vehicle Lakecove Limited (“the plaintiffs”) purchased all the shares in Omega Environmental Ltd from its sole shareholder Michael Walsh (“the defendant”). The transaction was documented in a Share Purchase Agreement (“SPA”), a Transfer of Undertakings Agreement and a Tax Deed. 90 % of the €440,000 price was paid up-front; the balance (€44,000) was deferred, to be paid only if Omega’s turnover reached €130,000 during the first six months post-completion.

Disputes quickly arose about (i) a tax indemnity, (ii) “leakage” from the locked-box accounts, (iii) undisclosed bad debts and (iv) a substantial earn-out/shortfall claim based on the target turnover mechanism. The plaintiffs issued summary proceedings seeking (eventually) €135,502 plus interest, contending that the issues were so clear-cut that no trial was needed. Mr Walsh, a lay litigant, argued that he had bona fide defences and that the matter should go to plenary hearing.

2. Summary of the Judgment

Mr Justice Barr refused to enter summary judgment and remitted the entire action to plenary hearing, notwithstanding partial admissions amounting to about €46,000. The Court held that:

Procedurally, judgment could not be granted for any figure higher than that pleaded in the Summary Summons/Notice of Motion without prior formal amendment.
The defendant raised arguable defences on the disputed “leakage”, legal-fee indemnity and, crucially, on the turnover shortfall—because a term should be implied that the buyers would run the business competently during the earn-out period.
A limited tax indemnity of €38,276 and admitted leakage of €2,799 were established, as were undisputed bad debts of €5,306, but it was more efficient to have all issues resolved together at trial, particularly because of set-off against the unpaid €44,000 deferred consideration.
The standard summary judgment tests (Anglin, Aer Rianta v Ryanair, Harrisrange, Ennis, Feniton) require only a “low threshold” for a defendant; that threshold was comfortably met.

3. Analysis

3.1 Precedents Cited and Their Influence

First National Commercial Bank v Anglin [1996] 1 IR 75 – foundational Irish authority setting out that summary judgment will be refused where the defendant shows a “fair or reasonable probability” of a bona fide defence. Justice Barr relied on this as the core test.
Aer Rianta CPT v Ryanair [2001] 4 IR 607 – Hardiman J’s formulation (“Is it very clear the defendant has no case?”) endorsed the continuing caution required.
Harrisrange Ltd v Duncan [2003] 4 IR 1 – provided a structured synthesis of summary-judgment principles, implicitly guiding the Court’s approach.
Allied Irish Banks v Killoran [2015] IEHC 850 – warned courts against spurious defences but emphasised the need to filter genuine ones; cited to show the balance to be struck.
Ennis v AIB [2021] 3 IR 733 and Feniton Property Finance dac v McCool [2022] IECA 217 – recent appellate affirmations that defendants need only reach a low evidential bar, yet cannot rely on mere assertion. The Court used Feniton to articulate why partial affidavit conflict sufficed to defeat summary judgment.
ACC v Hanrahan [2014] 1 IR 1 – referenced on costs, indicating that costs of an unsuccessful summary application are often reserved to the trial judge.

3.2 Legal Reasoning

a) Procedural Regularity

The Court stressed that the summary process is “front-loaded” and therefore strictly confined to the claims articulated on the face of the application. Attempting to recover €135,502 when the pleading sought only €116,752 was impermissible absent a formal amendment. In effect, the Court reinforced the principle that plaintiffs cannot “ambush” a defendant in motion practice by inflating the figure without due process.

b) Tax Indemnity

Because the defendant admitted liability for the VAT recoupment (albeit a slightly lower figure) and because documentary evidence showed the precise amount seized by Revenue, this element met the prima facie threshold for debt. However, the Court bundled it into the plenary remit to enable holistic set-off.

c) Legal-Fee Claim

The plaintiffs provided only an undetailed solicitor’s invoice. The Court held that a claimant seeking an indemnity for costs must demonstrate the necessity and reasonableness of the work done. Absent particulars, the defendant had an arguable defence.

d) “Leakage” Warranty

Two arguable defences arose: (1) many ledger entries identified as “receivable cre” appeared to be credits not debits, and (2) other items could amount to permitted leakage because they were ordinary business expenses. The resolution requires documentary and oral evidence unsuitable for affidavit determination.

e) Earn-Out / Turnover Shortfall

This is the judgment’s most novel aspect. Justice Barr accepted that it was “arguable” the SPA contained an implied term that the buyer would run the business with reasonable competence during the relevant period. Without such an implication the contract would allow the buyer to sabotage turnover, multiply the shortfall by three, and increase recovery against the seller — an “absurd” result. The motor-car warranty analogy deployed by the defendant (damage caused by first-gear driving) resonated with the Court.

The Court also doubted whether clauses 7.3/7.4 truly allowed recovery of amounts beyond the retained €44,000; this point again raised an arguable defence necessitating plenary scrutiny.

f) Discretion to Grant Partial Summary Judgment

Although €46,381 was either admitted or uncontested, the Court exercised its discretion not to enter partial judgment. The overlap with the deferred consideration meant net liability might be only c. €2,000 depending on the earn-out issue. Efficiency and fairness therefore favoured a single trial.

3.3 Likely Impact on Future Litigation and Commercial Practice

M&A Earn-Out Clauses: Parties can expect Irish courts to imply a duty of reasonable (or at least non-sabotaging) conduct on a purchaser during turnover-linked earn-out periods, unless the contract expressly excludes it. Drafters may react by spelling out “buyer conduct” obligations or disclaimers in clearer language.
Summary Judgment Strategy: Plaintiffs must ensure that (i) the pleaded sum is complete and accurate, and (ii) documentary back-up (e.g., invoices) is sufficiently detailed to withstand scrutiny. The decision reinforces the low bar defendants must cross to obtain a trial.
Set-Off Dynamics: Where cross-claims and deferred consideration overlap, courts may prefer plenary determination, even for admitted debts, to avoid piecemeal justice.
Locked-Box Deals: The case highlights evidential challenges in proving post-completion “leakage”, particularly in SMEs where bookkeeping may be less formalised. Acquirers will need robust forensic accounting if they wish to succeed on affidavit evidence alone.

4. Complex Concepts Simplified

Summary Judgment: A fast-track procedure where the plaintiff says: “Even if everything the defendant might say is true, there is no defence.” It avoids a full trial but is granted only in “clear-cut” cases.
Locked-Box Accounts: Financial statements prepared at a specified date (the “locked-box date”) in an M&A deal. The seller warrants that no value has been siphoned (“leakage”) from the company between that date and completion, except permitted items.
Leakage vs. Permitted Leakage: “Leakage” covers payments (dividends, bonuses, personal expenses, etc.) that fall outside ordinary course. “Permitted leakage” is an agreed carve-out—routine payments the buyer accepts.
Earn-Out / Target Turnover Mechanism: A clause deferring part of the price, often adjusting it up or down depending on post-completion financial performance.
Implied Term: A contractual term not written down but inserted by law or necessary for business efficacy—here, a term that the buyer will not wilfully undermine the target turnover.

5. Conclusion

Key Pest v Walsh re-affirms the cautionary approach Irish courts adopt toward summary judgment and adds a significant clarification in the field of earn-out litigation: a seller’s turnover warranty is likely subject to an implied obligation that the buyer will operate the business competently during the measurement period. Procedurally, the decision illustrates how technical pleading defects and evidential gaps (e.g., bare invoices) can derail a summary application. For transactional lawyers, the case is a reminder to draft express provisions governing buyer conduct and to keep contemporaneous evidence to support any future indemnity claims. For litigators, it underscores that defendants need only show a plausible narrative—supported by some documents or witness statements—to earn their day in court.