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Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Jul. 02, 2016
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments and Contingencies
Legal Matters
Beef Products, Inc. v. American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. On September 13, 2012, plaintiffs filed an action in South Dakota state court against certain subsidiaries and employees of the Company and others, asserting claims for defamation arising from alleged false statements and implications, statutory and common law product disparagement and tortious interference with existing and prospective business relationships. The claims arise out of ABC News reports published in March and April 2012 about a product, Lean Finely Textured Beef, that was included in ground beef and hamburger meat. Plaintiffs’ complaint sought actual and consequential damages in excess of $400 million (which in March 2016 they asserted could be as much as $1.9 billion), statutory damages (including treble damages) pursuant to South Dakota’s Agricultural Food Products Disparagement Act, and punitive damages. Trial is set for June 2017. At this time, the Company is not able to predict the ultimate outcome of this matter, nor can it estimate the range of possible loss.
The Company, together with, in some instances, certain of its directors and officers, is a defendant or codefendant in various other legal actions involving copyright, breach of contract and various other claims incident to the conduct of its businesses.
Management does not believe that the Company has incurred a probable material loss by reason of any of the above actions.
Contractual Guarantees
The Company has guaranteed bond issuances by the Anaheim Public Authority that were used by the City of Anaheim to finance construction of infrastructure and a public parking facility adjacent to the Disneyland Resort. Revenues from sales, occupancy and property taxes from the Disneyland Resort and non-Disney hotels are used by the City of Anaheim to repay the bonds. In the event of a debt service shortfall, the Company will be responsible to fund the shortfall. As of July 2, 2016, the remaining debt service obligation guaranteed by the Company was $321 million, of which $56 million was principal. To the extent that tax revenues exceed the debt service payments in subsequent periods, the Company would be reimbursed for any previously funded shortfalls. To date, tax revenues have exceeded the debt service payments for these bonds.
Long-Term Receivables and the Allowance for Credit Losses
The Company has accounts receivable with original maturities greater than one year related to the sale of television program rights and vacation ownership units. Allowances for credit losses are established against these receivables as necessary.
The Company estimates the allowance for credit losses related to receivables from the sale of television programs based upon a number of factors, including historical experience and the financial condition of individual companies with which we do business. The balance of television program sales receivables recorded in other non-current assets, net of an immaterial allowance for credit losses, was $0.9 billion as of July 2, 2016. The activity in the current period related to the allowance for credit losses was not material.
The Company estimates the allowance for credit losses related to receivables from sales of its vacation ownership units based primarily on historical collection experience. Estimates of uncollectible amounts also consider the economic environment and the age of receivables. The balance of mortgage receivables recorded in other non-current assets, net of a related allowance for credit losses of approximately 4%, was approximately $0.7 billion as of July 2, 2016. The activity in the current period related to the allowance for credit losses was not material.
Income Taxes
During the nine months ended July 2, 2016, the Company decreased its gross unrecognized tax benefits by $58 million to $854 million, including an $18 million decrease to income tax expense.
In the next twelve months, it is reasonably possible that our unrecognized tax benefits could change due to resolutions of open tax matters. These resolutions would reduce our unrecognized tax benefits by approximately $152 million, of which $46 million would reduce our income tax expense and effective tax rate if recognized.