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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
12 Months Ended
Dec. 30, 2023
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Insurance
The Company maintains certain insurance policies that maintain large deductibles up to approximately $2 million, some with or without stop-loss limits, depending on market availability. Insurance policies at certain locations are based on a percentage of the insured assets, for which deductibles for certain property may exceed $22.0 million in the event of a catastrophic event. In addition, the Company purchased representation and warranty insurance in support of some acquisitions, in which deductibles could reach $4.0 million.
Litigation
On February 16, 2023, the Company was informed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) that in conjunction with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), it had commenced an investigation into the Company’s conduct regarding several shipments of non-human primates from Cambodia. On February 17, 2023 the Company received a grand jury subpoena requesting certain documents related to such investigation. The Company is aware of a parallel civil investigation being undertaken by the DOJ and USFWS. The Company is cooperating with the DOJ and the USFWS and believes that the concerns raised with respect to the Company’s conduct are without merit. The Company maintains a global supplier onboarding and oversight program incorporating risk-based due diligence, auditing, and monitoring practices to help ensure the quality of our supplier relationships and compliance with applicable U.S. and international laws and regulations, and has operated under the belief that all shipments of non-human primates it received satisfied the material requirements, documentation and related processes and procedures of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) documentation and related processes and procedures, which guides the release of each import by USFWS. Notwithstanding our efforts and good-faith belief, in connection with the civil investigation, the Company has voluntarily suspended future shipments of non-human primates from Cambodia to the United States until such time that the Company and USFWS can agree upon and implement additional procedures to reasonably ensure that non-human primates imported from Cambodia are purpose-bred. The Company continues to care for the Cambodia-sourced non-human primates from certain recent shipments in the United States. The carrying value of the inventory related to these shipments is approximately $27 million as of December 30, 2023, which reflects the value of the shipments in accordance with the Company’s inventory accounting policy. On May 16, 2023, the Company received an inquiry from the Enforcement Division of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) requesting it to voluntarily provide information, subsequently augmented with a document subpoena, primarily related to the sourcing of non-human primates, and the Company is cooperating with the request. We are not able to predict what action, if any, might be taken in the future by the DOJ, USFWS, SEC or other governmental authorities as a result of the investigations. None of the DOJ, USFWS or SEC has provided the Company with any specific timeline or indication as to when these investigations or, specific to the DOJ and USFWS, discussions regarding future processes and procedures, will be concluded or resolved. The Company cannot predict the timing, outcome or possible impact of the investigations, including without limitation any potential fines, penalties or liabilities.
A putative securities class action was filed on May 19, 2023 against the Company and a number of its current/former officers in the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. On August 31, 2023, the court appointed the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio as lead plaintiff. An amended complaint was filed on November 14, 2023 that, among other things, included only James Foster, the Chief Executive Officer and David R. Smith, the former Chief Financial Officer as defendants along with the Company. The amended complaint asserts claims under §§ 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the Exchange Act) on behalf of a putative class of purchasers of Company securities from May 5, 2020 through February 21, 2023, alleging that certain of the Company’s disclosures about its practices with respect to the importation of non-human primates made during the putative class period were materially false or misleading. The Company filed a motion to dismiss. While the Company cannot predict the outcome of this matter, it believes the class action to be without merit and plans to vigorously defend against it. The Company cannot reasonably estimate the maximum potential exposure or the range of possible loss in association with this matter.
On November 8, 2023, a stockholder filed a derivative lawsuit in the U.S. District Court of the District of Delaware asserting claims on the Company’s behalf against the members of the Company’s Board of Directors and certain of the Company’s current/former officers (James Foster, the Chief Executive Officer; David R. Smith, the former Chief Financial Officer; and Flavia Pease, the current Chief Financial Officer). The complaint alleges that the defendants breached their fiduciary duties to the Company and its stockholders because certain of the Company’s disclosures about its practices with respect to the importation of non-human primates were materially false or misleading. The complaint also alleges that the defendants breached their fiduciary duties by causing the Company to fail to maintain adequate internal controls over securities disclosure and compliance with applicable law and by failing to comply with the company’s Code of Business Conduct and Ethics. The Company intends to file a motion to dismiss. While the Company cannot predict the outcome of this matter, it believes the derivative lawsuit to be without merit and plans to vigorously defend against it. The Company cannot reasonably estimate the maximum potential exposure or the range of possible loss in association with this matter.
Aside from the matter above, the Company believes there are no other matters pending against the Company that could have a material impact on the Company’s business, financial condition, or results of operations.
Guarantees
The Company enters into certain agreements with other parties in the ordinary course of business that contain indemnification provisions. These typically include agreements with directors and officers, business partners, contractors, landlords, and customers. Under these provisions, the Company generally indemnifies and holds harmless the indemnified party for losses suffered or incurred by the indemnified party as a result of the Company’s activities. These indemnification provisions generally survive termination of the underlying agreement. The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these indemnification provisions is unlimited. However, to date the Company has not incurred material costs to defend lawsuits or settle claims related to these indemnification provisions. As a result, the estimated fair value of these obligations is minimal.
Purchase Obligations
The Company enters into unconditional purchase obligations, in the ordinary course of business, that include agreements to purchase goods or services that are enforceable and legally binding and that specify all significant terms including: fixed or minimum quantities to be purchased; fixed, minimum or variable price provisions; and the approximate timing of the transaction. These unconditional purchase obligations exclude agreements that are cancellable at any time without penalty. The aggregate amount of the Company’s unconditional purchase obligations totaled approximately $390 million as of December 30, 2023 and the majority of these obligations are expected to be settled during 2024.