Contingencies and Accrued Losses |
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Commitments And Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Contingencies and Accrued Losses |
NOTE 13 — CONTINGENCIES AND ACCRUED LOSSES Product Liability Matters We provide, through our wholly owned insurance subsidiaries, certain insurance coverage, primarily product liability coverage, to our other subsidiaries. Excess coverage is provided by third-party insurers. Our product liability accruals provide for these potential losses as well as other uninsured claims. Product liability accruals are established based upon actuarial calculations of potential liability using industry experience, actual historical experience and actuarial assumptions developed for similar types of product liability claims, including development factors and lag times. To the extent there is a reasonable possibility that potential losses could exceed the amounts already accrued, we believe that the amount of any such additional loss would be immaterial to our results of operations, liquidity and consolidated financial position. Warranty Matters We also offer warranties on many of our products, as well as long-term warranty programs at certain of our businesses, and have established product warranty liabilities. We review these liabilities for adequacy on a quarterly basis and adjust them as necessary. The primary factors that could affect these liabilities may include changes in performance rates as well as costs of replacement. Provision for estimated warranty costs is recorded at the time of sale and periodically adjusted, as required, to reflect actual experience. It is probable that we will incur future losses related to warranty claims we have received but that have not been fully investigated and related to claims not yet received. While our warranty liabilities represent our best estimates at November 30, 2020, we can provide no assurances that we will not experience material claims in the future or that we will not incur significant costs to resolve such claims beyond the amounts accrued or beyond what we may recover from our suppliers. Based upon the nature of the expense, product warranty expense is recorded as a component of cost of sales or within SG&A. Also, due to the nature of our businesses, the amount of claims paid can fluctuate from one period to the next. While our warranty liabilities represent our best estimates of our expected losses at any given time, from time-to-time we may revise our estimates based on our experience relating to factors such as weather conditions, specific circumstances surrounding product installations and other factors. The following table includes the changes in our accrued warranty balances:
Environmental Matters Like other companies participating in similar lines of business, some of our subsidiaries are involved in several proceedings relating to environmental matters. It is our policy to accrue remediation costs when it is probable that such efforts will be required and the related costs can be reasonably estimated. In general, our environmental accruals are undiscounted liabilities, which are exclusive of claims against third parties, and are not material to our financial statements during any of the periods presented. Other Contingencies We were notified by the SEC on June 24, 2014, that we were the subject of a formal investigation pertaining to the timing of our disclosure and accrual of loss reserves in fiscal 2013 with respect to the previously disclosed U.S. Department of Justice (the “DOJ”) and the U.S. General Services Administration (the “GSA”) Office of Inspector General investigation into compliance issues relating to Tremco Roofing Division’s GSA contracts. As previously disclosed, our Audit Committee completed an investigation into the facts and circumstances surrounding the timing of our disclosure and accrual of loss reserves with respect to the GSA and DOJ investigation, and determined that it was appropriate to restate our financial results for the first, second and third quarters of fiscal 2013. The restatement shifted accrual amounts among the three quarters, which had the effect of reducing net income by $7.2 million and $10.8 million for the quarterly periods ended August 31, 2012, and November 30, 2012, respectively, and increasing net income for the quarterly period ended February 28, 2013 by $18.0 million. These restatements had no impact on our audited financial statements for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2013 or 2014. In connection with the foregoing, on September 9, 2016, the SEC filed an enforcement action against us and our General Counsel. The complaint sought disgorgement of gains that may have resulted from the conduct alleged in the complaint, and payment of unspecified monetary penalties from us and our General Counsel pursuant to Section 20(d) of the Securities Act and Section 21(d)(3) of the Exchange Act. Further, the complaint sought to permanently enjoin us from violations of Sections 17(a)(2) and (a)(3) of the Securities Act, Sections 13(a), 13(b)(2)(A) and 13(b)(2)(B) of the Exchange Act, and Exchange Act Rules 12b-20, 13a-1, 13a-11 and 13a-13, and to permanently enjoin our General Counsel from violations of Sections 17(a)(2) and (a)(3) of the Securities Act and Exchange Act Rules 13b2-1 and 13b2-2(a). On December 22, 2020, the Court entered its Final Judgment (the “Final Judgment”) resolving this matter with the SEC. In consenting to the terms of the Final Judgment, we and our General Counsel neither admitted nor denied the SEC’s allegations. We agreed to pay a civil monetary penalty of $2.0 million under Section 21(d)(3) of the Exchange Act, and we are permanently enjoined from violations of Section 13(a), 13(b)(2)(a) and 13(b)(2)(b) of the Exchange Act and Exchange Act Rules 12b-20, 13a-1, 13a-11 and 13a-13. The settlement amount is accrued for in our consolidated financial statements as of November 30, 2020. Our General Counsel agreed to pay a civil monetary penalty of $22,500 under Section 21(d)(3) of the Exchange Act, and he is permanently enjoined from violations of Exchange Act Rule 13b2-1. Prior to the date of this filing, both the Company and our General Counsel have paid their respective civil monetary penalties. For both the Company and our General Counsel, the Final Judgment resolved all claims asserted by the SEC in the proceeding and included relief only with respect to certain books and records provisions of the securities laws, none of which require proof of intentional or willful misconduct. Also, in connection with the foregoing, on April 28, 2017, a stockholder derivative action was filed in the United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, against certain of our current and former directors and officers. On February 2, 2018, the Court granted our request for a stay and stayed the derivative action pending the completion of the SEC enforcement action. The stay will be revisited by the Court now that the SEC enforcement action has been resolved. We do not believe a material loss in this matter is reasonably possible or probable. |