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Legal Proceedings
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2017
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Legal Proceedings
Legal Proceedings
 
The Company is involved in a number of lawsuits incidental to its business, including environmental-related litigation and routine litigation arising in the ordinary course of business.  Although it is difficult to predict the ultimate outcome of these cases, the Company believes, except as discussed below, that any ultimate liability would not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial condition or results of operations.
     
Environmental Matters
 
The Company is a potentially responsible party ("PRP") pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of 1980 (commonly known as "Superfund") and similar state and foreign laws in proceedings associated with 17 sites in the United States and one in Brazil.  These proceedings were instituted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and certain state and foreign environmental agencies at various times beginning in 1983.  Superfund and similar state and foreign laws create liability for investigation and remediation in response to releases of hazardous substances in the environment. Under these statutes, joint and several liability may be imposed on waste generators, site owners and operators, and others regardless of fault.  Although these regulations could require the Company to remove or mitigate the effects on the environment at various sites, perform remediation work at such sites, or pay damages for loss of use and non-use values, the Company expects its liability in these proceedings to be limited to monetary damages. The Company expects its future liability relative to these sites to be insignificant, individually and in the aggregate. 

The Company is involved in other environmental-related litigation arising in the ordinary course of business. The Company accrues environmental costs when it is probable that these costs will be incurred and can be reasonably estimated. The Company's reserve for environmental liabilities at June 30, 2017 and December 31, 2016 was $3.9 million and $3.5 million, respectively, and is included in other liabilities and deferred credits on the accompanying consolidated balance sheet.

Brazil Tax Dispute - Goodwill Amortization
               
                During October 2013, Dixie Toga, Ltda ("Dixie Toga"), a Bemis subsidiary, received an income tax assessment in Brazil for the tax years 2009 through 2011 that relates to the amortization of certain goodwill generated from the acquisition of Dixie Toga.  The income tax assessed for those years is approximately $11.5 million, translated to U.S. dollars at the June 30, 2017 exchange rate. The Company expects that tax examinations for years after 2011 will include similar assessments as the Company continues to claim the tax benefits associated with the goodwill amortization. An ultimate adverse resolution on these assessments, including interest and penalties, could be material to the Company's consolidated results of operations and/or cash flows.

The Company has been advised by its legal and tax advisors that its position with respect to the deductions is allowable under the tax laws of Brazil. The Company is contesting the disallowance and believes it is more likely than not the tax benefit will be sustained in its entirety and consequently has not recorded a liability. In May of 2017, the Company received a favorable administrative decision. The government is appealing this decision to the next administrative level. The Company intends to litigate the matter if it is not resolved at the administrative appeals levels. The ultimate outcome could take several years.  At this time, the Company believes that final resolution of the assessment will not have a material impact on the Company's consolidated financial statements.
 
Brazil Investigation

     On September 18, 2007, the Secretariat of Economic Law, a governmental agency in Brazil, which has now been replaced by the General Superintendence of the Administrative Council for Economic Defense ("CADE"), initiated an investigation into possible anti-competitive practices in the Brazilian flexible packaging industry against a number of Brazilian companies including Itap Bemis, a Dixie Toga subsidiary. The investigation relates to periods prior to the Company’s acquisition of control of Dixie Toga and its subsidiaries.

In late November 2016, the investigative arm of CADE issued an advisory opinion recommending, among other actions, the imposition of fines on Itap Bemis. In July 2017, the Attorney General's Office of CADE recommended the termination of the investigation with respect to all companies and individuals, concluding that the evidence is insufficient for conviction. The case is now awaiting the opinion of the Federal Public Prosecutor as to how to proceed.

In the event of an adverse decision, it is difficult to predict possible fines, but based on CADE's current fining practice, the fines assessed could be as high as $60 million, depending on CADE’s determination of the applicable revenue base for the calculation of the fine. The Company intends to vigorously defend its position and plans to appeal any adverse decision by the Tribunal. Upon appeal, the Company would likely be required to post bond, deposit funds equal to the assessed fines, or provide other collateral. The Company is unable at this time to predict the outcome of this matter, but believes it is not probable that an adverse judgment would stand after exhausting all appeals which are likely to take several years and therefore no provision has been made in the consolidated financial statements.