Legal Proceedings	3 Months Ended
Aug. 31, 2023
Legal Proceedings
Legal Proceedings	Note 16 – Legal Proceedings We are involved in various claims and legal actions, including environmental matters, arising in the ordinary course of business. We are not a party to any material pending legal proceeding (including any governmental or environmental proceeding) other than routine litigation incidental to our business except for the following: Self-Reporting of Potential Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Violations The Company retained outside counsel to investigate possible violations of the Company’s Code of Conduct, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and other applicable laws, relating to the Company’s activities in Nepal and South Africa. Based on these investigations, in fiscal 2019, we self-reported these matters to the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the UK Serious Fraud Office. The Company is fully cooperating with the reviews by these agencies, although we are unable at this time to predict what action, if any, they may take. Russian Bankruptcy Litigation During calendar years 2016 and 2017, certain of the subsidiaries of AAR CORP. (the “Company”) purchased four engines from VIM-AVIA Airlines, LLC (“VIM-AVIA”), a company organized in Russia. Subsequent to the purchase of the engines, VIM-AVIA declared bankruptcy in Russian courts, and shortly thereafter the receiver of the VIM-AVIA bankruptcy estate and one of the major creditors of VIM-AVIA filed a claw-back action in the Arbitration Court of the Russian Republic of Tartarstan (the “Russian Trial Court”) against our subsidiaries alleging that the contracts entered into with VIM-AVIA in the 2016-2017 timeframe are invalid. The clawback action alleged that our subsidiaries owe the VIM-AVIA bankruptcy estate approximately $13 million, the alleged fair market value of the four engines at the time of sale. In March 2023, the Russian Trial Court awarded a $1.8 million judgment against the Company relating to one engine, and dismissed all the other claims against the Company relating to the three remaining engines. The Company recognized a corresponding charge of $1.8 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2023. The Company thereafter appealed the $1.8 million judgment entered against it by the Russian Trial Court. The receiver and the creditor thereafter appealed to the Russian Trial Court’s judgment dismissing their claims relating to the remaining three engines. On September 19, 2023, the Russian Eleventh Arbitration Court of Appeal (the “Russian Appellate Court”) announced its decision to issue an order (i) affirming the Russian Trial Court’s adverse judgment against the Company relating to one of the four engines; (ii) reversing the Russian Trial Court’s dismissal of the claims relating to the remaining three engines; and (iii) awarding a judgment against the Company in the total amount of $13.0 million. The Company strongly disputes the validity of the judgment announced by the Russian Appellate Court and continues to strongly dispute all claims asserted in the clawback action. The Company may seek further appellate review in the Russian courts. During the first quarter of fiscal 2024, the Company recognized a charge for $11.2 million representing the judgment against the Company for the remaining three engines. The Company believes that the judgment announced by the Russian Appellate Court is a result of, among other things, a hostile business and legal environment for foreign companies in Russia, which has been caused by developments in the Russia/Ukraine conflict, including the imposition of a range of sanctions and export controls on Russian entities and individuals by the U.S. and its North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies. Given the Company’s obligation to comply with U.S. trade restrictions likely applicable to undisclosed creditors of the VIM-AVIA bankruptcy estate, the Company’s ability to satisfy any portion of the Russian judgment or to otherwise settle the receiver’s claims may be restricted and is unknown. Although there can be no assurances, the Company believes it will have strong defenses to any attempt that may be made to recognize and enforce the adverse judgment announced by the Russian Appellate Court outside of Russia. As of August 31, 2023, our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet included a total liability for the matter of $13.0 million classified as long-term in Other liabilities. Performance Guarantee In conjunction with the fiscal 2021 sale of our Composites business, we retained a performance guarantee to a customer of the Composites business (the “Customer”) under an existing contract providing flap track fairings on the A220 aircraft (“A220 Contract”). The term of the A220 Contract and our performance guarantee extend for the duration that A220 aircraft are in service and the customer continues to maintain support for the A220 aircraft. The performance guarantee does not contain a financial cap. In March 2022, the buyer of the Composites business (the “Buyer”) filed for bankruptcy and moved to have the bankruptcy court reject the A220 Contract. The Customer also notified us that it believes the Buyer has failed to timely deliver products in accordance with the terms of the A220 Contract and that the Customer has incurred losses related to the asserted non-compliance that the Customer believes is covered by our performance guarantee. To date, the Customer has provided us with limited details in support of the extent of the Customer’s claimed losses with respect to the A220 Contract and its contention that we may be responsible under our performance guarantee to reimburse the Customer for any portion of its claimed losses. The Customer filed suit against us during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023 claiming damages of at least $32 million. In this regard, while we are continuing to seek additional detail around the facts and legal basis underlying the claim for losses the Customer attributed to the A220 Contract and the Customer’s corresponding claim under the performance guarantee, we strongly disagree with the premise of the Customer’s claim based on the information available and known to us at this time, and we believe that we have numerous defenses available against this claim that we will vigorously pursue. While it is reasonably possible that we will incur a loss from the claim under the performance guarantee, we are unable to estimate the range of loss on this claim. There can be no assurance that the Customer’s claim under the performance guarantee will not have a material adverse effect on our operations, financial position and cash flows.

Legal Proceedings

3 Months Ended

Aug. 31, 2023

Note 16 – Legal Proceedings

We are involved in various claims and legal actions, including environmental matters, arising in the ordinary course of business. We are not a party to any material pending legal proceeding (including any governmental or environmental proceeding) other than routine litigation incidental to our business except for the following:

Self-Reporting of Potential Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Violations

The Company retained outside counsel to investigate possible violations of the Company’s Code of Conduct, the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and other applicable laws, relating to the Company’s activities in Nepal and South Africa. Based on these investigations, in fiscal 2019, we self-reported these matters to the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the UK Serious Fraud Office. The Company is fully cooperating with the reviews by these agencies, although we are unable at this time to predict what action, if any, they may take.

Russian Bankruptcy Litigation

During calendar years 2016 and 2017, certain of the subsidiaries of AAR CORP. (the “Company”) purchased four engines from VIM-AVIA Airlines, LLC (“VIM-AVIA”), a company organized in Russia. Subsequent to the purchase of the engines, VIM-AVIA declared bankruptcy in Russian courts, and shortly thereafter the receiver of the VIM-AVIA bankruptcy estate and one of the major creditors of VIM-AVIA filed a claw-back action in the Arbitration Court of the Russian Republic of Tartarstan (the “Russian Trial Court”) against our subsidiaries alleging that the contracts entered into with VIM-AVIA in the 2016-2017 timeframe are invalid. The clawback action alleged that our subsidiaries owe the VIM-AVIA bankruptcy estate approximately $13 million, the alleged fair market value of the four engines at the time of sale. In March 2023, the Russian Trial Court awarded a $1.8 million judgment against the Company relating to one engine, and dismissed all the other claims against the Company relating to the three remaining engines. The Company recognized a corresponding charge of $1.8 million in the third quarter of fiscal 2023. The Company thereafter appealed the $1.8 million judgment entered against it by the Russian Trial Court. The receiver and the creditor thereafter appealed to the Russian Trial Court’s judgment dismissing their claims relating to the remaining three engines.

On September 19, 2023, the Russian Eleventh Arbitration Court of Appeal (the “Russian Appellate Court”) announced its decision to issue an order (i) affirming the Russian Trial Court’s adverse judgment against the Company relating to one of the four engines; (ii) reversing the Russian Trial Court’s dismissal of the claims relating to the remaining three engines; and (iii) awarding a judgment against the Company in the total amount of $13.0 million. The Company strongly disputes the validity of the judgment announced by the Russian Appellate Court and continues to strongly dispute all claims asserted in the clawback action. The Company may seek further appellate review in the Russian courts. During the first quarter of fiscal 2024, the Company recognized a charge for $11.2 million representing the judgment against the Company for the remaining three engines.

The Company believes that the judgment announced by the Russian Appellate Court is a result of, among other things, a hostile business and legal environment for foreign companies in Russia, which has been caused by developments in the Russia/Ukraine conflict, including the imposition of a range of sanctions and export controls on Russian entities and individuals by the U.S. and its North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies. Given the Company’s obligation to comply with U.S. trade restrictions likely applicable to undisclosed creditors of the VIM-AVIA bankruptcy estate, the Company’s ability to satisfy any portion of the Russian judgment or to otherwise settle the receiver’s claims may be restricted and is unknown. Although there can be no assurances, the Company believes it will have strong defenses to any attempt that may be made to recognize and enforce the adverse judgment announced by the Russian Appellate Court outside of Russia. As of August 31, 2023, our Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet included a total liability for the matter of $13.0 million classified as long-term in Other liabilities.

Performance Guarantee

In conjunction with the fiscal 2021 sale of our Composites business, we retained a performance guarantee to a customer of the Composites business (the “Customer”) under an existing contract providing flap track fairings on the A220 aircraft (“A220 Contract”). The term of the A220 Contract and our performance guarantee extend for the duration that A220 aircraft are in service and the customer continues to maintain support for the A220 aircraft. The performance guarantee does not contain a financial cap.

In March 2022, the buyer of the Composites business (the “Buyer”) filed for bankruptcy and moved to have the bankruptcy court reject the A220 Contract. The Customer also notified us that it believes the Buyer has failed to timely deliver products in accordance with the terms of the A220 Contract and that the Customer has incurred losses related to the asserted non-compliance that the Customer believes is covered by our performance guarantee. To date, the Customer has provided us with limited details in support of the extent of the Customer’s claimed losses with respect to the A220 Contract and its contention that we may be responsible under our performance guarantee to reimburse the Customer for any portion of its claimed losses. The Customer filed suit against us during the fourth quarter of fiscal 2023 claiming damages of at least $32 million.

In this regard, while we are continuing to seek additional detail around the facts and legal basis underlying the claim for losses the Customer attributed to the A220 Contract and the Customer’s corresponding claim under the performance guarantee, we strongly disagree with the premise of the Customer’s claim based on the information available and known to us at this time, and we believe that we have numerous defenses available against this claim that we will vigorously pursue. While it is reasonably possible that we will incur a loss from the claim under the performance guarantee, we are unable to estimate the range of loss on this claim. There can be no assurance that the Customer’s claim under the performance guarantee will not have a material adverse effect on our operations, financial position and cash flows.