Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

We are a party to various proceedings and matters involving employment, intellectual property, environmental, taxation, vehicle-related personal injury, antitrust and other laws. When it is probable, in management's judgment, that we may incur monetary damages or other costs resulting from these proceedings or other claims, and we can reasonably estimate the amounts, we record appropriate accruals in the financial statements and make charges against earnings. For all periods presented, we have recorded no material charges against earnings. Also, when it is reasonably possible that we may

incur additional loss in excess of recorded accruals and we can reasonably estimate the additional losses or range of losses, we disclose such additional reasonably possible losses in these notes.

For specific information regarding accruals, cash payments to settle litigation contingencies, and reasonably possible losses in excess of accruals, please see “Accruals and Reasonably Possible Losses in Excess of Accruals” below.

Brazilian Value-Added Tax Matters

All dollar amounts presented in this section have been updated since our last filing to reflect the U.S. Dollar (USD) equivalent of Brazilian Real (BRL).

We deny all allegations in the below Brazilian actions. We believe that we have valid bases to contest such actions and are vigorously defending ourselves. However, these contingencies are subject to uncertainties, and based on current known facts, we believe that it is reasonably possible (but not probable) that we may incur losses of approximately $13.8 including interest and attorney fees with respect to these assessments. Therefore, because it is not probable we will incur a loss, no accrual has been recorded for Brazilian value-added tax (VAT) matters. As of the date of this filing, we have $10.5 on deposit with the Brazilian government to partially mitigate interest and penalties that may accrue while we work through these matters. If we are successful in our defense of these assessments, the deposits are refundable with interest. These deposits are recorded as a long-term asset on our balance sheet.

Brazilian Federal Cases. On December 22 and December 29, 2011, and December 17, 2012, the Brazilian Finance Ministry, Federal Revenue Office (Finance Ministry) issued notices of violation against our wholly-owned subsidiary, Leggett & Platt do Brasil Ltda. (L&P Brazil) in the amount of $2.0, $.1 and $3.5, respectively. The Finance Ministry claimed that for November 2006 and continuing through 2011, L&P Brazil used an incorrect tariff code for the collection and payment of VAT primarily on the sale of mattress innerspring units in Brazil (VAT Rate Dispute). L&P Brazil has denied the violations. On December 4, 2015, we filed an action related to the $3.5 assessment ($4.1 with updated interest), in Sorocaba Federal Court. On October 18, 2018, we filed an action related to the $2.0 assessment ($3.0 with updated interest) in Sorocaba Federal Court. The $.1 assessment remains pending at the second administrative level. These actions seek to annul the entire assessment and remain pending.

In addition, L&P Brazil received assessments on December 22, 2011, and June 26, July 2 and November 5, 2012, and September 13, 2013, from the Finance Ministry where it challenged L&P Brazil’s use of tax credits in years 2005 through 2010. Such credits are generated based upon the VAT rate used by L&P Brazil on the sale of mattress innersprings. On September 4, 2014, the Finance Ministry issued additional assessments regarding this same issue, but covering certain periods of 2011 and 2012. L&P Brazil filed its defenses denying the assessments. L&P Brazil has received aggregate assessments and penalties totaling $1.7 ($2.5 updated with interest) on these denials of tax credit matters. L&P Brazil has denied the violations. Some of these cases have been administratively closed and combined with other actions, while the remaining cases are pending at the administrative level. On September 11, 2017, L&P Brazil received an "isolated penalty" from the Finance Ministry in the amount of $.2 regarding the use of these credits. L&P Brazil filed its defense disputing the penalty. These cases remain pending.

On February 1, 2013, the Finance Ministry filed a Tax Collection action against L&P Brazil in the Camanducaia Judicial District Court, alleging the untimely payment of $.1 of social contributions (social security and social assistance payments) for September to October 2010. L&P Brazil argued the payments were not required to be made because of the application of tax credits generated by L&P Brazil's use of a correct VAT rate on the sale of mattress innersprings. On June 26, 2014, the Finance Ministry issued a new notice of violation against L&P Brazil in the amount of $.6 covering 2011 through 2012 on the same subject matter. L&P Brazil has filed its defenses. These cases remain pending.

On July 1, 2014, the Finance Ministry rendered a preliminary decision alleging that L&P Brazil improperly offset $.1 of social contributions due in 2011. L&P Brazil denied the allegations. L&P Brazil is defending on the basis that the social contribution amounts were correctly offset with tax credits generated by L&P Brazil's use of a correct VAT rate on the sale of mattress innersprings. On December 15, 2015, the Finance Ministry issued an assessment against L&P Brazil in the amount of $.1 for August 2010 through May 2011, as a penalty for L&P Brazil's requests to offset tax credits. We filed our defense denying the assessment. On August 8, 2019, the Finance Ministry issued an assessment against L&P Brazil in the amount of $.1 alleging that L&P Brazil improperly offset social contributions due between 2015 and 2016. These cases remain pending.

State of São Paulo, Brazil Cases. The State of São Paulo, Brazil (SSP), on October 4, 2012, issued a Tax Assessment against L&P Brazil in the amount of $1.2 for the tax years 2009 through 2011 regarding the same VAT Rate

Dispute but as applicable to the sale of mattress innerspring units in the SSP (SSP VAT Rate Dispute). On June 21, 2013, the SSP converted the Tax Assessment to a tax collection action against L&P Brazil in the amount of $1.5 in Sorocaba Judicial District Court. L&P Brazil has denied all allegations. This case remains pending.

L&P Brazil also received a Notice of Tax Assessment from the SSP dated March 27, 2014, in the amount of $.7 for tax years January 2011 through August 2012 regarding the SSP VAT Rate Dispute. L&P Brazil filed its response denying the allegations, but the tax assessment was maintained at the administrative level. On June 9, 2016, L&P Brazil filed an action in Sorocaba State Court to annul the entire assessment. The Court ruled against L&P Brazil on the assessment but lowered the interest amount. The Court of Appeals upheld the unfavorable ruling and we filed a Special and Extraordinary appeal to the High Court on October 10, 2017. The High Court denied our appeal on February 18, 2019. L&P Brazil filed an interlocutory appeal on March 20, 2019. On November 5, 2019, SSP announced an amnesty program that provides discounts on penalties and interest on SSP assessments. We decided to move forward with the amnesty program as it relates to the $.7 assessment (updated to $1.2 with interest). We will pay $.6 in the first quarter of 2020 to resolve this matter using a portion of our $1.2 cash deposit. We expect the return of approximately $.6, consisting of cash deposit and accrued interest in the second half of 2020.

State of Minas Gerais, Brazil Cases. On December 18, 2012, the State of Minas Gerais, Brazil issued a tax assessment to L&P Brazil relating to the same VAT Rate Dispute but as applicable to the sale of mattress innerspring units in Minas Gerais from March 2008 through August 2012 in the amount of $.4. L&P Brazil filed its response denying any violation. The Minas Gerais Taxpayer's Council ruled against us, and on June 5, 2014, L&P Brazil filed a Motion to Stay the Execution of the Judgment in Camanducaia Judicial District Court, which remains pending.

Accruals and Reasonably Possible Losses in Excess of Accruals

Accruals for Probable Losses

Although we deny liability in all currently threatened or pending litigation proceedings in which we are or may be a party and believe that we have valid bases to contest all claims threatened or made against us, we have recorded a litigation contingency accrual for our reasonable estimate of probable loss for pending and threatened litigation proceedings, in aggregate, as follows:



	Year Ended December 31
	2019			2018			2017
Litigation contingency accrual - Beginning of period	$	1.9		$	.4		$	3.2
Adjustment to accruals - expense - Continuing operations	.6			1.8			.6
Adjustment to accruals - expense - Discontinued operations	—			—			1.6
Cash payments	(1.8		)	(.3		)	(5.0		)
Litigation contingency accrual - End of period	$	.7		$	1.9		$	.4

The above litigation contingency accruals do not include accrued expenses related to workers' compensation, vehicle-related personal injury, product and general liability claims, taxation issues and environmental matters, some of which may contain a portion of litigation expense. However, any litigation expense associated with these categories is not anticipated to have a material effect on our financial condition, results of operations or cash flows. For more information regarding accrued expenses, see Note J - Supplemental Balance Sheet Information under "Accrued expenses" on page 92.

Reasonably Possible Losses in Excess of Accruals

Although there are a number of uncertainties and potential outcomes associated with all of our pending or threatened litigation proceedings, we believe, based on current known facts, that additional losses, if any, are not expected to materially affect our consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows. However, based upon current known facts, as of December 31, 2019, aggregate reasonably possible (but not probable, and therefore not accrued) losses in excess of the accruals noted above are estimated to be $14.9, including $13.8 for Brazilian VAT matters disclosed above and $1.1 for other matters. If our assumptions or analyses regarding these contingencies are incorrect, or if facts change, we could realize losses in excess of the recorded accruals (and in excess of the $14.9 referenced above), which could have a material negative impact on our financial condition, results of operations and cash flows.