Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Feb. 01, 2020

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Contingencies

Contingencies

Certain litigation arising in the normal course of business is pending against us. The Company is, from time-to-time, subject to various legal actions and claims incidental to our business, including those arising out of alleged defects, breach of contracts, employment-related matters, environmental matters and intellectual property matters. The Company considers insurance coverage and third-party indemnification when determining required accruals for pending litigation and claims.  Although the outcome of potential legal actions and claims cannot be determined, it is the Company's opinion, based on the information available, that it has adequate reserves for these liabilities.

Hetronic Germany-GmbH Matters    

For several years, Hetronic Germany-GmbH and Hydronic-Steuersysteme-GmbH (the “Fuchs companies”) served as the Company's distributors for Germany, Austria and other central and eastern European countries pursuant to their respective intellectual property licenses and distribution and assembly agreements. The Company became aware that the Fuchs companies and their managing director, Albert Fuchs, had materially violated those agreements. As a result, the Company terminated all of its agreements with the Fuchs companies. On June 20, 2014, the Company filed a lawsuit against the Fuchs companies in the Federal District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma alleging material breaches of the distribution and assembly agreements and seeking damages, as well as various forms of injunctive relief. The defendants have filed counterclaims alleging breach of contract, interference with business relations and business slander. On April 2, 2015, the Company amended its complaint against the Fuchs companies to add additional unfair competition and Lanham Act claims and to add additional affiliated parties. A trial with respect to the matter began in February 2020. During the trial, the defendants dismissed their one remaining counterclaim with prejudice. On March 2, 2020, the jury returned a verdict in favor of the Company. The verdict included approximately $102 million in compensatory damages and $12 million in punitive damages. A final judgment has not yet been entered and is subject to post-trial motions and possible appeal. Once the judgment is final, the Company will work with counsel to collect on the judgment. Like any judgment, particularly any judgment involving defendants outside of the United States, there is no guarantee that the Company will be able to collect the judgment.