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Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 30, 2024
Contingencies  
Contingencies

Note L – Contingencies

Environmental Matters

In connection with the purchase of Wyle Electronics (“Wyle”) in August 2000, the company entered into a settlement agreement under which, the company accepted responsibility for any potential subsequent costs incurred for environmental clean-up associated with any then-existing contamination or violation of environmental regulations. The company is aware of two facilities (in Huntsville, Alabama (the “Huntsville Site”) and Norco, California (the “Norco Site”)) at which contaminated soil and groundwater was identified and required environmental remediation.

As successor-in-interest to Wyle, the company is the beneficiary of various Wyle insurance policies that covered liabilities arising out of operations at Norco and Huntsville. To date, the company has recovered approximately $47.3 million from certain insurance carriers relating to environmental clean-up matters at the Norco and Huntsville sites, and continues to pursue additional recoveries from one insurer related solely to the Huntsville site. The company has not recorded a receivable for any potential future insurance recoveries related to the Norco and Huntsville environmental matters, as the realization of the claims for recovery are not deemed probable at this time.

Costs are recorded for environmental matters when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the liability can be reasonably estimated. Environmental liabilities are included in “Accrued expenses” and “Other liabilities” on the company’s consolidated balance sheets. The company has determined that there is no amount within the environmental liability ranges discussed below that is a better estimate than any other amount, and therefore has recorded the accruals at the minimum amount of the ranges. The liabilities were estimated based on current costs and are not discounted. The costs related to these environmental matters (referred to as “environmental costs”) include remediation, project management, regulatory oversight, and investigative and feasibility study activities.

The company expects the liabilities associated with such ongoing remediation to be resolved over an extended period of time and the accruals for environmental liabilities are adjusted periodically as facts and circumstances change, assessment and remediation efforts progress, or as additional technical or legal information becomes available. Environmental liabilities are difficult to assess and estimate due to various unknown factors such as the timing and extent of remediation,

improvements in remediation technologies, orders by administrative agencies, and the extent to which environmental laws and regulations may change in the future. Accordingly, the company cannot presently estimate the ultimate potential costs related to the Huntsville and Norco sites.

Environmental Matters - Huntsville

In February 2015, the company and the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (“ADEM”) finalized and executed a consent decree in connection with the Huntsville Site. Characterization of the extent of contaminated soil and groundwater is complete and has been approved by ADEM. Health-risk evaluations and a Corrective Action Development Plan were approved by ADEM in 2018, opening the way for pilot testing of on-site remediation in late 2019. Due to the effectiveness of the pilot testing, the pilot testing process has been expanded and remains underway with annual application of bioremediation reagents, semi-annual groundwater monitoring, as well as data collection to direct future bioremediation injections. Approximately $8.8 million has been spent to date.  The subsequent environmental costs at the site are estimated to be between $5.6 million and $17.3 million.

Environmental Matters - Norco

In October 2003, the company entered into a consent decree with Wyle Laboratories and the California Department of Toxic Substance Control (“DTSC”) in connection with the Norco Site. In September 2013, the DTSC approved the final Remedial Action Plan (“RAP”) for actions in five on-site areas and one off-site area. As of 2018, the remediation measures described in the RAP had been implemented. Routine progress monitoring of groundwater and soil gas continue on-site and off-site. Approximately $83.8 million has been spent to date.  The subsequent environmental costs at the site are estimated to be between $21.5 million and $37.7 million.

It is reasonably possible that the company will need to adjust the liabilities noted above for the Norco and Huntsville sites to reflect the effects of new or additional information, to the extent that such information impacts the costs, timing or duration of the required actions. Future changes in estimates of the costs, timing or duration of the required actions could have a material adverse effect on the company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

Other

From time to time, in the normal course of business, the company may become liable with respect to other pending and threatened litigation, environmental, regulatory, labor, product, and tax matters. While such matters are subject to inherent uncertainties, it is not currently anticipated that any such matters will materially impact the company’s consolidated financial position, liquidity, or results of operations.