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Commitments and Contingencies
9 Months Ended
Sep. 29, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments and Contingencies

Warranties

In general, the Company provides warranty coverage of 1 year on mobile computers, printers and batteries. Advanced data capture products are warrantied from 1 to 5 years, depending on the product. Thermal printheads are warrantied for 6 months and battery-based products, such as location tags, are covered by a 90-day warranty. The provision for warranty expense is adjusted quarterly based on historical warranty experience.

The following table is a summary of the Company’s accrued warranty obligation (in millions):
 
 
Nine Months Ended
 
September 29,
2018
 
September 30,
2017
Balance at the beginning of the period
$
18

 
$
21

Warranty expense
25

 
21

Warranty payments
(23
)
 
(23
)
Balance at the end of the period
$
20

 
$
19



Contingencies

The Company is subject to a variety of investigations, claims, suits, and other legal proceedings that arise from time to time in the ordinary course of business, including but not limited to, intellectual property, employment, tort, and breach of contract matters. The Company currently believes that the outcomes of such proceedings, individually and in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse impact on its business, cash flows, financial position, or results of operations. Any legal proceedings are subject to inherent uncertainties, and the Company’s view of these matters and its potential effects may change in the future. The Company establishes an accrued liability for loss contingencies related to legal matters when the loss is both probable and estimable. In addition, for some matters for which a loss is probable or reasonably possible, an estimate of the amount of loss or range of loss is not possible, and we may be unable to estimate the possible loss or range of losses that could potentially result from the application of non-monetary remedies.

In connection with the acquisition of the Enterprise business from Motorola Solutions, Inc., the Company acquired Symbol Technologies, Inc., a subsidiary of Motorola Solutions (“Symbol”). A putative federal class action lawsuit, Waring v. Symbol Technologies, Inc., et al., was filed on August 16, 2005 against Symbol Technologies, Inc. and two of its former officers in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York by Robert Waring. After the filing of the Waring action, several additional purported class actions were filed against Symbol and the same former officers making substantially similar allegations (collectively, “the New Class Actions”). The Waring action and the New Class Actions were consolidated for all purposes and on April 26, 2006, the Court appointed the Iron Workers Local # 580 Pension Fund as lead plaintiff and approved its retention of lead counsel on behalf of the putative class. At a mediation held on March 15, 2018, the parties reached an agreement in principle to settle the matter, and Zebra reached agreements with certain of its insurers to fund the settlement and therefore, no amounts have been recorded. On October 30, 2018, the Court entered the Final Judgment Approving Class Action Settlement and Order of Dismissal with Prejudice.

Unclaimed Property Voluntary Disclosure Agreement (“VDA”) and Audits: The Company is currently under audit by several states related to its reporting of unclaimed property liabilities. Additionally, in December 2017, the Company entered into a VDA with the State of Delaware. The Company has engaged an outside consultant to facilitate the assessment of the estimated liability that may result from these activities. As of September 29, 2018, the Company does not expect these unclaimed property audits to have a material impact on its results of operations.