Commitments and Contingencies

6 Months Ended

Jun. 30, 2019

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

Litigation

From time to time, the Company is involved in various legal proceedings and other matters arising in the normal course of business, including those arising from or related to contractual matters, commercial disputes, intellectual property, personal injury, environmental matters, product performance or warranties, product liability, insurance coverage and personnel, labor and employment disputes.

Litigation can be expensive and disruptive to normal business operations. Moreover, the results of complex legal proceedings are often uncertain and difficult to predict, and the Company's view of these matters may change in the future as the litigation and events related thereto unfold. The Company expenses legal fees as incurred. The Company records a provision for contingent losses when it is both probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. An unfavorable outcome to any legal matter, if material, could have an adverse effect on the Company's operations or its financial position, liquidity or results of operations. Insurance coverages are maintained and estimated costs are recorded for such claims and lawsuits, including costs to settle claims and lawsuits, based on experience involving similar matters and specific facts known. The Company believes that its defenses and assertions in pending legal proceedings have merit and does not believe that any of these pending matters, after consideration of applicable reserves and rights to indemnification, will have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position. However, substantial unanticipated verdicts, fines and rulings do sometimes occur. As a result, the Company could from time to time incur judgments, enter into settlements or revise its expectations regarding

the outcome of certain matters, and such developments could have a material adverse effect on its results of operations in the period in which the amounts are accrued and/or its cash flows in the period in which the amounts are paid.

The Company previously recorded a charge to administrative expense of approximately $2.9 million, net of tax for a certain pending legal proceeding during the period ended December 31, 2018. The Company has recorded an additional charge of approximately $100,000 in the period ended June 30, 2019, resulting in the total charge recorded for such matter being approximately $3.0 million, net of tax.

Gentry Homes, Ltd. v. Simpson Strong-Tie Company, Inc., et al., Case No. 17-cv-00566, was filed in federal district court in Hawaii against Simpson Strong-Tie Company, Inc. and Simpson Manufacturing, Inc. on November 20, 2017.  The Gentry case is a product of a previous state court class action, Nishimura v. Gentry Homes, Ltd., et al. which is now closed.  The Nishimura case concerned alleged corrosion of the Company’s galvanized strap-tie holdowns and mudsill anchor products used in a residential project in Honolulu, Hawaii, Ewa by Gentry.  In the Nishimura case, the plaintiff homeowners and the developer, Gentry, arbitrated their dispute and agreed on a settlement in the amount of $90 million, with $54 million going to repair costs and $36 million going to attorney's fees.  In the Gentry case, Gentry alleges breach of warranty and negligent misrepresentation related to the Company’s strap-tie holdowns and mudsill anchor products. Gentry is demanding general, special, and consequential damages from the Company in an amount to be proven at trial.  Gentry also seeks pre-judgment and post-judgment interest, attorneys’ fees and costs, and other relief. 

Stephen Kaneshiro, et al. v. Stanford Carr Development, LLC et al./Stanford Carr Development, LLC, et al. v. Simpson Strong-Tie Company, Inc., Civil No. 18-1-1472-09 VLC, is a putative class action lawsuit filed in the Hawaii First Circuit.  The Company was added as a third-party defendant on December 28, 2018.  The homeowner plaintiffs allege that all homes built by Stanford Carr Development and its subsidiaries (collectively "Stanford Carr") in the State of Hawaii have strap-tie holdowns and mudsill anchors that are suffering premature corrosion. Stanford Carr has asserted indemnity and contribution claims against the Company. 

Potential Third-Party Claims

Charles Vitale, et al. v. D.R. Horton, Inc. and D.R. Horton-Schuler Homes, LLC, Civil No. 15-1-1347-07, a putative class action lawsuit, was filed in the Hawaii First Circuit on July 13, 2015, in which homeowner plaintiffs allege that all homes built by D.R Horton/D.R. Horton-Schuler Homes (collectively "Horton Homes") in the State of Hawaii have strap-tie holdowns that are suffering premature corrosion. The court has denied a motion for statewide class certification.  The Company is not currently a party to the Vitale lawsuit. If claims are asserted against the Company in the Vitale case, it will vigorously defend any such claims, whether brought by the plaintiff homeowners, or third party claims by Horton Homes. Based on facts currently known to the Company and subject to future events and circumstances, the Company believes that all or part of any claims that any party might seek to allege against it related to the Vitale case may be covered by its insurance policies.