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LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AND CONTINGENCIES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 29, 2015
LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AND CONTINGENCIES

NOTE 6 – LEGAL PROCEEDINGS AND CONTINGENCIES

We are a party to or have property subject to litigation and other proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of our business, including matters arising under provisions relating to the protection of the environment and are subject to contingencies related to certain businesses we previously owned. These types of matters could result in fines, penalties, compensatory or treble damages or non-monetary relief. We believe that the probability is remote that the outcome of each of these matters, including the legal proceedings described below, will have a material adverse effect on the Corporation as a whole, notwithstanding that the unfavorable resolution of any matter may have a material effect on our net earnings in any particular interim reporting period. Among the factors that we consider in this assessment are the nature of existing legal proceedings and claims, the asserted or possible damages or loss contingency (if estimable), the progress of the case, existing law and precedent, the opinions or views of legal counsel and other advisers, our experience in similar cases and the experience of other companies, the facts available to us at the time of assessment and how we intend to respond to the proceeding or claim. Our assessment of these factors may change as individual proceedings or claims progress.

 

Although we cannot predict the outcome of legal or other proceedings with certainty, where there is at least a reasonable possibility that a loss may have been incurred, GAAP requires us to disclose an estimate of the reasonably possible loss or range of loss or make a statement that such an estimate cannot be made. We follow a thorough process in which we seek to estimate the reasonably possible loss or range of loss before we conclude and disclose that an estimate cannot be made. With respect to the legal proceedings discussed below, a reasonably possible loss or range of loss cannot be estimated.

Legal Proceedings

On April 24, 2009, we filed a declaratory judgment action against the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority and its Capital Construction Company (collectively, the MTA) asking the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York to find that the MTA is in material breach of our agreement based on the MTA’s failure to provide access to sites where work must be performed and the customer-furnished equipment necessary to complete the contract. The MTA filed an answer and counterclaim alleging that we breached the contract and subsequently terminated the contract for alleged default. The primary damages sought by the MTA are the cost to complete the contract and potential re-procurement costs. While we are unable to estimate the cost of another contractor to complete the contract and the costs of re-procurement, we note that our contract with the MTA had a total value of $323 million, of which $241 million was paid to us, and that the MTA is seeking damages of approximately $190 million. We dispute the MTA’s allegations and are defending against them. Additionally, following an investigation, our sureties on a performance bond related to this matter, who were represented by independent counsel, concluded that the MTA’s termination of the contract was improper. Finally, our declaratory judgment action was later amended to include claims for monetary damages against the MTA of approximately $95 million. This matter was taken under submission by the District Court in December 2014 after a five-week bench trial and the filing of post-trial pleadings by the parties. We expect a decision in the second or third quarter of 2015.

On August 28, 2003, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) filed complaints in partial intervention in two lawsuits filed under the civil qui tam provisions of the False Claims Act in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Kentucky, United States ex rel. Natural Resources Defense Council, et al., v. Lockheed Martin Corporation, et al., and United States ex rel. John D. Tillson v. Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Inc., et al. The DOJ alleges that we committed violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act at the Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant by not properly handling, storing and transporting hazardous waste, and that we violated the False Claims Act by misleading Department of Energy officials and state regulators about the nature and extent of environmental noncompliance at the plant. The complaint does not allege a specific calculation of damages. In April 2013, the parties attended a settlement conference ordered by the magistrate judge. The conference focused on the parties’ sharply differing views of the merits of the case and did not significantly contribute to our understanding of the damages sought. In December 2014, the parties participated in confidential mediation pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure Rule 408. The plaintiffs made settlement demands at this mediation but these were not tied to any theory of damages, were not apportioned between the False Claims Act and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act allegations (as to which our defenses differ) and did not provide insight into what damages plaintiffs would seek to prove if this matter proceeds to trial. Consequently, we continue to be unable to estimate the reasonably possible loss or range of loss, which could be incurred if the plaintiffs were to prevail, but we believe we have substantial defenses. We anticipate filing motions for summary judgment in the second quarter of 2015.

Environmental Matters

We are involved in environmental proceedings and potential proceedings relating to soil and groundwater contamination, disposal of hazardous waste and other environmental matters at several of our current or former facilities or at third-party sites where we have been designated as a potentially responsible party (PRP). A substantial portion of environmental costs will be included in our net sales and cost of sales in future periods pursuant to U.S. Government regulations. At the time a liability is recorded for future environmental costs, we record a receivable for estimated future recovery considered probable through the pricing of products and services to agencies of the U.S. Government, regardless of the contract form (e.g., cost-reimbursable, fixed-price). We continuously evaluate the recoverability of our environmental receivables by assessing, among other factors, U.S. Government regulations, our U.S. Government business base and contract mix and our history of receiving reimbursement of such costs. We include the portion of those environmental costs expected to be allocated to our non-U.S. Government contracts, or that is determined to not be recoverable under U.S. Government contracts, in our cost of sales at the time the liability is established.

At March 29, 2015 and December 31, 2014, the aggregate amount of liabilities recorded relative to environmental matters was $950 million and $965 million, most of which are recorded in other noncurrent liabilities on our Balance Sheets. We have recorded receivables totaling $823 million and $836 million at March 29, 2015 and December 31, 2014, most of which are recorded in other noncurrent assets on our Balance Sheets, for the estimated future recovery of these costs, as we consider the recovery probable based on the factors previously mentioned. We project costs and recovery of costs over approximately 20 years.

We also are pursuing claims for recovery of costs incurred or contribution to site cleanup costs against other PRPs, including the U.S. Government, and are conducting remediation activities under various consent decrees and orders relating to soil, groundwater, sediment or surface water contamination at certain sites of former or current operations. Under an agreement related to our Burbank and Glendale, California, sites, the U.S. Government reimburses us an amount equal to approximately 50% of expenditures for certain remediation activities in its capacity as a PRP under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA).

Our environmental liabilities could be impacted by regulations with respect to the contaminants perchlorate and hexavalent chromium. California is currently reevaluating its existing drinking water standard with respect to perchlorate. In March 2015, California’s health risk agency announced a non-enforceable public health goal for perchlorate that California’s regulatory agency must consider when promulgating an enforceable drinking water standard. The goal calls for maximum perchlorate levels significantly below those allowed under the current standard imposed by California. In addition, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) is considering whether to regulate perchlorate in drinking water and is also considering whether to impose standards for hexavalent chromium. If substantially lower standards are adopted for perchlorate in either California or at the federal level or if the U.S. EPA were to adopt a standard for hexavalent chromium lower than California’s recently adopted standard of 10 parts per billion, we expect a material increase in our estimates for environmental liabilities and the related assets for the portion of the increased costs that are probable of future recovery in the pricing of our products and services for the U.S. Government. The amount that would be allocable to our non-U.S. Government contracts or that is determined to not be recoverable under U.S. Government contracts would be expensed, which may have a material effect on our earnings in any particular interim reporting period.

Letters of Credit, Surety Bonds and Third-Party Guarantees

We have entered into standby letters of credit, surety bonds and third-party guarantees with financial institutions and other third parties primarily relating to advances received from customers and the guarantee of future performance on certain contracts. Letters of credit and surety bonds generally are available for draw down in the event we do not perform. In some cases, we may guarantee the contractual performance of third parties such as venture partners. We had total outstanding letters of credit, surety bonds and third-party guarantees aggregating $2.6 billion and $2.4 billion at March 29, 2015 and December 31, 2014.

At March 29, 2015 and December 31, 2014, third-party guarantees totaled $1.1 billion and $774 million, of which approximately 90% and 85% related to guarantees of contractual performance of ventures to which we currently are or previously were a party. This amount represents our estimate of the maximum amount we would expect to incur upon the contractual non-performance of the venture partners. In addition, we generally have cross-indemnities in place that may enable us to recover amounts that may be paid on behalf of a venture partner. We believe our current and former venture partners will be able to perform their obligations, as they have done through March 29, 2015, and that it will not be necessary to make payments under the guarantees. In determining our exposures, we evaluate the reputation, performance on contractual obligations, technical capabilities and credit quality of our current and former venture partners.

 

United Launch Alliance

In connection with our 50% ownership interest of ULA, we and The Boeing Company (Boeing) have each received distributions from ULA, including distributions of $527 million that we and Boeing have each received (since ULA’s formation in December 2006) which are subject to agreements between us, Boeing and ULA, whereby, if ULA does not have sufficient cash resources or credit capacity to make required payments under the inventory supply agreement it has with Boeing, both we and Boeing would provide to ULA, in the form of an additional capital contribution, the level of funding required for ULA to make those payments. Any such capital contributions would not exceed the amount of the distributions subject to the agreements. Based on current expectations of ULA’s cash flow needs, we currently believe that ULA should have sufficient operating cash flows and credit capacity, including access to its $560 million revolving credit agreement from third-party financial institutions, to meet its obligations such that we will not be required to make a contribution under these agreements.

In addition, both we and Boeing have cross-indemnified each other for guarantees by us and Boeing of the performance and financial obligations of ULA under certain launch service contracts. We believe ULA will be able to fully perform its obligations, as it has done through March 29, 2015, and that it will not be necessary to make payments under the cross-indemnities or guarantees.