Commitments and contingent liabilities

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2024

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and contingent liabilities

Commitments and contingent liabilities

Environmental: We are subject to contingencies as a result of environmental laws and regulations that in the future may require us to take further action to correct the effects on the environment of prior disposal practices or releases of chemical or petroleum substances by us or other parties. Much of this liability results from the U.S. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, often referred to as Superfund, the U.S. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act and similar state laws. These laws require us to undertake certain investigative and remedial activities at sites where we conduct or once conducted operations or at sites where Company-generated waste was disposed.

Remediation activities vary substantially in duration and cost from site to site. The nature of these activities, and their associated costs, depend on the mix of unique site characteristics, evolving remediation technologies, the regulatory agencies involved and their enforcement policies, as well as the presence or absence of other potentially responsible parties. At March 31, 2024, we have recorded $3.0 million and $2.1 million in accrued liabilities and other liabilities, respectively, relating to these matters. Considerable uncertainty exists with respect to these liabilities and, if adverse changes in circumstances occur, the potential liability may exceed the amount accrued as of March 31, 2024. The time frame over which the accrued amounts may be paid out, based on past history, is estimated to be 10-15 years.

Legal matters: We are a party to various lawsuits and claims arising in the normal course of business. These lawsuits and claims include actions involving product liability, intellectual property, employment, environmental and other matters. As of March 31, 2024, we have recorded accrued liabilities of $0.3 million in connection with such contingencies, representing our best estimate of the cost within the range of estimated possible losses that will be incurred to resolve these matters.

Based on information currently available, advice of counsel, established reserves and other resources, we do not believe that the outcome of any outstanding litigation and claims is likely to be, individually or in the aggregate, material to our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. However, in the event of unexpected further developments, it is possible that the ultimate resolution of these matters, or other similar matters, if unfavorable, may be materially adverse to our business, financial condition, results of operations or liquidity. Legal costs such as outside counsel fees and expenses are charged to selling, general and administrative expenses in the period incurred.

Other: In 2015, the Italian parliament enacted legislation that, among other things, imposed a “payback” measure on medical device companies that supply goods and services to the Italian National Healthcare System. Under the measure, companies are required to make payments to the Italian government if medical device expenditures in a given year exceed regional expenditure ceilings established for that year. The payment amounts are calculated based on the amount by which the regional ceilings for the given year were exceeded. Considerable uncertainty exists related to the enforceability of and implementation process for the payback law. In response to decrees issued by the Italian Ministry of Health, the various Italian regions issued invoices to medical device companies, including Teleflex, under the payback measure in the fourth quarter of 2022 seeking payment with respect to excess expenditures for the years 2015 through 2018. Following the issuance of the invoices, we and numerous other medical device companies filed appeals with the Italian administrative courts challenging the enforceability of the payback measure, which appeals remain pending. As of March 31, 2024, our reserve for this matter is $15.1 million, of which $0.9 million was recorded as a reduction of revenue in 2024. If the payback was ultimately to be enforced in its existing form, we estimate that we would be required to remit payments in excess of our current reserve of up to $23.3 million.

On April 4, 2023, one of our Mexican subsidiaries received a notification from the Mexican Federal Tax Administration Service (“SAT”) setting forth its preliminary findings with respect to a foreign trade operations audit carried out by SAT for the period from July 1, 2017 to June 6, 2019. The preliminary findings stated that our Mexican subsidiary did not evidence the export of goods temporarily imported under Mexico’s Manufacturing, Maquila and Export Services Industries Program (“IMMEX Program”), therefore triggering the potential obligation for payment of import duties, value added tax, customs processing fees and other fines and penalties, which may cause an adverse impact on our gross profit in the future. In response to the notification, our Mexican subsidiary has requested that the matter be referred to the Procuraduría de la Defensa del Contribuyente, or “PRODECON,” (local tax ombudsperson) to help facilitate the process. In June 2023, we provided SAT with the appropriate documentation evidencing the export of the goods in accordance with the requirements of the IMMEX Program.

While we cannot predict with certainty the outcome of this audit, based on currently known information, we do not believe a loss is either probable or estimable. Accordingly, no loss contingency has been recorded in our financial statements as of March 31, 2024 related to this matter. However, if the final resolution of the matter is not favorable to us, our Mexican subsidiary may be required to make payment of certain import duties, fines and surcharges, which could be material.

As part of our acquisition of Palette, we identified certain foreign tax liabilities that had not been properly recognized and paid by Palette prior to our acquisition. As part of our acquisition accounting, we have established a liability of $3.5 million, representing our best estimate of the outstanding tax liabilities including interest as of March 31, 2024. In February 2024, we requested the relevant foreign tax authority to re-assess Palette’s previously filed tax returns for the related periods. If the tax authority disagrees with the basis for our request for reassessment of the previously filed returns and we are unsuccessful in defending our position, we may be required to pay an amount in excess of our current established liability, which could be material.

Tax audits and examinations: We are routinely subject to tax examinations by various tax authorities. As of March 31, 2024, the most significant tax examinations in process were in Germany and Italy. We may establish reserves with respect to our uncertain tax positions, after we adjust the reserves to address developments with respect to our uncertain tax positions, including developments in these tax examinations. Accordingly, developments in tax audits and examinations, including resolution of uncertain tax positions, could result in increases or decreases to our recorded tax liabilities, which could impact our financial results.