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Commitments and Contingent Liabilities | 6 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2025
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Commitments and Contingent Liabilities | Commitments and Contingent Liabilities In addition to commitments and obligations incurred in the ordinary course of business, the Company is subject to a variety of claims and legal proceedings, including claims from customers and vendors, pending and potential legal actions for damages, governmental investigations, and other matters. The Company and its affiliates are parties to the legal claims and proceedings described below and in Financial Note 17 to the Company’s 2025, Annual Report, and Financial Note 11 to the Company’s 10-Q filing for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2025,which disclosure is incorporated in this footnote by this reference. The Company is vigorously defending itself against those claims and in those proceedings. Significant developments in those matters are described below. If the Company is unsuccessful in defending, or if it determines to settle, any of these matters, it may be required to pay substantial sums, be subject to injunction and/or be forced to change how it operates its business, which could have a material adverse impact on its financial position or results of operations. Unless otherwise stated, the Company is unable to reasonably estimate the loss or a range of possible loss for the matters described below. Often, the Company is unable to determine that a loss is probable, or to reasonably estimate the amount of loss or a range of loss, for a claim because of the limited information available and the potential effects of future events and decisions by third parties, such as courts and regulators, that will determine the ultimate resolution of the claim. Many of the matters described are at preliminary stages, raise novel theories of liability, or seek an indeterminate amount of damages. It is not uncommon for claims to remain unresolved over many years. The Company reviews loss contingencies at least quarterly to determine whether the likelihood of loss has changed and whether it can make a reasonable estimate of the loss or range of loss. When the Company determines that a loss from a claim is probable and reasonably estimable, it records a liability for an estimated amount. The Company also provides disclosure when it is reasonably possible that a loss may be incurred or when it is reasonably possible that the amount of a loss will exceed its recorded liability. Amounts included within “Claims and litigation charges, net” in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations consist of estimated loss contingencies related to opioid-related litigation matters, as well as any applicable income items or credit adjustments due to subsequent changes in estimates. Litigation and Claims Involving Distribution of Controlled Substances The Company and its affiliates have been sued as defendants in many cases asserting claims related to distribution of controlled substances, such as opioids. They have been named as defendants along with other pharmaceutical wholesale distributors, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and retail pharmacies. The plaintiffs in these actions have included state attorneys general, county and municipal governments, school districts, tribal nations, hospitals, health and welfare funds, third-party payors, and individuals. These actions have been filed in state and federal courts throughout the U.S., and in Puerto Rico and Canada. These plaintiffs have sought monetary damages and other forms of relief based on a variety of causes of action, including negligence, public nuisance, unjust enrichment, and civil conspiracy, as well as alleging violations of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (“RICO”), state and federal controlled substances laws, and other statutes. Because of the many uncertainties associated with opioid-related litigation matters, the Company is not able to conclude that a liability is probable or provide a reasonable estimate for the range of ultimate possible loss for opioid-related litigation matters other than those for which an accrual is described below. State and Local Government Claims The Company and two other national pharmaceutical distributors (collectively “Distributors”) entered into a settlement agreement (the “Settlement”) and consent judgment with 48 states and their participating subdivisions, as well as the District of Columbia and all eligible territories (the “Settling Governmental Entities”). Approximately 2,300 cases have been dismissed. The Distributors did not admit liability or wrongdoing and do not waive any defenses pursuant to the Settlement. Under the Settlement, the Company has paid the Settling Governmental Entities approximately $2.5 billion as of September 30, 2025, and additionally will pay the Settling Governmental Entities up to approximately $5.4 billion through 2038. A minimum of 85% of the Settlement payments must be used by state and local governmental entities to remediate the opioid epidemic, while the remainder relates to plaintiffs’ attorneys’ fees and costs and will be paid out through 2030. Pursuant to the Settlement, the Distributors are in the process of establishing a clearinghouse to consolidate their controlled-substance distribution data, which will be available to the settling U.S. states to use as part of their anti-diversion efforts. Alabama and West Virginia did not participate in the Settlement. Under a separate settlement agreement with Alabama and its subdivisions, the Company has paid approximately $89 million as of September 30, 2025, and additionally will pay approximately $85 million through 2031. The Company previously settled with the state of West Virginia in 2018, so West Virginia and its subdivisions were not eligible to participate in the Settlement. Under a separate settlement agreement, the Company has paid certain West Virginia subdivisions approximately $68 million as of September 30, 2025, and additionally will pay approximately $84 million through 2033. That agreement does not include school districts or the claims of Cabell County and the City of Huntington. After a trial, the claims of Cabell County and the City of Huntington, were initially decided in the Company’s favor on July 4, 2022. Those subdivisions appealed that decision, and on October 28, 2025, a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit issued a decision reversing the trial court’s judgment. If the Company does not seek rehearing, or if rehearing is denied, the case will be remanded to the trial court for additional proceedings. Some other state and local governmental subdivisions did not participate in the Settlement, including certain municipal governments, government hospitals, school districts, and government-affiliated third-party payors. The Company contends that those subdivisions’ claims are foreclosed by the Settlement or other dispositive defenses, but the subdivisions contend that their claims are not foreclosed. The City of Baltimore, Maryland, is one such subdivision. A trial of its claims against the Company and another national pharmaceutical distributor began on September 16, 2024 in the Circuit Court of Maryland for Baltimore City, Mayor and City Council of Baltimore v. Purdue Pharma LP, No. 24-C-18-000515. Baltimore claims that the defendants’ distribution of controlled substances to certain pharmacies in the City of Baltimore and Baltimore County caused a public nuisance. On November 12, 2024, the jury returned a verdict finding the Company liable and assessing approximately $192 million in compensatory damages. On June 12, 2025, the court granted remittitur of the verdict, reducing compensatory damages against the Company to $37 million. On August 8, 2025, the court ordered the Company to pay an additional $72 million in “monetary abatement” to fund programs related to drug abuse in Baltimore. The Company has appealed the judgments issued against it, and Baltimore has filed a cross-appeal. Because the Company believes there are valid bases to challenge the judgments on appeal, the Company has not adjusted its litigation reserve as a result of the court’s entry of judgment. The district attorneys of the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Allegheny County, Pennsylvania did not participate in the Settlement and sought to bring separate claims against the Company, notwithstanding the settlement with the state of Pennsylvania and its attorney general. On January 26, 2024, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania ruled that the Pennsylvania attorney general had settled and fully released the claims brought by those district attorneys under Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law. The district attorneys have appealed that decision to the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. An accrual for the remaining governmental subdivision claims is reflected in the total estimated liability for opioid-related claims in a manner consistent with how Settlement amounts were allocated to Settling Governmental Entities. Native American Tribe Claims The Company also entered into settlement agreements for opioid-related claims of federally recognized Native American tribes. Under those agreements, the Company has paid the settling Native American tribes approximately $140 million as of September 30, 2025, and additionally will pay approximately $56 million through 2027. A minimum of 85% of the total settlement payments must be used by the settling Native American tribes to remediate the opioid epidemic. Non-Governmental Plaintiff Claims The Company has also been a defendant in hundreds of opioid-related cases brought in the U.S. by private plaintiffs, such as hospitals, health and welfare funds, third-party payors, and individuals. These claims, and those of private entities generally, are not included in the settlement agreements described above. The Company and two other national distributors have reached class-action settlements with representatives of nationwide groups of acute care hospitals and certain third-party payors. The claims of remaining U.S. non-governmental plaintiffs are not included in the charges recorded by the Company (described below). With respect to the acute care hospitals, for the year ended March 31, 2024, the Company recorded a charge of $149 million within “Claims and litigation charges, net” in the Consolidated Statement of Operations to reflect its portion of a settlement with a nationwide class of acute care hospitals. The corresponding liability was included within “Other accrued liabilities” in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. On October 30, 2024, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico granted preliminary approval to the proposed settlement, pursuant to which the Company placed approximately $149 million into escrow on November 27, 2024. On March 4, 2025, the Court granted final approval to the settlement, which became effective on April 4, 2025. During the six months ended September 30, 2025, approximately $146 million of payments have been released from escrow. The remaining escrow payments were presented as restricted cash within “Prepaid expenses and other” in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of September 30, 2025. With respect to the third-party payors, for the year ended March 31, 2025, the Company recorded a charge of $114 million within “Claims and litigation charges, net” in the Consolidated Statement of Operations to reflect the Company’s portion of the settlement with representatives of a nationwide group of certain third-party payors, of which $57 million was recorded within Corporate expenses, net and North American Pharmaceutical, respectively. The corresponding liability was included within “Other accrued liabilities” in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. On January 15, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio overruled objections and approved the settlement, pursuant to which the Company placed approximately $114 million into escrow on February 12, 2025. Objections to the settlement have been resolved, and the settlement is currently pending final approval by the district court. During the six months ended September 30, 2025, approximately $14 million of payments have been released from escrow. The remaining escrow payments were presented as restricted cash within “Prepaid expenses and other” in the Company’s Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of September 30, 2025. The Company’s estimated accrued liability for the above-described opioid-related claims of U.S. governmental entities, including Native American tribes, and certain non-governmental plaintiffs, including a settlement with certain third-party payors and a nationwide class of acute care hospitals, was as follows:
(In millions) | September 30, 2025 |  | March 31, 2025
Current litigation liabilities (1) | $ | 617 |  |  | $ | 776 |
Long-term litigation liabilities | 5,103 |  |  | 5,601 |
Total litigation liabilities | $ | 5,720 |  |  | $ | 6,377 |
(1)These amounts, recorded within “Other accrued liabilities” in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets, are the amounts estimated to be paid within the next twelve months following each respective period end date. During the six months ended September 30, 2025, the Company made payments totaling $497 million associated with the Settlement and the separate settlement agreements for opioid-related claims of participating states, subdivisions, and Native American tribes discussed above. Canadian Plaintiff Claims The Company and its Canadian affiliate are also defendants in four opioid-related cases pending in Canada. These cases involve the claims of the provincial governments, municipal governments, a group representing indigenous people, as well as one case brought by an individual. The claims of a class of provincial governments are pending in the Supreme Court of British Columbia, Docket No. S-189395, and a common-issues trial is scheduled to begin Feb. 22, 2028. Defense of Opioids Claims The Company believes it has valid legal defenses in all opioid-related matters, including claims not covered by settlement agreements, and it intends to mount a vigorous defense in such matters. Other than the accruals described above, the Company has not concluded a loss is probable in any of the matters; nor is any possible loss or range of loss reasonably estimable. An adverse judgment or negotiated resolution in any of these matters could have a material adverse impact on the Company’s financial position, cash flows or liquidity, or results of operations. Government Subpoenas and Investigations From time to time, the Company receives subpoenas or requests for information from various government agencies. The Company generally responds to such subpoenas and requests in a cooperative, thorough, and timely manner. These responses sometimes require time and effort and can result in considerable costs being incurred by the Company. Such subpoenas and requests can lead to the assertion of claims or the commencement of civil or criminal legal proceedings against the Company and other members of the healthcare industry, as well as to settlements of claims against the Company. The Company responds to these requests in the ordinary course of business. Antitrust Settlements During the second fiscal quarter of 2026, the Company’s share of antitrust legal settlements were immaterial. The lawsuits were filed against a brand manufacturer alleging that the manufacturer, by itself or in concert with others, took improper actions to delay or prevent generic drugs from entering the market. The Company was not a named party to either litigation but was a member of the representative classes of those who purchased directly from the pharmaceutical manufacturer. The Company recognized a gain in that amount within "Cost of sales" in the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Operations in the second quarter of fiscal 2026 related to the settlements.

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