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Contingencies and Litigation | 12 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2015
Contingencies and Litigation [Abstract] |
Contingencies and Litigation | Note 19: Contingencies and Litigation Market risk: The Company sells a broad range of products that provide thermal solutions to customers operating primarily in the commercial vehicle, off-highway, automotive, and commercial heating and air conditioning markets. The Company operates in diversified markets as a strategy for offsetting the risk associated with a downturn in any one or more of the markets it serves. The Company pursues new market opportunities after careful consideration of the potential associated risks and benefits. However, the risk associated with market downturns, such as the downturn experienced in fiscal 2009 and 2010, is still present. Credit risk: The Company invests excess cash primarily in investment quality, short-term liquid debt instruments. Financial instruments that potentially subject the Company to significant concentrations of credit risk consist principally of accounts receivable. The Company sells a broad range of products that provide thermal solutions to customers operating throughout the world. In fiscal 2015, two customers each accounted for ten percent or more of the Company’s total sales. In fiscal 2014 and 2013, one customer accounted for ten percent or more of the Company’s total sales. Sales to the Company’s top ten customers represented 63 percent, 56 percent, and 59 percent of total sales in fiscal 2015, 2014, and 2013, respectively. At March 31, 2015 and 2014, 47 percent and 46 percent, respectively, of the Company's trade accounts receivable were from the Company's top ten customers. These customers operate primarily in the automotive, truck, and heavy equipment markets and are influenced by similar market and general economic factors. Collateral or advanced payments are generally not required, but they may be used in those cases where the Company identifies a substantial credit risk. The Company has not experienced significant credit losses to customers in the markets served. The Company manages credit risk through its focus on the following:
| · | Cash and investments – reviewing cash deposits and short-term investments to ensure banks have credit ratings acceptable to the Company and that short-term investments are maintained in secured or guaranteed instruments;
| · | Accounts receivable – performing periodic customer credit evaluations and actively monitoring their financial condition and applicable business news;
| · | Pension assets – ensuring that investments within pension plans provide appropriate diversification, monitoring of investment teams, ensuring that portfolio managers adhere to the Company’s investment policies and directives, and ensuring that exposure to high risk investments is limited; and
| · | Insurance – ensuring that insurance providers maintain acceptable financial ratings.
Counterparty risks: The Company manages counterparty risks through its focus on the following:
| · | Customers – performing thorough reviews of customer credit reports and accounts receivable aging reports by internal credit committees;
| · | Suppliers – maintaining a supplier risk management program and utilizing industry sources to identify and mitigate high risk situations; and
| · | Derivatives – ensuring that counterparties to derivative instruments maintain credit ratings that are acceptable to the Company.
Europe value added tax: During fiscal 2012, the Company determined it was not properly applying value added tax (“VAT”) to certain cross-border transactions within the Europe segment and established an accrual of $10.7 million for estimated VAT liabilities, including interest and penalties. During fiscal 2013 and 2014, the Company completed the registration and filing process with the taxing authorities and began making payments to the applicable jurisdictions. During fiscal 2015, 2014, and 2013, the Company recorded reductions to SG&A expenses of $2.0 million, $2.9 million and $1.6 million, respectively, as a result of favorable changes to the estimated VAT obligations. Environmental: The United States Environmental Protection Agency (“USEPA”) has designated the Company as a potentially responsible party (“PRP”) for remediation of three sites where the Company had involvement. These sites include: Auburn Incinerator, Inc./Lake Calumet Cluster (Illinois), Cam-Or (Indiana) and a scrap metal site known as Chemetco (Illinois). In addition, Modine is voluntarily participating in the care of an inactive landfill owned by the City of Trenton (Missouri). These sites are not Company-owned; however, they allegedly contain materials attributable to Modine from past operations. The percentage of material allegedly attributable to Modine is relatively low. Remediation of these sites is in various stages of administrative or judicial proceedings and includes recovery of past governmental costs and the costs of future investigations and remedial actions. The Company accrues for costs anticipated for the remedial settlement of the sites listed above if they are probable and can be reasonably determined. Costs anticipated for the remedial settlement of the sites listed above that are not probable or cannot be reasonably determined at this time have not been accrued; however, the Company does not believe any potential costs would be material to the Company’s financial position due to Modine’s relatively small portion of contributed materials. The Company has recorded environmental investigation and remediation accruals for groundwater contamination at its manufacturing facility in its wholly-owned subsidiary in Brazil (“Modine Brazil”) and subsurface contamination at its former manufacturing facility in the Netherlands, along with other lesser environmental matters at certain facilities located in the United States. These accruals generally relate to facilities where past operations followed practices and procedures that were considered acceptable under then-existing regulations, or where the Company is a successor to the obligations of prior owners, and current laws and regulations require investigative and/or remedial work to ensure sufficient environmental compliance. The accruals for these environmental matters totaled $3.8 million and $5.1 million at March 31, 2015 and 2014, respectively. As additional information becomes available, the Company will re-assess any potential liability related to these matters and revise the estimated accrual, if necessary. Based on currently available information, the Company believes the ultimate outcome of these matters, individually and in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on its financial position. However, these matters are subject to inherent uncertainties, and unfavorable outcomes could occur, including significant monetary damages. During fiscal 2011, one of the adjacent businesses to the Company’s facility in Brazil filed suit against Modine Brazil, seeking remediation and certain other damages as a result of the contamination allegedly attributable to the Company’s operations. The Company is defending this suit and believes that the ultimate outcome of this matter will not be material. Brazil antitrust investigation: During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015, Brazil’s Administrative Council for Economic Defense (CADE) provided formal notice to Modine Brazil of an administrative investigation regarding alleged violations of Brazil’s antitrust regulations by Modine Brazil and certain of its employees during a period of time at least seven years ago. During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2015, the Company recorded a charge of $3.2 million (BRL10.0 million) within SG&A expenses, representing the estimated amount that may be incurred in connection with the management and resolution of this matter. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, the Company cannot provide assurance of the ultimate resolution of this matter at this time. Other litigation: In the normal course of business, the Company and its subsidiaries are named as defendants in various other lawsuits and enforcement proceedings by private parties, governmental agencies and/or others in which claims are asserted against Modine. In the opinion of management, the liabilities, if any, which may ultimately result from such lawsuits or proceedings are not expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial statements.

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