COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

Operating Leases

The Company rents laboratory and office space, land, vehicles and certain equipment under non-cancelable operating leases. These lease agreements contain various clauses for renewal at the Company’s option and, in certain cases, rent escalation clauses. Rental expense under these leases amounted to $23.4 million, $14.2 million and $16.7 million in the fiscal years 2015, 2014 and 2013, respectively. In addition to rent, the leases may require the Company to pay additional amounts for taxes, insurance, maintenance and other operating expenses.

As of December 26, 2015, minimum rental commitments under non-cancelable leases, net of income from subleases, for each of the next five years and total thereafter were as follows:



	Minimum Lease Payments
	(in thousands)
2016	$	19,702
2017	17,841
2018	12,009
2019	9,783
2020	7,969
Thereafter	18,086
Total	$	85,390

Insurance

The Company maintains various insurance policies that maintain large deductibles up to approximately $5.0 million, some with or without stop-loss limits, depending on market availability. Insurance policies at certain locations are based on a percentage of the insured assets, for which deductibles for certain property may exceed $5.0 million in the event of a catastrophic event.

Litigation

Various lawsuits, claims, and proceedings of a nature considered normal to its business are pending against the Company. While the outcome of any of these proceedings cannot be accurately predicted, the Company does not believe the ultimate resolution of any of these existing matters would have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business or financial condition.

In July 2015, IDEXX Laboratories, Inc. and IDEXX Distribution, Inc. (collectively, IDEXX) filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware alleging the Company has infringed three recently issued patents related to a blood spot sample collection method used in determining the presence or absence of an infectious disease in a population of rodents. On September 21, 2015, the Company timely filed a motion to dismiss the complaint on the grounds that all of the claims are directed to unpatentable subject matter and therefore are invalid. On October 7, 2015, IDEXX filed an amended complaint which substantially asserts the same patents and infringement allegations as asserted in the original complaint, and on October 26, 2015, the Company timely filed a motion to dismiss this amended complaint. While no prediction may be made as to the outcome of litigation, the Company intends to defend against this proceeding vigorously and therefore an estimate of the possible loss or range of loss cannot be made.

In May 2013, the Company commenced an investigation into inaccurate billing with respect to certain government contracts. The Company promptly reported these matters to the relevant government contracting officers, the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of the Inspector General, and the Department of Justice, and the Company is cooperating with these agencies to ensure the proper repayment and resolution of this matter. The Company has identified approximately $1.5 million in excess amounts billed on these contracts since January 1, 2007 and has recorded a liability for such amount as of December 26, 2015 as this represents the Company’s best estimate. Because of the ongoing discussions with the government and the complex nature of this matter, the Company believes it is reasonably possible that additional losses may be incurred but cannot at this time make a reasonable estimate of the potential range of loss beyond such estimated liability.

Guarantees

The Company enters into certain agreements with other parties in the ordinary course of business that contain indemnification provisions. These typically include agreements with directors and officers, business partners, contractors, landlords, and customers. Under these provisions, the Company generally indemnifies and holds harmless the indemnified party for losses suffered or incurred by the indemnified party as a result of the Company’s activities. These indemnification provisions generally survive termination of the underlying agreement. The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these indemnification provisions is unlimited. However, to date the Company has not incurred material costs to defend lawsuits or settle claims related to these indemnification provisions. As a result, the estimated fair value of these obligations is minimal.