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Commitments and Contingencies | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2020
Commitments and Contingencies |
Commitments and Contingencies | 13. Commitments and Contingencies ​ In accordance with ASC Topic 450, Contingencies, the Company accrues anticipated costs of settlement, damages or other costs to the extent specific losses are probable and estimable. ​ Letters of Credit and Guarantees ​ At March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company had bank guarantees of $133.8 million and $143.2 million, respectively, related primarily to customer advances. These arrangements guarantee the refund of advance payments received from customers in the event that the merchandise is not delivered or warranty obligations are not fulfilled in compliance with the terms of the contract. These guarantees affect the availability of the Company’s lines of credit. ​ Litigation and Related Contingencies ​ Lawsuits, claims and proceedings of a nature considered normal to its businesses may be pending from time to time against the Company. Third parties might allege that the Company or its collaborators are infringing their patent rights or that the Company is otherwise violating their intellectual property rights. Loss contingency provisions are recorded if the potential loss from any claim, asserted or unasserted, or legal proceeding is considered probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated or a range of loss can be determined. These accruals represent management's best estimate of probable loss. Disclosure is also provided when it is reasonably possible that a loss will be incurred or when it is reasonably possible that the amount of a loss will exceed the recorded provision. The Company believes the outcome of pending proceedings, individually and in the aggregate, will not have a material impact on the Company's financial statements. ​ On September 25, 2019, in a complaint filed in the Düsseldorf, Germany, District Court, Carl Zeiss Microscopy GmbH, a subsidiary of Carl Zeiss AG (Zeiss), sued Luxendo GmbH (Luxendo), a subsidiary of Bruker Corporation, for infringement of a recently registered German utility model patent licensed to Zeiss pertaining to one specific Luxendo product category. The Company intends to vigorously defend against this claim. ​ On September 23, 2019, in a complaint filed in the Düsseldorf, Germany, District Court, Micromass UK Limited (Micromass), a subsidiary of Waters Corporation, sued Bruker Corporation, as well as its affiliate, Bruker Daltonik GmbH, for infringement of a European patent pertaining to our timsTOF product line. Bruker was notified that Micromass has expanded its complaint in Düsseldorf and now asserts another recently granted European patent in Germany. The Company intends to vigorously defend against these claims. ​ As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, no material accruals have been recorded for potential contingencies. ​ Governmental Investigations ​ The Company is subject to regulation by national, state and local government agencies in the United States and other countries in which it operates. From time to time, the Company is the subject of governmental investigations often involving regulatory, marketing and other business practices. These governmental investigations may result in the commencement of civil and criminal proceedings, fines, penalties and administrative remedies which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations and/or liquidity. ​ In August 2018, the Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) informed the Company that it was conducting an investigation into the public tender bidding activities of a number of life science instrument companies operating in Korea, including Bruker Korea Co., Ltd (Bruker Korea). The Company cooperated fully with the KFTC and on June 16, 2019, the KFTC announced its decision to impose a fine of approximately $20,000 on Bruker Korea and declined to impose any criminal liability against Bruker Korea in connection with this matter. As a result of the KFTC’s decision, the Korea Public Procurement Service (PPS) imposed a three month suspension on Bruker Korea’s ability to bid for or conduct sales to Korean government entities which ended on March 27, 2020. Sales to Korean government entities were less than 3% of the Company’s revenue for the year ended December 31, 2019. ​ In late August 2019, the KFTC informed the Company that it was conducting a separate investigation into the public tender bidding activities of a number of life science instrument companies operating in Korea, including five public tenders involving Bruker Korea during 2015. The Company is cooperating fully with the KFTC and a hearing on the matter has been rescheduled for May 29, 2020. ​ As of March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, no material accruals have been recorded for potential contingencies related to these matters.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for commitments and contingencies. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2127136 Reference 2: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 440 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2144648 + Details
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