Note 11. Commitments and Contingencies

Leases

The Company was committed under certain non-cancelable operating leases at August 31, 2017 which provide for the following future fiscal year minimum payments (in thousands):



	2018		2019		2020		2021		2022		Thereafter
Operating leases	$	1,856	$	1,223	$	893	$	739	$	479	$	470

Rent expense was $2.1 million, $1.9 million, and $2.1 million for the fiscal years ended August 31, 2017, 2016 and 2015, respectively.

Purchase Commitments

The Company has ongoing relationships with various suppliers (contract manufacturers) who manufacture the Company’s products. The contract manufacturers maintain title and control of certain raw materials and components, materials utilized in finished products, and of the finished products themselves until shipment to the Company’s customers or third-party distribution centers in accordance with agreed upon shipment terms. Although the Company typically does not have definitive minimum purchase obligations included in the contract terms with its contract manufacturers, when such obligations have been included, they have been immaterial. In the ordinary course of business, supply needs are communicated by the Company to its contract manufacturers based on orders and short-term projections, ranging from two to five months. The Company is committed to purchase the products produced by the contract manufacturers based on the projections provided.

Upon the termination of contracts with contract manufacturers, the Company obtains certain inventory control rights and is obligated to work with the contract manufacturer to sell through all product held by or manufactured by the contract manufacturer on behalf of the Company during the termination notification period. If any inventory remains at the contract manufacturer at the termination date, the Company is obligated to purchase such inventory which may include raw materials, components and finished goods. The amounts for inventory purchased under termination commitments have been immaterial.

In addition to the commitments to purchase products from contract manufacturers described above, the Company may also enter into commitments with other manufacturers to purchase finished goods and components to support innovation and renovation initiatives and/or supply chain initiatives. As of August 31, 2017, no such commitments were outstanding.

Litigation

From time to time, the Company is subject to various claims, lawsuits, investigations and proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business, including but not limited to, product liability litigation and other claims and proceedings with respect to intellectual property, breach of contract, labor and employment, tax and other matters.

On February 24, 2017, a legal action was filed against the Company in a United States District Court in Ohio (FirstPower Group, LLC v. WD-40 Company, WD-40 Manufacturing Company, Wal-Mart Stores East, LP, Lowe’s Home Centers, LLC, and Home Depot U.S.A., Inc.). The complaint alleged claims of trademark infringement, unfair competition, counterfeiting, and deceptive trade practices arising out of the Company’s marketing and sale of the WD‑40 EZ-REACH Flexible Straw product. FirstPower Group, LLC (“FirstPower”) claimed exclusive ownership and the right to use the words “EZ REACH” for lubricating oil products based on certain registered trademarks covering such words. On February 24, 2017, FirstPower also filed a motion for preliminary injunction seeking an interim order prohibiting the alleged infringement of FirstPower’s asserted trademark rights. On July 18, 2017 the District Court issued a Memorandum Opinion denying FirstPower’s motion for preliminary injunction. On October 13, 2017 the case was dismissed as to all of the defendants pursuant to a confidential settlement agreement between the Company and FirstPower, which did not have a material impact on the Company’s business, financial condition or results of operations.

Indemnifications

As permitted under Delaware law, the Company has agreements whereby it indemnifies senior officers and directors for certain events or occurrences while the officer or director is, or was, serving at the Company’s request in such capacity. The maximum potential amount of future payments the Company could be required to make under these indemnification agreements is unlimited; however, the Company maintains Director and Officer insurance coverage that mitigates the Company’s exposure with respect to such obligations. As a result of the Company’s insurance coverage, management believes that the estimated fair value of these indemnification agreements is minimal. Thus, no liabilities have been recorded for these agreements as of August 31, 2017.

From time to time, the Company enters into indemnification agreements with certain contractual parties in the ordinary course of business, including agreements with lenders, lessors, contract manufacturers, marketing distributors, customers and certain vendors. All such indemnification agreements are entered into in the context of the particular agreements and are provided in an attempt to properly allocate risk of loss in connection with the consummation of the underlying contractual arrangements. Although the maximum amount of future payments that the Company could be required to make under these indemnification agreements is unlimited, management believes that the Company maintains adequate levels of insurance coverage to protect the Company with respect to most potential claims arising from such agreements and that such agreements do not otherwise have value separate and apart from the liabilities incurred in the ordinary course of the Company’s business. Thus, no liabilities have been recorded with respect to such indemnification agreements as of August 31, 2017.