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Commitments and Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 30, 2024
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
15. Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments
The Company had no material changes to the purchase obligations presented in its 2023 Form 10-K that were outside the normal course of business during the three months ended March 30, 2024. The Company’s purchase obligations primarily consist of commitments for the purchase of natural gas, electricity and wood chips.
The Company leases certain buildings, machinery and equipment under various operating and finance leases. See Note 4—Leases for further information.
Litigation and Contingencies
Duties on Canadian Softwood Lumber Sold to the U.S.
The Company previously operated six softwood lumber mills in Ontario and Quebec, Canada, and exported softwood lumber into the U.S. from Canada. In connection with these exports, the Company paid approximately $112 million of softwood lumber duties between 2017 and August 2021, including $1 million of ancillary fees, which were recorded as expense in the periods incurred. As part of the sale of its lumber assets, the Company retained all rights and obligations to softwood duties generated or incurred through the closing date of the sale. As of March 30, 2024, the Company had a $40 million long-term receivable associated with the USDOC’s determinations of the revised duty rates for 2017 through 2021. This amount does not include interest, which will be due on any amounts refunded. The Company estimates that interest earned on the total amount of softwood lumber duties paid will exceed $10 million.
On May 6, 2024, the Company announced the sale of these rights, including all accrued interest, for $39 million, with the opportunity for additional sale proceeds in the future contingent upon the timing and terms of the ultimate outcome of the trade dispute between the USDOC and Canada.
Other
In addition to the above, the Company is engaged in various legal and regulatory actions and proceedings and has been named as a defendant in various lawsuits and claims arising in the ordinary course of business. While the Company has procured reasonable and customary insurance covering risks normally occurring in connection with its business, the Company has, in certain cases, retained some risk through the operation of self-insurance, primarily in the areas of workers’ compensation, property insurance, business interruption and general liability. These other lawsuits and claims, either individually or in the aggregate, are not expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
Guarantees and Other
The Company provides financial guarantees as required by creditors, insurance programs and various governmental agencies. As of March 30, 2024, the Company had net exposure of $34 million from various standby letters of credit, primarily for financial assurance relating to environmental remediation, credit support for natural gas and electricity purchases and guarantees related to foreign retirement plan obligations. These standby letters of credit represent a contingent liability; the Company would only be liable upon its default on the related payment obligations. The standby letters of credit have various expiration dates and are expected to be renewed as required.
The Company had surety bonds of $89 million as of March 30, 2024, primarily to comply with financial assurance requirements relating to environmental remediation and post-closure care, to provide collateral for the Company’s workers’ compensation program and to guarantee taxes and duties for products shipped internationally. These surety bonds expire at various dates and are expected to be renewed annually as required.
LTF is a venture in which the Company owns 45 percent and its partner, Borregaard ASA, owns 55 percent. The Company is a guarantor of LTF’s financing agreements and, in the event of default, expects it would only be liable for its proportional share of any repayment under the agreements. The Company’s proportion of the LTF financing agreement guarantee was $30 million at March 30, 2024.
The Company has not recorded any liabilities for these financial guarantees in its consolidated balance sheets, either because the Company has recorded the underlying liability associated with the guarantee or the guarantee is dependent on the Company’s own performance and, therefore, is not subject to the measurement requirements or because the Company has calculated the estimated fair value of the guarantee and determined it to be immaterial based upon the current facts and circumstances that would trigger a payment obligation.
It is not possible to determine the maximum potential amount of liability under these potential obligations due to the unique set of facts and circumstances likely to be involved with each provision.
As of March 30, 2024, all of the Company’s collective bargaining agreements covering its unionized employees were current. As of the filing of this report, collective bargaining agreements covering approximately 235 unionized employees were expired at the Fernandina plant. The employees have continued to work under the terms of the expired contracts while negotiations continue. While there can be no assurances, the Company expects to reach agreement with the unions. However, a work stoppage could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, results of operations and financial condition.