Commitments and Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2020

Commitments and Contingencies [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

(10) Commitments and Contingencies

From time to time we are subject to various legal actions and claims incidental to our business, including those arising out of breach of contracts, product warranties, product liability, patent infringement, regulatory matters and employment-related matters. The Company establishes accruals for matters which it believes that losses are probable and can be reasonably estimated. Although it is not possible to predict with certainty the outcome of these matters, the Company is of the opinion that the ultimate resolution of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on its consolidated results of operations or financial position.

As a result of environmental studies performed at the Company’s former facility located in Sarasota, Florida, the Company became aware of soil and groundwater contamination at the site and engaged an environmental engineering consultant to develop a remediation and monitoring plan for the site. Soil remediation at the site was completed during the year ended December 31, 2010. A remedial action plan was approved by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and groundwater remediation began in the fourth quarter of 2015. During the three months ended March 31, 2020 and 2019, environmental remediation costs incurred were immaterial. At March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, the Company accrued a remaining undiscounted liability of $235 and $82, respectively, related to future remediation costs which were recorded as a component of accrued expenses and other current liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Costs associated with the recorded liability will be incurred to complete the groundwater remediation and monitoring. The recorded liability is based on assumptions in the remedial action plan. Although the Company sold the Sarasota facility and related property in December 2011, the liability to remediate the site contamination remains the responsibility of the Company. Due to the ongoing site remediation, the Company is currently required to maintain a $1,489 letter of credit for the benefit of the buyer.

The Company’s Stoneridge Brazil subsidiary has civil, labor and other non-income tax contingencies for which the likelihood of loss is deemed to be reasonably possible, but not probable, by the Company’s legal advisors in Brazil. As a result, no provision has been recorded with respect to these contingencies, which amounted to R$29,300 ($5,600) and R$29,200 ($7,300) at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively. An unfavorable outcome on these contingencies could result in significant cost to the Company and adversely affect its results of operations.

Product Warranty and Recall

Amounts accrued for product warranty and recall claims are established based on the Company’s best estimate of the amounts necessary to settle existing and future claims on products sold as of the balance sheet dates. These accruals are based on several factors including past experience, production changes, industry developments and various other considerations. Our estimate is based on historical trends of units sold and claim payment amounts, combined with our current understanding of the status of existing claims and discussions with our customers. The key factors in our estimate are the stated or implied warranty period, the customer source, customer policy decisions regarding warranties and customers seeking to hold the Company responsible for their product warranties. The Company can provide no assurances that it will not experience material claims or that it will not incur significant costs to defend or settle such claims beyond the amounts accrued. The current portion of product warranty and recall is included as a component of accrued expenses and other current liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. Product warranty and recall included $3,059 and $3,111 of a long-term liability at March 31, 2020 and December 31, 2019, respectively, which is included as a component of other long-term liabilities in the condensed consolidated balance sheets.

The following provides a reconciliation of changes in product warranty and recall liability:

Three months ended March 31,	2020		2019
Product warranty and recall at beginning of period	$	10,796	$	10,494
Accruals for warranties established during period		1,128		1,545
Aggregate changes in pre-existing liabilities due to claim developments		387		1,238
Settlements made during the period		(2,134)		(2,715)
Foreign currency translation		(385)		(215)
Product warranty and recall at end of period	$	9,792	$	10,347

Brazilian Indirect Tax

In March 2017, the Supreme Court of Brazil issued a decision concluding that a certain state value added tax should not be included in the calculation of federal gross receipts taxes. The decision reduced Stoneridge Brazil’s gross receipts tax prospectively and, potentially, retrospectively. In April 2019, the Company received judicial notification that the Superior Judicial Court of Brazil rendered a favorable decision on Stoneridge Brazil’s case granting the Company the right to recover, through offset of federal tax liabilities, amounts collected by the government from June 2010 to February 2017. Based on the Company’s determination that these tax credits will be used prior to expiration, the Company recorded a pre-tax benefit of $6,473 as a reduction to SG&A expense which is inclusive of related interest income of $2,392, net of applicable professional fees of $990 in the year ended December 31, 2019. The Company received administrative approval in January 2020 and is now able to offset eligible federal tax with these tax credits.

The Brazilian tax authorities have sought clarification before the Supreme Court of Brazil (in a leading case involving another taxpayer) of certain matters that could affect the rights of Brazilian taxpayers regarding these credits. The timing for a decision is uncertain due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If the Brazilian tax authorities challenge our rights to these credits, we may become subject to new litigation that could impact the amount ultimately realized by Stoneridge Brazil.