Commitments and Contingencies	3 Months Ended
Dec. 25, 2020
Commitments and Contingencies
Commitments and Contingencies	9. Commitments and Contingencies Legal Proceedings In the normal course of business, we are subject to various legal proceedings and claims, including patent infringement claims, product liability matters, employment disputes, disputes on agreements, other commercial disputes, environmental matters, antitrust claims, and tax matters, including non-income tax matters such as value added tax, sales and use tax, real estate tax, and transfer tax. Although it is not feasible to predict the outcome of these proceedings, based upon our experience, current information, and applicable law, we do not expect that the outcome of these proceedings, either individually or in the aggregate, will have a material effect on our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows. Trade Compliance Matters We are investigating our past compliance with relevant U.S. trade controls and are making voluntary disclosures of apparent trade controls violations to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”). We are cooperating with BIS, and both our internal assessment and the BIS investigation are ongoing. We are unable to predict the final outcome of the BIS investigation or to reasonably estimate the time it may take to resolve these matters. An unfavorable outcome may include fines or penalties imposed in response to our disclosures; however, we are not yet able to estimate whether any such fines or penalties would be material to our financial condition and results of operations. Environmental Matters We are involved in various stages of investigation and cleanup related to environmental remediation matters at a number of sites. The ultimate cost of site cleanup is difficult to predict given the uncertainties regarding the extent of the required cleanup, the interpretation of applicable laws and regulations, and alternative cleanup methods. As of December 25, 2020, we concluded that we would incur investigation and remediation costs at these sites in the reasonably possible range of $16 million to $46 million, and we accrued $19 million as the probable loss, which was the best estimate within this range. We believe that any potential payment of such estimated amounts will not have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows. Guarantees In disposing of assets or businesses, we often provide representations, warranties, and/or indemnities to cover various risks including unknown damage to assets, environmental risks involved in the sale of real estate, liability for investigation and remediation of environmental contamination at waste disposal sites and manufacturing facilities, and unidentified tax liabilities and legal fees related to periods prior to disposition. We do not expect that these uncertainties will have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows. At December 25, 2020, we had outstanding letters of credit, letters of guarantee, and surety bonds of $252 million, of which $93 million related to our Subsea Communications (“SubCom”) business which was sold during fiscal 2019. In connection with the SubCom sale, we contractually agreed to continue to honor performance guarantees and letters of credit related to the SubCom business’ projects that existed as of the date of sale. These performance guarantees and letters of credit had a combined value of approximately $280 million as of December 25, 2020 and are expected to expire at various dates through fiscal 2025. Also, under the terms of the definitive agreement, we are required to issue up to $300 million of new performance guarantees, subject to certain limitations, for projects entered into by the SubCom business following the sale for a period of up to three years. As of December 25, 2020, there were no new performance guarantees outstanding. We have contractual recourse against the SubCom business if we are required to perform on any SubCom guarantees; however, based on historical experience, we do not anticipate having to perform.

Commitments and Contingencies

3 Months Ended

Dec. 25, 2020

9. Commitments and Contingencies

Legal Proceedings

In the normal course of business, we are subject to various legal proceedings and claims, including patent infringement claims, product liability matters, employment disputes, disputes on agreements, other commercial disputes, environmental matters, antitrust claims, and tax matters, including non-income tax matters such as value added tax, sales and use tax, real estate tax, and transfer tax. Although it is not feasible to predict the outcome of these proceedings, based upon our experience, current information, and applicable law, we do not expect that the outcome of these proceedings, either individually or in the aggregate, will have a material effect on our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows.

Trade Compliance Matters

We are investigating our past compliance with relevant U.S. trade controls and are making voluntary disclosures of apparent trade controls violations to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”). We are cooperating with BIS, and both our internal assessment and the BIS investigation are ongoing. We are unable to predict the final outcome of the BIS investigation or to reasonably estimate the time it may take to resolve these matters. An unfavorable outcome may include fines or penalties imposed in response to our disclosures; however, we are not yet able to estimate whether any such fines or penalties would be material to our financial condition and results of operations.

Environmental Matters

We are involved in various stages of investigation and cleanup related to environmental remediation matters at a number of sites. The ultimate cost of site cleanup is difficult to predict given the uncertainties regarding the extent of the required cleanup, the interpretation of applicable laws and regulations, and alternative cleanup methods. As of December 25, 2020, we concluded that we would incur investigation and remediation costs at these sites in the reasonably possible range of $16 million to $46 million, and we accrued $19 million as the probable loss, which was the best estimate within this range. We believe that any potential payment of such estimated amounts will not have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows.

Guarantees

In disposing of assets or businesses, we often provide representations, warranties, and/or indemnities to cover various risks including unknown damage to assets, environmental risks involved in the sale of real estate, liability for investigation and remediation of environmental contamination at waste disposal sites and manufacturing facilities, and unidentified tax liabilities and legal fees related to periods prior to disposition. We do not expect that these uncertainties will have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows.

At December 25, 2020, we had outstanding letters of credit, letters of guarantee, and surety bonds of $252 million, of which $93 million related to our Subsea Communications (“SubCom”) business which was sold during fiscal 2019.

In connection with the SubCom sale, we contractually agreed to continue to honor performance guarantees and letters of credit related to the SubCom business’ projects that existed as of the date of sale. These performance guarantees and letters of credit had a combined value of approximately $280 million as of December 25, 2020 and are expected to expire at various dates through fiscal 2025. Also, under the terms of the definitive agreement, we are required to issue up to $300 million of new performance guarantees, subject to certain limitations, for projects entered into by the SubCom business following the sale for a period of up to three years. As of December 25, 2020, there were no new performance guarantees outstanding. We have contractual recourse against the SubCom business if we are required to perform on any SubCom guarantees; however, based on historical experience, we do not anticipate having to perform.