Commitments and Contingencies

9 Months Ended

Apr. 28, 2024

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

Regulatory and Litigation Matters

We are involved in various pending or threatened legal or regulatory proceedings, including purported class actions, arising from the conduct of business both in the ordinary course and otherwise. Modern pleading practice in the U.S. permits considerable variation in the assertion of monetary damages or other relief. Jurisdictions may permit claimants not to specify the monetary damages sought or may permit claimants to state only that the amount sought is sufficient to invoke the jurisdiction of the trial court. In addition, jurisdictions may permit plaintiffs to allege monetary damages in amounts well exceeding reasonably possible verdicts in the jurisdiction for similar matters. This variability in pleadings, together with our actual experiences in litigating or resolving through settlement numerous claims over an extended period of time, demonstrates to us that the monetary relief which may be specified in a lawsuit or claim bears little relevance to its merits or disposition value.

Due to the unpredictable nature of litigation, the outcome of a litigation matter and the amount or range of potential loss at particular points in time is normally difficult to ascertain. Uncertainties can include how fact finders will evaluate documentary evidence and the credibility and effectiveness of witness testimony, and how trial and appellate courts will apply the law in the context of the pleadings or evidence presented, whether by motion practice, or at trial or on appeal. Disposition valuations are also subject to the uncertainty of how opposing parties and their counsel will themselves view the relevant evidence and applicable law.

On March 20, 2024, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), on behalf of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and National Education Law Center, on behalf of Environment America and Lake Erie Waterkeeper, filed lawsuits in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio – Western Division concerning alleged violations of the Clean Water Act relating to alleged contaminant discharges from the company’s Napoleon, Ohio wastewater treatment facility in excess of the facility’s Clean Water Act permit limits. We have and are continuing to take actions to remediate the exceedances

and are in settlement discussions with the DOJ and the private environmental groups. While we cannot predict with certainty the amount of any civil penalty or the timing of the resolution of this matter, we do not expect that the ultimate costs to resolve this matter will have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.

We establish liabilities for litigation and regulatory loss contingencies when information related to the loss contingencies shows both that it is probable that a loss has been incurred and the amount of the loss can be reasonably estimated. It is possible that some matters could require us to pay damages or make other expenditures or establish accruals in amounts that could not be reasonably estimated as of April 28, 2024. While the potential future charges could be material in a particular quarter or annual period, based on information currently known by us, we do not believe any such charges are likely to have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations or financial condition.

Other Contingencies

We have provided certain indemnifications in connection with divestitures, contracts and other transactions. Certain indemnifications have finite expiration dates. Liabilities recognized based on known exposures related to such matters were not material at April 28, 2024.