Risks, Uncertainties, Contingencies and Litigation

6 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2021

Risks, Uncertainties, Contingencies and Litigation [Abstract]

Risks, Uncertainties, Contingencies and Litigation

Note 18: Risks, Uncertainties, Contingencies and Litigation

COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic has broadly impacted the global economy and the Company’s key end markets, which were most severely impacted during the first quarter of fiscal 2021.  In connection with local government requirements or customer shutdowns, the Company suspended production at many of its manufacturing facilities in March and April 2020.  Beginning largely in April 2020 and to mitigate the negative impacts of COVID-19, the Company took actions including, but not limited to, production staffing adjustments, furloughs, shortened work weeks, and temporary salary reductions at all levels of the organization.  All of the temporarily-closed facilities reopened in the first or second quarter of fiscal 2021 and have generally returned to more normal production levels.  However, since reopening, production at certain of our plants has been negatively affected at times by employee absences due to COVID-19.  The Company is continuing to focus on protecting the health and wellbeing of its employees and the communities in which it operates, while also ensuring the continuity of its business operations and timely delivery of quality products and services to its customers.  While the Company withdrew most of the cost-saving actions in the third quarter of fiscal 2021 as production returned to more normal levels as markets recovered, it remains focused on controlling operating and administrative expenses.

The Company’s consolidated financial statements reflect estimates and assumptions made by management, including assumptions regarding the future impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the consolidated financial statements and reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting periods presented.  While the Company believes it used appropriate estimates and assumptions to prepare the consolidated financial statements, actual amounts could differ materially, and future events or circumstances could have a potential negative effect on the assumptions used.  If the Company, its suppliers, or its customers experience additional shutdowns or other significant business disruptions associated with the COVID-19 pandemic, its ability to conduct business in the manner and on the timelines presently planned could be materially and negatively impacted, which could have a material adverse effect on the Company’s business, financial position, results of operations and cash flows.

Environmental

The Company has recorded environmental investigation and remediation accruals related to manufacturing facilities in the U.S., one of which the Company currently owns and operates, and a former manufacturing facility in the Netherlands.  These accruals primarily relate to soil and groundwater contamination at facilities where past operations followed practices and procedures that were considered acceptable under then-existing regulations, or where the Company is a successor to the obligations of prior owners, and current laws and regulations require investigative and/or remedial work to ensure sufficient environmental compliance.  In instances where a range of loss can be reasonably estimated for a probable environmental liability, but no amount within the range is a better estimate than any other amount, the Company accrues the minimum of the range.  The Company’s accruals for environmental matters totaled $18.9 million and $16.0 million as of September 30, 2021 and March 31, 2021, respectively.  During the first quarter of fiscal 2022, the Company increased its remediation accrual related to a former manufacturing facility in the U.S. by $3.4 million.  As additional information becomes available regarding the environmental matters, the Company will re-assess the liabilities and revise the estimated accruals, if necessary.  While it is possible that the ultimate environmental remediation costs may be in excess of amounts accrued, the Company believes, based upon currently available information, that the ultimate outcome of these matters, individually and in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on its financial position.  However, these matters are subject to inherent uncertainties, and unfavorable outcomes could occur, including significant monetary damages.

Other Litigation

In the normal course of business, the Company and its subsidiaries are named as defendants in various lawsuits and enforcement proceedings by private parties, governmental agencies and/or others in which claims are asserted against Modine.  The Company believes that any additional loss in excess of amounts already accrued would not have a material effect on the Company’s consolidated balance sheet, results of operations, and cash flows.  In addition, management expects that the liabilities which may ultimately result from such lawsuits or proceedings, if any, would not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position.