Commitments and Contingencies

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

Commitments and Contingencies

As a manufacturer of products primarily for use in building construction, the Company is inherently exposed to various types of contingent claims, both asserted and unasserted, in the ordinary course of business. As a result, from time to time, the Company may become involved in various legal proceedings or other contingent matters arising from claims or potential claims arising out of its operations and businesses that cover a wide range of matters, including, among others, environmental, contract, employment, intellectual property, securities, personal injury, property damage, product liability, warranty, and modification, adjustment or replacement of component parts or units sold, which may include product recalls. The Company insures (or self-insures) against these risks to the extent deemed prudent by its management and to the extent insurance is available. Management believes that the ultimate disposition of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on the Company’s results of operations, financial position or cash flows. However, such matters are subject to many uncertainties and outcomes and are not predictable with assurance.

Environmental

The Company’s operations are subject to various federal, state, local and foreign environmental, health and safety laws. Among other things, these laws regulate the emissions or discharge of materials into the environment; govern the use, storage, treatment, disposal and management of hazardous substances and wastes; protect the health and safety of its employees and the end-users of its products; regulate the materials used in its products; and impose liability for the costs of investigating and remediating (as well as other damages resulting from) present and past releases of hazardous substances. Violations of these laws or of any conditions contained in environmental permits could impact the Company's current and future operations.

The Company believes it is in material compliance with all applicable laws and regulations and has recorded a liability of $8.8 million at December 31, 2023 and $8.8 million at December 31, 2022.

Litigation

The Company is a party to a variety of legal actions arising out of the normal course of business. Plaintiffs occasionally seek punitive or exemplary damages. The Company is also included in other kinds of legal actions, some of which assert or may assert claims or seek to impose fines or penalties and other costs in substantial amounts and are described below.

Stockholder Litigation

In November 2018, Gary D. Voigt, an individual common stockholder of Cornerstone Building Brands, file a putative class-action complaint against CD&R, Clayton, Dubilier & Rice Fund VIII, L.P. and certain directors of Cornerstone Building Brands in the Delaware Court of Chancery. In January 2022, the Court approved a Stipulation of Compromise and Settlement setting forth the parties agreement to settle the litigation. The Company received cash settlement proceeds from the defendant’s insurers of $76.5 million in March 2022 and recognized a gain on legal settlements in the Consolidated Statements of (Loss) Income.

In January 2023, purported former stockholders filed two separate complaints challenging the fairness of the CD&R Merger. The complaints are captioned Firefighters’ Pension System of the City of Kansas City, Missouri Trust and Gary D. Voigt v. Affeldt et al., C.A. No. 2023-0091-JTL (Del. Ch.) and Whitebark Value Partners LP and Robert Garfield v. Clayton Dubilier & Rice, LLC et al., C.A. No. 2023-0092-JTL (Del. Ch.). In both complaints, the plaintiffs allege that CD&R and its affiliates controlled the Company prior to the transaction and that certain directors and officers of the Company, as well as CD&R and its affiliates, breached their fiduciary duties and engaged in conduct resulting in a sale of the Cornerstone Building Brands public stockholders’ shares to CD&R at an unfair price. The plaintiffs seek unspecified monetary damages, attorneys’ fees, expenses, and costs. The court consolidated the two cases, and on May 3, 2023, selected Whitebark Value Partners LP as lead plaintiff. On July 14, 2023, the defendants moved to dismiss the operative complaint. The motion to dismiss was denied on January 10, 2024. The Company intends to vigorously defend against these claims. The Company cannot predict with any degree of certainty the outcome of these matters or determine the extent of any potential liabilities. The Company also cannot provide an estimate of the possible loss or range of loss.

In June 2023, a purported former stockholder filed a class action complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware alleging that the Company’s disclosures issued in connection with the CD&R Merger were materially misleading in violation of Section 14(a) and Section 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The complaint is captioned Water Island Merger Arbitrage Institutional Commingled Master Fund, L.P. v. Cornerstone Building Brands et al., Case No. 1:23-cv-00701 (D. Del.). The complaint alleges that the Company’s directors and officers issued misleading disclosures, which caused stockholders to approve the CD&R Merger at an unfair price. The plaintiff seeks unspecified monetary damages, interest, attorneys’ fees, expenses, and costs. On December 8, 2023, the defendants moved to dismiss the operative complaint, and, in the alternative, to stay the litigation. The Company intends to vigorously defend against these claims. The Company cannot predict with any degree of certainty the outcome of this matter or determine the extent of any potential liabilities. The Company also cannot provide an estimate of the possible loss or range of loss. The Company does not believe, based on currently available information, that the outcome of these proceedings will have a material adverse effect on its financial condition.