Commitments and Contingencies

3 Months Ended

May 31, 2024

Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]

Commitments and Contingencies

16. Commitments and Contingencies

Legal

The Company and its subsidiaries are named defendants and plaintiffs in various routine lawsuits incidental to our business.  These proceedings include labor and employment claims, various commercial disputes, use of the Company’s intellectual property, worker’s compensation and environmental matters, all arising in the normal course of business. As discovery progresses on all outstanding legal matters, the Company will continue to evaluate opportunities to either settle the disputes for nuisance value or potentially enter into mediation as a way to resolve the disputes prior to trial. As the pending cases progress through additional discovery and potential mediation, our assessment of the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome on the pending lawsuits may change. Although the outcome of these lawsuits or other proceedings cannot be predicted with certainty, and the amount of any potential liability that could arise with respect to such lawsuits or other matters cannot be predicted at this time, management, after consultation with legal counsel believes it has strong defenses to all of these matters and does not expect liabilities, if any, from these claims or proceedings, either individually or in the aggregate, to have a material effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows. 

In 2017, Southeast Texas Industries, Inc. (“STI”) filed a breach of contract lawsuit against the Company in the 1st District Court of Jasper County, Texas (the “Court”). In 2020, we filed a counter suit against STI for amounts due to AZZ for work performed. The parties unsuccessfully mediated the case in November 2021. On October 16, 2023, the case went to trial, and on October 27, 2023, the jury rendered a verdict in favor of STI and against AZZ Beaumont in the amount of $5.5 million in damages for breach of contract and breach of express warranty. After a final judgment amount is entered with the Court, we expect to pursue all available appellate options as we believe we have strong grounds for appeal, which may take up to two years. As of May 31, 2024, we have recorded a legal accrual of $5.5 million, which is included in "Other accrued liabilities" on our consolidated balance sheets, reflecting our best estimate of the probable loss. Our estimate of the probable loss may change throughout the appellate process. We have purchased a supersedeas bond to cover the final judgment amount throughout the duration of the appellate process.

A litigation matter between AZZ, as Plaintiff, and a previous customer of an affiliate of the AIS business, which was retained following the disposition of the AIS business, is scheduled to go to trial in fiscal 2026. As of May 31, 2024, we have a receivable due from the Defendant, net of allowance, of $5.2 million, which is included in "Trade accounts receivable, net of allowance for credit losses" in the consolidated balance sheets. This receivable balance represents our best estimate of the amount we expect to collect, which may change following completion of the trial.

Prior to AZZ's acquisition of Precoat Metals on May 13, 2022, Precoat Metals sold its Armorel Arkansas facility to Nucor Coatings Corporation ("Nucor") via a purchase agreement dated October 27, 2020 ("2020 Agreement"). Nucor subsequently filed a lawsuit against Precoat Metals for indemnification for breach of environmental representations and warranties made in the 2020 Agreement. In the lawsuit, Nucor asserted that it has sustained certain damages resulting from Precoat Metal’s breach of its indemnification obligations that were set forth in the 2020 Agreement. The parties attended a mediation on March 18, 2024, and although the Company believed Nucor’s case was deficient and it had very strong defenses to the allegations asserted by Nucor, management determined that it was still in the best interest of the Company to settle all matters for the estimated cost of defense to retain its current commercial relationships with Nucor, who is both a customer and

supplier to the Company. The parties mutually agreed to resolve all disputed matters for $5.25 million. The parties are currently preparing a definitive settlement agreement which will resolve all outstanding matters related to the dispute. The settlement amount will be paid within 60 days after a definitive settlement agreement is signed by both parties. The $5.25 million settlement amount is included in "Other accrued liabilities" in the consolidated balance sheet as of May 31, 2024. The settlement payment expected to be made in the second quarter of fiscal 2025.

Environmental

As of May 31, 2024, the reserve balance for our environmental liabilities was $20.9 million, of which $2.9 million is classified as current. Environmental remediation liabilities include costs directly associated with site investigation and clean up, such as materials, external contractor costs, legal and consulting expenses and incremental internal costs directly related to ongoing remediation plans. Estimates used to record environmental remediation liabilities are based on the Company's best estimate of probable future costs based on site-specific facts and circumstances known at the time of the estimate and these estimates are updated on a quarterly basis. Estimates of the cost for the potential or ongoing remediation plans are developed using internal resources and third-party environmental engineers and consultants.

The Company accrues the anticipated cost of environmental remediation when the obligation is probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. If a range of amounts can be reasonably estimated and no amount within the range is a better estimate than any other amount, then the minimum of the range is accrued. While any revisions to the Company's environmental remediation liabilities could be material to the operating results of any fiscal quarter or fiscal year, the Company does not expect such additional remediation expenses to have an adverse material effect on its financial position, results of operations, or cash flows.

Capital Commitments—Greenfield Aluminum Coil Coating Facility

We are expanding our coatings capabilities by constructing a new 25-acre aluminum coil coating facility in Washington, Missouri that is expected to be operational in calendar year 2025 (the Company fiscal year 2026). The new greenfield facility will be included in the AZZ Precoat Metals segment and is supported by a take-or-pay contract for approximately 75% of the output from the new plant. We expect to spend approximately $124.0 million in capital payments over the life of the project, of which $60.8 million was paid prior to fiscal 2025 and $16.2 million was paid during the three months ended May 31, 2024. The remaining balance of $47.0 million is to occur prior to the end of fiscal 2025, of which we have capital commitments of $28.6 million.

Commodity pricing

    As of May 31, 2024, we had non-cancelable forward contracts to purchase approximately $37.9 million of zinc at various volumes and prices. We also had non-cancelable forward contracts to purchase approximately $9.2 million of natural gas at various volumes and prices. All such contracts expire by the first quarter of fiscal 2026. We had no other contracted commitments for any other commodities including steel, aluminum, copper, zinc, nickel-based alloys, natural gas, except for those entered into under the normal course of business.