NOTE 11
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
Guarantees
In conjunction with certain transactions, primarily divestitures, we may provide routine indemnifications (e.g., indemnification for representations and warranties and retention of previously existing environmental, tax and employee liabilities) for which terms range in duration and, in some circumstances, are not explicitly defined. The maximum obligation under some indemnifications is also not explicitly stated and, as a result, the overall amount of these obligations cannot be reasonably estimated. Other than obligations recorded as liabilities at the time of divestiture, we have not made significant payments for these indemnifications. We believe that if we were to incur a loss on any of these matters, the loss would not have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
In certain situations, we guarantee loans for suppliers and customers. The total amount of guarantees issued under such arrangements is not material.
Off-Balance Sheet Arrangements
We do not have off-balance sheet financing arrangements, including variable interest entities, that have a material impact on our financial statements.
Purchase Commitments and Operating Leases
We have purchase commitments for materials, supplies, services and property, plant and equipment as part of the normal course of business. Commitments made under take-or-pay obligations are as follows:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Years ended June 30 | 2014 |
| | 2015 |
| | 2016 |
| | 2017 |
| | 2018 |
| | Thereafter |
Purchase obligations | $ | 1,114 |
| | $ | 383 |
| | $ | 242 |
| | $ | 136 |
| | $ | 74 |
| | $ | 234 |
|
Such amounts represent future purchases in line with expected usage to obtain favorable pricing. Approximately 20% of our purchase commitments relate to service contracts for information technology, human resources management and facilities management activities that have been outsourced to third-party suppliers. Due to the proprietary nature of many of our materials and processes, certain supply contracts contain penalty provisions for early termination. We do not expect to incur penalty payments under these provisions that would materially affect our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
We also lease certain property and equipment for varying periods. Future minimum rental commitments under non-cancelable operating leases, net of guaranteed sublease income, are as follows:
|
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Years ended June 30 | 2014 | | 2015 | | 2016 | | 2017 | | 2018 |
| | Thereafter |
Operating leases | $ | 254 |
| | $ | 241 |
| | $ | 196 |
| | $ | 161 |
| | $ | 141 |
| | $ | 519 |
|
Litigation
We are subject to various legal proceedings and claims arising out of our business which cover a wide range of matters such as antitrust, trade and other governmental regulations, product liability, patent and trademark matters, advertising, contracts, environmental issues, labor and employments matters and income and other taxes.
As previously disclosed, the Company has had a number of antitrust matters in Europe. These matters involve a number of other consumer products companies and/or retail customers. Several regulatory authorities in Europe have issued separate decisions pursuant to their investigations alleging that the Company, along with several other companies, engaged in violations of competition laws in those countries. The Company has accrued the assessed fines for each of the decisions, of which all but $16 has been paid as of June 30, 2013. Some of those are on appeal. As a result of our initial and on-going analyses of other formal complaints, the Company has accrued liabilities for competition law violations totaling $139 as of June 30, 2013. While the ultimate resolution of these matters may result in fines or costs in excess of the amounts reserved, we do not expect any such incremental losses to materially impact our financial statements in the period in which they are accrued and paid, respectively.
With respect to other litigation and claims, while considerable uncertainty exists, in the opinion of management and our counsel, the ultimate resolution of the various lawsuits and claims will not materially affect our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
We are also subject to contingencies pursuant to environmental laws and regulations that in the future may require us to take action to correct the effects on the environment of prior manufacturing and waste disposal practices. Based on currently available information, we do not believe the ultimate resolution of environmental remediation will have a material effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.
