Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Note 20 - Commitments and Contingencies

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Note 20 - Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2021
Notes to Financial Statements  
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

(20)

Commitments and Contingencies

 

Commitments represent obligations, such as those for future purchases of goods or services that are not yet recorded on the balance sheet as liabilities. We record liabilities for commitments when incurred (i.e., when the goods or services are received). Fluctuations in our operating results, levels of inventory on hand, the degree of success of our accounts receivable collection efforts, the timing of tax and other payments, as well as necessary capital expenditures to support growth of our operations will impact our liquidity and cash flows in future periods. The effect of our commitments, including contractual obligations, on our liquidity and capital resources in future periods should be considered in conjunction with the factors mentioned here.

 

Lease Commitments

 

We enter into operating and financing leases in the normal course of business. Most lease arrangements provide us with the option to renew the leases at defined terms. For more information on our leases, see Note 6, Leases, in the notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in Item 8 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

 

Purchase Commitments with Suppliers

 

Purchase obligations are defined as agreements that are enforceable and legally binding that specify all significant terms, including fixed or minimum quantities to be purchased; fixed, minimum or variable price provisions; and the approximate timing of the transaction. We do, in the normal course of business, regularly initiate purchase orders for the procurement of (i) selected finished goods sourced from third-party suppliers, (ii) lumber, fabric, leather and other raw materials used in production, and (iii) certain outsourced services. All purchase orders are based on current needs and are fulfilled by suppliers within a relatively short time period. Our open purchase orders with respect to such goods and services was $50.2 million at June 30, 2021, up from $20.1 million a year ago. These purchase orders are expected to be paid in the next 12 months. The significant increase in open purchase orders was primarily due to the Company re-accelerating production to near pre-COVID-19 levels combined with longer lead times on raw material purchases due to shipping container shortages and supply constraints. Wholesale written orders increased $113.4 million year over year, which has led to increased production within our manufacturing facilities and having more goods on backorder. Purchase commitments a year ago were historically low due to our efforts to minimize inventory carrying costs, eliminate all non-essential operating expenses and delay capital expenditures as part of our COVID-19 action plan.

 

Other Purchase Commitments

 

Other purchase commitments represent payment due for services such as telecommunication, computer-related software, royalties, web development, insurance and other maintenance contracts. These commitments are generally payable within one year and totaled approximately $8.8 million as of June 30, 2021, down from a year ago due to timing of payments and entering into contracts.

 

Legal Matters

 

We are routinely party to various legal proceedings, including investigations or as a defendant in litigation, in the ordinary course of business. Such legal proceedings may include claims related to our employment practices, wage and hour claims, claims of intellectual property infringement, including with respect to trademarks, claims asserting unfair competition and unfair business practices, and consumer action claims relating to our consumer products and practices. In addition, from time to time, we are subject to product liability and personal injury claims for the products that we sell and properties we operate. We could also face a wide variety of employee claims against us, including general discrimination, privacy, labor and employment, ERISA and disability claims. We are also subject to various federal, state and local environmental protection laws and regulations and are involved, from time to time, in investigations and proceedings regarding environmental matters. Such investigations and proceedings typically concern air emissions, water discharges, and/or management of solid and hazardous wastes. We believe that our facilities are in material compliance with all such applicable laws and regulations.

 

On a quarterly basis, we review our litigation activities and determine if an unfavorable outcome to us is considered “remote”, “reasonably possible” or “probable” as defined by ASC 450, Contingencies. Where we determine an unfavorable outcome is probable and is reasonably estimable, we accrue for potential litigation losses. Although the outcome of the various claims and proceedings against us cannot be predicted with certainty, management believes that, based on information available at June 30, 2021, the likelihood is remote that any existing claims or proceedings, individually or in the aggregate, will have a material adverse effect on our financial position, results of operations or cash flows.

 

Indemnifications

 

As permitted or required under Delaware law and to the maximum extent allowable under that law, the Company has certain obligations to indemnify its current and former officers and directors for certain events or occurrences while the officer or director is, or was serving, at our request in such capacity. These indemnification obligations are valid as long as the director or officer acted in good faith and in a manner the person reasonably believed to be in, or not opposed to, the best interests of the Company, and with respect to any criminal action or proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his or her conduct was unlawful. The maximum potential amount of future payments Ethan Allen could be required to make under these indemnification obligations is unlimited; however, the Company has a director and officer insurance policy that it believes mitigates our exposure and may enable us to recover a portion of any future amounts paid. We believe the estimated fair value of these indemnification obligations is immaterial.