Note 6 – Commitments and Contingencies

Leases 

During March, April and July 2020, the Company entered into new lease agreements for its Philippines subsidiary,  Torrance headquarters and the Texas distribution center, respectively.

Philippines office lease: The lease commenced on March 15, 2020 with a ten-year lease term set to expire in March of 2030. The Company is obligated to pay approximately $500 in annual base rent, which shall increase by 5% each year beginning on the second year of the lease term and then increase by 4% each year beginning on the sixth year of the lease term. In accordance with ASU 842 – Leases (“ASC 842”), the Company recorded $5,325 in Right-of-use assets – operating, non-current, and $4,981 in Right-of-use obligation – operating, non-current, with $344 recorded in Right-of-use obligation – operating, current, on the consolidated balance sheet at the commencement of the lease.

Torrance headquarters office lease: The lease commenced on April 13, 2020 with a seventy-month lease term set to expire in March of 2026. The Company is obligated to pay approximately $73 in monthly base rent (rent abatement for five months in the first two years), which shall increase by 3% each year beginning on the second-year anniversary of the lease term. In accordance with ASU 842 – Leases (“ASC 842”), the Company recorded $4,338 in Right-of-use assets – operating, non-current, and $3,916 in Right-of-use obligation – operating, non-current, with $422 recorded in Right-of-use obligation – operating, current, on the consolidated balance sheet at the commencement of the lease.

Texas distribution center lease: The lease commenced on July 1, 2020 with a ninety-month lease term set to expire in December of 2027. The Company is obligated to pay approximately $48 in monthly base rent (rent abatement for the first six months of the lease term), which shall increase to $71 in monthly base rent beginning on the second-year anniversary of the lease term and then shall increase by 3% each year beginning on the third-year anniversary. In accordance with ASU 842 – Leases (“ASC 842”), the Company recorded $5,469 in Right-of-use assets – operating, non-current, and $5,231 in Right-of-use obligation – operating, non-current, with $238 recorded in Right-of-use obligation – operating, current, on the consolidated balance sheet at the commencement of the lease.

Legal Matters

Asbestos. A wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, Automotive Specialty Accessories and Parts, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary Whitney Automotive Group, Inc. ("WAG"), are named defendants in several lawsuits involving claims for damages caused by installation of brakes during the late 1960’s and early 1970’s that contained asbestos. WAG marketed certain brakes, but did not manufacture any brakes. WAG maintains liability insurance coverage to protect its and the Company’s assets from losses arising from the litigation and coverage is provided on an occurrence rather than a claims made basis, and the Company is not expected to incur significant out-of-pocket costs in connection with this matter that would be material to its consolidated financial statements.

Customs Issues. On April 2, 2018, the Company filed a complaint against the United States of America, the United States Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”), in the United States Court of International Trade (the “Court”) (Case No. 1:18-cv-00068) seeking (i) relief from a single entry bonding requirement set by the United States Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”), at a level equivalent to three times the commercial invoice value of each shipment (the “Bonding Requirement”), (ii) a declaration that the Bonding Requirement is unlawful, (iii) an injunction prohibiting additional delayed entry for all of the Company’s currently-held goods being denied entry into the United States.   The genesis for the action is CBP’s wrongful seizure of aftermarket vehicle grilles and associated parts being imported by the Company (“Repair Grilles”) on the basis that the Repair Grilles allegedly bear counterfeit trademarks of the original automobile manufacturers (i.e., original-equipment manufacturers, or “OEMs”). Generally, these trademarks, as applied against the Company, purport to cover the shape of the grilles themselves, or the OEM’s logo or name.  However, the Repair Grilles are not counterfeit and do not cause a likelihood of confusion amongst purchasers or the relevant consuming public which are prerequisites for seizures under the pertinent provision of the Tariff Act being relied upon by CBP to seize the Repair Grilles.

On May 25, 2018, the Court granted the Company’s motion for preliminary injunction and ordered, among other things, that the Defendants are restrained from enforcing the 3X Bonding Requirement. On July 24, 2019, the Company further reached confidential terms with CBP to settle these matters.  As part of the settlement: (i) Customs will release to the Company certain inventory mistakenly seized, (ii) the Company and CBP enter into mutual releases, and (iii) without admitting liability, the Company will forfeit to CBP certain goods which CBP deems to be violative. All outstanding CBP enforcement issues are resolved, and the Company has no outstanding damage or duty claims from CBP.

Ordinary course litigation. The Company is subject to legal proceedings and claims which arise in the ordinary course of its business. As of the date hereof, the Company believes that the final disposition of such matters will not have a material adverse effect on the financial position, results of operations or cash flow of the Company. The Company maintains liability insurance coverage to protect the Company’s assets from losses arising out of or involving activities associated with ongoing and normal business operations.