Quarterly report pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)

Commitments And Contingencies

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Commitments And Contingencies
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2012
Commitments And Contingencies [Abstract]  
Commitments And Contingencies

Note 10 – Commitments and Contingencies

Facilities Leases

The Company's corporate headquarters and warehouse facilities are located in Carson, California. As of March 31, 2012, we maintained multiple separate leases for the Carson, California facilities. Our primary facilities are under one sublease agreement with an initial five year term through October 2016, and optional renewals through January 2020. The Company also leases warehouse space in Chesapeake, Virginia under an agreement scheduled to expire June 2016. We also lease office and warehouse space in Independence, Ohio under an agreement through January 2013, with two five-year renewal options. The Company's Philippines subsidiary leases office space under a sixty-three month agreement through May 2015, renewable for an additional sixty months through April 2020.

Facility rent expense for the thirteen weeks ended March 31, 2012 and April 2, 2011, was $583,000 and $687,000, respectively.

Legal Matters

The Company is subject to legal proceedings and claims which arise in the ordinary course of its business. Although occasional adverse decisions or settlements may occur, the potential loss, if any, cannot be reasonably estimated. However, 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 with the exception of the items noted below. 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.

Parts Geek Litigation. In June 2009, the Company filed suit in the United States District Court for the Central District of California against Parts Geek LLC ("Parts Geek"), certain of its members and employees for misappropriation of trade secrets, breach of contract and unfair competition and requesting monetary damages and injunctive relief, and Parts Geek filed an answer in August 2009. In January 2010, the complaint was amended to include claims for copyright infringement and to add Lucas Thomason, a former employee, as an additional party. Parts Geek filed an answer and counterclaims to the amended complaint in February 2010. Each party filed a motion for summary judgment requesting that the Court rule on all claims made in this matter without sending the matter to a jury. In June 2010, the Court ruled on all claims in the matter, denying the Company's claims against Parts Geek and Lucas Thomason and denying Parts Geek's claims against the Company. The judge additionally denied Parts Geek's counterclaims against the Company. Parts Geek and Lucas Thomason petitioned the Court to order the Company to pay their legal fees and costs, the Court ordered the Company to do so and in August 2010 all parties stipulated that approximately $1.1 million of legal fees and costs would be owed to Parts Geek and Lucas Thomason should the Company lose its appeal or win its appeal and lose in trial. A bond has been posted to guarantee payment of $1.1 million plus interest, at a cost of approximately $0.02 million to the Company. The Company is not required to pay the fees and costs at this time; they would be due if the Company loses its appeal and determines to not appeal beyond the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, or if the Company wins on appeal but loses at trial once the case is remanded to the trial court and, in accordance with ASC 450-20 Loss Contingencies ("ASC 450-20"), the Company has not accrued for these fees and costs. The Company filed an appeal and filed its initial brief on January 21, 2011. The reply brief was filed March 21, 2011. The appeal has been fully briefed by all parties and oral argument before the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals occurred on March 6, 2012. The ruling on the appeal by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals is pending. The Company has analyzed this matter in accordance with ASC 450-20 and, in accordance with the definition of probable loss described therein, it has concluded that no accrual is necessary at this time. In addition, the Company believes that any reasonably possible losses which may be incurred would not be material to the financial statements as a whole.

Asbestos. A wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, Automotive Specialty Accessories and Parts, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiary Whitney Automotive Group, Inc. (referred to as "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.