Commitments and Contingencies |
12 Months Ended |
|---|---|
Jan. 30, 2021 | |
| Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] | |
| Commitments and Contingencies | Commitments and Contingencies Purchase Obligations
We have commitments totaling $189.8 million related to agreements for software licenses and support, telecommunication services and store technology assets and maintenance for its stores.
Letters of Credit
We have $356.5 million in Letter of Credit Reimbursement and Security Agreements with various financial institutions, under which $209.6 million was committed to these letters of credit issued for routine purchases of imported merchandise at January 30, 2021.
At January 30, 2021, we also have $98.7 million in standby letters of credit that serve as collateral for our large-deductible insurance programs and expire in fiscal 2021.
Surety Bonds
We have issued various surety bonds that primarily serve as collateral for utility payments at our stores and self-insured insurance programs. These bonds total $96.5 million and are committed through various dates through fiscal 2024.
Contingencies
We are defendants in legal proceedings including the class, collective, representative and large cases described below as well as individual claims in arbitration. We will vigorously defend ourselves in these matters. We do not believe that any of these matters will, individually or in the aggregate, have a material effect on our business or financial condition. We cannot give assurance, however, that one or more of these matters will not have a material effect on our results of operations for the quarter or year in which they are resolved.
We assess our legal proceedings monthly and reserves are established if a loss is probable and the amount of such loss can be reasonably estimated. For matters that have settled, we reserve the estimated settlement amount even if the settlement has not been approved by the court. Many, if not substantially all, of our legal proceedings are subject to significant uncertainties and, therefore, determining the likelihood of a loss and the measurement of any loss can be complex and subject to judgment. With respect to legal proceedings where we have determined that a loss is reasonably possible but not probable, we are unable to estimate the amount or range of the reasonably possible loss due to the inherent difficulty of predicting the outcome of and uncertainties regarding legal proceedings. Our assessments are based on estimates and assumptions that have been deemed reasonable by management, but that may prove to be incomplete or inaccurate, and unanticipated events and circumstances may occur that might cause us to change those estimates and assumptions. Management’s assessment of legal proceedings could change because of future determinations or the discovery of facts which are not presently known. Accordingly, the ultimate costs of resolving these proceedings may be substantially higher or lower than currently estimated.
Dollar Tree Active Matters
The Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) has alleged that we improperly sold certain topically applied, over the counter
(“OTC”) products manufactured by certain Chinese factories that were on an import “alert” restriction issued by the FDA. We responded to the FDA by proposing enhanced procedures and processes for any OTC products we import from China.
In December 2020, a former store manager brought a class action in California state court alleging we failed to reimburse employees for business expenses and in so failing, engaged in unfair competition.
Actual or threatened California state court lawsuits have been filed against Dollar Tree and Family Dollar for similar employment-related claims brought under Private Attorney General Act (“PAGA”). These cases may allege violations such as failure to provide employees with compliant rest and meal breaks, suitable seating and overtime pay, reimburse business expenses, pay minimum wages for all time worked, provide accurate wage statements, and timely pay wages as well as other potential labor code violations.
Lawsuits have been filed against Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and our vendors alleging that personal talc powder products caused cancer. We do not believe the products we sold caused the illnesses. We believe these lawsuits are insured and we are being indemnified by our third party vendors.
Dollar Tree Resolved Matters
In April 2015, a distribution center employee filed a class action in California state court with allegations concerning wages, meal and rest breaks, recovery periods, wage statements and timely termination pay. We have reached an agreement and received final approval from the court.
In August 2018, a former employee brought suit in California state court as a class action and as a PAGA representative suit alleging we failed to provide all non-exempt California store employees with compliant rest and meal breaks, accrued vacation, accurate wage statements and final pay upon termination of employment. We have reached an agreement to settle the matter and have received the court’s approval.
In June 2020, a current employee filed a class action in California state court on behalf of herself and other non-exempt store employees in California alleging we failed to provide an effective illness and injury prevention program in our California stores and failed to provide personal protective equipment to our store employees thereby engaging in unfair business practices and creating a public nuisance. The court granted our request to compel arbitration which resolves the class action matter.
The consumer dismissed the January 2020 class action that was filed against us in New York relating to Almond Milk sold by us.
Family Dollar Active Matters
In August 2020, a consumer class action was filed against us in New York alleging Smoked Almonds sold by us are mislabeled because the almonds do not go through a smoking process but rather acquire their smoky taste through the use of smoked flavoring. The legal claims include New York consumer protection laws, negligent misrepresentations, breach of warranties, fraud and unjust enrichment.
In late 2019 and early 2020, personal injury and consumer class actions were filed alleging that we sold Zantac containing N- Nitrosodimethylamine, which is classified by the FDA as a probable carcinogen. Although all the suits were dismissed in December, 2020, on February 8, 2021, an Amended Master Personal Injury Complaint was filed against us and other retailers, manufacturers, and distributors alleging unjust enrichment, physical harm, loss of consortium, and death.
In January 2021, a consumer class action was filed against us in Georgia for breach of warranty based on the allegation that the coffee we sold was mislabeled because the canister did not contain enough coffee to make the number of cups of coffee stated on the label.
Please see the description above for talc and PAGA lawsuits against Family Dollar.
Family Dollar Resolved Matters
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