Commitments and Contingencies |
6 Months Ended | ||
---|---|---|---|
Jun. 28, 2025 | |||
Commitments and Contingencies |
Short-term investments include $66,935,000 in current maturities of investments held by the Company’s insurance segment at June 28, 2025. The non-current portion of the bond portfolio of $81,246,000 is included in other assets. The short-term investments, together with $15,644,000 of non-current investments, provide collateral for the $74,321,000 of letters of credit issued to guarantee payment of insurance claims. As of June 28, 2025, Landstar also had $35,415,000 of additional letters of credit outstanding under the Company’s Credit Agreement. On July 22, 2025, a jury trial (the “Trial”) began in state court in El Paso County, Texas, in connection with a tragic vehicular accident (the “Accident”) that occurred on December 31, 2021, near El Paso. The Accident involved a collision between a recreational vehicle, or RV, rented by a family and a tractor-trailer owned and operated by an independent trucking company licensed by the U.S. Department of Transportation. This independent motor carrier was not a Landstar BCO Independent Contractor, but rather was providing truck capacity to Landstar Ranger, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (“Landstar Ranger”), under a non-exclusive truck brokerage contractual arrangement. The plaintiffs principally assert that Landstar Ranger acted as a motor carrier rather than as a broker with respect to the shipment involved in the Accident and, as a result, should be determined to be legally responsible for the operation of the independent, non-exclusive truck brokerage carrier involved in the Accident and the conduct of its driver. Based on knowledge of the facts, available insurance coverage and the analysis of the Company’s outside counsel, an immaterial accrual was included in insurance claims in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet as of June 28, 2025. No assurances can be provided as to the amount of the verdict that may be entered against Landstar Ranger at the conclusion of the Trial, which is expected to occur during the Company’s 2025 third quarter. Moreover, the Trial could result in a substantial verdict against Landstar Ranger and could have a material negative effect on the results of operations for the Company’s 2025 third quarter and fiscal year. The Company intends to preserve its right to appeal any such verdict. No assurances can be provided as to the probability of success with respect to any potential appeal of any such verdict or the ultimate outcome of any such appeal. The total cost associated with this matter, which may include post-judgment interest, bonding-related costs and legal and other professional fees, will depend on many factors. The ultimate financial impact, as well as the timing of the ultimate resolution of this matter, are difficult to predict and could have a material negative effect on the results of operations in the quarter or year in which such ultimate resolution occurs. The Company is involved in certain other claims and pending litigation arising from the normal conduct of business. Many of these claims are covered in whole or in part by insurance. Based on knowledge of the facts and, in certain cases, opinions of outside counsel, management believes that adequate provisions have been made for probable losses with respect to the resolution of all such claims and pending litigation and that the ultimate outcome, after provisions therefor, will not have a material adverse effect on the financial condition of the Company, but could have a material effect on the results of operations in a given quarter or year.
|