MERCURY SYSTEMS INC 10-Q

ITEM 1. LEGAL PROCEEDINGS We are subject to litigation, claims, investigations and audits arising from time to time in the ordinary course of our business. Although legal proceedings are inherently unpredictable, we believe that we have valid defenses with respect to those matters currently pending against us and intend to defend ourself vigorously. The outcome of these matters, individually and in the aggregate, is not expected to have a material impact on our cash flows, results of operations, or financial position. On December 7, 2021, counsel for National Technical Systems, Inc. (“NTS”) sent us an environmental demand letter pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 21E, Section 4A, and CERCLA 42 U.S.C. Section 9601, related to a site that NTS formerly owned at 533 Main Street, Acton, Massachusetts. NTS received a Notice of Responsibility from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (“MassDEP”) alleging trichloroethene, freon and 1,4-dioxane contamination in the groundwater emanating from NTS’s former site. NTS alleges in its demand letter that the operations of a predecessor company to Mercury that was acquired in our acquisition of the Microsemi Carve-Out Business that once owned and operated a facility at 531 Main Street, Acton, Massachusetts contributed to the groundwater contamination. NTS is seeking payment from us of NTS’s costs for any required environmental remediation. In April 2022, we engaged in a meet and confer session with NTS pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 21E, Section 4A to discuss the status of the environmental review performed by NTS and its licensed site professional. In addition, in November 2021, we responded to a request for information from MassDEP regarding the detection of PFAS (per- and polyfluoroakyl substances) in the Acton, Massachusetts Water District’s Conant public water supply wells near the former facility at 531 Main Street, Acton, Massachusetts at a level above standard that MassDEP published for PFAS in October 2020. We have not been contacted by NTS or MassDEP since the dates discussed above. It is too early to determine what responsibility, if any, we may have for these environmental matters. On June 19, 2023, our Board of Directors received notice of our former CEO’s resignation from his positions of President and Chief Executive Officer. The Board accepted his resignation effective June 24, 2023. In his notice, the former CEO claimed he was entitled to certain benefits, including equity vesting, severance, and other benefits, under his change in control severance agreement (the “CIC Agreement”) because he had resigned with good reason during a potential change in control period. We dispute these claims and maintain that he resigned without good reason. On September 19, 2023, our former CEO filed for binding arbitration under the employment rules of the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”). We responded and asserted our counterclaims in a filing with the AAA on November 1, 2023. The response by our former CEO is due in mid-November 2023, with further proceedings to be scheduled during 2024. We intend to contest vigorously the claims under the CIC Agreement and believe that we have strong arguments that our former CEO’s claims lack merit. If the arbitrator rules in our favor, we may still need to pay the former CEO’s reasonable legal fees and compensation during the dispute. If instead the arbitrator rules for the former CEO, we could be liable for up to approximately $12.9 million, based on the closing price of our common stock on June 26, 2023, plus legal fees and expenses and compensation during dispute, for accelerated equity vesting, severance, and other benefits under the CIC Agreement. We categorically deny any wrongdoing or liability under the CIC Agreement, but the outcome of potential arbitration is inherently uncertain. Accordingly, it is reasonably possible that we will incur a liability in this matter, and we estimate the potential range of exposure from $0 to $12.9 million, plus costs and attorneys’ fees and compensation to our former CEO during the dispute.