(J) Commitments and Contingencies

Our operations and properties are subject to extensive and changing federal, state, and local laws; regulations and ordinances governing the protection of the environment; as well as laws relating to worker health and workplace safety. We carefully consider the requirements mandated by such laws and regulations and have procedures in place at all our operating units to monitor compliance. Any matters that are identified as potential exposures under these laws and regulations are carefully reviewed by management to determine our potential liability. Although management is not aware of any material exposures that require an accrual under generally accepted accounting principles, there can be no assurance that prior or future operations will not ultimately result in violations, claims, or other liabilities associated with these regulations.

We have certain deductible limits under our workers’ compensation and liability insurance policies for which reserves are established based on the undiscounted estimated costs of known and anticipated claims. We have entered into standby letter of credit agreements relating to workers’ compensation, auto, and general liability self-insurance. At March 31, 2026, we had contingent liabilities under these outstanding letters of credit of approximately $9.9 million.

We are currently contingently liable for performance under $48.7 million in performance bonds required by certain states and municipalities, and their related agencies. The bonds are principally for certain reclamation obligations and mining permits. We have indemnified the underwriting insurance company against any exposure under the performance bonds. In our experience, no material claims have been made against these financial instruments.

Other

In the ordinary course of business, we execute contracts involving indemnifications that are standard in the industry and indemnifications specific to a transaction, such as the sale of a business. These indemnifications might include claims relating to any of the following: environmental and tax matters; intellectual property rights; governmental regulations and employment-related matters; customer, supplier, construction contractor, and other commercial contractual relationships; and financial matters. While the maximum amount to which we may be exposed under such agreements cannot be estimated, it is the opinion of management that these indemnifications are not expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s consolidated financial position, results of operations, or cash flows. We currently have no outstanding guarantees of third-party debt.

We have certain forward purchase contracts, primarily for natural gas, that expire during calendar years 2026 and 2027. The contracts comprise approximately 30% of our anticipated natural gas usage.

Historical Timeline

Fiscal YearFiled
2026May 19, 2026Showing above
2025May 20, 2025
2024May 22, 2024
2023May 19, 2023
2022May 20, 2022
2021May 21, 2021
2020May 22, 2020
2019May 23, 2019
2018May 23, 2018
2017May 24, 2017
2016May 25, 2016

About Commitments Disclosures

Commitments and contingencies disclosures catalog a company's off-balance-sheet obligations and legal exposures — purchase commitments, guarantee arrangements, pending litigation, and regulatory proceedings. These items represent potential future cash outflows that may not appear as liabilities on the balance sheet until they become probable and estimable.

Key signals: litigation reserves and disclosed loss ranges quantify management's estimate of legal exposure, but unquantified "reasonably possible" losses often represent the larger risk. Watch for changes in language around pending cases — shifts from "remote" to "reasonably possible" or increases in estimated loss ranges signal deteriorating outcomes. Unconditional purchase obligations and take-or-pay contracts create fixed cost structures that reduce operational flexibility. Guarantee arrangements for subsidiaries or joint ventures can create cascading obligations. Compare the total commitment schedule against projected free cash flow to assess whether the company can meet its obligations without additional financing.