STANLEY BLACK & DECKER, INC.SWK
STANLEY BLACK & DECKER, INC. Commitments Disclosure
CONTINGENCIES
The Company is involved in various legal proceedings relating to environmental issues, employment, product liability, workers’ compensation claims and other matters. The Company periodically reviews the status of these proceedings with both inside and outside counsel, as well as an actuary for risk insurance. Management believes that the ultimate disposition of these matters will not have a material adverse effect on operations or financial condition taken as a whole.
Government Litigation
As previously disclosed, on January 19, 2024, the Company was notified by the Compliance and Field Operations Division (the “Division”) of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (“CPSC”) that the Division intended to recommend the imposition of a civil penalty of approximately $32 million for alleged untimely reporting in relation to certain utility bars and miter saws that were subject to voluntary recalls in September 2019 and March 2022, respectively. The Company believes there are defenses to the Division’s claims, and has presented its defenses in a meeting with the Division on February 29, 2024 and in a written submission dated March 29, 2024. On April 1, 2024, the Division informed the Company's counsel that the Division intended to recommend that the CPSC refer the matter to the U.S. Department of Justice (the “DOJ”). On May 1, 2024, the Company was informed that the CPSC voted to refer the matter to the DOJ. In December 2024, the CPSC requested that the Company reproduce documents previously provided to the CPSC following changes to the agency’s electronic file sharing system, and the Company reproduced the requested documents to the CPSC. Counsel for the Company and DOJ met to discuss the parties' positions. On December 22, 2025, DOJ filed suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland related to the matter, naming Black & Decker (U.S.) Inc. as a defendant. The Company believes that it took timely and appropriate action and intends to vigorously defend itself against the claims brought by DOJ. The Company does not expect that any sum it may have to pay in connection with this matter, including any reserved amount, will have a materially adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations or liquidity.
The Company is committed to upholding the highest standards of corporate governance and is continuously focused on ensuring the effectiveness of its policies, procedures, and controls.
Class Action Litigation
As previously disclosed, on March 24, 2023, a putative class action lawsuit titled Naresh Vissa Rammohan v. Stanley Black & Decker, Inc., et al., Case No. 3:23-cv-00369-KAD (the “Rammohan Class Action”), was filed in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut against the Company and certain of the Company’s current and former officers and directors (together, "Defendants"). The complaint was filed on behalf of a purported class consisting of all purchasers of Stanley Black & Decker common stock between October 28, 2021 and July 28, 2022, inclusive. The complaint asserted violations of Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 based on allegedly false and misleading statements related to consumer demand for the Company’s products amid changing COVID-19 trends and macroeconomic conditions. The complaint sought unspecified damages and an award of costs and expenses. On October 13, 2023, Lead Plaintiff General Retirement System of the City of Detroit filed an Amended Complaint that asserted the same claims and seeks the same forms of relief as the original complaint. On December 14, 2023, Defendants filed a motion to dismiss the Amended Complaint in its entirety. Briefing on that motion concluded on April 5, 2024. Following the recent decision of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in City of Hialeah Employees’ Retirement System v. Peloton Interactive, Inc., No. 24-2803 (2d Cir. 2025), Lead Plaintiff informed Defendants that it wished to further amend its complaint. Pursuant to a stipulation between the parties, so ordered by the District Court on September 30, 2025, Lead Plaintiff provided Defendants with a proposed second amended complaint on October 30, 2025, and Defendants consented to its filing. Lead Plaintiff subsequently filed its Second Amended Complaint on November 14, 2025, asserting the same claims on behalf of the same putative class and seeking the same forms of relief as the prior complaints. Defendants filed a renewed motion to dismiss on December 18, 2025. Lead Plaintiff filed its opposition to Defendants’ renewed motion to dismiss on January 29, 2026, and Defendants filed a reply in support of their renewed motion to dismiss on February 19, 2026. The Company intends to vigorously defend this action in all respects. Given the early stage of this litigation, at this time, the Company is not in a position to assess the likelihood of any potential loss or adverse effect on its financial condition or to estimate the amount or range of potential losses, if any, from this action.
Derivative Actions
As previously disclosed, on August 2, 2023 and September 20, 2023, derivative complaints were filed in the United States District Court for the District of Connecticut, titled Callahan v. Allan, et al., Case No. 3:23-cv-01028-OAW (the “Callahan Derivative Action”) and Applebaum v. Allan, et al., Case No. 3:23-cv-01234-OAW (the “Applebaum Derivative Action”), respectively, by putative stockholders against certain current and former directors and officers of the Company premised on the same allegations as the Rammohan Class Action. The Callahan and Applebaum Derivative Actions were consolidated by Court order on November 6, 2023 and defendants’ responses to both complaints have been stayed pending the disposition of any motions to dismiss in the Rammohan Class Action. The individual defendants intend to vigorously defend the Callahan and Applebaum Derivative Actions in all respects. However, given the early stage of this litigation, at this time, the Company is not in a position to assess the likelihood of any potential loss or adverse effect on its financial condition or to estimate the amount or range of potential losses, if any, from these actions.
As previously disclosed, on October 19, 2023, a derivative complaint was filed in Connecticut Superior Court, titled Vladimir Gusinsky Revocable Trust v. Allan, et al., Docket Number HHBCV236082260S, by a putative stockholder against certain current and former directors and officers of the Company. Plaintiff seeks to recover for alleged breach of fiduciary duties and unjust enrichment under Connecticut state law premised on the same allegations as the Rammohan Class Action. By Court order on November 11, 2023, the Connecticut Superior Court granted the parties’ motion to stay defendants’ response to the complaint pending the disposition of any motions to dismiss in the Rammohan Class Action. The individual defendants intend to vigorously defend this action in all respects. However, given the early stage of this litigation, at this time, the Company is not in a position to assess the likelihood of any potential loss or adverse effect on its financial condition or to estimate the amount or range of potential losses, if any, from this action.
Environmental
In the normal course of business, the Company is a party to administrative proceedings and litigation, before federal and state regulatory agencies, relating to environmental remediation with respect to claims involving the discharge of hazardous substances into the environment, generally at current and former manufacturing facilities. In addition, some of these claims assert that the Company is responsible for damages and liability, for remedial investigation and clean-up costs, with respect to sites that have never been owned or operated by the Company, but the Company has been identified as a potentially responsible party ("PRP").
In connection with the 2010 merger with Black & Decker, the Company assumed certain commitments and contingent liabilities. Black & Decker is a party to litigation and administrative proceedings with respect to claims involving the discharge of hazardous substances into the environment at current and former manufacturing facilities and has also been named as a PRP in certain administrative proceedings.
The Company, along with many other companies, has been named as a PRP in numerous administrative proceedings for the remediation of various waste sites, including 23 active Superfund sites. Current laws potentially impose joint and several liabilities upon each PRP. In assessing its potential liability at these sites, the Company has considered the following: whether responsibility is being disputed, the terms of existing agreements, experience at similar sites, and the Company’s volumetric contribution at these sites.
The Company’s policy is to accrue environmental investigatory and remediation costs for identified sites when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. If no amount in the range of probable loss is considered most likely, the minimum loss in the range is accrued. The amount of liability recorded is based on an evaluation of currently available facts with respect to each individual site and includes such factors as existing technology, presently enacted laws and regulations, and prior experience in remediation of contaminated sites. The liabilities recorded do not take into account any claims for recoveries from insurance or third parties. As assessments and remediation progress at individual sites, the amounts recorded are reviewed periodically and adjusted to reflect additional technical and legal information that becomes available. As of January 3, 2026 and December 28, 2024, the Company had reserves of $259.2 million and $275.4 million, respectively, for remediation activities associated with Company-owned properties, as well as for Superfund sites, for losses that are probable and estimable. Of the January 3, 2026 amount, $69.5 million is classified as current within Accrued expenses and $189.7 million as long-term within Other liabilities, which is expected to be paid over the estimated remediation period. As of January 3, 2026, the Company's net cash obligations, including the WCLC assets discussed below, is $243.6 million. As of January 3, 2026, the range of environmental remediation costs that is reasonably possible is $179.1 million to $395.7 million which is subject to change in the near term. The Company may be liable for environmental remediation of sites it no longer owns. Liabilities have been recorded on those sites in accordance with the Company's policy.
The environmental liability for certain sites with cash payments beyond the current year that are fixed or reliably determinable have been discounted using a rate of 3.6% to 4.7%, depending on the expected timing of disbursements. The discounted and
undiscounted amount of the liability relative to these sites is $74.2 million and $107.7 million, respectively. The payments relative to these sites are expected to be $17.2 million in 2026, $7.3 million in 2027, $7.3 million in 2028, $7.3 million in 2029, $4.1 million in 2030, and $64.5 million thereafter.
West Coast Loading Corporation
As of January 3, 2026, the Company has recorded $15.6 million in Other assets related to funding received by the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) and placed in a trust in accordance with the final settlement with the EPA, embodied in a Consent Decree approved by the United States District Court for the Central District of California on July 3, 2013. Per the Consent Decree, Emhart Industries, Inc. (a dissolved and liquidated former indirectly wholly-owned subsidiary of The Black & Decker Corporation) (“Emhart”) has agreed to be responsible for an interim remedy at a site located in Rialto, California and formerly operated by WCLC, a defunct company for which Emhart was alleged to be liable as a successor. The remedy will be funded by (i) the amounts received from the EPA as gathered from multiple parties, and, to the extent necessary, (ii) Emhart's affiliate. The interim remedy required the construction of a water treatment facility and the treatment of ground water at or around the site for a period of approximately 30 years or more. The construction of the water treatment facility was completed in September 2023, and the treatment of ground water is ongoing. As of January 3, 2026, the Company's net cash obligation associated with these remediation activities, including WCLC assets, is $7.2 million.
Centredale Site
On April 8, 2019, the United States District Court approved a Consent Decree documenting the terms of a settlement between the Company and the United States for reimbursement of EPA's past costs and remediation of environmental contamination found at the Centredale Manor Restoration Project Superfund Site ("Centredale site"), located in North Providence, Rhode Island. Black & Decker and Emhart are liable for site clean-up costs under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act ("CERCLA") as successors to the liability of Metro-Atlantic, Inc., a former operator at the Centredale site. The Company is complying with the terms of the settlement and has fully reimbursed the EPA for its past costs. Remediation work at the Centredale site remains ongoing. Technical and regulatory issues have arisen in connection with the disposal methods selected and described in the statement of work for contaminated Centredale site soils and sediment. Emhart’s contractor is working with the EPA and the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (“RIDEM”) to develop alternatives. Based on these evolving technical and regulatory discussions, in the second quarter of 2024, the EPA and RIDEM began implementing regulatory changes that suggest that offsite landfill disposal now represents the most probable remedial alternative for the disposal of contaminated Centredale site soils and sediments. Significant open technical and regulatory issues relating to the implementation of this disposal alternative remain, including final EPA and RIDEM approvals, and further developments may result in additional or different remedial actions. Emhart’s contractor’s assessment of the offsite landfill disposal alternative involves soil and sediment volume estimates that could also change or increase as additional design investigations are performed at the site, which may further impact the remediation process. Emhart has entered into a cooperative agreement with the Federal and State Natural Resource Trustees to collectively conduct an assessment of what, if any, Natural Resource Damages may be associated with the contamination at the Centredale Site. That process remains in its very preliminary stages. Litigation continues in the District Court concerning Phase 3 of the case, which is addressing the potential allocation of liability to other PRPs who may have contributed to contamination of the Centredale site with dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls and other contaminants of concern. Emhart proceeded to trial in a six-week bench trial in Phase 3 on the issue of CERCLA liability against 4 PRPs in October 2024. The Court issued a decision on September 8, 2025, finding all four PRPs liable for contamination at the Site. The litigation will now move to a final allocation phase, Phase 3(B), which will determine each PRP's equitable share of responsibility for the Centredale site investigation, cleanup costs, and other damages caused by the contamination. As of January 3, 2026, the Company has reserved $156.5 million for this site.
Lower Passaic River
The Company, along with over 100 other parties, has been identified as a PRP at Operable Units (“OUs”) 2 and 4 of the Diamond Alkali Superfund Site (the “Site”) pursuant to CERCLA. OU-4 encompasses the 17-mile Lower Passaic River (“LPR”) and OU-2 (which is subsumed within OU-4) consists of the lower 8.3 miles of the LPR. On March 4, 2016, the EPA issued a Record of Decision ("ROD") selecting the remedy for the lower 8.3 miles of the River, which according to the EPA, will cost approximately $1.4 billion. On September 28, 2021, the EPA issued an Interim Remedy ROD for the upper 9 miles of the LPR that the EPA estimates will cost $441 million (net present value).
In March 2017, the EPA announced a plan to commence an allocation process to identify PRPs that may be eligible for a cash out settlement for the remediation costs. As a result of the allocation process, the EPA and certain parties (including the Company) reached an agreement for a cash-out settlement for remediation of the entire 17-mile LPR. On December 16, 2022, the United States lodged a Consent Decree with the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey in United States v. Alden Leeds, Inc. et al. (No. 2:22-cv-07326) that addressed the liability of 85 parties (including the Company) for an aggregate amount of $150 million. On December 18, 2024, the Court granted the United States’ motion to enter the Consent Decree. The Court’s order entering the Consent Decree has been appealed by two parties (Occidental Chemical Company
(“OCC”) and Nokia of America) which were not offered to participate in the settlement. While briefing was ongoing, OCC filed documents with the Court indicating that OCC is now known as Environmental Resource Holdings LCC due to internal reorganization. Nearly a month before OCC’s filing, OCC merged into a new Texas limited liability company named Snowcone, LLC, which then changed its name to Occidental Chemical Company, LLC. Occidental Chemical Company, LLC then executed a divisive merger under Texas law pursuant to which it split into two entities (1) Occidental Chemical Corporation, a Texas corporation (“OCC-Texas”), which retained OCC’s assets and (2) Occidental Chemical Company, LLC, which was stripped of its assets and changed its name to Environmental Resource Holdings LLC. In October 2025, OCC’s then-parent, Occidental Petroleum Corporation agreed to sell 100% of the equity in OCC-Texas to Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. (“Berkshire Hathaway”) for $9.7 billion. The sale of OCC-Texas to Berkshire Hathaway closed on January 2, 2026. The Company’s joint defense group called the Small Parties Group (or “SPG”) is seeking information to determine whether Environmental Resource Holdings LLC, the purported amended appellant as a result of OCC’s internal reorganization, is the proper party to the appeal and is evaluating its options to ensure that the corporate successor (which may include OCC-Texas as well as Environmental Resource Holdings LLC) has the financial resources to satisfy OCC’s liabilities at the LPR. On February 6, 2026, certain members of the SPG (including the Company) filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey against OCC-Texas requesting that the Court enter a declaratory judgment that OCC-Texas is jointly and severally liable for OCC’s CERCLA liabilities. The appeal of the Court’s opinion granting the United States’ motion to enter the Consent Decree has been fully briefed by the parties. The Company has paid its share of the settlement amount, which currently is held in escrow by the EPA pending the outcome of the appeal.
On June 30, 2018, OCC filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey against over 100 companies, including the Company, seeking CERCLA cost recovery or contribution for past costs relating to various investigations and cleanups OCC has conducted or is conducting in connection with OU-2 and OU-4 and seeking a declaratory judgment to hold the defendants liable for their proper shares of future response costs for OCC's ongoing activities in connection with the Site, which would include OCC’s Remedial Investigation/Feasibility Study ("RI/FS") in Newark Bay (OU-3 of the Site). The litigation was stayed while the Court considered the Consent Decree and during the appeal discussed above.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and other federal agencies have been conducting a natural resources damage assessment of the LPR. The results of this assessment may be used in the future to support a claim by the federal agencies for natural resource damages against the Company and other PRPs.
At this time, the Company cannot reasonably estimate its liability related to the litigation, remediation efforts and natural resource damages as discussed above, as the OCC litigation is pending, the Court’s opinion granting the United States’ motion to enter the Consent Decree has been appealed, and Newark Bay RI/FS and the natural resource damage assessment are ongoing.
Kerr McGee
Per the terms of a Final Order and Judgment approved by the United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida on January 22, 1991, Emhart is responsible for a percentage of remedial costs arising out of the Kerr McGee Chemical Corporation Superfund Site located in Jacksonville, Florida. On March 15, 2017, the Company received formal notification from the EPA that the EPA had issued a ROD selecting the preferred alternative identified in the Proposed Cleanup Plan. The Multistate Trust managing the remediation provides quarterly projections for the remediation costs for work to be performed, and the Company adjusts the reserve for its percentage share of such costs accordingly. As of January 3, 2026, the Company has reserved $18.8 million for this site.
The amounts recorded for the aforementioned identified contingent liabilities are based on estimates. Amounts recorded are reviewed periodically and adjusted to reflect additional technical and legal information that becomes available. Actual costs to be incurred in future periods may vary from the estimates, given the inherent uncertainties in evaluating certain exposures. Subject to the imprecision in estimating future contingent liability costs, the Company does not expect that any sum it may have to pay in connection with these environmental matters in excess of the amounts recorded will have a materially adverse effect on its financial position, results of operations or liquidity.
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Historical Timeline
| Fiscal Year | Filed | |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Feb 24, 2026 | Showing above |
| 2024 | Feb 18, 2025 | |
| 2023 | Feb 27, 2024 | |
| 2022 | Feb 22, 2022 | |
| 2021 | Feb 18, 2021 | |
| 2019 | Feb 21, 2020 | |
| 2018 | Feb 26, 2019 | |
| 2017 | Feb 27, 2018 | |
| 2016 | Feb 15, 2017 | |
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.