|
Commitments and Contingencies
|
12 Months Ended | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Dec. 31, 2014
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Commitments and Contingencies |
COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
The Company leases certain administrative offices. The leases are long-term noncancelable real estate lease agreements, expiring at various dates through fiscal 2018. The agreements generally provide for fixed minimum rental payments and the payment of utilities, real estate taxes, insurance and repairs. Rent and related expenses for the years ended December 31, 2014, 2013 and 2012 was $5,667, $4,947 and $5,031 respectively.
The Company’s estimated minimum future lease obligations under operating leases are as follows:
Legal Proceedings
The Company also is involved in a variety of claims and other legal proceedings generally incidental to its normal business activities. While the outcome of any of these proceedings cannot be accurately predicted, the Company does not believe the ultimate resolution of any of these existing matters would have a material adverse effect on its financial condition or results of operations.
Solar Tariff Contingency
In October 2012, the U.S. Department of Commerce (“Commerce”) announced its final determination in the anti-dumping (“AD”) and countervailing duty (“CVD”) investigations of imports of solar cells manufactured in the People’s Republic of China (“PRC”), including solar modules containing such cells. Commerce’s final determination confirmed its previously published AD duty of 249.96%, for manufacturers without a separate rate, and increased its CVD from 3.61% to 15.24%; both duties are applied to the value of imports of solar modules containing PRC cells. On November 7, 2012, the International Trade Commission announced its final determination upholding the duties. All shipments from May 25, 2012 until the Company suspended importing solar modules containing PRC cells in July 2012 (“covered shipments”) were subject to the CVD and were covered by a single continuous entry bond. Covered shipments also were subject to AD duty, for each of which the Company was required to post a single entry bond. In August, 2014, U.S. Customs lifted suspension of liquidation of covered shipments. As a result of liquidation, during the third and fourth quarters of 2014, the Company paid CVD on covered shipments at the 3.61% rate. During the fourth quarter of 2014 through the first quarter of 2015, the Company paid AD duties on covered shipments at a 31.18% rate. The Company is awaiting receipt of a final bill from U.S. Customs for liquidation of one remaining covered shipment containing PRC cells.
Commitments as a Result of Acquisitions
Related to the Company's acquisition of EEX in the second quarter of 2014 (see Note 3), the former owners of EEX, who are now employees of the Company, may be entitled to receive up to 4,500 British pounds sterling ($6,989 converted as of December 31, 2014) in additional consideration, accounted for as compensation for post-combination services, if the acquired business meets certain financial performance milestones through December 31, 2018.
The Company has established a reserve reflecting its current estimate of its ultimate exposure to these assessments.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||