The Company recognizes legal expense in connection with loss contingencies as incurred.

Personal Injury Lawsuits Involving Shape-ups — As previously reported, on February 20, 2011, Skechers U.S.A., Inc., Skechers U.S.A., Inc. II and Skechers Fitness Group were named as defendants in a lawsuit that alleged, among other things, that Shape-ups are defective and unreasonably dangerous, negligently designed and/or manufactured, and do not conform to representations made by the Company, and that the Company failed to provide adequate warnings of alleged risks associated with Shape-ups. In total, the Company is named as a defendant in 50 currently pending cases (some on behalf of multiple plaintiffs) filed in various courts that assert further varying injuries but employ similar legal theories and assert similar claims to the first case, as well as claims for breach of express and implied warranties, loss of consortium, and fraud. Although there are some variations in the relief sought, the plaintiffs generally seek compensatory and/or economic damages, exemplary and/or punitive damages, and attorneys’ fees and costs.

On December 19, 2011, the Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation issued an order establishing a multidistrict litigation (“MDL”) proceeding in the United States District Court for the Western District of Kentucky entitled  In re Skechers Toning Shoe Products Liability Litigation, case no. 11-md-02308-TBR. Since 2011, a total of 1,235 personal injury cases have been filed in or transferred to the MDL proceeding. The Company has resolved 1,743 personal injury claims in the MDL proceedings, comprised of 1,141 that were filed as formal actions and 602 that were submitted by plaintiff fact sheets. The Company has also settled 37 claims in principle—20 filed cases and 17 claims submitted by plaintiff fact sheets—either directly or pursuant to a global settlement program that has been approved by the claimants’ attorneys (described in greater detail below). Further, 70 cases in the MDL proceeding have been dismissed either voluntarily or on motions by the Company and 38 unfiled claims submitted by plaintiff fact sheet have been abandoned. Between the consummated settlements and cases subject to the settlement program, all but 4 personal injury cases pending in the MDL have been or are expected to be resolved. On August 6, 2015, the Court entered an order staying all deadlines, including trial, pending further order of the Court. On March 30 and 31, 2017, the Court entered orders permitting limited fact discovery in two cases. No trial dates have been set.  All other MDL actions remain stayed.

Skechers U.S.A., Inc., Skechers U.S.A., Inc. II and Skechers Fitness Group also have been named as defendants in a total of 72 personal injury actions filed in various Superior Courts of the State of California that were brought on behalf of 920 individual plaintiffs (360 of whom also submitted MDL court-approved questionnaires for mediation purposes in the MDL proceeding). Of those cases, 68 were originally filed in the Superior Court for the County of Los Angeles (the “LASC cases”). On August 20, 2014, the Judicial Council of California granted a petition by the Company to coordinate all personal injury actions filed in California that relate to Shape-ups with the LASC cases (collectively, the “LASC Coordinated Cases”). On October 6, 2014, three cases that had been pending in other counties were transferred to and coordinated with the LASC Coordinated Cases. On April 17, 2015, an additional case was transferred to and coordinated with the LASC Coordinated Cases. Fifty-three actions brought on behalf of a total of 638 plaintiffs have been settled and fully dismissed. Twelve actions have been partially dismissed, with the claims of 226 plaintiffs in those actions having been fully resolved and dismissed. The claims of other two plaintiffs from these multi-plaintiff lawsuits have been settled in principle pursuant to a global settlement program that has been approved by the plaintiffs’ attorneys (described in greater detail below). An additional single plaintiff action has been settled in principle and should be dismissed in the short term. One single-plaintiff lawsuit and the claims of 28 additional plaintiffs in multi-plaintiff lawsuits have been dismissed entirely, either voluntarily or on motion by the Company. The claims of 21 additional persons have been dismissed in part, either voluntarily or on motions by the Company. Thus, taking into account both consummated settlements and cases subject to the settlement program, only 14 lawsuits on behalf of a total of 24 plaintiffs are expected to remain in the LASC Coordinated Cases. Discovery is continuing in those fourteen remaining cases. No trial dates have been set.

In other state courts, a total of 12 personal injury actions (some on behalf of numerous plaintiffs) have been filed that have not been removed to federal court and transferred to the MDL. Eleven of those actions have been resolved and dismissed. The last remaining action in a state court other than California was filed in Missouri on January 4, 2016 on behalf of a single plaintiff. The complaint was served on November 14, 2016. We have answered the complaint and denied all material allegations asserted therein. The parties are now engaged in discovery. No trial date has been set.

With respect to the global settlement programs referenced above, the personal injury cases in the MDL and LASC Coordinated Cases and in other state courts were largely solicited and handled by the same plaintiffs law firms. Accordingly, mediations to discuss potential resolution of the various lawsuits brought by these firms were held on May 18, June 18, and July 24, 2015. At the conclusion of those mediations, the parties reached an agreement in principle on a global settlement program that is expected to resolve all or substantially all of the claims by persons represented by those firms. A master settlement agreement was executed as of March 24, 2016 and the parties are in the process of completing individual settlements. To the extent that the settlements with individual claimants are not finalized or otherwise consummated such that the litigation proceeds, it is too early to predict the outcome of any case, whether adverse results in any single case or in the aggregate would have a material adverse impact on our operations or financial position, and whether insurance coverage will be adequate to cover any losses. The settlements have been reached for business purposes in order to end the distraction of litigation, and the Company continues to believe it has meritorious defenses and intends to defend any remaining cases vigorously. In addition, it is too early to predict whether there will be future personal injury cases filed which are not covered by the global settlement program, whether adverse results in any single case or in the aggregate would have a material adverse impact on our operations or financial position, and whether insurance coverage will be available and/or adequate to cover any losses.

Converse, Inc. v. Skechers U.S.A., Inc. — On October 14, 2014, Converse filed an action against the Company in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, Brooklyn Division, Case 1:14-cv-05977-DLI-MDG, alleging trademark infringement, false designation of origin, unfair competition, trademark dilution and deceptive practices arising out of the Company’s alleged use of certain design elements on footwear. The complaint seeks, among other things, injunctive relief, profits, actual damages, enhanced damages, punitive damages, costs and attorneys’ fees. On October 14, 2014, Converse also filed a complaint naming 27 respondents including the Company with the U.S. International Trade Commission (the “ITC” or “Commission”), Federal Register Doc. 2014-24890, alleging violations of federal law in the importation into and the sale within the United States of certain footwear. Converse has requested that the Commission issue a general exclusion order, or in the alternative a limited exclusion order, and cease and desist orders. On December 8, 2014, the District Court stayed the proceedings before it. On December 19, 2014, the Company responded to the ITC complaint, denying the material allegations and asserting affirmative defenses. A trial before an administrative law judge of the ITC was held in August 2015. On November 15, 2015, the ITC judge issued his interim decision finding that certain discontinued products (Daddy’$ Money and HyDee HyTops) infringed on Converse’s intellectual property, but that other, still active product lines (Twinkle Toes and Bobs Utopia) did not. On February 3, 2016, the ITC decided that it would review in part certain matters that were decided by the ITC judge. On June 28, 2016, the full ITC issued a ruling affirming that Skechers Twinkle Toes and Bobs canvas shoes do not infringe Converse’s Chuck Taylor Midsole Trademark and affirming that Converse’s common law trademark was invalid.  The full ITC also invalidated Converse’s registered trademark.  Converse appealed this decision to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. On January 27, 2017, Converse filed its appellate brief but did not contest the portion of the decision that held that Skechers Twinkle Toes and Bobs canvas shoes do not infringe. On June 26, 2017, we filed our responsive brief, and we are currently awaiting the court’s setting of a date for oral argument.  While it is too early to predict the outcome of these legal proceedings or whether an adverse result in either or both of them would have a material adverse impact on the Company’s operations or financial position, the Company believes it has meritorious defenses and intend to defend these legal matters vigorously.

In accordance with U.S. GAAP, the Company records a liability in its condensed consolidated financial statements for loss contingencies when a loss is known or considered probable and the amount can be reasonably estimated. When determining the estimated loss or range of loss, significant judgment is required to estimate the amount and timing of a loss to be recorded. Estimates of probable losses resulting from litigation and governmental proceedings are inherently difficult to predict, particularly when the matters are in the procedural stages or with unspecified or indeterminate claims for damages, potential penalties, or fines. Accordingly, the Company cannot determine the final amount, if any, of its liability beyond the amount accrued in the condensed consolidated financial statements as of June 30, 2017, nor is it possible to estimate what litigation-related costs will be in the future.