Annual report pursuant to Section 13 and 15(d)

Note 12 - Commitments and Contingencies

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Note 12 - Commitments and Contingencies
12 Months Ended
Mar. 30, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Text Block]

Note 12 – Commitments and Contingencies


Total rent expense was $1.4 million and $1.6 million during fiscal years 2014 and 2013, respectively. The Company’s commitment for minimum guaranteed rental payments under its lease agreements as of March 30, 2014 is $6.4 million, consisting of $1.2 million due in fiscal year 2015, $1.0 million due in each of fiscal years 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020, and $173,000 due in fiscal year 2021.


Total royalty expense was $7.5 million and $6.8 million for fiscal years 2014 and 2013, respectively. The Company’s commitment for minimum guaranteed royalty payments under its license agreements as of March 30, 2014 is $6.2 million, consisting of $3.2 million, $2.9 million and $38,000 due in fiscal years 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively.


BreathableBaby, LLC (“BreathableBaby”) filed a complaint against the Company and CCIP on January 11, 2012 in the United States District Court for the District of Minnesota, alleging that CCIP’s mesh crib liner infringes BreathableBaby’s patent rights relating to its air permeable infant bedding technology. The Company believes that it has meritorious defenses to the claims asserted in the complaint, and the Company intends to defend itself vigorously against all such claims. The Company and CCIP filed a motion for summary judgment of non-infringement on May 14, 2012. On July 25, 2012, the Court entered an order denying that motion without prejudice to refiling it at the close of discovery. In doing so, the Court did not rule on the merits of the Company’s motion, but instead determined that further discovery was required before a motion for summary judgment could be decided. Discovery accordingly resumed; however, on August 6, 2013, upon becoming concerned that the costs of discovery and litigation were quickly surpassing the amount in controversy, the Court ordered a temporary stay of all discovery.


CCIP was granted a patent in September 2013 related to its mesh crib liner by the United States Patent and Trademark Office and has capitalized $58,000 of costs associated with applying for this patent. In addition, the Company’s policy is to capitalize legal and other costs incurred in the defense of the Company’s patents when it is believed that the future economic benefit of the patent will be maintained or increased and a successful defense is probable. In this regard, as of March 30, 2014, CCIP has capitalized legal and other costs in the amount of $990,000 associated with its defense of the BreathableBaby complaint into the intangible asset related to the patent for its own mesh crib liner. The Company’s is amortizing the patent application costs and the litigation costs associated with CCIP’s mesh crib liner over the expected life of the patent. An unfavorable outcome of the Breathablebaby litigation could result in an impairment charge of up to the $1.0 million carrying value of CCIP’s mesh crib liner.


In addition to the foregoing civil complaints, the Company is, from time to time, involved in various legal proceedings relating to claims arising in the ordinary course of its business. Neither the Company nor any of its subsidiaries is a party to any such legal proceeding the outcome of which, individually or in the aggregate, is expected to have a material adverse effect on the Company’s financial position, results of operations or cash flows.