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Guarantees
12 Months Ended
Sep. 25, 2015
Guarantees  
Guarantees

 

12. Guarantees

Tax Sharing Agreement

        Effective June 29, 2007, we became the parent company of the former electronics businesses of Tyco International plc ("Tyco International"). On June 29, 2007, Tyco International distributed all of our shares, as well as its shares of its former healthcare businesses ("Covidien"), to its common shareholders (the "separation"). On January 26, 2015, Covidien was acquired and now operates as a subsidiary of Medtronic plc.

        Upon separation, we entered into a Tax Sharing Agreement, under which we share responsibility for certain of our, Tyco International's, and Covidien's income tax liabilities based on a sharing formula for periods prior to and including June 29, 2007. We, Tyco International, and Covidien share 31%, 27%, and 42%, respectively, of U.S. income tax liabilities that arise from adjustments made by tax authorities to our, Tyco International's, and Covidien's U.S. income tax returns. The effect of the Tax Sharing Agreement is to indemnify us for 69% of certain liabilities settled in cash by us with respect to unresolved pre-separation tax matters. Pursuant to that indemnification, we have made similar indemnifications to Tyco International and Covidien with respect to 31% of certain liabilities settled in cash by the companies relating to unresolved pre-separation tax matters. All costs and expenses associated with the management of these shared tax liabilities are shared equally among the parties.

        All of the tax liabilities that are associated with our businesses, including liabilities that arose prior to our separation from Tyco International, became our tax liabilities. Although we have agreed to share certain of these tax liabilities with Tyco International and Covidien, we remain primarily liable for all of these liabilities. If Tyco International and Covidien default on their obligations to us, we would be liable for the entire amount of these liabilities.

        If any party to the Tax Sharing Agreement were to default in its obligation to another party to pay its share of the distribution taxes that arise as a result of no party's fault, each non-defaulting party would be required to pay, equally with any other non-defaulting party, the amounts in default. In addition, if another party to the Tax Sharing Agreement that is responsible for all or a portion of an income tax liability were to default in its payment of such liability to a taxing authority, we could be legally liable under applicable tax law for such liabilities and required to make additional tax payments. Accordingly, under certain circumstances, we may be obligated to pay amounts in excess of our agreed-upon share of our, Tyco International's, and Covidien's tax liabilities.

Indemnification

        Our indemnification created under the Tax Sharing Agreement qualifies as a guarantee of a third party entity's debt under ASC 460, Guarantees. In the event that we are required, due to bankruptcy or other business interruption on the part of Tyco International or Covidien, to pay more than the contractually determined 31%, we retain the right to seek payment from the effected entity. At September 25, 2015 and September 26, 2014, we had a liability representing the indemnifications made to Tyco International and Covidien pursuant to the Tax Sharing Agreement of $17 million and $21 million, respectively. See additional information in Note 13.

Other Matters

        In disposing of assets or businesses, we often provide representations, warranties, and/or indemnities to cover various risks including unknown damage to assets, environmental risks involved in the sale of real estate, liability for investigation and remediation of environmental contamination at waste disposal sites and manufacturing facilities, and unidentified tax liabilities and legal fees related to periods prior to disposition. We do not expect that these uncertainties will have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows.

        At September 25, 2015, we had outstanding letters of credit, letters of guarantee, and surety bonds in the amount of $360 million.

        In the normal course of business, we are liable for contract completion and product performance. In the opinion of management, such obligations will not significantly affect our results of operations, financial position, or cash flows.

        We generally record estimated product warranty costs when contract revenues are recognized under the percentage-of-completion method for construction related contracts; other warranty reserves are not significant. The estimation is based primarily on historical experience and actual warranty claims. Amounts accrued for warranty claims at fiscal year end 2015 and 2014 were $35 million and $29 million, respectively.