Restructuring Charges, Net

Cost Synergies Initiative

The cost synergies initiative, initially referred to as the fiscal year 2015 initiative, was the beginning of the Company's restructuring program primarily related to the acquisition of Covidien. This initiative is expected to contribute to the approximately $850 million in cost synergies expected to be achieved as a result of the Covidien acquisition through fiscal year 2018, including administrative office optimization, manufacturing and supply chain infrastructure, certain program cancellations, and certain general and administrative savings. Restructuring charges are expected to be incurred on a quarterly basis throughout fiscal year 2017 and in future fiscal years as cost synergy strategies are finalized. Restructuring accruals resulting from quarterly restructuring charges are scheduled to be substantially complete within one year from the quarter the restructuring charge was initially incurred.

A summary of the activity related to the cost synergies initiative is presented below:



(in millions)	Employee Termination Costs			Asset Write-downs			Other Costs			Total
Balance as of April 24, 2015	$	136		$	—		$	7		$	143
Restructuring charges	52			—			15			67
Payments/write-downs	(76		)	—			(7		)	(83		)
Balance as of July 31, 2015	$	112		$	—		$	15		$	127
Restructuring charges	64			10			12			86
Payments/write-downs	(28		)	(10		)	(6		)	(44		)
Reversal of excess accrual	(13		)	—			—			(13		)
Balance as of October 30, 2015	$	135		$	—		$	21		$	156
Restructuring charges	36			12			7			55
Payments/write-downs	(30		)	(12		)	(8		)	(50		)
Reversal of excess accrual	(17		)	—			(2		)	(19		)
Balance as of January 29, 2016	$	124		$	—		$	18		$	142

As a result of certain employees identified for elimination finding other positions within the Company and revisions to severance provisions, the Company recorded a $19 million and a $32 million reversal of excess restructuring reserves for the three and nine months ended January 29, 2016, respectively.

As part of the cost synergies initiative, the company recorded $12 million and $22 million of asset write-downs for the three and nine months ended January 29, 2016, respectively. For the three and nine months ended January 29, 2016, asset write-downs included $9 million related to inventory write-offs of discontinued product lines, and therefore, was recorded within cost of products sold in the consolidated statements of income. For the three and nine months ended January 29, 2016, asset write-downs included $3 million and $13 million related to property, plant, and equipment impairments, respectively. The Company did not record any significant impairments during the three months ended January 23, 2015. The Company recorded $10 million related to inventory write-offs of discontinued product lines and production-related asset impairments for the nine months ended January 23, 2015, and therefore, was recorded within cost of products sold in the condensed consolidated statements of earnings.

Covidien Initiative

Covidien's pre-acquisition restructuring program is designed to improve legacy Covidien's cost structure. The program consists of reducing corporate expenses, expanding shared services, consolidating manufacturing locations, and optimizing distribution centers. The Covidien restructuring initiative is scheduled to be substantially complete by the end of fiscal year 2018.

At the Acquisition Date, the Company reserved $103 million in connection with the Covidien initiative, which consisted of employee termination costs of $76 million and other costs of $27 million. In the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2015, the Company recorded a reversal of excess restructuring reserves related to the Covidien initiative of $5 million. In addition, in the third quarter of fiscal year 2016, the Company recorded a reversal of excess restructuring reserves related to the Covidien initiative of $2 million. The reversals were primarily the result of certain employees identified for elimination finding other positions within the Company and revisions to particular strategies.

A summary of the activity related to the Covidien initiative is presented below:



(in millions)	Employee Termination Costs			Other Costs			Total
Balance as of April 24, 2015	$	61		$	17		$	78
Payments	(13		)	(5		)	(18		)
Balance as of July 31, 2015	$	48		$	12		$	60
Payments	(8		)	(6		)	(14		)
Balance as of October 30, 2015	$	40		$	6		$	46
Payments	(12		)	(2		)	(14		)
Reversal of excess accrual	(2		)	—			(2		)
Balance as of January 29, 2016	$	26		$	4		$	30