Exit and disposal activities

12 Months Ended

Aug. 31, 2021

Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]

Transformational Cost Management Program

On December 20, 2018, the Company announced a transformational cost management program that was expected to deliver in excess of $2.0 billion of annual cost savings by fiscal 2022 (the “Transformational Cost Management Program”). At the end of fiscal 2021, the Company had delivered this annual cost savings goal.

Building on the successful implementation of the Transformational Cost Management Program to date and as part of the Company's strategic realignment to create even greater focus on the Company’s core business, on October 12, 2021, the Company’s Board of Directors approved an expansion and extension of the Transformational Cost Management Program through the end of fiscal 2024. The expanded Transformational Cost Management Program is expected to deliver incremental savings from existing programs and a comprehensive funnel of new initiatives which are intended to improve operating effectiveness and better position the core business for the future. The expansion of the program reflects further strategic initiatives to optimize real estate, implement a global business and centralized services model, as well as leverage technology and new business models to streamline processes across the organization. As a result, the Company is increasing its annual savings target to $3.3 billion of annual cost savings by fiscal 2024.

The Transformational Cost Management Program, which is multi-faceted and includes divisional optimization initiatives, global smart spending, global smart organization and the transformation of the Company’s information technology (IT) capabilities, is designed to help the Company achieve increased cost efficiencies. To date, the Company has taken actions across all aspects of the Transformational Cost Management Program. The actions under the Transformational Cost Management Program focus on all reportable segments and the Company’s global functions. Divisional optimization within each of the Company’s segments includes activities such as optimization of stores. As a result of the expanded program, the Company now plans to reduce its presence by up to 150 Boots stores in the UK and up to 150 stores in the United States over the next three years which are incremental to the previously planned reductions of approximately 200 Boots stores in the UK and approximately 250 stores in the United States.

The Company currently estimates that the Transformational Cost Management Program will result in cumulative pre-tax charges to its GAAP financial results of approximately $3.6 billion to $3.9 billion, of which $3.3 billion to $3.6 billion are expected to be recorded as exit and disposal activities. In addition to these impacts, as a result of the actions related to store closures taken under the Transformational Cost Management Program, the Company recorded $508 million of transition adjustments to decrease retained earnings due to the adoption of the new lease accounting standard (Topic 842) that became effective on September 1, 2019. See Note 1 Summary of major accounting policies, for additional information.

Since the inception of the Transformational Cost Management Program to August 31, 2021, the Company has recognized cumulative pre-tax charges to its financial results in accordance with GAAP of $1.3 billion, which were primarily recorded within selling, general and administrative expenses. These charges included $353 million related to lease obligations and other real estate costs, $252 million in asset impairments, $513 million in employee severance and business transition costs and $163 million of information technology transformation and other exit costs.

Costs related to exit and disposal activities under the Transformational Cost Management Program for the fiscal years ended August 31, 2021, 2020 and 2019, respectively, were as follows (in millions):


Twelve Months Ended August 31, 2021	United States		International		Corporate and Other		Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.
Lease obligations and other real estate costs	$	103	$	6	$	—	$	108
Asset impairments	15		9		—		24
Employee severance and business transition costs	79		40		45		165
Information technology transformation and other exit costs	20		17		—		38
Total pre-tax exit and disposal charges	$	217	$	72	$	46	$	335


Twelve Months Ended August 31, 2020	United States		International		Corporate and Other		Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.
Lease obligations and other real estate costs	$	191	$	9	$	14	$	215
Asset impairments	51		19		2		72
Employee severance and business transition costs	132		93		45		270
Information technology transformation and other exit costs	70		42		(4)		108
Total pre-tax exit and disposal charges	$	444	$	163	$	58	$	665


Twelve Months Ended August 31, 2019	United States		International		Corporate and Other		Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc.
Lease obligations and other real estate costs	$	5	$	26	$	—	$	30
Asset impairments	95		61		—		156
Employee severance and business transition costs	41		37		1		78
Information technology transformation and other exit costs	6		10		—		17
Total pre-tax exit and disposal charges	$	147	$	134	$	1	$	282

The changes in liabilities and assets related to the exit and disposal activities under Transformational Cost Management Program include the following (in millions):


	Lease obligations and other real estate costs		Asset Impairments		Employee severance and business transition costs		Information technology transformation and other exit costs		Total
Balance at August 31, 2019	$	17	$	—	$	27	$	3	$	47
Costs	215		72		270		108		665
Payments	(44)		—		(146)		(86)		(276)
Other - non cash	(166)		(72)		13		(11)		(236)
ASC 842 Leases adoption	(4)		—		—		—		(4)
Currency	1		—		2		—		3
Balance at August 31, 2020	$	19	$	—	$	166	$	14	$	199
Costs	108		24		165		38		335
Payments	(69)		—		(252)		(31)		(351)
Other - non cash	(42)		(24)		(4)		—		(70)
Currency	—		—		2		(1)		1
Balance at August 31, 2021	$	17	$	—	$	77	$	20	$	114

Store Optimization Program

On October 24, 2017, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a plan to implement a program (the “Store Optimization Program”) to optimize store locations through the planned closure of approximately 600 stores and related assets within the Company’s United States segment upon completion of the acquisition of certain stores and related assets from Rite Aid. The Company closed 769 stores and related assets. The actions under the Store Optimization Program commenced in March 2018 and were completed in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2020.

Costs related to Store Optimization Program for the twelve months ended August 2020 were $22 million for lease obligation and other real estate costs and $31 million for employee severance and other exit costs, respectively. The liabilities related to Store Optimization Program as of August 31, 2021 and August 31, 2020 were not material.