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PENSION AND POSTRETIREMENT PLANS
 12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2024
Retirement Benefits [Abstract]  
PENSION AND POSTRETIREMENT PLANS PENSION AND POSTRETIREMENT PLANS
Retirement plans expense includes the following components:
U.S. PlansNon-U.S. Plans
2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 
Defined benefit plans:
     Service cost (benefits earned during the period)$49 25 17 25 20 20 
     Interest cost99 164 169 33 50 49 
     Expected return on plan assets(253)(247)(259)(56)(39)(38)
     Net amortization and other102 (55)(43)3 18 6 
       Net periodic pension expense (income)(3)(113)(116)5 49 37 
Defined contribution plans124 111 130 52 49 70 
             Total retirement plans expense (income)$121 (2)14 57 98 107 

Total net periodic pension (income) increased in 2024 primarily due to higher return on plan assets, partially offset by higher interest costs. Net periodic pension expense (income) includes $7 and $16 and defined contribution expense includes $14 and $32 for 2023 and 2022, respectively, related to discontinued operations. For defined contribution plans, the Company makes cash contributions based on plan requirements, which are expensed as incurred.

The Company's principal U.S. defined benefit plan is closed to employees hired after January 1, 2016 while shorter-tenured employees ceased accruing benefits effective October 1, 2016. Effective January 1, 2025, the Company is implementing a new profit sharing retirement program for all U.S. non-union employees. Eligible employees will receive a base contribution to a cash balance account administered within the principal U.S. defined benefit plan, to be funded by surplus pension assets, as well as a potential profit sharing contribution to their defined contribution account. After December 31, 2024, future service for employees that had continued to accrue benefits in the principal U.S. defined benefit plan will be frozen.
All of the following tables include defined benefit pension plans related to continuing and discontinued operations.

Details of the changes in the actuarial present value of the projected benefit obligation and the fair value of plan assets for defined benefit pension plans follow:
U.S. PlansNon-U.S. Plans
2023 2024 2023 2024 
Projected benefit obligation, beginning$3,112 2,934 965 926 
     Service cost25 17 20 20 
     Interest cost164 169 50 49 
     Actuarial (gain) loss(75)283 (25)13 
     Curtailments(31)(4)— — 
     Benefits paid(204)(205)(42)(41)
     Settlements(2)(108)(70)(39)
     Acquisitions (Divestitures), net(56)— (46)6 
     Foreign currency translation and other1 3 74 70 
Projected benefit obligation, ending$2,934 3,089 926 1,004 
Fair value of plan assets, beginning$3,625 3,590 908 864 
     Actual return on plan assets230 598 (40)73 
     Employer contributions14 14 32 24 
     Benefits paid(204)(205)(42)(41)
     Settlements(2)(108)(70)(39)
     Acquisitions (Divestitures), net(74)— 2 (2)
     Foreign currency translation and other1 — 74 87 
Fair value of plan assets, ending$3,590 3,889 864 966 
     Net amount recognized in the balance sheet $656 800 (62)(38)
Location of net amount recognized in the balance sheet:
Noncurrent asset$815 961 180 233 
Current liability (14)(14)(17)(17)
Noncurrent liability(145)(147)(225)(254)
     Net amount recognized in the balance sheet $656 800 (62)(38)
Pretax accumulated other comprehensive loss$(257)(243)(181)(163)

Actuarial losses in 2024 were largely due to a decrease in the discount rates used to estimate the benefit obligations for the U.S. and non-U.S. plans, which were 4.97% and 4.7% at September 30, 2024 compared to 6.03% and 5.2% at September 30, 2023, respectively. Actuarial gains in 2023 were largely due to an increase in the discount rates used to estimate the benefit obligations for the U.S. and non-U.S. plans, which were 6.03% and 5.2% at September 30, 2023 compared to 5.64% and 4.9% at September 30, 2022, respectively. As of September 30, 2024, U.S. pension plans were overfunded by $800 in total, including unfunded plans totaling $161. The non-U.S. plans were underfunded by $38, including unfunded plans totaling $230.

As of the September 30, 2024 and 2023 measurement dates, the plans' total accumulated benefit obligation was $3,942 and $3,719, respectively. The total projected benefit obligation, accumulated benefit obligation and fair value of plan assets for individual plans with projected benefit obligations in excess of plan assets were $558, $470 and $125, respectively, for 2024, and $519, $435 and $118, respectively, for 2023. The total projected benefit obligation, accumulated benefit obligation and fair value of plan assets for individual plans with accumulated benefit obligations in excess of plan assets were $515, $452 and $92, respectively, for 2024, and $469, $413 and $77, respectively, for 2023.
Future benefit payments by U.S. plans are estimated to be $272 in 2025, $262 in 2026, $260 in 2027, $255 in 2028, $250 in 2029 and $1,165 in total over the five years 2030 through 2034. Based on foreign currency exchange rates as of September 30, 2024, future benefit payments by non-U.S. plans are estimated to be $63 in 2025, $61 in 2026, $64 in 2027, $68 in 2028, $73 in 2029 and $374 in total over the five years 2030 through 2034. The Company expects to contribute approximately $40 to its retirement plans in 2025.

The weighted-average assumptions used in the valuation of pension benefits follow:
U.S. PlansNon-U.S. Plans
2022 2023 2024 2022 2023 2024 
Net pension expense
Discount rate used to determine service cost3.16 %5.66 %6.09 %2.2 %4.9 %5.2 %
Discount rate used to determine interest cost2.31 %5.49 %5.94 %2.2 %4.9 %5.2 %
Expected return on plan assets6.00 %6.00 %6.50 %4.4 %4.4 %4.7 %
Rate of compensation increase4.00 %4.00 %4.00 %3.7 %4.0 %3.9 %
Benefit obligations
Discount rate5.64 %6.03 %4.97 %4.9 %5.2 %4.7 %
Rate of compensation increase4.00 %4.00 %4.00 %4.0 %3.9 %3.9 %

The discount rate for the U.S. retirement plans was 4.97 percent as of September 30, 2024. An actuarially developed, company-specific yield curve is used to determine the discount rate. To determine the service and interest cost components of pension expense for its U.S. retirement plans, the Company applies the specific spot rates along the yield curve, rather than the single weighted-average rate, to the projected cash flows to provide more precise measurement of these costs. The expected return on plan assets assumption is determined by reviewing the investment returns of the plans for the past 10 years plus longer-term historical returns of an asset mix approximating the Company's asset allocation targets, and periodically comparing these returns to expectations of investment advisors and actuaries to determine whether long-term future returns are expected to differ significantly from the past.

The Company's asset allocations at September 30, 2024 and 2023, and weighted-average target allocations follow:
U.S. PlansNon-U.S. Plans
2023 2024 Target2023 2024 Target
Equity securities39 %29 %
25-35%
8 %7 %
5-15%
Debt securities51 63 
60-70
75 69 
65-75
Other10 8 
0-10
17 24 
15-25
     Total100 %100 %100 %100 %100 %100 %

The primary objective for the investment of pension assets is to secure participant retirement benefits by earning a reasonable rate of return. Plan assets are invested consistent with the provisions of the prudence and diversification rules of ERISA and with a long-term investment horizon. The Company continuously monitors the value of assets by class and routinely rebalances to remain within target allocations. The equity strategy is to minimize concentrations of risk by investing primarily in a mix of companies that are diversified across geographies, market capitalization, style, sectors and industries worldwide. The approach for bonds emphasizes investment-grade corporate and government debt with maturities matching the duration of pension liabilities. The bonds strategy also includes a high-yield element which is generally shorter in duration. For diversification, a small portion of U.S. plan assets is allocated to private equity partnerships and real asset fund investments, providing opportunities for above market returns. Leveraging techniques are not used and the use of derivatives in any fund is limited and inconsequential.
The fair values of defined benefit pension assets as of September 30, organized by asset class and by the fair value hierarchy of ASC 820, Fair Value Measurement, follow. Investments valued based on the net asset value (NAV) of fund units held, as derived from the fair value of the underlying assets, are excluded from the fair value hierarchy.
Level 1Level 2Level 3Measured at NAVTotal%
2024
U.S. equities$245 10 — 620 875 18 %
International equities154 12 — 65 231 5 %
Emerging market equities1 — 101 102 2 %
Corporate bonds1,221 — 879 2,100 43 %
Government bonds904 — 108 1,012 21 %
Other206 1 132 196 535 11 %
     Total$605 2,149 132 1,969 4,855 100 %
2023
U.S. equities$396 9 — 619 1,024 23 %
International equities210 14 — 103 327 7 %
Emerging market equities— 1 — 118 119 3 %
Corporate bonds— 1,008 — 843 1,851 42 %
Government bonds— 505 — 124 629 14 %
Other121 7 126 250 504 11 %
     Total$727 1,544 126 2,057 4,454 100 %

Asset Classes
U.S. equities reflect companies domiciled in the U.S., including multinational companies. International equities are comprised of companies domiciled in developed nations outside the U.S. Emerging market equities are comprised of companies domiciled in portions of Asia, Eastern Europe and Latin America. Corporate bonds represent investment-grade debt of issuers primarily from the U.S. Government bonds include investment-grade instruments issued by federal, state and local governments, primarily in the U.S. Other includes cash, interests in mixed asset funds investing in commodities, natural resources, agriculture, real estate and infrastructure funds, life insurance contracts (U.S.), and shares in certain general investment funds of financial institutions or insurance arrangements (non-U.S.) that typically ensure no market losses or provide for a small minimum return guarantee.

Fair Value Hierarchy Categories
Valuations of Level 1 assets for all classes are based on quoted closing market prices from the principal exchanges where the individual securities are traded. Cash is valued at cost, which approximates fair value. Debt securities categorized as Level 2 assets are generally valued based on independent broker/dealer bids or by comparison to other debt securities having similar durations, yields and credit ratings. Valuation techniques and inputs for these assets include discounted cash flow analysis, earnings multiple approaches, recent transactions, transfer restrictions, prevailing discount rates, volatilities, credit ratings and other factors. In the Other class, interests in mixed asset funds are Level 2, and U.S. life insurance contracts and non-U.S. general fund investments and insurance arrangements are Level 3. Investments measured at NAV are primarily nonexchange-traded commingled or collective funds where the underlying securities have observable prices available from active markets and typically provide liquidity daily or within a few days. The NAV category also includes fund investments in private equities, real estate and infrastructure where the fair value of the underlying assets is determined by the investment manager. Total unfunded commitments for the private equity funds were approximately $90 at September 30, 2024. These investments cannot be redeemed, but instead the funds will make distributions through liquidation of the underlying assets, which is expected to occur over approximately the next 10 years. The real estate and infrastructure funds typically offer quarterly redemption.

Postretirement Plans
The Company also sponsors unfunded postretirement benefit plans (primarily health care) for certain U.S. retirees and their dependents. The Company’s principal U.S. postretirement plan has been frozen to new employees since 1993. The postretirement benefit liability for all plans was $71 and $72 as of September 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, and included deferred actuarial gains in accumulated other comprehensive income of $68 and $95, respectively. Service and interest costs are negligible and more than offset by the amortization of deferred actuarial gains, which resulted in net postretirement income of $18 for 2024, $19 for 2023 and $12 for 2022. Benefits paid
were $10 and $9 for 2024 and 2023, respectively, and the Company estimates that future health care benefit payments will be approximately $7 per year for 2025 through 2029, and $27 in total over the five years 2030 through 2034.