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COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES
3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2021
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]  
Commitments and Contingencies
ENVIRONMENTAL MATTERS
Our environmental matters are described in Note 20 Commitments and Contingencies of Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements in our 2020 Annual Report on Form 10-K.
The following table summarizes information concerning our recorded liabilities for environmental costs:
Balance at December 31, 2020
$660 
Accruals for environmental matters deemed probable and reasonably estimable41 
Environmental liability payments(79)
Other
Balance at March 31, 2021
$623 
 
Environmental liabilities are included in the following balance sheet accounts: 
March 31, 2021December 31, 2020
Accrued liabilities$225 $225 
Other liabilities398 435 
 $623 $660 
The Company does not currently possess sufficient information to reasonably estimate the amounts of environmental liabilities to be recorded upon future completion of studies, litigation or settlements, and neither the timing nor the amount of the ultimate costs associated with environmental matters can be determined although they could be material to our consolidated results of operations and operating cash flows in the periods recognized or paid. However, considering our past experience and existing reserves, the Company does not expect that environmental matters will have a material adverse effect on its consolidated financial position.
In conjunction with the Resideo Technologies, Inc. (Resideo) spin-off, the Company entered into an indemnification and reimbursement agreement with a Resideo subsidiary, pursuant to which Resideo’s subsidiary has an ongoing obligation to make cash payments to Honeywell in amounts equal to 90% of Honeywell’s annual net spending for environmental matters at certain sites as defined in the agreement. The amount payable to Honeywell in any given year is subject to a cap of $140 million, and the obligation will continue until the earlier of December 31, 2043, or December 31 of the third consecutive year during which the annual payment obligation is less than $25 million.
Reimbursements associated with this agreement are collected from Resideo quarterly and were $35 million in the three months ended March 31, 2021 and offset operating cash outflows incurred by the Company. As the Company incurs costs for environmental matters deemed probable and reasonably estimable related to the sites covered by the indemnification and reimbursement agreement, a corresponding receivable from Resideo for 90% of such costs is also recorded. This receivable amount recorded in the three months ended March 31, 2021 was $36 million. As of March 31, 2021, Other Current Assets and Other Assets included $140 million and $452 million, respectively, for the short-term and long-term portion of the receivable amount due from Resideo under the indemnification and reimbursement agreement.  
ASBESTOS MATTERS
Honeywell is named in asbestos-related personal injury claims related to North American Refractories Company (NARCO), which was sold in 1986, and the Bendix Friction Materials (Bendix) business, which was sold in 2014. 
The following tables summarize information concerning NARCO and Bendix asbestos-related balances:
ASBESTOS RELATED LIABILITIES
 BendixNARCOTotal
December 31, 2020$1,441 $779 $2,220 
Accrual for update to estimated liability10 18 
Asbestos-related liability payments(35)(30)(65)
March 31, 2021$1,416 $757 $2,173 
INSURANCE RECOVERIES FOR ASBESTOS RELATED LIABILITIES
 BendixNARCOTotal
December 31, 2020$148 $254 $402 
Probable insurance recoveries related to estimated liability— — — 
Insurance receipts for asbestos-related liabilities(5)(14)(19)
Insurance receivables settlements— — — 
March 31, 2021$143 $240 $383 
NARCO and Bendix asbestos-related balances are included in the following balance sheet accounts:
March 31, 2021December 31, 2020
Other current assets$36 $36 
Insurance recoveries for asbestos related liabilities347 366 
$383 $402 
Accrued liabilities$300 $300 
Asbestos-related liabilities1,873 1,920 
 $2,173 $2,220 
NARCO Products – NARCO manufactured high-grade, heat-resistant, refractory products for various industries. Honeywell’s predecessor, Allied Corporation, owned NARCO from 1979 to 1986. Allied Corporation sold the NARCO business in 1986 and entered into a cross-indemnity agreement which included an obligation to indemnify the purchaser for asbestos claims. Such claims arise primarily from alleged occupational exposure to asbestos-containing refractory brick and mortar for high-temperature applications. NARCO ceased manufacturing these products in 1980 and ultimately filed for bankruptcy in January 2002, at which point in time all then current and future NARCO asbestos claims were stayed against both NARCO and Honeywell pending the reorganization of NARCO. The Company established its initial liability for NARCO asbestos claims in 2002.
NARCO emerged from bankruptcy in April 2013, at which time a federally authorized 524(g) trust was established to evaluate and resolve all existing NARCO asbestos claims (the Trust). Both Honeywell and NARCO are protected by a permanent channeling injunction barring all present and future individual actions in state or federal courts and requiring all asbestos-related claims based on exposure to NARCO asbestos-containing products to be made against the Trust. The NARCO Trust Agreement (TA) and the NARCO Trust Distribution Procedures (TDP) are the principal documents setting forth the structure of the Trust, establishing Honeywell’s evergreen funding obligations and the material operating rules for the Trust.
Per the TA, the Trust is eligible to receive cash dividends from Harbison-Walker International Inc. (HWI), the reorganized and renamed entity that emerged, fully operational, from the NARCO bankruptcy. The cash dividends are required to be used to pay claims which qualify for payment under the TDP (Annual Contribution Claims) until those funds are exhausted, at which point Honeywell’s funding obligation, subject to an annual cap of $145 million, is triggered. The Company is also required to fund amounts owed pursuant to settlement agreements reached during the pendency of the NARCO bankruptcy proceedings that provide for the right to submit claims to the Trust subject to qualification under the terms of the settlement agreements and TDP (Pre-Established Unliquidated Claims), as well as fund the annual operating costs of the Trust. There is no annual funding cap relative to Pre-Established Unliquidated Claims. Dividends from HWI were exhausted during the fourth quarter of 2019 and there have been no further dividends from HWI to date.
The operating rules per the TDP include Honeywell’s audit rights and the criteria claimants must meet for a claim to be considered valid and paid, which include adequate medical evidence of the claimant’s asbestos-related condition and credible evidence of exposure to a specific NARCO asbestos-containing product. Once operational in 2014, the Trust began to receive, process and pay claims, at which point the Company began to assert its audit rights to review and monitor the claims processor’s adherence to the established requirements of the TDP. While doing so, the Company identified several issues with the way the Trust was adhering to the TDP and the Company continues to identify and dispute these matters as further claims are processed. Although the Company is attempting to resolve instances where it believes the Trust is not processing claims in accordance with the established TDP, the Company reserves the right to seek judicial intervention should it fail to resolve the disputed issues.
Due to the bankruptcy filing in 2002, claimants were not permitted to file additional claims until the Trust became operative in 2014. As a consequence, there was a large backlog of claims that were filed with the Trust upon becoming operative through December 31, 2017, the date by which these claims had to be filed or else be barred by the statute of limitations (subject to tolling exceptions in the TDP). Therefore, the claims filing rate did not start to normalize until 2018 and thereafter. As a result, between 2002 and 2018, the Company lacked a history of sufficiently reliable claims data to derive a reasonable estimate and the Company continued to update its original NARCO asbestos liability, as appropriate, using all available information.
With three years of sufficiently reliable claims data, the Company updated its estimate of the NARCO asbestos liability utilizing claims data from January 1, 2018 through December 31, 2020. The Company utilized an asbestos liability valuation specialist to support our preparation of the NARCO asbestos liability estimates. Our estimates, which involve significant management judgment, include consideration of multiple scenarios, including a scenario adjusting for the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Trust's ability to process claims during 2020. The estimate for the resolution of asserted Annual Contribution Claims and Pre-Established Unliquidated Claims uses average payment values for the relevant historical period. For unasserted claims, the estimate is based on historic and anticipated claims filing experience and payment rates, disease classifications and type of claim, and average payment values by the Trust for the relevant historical period. The Company's estimate also includes all years of epidemiological disease projection through 2059.
The liability reflects an estimate for the resolution of Annual Contribution Claims and Pre-Established Unliquidated Claims filed with the Trust, as well as for unasserted Annual Contribution Claims and Pre-Established Unliquidated Claims. The NARCO asbestos liability excludes the annual operating expenses of the Trust which are expensed as they are incurred.
The Company's NARCO related insurance receivable reflects coverage which reimburses Honeywell for portions of NARCO-related claims and defense costs. This coverage is provided by a large number of insurance policies written by dozens of insurance companies in both the domestic insurance market and the London excess market. Honeywell's NARCO related insurance receivable is an estimate of the probable amount of insurance that is recoverable for asbestos claims. Most of our insurance carriers remain solvent. However, select individual insurance carriers are now insolvent, which we have considered in our analysis of probable recoveries. Our judgments related to our insurance carriers and insurance coverages are reasonable and consistent with Honeywell's historical dealings and Honeywell's knowledge of any pertinent solvency issues surrounding insurers.
Bendix Products – Bendix manufactured automotive brake linings that contained chrysotile asbestos in an encapsulated form. Claimants consist largely of individuals who allege exposure to asbestos from brakes from either performing or being in the vicinity of individuals who performed brake replacements. The following tables present information regarding Bendix-related asbestos claims activity: 
Three Months Ended
March 31,
Years Ended 
December 31,
Claims Activity202120202019
Claims unresolved at the beginning of period6,242 6,480 6,209 
Claims filed617 2,233 2,659 
Claims resolved(486)(2,471)(2,388)
Claims unresolved at the end of period6,373 6,242 6,480 
March 31,December 31,
Disease Distribution of Unresolved Claims202120202019
Mesothelioma and other cancer claims3,566 3,422 3,399 
Nonmalignant claims2,807 2,820 3,081 
Total claims6,373 6,242 6,480 

Honeywell has experienced average resolution values per claim excluding legal costs as follows:
 Years Ended December 31,
 20202019201820172016
 (in whole dollars)
Malignant claims$61,500 $50,200 $55,300 $56,000 $44,000 
Nonmalignant claims$550 $3,900 $4,700 $2,800 $4,485 
It is not possible to predict whether resolution values for Bendix-related asbestos claims will increase, decrease or stabilize in the future. 
The Consolidated Financial Statements reflect an estimated liability for resolution of asserted (claims filed as of the financial statement date) and unasserted Bendix-related asbestos claims, which exclude the Company’s ongoing legal fees to defend such asbestos claims which will continue to be expensed as they are incurred.
The Company reflects the inclusion of all years of epidemiological disease projection through 2059 when estimating the liability for unasserted Bendix-related asbestos claims. Such liability for unasserted Bendix-related asbestos claims is based on historic and anticipated claims filing experience and dismissal rates, disease classifications, and resolution values in the tort system for the previous five years. The Company has valued Bendix asserted and unasserted claims using average resolution values for the previous five years. The Company updates the resolution values used to estimate the cost of Bendix asserted and unasserted claims during the fourth quarter each year.
The Company's insurance receivable corresponding to the liability for settlement of asserted and unasserted Bendix asbestos claims reflects coverage which is provided by a large number of insurance policies written by dozens of insurance companies in both the domestic insurance market and the London excess market. Based on our ongoing analysis of the probable insurance recovery, insurance receivables are recorded in the financial statements simultaneous with the recording of the estimated liability for the underlying asbestos claims. This determination is based on our analysis of the underlying insurance policies, our historical experience with our insurers, our ongoing review of the solvency of our insurers, judicial determinations relevant to our insurance programs, and our consideration of the impacts of any settlements reached with our insurers.
On October 31, 2018, David Kanefsky, a Honeywell shareholder, filed a putative class action complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey alleging violations of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 related to the prior accounting for Bendix asbestos claims. An Amended Complaint was filed on December 30, 2019, and on February 7, 2020, we filed a Motion to Dismiss. On May 18, 2020, the court denied our Motion to Dismiss. We believe the claims have no merit.
GARRETT MATTER
In conjunction with the Garrett spin-off, the Company entered into a binding indemnification and reimbursement agreement (Garrett Indemnity) with a Garrett subsidiary, pursuant to which Garrett’s subsidiary has an ongoing obligation to make cash payments to Honeywell in amounts equal to (i) 90% of Honeywell’s asbestos-related liability payments primarily related to the Bendix business in the United States, as well as certain environmental-related liability payments and accounts payable and non-United States asbestos-related liability payments, including the legal costs of defending and resolving such liabilities, less (ii) 90% of Honeywell’s net insurance receipts and, as may be applicable, certain other recoveries associated with such liabilities. The amount payable to Honeywell in respect of such liabilities arising in any given year is subject to a cap of approximately Euro 150 million (equivalent to $175 million at the time the Garrett Indemnity was entered into). The obligation under the terms of the Garrett Indemnity continues until the earlier of December 31, 2048, or December 31 of the third consecutive year during which the annual obligation is less than the Euro equivalent, at the fixed exchange rate at the time the Garrett Indemnity was entered into, of $25 million.
On June 12, 2020, the Company and Garrett entered into an amendment of the Garrett Indemnity in connection with Garrett’s amendment of its 2018 credit agreement. These amendments provided Garrett with temporary financial covenant relief with respect to the total leverage and interest coverage ratios, for a period that could extend to as late as June 30, 2022. Garrett’s payments to the Company under the Garrett Indemnity were deferred to the extent Garrett is (or to the extent such payments would cause Garrett to be) out of compliance with the original financial covenants and resume to the extent Garrett is in compliance with such original financial covenants. Any deferred amounts were to be paid to the extent Garrett was in compliance with such original financial covenants and had available capacity to make such payments pursuant to the terms of the Garrett Indemnity and its current credit agreement.
In conjunction with the spin-off, Honeywell also entered into a binding tax matters agreement with Garrett and a Garrett subsidiary (the Tax Matters Agreement). The Tax Matters Agreement generally provides that Garrett is responsible and must indemnify Honeywell for all ordinary operating taxes, including income taxes, sales taxes, value-added taxes and payroll taxes, relating to Garrett for all periods, including periods prior to the spin-off, to the extent not paid prior to the spin-off date. In addition, among other items, as a result of the mandatory transition tax imposed by the U.S. Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Garrett is required to make payments to Honeywell in the amount representing the net tax liability of Honeywell under the mandatory transition tax attributable to Garrett.
GARRETT LITIGATION AND BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS
On December 2, 2019, Garrett and Garrett ASASCO Inc. filed a Summons with Notice and commenced a lawsuit in the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York (the State Court), seeking to invalidate the Garrett Indemnity. Garrett sought damages and a declaratory judgment based on various claims set forth in the Summons with Notice. On January 15, 2020, Garrett filed its complaint in the action, which asserted the same claims, and on March 5, 2020, we filed a Motion to Dismiss. On June 12, 2020, given the challenges of operating in the COVID-19 environment, Honeywell and Garrett entered into a litigation status agreement pursuant to which (i) the parties agreed to make good faith efforts to limit near-term litigation spend on this matter, and (ii) the Company agreed to extend both the $2 million payment owed by Garrett to the Company on May 1, 2020 under the Garrett Indemnity and the $18 million payment owed by Garrett to the Company on April 1, 2020 under the Tax Matters Agreement until December 31, 2020 (which amounts, as previously disclosed, had been deferred to May 31, 2020). On July 17, 2020, the Company received a notice from Garrett asserting that Honeywell has caused material breaches of the Tax Matters Agreement and that the Tax Matters Agreement is unenforceable.
On September 20, 2020, Garrett and 36 of its affiliates filed voluntary petitions for relief under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York (the Bankruptcy Court). On September 24, 2020, Garrett moved the existing State Court litigation against Honeywell to the Bankruptcy Court. Honeywell again moved to dismiss all of Garrett’s claims on October 13, 2020. On November 2, 2020, Garrett filed a motion seeking to establish procedures to estimate the value of Honeywell’s claims. Honeywell objected to the motion. On November 18, 2020, the Bankruptcy Court held a hearing on the motion to establish procedures with respect to Honeywell’s claims and the motion to dismiss. The Bankruptcy Court did not rule on the motion to dismiss but suggested that two weeks be set aside in February 2021 for an evidentiary hearing to establish the actual allowed amount or net amount of Honeywell’s claim against Garrett. Honeywell and Garrett agreed to proceed with the estimation of Honeywell’s claims but later agreed to suspend the estimation process pending the settlement and release of Honeywell’s claims in connection with the confirmation of a plan of reorganization as discussed below. We continue to believe we have fully complied with our obligations under the Garrett Indemnity and the Tax Matters Agreement and that both agreements are valid and enforceable.
Garrett’s operations have and are expected to continue, without interruption, throughout the bankruptcy proceedings. Garrett initially proposed to sell its business while in bankruptcy, and entered into a Share and Asset Purchase Agreement, dated as of September 20, 2020, with KPS Capital Partners, LP (the Stalking Horse Agreement) and filed proposed bidding procedures for a marketing and sale process, auction and other procedures related to the proposed sale. In October 2020, Honeywell signed a coordination agreement with Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. (Oaktree) and Centerbridge Partners, L.P. (Centerbridge), which was subsequently signed by additional equity holders that, collectively with Honeywell, Centerbridge and Oaktree, represent approximately 58% of Garrett’s outstanding common stock and noteholders representing approximately 88% of the principal amount of Garrett’s outstanding senior notes (the Coordination Agreement). The Coordination Agreement and related term sheet set forth the terms of a proposed plan of reorganization (the Initial COH Proposal).
In October 2020, the Bankruptcy Court approved the bidding procedures and the Stalking Horse Agreement (as amended), and Garrett conducted a marketing and auction process through January 8, 2021. On January 11, 2021, after further revisions to the Initial COH Proposal, Garrett determined that the revised proposal (the Final COH Proposal) was higher and better than all other proposals received and entered into a plan support agreement (the Plan Support Agreement), pursuant to which all parties agreed to pursue Bankruptcy Court confirmation of the Final COH Proposal. KPS Capital Partners, LP subsequently terminated the Stalking Horse Agreement with Garrett.
As set forth in the Plan Support Agreement, the Final COH Proposal, which will be implemented through Garrett’s chapter 11 plan (the Plan) provides that, if the Plan is confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court (scheduled Plan confirmation hearing date is April 23, 2021), Honeywell will receive from Garrett on the effective date of the Plan an initial payment of $375 million in cash and Series B Preferred Stock, which will provide for cash payments to Honeywell of approximately $35 million in 2022 and $100 million per year from 2023 to 2030 (inclusive), subject to various put and call rights set forth therein. The initial cash payment, together with the Series B Preferred Stock, would be paid/issued in full and final satisfaction of Garrett’s obligations to Honeywell under the Garrett Indemnity and the Tax Matters Agreement. Upon Garrett’s emergence from bankruptcy, both agreements would be terminated, Honeywell and Garrett would mutually release each other from the claims asserted in all pending legal actions, and all pending litigation with Garrett in connection with those agreements will be resolved. In light of these developments, the hearing scheduled to estimate Honeywell’s claims and the adversary proceeding seeking to
invalidate the Indemnity Agreement have been stayed and all related litigation suspended. If the Plan is confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court, both proceedings will be dismissed with prejudice on the effective date of the Plan.
We regularly review the aggregate carrying value of the receivable amounts due in connection with the Garrett Indemnity and the Tax Matters Agreement. Because Garrett is now a party to the Plan Support Agreement, we believe the present value of payments to Honeywell under the Plan, discounted at a rate reflective of the terms of the agreement, is an appropriate estimate of receivable amounts. As of December 31, 2020, Other Current Assets and Other Assets included $10 million and $949 million, respectively, for the short-term and long-term portion of the receivable amount due from the Garrett Indemnity and Tax Matters Agreement. During the three months ended March 31, 2021, there were no adjustments to the carrying value of the receivable.
There can be no assurance that the Plan will be confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court or that Garrett will be able to substantially consummate the restructuring transactions contemplated in the Plan. The ultimate outcome of the bankruptcy process is uncertain. Depending on the transaction and/or plan of reorganization ultimately approved and confirmed by the Bankruptcy Court, the amount collected could differ from the receivable amounts currently recorded in our financial statements. There can be no assurance that recording an additional adjustment (positive or negative) against the remaining receivable amounts in whole or in part (together with a related statement of operations charge) will not be necessary in a future period or periods. Honeywell will continue to participate in the Bankruptcy Court proceedings in order to appropriately assess and enforce our rights in this matter. Should the Plan not be confirmed in the form currently contemplated, Honeywell intends to vigorously defend its rights to collect amounts due under the Garrett Indemnity and Tax Matters Agreement with Garrett.
OTHER MATTERS
The Company is subject to a number of other lawsuits, investigations and disputes (some of which involve substantial amounts claimed) arising out of the conduct of our business, including matters relating to commercial transactions, government contracts, product liability, prior acquisitions and divestitures, employee benefit plans, intellectual property, and environmental, health and safety matters. We recognize a liability for any contingency that is probable of occurrence and reasonably estimable. We continually assess the likelihood of adverse judgments or outcomes in these matters, as well as potential ranges of possible losses (taking into consideration any insurance recoveries), based on a careful analysis of each matter with the assistance of outside legal counsel and, if applicable, other experts. Included in these other matters is the following:
Petrobras and Unaoil – We are cooperating with certain investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Brazilian authorities relating to our use of third parties who previously worked for our UOP business in Brazil in relation to Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. (Petrobras). The investigations are focused on compliance with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and similar Brazilian laws, and involve, among other things, document production and interviews with former and current management and employees. The DOJ and the SEC are also examining a matter involving a foreign subsidiary’s prior engagement of Unaoil S.A.M. in Algeria. We are cooperating with the authorities in each of the above matters. While we cannot predict the outcome of these matters, based on the facts currently known to us, we do not anticipate that these matters will have a material adverse effect on our financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.
Given the uncertainty inherent in litigation and investigations (including the specific matter referenced above), we do not believe it is possible to develop estimates of reasonably possible loss in excess of current accruals for these matters (other than as specifically set forth above). Considering our past experience and existing accruals, we do not expect the outcome of these matters, either individually or in the aggregate, to have a material adverse effect on our consolidated financial position. Because most contingencies are resolved over long periods of time, potential liabilities are subject to change due to new developments, changes in settlement strategy or the impact of evidentiary requirements, which could cause us to pay damage awards or settlements (or become subject to equitable remedies) that could have a material adverse effect on our consolidated results of operations or operating cash flows in the periods recognized or paid.