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Income Taxes
12 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Income Taxes
The domestic and foreign components of Loss from continuing operations before income taxes consist of the following for the years ended October 31:
(in millions)
2014
 
2013
 
2012
Domestic
$
(398
)
 
$
(1,045
)
 
$
(893
)
Foreign
(158
)
 
71

 
(218
)
Loss from continuing operations before income taxes
$
(556
)
 
$
(974
)
 
$
(1,111
)

The components of Income tax benefit (expense) related to continuing operations consist of the following for the years ended October 31:
(in millions)
2014
 
2013
 
2012
Current:
 
 
 
 
 
Federal
$

 
$
4

 
$
(2
)
State and local
7

 
(10
)
 
(11
)
Foreign
(48
)
 
(58
)
 
4

Total current benefit (expense)
$
(41
)
 
$
(64
)
 
$
(9
)
Deferred:
 
 
 
 
 
Federal
13

 
219

 
(1,841
)
State and local

 
2

 
(137
)
Foreign
2

 
14

 
207

Total deferred benefit (expense)
$
15

 
$
235

 
$
(1,771
)
Total income tax benefit (expense)
$
(26
)
 
$
171

 
$
(1,780
)

A reconciliation of statutory federal income tax benefit (expense) to recorded Income tax benefit (expense) related to continuing operations is as follows for the years ended October 31:
(in millions)
2014
 
2013
 
2012
Federal income tax benefit at the statutory rate of 35%
$
195

 
$
341

 
$
389

State income taxes, net of federal benefit
(4
)
 
(4
)
 
(6
)
Credits and incentives
(5
)
 

 
10

Adjustments to valuation allowances
(234
)
 
(350
)
 
(2,207
)
Foreign operations
(37
)
 
(8
)
 
(17
)
Adjustments to uncertain tax positions
15

 
(16
)
 
11

Income tax related to equity components
13

 
220

 

Non-controlling interest adjustment
14

 
19

 
17

Other
17

 
(31
)
 
23

Recorded income tax benefit (expense)
$
(26
)
 
$
171

 
$
(1,780
)

The tax effect of pretax income or loss from continuing operations generally should be determined by a computation that does not consider the tax effects of items that are not included in continuing operations. An exception to that incremental approach is applied when there is a loss from continuing operations and income in another category of earnings (for example, extraordinary items, discontinued operations, other comprehensive income, additional paid in capital, etc.).
In that situation, the tax provision is first allocated to the other categories of earnings. A related tax benefit is then recorded in continuing operations. This exception to the general rule applies even when a valuation allowance is in place at the beginning and end of the year. While intraperiod tax allocations do not change the overall tax provision, it may result in a gross-up of the individual components, thereby changing the amount of tax provision included in each category.
In the fourth quarter of 2013, the Company met the criteria necessary to apply the exception within the intraperiod tax allocation rules, since we incurred a loss from continuing operations and income was recognized in both Total other comprehensive income (loss) and Additional paid-in capital. As a result, the Company recorded an income tax benefit of $220 million in Income tax benefit (expense) related to continuing operations, and an offsetting tax expense of $212 million and $8 million in Total other comprehensive income (loss) and Additional paid-in capital, respectively.  Similarly, in the second quarter of 2014, in accordance with the intraperiod tax allocation rules, the Company recorded an income tax benefit of $13 million in Income tax benefit (expense) related to continuing operations, and an offsetting reduction in Additional paid in capital, which resulted from the issuance and repurchase of convertible notes. For more information, see Note 10, Debt. During 2012, the Company allocated the tax provision consistent with the intraperiod tax allocation rules, but did not meet the criteria necessary to apply the exception.

For the year ended October 31, 2014, the Company incurred additional losses in the U.S. and certain foreign jurisdictions and recognized income tax expense of $234 million for the increase in the valuation allowance on our deferred tax assets generated during the period. During the second quarter of 2014, we recorded an income tax expense of $29 million to establish the valuation allowance for Brazil deferred tax assets. In the fourth quarter of 2014, we recorded an offsetting benefit of $16 million to reflect a tax law change in Brazil that will allow utilization of a portion of the net operating loss carryforwards to satisfy other taxes. During the year ended October 31, 2013, we recognized income tax expense of $350 million for the increase in the valuation allowance on our deferred tax assets generated during the period. During the year ended October 31, 2012, we recognized income tax expense of $2.2 billion for the increase in the valuation allowance, which included the establishment of a valuation allowance on our U.S. deferred tax assets partially offset by the release of a significant portion of our valuation allowance on our Canadian deferred tax assets.
Undistributed earnings of foreign subsidiaries were $469 million at October 31, 2014. Domestic income taxes of $6 million were recorded for unremitted earnings from our Mexico subsidiaries in the fourth quarter of 2014. Domestic income taxes have not been provided on the remaining undistributed earnings because they are considered to be permanently invested in foreign subsidiaries. It is not practicable to estimate the amount of unrecognized deferred tax liabilities, if any, for these undistributed foreign earnings.
The components of the deferred tax asset (liability) at October 31 are as follows:
(in millions)
2014
 
2013
Deferred tax assets attributable to:
 
 
 
Employee benefits liabilities
$
1,210

 
$
1,107

Net operating loss ("NOL") carryforwards
1,213

 
840

Product liability and warranty accruals
494

 
546

Research and development
9

 
26

Tax credit carryforwards
256

 
259

Other
194

 
271

Gross deferred tax assets
3,376

 
3,049

Less: Valuation allowances
3,174

 
2,773

Net deferred tax assets
$
202

 
$
276

Deferred tax liabilities attributable to:
 
 
 
Goodwill and intangibles assets
$
(6
)
 
$
(72
)
Other
(10
)
 
(5
)
Total deferred tax liabilities
$
(16
)
 
$
(77
)

At October 31, 2014, deferred tax assets attributable to NOL carryforwards include $870 million attributable to U.S. federal NOL carryforwards, $144 million attributable to state NOL carryforwards, and $199 million attributable to foreign NOL carryforwards. If not used to reduce future taxable income, U.S. federal NOLs are scheduled to expire beginning in 2025. State NOLs can be carried forward for initial periods of 5 to 20 years, and are scheduled to expire in 2015 to 2034. Approximately one half of our foreign net operating losses will expire, beginning in 2028, while the balance has no expiration date.
There are $62 million of NOL carryforwards relating to stock option tax benefits which are deferred until utilization of our net operating losses. These tax benefits will be allocated to Additional paid-in capital when recognized. The majority of our tax credits can be carried forward for initial periods of 20 years, and are scheduled to expire in 2015 to 2034. Alternative minimum tax credits can be carried forward indefinitely.
A valuation allowance is required to be established or maintained when, based on currently available information, it is more likely than not that all or a portion of a deferred tax asset will not be realized. The guidance on accounting for income taxes provides important factors in determining whether a deferred tax asset will be realized, including whether there has been sufficient taxable income in recent years and whether sufficient income can reasonably be expected in future years in order to utilize the deferred tax asset.
For the year ended October 31, 2014, we have evaluated the need to maintain a valuation allowance for deferred tax assets based on our assessment of whether it is more likely than not that deferred tax benefits will be realized through the generation of future taxable income. Appropriate consideration is given to all available evidence, both positive and negative, in assessing the need for a valuation allowance. In the fourth quarter of 2012 our evaluation resulted in the determination that a significant additional valuation allowance on our U.S. deferred tax assets was required, due in part to our current domestic performance, which include continued fourth quarter deterioration and cumulative losses as of October 31, 2012, risks associated with our strategy for meeting 2010 Environmental Protection Agency ("EPA") emissions standards, and significant fourth quarter warranty charges. The Company incurred additional domestic losses from continuing operations for the years ended October 31, 2013 and 2014, resulting in objective negative evidence of cumulative losses that outweighs the subjective positive evidence. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of current and expected domestic earnings, industry volumes, tax planning strategies, and general business risks resulted in a more likely than not conclusion of not being able to realize a significant portion of our deferred tax assets for the year ended October 31, 2014.
In the second quarter of 2012, our evaluation resulted in the determination that a significant portion of our valuation allowance on our Canadian deferred tax assets could be released. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of current and expected earnings, industry volumes, tax planning strategies, and general business risks resulted in a more likely than not conclusion of being able to realize a significant portion of our Canadian deferred tax assets. As a result of our analysis, we recognized an income tax benefit of $189 million from the release of valuation allowances.
We continue to maintain valuation allowances on certain other foreign deferred tax assets that we believe, on a more-likely-than-not basis, will not be realized based on current forecasted results. For all remaining deferred tax assets, while we believe that it is more likely than not that they will be realized, we believe that it is reasonably possible that additional deferred tax asset valuation allowances could be required in the next twelve months.
The total deferred tax asset valuation allowances were $3.2 billion and $2.8 billion at October 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively. In the event we released all of our valuation allowances, almost all would impact income taxes as a benefit in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.
We recognize the tax benefit from an uncertain tax position only if it is more likely than not that the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized in the consolidated financial statements from such a position are measured based on the largest benefit that has a greater than fifty percent likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement. As of October 31, 2014 and 2013, the amount of liability for uncertain tax positions was $47 million and $88 million, respectively. The liability at October 31, 2014 of $47 million has a recorded offsetting tax benefit associated with the correlative effects of various issues of $12 million. If the unrecognized tax benefits are recognized, all would impact our effective tax rate. However, to the extent we continue to maintain a full valuation allowance against certain deferred tax assets, the effect may be in the form of an increase in the deferred tax asset related to our net operating loss carryforward, which would be offset by a full valuation allowance.
Changes in the liability for uncertain tax positions during the year ended October 31, 2014 are summarized as follows:
(in millions)
2014
Liability for uncertain tax positions at November 1
$
88

Increase as a result of positions taken in prior periods
1

Decrease as a result of positions taken in the current period
(7
)
Decrease as a result of foreign currency translation adjustments
(2
)
Settlements
(32
)
Lapse of statute of limitations
(1
)
Liability for uncertain tax positions at October 31
$
47


We recognize interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as part of Income tax benefit (expense). Total interest and penalties related to our uncertain tax positions resulted in an income tax benefit of $4 million, income tax expense of $6 million, and an income tax benefit of $11 million for the years ended October 31, 2014, 2013, and 2012 respectively. The total interest and penalties accrued were $8 million and $12 million for the years ended October 31, 2014 and 2013 respectively.
We have open tax years back to 2001 with various significant taxing jurisdictions including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and Brazil. In connection with the examination of tax returns, contingencies may arise that generally result from differing interpretations of applicable tax laws and regulations as they relate to the amount, timing, or inclusion of revenues or expenses in taxable income, or the sustainability of tax credits to reduce income taxes payable. We believe we have sufficient accruals for our contingent tax liabilities. Annual tax provisions include amounts considered sufficient to pay assessments that may result from examinations of prior year tax returns, although actual results may differ. While it is probable that the liability for unrecognized tax benefits may increase or decrease during the next 12 months, we do not expect any such change would have a material effect on our financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows.