Restructurings and Impairments

Restructuring charges are recorded based on restructuring plans that have been committed to by management and are, in part, based upon management's best estimates of future events. Changes to the estimates may require future adjustments to the restructuring liabilities.

Restructuring Liability

The following tables summarize the activity in the restructuring liability, which excludes pension and other postretirement contractual termination benefits:



(in millions)	Balance at October 31, 2017		Additions		Payments			Adjustments			Balance at October 31, 2018
Employee termination charges	$	14	$	3	$	(10	)	$	(4	)	$	3
Lease vacancy	—		—		—			—			—
Other	1		—		—			—			1
Restructuring liability	$	15	$	3	$	(10	)	$	(4	)	$	4



(in millions)	Balance at October 31, 2016		Additions		Payments			Adjustments			Balance at October 31, 2017
Employee termination charges	$	5	$	22	$	(12	)	$	(1	)	$	14
Lease vacancy	1		—		(1		)	—			—
Other	1		—		—			—			1
Restructuring liability	$	7	$	22	$	(13	)	$	(1	)	$	15



(in millions)	Balance at October 31, 2015		Additions		Payments			Adjustments		Balance at October 31, 2016
Employee termination charges	$	62	$	4	$	(63	)	$	2	$	5
Lease vacancy	5		—		(4		)	—		1
Other	1		—		—			—		1
Restructuring liability	$	68	$	4	$	(67	)	$	2	$	7

Cost-Reductions and Other Strategic Initiatives

From time to time, we have announced, and we may continue to announce, actions to control spending across the Company with targeted reductions of certain costs. We are focused on continued reductions in discretionary spending, including reductions resulting from efficiencies, and prioritizing or eliminating certain programs or projects.

Voluntary separation program and reduction-in-force actions

During 2015, we initiated new cost-reduction actions, including a reduction-in-force in the U.S. and Brazil. As a result of these actions, we recognized restructuring charges of $13 million in personnel costs for employee termination and related benefits, which were primarily paid throughout 2016.

We also offered the majority of our U.S.-based non-represented salaried employees the opportunity to apply for a voluntary separation program ("VSP"). As a result of these actions, we recognized restructuring charges of $37 million. The restructuring charges primarily consist of personnel costs for employee termination and related benefits. In addition, we initiated new cost-reduction actions, including a reduction-in-force in Brazil. As a result of these actions, we recognized restructuring charges of $10 million in personnel costs for employee termination and related benefits, which were paid throughout 2016.

Global operations employee separation actions

During 2017, we initiated cost-reduction actions impacting our workforce in Brazil. As a result of these actions, we recognized restructuring charges of $6 million in personnel costs for employee separation and related benefits. During 2018, we recognized a benefit of $1 million upon the completion of these separation actions. This benefit was recorded in our Global operations segment within Restructuring charges in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

North American Manufacturing Restructuring Activities

We continue to focus on our core Truck and Parts businesses and evaluate our portfolio of assets to validate their strategic and financial fit. This allows us to close or divest non-strategic businesses, and identify opportunities to restructure our business and rationalize our Manufacturing operations in an effort to optimize our cost structure. For those areas that fall outside our strategic businesses, we are evaluating alternatives which could result in additional restructuring and other related charges in the future, including but not limited to: (i) impairments, (ii) costs for employee and contractor termination and other related benefits, and (iii) charges for pension and other postretirement contractual benefits and curtailments. These charges could be significant.

Chatham restructuring activities

During 2011, we committed to close our Chatham, Ontario heavy truck plant, which had been idled since June 2009. At that time, we recognized curtailment and contractual termination charges related to postretirement plans. Based on a ruling regarding pension benefits received from the Financial Services Tribunal in Ontario, Canada, in the third quarter of 2014, we recognized additional charges of $14 million related to the 2011 closure of the Chatham, Ontario plant. Unsuccessful efforts to appeal the ruling in the Ontario court system ended in December 2015. In April 2016, we filed a qualified partial wind-up report for approval by the Financial Services Commission of Ontario ("FSCO"). In January 2017, FSCO issued its approval of the partial wind-up report. In February 2017, we finalized the resolution of statutory severance pay for former employees related to the closure of our Chatham, Ontario plant, resulting in a charge of $6 million in the first quarter of 2017. During the third quarter of 2017, we finalized the Chatham closure agreement. This resulted in the release of $66 million in other post-employment benefit ("OPEB") liabilities. In addition, a pension settlement accounting charge of $23 million was recorded as a result of lump-sum payments made to certain pension plan participants. These charges and benefits were recorded in our Truck segment within Restructuring charges in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Melrose Park Facility restructuring activities

In the third quarter of 2017, we committed to a plan to cease engine production at our plant in Melrose Park, Illinois (“Melrose Park Facility”) in the third quarter of fiscal year 2018. As a result, in the third quarter of 2017, we recognized charges of $41 million in our Truck segment. The charges include $23 million related to pension and OPEB liabilities and $8 million for severance pay recorded in Restructuring charges in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. We also recorded $10 million of inventory reserves and other related charges Costs of products sold in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. During 2018, we recognized a benefit of $2 million related to the finalized cessation of production agreement. This benefit was recorded in our Truck segment within Restructuring charges in our Consolidated Statements of Operations. Production at the Melrose Park Facility ceased in May 2018.

See Note 10, Postretirement benefits for further discussion.

Asset Impairments

The following table reconciles our Asset impairment charges in our Consolidated Statements of Operations:



	For the Years Ended October 31,
(in millions)	2018		2017		2016
Intangible asset impairment charge	$	—	$	—	$	1
Other asset impairment charges related to continuing operations	14		13		26
Total asset impairment charges	$	14	$	13	$	27

As a result of the economic downturn in Brazil in 2016 causing declines in actual and forecasted results, we tested the indefinite-lived intangible asset of our Brazilian engine reporting unit for potential impairment. As a result, we determined that the trademark asset carrying value was impaired, resulting in charges of $1 million for the year ended October 31, 2016. For more information, see Note 1, Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.

During 2018, we concluded that we had triggering events related to the sale of our railcar business in Cherokee, Alabama requiring the impairment of certain long-lived assets. As a result, we recorded a charge of $2 million in our Truck segment. In February 2018, we completed the sale of the business. We also concluded that we had triggering events related to other certain long-lived assets, and recorded additional charges of $6 million in our Truck segment and a charge of $1 million in our Financial Services segment.

During 2017, we concluded that we had a triggering event in connection with the sale of our fabrication business in Conway, Arkansas requiring the impairment of certain assets. As a result, we recorded charges of $5 million in our Truck segment.

During 2018 and 2017, we concluded that we had triggering events related to certain assets under operating leases. As a result, we recorded charges of $5 million and $8 million, respectively, in our Truck segment.

During 2016, we concluded that we had triggering events related to certain long-lived assets in our Truck segment. As a result, certain long-lived assets were determined to be impaired, resulting in charges of $17 million. Included in the charges was a $3 million asset impairment related to the sale of Pure Power Technologies, LLC, a components business focused on air and fuel systems. During 2016, we also concluded that we had triggering events related to certain operating leases. As a result, we recorded $8 million of asset impairment charges in our Truck segment.

These charges were recorded in Asset impairment charges in our Consolidated Statements of Operations.

See Note 12, Fair Value Measurements, for information on the valuation of impaired operating leases and other assets.