Restructuring Costs Restructuring costs

9 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]

Restructuring and Impairment Costs [Text Block]

RESTRUCTURING AND IMPAIRMENT COSTS

Universal continually reviews its business for opportunities to realize efficiencies, reduce costs, and realign its operations in response to business changes. Restructuring and impairment costs are periodically incurred in connection with those activities.

For the nine-month period in fiscal year 2017, the Company recorded restructuring and impairment costs totaling $3.9 million primarily related to the Company's decision to close its tobacco processing facility in Hungary. The Company is now processing tobaccos sourced from Hungary in its factories in Italy. The costs incurred for the change in operations in Hungary included statutory employee termination benefits and impairment charges related to certain property and equipment.  Substantially all of the termination benefits were paid before the end of the third quarter of fiscal year 2017. The majority of the restructuring and impairment costs incurred were related to operations that are part of the Other Regions reportable segment of the Company's Flue-Cured and Burley Tobacco Operations.

There were no restructuring and impairment costs incurred for the nine-month period in fiscal year 2018.