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SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2019

The preparation of financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP) requires the use of estimates and assumptions related to the reporting of assets, liabilities, revenues, expenses and related disclosures. Actual results could differ from these estimates. Significant estimates and assumptions were used to review goodwill and other long-lived assets for impairment (see Notes 7 and 13), environmental liabilities (see Notes 16 and 17), product warranty liabilities (see Note 16), long-term incentive compensation plan obligations (see Note 21), retiree medical and pension obligations (see Notes 22 and 23), income taxes (see Note 24), and contingencies including asbestos (see Note 25).

Concentration of Credit Risk

In the normal course of business, the company provides credit to customers. The company limits its credit risk by performing ongoing credit evaluations of its customers and maintaining reserves for potential credit losses and through accounts receivable factoring programs. The company’s accounts receivables are generally due from medium- and heavy-duty truck OEMs, specialty vehicle manufacturers, aftermarket customers, and trailer producers.

Consolidation and Joint Ventures

The Consolidated Financial Statements include the accounts of the company and those subsidiaries in which the company has control. All intercompany balances and transactions are eliminated in consolidation. The results of operations of controlled subsidiaries are included in the Consolidated Financial Statements and are offset by a related noncontrolling interest recorded for the noncontrolling partners’ ownership. Investments in affiliates that are not controlled are reported using the equity method of accounting (see Note 15).

Foreign Currency

Local currencies are generally considered the functional currencies for operations outside the U.S. For operations reporting in local currencies, assets and liabilities are translated at year-end exchange rates with cumulative currency translation adjustments included as a component of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss in the Consolidated Balance Sheet. Income and expense items are translated at average rates of exchange during the year.

Impairment of Long-Lived Assets

Long-lived assets, excluding goodwill, to be held and used are reviewed for impairment whenever adverse events or changes in circumstances indicate a possible impairment. An impairment loss is recognized when a long-lived asset group is not recoverable,

based on undiscounted cash flows over the remaining useful life of the primary asset of the group, and the long lived asset goup's carrying value exceeds the fair value.

Long-lived assets held for sale are recorded at the lower of their carrying amount or estimated fair value less cost to sell.

Allowance for Doubtful Accounts

An allowance for uncollectible trade receivables is recorded when accounts are deemed uncollectible based on consideration of write-off history, aging analysis, and any specific, known troubled accounts.

Earnings per Share

Basic earnings (loss) per share is calculated using the weighted average number of shares outstanding during each period. The diluted earnings (loss) per share calculation includes the impact of restricted shares, restricted share units, performance share units, and convertible securities, if applicable.

Other

Other significant accounting policies are included in the related notes, specifically, goodwill (Note 7), inventories (Note 11), property and depreciation (Note 13), capitalized software (Note 14), product warranties (Note 16), financial instruments (Note 19), equity based compensation (Note 21), retirement medical plans (Note 22), retirement pension plans (Note 23), income taxes (Note 24) and environmental and asbestos-related liabilities (Note 25).

Accounting Standards Implemented and to be Implemented

Accounting standards implemented during fiscal year 2019

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, followed by various related amendments (ASU 2016-08, ASU 2016-10, ASU 2016-11, ASU 2016-12, ASU 2016-20, ASU 2017-05, ASU 2017-06, ASU 2017-13, and ASU 2017-14) collectively referred to as "Topic 606", which requires companies to recognize revenue when a customer obtains control rather than when companies have transferred substantially all risks and rewards of a good or service and requires additional disclosure about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts. The company adopted Topic 606 in the first quarter of the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2018. As a result, the company has changed its accounting policy for revenue recognition as detailed below.

The company applied Topic 606 using the modified retrospective approach (i.e., by recognizing the cumulative effect of initially applying Topic 606 as an adjustment to the opening balance of equity at October 1, 2018). Therefore, the comparative information for periods prior to our adoption date has not been adjusted and continues to be reported under Topic 605. There was no adjustment to the opening balance of equity at October 1, 2018 as there was no significant impact to previously recorded revenue or expense. The guidance has been applied to all existing contracts at the date of initial application. The adoption of Topic 606 had an immaterial impact on our Consolidated Balance Sheet, Consolidated Statement of Operations, and Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows but did require enhanced disclosures to meet the new disclosure requirements; those enhanced disclosures are included in Note 6.

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU 2017-07, Compensation—Retirement Benefits (Topic 715): Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost. The guidance requires entities to only include the service cost component of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost in operating expenses (together

with other employee compensation costs). The other components of net benefit cost, including amortization of prior service cost/credit, are to be included in a separate line item(s) outside of any sub-total of operating income. ASU 2017-07 also provides guidance that only the service cost component of net benefit cost is eligible for capitalization. The revisions in this amendment are to be applied retrospectively for the presentation of the service cost component and the other components of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit cost in the income statement and prospectively for the capitalization of the service cost component of net periodic pension cost and net periodic postretirement benefit in assets. The company adopted this standard in the first quarter of fiscal year 2019. Amounts previously reflected in Operating Income were reclassified to Other income (expense) in accordance with the provisions of ASU 2017-07. For fiscal years 2018 and 2017, the non-service cost components of the net periodic pension and OPEB income were $25 million of income and $11 million of expense respectively, and are presented in other income. We used the practical expedient for retrospective presentation of the fiscal years 2018 and 2017 other expense components in this disclosure.

In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-09, Codification Improvements. The amendments in this ASU result from the FASB’s standing project to address suggestions on the Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") and to make other incremental improvements to GAAP. The amendments include changes to clarify the ASC or correct unintended application of guidance that is not expected to have a significant effect on current accounting practice or create a significant administrative cost to most entities.

Some of the amendments in this ASU were effective upon issuance. Others have transition guidance with effective dates for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2018, for public business entities, or are conforming amendments that have been made to recently issued guidance that is not yet effective that may require application of the transition and effective date guidance in the original ASU.

The company adopted certain amendments in this ASU in the first quarter of fiscal year 2019. Those certain amendments had effective dates for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, for public business entities. The amendments that were adopted in the first quarter of fiscal year 2019 did not have a material impact on the company's Consolidated Financial Statements. The company plans to implement the remaining amendments beginning October 1, 2019 and is currently evaluating the potential impact on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

The company also adopted the following ASUs during fiscal year 2019, none of which had a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements or financial statement disclosures:



ASU		Effective Date
2016-01	Financial Instruments—Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities	October 1, 2018
2016-15	Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments (a consensus of the Emerging Issues Task Force)	October 1, 2018
2016-16	Income Taxes (Topic 740): Intra-Entity Transfers of Assets Other Than Inventory	October 1, 2018
2016-18	Statement of Cash Flows (Topic 230): Restricted Cash (a consensus of the FASB Emerging Issues Task Force)	October 1, 2018
2017-01	Business Combinations (Topic 805): Clarifying the Definition of a Business	October 1, 2018
2017-09	Compensation—Stock Compensation (Topic 718): Scope of Modification Accounting	October 1, 2018
2018-03	Technical Corrections and Improvements to Financial Instruments—Overall (Subtopic 825-10): Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities	October 1, 2018
2018-04	Investments—Debt Securities (Topic 320) and Regulated Operations (Topic 980): Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to SEC Staff Accounting Bulletin No. 117 and SEC Release No. 33-9273 (SEC Update)	October 1, 2018

Accounting standards to be implemented

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842). The update will require lessees to recognize a right-of-use asset and lease liability for substantially all leases. The standard is required to be adopted by public business entities in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The company plans to implement this standard in the first quarter of the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2019, and is currently assessing the potential impact of this guidance on its accounting policies and its Consolidated Financial Statements. The company plans to implement this standard using the additional and optional transition method as provided by ASU 2018-11. Please see discussion of ASU 2018-11 below.

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments. The ASU introduces an approach based on expected losses to estimate credit losses on certain types of financial instruments, including accounts receivable. The ASU also modifies the impairment model for available-for-sale debt securities and provides for a simplified accounting model for purchased financial assets with credit deterioration since their origination. The amendments in this update are required to be adopted by public business entities in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The company is currently evaluating the potential impact of this guidance on its accounting policies and its Consolidated Financial Statements.

In February 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-02, Income Statement—Reporting Comprehensive Income (Topic 220). The guidance in ASU 2018-02 allows an entity to elect to reclassify the stranded tax effects related to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 ("U.S. tax reform") from accumulated other comprehensive income into retained earnings. ASU 2018-02 is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, with early adoption permitted. The company is currently evaluating the potential impact of this new guidance on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-10, Codification Improvements to Topic 842. The amendments in this ASU affect narrow aspects of the guidance issued in ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which is not yet effective. The effective date and transition requirements for this ASU are the same as those for ASU 2016-02 as described above. Therefore, the company plans to implement this standard in the first quarter of the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2019 in connection with its planned implementation of ASU 2016-02 and is currently assessing the potential impact of this new guidance on its accounting policies and its Consolidated Financial Statements.

In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, Leases (Topic 842): Targeted Improvements. The amendments in this ASU affect the guidance issued in ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which is not yet effective. The amendments provide entities with an additional (and optional) transition method to adopt the new leases standard. Under this new transition method, an entity initially applies the new leases standard at the adoption date and recognizes a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. The amendments also provide lessors with a practical expedient to not separate nonlease components from the associated lease component and, instead, to account for those components as a single component in certain circumstances. The effective date for this ASU are the same as those for ASU 2016-02 as described above. Therefore, the company plans to implement this standard in the first quarter of the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2019 in connection with its planned implementation of ASU 2016-02 and is currently assessing the potential impact of this new guidance on its accounting policies and its Consolidated Financial Statements. Based on the company's lease portfolio, the company currently anticipates recognizing a lease liability and related right-of-use asset on its balance sheet between $75 million and $95 million, with an immaterial impact on it's income statement compared to the current lease accounting model. Additionally, the company is implementing an enterprise-wide lease management system to assist in the accounting and evaluating additional changes to it's processes and internal controls to ensure the company meets the standard’s reporting and disclosure requirements.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Disclosure Framework—Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement. The amendments in this ASU add, modify, and eliminate certain disclosure requirements on fair value measurements in Topic 820. The amendments in this update are effective for all entities for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, including interim periods within those fiscal years. Certain amendments should be applied prospectively for only the most recent interim or annual period presented in the initial fiscal year of adoption. Others should be applied retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted. An entity is permitted to early adopt any removed or modified disclosures upon issuance of this ASU and delay adoption of the additional disclosures until their effective date. The company is currently evaluating the potential impact of this new guidance on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

In April 2019, the FASB issued ASU 2019-04, Codification Improvements to Topic 326, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses, Topic 815, Derivatives and Hedging, and Topic 825, Financial Instruments. The amendments in this ASU affect a variety of Topics in the Codification (ASU 2016-01, Financial Instruments - Overall (Subtopic 825-10), Recognition and Measurement of Financial Assets and Financial Liabilities; ASU 2016-13, Financial Instruments—Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments; and ASU 2017-12, Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815): Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities).

For the amendments in this ASU that are applicable to ASU 2016-01, which the company has adopted and did not have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements, the effective date is the first quarter of fiscal year 2021 with early adoption permitted. For the amendments in this ASU that are applicable to ASU 2016-13, which the company has not yet adopted, the effective date is the first quarter of fiscal year 2021. For the amendments in this ASU that are applicable to ASU 2017-12, which the company has adopted, the effective date is the first quarter of fiscal year 2020 with early adoption permitted. The company has not yet adopted any of these amendments and is currently evaluating the potential impact of this new guidance on its Consolidated Financial Statements.

Revenue and Contract Costs

Contract costs

The company applies the practical expedient provided in Topic 606 and recognizes the incremental costs of obtaining contracts as an expense when incurred if the amortization period of the assets that the company otherwise would have recognized is one year or less. The costs which are not capitalized are included in cost of sales.

Revenue is measured based on the consideration to which the company expects to be entitled, and is presented net of any estimates of customer sales allowances, incentives, rebates, and returns. The company recognizes revenue when it satisfies a performance obligation by transferring control over a product or service to a customer.

Taxes assessed by a governmental authority that are both imposed on and concurrent with a specific revenue-producing transaction, that are collected by the company from a customer, are excluded from revenue.

Shipping and handling costs associated with outbound freight after control of a product has transferred to a customer are accounted for as a fulfillment cost, as opposed to a distinct performance obligation, and are included in cost of sales.

Nature of goods and services

The following is a description of principal activities - separated by reportable segments - from which the company generates its revenue.

The Commercial Truck segment supplies drivetrain systems and components, including axles, drivelines and braking and suspension systems, primarily for medium- and heavy-duty trucks and other applications in North America, South America, Europe and Asia Pacific. This segment also includes the company's aftermarket businesses in Asia Pacific and South America.

The Aftermarket, Industrial and Trailer segment supplies axles, brakes, drivelines, suspension parts and other replacement parts to commercial vehicle and industrial aftermarket customers, primarily in North America and Europe. In addition, this segment supplies drivetrain systems and certain components, including axles, drivelines, brakes and suspension systems for military, construction, bus and coach, fire and emergency and other applications in North America and Europe. It also supplies a variety of undercarriage products and systems for trailer applications in North America.

Although the company may enter into long-term supply arrangements with its major customers, the prices and volumes are not fixed over the term of the arrangements and a contract does not exist under the scope of Topic 606 until prices and volumes are known. As such, individual customer releases or purchase orders represent the contract with the customer.

The company accounts for individual products and services separately if they are distinct (i.e., if a product or service is separately identifiable from other items and if a customer can benefit from it on its own or with other resources that are readily available to the customer). The company has identified certain performance obligations related to brake pad fitting and axle dressing where it is acting as an agent and, therefore, recognizes revenue on a net basis for satisfaction of those performance obligations.

The company recognizes revenue for the sale of goods at the point in time when the customer takes control of the goods. As such, revenue is recognized upon shipment of product and transfer of ownership to the customer. The amount of revenue recognized is based on the purchase order price and adjusted for variable consideration (i.e., customer sales allowances, incentives, rebates,

and returns). Provisions for customer sales allowances, incentives, rebates, and returns are recorded as a reduction of sales at the time of revenue recognition based primarily on historical experience. The company’s payment terms with customers are customary and vary by customer and geography but typically range from 30 to 90 days.

The company provides warranties on some of its products. The company records estimated product warranty costs at the time of shipment of products to customers (see Notes 16 and Note 17).

Inventories

Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (using FIFO or average methods) or market (determined on the basis of estimated realizable values)

Net Property

Property is stated at cost. Depreciation of property is based on estimated useful lives, generally using the straight-line method. Estimated useful lives for buildings and improvements range from 10 to 50 years and estimated useful lives for machinery and equipment range from 3 to 20 years. Significant improvements are capitalized, and disposed or replaced property is written off. Maintenance and repairs are charged to expense in the period they are incurred. Company-owned tooling is classified as property and depreciated over the shorter of its expected life or the life of the production contract, generally not to exceed three years.

In accordance with the FASB guidance on property, plant and equipment, the company reviews the carrying value of long-lived assets, excluding goodwill, to be held and used, for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate a possible impairment. An impairment loss is recognized when a long-lived asset’s carrying value is not recoverable and exceeds estimated fair value.

Product Warranty

The company records estimated product warranty costs at the time of shipment of products to customers. Warranty reserves are primarily based on factors that include past claims experience, sales history, product manufacturing and engineering changes

and industry developments. Liabilities for product recall campaigns are recorded at the time the company’s obligation is probable and can be reasonably estimated. Policy repair actions to maintain customer relationships are recorded as other liabilities at the time an obligation is probable and can be reasonably estimated. Product warranties, including recall campaigns, not expected to be paid within one year are recorded as a non-current liability.

Fair Value Measurement

Fair Value of Investments

The current FASB guidance provides a fair value hierarchy that prioritizes the inputs to valuation techniques used to measure fair value. The hierarchy gives the highest priority to unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets (Level 1) and the lowest priority to unobservable inputs (Level 3). The three levels of the fair value hierarchy are described below:


•	Level 1 inputs use quoted prices in active markets for identical assets that the Plan has the ability to access.


•	Level 2 inputs use other inputs that are observable, either directly or indirectly. These Level 2 inputs include quoted prices for similar assets in active markets and other inputs such as interest rates and yield curves that are observable at commonly quoted intervals.


•	Level 3 inputs are unobservable inputs, including inputs that are available in situations where there is little, if any, market activity for the related asset.

In instances where inputs used to measure fair value fall into different levels in the above fair value hierarchy, fair value measurements in their entirety are categorized based on the lowest priority level input that is significant to the valuation. The company's assessment of the significance of particular inputs to these fair value measurements requires judgment and considers factors specific to each asset or liability.

Following are descriptions, valuation methodologies and other information related to plan assets.

Cash and cash equivalents: The fair value of cash and cash equivalents is valued at cost.

Equity Securities: The overall equity category includes common and preferred stocks issued by U.S. and international companies as well as equity funds that invest in these instruments. All investments generally allow near-term (within 90 days of the measurement date) liquidity and are held in issues that are actively traded to facilitate transactions at minimum cost. The aggregate equity portfolio is diversified to avoid exposure to any investment strategy, single economic sector, industry group, or individual security.

The fair value of equity securities is determined by either direct or indirect quoted market prices. When the value of assets held in separate accounts is not published, the value is based on the underlying holdings, which are primarily direct quoted market prices on regulated financial exchanges.

Most of the equity investments allow daily redemptions, with some providing monthly liquidity or requiring a 30-day notice.

Fixed Income Securities: The overall fixed income category includes U.S. dollar-denominated and international marketable bonds and convertible debt securities as well as fixed income funds that invest in these instruments. All assets generally allow near-term liquidity and are held in issues which are actively traded to facilitate transactions at minimum cost. The aggregate fixed income portfolio is diversified to avoid exposure to any investment strategy, maturity, issuer or credit quality.

The fair value of fixed income securities is determined by either direct or indirect quoted market prices. When the value of assets held in separate accounts is not published, the value is based on the underlying holdings, which are primarily direct quoted market prices on regulated financial exchanges.

U.S. fixed income securities typically offer daily liquidity, with only one investment allowing quarterly redemptions. International and emerging fixed income investment vehicles generally provide daily liquidity.

Commingled Funds: The fair value of commingled funds is determined by a custodian. The custodian obtains valuations from underlying fund managers based on market quotes for the most liquid assets and alternative methods for assets that do not have sufficient trading activity to derive prices. The company and custodian review the methods used by the underlying managers to value the assets.

Real Estate: Real estate provides an indirect investment into a diversified and multi-sector portfolio of property assets. The fair value of real estate investments is valued by the fund managers. The fund managers value the real estate investments via independent third-party appraisals on a periodic basis. Assumptions used to revalue the properties are updated every quarter. For the component of the real estate portfolio under development, the investments are carried at cost, which approximates fair value, until they are completed and valued by a third-party appraiser.

Due to the long-term nature of real estate investments, liquidity is provided on a quarterly basis.

Futures Contracts: The plan enters into futures contracts in the normal course of its investing activities to manage market risk and to achieve overall investment portfolio objectives. The credit risk associated with these contracts is minimal as they are traded on organized exchanges and settled daily. The fair value of futures contracts is determined by direct quoted market prices. Cash margin for these futures contracts is included in Cash and Cash Equivalents in the leveling table.

Alternatives/Partnerships/Private Equity: This category includes investments in private equity and hedge funds. Such investments may be made directly or through pooled funds, including fund of funds structures. The fair market value of the company’s interest in partnerships and private equity is valued by the fund managers. The valuation is based on the net present value of observable inputs (dividends, cash flows, earnings, etc.), which are discounted at applicable discount rates. The company and custodian review the methods used by the underlying managers to value the assets.

Most of these investments offer quarterly redemption opportunities. Some partnerships and private equity investments, due to the nature of their investment strategy and underlying holdings, offer less frequent liquidity. When available, liquidity events are closely evaluated.

The valuation methods described above may produce a fair value calculation that may not be indicative of net realizable value or reflective of future fair values. Furthermore, while the company believes its valuation methods are appropriate and consistent with other market participants, the use of different methodologies or assumptions to determine the fair value of certain financial instruments could result in a different fair value measurement at the reporting date.

Environmental

Federal, state and local requirements relating to the discharge of substances into the environment, the disposal of hazardous wastes and other activities affecting the environment have, and will continue to have, an impact on the operations of the company. The process of estimating environmental liabilities is complex and dependent upon evolving physical and scientific data at the sites, uncertainties as to remedies and technologies to be used and the outcome of discussions with regulatory agencies. The company records liabilities for environmental issues in the accounting period in which they are considered to be probable and the cost can be reasonably estimated. At environmental sites in which more than one potentially responsible party has been identified, the company records a liability for its allocable share of costs related to its involvement with the site, as well as an allocable share

of costs related to insolvent parties or unidentified shares. At environmental sites in which the company is the only potentially responsible party, the company records a liability for the total probable and estimable costs of remediation before consideration of recovery from insurers or other third parties.