DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2017

NOTE 2: DISCONTINUED OPERATIONS

In 2005, we sold substantially all the assets of our Chemicals business to Basic Chemicals, a subsidiary of Occidental Chemical Corporation. The financial results of the Chemicals business are classified as discontinued operations in the accompanying Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for all periods presented. There were no revenues from discontinued operations for the years presented. Results from discontinued operations are as follows:



in thousands	2017	2016	2015
Discontinued Operations
Pretax earnings (loss)	$ 12,959	$ (4,877)	$ (19,326)
Income tax (expense) benefit	(5,165)	1,962	7,589
Earnings (loss) on discontinued operations,
net of tax	$ 7,794	$ (2,915)	$ (11,737)

The 2017, 2016 and 2015 pretax earnings (loss) from discontinued operations of $12,959,000, $(4,877,000) and $(19,326,000), respectively, include charges related to general and product liability costs, including legal defense costs, and environmental remediation costs associated with our former Chemicals business. The 2017 results reflect charges and related insurance recoveries, including those associated with the Texas Brine matter, as further discussed in Note 12. During 2016, we settled one of the cases in the Texas Brine matter. This settlement was covered by our insurance policy, which also reimbursed a portion of our past legal expenses such that the net loss for this matter was immaterial for the year. The 2015 loss resulted primarily from charges associated with the Lower Passaic and Texas Brine matters (see Note 12).