SPECIAL ITEMS	9 Months Ended
Aug. 02, 2020
SPECIAL ITEMS
SPECIAL ITEMS	(20) Special Items Employee-Separation Programs During the first quarter of 2020, the Company announced a broad voluntary employee-separation program for the U.S. salaried workforce that continues the efforts to create a more efficient organization structure and reduce operating costs. The program provided for cash payments based on years of service. The expense was recorded primarily in the period in which the employees irrevocably accepted the separation offer. The program’s total pretax expenses were approximately $138 million with the final $2 million recorded in the third quarter. The payments for the program were also substantially made in the first quarter of 2020. Included in the total pretax expense is a non-cash charge of $21 million resulting from a curtailment in certain OPEB plans (see Note 8), which was recorded outside of operating profit in “Other operating expense.” The first nine months of 2020 expenses that are included in operating profit of $115 million are allocated 36 percent “Cost of sales,” 16 percent “Research and development,” and 48 percent “Selling, administrative and general.” In addition, the expenses are allocated 74 percent to the agriculture and turf operations, 23 percent to the construction and forestry operations, and 3 percent to the financial services operations. Annual savings from these programs are estimated to be approximately $85 million with about $65 million in 2020. During the third and early fourth quarter of 2020, the Company announced additional employee-separation programs as part of an initiative to improve organizational efficiency. The programs will provide for cash payments based on years of service. The expenses will generally be recorded in the period the employees irrevocably accept the separation offer, which is expected to be primarily in the fourth quarter of 2020. The programs’ total pretax expenses are estimated to be about $175 million with annual savings of about $175 million. Impairments and Other Charges In the second quarter of 2020, the Company recorded non-cash impairment charges as outlined below. The fixed assets in an asphalt plant factory in Germany were impaired by $62 million pretax and after-tax. The impairment is the result of a decline in forecasted financial performance that indicated it was probable future cash flows would not cover the carrying amount of the net assets. The assets are included in the Company’s construction and forestry operations with the impairment recorded in “Cost of sales.” The equipment on operating leases and matured operating lease inventory recorded in “Other assets” were impaired by $22 million and $10 million pretax, respectively, with an income tax benefit of approximately $9 million. The impairments were the result of higher expected equipment return rates and lower estimated values of used construction equipment than originally estimated with the probable effect that the future cash flows will not cover the carrying amount of the net assets. The assets are included in the financial services operations with the impairments recorded in “Other operating expenses.” A minority investment in a construction equipment company headquartered in South Africa was impaired by $20 million pretax and after-tax. The impairment was the result of an other than temporary decline in value and was recorded in “Equity loss of unconsolidated affiliates.” In the third quarter of 2020, the Company recorded impairment and other charges as outlined below. The Company reached a definitive agreement to sell its German walk-behind lawn mower business in the third quarter of 2020, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter. As a result, a non-cash charge of $24 million pretax and after-tax was recorded in “Other operating expenses” for an impairment to write the operations down to realizable value. The total assets of $19 million were reclassified to “Other assets” and liabilities of $25 million were recorded in “Accounts payable and accrued expenses.” This business is included in the agriculture and turf operations. The Company closed a factory producing small agricultural equipment in China at the end of the third quarter. In connection with this closure, a non-cash impairment of other receivables, property, and intangible assets of $9 million pretax and after-tax was recorded and $4 million pretax and after-tax for severance payments. The charges were recorded in “Cost of sales” in the agriculture and turf operations. Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest In the second quarter of 2020, the minority interest holder in Hagie Manufacturing Company, LLC exercised its right to sell the remaining 20 percent interest to the Company for $14 million. The arrangement was accounted for as an equity transaction with no gain or loss recorded in the statement of consolidated income. This operation is included in the Company’s agriculture and turf segment.

SPECIAL ITEMS

9 Months Ended

Aug. 02, 2020

(20) Special Items

Employee-Separation Programs

During the first quarter of 2020, the Company announced a broad voluntary employee-separation program for the U.S. salaried workforce that continues the efforts to create a more efficient organization structure and reduce operating costs. The program provided for cash payments based on years of service. The expense was recorded primarily in the period in which the employees irrevocably accepted the separation offer. The program’s total pretax expenses were approximately $138 million with the final $2 million recorded in the third quarter. The payments for the program were also substantially made in the first quarter of 2020. Included in the total pretax expense is a non-cash charge of $21 million resulting from a curtailment in certain OPEB plans (see Note 8), which was recorded outside of operating profit in “Other operating expense.” The first nine months of 2020 expenses that are included in operating profit of $115 million are allocated 36 percent “Cost of sales,” 16 percent “Research and development,” and 48 percent “Selling, administrative and general.” In addition, the expenses are allocated 74 percent to the agriculture and turf operations, 23 percent to the construction and forestry operations, and 3 percent to the financial services operations. Annual savings from these programs are estimated to be approximately $85 million with about $65 million in 2020.

During the third and early fourth quarter of 2020, the Company announced additional employee-separation programs as part of an initiative to improve organizational efficiency. The programs will provide for cash payments based on years of service. The expenses will generally be recorded in the period the employees irrevocably accept the separation offer, which is expected to be primarily in the fourth quarter of 2020. The programs’ total pretax expenses are estimated to be about $175 million with annual savings of about $175 million.

Impairments and Other Charges

In the second quarter of 2020, the Company recorded non-cash impairment charges as outlined below.

The fixed assets in an asphalt plant factory in Germany were impaired by $62 million pretax and after-tax. The impairment is the result of a decline in forecasted financial performance that indicated it was probable future cash flows would not cover the carrying amount of the net assets. The assets are included in the Company’s construction and forestry operations with the impairment recorded in “Cost of sales.”

The equipment on operating leases and matured operating lease inventory recorded in “Other assets” were impaired by $22 million and $10 million pretax, respectively, with an income tax benefit of approximately $9 million. The impairments were the result of higher expected equipment return rates and lower estimated values of used construction equipment than originally estimated with the probable effect that the future cash flows will not cover the carrying amount of the net assets. The assets are included in the financial services operations with the impairments recorded in “Other operating expenses.”

A minority investment in a construction equipment company headquartered in South Africa was impaired by $20 million pretax and after-tax. The impairment was the result of an other than temporary decline in value and was recorded in “Equity loss of unconsolidated affiliates.”

In the third quarter of 2020, the Company recorded impairment and other charges as outlined below.

The Company reached a definitive agreement to sell its German walk-behind lawn mower business in the third quarter of 2020, which is expected to close in the fourth quarter. As a result, a non-cash charge of $24 million pretax and after-tax was recorded in “Other operating expenses” for an impairment to write the operations down to realizable value. The total assets of $19 million were reclassified to “Other assets” and liabilities of $25 million were recorded in “Accounts payable and accrued expenses.” This business is included in the agriculture and turf operations.

The Company closed a factory producing small agricultural equipment in China at the end of the third quarter. In connection with this closure, a non-cash impairment of other receivables, property, and intangible assets of $9 million pretax and after-tax was recorded and $4 million pretax and after-tax for severance payments. The charges were recorded in “Cost of sales” in the agriculture and turf operations.

Redeemable Noncontrolling Interest

In the second quarter of 2020, the minority interest holder in Hagie Manufacturing Company, LLC exercised its right to sell the remaining 20 percent interest to the Company for $14 million. The arrangement was accounted for as an equity transaction with no gain or loss recorded in the statement of consolidated income. This operation is included in the Company’s agriculture and turf segment.