Income Taxes (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2017

Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]

Schedule of Geographic Sources of Income From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes

Geographic Sources of Income From Continuing Operations Before Income Taxes

	Years Ended October 31,
(in millions)	2017		2016		2015
United States	$	76.1	$	45.1	$	60.5
Foreign	10.8		6.8		11.9
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	$	86.9	$	51.9	$	72.4

Schedule of Components of Income Tax (Provision) Benefit

Components of Income Tax (Provision) Benefit

	Years Ended October 31,
(in millions)	2017			2016			2015
Current:
Federal	$	(5.9	)	$	17.5		$	(3.7	)
State	(6.0		)	(9.3		)	(3.7		)
Foreign	(3.0		)	(1.5		)	(2.8		)
Deferred:
Federal	5.0			3.6			(7.9		)
State	0.3			(0.5		)	(0.3		)
Foreign	0.8			0.6			0.1
Income tax (provision) benefit	$	(8.8	)	$	10.4		$	(18.3	)

Reconciliation of U.S. Statutory Tax Rate to Annual Effective Tax Rate

Reconciliation of the U.S. Statutory Tax Rate to Annual Effective Tax Rate (Benefit)

	Years Ended October 31,
	2017		2016		2015
U.S. statutory rate	35.0	%	35.0	%	35.0	%
State and local income taxes, net of federal tax benefit	5.5		7.8		6.5
Federal and state tax credits	(7.5	)	(22.7	)	(9.6	)
Impact of foreign operations	(2.7	)	(5.0	)	(3.6	)
Changes in uncertain tax positions	(19.7	)	(40.0	)	(5.2	)
Incremental tax benefit from share-based compensation awards	(4.2	)	(4.2	)	—
Tax credits for energy efficient government buildings	(2.2	)	(2.4	)	(2.8	)
Nondeductible expenses	5.7		7.7		3.8
Other, net	0.1		3.8		1.2
Annual effective tax rate (benefit)	10.1	%	(20.0	)%	25.3	%

Schedule of Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities

Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities

	As of October 31,
(in millions)	2017			2016
Deferred tax assets attributable to:
Self-insurance claims (net of recoverables)	$	124.4		$	108.4
Deferred and other compensation	34.7			33.4
Impairment loss on assets held for sale	—			9.2
Accounts receivable allowances	8.9			6.6
Settlement liabilities	6.5			2.6
Other accruals	3.5			2.9
Other comprehensive income	0.4			1.5
State taxes	0.8			0.6
State net operating loss carryforwards	12.3			5.7
Federal net operating loss carryforwards	19.9			—
Tax credits	19.9			9.9
Unrecognized tax benefits	7.2			2.6
Other	3.1			3.1
Gross deferred tax assets	241.5			186.5
Valuation allowance	(7.7		)	(5.4		)
Total deferred tax assets	233.8			181.1
Deferred tax liabilities attributable to:
Property, plant and equipment	(5.9		)	(2.2		)
Goodwill and other acquired intangibles	(282.0		)	(141.8		)
Equity in earnings of foreign investments	(3.2		)	(3.2		)
Total deferred tax liabilities	(291.1		)	(147.2		)
Net deferred tax (liabilities) assets	$	(57.3	)	$	33.9

Schedule of Changes to the Deferred Tax Asset Valuation Allowance

Changes to the Deferred Tax Asset Valuation Allowance

	Years Ended October 31,
(in millions)	2017			2016			2015
Valuation allowance at beginning of year	$	5.4		$	5.5		$	6.2
GCA Services acquisition	4.1			—			—
Sale of Security business	—			—			(0.8		)
Other, net	(1.8		)	(0.1		)	0.1
Valuation allowance at end of year	$	7.7		$	5.4		$	5.5

Reconciliation of Total Unrecognized Tax Benefits

Reconciliation of Total Unrecognized Tax Benefits

	Years Ended October 31,
(in millions)	2017			2016			2015
Balance at beginning of year	$	57.2		$	82.5		$	85.5
Additions for tax positions related to the current year	—			—			2.1
Additions for tax positions related to prior years	16.4			—			0.1
Reductions for tax positions related to prior years	(0.1		)	(3.2		)	—
Reductions for lapse of statute of limitations	(19.7		)	(21.9		)	(5.2		)
Settlements	(0.3		)	(0.2		)	—
Balance at end of year	$	53.4		$	57.2		$	82.5

Schedule of Tax Years Open for Examination

Tax Years Open for Examination, by Entity

Entity	Open by Statute
ABM state tax returns(1)	10/31/2013 – 10/31/2017
ABM federal tax returns	10/31/2014 – 10/31/2017
GCA state tax returns	12/31/2013 – 9/1/2017
GCA federal tax returns	12/31/2014 – 9/1/2017

⁽¹⁾ We are currently being examined by the taxing authorities in the states of Alabama, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Tennessee.

Reinvestment of Foreign Earnings

We plan to reinvest our foreign earnings to fund future non-U.S. growth and expansion. As a result, we do not anticipate remitting such earnings to the United States and have not provided for federal and state income taxes or foreign withholding taxes that may result if such earnings of our foreign subsidiaries are remitted to the United States.