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GUARANTEES | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Oct. 31, 2015
Guarantees [Abstract] |
GUARANTEES | GUARANTEES Standard Warranty The standard warranty term for most of our products from the date of delivery is typically three years, which increased from one year in the second quarter of fiscal 2013. We accrue for standard warranty costs based on historical trends in warranty charges as a percentage of net product shipments. The accrual is reviewed regularly and periodically adjusted to reflect changes in warranty cost estimates. Estimated warranty charges are recorded within cost of products at the time related product revenue is recognized. Activity related to the standard warranty accrual, which is included in other accrued and other long-term liabilities in our combined and consolidated balance sheet, is as follows:
| Years Ended October 31,
| 2015 |  | 2014
| (in millions)
Beginning balance | $ | 51 |  |  | $ | 38 |
Accruals for warranties, including change in estimates | 33 |  |  | 46 |
Settlements made during the period | (31 | ) |  | (33 | )
Ending balance | 53 |  |  | $ | 51 |
Accruals for warranties due within one year | $ | 34 |  |  | $ | 34 |
Accruals for warranties due after one year | 19 |  |  | 17 |
Ending balance as of October 31 | $ | 53 |  |  | $ | 51 |
Indemnifications to Agilent In connection with our separation from Agilent, we agreed to indemnify Agilent against certain damages and expenses that it might incur in the future. These indemnifications primarily cover damages relating to liabilities of the electronic measurement business of Agilent which was contributed to Keysight. Additionally, if the distribution of Keysight common stock to the Agilent shareholders were determined to be taxable for U.S. federal income tax purposes, Agilent and its shareholders that are subject to U.S. federal income tax could incur significant U.S. federal income tax liabilities. If such determination is the result of our taking or failing to take certain actions, then under the tax matters agreement with Agilent, we are generally required to indemnify Agilent against such tax liabilities. Pursuant to the tax matters agreement, we may also be required to indemnify Agilent for other contingent tax liabilities, which could materially adversely affect our financial position. In our opinion, the fair value of these indemnification obligations was not material as of October 31, 2015. Indemnifications to Avago In connection with the sale of Agilent's semiconductor products business in December 2005, Agilent agreed to indemnify Avago, its affiliates and other related parties against certain damages and expenses that it might incur in the future. The continuing indemnifications primarily cover damages and expenses relating to liabilities of the businesses that Agilent retained and did not transfer to Avago, as well as pre-closing taxes and other specified items. In connection with our separation from Agilent, we have agreed to indemnify Agilent in connection with the indemnification obligations of Agilent with respect to Avago. In our opinion, the fair value of these indemnification obligations was not material as of October 31, 2015. Indemnifications to Verigy In connection with the spin-off of Verigy, Agilent agreed to indemnify Verigy and its affiliates against certain damages which it might incur in the future. These indemnifications primarily cover damages relating to liabilities of the businesses that Agilent did not transfer to Verigy, liabilities that might arise under limited portions of Verigy's IPO materials that relate to Agilent, and costs and expenses incurred by Agilent or Verigy to effect the IPO, arising out of the distribution of Agilent's remaining holding in Verigy ordinary shares to Agilent's stockholders, or incurred to effect the separation of the semiconductor test solutions business from Agilent to the extent incurred prior to the separation on June 1, 2006. On July 4, 2011, Verigy announced the completion by Advantest Corporation of its acquisition of Verigy. Verigy operates as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Advantest and Agilent's indemnification obligations to Verigy should be unaffected. In connection with our separation from Agilent, we have agreed to indemnify Agilent in connection with the indemnification obligations of Agilent with respect to Verigy. In our opinion, the fair value of these indemnification obligations was not material as of October 31, 2015. Indemnifications to Hewlett-Packard Agilent has given multiple indemnities to Hewlett-Packard ("HP") in connection with Agilent's activities prior to its spin-off from HP for the businesses that constituted Agilent prior to the spin-off. These indemnifications cover a variety of aspects of Agilent's business, including, but not limited to, employee, tax, intellectual property and environmental matters. The agreements containing these indemnifications have been previously disclosed as exhibits to Agilent's registration statement on Form S-1 filed on August 16, 1999. As part of our separation from Agilent, we have agreed to assume these indemnification obligations of Agilent relating to the electronic measurement business with respect to HP. In our opinion, the fair value of these indemnification obligations was not material as of October 31, 2015. Indemnifications to Officers and Directors Our corporate by-laws require that we indemnify our officers and directors, as well as those who act as directors and officers of other entities at our request, against expenses, judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts actually and reasonably incurred in connection with any proceedings arising out of their services to Keysight and such other entities, including service with respect to employee benefit plans. In addition, we have entered into separate indemnification agreements with each director and each board-appointed officer of Keysight which provide for indemnification of these directors and officers under similar circumstances and under additional circumstances. The indemnification obligations are more fully described in the by-laws and the indemnification agreements. We purchase standard insurance to cover claims or a portion of the claims made against our directors and officers. Since a maximum obligation is not explicitly stated in our by-laws or in our indemnification agreements and will depend on the facts and circumstances that arise out of any future claims, the overall maximum amount of the obligations cannot be reasonably estimated. Historically, we have not made payments related to these obligations, and the fair value for these indemnification obligations was not material as of October 31, 2015. Other Indemnifications As is customary in our industry and as provided for in local law in the U.S. and other jurisdictions, many of our standard contracts provide remedies to our customers and others with whom we enter into contracts, such as defense, settlement, or payment of judgment for intellectual property claims related to the use of our products. From time to time, we indemnify customers, as well as our suppliers, contractors, lessors, lessees, companies that purchase our businesses or assets and others with whom we enter into contracts, against combinations of loss, expense, or liability arising from various triggering events related to the sale and the use of our products and services, the use of their goods and services, the use of facilities and state of our owned facilities, the state of the assets and businesses that we sell and other matters covered by such contracts, usually up to a specified maximum amount. In addition, from time to time we also provide protection to these parties against claims related to undiscovered liabilities, additional product liability or environmental obligations. In our experience, claims made under such indemnifications are rare and the associated estimated fair value of the liability was not material as of October 31, 2015. In connection with the previous sales of several of Agilent’s businesses, Agilent agreed to indemnify the buyers of such businesses, their respective affiliates and other related parties against certain damages that they might incur in the future. The continuing indemnifications primarily cover damages relating to liabilities of the businesses that Agilent retained and did not transfer to the buyers, as well as other specified items. In connection with our separation from Agilent, we agreed to assume the indemnification obligations of Agilent to the extent that the retained businesses were part of the electronic measurement business. In our opinion, the fair value of these indemnification obligations was not material as of October 31, 2015.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for standard and extended product warranties and other product guarantee contracts, including a tabular reconciliation of the changes in the guarantor's aggregate product warranty liability for the reporting period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 460 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 8 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51674963&loc=d3e12565-110249 + Details
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