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Contingent Liabilities | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2016
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Contingent Liabilities | CONTINGENT LIABILITIES Except as otherwise noted, while we are unable to predict the final outcome, based on information currently available, we do not believe that resolution of any of the following matters will have a material adverse effect upon our competitive position, results of operations, cash flows or financial condition. Leases. We occupy space and use certain equipment under lease arrangements. Rental commitments of $2,094 million at December 31, 2016 under long-term non-cancelable operating leases are payable as follows: $462 million in 2017, $354 million in 2018, $286 million in 2019, $209 million in 2020, $145 million in 2021 and $638 million thereafter. Rent expense was $386 million in 2016, $386 million in 2015 and $434 million in 2014. Additional information pertaining to commercial aerospace rental commitments is included in Note 5 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. Environmental. Our operations are subject to environmental regulation by federal, state and local authorities in the United States and regulatory authorities with jurisdiction over our foreign operations. As described in Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, we have accrued for the costs of environmental remediation activities, including but not limited to investigatory, remediation, operating and maintenance costs and performance guaranties, and periodically reassess these amounts. We believe that the likelihood of incurring losses materially in excess of amounts accrued is remote. As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, we had $829 million and $837 million reserved for environmental remediation, respectively. Additional information pertaining to environmental matters is included in Note 1 to the Consolidated Financial Statements. Government. In the ordinary course of business, the Company and its subsidiaries and our properties are subject to regulatory and governmental examinations, information gathering requests, inquiries, investigations and threatened legal actions and proceedings. For example, we are now, and believe that, in light of the current U.S. Government contracting environment, we will continue to be the subject of one or more U.S. Government investigations. Such U.S. Government investigations often take years to complete and could result in administrative, civil or criminal liabilities, including repayments, fines, treble and other damages, forfeitures, restitution or penalties, or could lead to suspension or debarment of U.S. Government contracting or of export privileges. For instance, if we or one of our business units were charged with wrongdoing as a result of any of these investigations or other government investigations (including violations of certain environmental or export laws) the U.S. Government could suspend us from bidding on or receiving awards of new U.S. Government contracts pending the completion of legal proceedings. If convicted or found liable, the U.S. Government could fine and debar us from new U.S. Government contracting for a period generally not to exceed three years. The U.S. Government also reserves the right to debar a contractor from receiving new government contracts for fraudulent, criminal or other seriously improper conduct. The U.S. Government could void any contracts found to be tainted by fraud. Our contracts with the U.S. Government are also subject to audits. Like many defense contractors, we have received audit reports, which recommend that certain contract prices should be reduced to comply with various government regulations, including because cost or pricing data we submitted in negotiation of the contract prices or cost accounting practices may not have conformed to government regulations, or that certain payments be delayed or withheld. Some of these audit reports involved substantial amounts. We have made voluntary refunds in those cases we believe appropriate, have settled some allegations and, in some cases, continue to negotiate and/or litigate. In addition, we accrue for liabilities associated with those matters that are probable and can be reasonably estimated. The most likely settlement amount to be incurred is accrued based upon a range of estimates. Where no amount within a range of estimates is more likely, then we accrued the minimum amount. Legal Proceedings. Cost Accounting Standards Claim As previously disclosed, in December 2013, a Divisional Administrative Contracting Officer of the United States Defense Contract Management Agency asserted a claim against Pratt & Whitney to recover overpayments of approximately $177 million plus interest (approximately $63 million through December 31, 2016). The claim is based on Pratt & Whitney's alleged noncompliance with cost accounting standards from January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2012, due to its method of determining the cost of collaborator parts used in the calculation of material overhead costs for government contracts. On March 18, 2014, Pratt & Whitney filed an appeal to the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals. Pratt & Whitney’s appeal is still pending and we continue to believe the government’s claim is without merit. German Tax Litigation As previously disclosed, UTC has been involved in administrative review proceedings with the German Tax Office, which concern approximately €215 million (approximately $225 million) of tax benefits that we have claimed related to a 1998 reorganization of the corporate structure of Otis operations in Germany. Upon audit, these tax benefits were disallowed by the German Tax Office. UTC estimates interest associated with the aforementioned tax benefits is an additional approximately €118 million (approximately $123 million). On August 3, 2012, we filed suit in the local German Tax Court (Berlin-Brandenburg). In March 2016, the local German Tax Court dismissed our suit, and we have appealed this decision to the German Federal Tax Court (FTC). In 2015, UTC made tax and interest payments to German tax authorities of €275 million (approximately $300 million) in order to avoid additional interest accruals pending final resolution of this matter. In the meantime, we continue vigorously to litigate this matter. Asbestos Matters As previously disclosed, like many other industrial companies, we and our subsidiaries have been named as defendants in lawsuits alleging personal injury as a result of exposure to asbestos integrated into certain of our products or business premises. While we have never manufactured asbestos and no longer incorporate it in any currently-manufactured products, certain of our historical products, like those of many other manufacturers, have contained components incorporating asbestos. A substantial majority of these asbestos-related claims have been dismissed without payment or were covered in full or in part by insurance or other forms of indemnity. Additional cases were litigated and settled without any insurance reimbursement. The amounts involved in asbestos related claims were not material individually or in the aggregate in any year. Our estimated total liability to resolve all pending and unasserted potential future asbestos claims through 2059 is approximately $374 million and is principally recorded in Other long-term liabilities on our Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2016. This amount is on a pre-tax basis, not discounted, and excludes the Company’s legal fees to defend the asbestos claims (which will continue to be expensed by the Company as they are incurred). In addition, the Company has an insurance recovery receivable for probable asbestos related recoveries of approximately $124 million, which is included primarily in Other assets on our Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2016. The amounts recorded by UTC for asbestos-related liabilities and insurance recoveries are based on currently available information and assumptions that we believe are reasonable. Our actual liabilities or insurance recoveries could be higher or lower than those recorded if actual results vary significantly from the assumptions. Key variables in these assumptions include the number and type of new claims to be filed each year, the outcomes or resolution of such claims, the average cost of resolution of each new claim, the amount of insurance available, allocation methodologies, the contractual terms with each insurer with whom we have reached settlements, the resolution of coverage issues with other excess insurance carriers with whom we have not yet achieved settlements, and the solvency risk with respect to our insurance carriers. Other factors that may affect our future liability include uncertainties surrounding the litigation process from jurisdiction to jurisdiction and from case to case, legal rulings that may be made by state and federal courts, and the passage of state or federal legislation. At the end of each year, the Company will evaluate all of these factors and, with input from an outside actuarial expert, make any necessary adjustments to both our estimated asbestos liabilities and insurance recoveries. Other. As described in Note 17 to the Consolidated Financial Statements, we extend performance and operating cost guarantees beyond our normal warranty and service policies for extended periods on some of our products. We have accrued our estimate of the liability that may result under these guarantees and for service costs that are probable and can be reasonably estimated. We also have other commitments and contingent liabilities related to legal proceedings, self-insurance programs and matters arising out of the normal course of business. We accrue contingencies based upon a range of possible outcomes. If no amount within this range is a better estimate than any other, then we accrue the minimum amount. In the ordinary course of business, the Company and its subsidiaries are also routinely defendants in, parties to or otherwise subject to many pending and threatened legal actions, claims, disputes and proceedings. These matters are often based on alleged violations of contract, product liability, warranty, regulatory, environmental, health and safety, employment, intellectual property, tax and other laws. In some of these proceedings, claims for substantial monetary damages are asserted against the Company and its subsidiaries and could result in fines, penalties, compensatory or treble damages or non-monetary relief. We do not believe that these matters will have a material adverse effect upon our competitive position, results of operations, cash flows or financial condition.

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