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INCOME TAXES (Notes)
 9 Months Ended
Jul. 31, 2021
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
INCOME TAXES INCOME TAXES
For the three and nine months ended July 31, 2021, our income tax expense was $63 million with an effective tax rate of 19.3 percent and $144 million with an effective tax rate of 15.8 percent, respectively. For the three and nine months ended July 31, 2021, our effective tax rate and the resulting provision for income taxes were impacted by the expiration of various foreign statutes of limitations which resulted in the recognition of previously unrecognized tax benefits of $8 million and $24 million, respectively. The income taxes for the nine months ended July 31, 2021 also include the excess tax benefits from stock-based compensation of $24 million.

Our calculation of income tax expense for the three and nine months ended July 31, 2021 is dependent in part on forecasts of full year results. The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the economic environment is uncertain and may change these forecasts, which could impact tax expense.

For the three and nine months ended July 31, 2020, our income tax expense was $20 million with an effective tax rate of 9.1 percent and $62 million with an effective tax rate of 11.1 percent, respectively. For the three and nine months ended July 31, 2020, our effective tax rate and the resulting provision for income taxes were impacted by the expiration of the U.S. statute of limitations in July 2020 for fiscal year 2016, which resulted in the recognition of previously unrecognized tax benefits of $16 million. For the nine months ended July 31, 2020, our effective tax rate and the resulting provision for income taxes were also impacted by a discrete tax benefit of $15 million related to the excess tax benefits from stock compensation.

In the U.S., tax years remain open back to the year 2017 for federal income tax purposes and for significant states. In other major jurisdictions where the company conducts business, the tax years generally remain open back to the year 2009.

With these jurisdictions and the U.S., it is reasonably possible there could be significant changes to our unrecognized tax benefits in the next twelve months due to either the expiration of a statute of limitation or a tax audit settlement which will be partially offset by an anticipated tax liability related to unremitted foreign earnings, where applicable. Given the number of years and numerous matters that remain subject to examination in various tax jurisdictions, management is unable to estimate the range of possible changes to the balance of our unrecognized tax benefits.