<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000915389-15-000062.txt : 20151007
<SEC-HEADER>0000915389-15-000062.hdr.sgml : 20151007
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20150817151755
<PRIVATE-TO-PUBLIC>
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000915389-15-000062
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	CORRESP
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
FILED AS OF DATE:		20150817

FILER:

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			EASTMAN CHEMICAL CO
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000915389
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	PLASTICS, MATERIALS, SYNTH RESINS & NONVULCAN ELASTOMERS [2821]
		IRS NUMBER:				621539359
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		CORRESP

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		PO BOX 511
		STREET 2:		200 SOUTH WILCOX DRIVE
		CITY:			KINGSPORT
		STATE:			TN
		ZIP:			37660
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4232292000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		P O BOX 511 B-54D
		CITY:			KINGSPORT
		STATE:			TN
		ZIP:			37662
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>CORRESP
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>filename1.htm
<TEXT>
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<a name="sE206D670BCC452D29D6223205789F95D"></a><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:right;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:right;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:right;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Eastman Chemical Company</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:right;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">P.O. Box 431</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:right;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Kingsport, TN 37660</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:right;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Phone: (423) 229-8321</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:right;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">wmclain@eastman.com</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:right;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:16px;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">August&#160;17, 2015</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">VIA Electronic (EDGAR correspondence file) Supplemental Transmission</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Securities and Exchange Commission</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Division of Corporation Finance</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">100 F Street, N.E.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Washington, D.C. 20549</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Attn:</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Terence O&#8217;Brien, Branch Chief </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">&#32;</font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="padding-top:16px;font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt;"><tr><td style="width:48px;"></td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;padding-left:0px;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Re:</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Eastman Chemical Company</font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:48px;text-indent:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Form 10-K for Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2014</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:48px;text-indent:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Filed February 27, 2015</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:48px;text-indent:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">File No. 1-12626</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:156px;text-indent:-156px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:16px;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Dear Mr. O&#8217;Brien:</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:16px;text-align:left;text-indent:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">On behalf of Eastman Chemical Company (&#8220;Eastman&#8221; or the &#8220;Company&#8221;), I submit our responses to the comments of the staff of the Division of Corporation Finance (the &#8220;Staff&#8221;), contained in the letter of the Staff addressed to Eastman Chief Financial Officer Curtis E. Espeland dated August 4, 2015, with respect to the above-referenced filing (the &#8220;Form 10-K&#8221;).  Each of the Company&#8217;s responses to the Staff&#8217;s comments is preceded by the text of the comment in your letter.  All terms not defined in our responses have the meanings ascribed to those terms in the Form 10-K.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><br><div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><a name="sA1531B223B6F545991A2C717589A4353"></a><div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Securities and Exchange Commission</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">August 17, 2015</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Page </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">2</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></div><br><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:16px;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Text of Staff Comment:</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;text-decoration:underline;">Form 10-K for Fiscal Year Ended December 31, 2014 </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;text-decoration:underline;">Provision for Income Taxes from Continuing Operations, page 51</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt;"><tr><td style="width:48px;"></td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;padding-left:24px;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">1.</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">We have read your response to prior comment 5 in our letter to you dated July 20, 2015. Please confirm that you will expand your disclosure to quantify the impact of factors affecting your effective tax rate, as well as to discuss how the integration of Solutia&#8217;s business operations and legal entity structures benefited your effective tax rate for fiscal year 2014. In this regard, it remains unclear how integrating the Solutia business operations and legal entity structures resulted in a 3% tax benefit for fiscal year 2014. </font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:16px;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Management Response:</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:48px;text-indent:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">In future filings, the Company will expand our disclosure to quantify the impact of factors affecting our effective tax rate and add discussion of how the integration of Solutia&#8217;s business operations and legal entity structure benefited our effective tax rate.  </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:48px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:48px;text-indent:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">As background for the information of the Staff, the 2014 effective tax rate reflects incremental benefit of approximately 3 percent over 2013, primarily due to foreign tax rate variance that resulted from the continued integration of Eastman and Solutia business operations and legal entity structures. Our foreign rate variance had the most significant impact on our effective tax rate because following the July 2012 Solutia acquisition relatively more of our earnings were generated by non-U.S. subsidiaries subject to lower rates of tax than U.S. federal income tax rates. (Approximately 60% of the approximately $5 billion Solutia acquisition purchase price was allocable to operations outside the U.S.). </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:48px;text-indent:48px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:48px;text-indent:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">In 2014, the continued integration of Eastman and Solutia business operations and legal entity structures included relocating certain business headquarters to Europe to better serve customers, and implementing an integrated entity financing structure allowing more efficient redeployment of cash for subsidiaries outside the U.S. As a result of the foregoing changes and actions, a higher percentage of Eastman earnings were in lower tax jurisdictions, resulting in an incremental 3 percent foreign rate benefit compared to 2013.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:48px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:48px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Text of Staff Comment:</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;text-decoration:underline;">Note 11- Retirement Plans, page 110 </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt;"><tr><td style="width:48px;"></td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:11pt;padding-left:24px;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">2. </font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">We note your response to prior comment 9. As it relates to your estimate of mortality, please address the following: </font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt;"><tr><td style="width:96px;"></td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:11pt;padding-left:48px;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">a)</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">Tell us how you determined the estimate of mortality prior to your completion of the five-year experience study. </font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><br><div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><a name="sA1531B223B6F545991A2C717589A4353"></a><div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Securities and Exchange Commission</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">August 17, 2015</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Page </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">3</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></div><br><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Management Response:</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:48px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">The Company performs an experience study every 3-5 years with the assistance of our actuary (Towers Watson). One assumption evaluated in the study is mortality. If the recent actual number of Company plan participant deaths is significantly different than the current assumption, the mortality assumption is changed.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:-48px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:48px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">Additionally, mortality experience is monitored on an annual basis by quantifying gains or losses attributable to differences between assumed and actual mortality. If we observe any significant bias toward gains or losses, the assumed mortality is adjusted.  </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:-48px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:48px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">This analysis is part of our normal year-end assumption setting process. During this annual process, any significant bias produced by this or other assumptions is noted by our actuary and considered by management in the assumption setting process. </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Text of Staff Comment:</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:-48px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt;"><tr><td style="width:96px;"></td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:11pt;padding-left:48px;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">b)</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">Explain to us why your estimate of mortality did not reflect any improvements to mortality, and reconcile your experience with the improvement in mortality between the RP-2000 and RP-2014 tables. </font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:48px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Management Response:</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:-48px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:48px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">Our assumption for plan mortality does include an improvement scale. This improvement scale is referred to as scale AA. Our current assumption applies a static improvement scale and no collar. The static improvement scale is updated annually.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:48px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">The most recent Company plan participant mortality was 2.5% greater than the level under the RP-2000 table we are currently assuming for valuation purposes for the 5-year period of the experience study on a benefits weighted basis (as per SOA best practice, people with higher benefits having a larger weighting or impact than people with lower benefits). Accordingly, our mortality experience is significantly (20%) greater than the RP-2014 table.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:-48px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Text of Staff Comment:</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:-48px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt;"><tr><td style="width:96px;"></td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:11pt;padding-left:48px;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">c)</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">Tell us why you believe your study provides a better estimate of mortality rates than the RP-2014 tables, with our understanding that the sample sizes for the SOA study are larger. In addition, explain the timeframe covered by your five-year experience study. </font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:72px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Management Response:</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:48px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">Our study follows best practices as described in the Actuarial Standards of Practice (ASOP). One best practice from the ASOPs is a recommendation to use 3-5 years of experience in this type of study. Therefore, the Company&#8217;s mortality study used data from 2010-2014. Additionally, the mortality study tool developed by our actuary evaluates the statistical significance of the captured experience. </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><br><div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><a name="sA1531B223B6F545991A2C717589A4353"></a><div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Securities and Exchange Commission</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">August 17, 2015</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Page </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">4</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></div><br><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:48px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">The Company&#8217;s study included a significant and credible sample size and mortality experience. According to our actuaries, the results produced by this study are accurate within 5% with a 95% confidence level. A larger sample size would not improve the quality or credibility of the results. Therefore, we concluded that the Company&#8217;s mortality study is a better estimate of future experience than any other study that does not specifically consider actual recent Eastman&#8217;s plan participant experience.  </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:48px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">The Company used the RP-2000 table with improvement scale AA because that table is most similar to our historical experience. We did not change to the RP-2014 table because we did not have the same mortality rate improvement as the general population. Using the RP-2014 table for the Company&#8217;s pension liability valuations would have understated the number of deaths and inappropriately resulted in mark-to-market pension gains each year. In addition, recent studies of the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the Human Mortality Database maintained by the University of California, Berkeley and the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research suggest that on a macro level mortality improvements are slowing and converging faster than the SOA study predicted.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:-48px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Text of Staff Comment:</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:-48px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt;"><tr><td style="width:96px;"></td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:11pt;padding-left:48px;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">d)</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">Tell us why you use the RP-2000 tables instead of adjusting the RP-2014 tables to incorporate your plan-specific characteristics. </font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:72px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;padding-left:96px;text-indent:-48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Management Response:</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:48px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">We elected to continue using the RP-2000 basis (without adjustment for the relatively immaterial difference noted in paragraph (b) above) instead of adjusting the RP-2014 table by more than 20%.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Text of Staff Comment:</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;padding-left:96px;text-indent:-48px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt;"><tr><td style="width:96px;"></td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:11pt;padding-left:48px;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">e) </font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">Describe to us your process for establishing your mortality assumption going forward. In this regard, tell us whether you plan to continue to perform your own studies or use the RP-2000 tables. </font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:center;padding-left:96px;text-indent:-48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-style:italic;font-weight:bold;">Management Response:</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">&#160;</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:48px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">We plan to continue the processes noted in our response to item (a) above.  Specifically, management, with the assistance of our actuary, expects to continue to perform a full experience study every 3-5 years with mortality being one of the assumptions evaluated. The annual gain and loss analysis is also expected to continue.  </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;text-indent:48px;font-size:11pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:11pt;">If our experience indicates changed mortality, we will work with our actuary and auditors to determine an appropriate assumption reflecting our experience. We have no bias for one table over another. The RP-2000 basis will only be considered if it continues to be a good fit.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:96px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:16px;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:16px;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">*        *        *        *</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:16px;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><br><div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></div><hr style="page-break-after:always"><a name="sA1531B223B6F545991A2C717589A4353"></a><div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Securities and Exchange Commission</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">August 17, 2015</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Page </font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">5</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></div><br><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:16px;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:16px;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;font-weight:bold;text-decoration:underline;">Management Acknowledgement</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:16px;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">The Company acknowledges that:</font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt;"><tr><td style="width:48px;"></td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;padding-left:24px;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#8226;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">it is responsible for the adequacy and accuracy of the disclosure in its filings; </font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt;"><tr><td style="width:48px;"></td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;padding-left:24px;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#8226;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Staff comments or changes to disclosure in response to Staff comments do not foreclose the Securities and Exchange Commission from taking any action with respect to the filing; and </font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;padding-left:48px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="font-family:Times New Roman; font-size:10pt;"><tr><td style="width:48px;"></td><td></td></tr><tr><td style="vertical-align:top"><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:12pt;padding-left:24px;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">&#8226;</font></div></td><td style="vertical-align:top;"><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">it may not assert Staff comments as a defense in any proceeding initiated by the Securities and Exchange Commission or any person under the federal securities laws of the United States. </font></div></td></tr></table><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:16px;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:16px;text-align:center;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">*        *        *        *</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:16px;text-align:left;text-indent:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">If you have additional questions or comments, please contact me at the above telephone number or e-mail address, or Brian&#160;L. Henry, the Company&#8217;s in-house attorney responsible for securities and disclosure matters, at 423-229-1295 (telephone) or blhenry@eastman.com (e-mail).  </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Sincerely,</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;text-decoration:underline;">/s/ William T. McLain Jr.                </font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">William T. McLain Jr.</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:16px;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Corporate Controller</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;padding-bottom:16px;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Enclosures</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">cc:&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;Tracie Mariner, Staff Accountant, SEC Division of Corporation Finance</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Tracy Houser, SEC Division of Corporation Finance</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Curtis E. Espeland, Chief Financial Officer, Eastman Chemical Company</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">David A. Golden, Chief Legal Officer, Eastman Chemical Company</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Scott V. King, Chief Accounting Officer, Eastman Chemical Company</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Brian L. Henry, Senior Counsel, Eastman Chemical Company</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Mark L. Hanson, Jones Day</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:48px;font-size:12pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"></font><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:12pt;">Neil M. Simon, Jones Day</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:48px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;text-align:left;text-indent:48px;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;">&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;</font></div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div><br><div><div style="line-height:120%;font-size:10pt;"><font style="font-family:inherit;font-size:10pt;"><br></font></div></div>	</body>
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