Ashland has divested certain businesses that have qualified as discontinued operations. The operating results from these divested businesses and subsequent adjustments related to ongoing assessments and activities of certain retained liabilities and tax items have been recorded within the discontinued operations caption in the Statements of Consolidated Comprehensive Income (Loss) for all periods presented and are discussed further within this note.

As previously described in Note D, Ashland has completed the previously announced sale of its Composites business (excluding the Maleic business) and butanediol manufacturing facility in Marl, Germany to INEOS. Ashland determined that this disposal group qualified as a discontinued operation, in accordance with U.S. GAAP, since it represented a strategic shift for Ashland and had a major effect on Ashland's operations and financial results. Accordingly, the operating results and cash flows for the Composites business (including the Maleic business) and the Marl facility have been classified as discontinued operations within the Consolidated Financial Statements for all periods presented.

As previously discussed in Notes A and B, Ashland completed the distribution of its remaining 170 million shares of common stock of Valvoline Inc. on May 12, 2017. Ashland determined that the Valvoline separation qualified as a discontinued operation, in accordance with U.S. GAAP, since it represents a strategic shift for Ashland and has a major effect on Ashland's operations and financial results. Accordingly, Valvoline's operating results and cash flows for all periods presented have been classified as discontinued operations within the Consolidated Financial Statements. The activity during 2019 and 2018 generally represents subsequent adjustments that were made in conjunction with the Tax Matters Agreement.

Ashland is subject to liabilities from claims alleging personal injury caused by exposure to asbestos. Such claims result primarily from indemnification obligations undertaken in 1990 in connection with the sale of Riley Stoker Corporation (Riley), a former subsidiary, which qualified as a discontinued operation and from the acquisition during 2009 of Hercules LLC (formerly Hercules Incorporated), an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Ashland. Adjustments to the recorded litigation reserves and related insurance receivables are recorded within the discontinued operations caption. See Note O for more information related to the adjustments on asbestos liabilities and receivables.

During 2014, Ashland completed the sale of the Ashland Water Technologies (Water Technologies) business. Ashland determined that this sale qualified as a discontinued operation, in accordance with U.S. GAAP, since Ashland does not have significant continuing involvement in the Water Technologies business. Ashland has made subsequent adjustments to the discontinued operations caption related to the sale.

During 2011, Ashland completed the sale of substantially all of the assets and certain liabilities of its global distribution business, which previously comprised the Ashland Distribution (Distribution) reportable segment. Ashland determined that this sale qualified as a discontinued operation, in accordance with U.S. GAAP, since Ashland does not have significant continuing involvement in the Distribution business. Ashland has made subsequent adjustments to the discontinued operations caption related to the sale.

Due to the ongoing assessment of certain matters associated with previous divestitures, subsequent adjustments to these divestitures may continue in future periods in the discontinued operations caption in the Statements of Consolidated Comprehensive Income (Loss). Components of amounts reflected in the Statements of Consolidated Comprehensive Income (Loss) related to discontinued operations are presented in the following table for each of the years ended September 30.

(In millions)	2019			2018			2017
Income (loss) from discontinued operations
Composites/Marl facility	$	118		$	103		$	98
Valvoline		—			(1	)		240
Asbestos-related litigation		—			14			(31	)
Water Technologies		(1	)		—			1
Distribution		18			(11	)		(5	)
Gain on disposal of discontinued operations
Composites/Marl facility		423			—			—
Income before taxes		558			105			303
Income tax benefit (expense)
Benefit (expense) related to income (loss) from discontinued operations
Composites/Marl facility		(24	)		(17	)		(23	)
Valvoline		—			—			(81	)
Asbestos-related litigation		—			(1	)		6
Water Technologies		2			3			1
Distribution		(4	)		5			2
Expense related to gain on disposal of discontinued operations
Composites/Marl facility		(51	)		—			—
Income from discontinued operations (net of taxes)	$	481		$	95		$	208

The following table presents a reconciliation of the captions within Ashland's Statements of Consolidated Income (Loss) for the income (loss) from discontinued operations attributable to the Composites business and the Marl facility disposal group for each of the years ended September 30. Interest expense was allocated to discontinued operations based on Ashland’s mandatory debt prepayments upon the disposition of the Composites business and the Marl facility. Although the Maleic business was not sold to INEOS, this business was operated under the Composites business and Marl facility disposal group and will continue to be reported in discontinued operations along with the Composites business and Marl facility.

(In millions)	2019			2018			2017
Income(loss) from discontinued operations attributable to Composites/Marl facility disposal group
Sales	$	1,012		$	1,154		$	951
Cost of sales		(785	)		(942	)		(783	)
Selling, general and administrative expense		(74	)		(79	)		(65	)
Research and development expense		(11	)		(12	)		(10	)
Equity and other income		3			4			4
Pretax operating income of discontinued operations		145			125			97
Net interest and other financing expense		(21	)		(20	)		(5	)
Other net periodic benefit income (costs)		(6	)		(2	)		2
Net gain on acquisitions and divestitures		—			—			4
Pretax income of discontinued operations		118			103			98
Income tax expense		(24	)		(17	)		(23	)
Income from discontinued operations	$	94		$	86		$	75

The following table presents a reconciliation of the captions within Ashland’s Statements of Consolidated Income for the income from discontinued operations attributable to Valvoline for the year ended September 30, 2017.

(In millions)	2017 (a)
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Valvoline
Sales	$	1,237
Cost of sales		(750	)
Selling, general and administrative expense		(234	)
Research and development expense		(8	)
Equity and other income	17
Operating income of discontinued operations	262
Net loss on acquisitions and divestitures		—
Net interest and other financing expense		(22	)
Pretax income of discontinued operations		240
Income tax expense		(81	)
Income from discontinued operations	$	159