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Restructuring Activities | 3 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2019
Restructuring And Related Activities [Abstract] |
Restructuring Activities | NOTE D – RESTRUCTURING ACTIVITIES Company-wide restructuring activities Ashland periodically implements company-wide restructuring programs related to acquisitions, divestitures and other cost reduction programs in order to enhance profitability through streamlined operations and an improved overall cost structure. Severance costs During fiscal 2018, Ashland initiated a company-wide cost reduction program as a result of ongoing strategic asset plans and activities. As part of this restructuring program, Ashland announced a voluntary severance offer (VSO) to certain qualifying employees that was formally approved during 2018. Additionally, during fiscal 2018, an involuntary program for employees was also initiated as part of the restructuring program. During the three months ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, these programs resulted in additional severance expense of $1 million and $4 million, respectively, which was primarily recorded within the selling, general and administrative expense caption of the Statement of Consolidated Comprehensive Income (Loss). As of December 31, 2019, the severance reserve for the company-wide restructuring program was $5 million. Facility costs Ashland incurred zero and $7 million of lease abandonment charges during the three months ended December 31, 2019 and 2018, respectively, due to the exit from certain office facilities in conjunction with the company-wide cost reduction program. The costs related to this reserve were recorded within the selling, general and administrative expense caption of the Statements of Consolidated Comprehensive Income (Loss) and are paid over the remaining lease terms. As of December 31, 2019, the reserve for facility costs was $6 million. The following table details at December 31, 2019, the amount of restructuring reserves related to the programs discussed above, and the related activity in these reserves during the three months ended December 31, 2019. The severance and facility cost reserves were primarily recorded within accrued expenses and other liabilities in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2018.
(In millions) | Severance costs |  |  | Facility costs |  |  | Total |
Balance at of September 30, 2019 |  | 7 |  |  |  | 7 |  |  |  | 14 |
Restructuring reserve |  | 1 |  |  |  | — |  |  |  | 1 |
Utilization (cash paid) |  | (3 | ) |  |  | (1 | ) |  |  | (4 | )
Balance at December 31, 2019 | $ | 5 |  |  | $ | 6 |  |  |  | 11 |
(In millions) | Severance costs |  |  | Facility costs |  |  | Total |
Balance at of September 30, 2018 |  | 36 |  |  |  | 7 |  |  |  | 43 |
Restructuring reserve |  | 4 |  |  |  | 7 |  |  |  | 11 |
Utilization (cash paid) |  | (8 | ) |  |  | (3 | ) |  |  | (11 | )
Balance at December 31, 2018 | $ | 32 |  |  | $ | 11 |  |  |  | 43 |
Other restructuring activities Plant restructuring During the three months ended December 31, 2018, Specialty Ingredients committed to a cost reduction plan within an existing manufacturing facility. As a result, restructuring charges of $27 million were recorded for the three months ended December 31, 2018 primarily within the cost of sales caption of the Statements of Consolidated Comprehensive Income (Loss) consisting of $19 million in accelerated depreciation and amortization, $5 million in severance and $3 million of plant closure costs. As of December 31, 2019, there was no restructuring reserve related to this plant restructuring. Executive transition severance costs During the three months ended December 31, 2019, Ashland incurred severance expense of $3 million attributable to executive management changes within the organization. As of December 31, 2019, the severance reserve associated with this transition was $3 million.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for restructuring and related activities. Description of restructuring activities such as exit and disposal activities, include facts and circumstances leading to the plan, the expected plan completion date, the major types of costs associated with the plan activities, total expected costs, the accrual balance at the end of the period, and the periods over which the remaining accrual will be settled. + References Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 420 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2175745 + Details
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