Restructuring

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2023

Restructuring and Related Activities [Abstract]

The Company has engaged and expects to continue to engage in restructuring activities, which requires management to utilize significant estimates related to the timing and amount of severance and other employee separation costs for workforce reductions and other separation programs and other exit costs associated with restructuring activities. The Company’s accrual for severance and other employee separation costs depends on whether the costs result from an ongoing severance plan or are one-time costs. The Company accounts for relevant expenses as severance costs when we have an established severance policy, statutory requirements dictate the severance amounts, or if our historical experience is to routinely provide certain benefits to impacted employees. The Company recognizes severance costs when it is probable that benefits will be paid and the amount can be reasonably estimated. The Company estimates one-time severance and other employee costs related to exit and disposal activities not resulting from an ongoing severance plan based on the benefits available to the employees being terminated. The Company recognizes these costs when we identify the specific classification or functions of the employees being terminated, notify the employees who might be included in the termination, and expect to terminate employees within the legally required notification period. When employees are receiving incentives to stay beyond the legally required notification period, we record the cost of their severance over the remaining service period.

Restructuring costs incurred by reportable business segment for all restructuring activities for the years ended December 31, are as follows (in millions):


	2023		2022		2021
Home and Commercial Solutions	$	50	$	5	$	11
Learning and Development	18		4		1
Outdoor and Recreation	11		5		3
Corporate	16		1		1
	$	95	$	15	$	16

Accrued restructuring costs activity for the year ended December 31, 2023 are as follows (in millions):


	Balance at December 31, 2022		Restructuring Costs, Net		Payments		Foreign Currency and Other		Balance at December 31, 2023
Severance and termination costs	$	7	$	89	$	(66)	$	—	$	30
Contract termination and other costs	—		6		(5)		(1)		—
	$	7	$	95	$	(71)	$	(1)	$	30

Accrued restructuring costs activity for the year ended December 31, 2022 are as follows (in millions):


	Balance at December 31, 2021		Restructuring Costs, Net		Payments		Balance at December 31, 2022
Severance and termination costs	$	8	$	13	$	(14)	$	7
Contract termination and other costs	2		2		(4)		—
	$	10	$	15	$	(18)	$	7

Project Phoenix

In January 2023, the Company announced a restructuring and savings initiative (“Project Phoenix”) that was intended to strengthen the Company by leveraging its scale to further reduce complexity, streamlining its operating model and driving operational efficiencies. Project Phoenix was substantially implemented by the end of 2023 and incorporated a variety of initiatives designed to simplify the organizational structure, streamline the Company’s real estate portfolio, centralize the Company’s supply chain functions, which include manufacturing, distribution, transportation and customer service, transition to a unified One Newell go-to-

market model in key international geographies, and otherwise reduce overhead costs. The Company estimates that it will incur approximately $100 million to $130 million in restructuring and restructuring-related charges in connection with Project Phoenix, substantially all of which was incurred by the end of 2023. These charges consist primarily of $80 million to $105 million in charges related to severance payments and other termination benefits; $15 million to $20 million in charges associated with office space reductions; and approximately $5 million of other charges, including those associated with employee transition and legal costs. The Company expects approximately $95 million to $120 million of the total aggregate charges will be cash expenditures. The Company commenced reducing headcount in the first quarter of 2023, and while the program is mostly complete, charges will continue to be recognized as the Company completes remaining actions, in accordance with local regulations and consultation requirements. All cash payments are expected to be paid within one year of charges incurred.

During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company recorded restructuring charges of $78 million in connection with Project Phoenix. See Recent Developments in Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations for further information.

Network Optimization Project

In May 2023, the Company announced a restructuring and savings initiative that is intended to simplify and streamline its North American distribution network (the “Network Optimization Project”) in order to improve the Company’s cost structure and operating margins while maintaining focus on customer and consumer fulfillment. The Company initiated implementation of the Network Optimization Project during the second quarter of 2023 and expects it to be substantially implemented by the end of fiscal year 2024. The Network Optimization Project incorporates a variety of initiatives, including a reduction in the overall number of distribution centers, an optimization of distribution by location, and completion of select automation investments intended to further streamline the Company’s cost structure and to maximize operating performance. The Company currently estimates that it will incur approximately $37 million to $49 million in restructuring and restructuring-related charges associated with execution of the Network Optimization Project and expects that the costs incurred will be substantially complete by the end of 2024. This estimate of charges consists primarily of $8 million to $11 million related to cash severance payments and other termination benefits and approximately $29 million to $38 million associated with industrial site reductions. The Company expects approximately $35 million to $44 million of the total aggregate charges will be cash expenditures.

During the year ended December 31, 2023, the Company recorded restructuring charges of $7 million in connection with the Network Optimization Project. See Recent Developments in Item 7, Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations for further information.

Other Restructuring and Restructuring-Related Costs

The Company regularly incurs other restructuring and restructuring-related costs in connection with various discrete initiatives, including certain costs associated with the 2020 Restructuring Plan, which was designed to reduce overhead costs and streamline certain underperforming operations and was completed at the end of 2021 and Project Ovid, the multi-year, customer centric supply chain initiative to transform the Company’s go-to-market capabilities in the U.S., improve customer service levels and drive operational efficiencies. During the years ended December 31, 2023, 2022 and 2021, the Company recorded other restructuring charges of $10 million, $15 million and $16 million, respectively.

Restructuring-related costs are recorded in cost of products sold and SG&A in the Consolidated Statements of Operations based on the nature of the underlying costs incurred.

Realignment Plan

In January 2024, the Company announced an organizational realignment, which is expected to strengthen the Company’s front-end commercial capabilities, such as consumer understanding and brand communication, in support of the “where to play” and “how to win” strategies the Company unveiled in June of 2023. In addition to improving accountability, the Company’s organizational realignment is designed to unlock operational efficiencies and cost savings, reduce complexity and free up funds for reinvestment. As part of the organizational realignment, the Company is making several operating model changes, which entail: standing up a cross-functional brand management organization, realigning business unit finance to fully support the new global brand management model, further simplifying and standardizing regional go-to-market organizations, and centralizing domestic retail sales teams, the digital technology team, business-aligned accounting personnel, the Manufacturing Quality team, and the Human Resources functions into the appropriate center-led teams to drive standardization, efficiency and scale with a One Newell approach. The Company will also further optimize the Company’s real estate footprint and pursue other cost reduction initiatives. These actions are expected to be substantially implemented by the end of 2024, subject to local law and consultation requirements. Restructuring and restructuring-related charges associated with these actions are estimated to be in the range of $75 million to $90 million and are expected to be substantially incurred by the end of 2024.