Mexican IVA taxes receivable	12 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2017
Value Added Tax Receivable [Abstract]
Mexican IVA taxes receivable	16. Mexican IVA taxes receivable Included in other assets are tax receivables due from the Mexican government for value-added taxes (IVA) paid in advance. CDM is charged IVA by vendors on certain expenditures in Mexico, which, insofar as they relate to the exportation of goods, translate into IVA amounts receivable from the Mexican government. As of October 31, 2017 and 2016, IVA receivables totaled $19.5 million and $15.4 million. Historically, CDM received IVA refund payments from the Mexican tax authorities on a timely basis. Beginning in fiscal 2014 and continuing into fiscal 2017, however, the tax authorities began carrying out more detailed reviews of our refund requests and our supporting documentation. Additionally, they are also questioning the refunds requested attributable to IVA paid to certain suppliers that allegedly did not fulfill their own tax obligations. We believe these factors and others have contributed to delays in the processing of IVA claims by the Mexican tax authorities. Currently, we are in the process of collecting such balances through regular administrative processes, but certain amounts may ultimately need to be recovered via legal means. We believe that our operations in Mexico are properly documented and that the Mexican tax authorities will ultimately authorize the refund of the corresponding IVA amounts. We will continue to monitor the collection of these receivables with our outside consultants. During the first quarter of fiscal 2017, tax authorities informed us that their internal opinion, based on the information provided by local SAT office in Uruapan, considers that CDM is not properly documented relative to its declared tax structure and therefore CDM cannot claim the refundable IVA balance. CDM has strong arguments and supporting documentation to sustain its declared tax structure for IVA and income tax purposes. CDM decided to start an administrative appeal for the IVA related to the request of the months of July, August and September of 2015 in order to assert its argument that CDM is properly documented and to therefore change the SAT’s internal assessment. CDM expected to have a resolution to this matter in fiscal 2018; however, it should be noted that our timing expectations are predicated on a timely response from the tax authorities, according to the most recent communications with tax authorities it is likely to have a resolution during fiscal 2018. Based on the information mentioned above, in the first quarter of fiscal 2017, we reclassified the total CDM IVA balance from prepaid and other current assets to other assets. As of October 31, 2017 and October 31, 2016, $18.2 million and $7.0 million of CDM IVA receivables were recorded in other assets. As of October 31, 2016, $8.4 million of CDM IVA were recorded in prepaids and other current assets.

16. Mexican IVA taxes receivable

Included in other assets are tax receivables due from the Mexican government for value-added taxes (IVA) paid in advance. CDM is charged IVA by vendors on certain expenditures in Mexico, which, insofar as they relate to the exportation of goods, translate into IVA amounts receivable from the Mexican government.

As of October 31, 2017 and 2016, IVA receivables totaled $19.5 million and $15.4 million. Historically, CDM received IVA refund payments from the Mexican tax authorities on a timely basis. Beginning in fiscal 2014 and continuing into fiscal 2017, however, the tax authorities began carrying out more detailed reviews of our refund requests and our supporting documentation. Additionally, they are also questioning the refunds requested attributable to IVA paid to certain suppliers that allegedly did not fulfill their own tax obligations. We believe these factors and others have contributed to delays in the processing of IVA claims by the Mexican tax authorities. Currently, we are in the process of collecting such balances through regular administrative processes, but certain amounts may ultimately need to be recovered via legal means. We believe that our operations in Mexico are properly documented and that the Mexican tax authorities will ultimately authorize the refund of the corresponding IVA amounts. We will continue to monitor the collection of these receivables with our outside consultants.

During the first quarter of fiscal 2017, tax authorities informed us that their internal opinion, based on the information provided by local SAT office in Uruapan, considers that CDM is not properly documented relative to its declared tax structure and therefore CDM cannot claim the refundable IVA balance. CDM has strong arguments and supporting documentation to sustain its declared tax structure for IVA and income tax purposes. CDM decided to start an administrative appeal for the IVA related to the request of the months of July, August and September of 2015 in order to assert its argument that CDM is properly documented and to therefore change the SAT’s internal assessment. CDM expected to have a resolution to this matter in fiscal 2018; however, it should be noted that our timing expectations are predicated on a timely response from the tax authorities, according to the most recent communications with tax authorities it is likely to have a resolution during fiscal 2018. Based on the information mentioned above, in the first quarter of fiscal 2017, we reclassified the total CDM IVA balance from prepaid and other current assets to other assets. As of October 31, 2017 and October 31, 2016, $18.2 million and $7.0 million of CDM IVA receivables were recorded in other assets. As of October 31, 2016, $8.4 million of CDM IVA were recorded in prepaids and other current assets.