NOTE 9. INCOME TAXES

In determining its quarterly provision for income taxes, the Company uses an estimated annual effective tax rate, which is based on expected annual income, statutory tax rates and tax planning opportunities available in the various jurisdictions in which the Company operates. Certain significant or unusual items are separately recognized in the quarter in which they occur and can be a source of variability in the effective tax rates from quarter to quarter. The effective tax rate on earnings from continuing operations was 34.9% and 34.2% for the three and six months ended December 31, 2014, respectively, and 35.6% and 34.8% for the three and six months ended December 31,2013, respectively. The lower tax rates in the current periods were primarily due to higher benefits from favorable tax settlements. The higher tax rates for the prior periods were primarily due to higher state tax accruals.

Included in the balance of unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31, 2014 and June 30, 2014, are potential benefits of $61 and $58, respectively, which if recognized, would affect net earnings. 

In the twelve months succeeding December 31, 2014, it is reasonably possible that up to $30 of the $61 unrecognized tax benefits may be recognized, primarily within fiscal year 2015.

The Company recognizes interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions as a component of income tax expense. The total balance of accrued interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions was $11 as of both December 31, 2014 and June 30, 2014. Interest and penalties included in income tax expense resulted in net expense of $0 for both the three and six months ended December 30, 2014, respectively, and net expense of $0 and $1 for the three and six months ended December 31, 2013, respectively.

The Company files income tax returns in U.S. federal and various state, local and foreign jurisdictions. The federal statute of limitations has expired for all tax years through June 30, 2010. Various income tax returns in state and foreign jurisdictions are currently in the process of examination.

NOTE 10. RETIREMENT INCOME AND HEALTH CARE BENEFIT PLANS

The following table summarizes the components of net periodic benefit cost for the Company's retirement income plans:

The net periodic benefit cost for the Company's retirement health care plans was a credit of $1 for both the three and six months ended December 31, 2014 and $0 for both the three and six months ended December 31, 2013.

NOTE 11. OTHER CONTINGENCIES AND GUARANTEES

Contingencies

The Company is involved in certain environmental matters, including response actions at various locations. The Company had a recorded liability of $13 and $14 as of December 31, 2014 and June 30, 2014, respectively, for its share of aggregate future remediation costs related to these matters. One matter in Dickinson County, Michigan, for which the Company is jointly and severally liable, accounted for a substantial majority of the recorded liability as of both December 31, 2014 and June 30, 2014. The Company has agreed to be liable for 24.3% of the aggregate remediation and associated costs for this matter pursuant to a cost-sharing arrangement with a third party. With the assistance of environmental consultants, the Company maintains an undiscounted liability representing its current best estimate of its share of the capital expenditures, maintenance and other costs that may be incurred over an estimated 30-year remediation period. Currently, the Company cannot accurately predict the timing of future payments that may be made under this obligation. In addition, the Company's estimated loss exposure is sensitive to a variety of uncertain factors, including the efficacy of remediation efforts, changes in remediation requirements and the future availability of alternative clean-up technologies. Although it is reasonably possible that the Company's exposure may exceed the amount recorded, any amount of such additional exposures, or range of exposures, is not estimable at this time.

In October 2012, a Brazilian appellate court issued an adverse decision in a lawsuit pending in Brazil against the Company and one of its wholly owned subsidiaries, The Glad Products Company (Glad). The lawsuit, which was initially filed in a Brazilian lower court in 2002 by two Brazilian companies and one Uruguayan company (collectively, Petroplus), relates to joint venture agreements for the distribution of STP auto-care products in Brazil with three companies that became subsidiaries of the Company as a result of the Company's merger with First Brands Corporation in January 1999 (collectively, Clorox Subsidiaries). The pending lawsuit seeks indemnification for damages and losses for alleged breaches of the joint venture agreements and abuse of economic power by the Company and Glad. Petroplus had previously unsuccessfully raised the same claims and sought damages from the Company and the Clorox Subsidiaries in an International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration proceeding in Miami, Florida, filed in 2001. The ICC arbitration panel unanimously ruled against Petroplus in a final decision in November 2003 (Final ICC Arbitration Award). The Final ICC Arbitration Award was ratified by the Superior Court of Justice of Brazil in May 2007 (Foreign Judgment), and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida subsequently confirmed the Final ICC Arbitration Award and recognized and adopted the Foreign Judgment as a judgment of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida (U.S. Judgment). Despite this, in March 2008, a Brazilian lower court ruled against the Company and Glad in the pending lawsuit. The value of the judgment against the Company, including interest and foreign exchange fluctuations as of December 31, 2014, was approximately $34.

Among other defenses, because the Final ICC Arbitration Award, the Foreign Judgment and the U.S. Judgment relate to the same claims as those in the pending lawsuit, the Company believes that Petroplus is precluded from re-litigating these claims. Based on the unfavorable appellate court decision, however, the Company believes that it is reasonably possible that a loss could be incurred in this matter in excess of amounts accrued, and that the estimated range of such loss in this matter is from $0 to $28. 
 

The Company continues to believe that its defenses are meritorious, and has appealed the decision to the highest courts of Brazil. In December 2013, in the first stage of the appellate process, the appellate court declined to admit the Company's appeals to the highest courts. The Company then appealed directly to the highest courts. While in May 2014 the Superior Court of Justice originally agreed to consider the Company's appeal, in December 2014 the same court declined to admit the appeal based on procedural grounds. The Company is appealing that decision. It is possible that a final decision in this case could be issued as early as the third quarter of fiscal year 2015. Expenses related to this litigation have been, and any potential additional loss would be, reflected in discontinued operations, consistent with the Company's classification of expenses related to its discontinued Brazil operations.

In a separate action filed in 2004 by Petroplus, in January 2013, a lower Brazilian court nullified the Final ICC Arbitration Award. The Company believes this judgment is inconsistent with the Foreign Judgment and the U.S. Judgment and that it is without merit. The Company appealed this decision, and the lower court decision was overturned by the appellate court in April 2014. Petroplus has appealed this decision to Brazil's highest court.

Glad and the Clorox Subsidiaries have also filed separate lawsuits against Petroplus alleging misuse of the STP trademark and related matters, which are currently pending before Brazilian courts, and have taken other legal actions against Petroplus, which are pending. Additionally, in November 2013, the Clorox Subsidiaries initiated a new ICC arbitration seeking damages against Petroplus.

The Company is subject to various other lawsuits, claims and loss contingencies relating to issues such as contract disputes, product liability, patents and trademarks, advertising, and employee and other matters. Based on management's analysis, it is the opinion of management that the ultimate disposition of these matters, to the extent not previously provided for, will not have a material adverse effect, individually or in the aggregate, on the Company's consolidated financial statements taken as a whole.

Guarantees

In conjunction with divestitures and other transactions, the Company may provide typical indemnifications (e.g., indemnifications for representations and warranties and retention of previously existing environmental, tax and employee liabilities) that have terms that vary in duration and in the potential amount of the total obligation and, in many circumstances, are not explicitly defined. The Company has not made, nor does it believe that it is probable that it will make, any material payments relating to its indemnifications, and believes that any reasonably possible payments would not have a material adverse effect, individually or in the aggregate, on the Company's consolidated financial statements taken as a whole.

The Company had not recorded any liabilities on the aforementioned guarantees as of December 31, 2014.

As of December 31, 2014, the Company was a party to letters of credit of $11, primarily related to one of its insurance carriers, of which $0 had been drawn upon.

NOTE 12. SEGMENT RESULTS

The Company operates through strategic business units that are aggregated into four reportable segments: Cleaning, Household, Lifestyle and International. As a result of Clorox Venezuela being reported as discontinued operations, the results of Clorox Venezuela are no longer included in earnings from continuing operations of the International reportable segment (Note 2 – Discontinued Operations).

• Cleaning consists of laundry, home care and professional products marketed and sold in the United States. Products within this segment include laundry additives, including bleach products under the Clorox® brand and Clorox 2® stain fighter and color booster; home care products, primarily under the Clorox®, Formula 409®, Liquid-Plumr®, Pine-Sol®, S.O.S® and Tilex® brands; naturally derived products under the Green Works® brand; and professional cleaning and disinfecting products under the Clorox®, Dispatch®, Aplicare®, HealthLink® and Clorox Healthcare® brands.

• Household consists of charcoal, cat litter and plastic bags, wraps and container products marketed and sold in the United States. Products within this segment include plastic bags, wraps and containers under the Glad® brand; cat litter products under the Fresh Step®, Scoop Away® and Ever Clean® brands; and charcoal products under the Kingsford® and Match Light® brands.

• Lifestyle consists of food products, water-filtration systems and filters, and natural personal care products marketed and sold in the United States. Products within this segment include dressings and sauces, primarily under the Hidden Valley®, KC Masterpiece® and Soy Vay® brands; water-filtration systems and filters under the Brita® brand; and natural personal care products under the Burt's Bees® brand.

• International consists of products sold outside the United States. Products within this segment include laundry, home care, water-filtration, charcoal and cat litter products, dressings and sauces, plastic bags, wraps and containers and natural personal care products, primarily under the Clorox®, Javex®, Glad®, PinoLuz®, Ayudin®, Limpido®, Clorinda®, Poett®, Mistolin®, Lestoil®, Bon Bril®, Brita®, Green Works®, Pine-Sol®, Agua Jane®, Chux®, Kingsford®, Fresh Step®, Scoop Away®, Ever Clean®, KC Masterpiece®, Hidden Valley® and Burt's Bees® brands.

Certain non-allocated administrative costs, interest income, interest expense and various other non-operating income and expenses are reflected in Corporate. Corporate assets include cash and cash equivalents, property and equipment, other investments and deferred taxes.

The table below presents reportable segment information and a reconciliation of the segment information to the Company's consolidated net sales and earnings from continuing operations before income taxes, with amounts that are not allocated to the reportable segments reflected in Corporate.

All intersegment sales are eliminated and are not included in the Company's reportable segments' net sales.

Net sales to the Company's largest customer, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. and its affiliates, as a percentage of consolidated net sales, were 26% for each of the three and six months ended December 31, 2014 and 2013.

NOTE 13. FINANCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND FAIR VALUE MEASUREMENTS

Financial assets and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis in the consolidated balance sheets are required to be classified and disclosed in one of the following fair value hierarchies:

Level 1: Quoted market prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.

Level 2: Observable market-based inputs or unobservable inputs that are corroborated by market data.

Level 3: Unobservable inputs reflecting the reporting entity's own assumptions. 

As of December 31, 2014 and June 30, 2014, the Company's financial assets and liabilities that were measured at fair value on a recurring basis during the period included derivative financial instruments, which were all Level 2, and trust assets to fund certain of the Company's nonqualified deferred compensation plans, which were classified as Level 1.

Financial Risk Management and Derivative Instruments

The Company is exposed to certain commodity, interest rate and foreign currency risks related to its ongoing business operations and uses derivative instruments to mitigate its exposure to these risks.

Commodity Price Risk Management

The Company may use commodity exchange traded futures and over-the-counter swap contracts to fix the price of a portion of its forecasted raw material requirements. Contract maturities, which are generally no longer than 2 years, are matched to the length of the raw material purchase contracts. Commodity purchase contracts are measured at fair value using market quotations obtained from commodity derivative dealers.

As of December 31, 2014, the notional amount of commodity derivatives was $67, of which $35 related to jet fuel and $32 related to soybean oil. As of June 30, 2014, the notional amount of commodity derivatives was $36, of which $19 related to jet fuel and $17 related to soybean oil.

Interest Rate Risk Management

The Company may enter into over-the-counter interest rate forward contracts to fix a portion of the benchmark interest rate prior to the anticipated issuance of fixed rate debt. These interest rate forward contracts generally have durations of less than 12 months. The interest rate contracts are measured at fair value using information quoted by U.S. government bond dealers.

As of December 31, 2014 and June 30, 2014, the notional amounts of interest rate forward contracts were $0 and $288, respectively. During the three months ended December 31, 2014, the Company paid $25 to settle interest rate forward contracts related to the December 2014 issuance of $500 in senior notes. The settlement payments were reflected as operating cash flows in the Condensed Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the six months ended December 31, 2014. The $25 loss is reflected in accumulated other comprehensive net loss on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2014, and will be amortized into interest expense on the Condensed Consolidated Statement of Earnings and Comprehensive Income over the 10-year term of the notes.

Foreign Currency Risk Management

The Company may also enter into certain over-the-counter foreign currency-related derivative contracts to manage a portion of the Company's foreign exchange risk associated with the purchase of inventory and certain intercompany transactions. These foreign currency contracts generally have durations of no longer than 20 months. The foreign exchange contracts are measured at fair value using information quoted by foreign exchange dealers.

The notional amounts of outstanding foreign currency forward contracts used by the Company's subsidiaries in Canada, Australia and New Zealand to hedge forecasted purchases of inventory were $28, $14 and $3, respectively, as of December 31, 2014, and $54, $28 and $5, respectively, as of June 30, 2014.

Counterparty Risk Management and Broker Margin Requirements

The Company utilizes a variety of financial institutions as counterparties for over-the counter derivative instruments. The Company enters into agreements governing the use of over-the-counter derivative instruments and sets internal limits on the aggregate over-the-counter derivative instrument positions held with each counterparty. Certain terms of these agreements require the Company or the counterparty to post collateral when the fair value of the derivative instruments exceeds contractually defined counterparty liability position limits. Of the $15 and $17 of derivative instruments reflected in a liability position as of December 31, 2014 and June 30, 2014, respectively, $9 and $11, respectively, contained such terms. As of both December 31, 2014 and June 30, 2014, neither the Company nor any counterparty was required to post any collateral.

Certain terms of the agreements governing the Company's over-the-counter derivative instruments require the credit ratings, as assigned by Standard & Poor's and Moody's to the Company and its counterparties, to remain at a level equal to or better than the minimum of an investment grade credit rating. If the Company's credit ratings were to fall below investment grade, the counterparties to the derivative instruments could request full collateralization on derivative instruments in net liability positions. 

As of both December 31, 2014 and June 30, 2014, the Company and each of its counterparties had been assigned investment grade ratings by both Standard & Poor's and Moody's.

Certain of the Company's exchange-traded futures contracts used for commodity price risk management include requirements for the Company to post collateral in the form of a cash margin account held by the Company's broker for trades conducted on that exchange. As of December 31, 2014 and June 30, 2014, the Company maintained cash margin balances related to exchange-traded futures contracts of $4 and $1, respectively, which are classified as other current assets on the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Fair Value of Derivative Instruments

Derivatives

The accounting for changes in the fair value (i.e., gains or losses) of a derivative instrument depends on whether it has been designated and qualifies as an accounting hedge and, if so, on the type of hedging relationship. For those derivative instruments designated and qualifying as hedging instruments, the Company must designate the hedging instrument as a fair value hedge or a cash flow hedge. The Company designates its commodity forward and future contracts for forecasted purchases of raw materials, interest rate forward contracts for forecasted interest payments, and foreign currency forward contracts for forecasted purchases of inventory as cash flow hedges. During the three and six months ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, the Company had no hedging instruments designated as fair value hedges.

Trust Assets

The Company has held mutual funds and cash equivalents as part of trusts related to certain of its nonqualified deferred compensation plans. The trusts represent variable interest entities for which the Company is considered the primary beneficiary, and therefore, trust assets are consolidated and included in other assets in the condensed consolidated balance sheets. The mutual funds are measured at fair value using quoted market prices. The Company has designated these marketable securities as trading investments. The participants in the deferred compensation plans may select among certain mutual funds in which their compensation deferrals are invested in accordance with the terms of the plans and within the confines of the trusts which hold the marketable securities.

The Company's derivative instruments designated as hedging instruments and trust assets related to certain of the Company's nonqualified deferred compensation plans were recorded at fair value in the consolidated balance sheets as follows:

For derivative instruments designated and qualifying as cash flow hedges, the effective portion of gains or losses is reported as a component of other comprehensive (loss) income (OCI) and reclassified into earnings in the same period or periods during which the hedged transaction affects earnings. The estimated amount of the existing net loss in accumulated other comprehensive net loss as of December 31, 2014, expected to be reclassified into earnings within the next 12 months is $13. Gains and losses on derivative instruments representing either hedge ineffectiveness or hedge components excluded from the assessment of effectiveness are recognized in current earnings. During the three and six months ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, respectively, hedge ineffectiveness was not significant. The Company de-designates cash flow hedge relationships whenever it determines that the hedge relationships are no longer highly effective or that the forecasted transaction is no longer probable. The portion of gains or losses on the derivative instrument previously accumulated in OCI for de-designated hedges remains in accumulated other comprehensive net loss until the forecasted transaction is recognized in earnings, or is recognized in earnings immediately if the forecasted transaction is no longer probable. Changes in the value of derivative instruments not designated as accounting hedges are recorded in other (income) expense, net.

Changes in the value of the trust assets related to certain of the Company's nonqualified deferred compensation plans were $4 for the six months ended December 31, 2014, primarily due to current quarter employees' contributions to these plans.

The effects of derivative instruments designated as hedging instruments on OCI and the condensed consolidated statements of earnings and comprehensive income were as follows:

The gains and losses reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive net loss and recognized in earnings during the three and six months ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 for foreign exchange contracts were included in cost of products sold. The losses reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive net loss and recognized in earnings during the three and six months ended December 31, 2014 and 2013 for interest rate contracts were included in interest expense.

Other Financial Instruments

The carrying values of cash and cash equivalents, accounts receivable, notes and loans payable and accounts payable approximated their estimated fair values as of December 31, 2014 and June 30, 2014, due to their generally short maturities. The estimated fair value of long-term debt, including current maturities, was $2,755 and $2,265 as of December 31, 2014 and June 30, 2014, respectively. The estimated fair value of long-term debt was determined using secondary market prices quoted by corporate bond dealers, and was classified as Level 2.

Revolving Credit Agreement

On October 1, 2014, the Company entered into a $1,100 revolving credit agreement (the Credit Agreement), which expires in October 2019. This agreement replaced a prior $1,100 revolving credit agreement in place since May 2012.There were no borrowings under the Credit Agreement as of December 31, 2014, and the Company believes that borrowings under the Credit Agreement are and will continue to be available for general corporate purposes.

Basis of Presentation

The unaudited interim condensed consolidated financial statements for the three and six months ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, in the opinion of management, reflect all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring accruals) necessary for a fair presentation of the consolidated results of operations, financial position and cash flows of The Clorox Company and its subsidiaries (the Company) for the periods presented. The results for the interim period ended December 31, 2014, are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2015, or for any other future period.

Effective September 22, 2014, the Company's Venezuela affiliate, Corporación Clorox de Venezuela S.A. (Clorox Venezuela) discontinued its operations. Consequently, for the three and six months ended December 31, 2014 and 2013, Clorox Venezuela is reflected as a discontinued operation in the Company's financial statements.

Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (U.S. GAAP) have been omitted or condensed pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The information in this report should be read in conjunction with the Company's audited financial statements for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2014, which includes a complete set of footnote disclosures, including the Company's significant accounting policies, filed with the SEC in Exhibit 99.2 of the Company's Current Report on Form 8-K on December 4, 2014.

Recently Issued Accounting Pronouncements

In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) issued Accounting Standards Update (ASU) No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606),” which replaces most existing U.S. GAAP revenue recognition guidance and is intended to improve and converge with international standards the financial reporting requirements for revenue from contracts with customers. The core principle of ASU 2014-09 is that an entity should recognize revenue for the transfer of goods or services equal to the amount that it expects to be entitled to receive for those goods or services. ASU 2014-09 also requires additional disclosures about the nature, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from contracts with customers, including information about significant judgments and changes in judgments. The new guidance is effective for the Company beginning in the first quarter of fiscal year 2018, with no early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact the adoption of ASU 2014-09 will have on its consolidated financial statements.

In April 2014, the FASB issued ASU No 2014-08 “Reporting Discontinued Operations and Disclosures of Disposals of Components of an Entity (Topic 205)”, which will change the criteria for reporting discontinued operations. The amendments will also require new disclosures about discontinued operations and disposals of components of an entity that do not qualify for discontinued operations reporting. The amendments are effective for the Company for new disposals (or classifications as held for sale) of components of the Company, should they occur, beginning in the first quarter of fiscal year 2016. Early adoption is permitted for disposals (or classifications as held for sale) that have not been previously reported. The Company will adopt this ASU beginning in the first quarter of fiscal year 2016, as required. Adoption of the new standard will not impact the Company's reporting or disclosures for discontinued operations of Clorox Venezuela.