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UPDATE 1-FACTBOX-US health overhaul to hit corporate profits

Fri Mar 26, 2010 3:47pm EDT

(Adds detail of AT&T, 3M charges)

March 26 (Reuters) - The U.S. healthcare overhaul, signed into law this week by President Barack Obama, will cost U.S. companies millions this year.

Companies such as Deere & Co (DE.N) and Caterpillar Inc (CAT.N), which have large ranks of retirees, can no longer deduct from their taxes the subsidies paid by the federal government for retiree drug benefits. [ID:nN25229640]

Large U.S. employers have started detailing the expected hit to their bottom line as a result of changes to the $2.5 trillion U.S. healthcare system. The tally so far:

* AT&T Inc (T.N) said on Friday that it would record a $1 billion noncash charge for the current quarter, and said it will be evaluating prospective changes to the healthcare benefits it offers to both active and retired workers, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

* In its regulatory filing, Caterpillar described the move as a tax hike. Accounting standards require the world's largest maker of earth-moving equipment to book a $100 million after-tax charge to reflect the change during the current fiscal quarter.

* Deere, a maker of farm equipment, said it expects to record a $150 million charge, mostly in its current fiscal second quarter. The expense was not included in the company's earlier 2010 forecast, which called for net income of about $1.3 billion.

* 3M will record a one-time noncash charge of up to $90 million or 12 cents per share. It said its January forecast of 2010 earnings did not include the impact of the healthcare law.

* Diversified U.S. manufacturer Honeywell International Inc (HON.N) in January estimated that healthcare reform would trim its first-quarter earnings by 4 to 5 cents per share. A Honeywell spokesman said on Thursday that the company had not updated the earlier cost estimate and would continue to review the legislation.

* AK Steel Holding Corp (AKS.N) will record a noncash charge of approximately $31 million in the first quarter, due to a reduction in the value of the company's deferred tax asset as a result of a change to the tax treatment of Medicare Part D reimbursements.

* Valero Energy Corp (VLO.N) said it expects to take a charge to earnings of between $15 million and $20 million in the first quarter due to the new healthcare legislation, and said it expected further tax costs to be calculated later.

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Comments (2)
dave1234 wrote:
This is just the top executive of these companies making sure their multi-million dollar bonus keep on coming. Lets drop AT&T and sign up with any of their competitors that continue to take care of their employees. These sorts of coporate robbery is what caused US jobs to fly overseas. Nip it in the bud. Teach these greedy coporate execs a lesson.

Mar 26, 2010 7:43pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
emetz wrote:
to dave1234. This is required accounting for anticipated impairment of earnings. By law, these companies must report impairment as soon as it is anticipated.

Mar 27, 2010 4:07pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
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