HEWLETT PACKARD CO | 2013 | FY | 3


Note 11: Guarantees

        In the ordinary course of business, HP may issue performance guarantees to certain of its clients, customers and other parties pursuant to which HP has guaranteed the performance obligations of third parties. Some of those guarantees may be backed by standby letters of credit or surety bonds. In general, HP would be obligated to perform over the term of the guarantee in the event a specified triggering event occurs as defined by the guarantee. HP believes the likelihood of having to perform under a material guarantee is remote.

        HP has entered into service contracts with certain of its clients that are supported by financing arrangements. If a service contract is terminated as a result of HP's non-performance under the contract or failure to comply with the terms of the financing arrangement, HP could, under certain circumstances, be required to acquire certain assets related to the service contract. HP believes the likelihood of it being required to acquire a material amount of assets under these arrangements is remote.

        In the ordinary course of business, HP enters into contractual arrangements under which HP may agree to indemnify the third party to such arrangement from any losses incurred relating to the services they perform on behalf of HP or for losses arising from certain events as defined within the particular contract, which may include, for example, litigation or claims relating to past performance. HP also provides indemnifications to certain vendors against claims of intellectual property infringement made by third parties arising from the vendor's use of HP's software products and certain other matters. Such indemnification obligations may not be subject to maximum loss clauses. Historically, payments made related to these indemnifications have been immaterial.

        HP accrues the estimated cost of product warranties at the time it recognizes revenue. HP engages in extensive product quality programs and processes, including actively monitoring and evaluating the quality of its component suppliers; however, contractual warranty terms, repair costs, product call rates, average cost per call, current period product shipments, ongoing product failure rates, as well as specific product class failures outside of HP's baseline experience, affect the estimated warranty obligation.

        The changes in HP's aggregate product warranty liabilities were as follows for the following fiscal years ended October 31:

 
  2013   2012  
 
  In millions
 

Balance at beginning of year

  $ 2,170   $ 2,451  

Accruals for warranties issued

    2,007     2,249  

Adjustments related to pre-existing warranties (including changes in estimates)

    (4 )   (79 )

Settlements made (in cash or in kind)

    (2,142 )   (2,451 )
           

Balance at end of year

  $ 2,031   $ 2,170  
           

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