Income Taxes (Tables)
 12 Months Ended
Oct. 31, 2016
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]  
Geographic Sources of Income Before Income Taxes
Geographic Sources of Income Before Income Taxes
 
Years Ended October 31,
(in millions)
2016
 
2015
 
2014
United States
$
45.1

 
$
60.5

 
$
104.5

Foreign
6.8

 
11.9

 
6.1

Income before income taxes
$
51.9

 
$
72.4

 
$
110.6
Components of Income Tax Provision
Components of Income Tax Benefit (Provision)
 
Years Ended October 31,
(in millions)
2016
 
2015
 
2014
Current:
 
 
 
 
 
Federal
$
17.5

 
$
(3.7
)
 
$
(32.6
)
State
(9.3
)
 
(3.7
)
 
(7.6
)
Foreign
(1.5
)
 
(2.8
)
 
(1.3
)
Deferred:
 
 
 
 
 
Federal
3.6

 
(7.9
)
 
(0.8
)
State
(0.5
)
 
(0.3
)
 
(1.4
)
Foreign
0.6

 
0.1

 
—

Income tax benefit (provision)
$
10.4

 
$
(18.3
)
 
$
(43.7
)
Reconciliation of US Statutory Tax Rate to Annual Effective Tax Rate
Reconciliation of the U.S. Statutory Tax Rate to Annual Effective (Benefit) Tax Rate
 
Years Ended October 31,
 
2016
 
2015
 
2014
U.S. statutory rate
35.0
 %
 
35.0
 %
 
35.0
 %
State and local income taxes, net of federal tax benefit
7.8

 
6.5

 
6.7

Federal and state tax credits
(22.7
)
 
(9.6
)
 
(2.2
)
Impact of foreign operations
(5.0
)
 
(3.6
)
 
(1.1
)
Changes in uncertain tax positions
(40.0
)
 
(5.2
)
 
(2.0
)
Incremental tax benefit from share-based compensation awards
(4.2
)
 
—

 
—

Nondeductible expenses
7.7

 
3.8

 
2.6

Other, net
1.4

 
(1.6
)
 
0.5

Annual effective (benefit) tax rate
(20.0
)%
 
25.3
 %
 
39.5
 %
Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities
Components of Deferred Tax Assets and Liabilities
 
As of October 31,
(in millions)
2016
 
2015
Deferred tax assets attributable to:
 
 
 
Self-insurance claims (net of recoverables)
$
108.4

 
$
109.5

Deferred and other compensation
33.4

 
35.5

Impairment loss on assets held for sale
9.2

 
—

Accounts receivable allowances
6.6

 
2.9

Settlement liabilities
2.6

 
3.5

Other accruals
2.9

 
2.6

Other comprehensive income
1.5

 
1.3

State taxes
0.6

 
0.5

State net operating loss carryforwards
5.7

 
5.9

Tax credits
9.9

 
7.4

Other
2.5

 
0.4

Gross deferred tax assets
183.3

 
169.5

Valuation allowance
(5.4
)
 
(5.5
)
Total deferred tax assets
177.9

 
164.0

 
 
 
 
Deferred tax liabilities attributable to:
 
 
 
Property, plant and equipment
(2.2
)
 
(0.4
)
Goodwill and other acquired intangibles
(141.8
)
 
(129.5
)
Total deferred tax liabilities
(144.0
)
 
(129.9
)
 
 
 
 
Net deferred tax assets
$
33.9

 
$
34.1
Valuation Allowance Rollforward
Changes to the Deferred Tax Asset Valuation Allowance
 
Years Ended October 31,
(in millions)
2016
 
2015
 
2014
Valuation allowance at beginning of year
$
5.5

 
$
6.2

 
$
6.2

Sale of Security business
—

 
(0.8
)
 
—

Other, net
(0.1
)
 
0.1

 
—

Valuation allowance at end of year
$
5.4

 
$
5.5

 
$
6.2
Reconciliation of Total Unrecognized Tax Benefits
Reconciliation of Total Unrecognized Tax Benefits
 
Years Ended October 31,
(in millions)
2016
 
2015
 
2014
Balance at beginning of year
$
82.5

 
$
85.5

 
$
87.6

Additions for tax positions related to the current year
—

 
2.1

 
1.4

Reductions for tax positions related to the current year
—

 
—

 
—

Additions for tax positions related to prior years
—

 
0.1

 
—

Reductions for tax positions related to prior years
(3.2
)
 
—

 
—

Reductions for lapse of statute of limitations
(21.9
)
 
(5.2
)
 
(3.2
)
Settlements
(0.2
)
 
—

 
(0.3
)
Balance at end of year
$
57.2

 
$
82.5

 
$
85.5
Summary of Income Tax Examinations
Tax Years Open for Examination, by Entity
Entity
Open by Statute
ABM state tax returns(1)
10/31/2012 – 10/31/2016
ABM federal tax returns
10/31/2013 – 10/31/2016
(1) We are currently being examined by the taxing authorities in the states of Alabama, Arizona, Connecticut, New Jersey, North Carolina, and Tennessee.