restructuring charge

restructuring charge

The expense of reorganizing a company's operations. A restructuring charge is an infrequent expense that generally results from asset writedowns or facility closings. It is not considered an extraordinary item and must be considered when calculating a firm's income from continuing operations.

Case Study In August 2001 Procter & Gamble Co. reported the first quarterly loss in nearly a decade. The $320 million quarterly loss resulted from a $1.16 billion restructuring charge to account for corporate streamlining and altering the firm's portfolio of brands. Procter & Gamble was in the process of divesting most of its food and drink business, mostly by entering into a joint venture with Coca-Cola, a plan that was later abandoned. The company reported it planned to continue taking restructuring charges through mid-2004. At the same time P&G reported the net loss, it announced that operating income increased 12% to 60¢ per share. Restructuring charges are often given little weight by investors and analysts who evaluate a company's financial performance, because these charges are considered one-time expenses. The market price of Procter & Gamble's common stock experienced no significant price change on the day the loss was announced.