Fixed assets, net consisted of the following:

(In millions)Estimated Useful Lives (Years)20252024
Land$165 $169 
Buildings and improvements
20 to 40
1,535 1,325 
Machinery, tools and equipment
3 to 25
3,344 2,947 
Rental assets
3 to 12
351 355 
Other, including assets under construction613 715 
Fixed assets, gross6,008 5,511 
Accumulated depreciation(2,843)(2,512)
Fixed assets, net$3,165 $2,999 

About PP&E Disclosures

The PP&E disclosure details a company's physical asset base — land, buildings, machinery, and equipment — along with the depreciation methods and useful life assumptions that determine how these costs flow through the income statement. Capitalization policy thresholds reveal management's judgment on the boundary between expense and asset, directly affecting both reported earnings and asset values.

Key signals: changes in estimated useful lives or depreciation methods can materially shift reported earnings without any operational change. Compare capital expenditures against depreciation expense — when capex consistently trails depreciation, the asset base may be aging and underinvested. Watch for large asset impairments or write-downs that signal overvalued carrying amounts. Asset retirement obligations reveal future environmental or decommissioning costs that are often underappreciated. Compare PP&E intensity (PP&E-to-revenue) against industry peers to assess capital efficiency and competitive positioning.