AMR Could Record Pension-Liability Charge in Excess of $1 Billion Friday October 18, 8:04 pm ET WASHINGTON -- AMR Corp. (NYSE:AMR - News) said that if investment returns continue at current levels and interest rates remain unchanged through the rest of the year, it will be required to record a "significant minimum pension liability" as of Dec. 31 which "will likely exceed" $1 billion on a pretax basis. The world's largest airline made the disclosure in its third-quarter report, filed Firday with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The parent of American Airlines noted any charge "will not affect the company's financial covenants in any of its credit agreements." AMR said the minimum pension liability "would reflect the amount that the pension plans' accumulated benefit obligation exceeds its assets above the amounts previously accrued for pension costs." The carrier added a large portion of any charge would "be recorded as a reduction to shareholders' equity, as a component of accumulated comprehensive loss, net of any available tax benefit." Fort Worth, Texas-based AMR noted that as of Dec. 31, its minimum pension liability reduced shareholders' equity by about $172 million before taxes. Meanwhile, the company went on to say that given its "current financial situation, a deferred tax-asset valuation may be necessary." That means the company has to determine whether some portion of its deferred tax assets won't be realized. AMR said such a valuation allowance "is likely" to be necessary by the end of the fourth quarter or early in the first quarter, which would prohibit the carrier from recognizing a tax benefit of losses incurred. That would boost the company's net loss. The firm Wednesday posted a third-quarter net loss of $924 million, or $5.93 a share, on revenue of $4.49 billion, results which were weaker than a year earlier. AMR also announced plans to put some aircraft into storage and defer delivery of some other planes in an effort to save costs.