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Organization and Basis of Presentation Level 2 Accounting Policies (Policies)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Organization and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract]

Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]

PRINCIPLES OF CONSOLIDATION We include the accounts of Holdings and its subsidiaries in our consolidated financial statements. We eliminate the effects of all intercompany transactions, balances and profits in our consolidation.

Revenue Recognition, Policy [Policy Text Block]

REVENUE RECOGNITION We recognize revenue when products are shipped to our customers and title transfers under standard commercial terms or when realizable in accordance with our commercial agreements. If we are uncertain as to whether we will be successful collecting a balance in accordance with our understanding of a commercial agreement, we do not recognize the revenue or cost recovery until such time as the uncertainty is removed.

In the third quarter of 2009, we entered into a settlement and commercial agreement (2009 Settlement and Commercial Agreement) with General Motors Company (GM). As part of this agreement, we received $110.0 million from GM, of which we recorded $79.7 million as deferred revenue. As of December 31, 2011, our deferred revenue related to the 2009 Settlement and Commercial Agreement is $61.4 million, $8.0 million of which is classified as a current liability and $53.4 million of which is recorded as a noncurrent liability on our Consolidated Balance Sheet. We recognize this deferred revenue into revenue on a straight-line basis over 120 months, which ends September 2019 and is the period that we expect GM to benefit under the 2009 Settlement and Commercial Agreement. We recognized revenue of $8.0 million, in both 2011 and 2010 and $2.3 million in 2009 related to this agreement.

In the second quarter of 2008, we entered into an agreement with GM to provide financial assistance to support the transition of our United Automobile, Aerospace and Agricultural Implement Workers of America (UAW) represented legacy labor at our original U.S. locations upon the resolution of the strike called by the International UAW (2008 AAM - GM Agreement). Pursuant to this agreement, GM provided us $115.0 million in 2008 and $60.0 million in 2009. In total, we recorded deferred revenue of $213.7 million as a result of the 2008 AAM - GM Agreement, which included $38.7 million related to the fair value of the liability GM assumed for postretirement healthcare and life insurance coverage provided to UAW represented transitioned associates with earned credited service from AAM that have or will retire under plans operated by GM. We recognize this deferred revenue into revenue on a straight-line basis over a 45 month period, which ends February 2012 and is consistent with the period that we expect GM will benefit from the payments provided to us under the 2008 AAM - GM Agreement. We recognized $57.0 million of revenue in 2011, 2010 and 2009 related to the 2008 AAM - GM Agreement. As of December 31, 2011, our deferred revenue related to the 2008 AAM - GM Agreement is $9.5 million, which is classified as a current liability on our Consolidated Balance Sheet.

As of December 31, 2011, the majority of the remaining deferred revenue primarily relates to customer payments to implement capacity programs, which is generally recognized into revenue over the life of these programs. We recognized $15.6 million, $12.5 million and $11.1 million of revenue for these programs in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Employee Buydown [Policy Text Block]

BUYDOWN PROGRAM In 2008, an involuntary Buydown Program (BDP) was initiated for associates that did not elect to participate in the Special Separation Program (SSP) and continued employment with AAM. Under the BDP, we agreed to make three annual lump-sum payments to associates in connection with, among other things, a base wage decrease. We made the third and final lump-sum BDP payment of $19.7 million in 2010.

As of December 31, 2011, we have $2.3 million in prepaid expenses and other on our Consolidated Balance Sheet for BDP payments that have been paid and we estimate will provide a benefit to the Company through February 2012. We recorded $15.0 million, $15.6 million and $21.2 million of expense in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively, for the amortization of this asset.

In 2008, we recorded expense of $51.9 million for the estimated amount of total BDP payments related to permanently idled associates throughout the new labor agreements. This represented management's best estimate of the portion of the total BDP payment that would not result in a future benefit to the Company. Due to capacity rationalization actions taken by GM and Chrysler as a result of their bankruptcy filings and subsequent reorganization plans and changes in our operating plans in the second quarter of 2009, we increased the estimated number of UAW-represented associates at our original U.S. locations that we expect to be permanently idled throughout the term of the 2008 labor agreements or to voluntarily elect to accelerate their remaining buydown payments and terminate employment. As a result of this change in estimate, we recorded expense of $22.5 million in 2009, which represented the estimated additional BDP payments that will not result in a future benefit to AAM. Associates who are laid off for a certain length of time have the option to accelerate their remaining BDP lump-sum payments and terminate their employment with AAM. Several associates elected this option and we made $0.7 million and $49.6 million of accelerated BDP payments in 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Research and Development Expense, Policy [Policy Text Block]

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT (R&D) COSTS We expense R&D as incurred. R&D spending was $113.6 million, $82.5 million and $67.0 million in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block]

CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS Cash and cash equivalents include all cash balances and highly liquid investments in money market funds with maturities of 90 days or less at the time of purchase.

Trade and Other Accounts Receivable, Policy [Policy Text Block]

ACCOUNTS RECEIVABLE The majority of our accounts receivable are due from original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the automotive industry and are past due when payment is not received within the stated terms. As part of the 2009 Settlement and Commercial Agreement with GM, GM agreed to expedited payment terms of net 10 days in exchange for a 1% discount. On June 30, 2011, we elected to terminate the expedited payment terms and transition to GM standard weekly payment terms of approximately 50 days.

Amounts due from customers are stated net of allowances for doubtful accounts. We determine our allowances by considering factors such as the length of time accounts are past due, our previous loss history, the customer's ability to pay its obligation to us, and the condition of the general economy and the industry as a whole. The allowance for doubtful accounts was $5.5 million and $6.2 million as of December 31, 2011 and 2010, respectively. We write-off accounts receivable when they become uncollectible.

Property, Plant and Equipment, Preproduction Design and Development Costs [Policy Text Block]

CUSTOMER TOOLING AND PRE-PRODUCTION COSTS RELATED TO LONG-TERM SUPPLY AGREEMENTS Engineering, R&D, and other pre-production design and development costs for products sold on long-term supply arrangements are expensed as incurred unless we have a contractual guarantee for reimbursement from the customer. Costs for tooling used to make products sold on long-term supply arrangements for which we have either title to the assets or the non-cancelable right to use the assets during the term of the supply arrangement are capitalized in property, plant and equipment. Capitalized items and customer receipts in excess of tooling costs specifically related to a supply arrangement are amortized over the shorter of the term of the arrangement or over the estimated useful lives of the related assets.

Inventory, Policy [Policy Text Block]

INVENTORIES We state our inventories at the lower of cost or market. The cost of our inventories is determined using the FIFO method. When we determine that our gross inventories exceed usage requirements, or if inventories become obsolete or otherwise not saleable, we record a provision for such loss as a component of our inventory accounts.

Inventories consist of the following:



	December 31,
	2011			2010
	(in millions)
Raw materials and work-in-progress	$	177.0		$	137.7
Finished goods	26.9			20.3
Gross inventories	203.9			158.0
Inventory valuation reserves	(26.7		)	(27.7		)
Inventories, net	$	177.2		$	130.3

Property, Plant and Equipment, Policy [Policy Text Block]

PROPERTY, PLANT AND EQUIPMENT Property, plant and equipment consists of the following:



	Estimated	December 31,
	Useful Lives	2011			2010
	(years)	(in millions)
Land		$	30.6		$	28.2
Land improvements	10-15	17.4			15.6
Buildings and building improvements	15-40	273.5			261.0
Machinery and equipment	3-12	1,405.5			1,320.4
Construction in progress		138.2			107.4
		1,865.2			1,732.6
Accumulated depreciation and amortization		(894.0		)	(796.3		)
Property, plant and equipment, net		$	971.2		$	936.3

We state property, plant and equipment, including amortizable tooling, at historical cost, as adjusted for impairments. Construction in progress includes costs incurred for the construction of buildings and building improvements, and machinery and equipment in process. Repair and maintenance costs that do not extend the useful life or otherwise improve the utility of the asset beyond its existing useful state are expensed in the period incurred.

We record depreciation and tooling amortization on the straight-line method over the estimated useful lives of the depreciable assets. Depreciation and tooling amortization amounted to $123.7 million, $122.2 million and $126.6 million in 2011, 2010 and 2009, respectively.

Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets, Policy [Policy Text Block]

IMPAIRMENT OF LONG-LIVED ASSETS When impairment indicators exist, we evaluate the carrying value of long-lived assets for potential impairment. We consider projected future undiscounted cash flows, trends and other circumstances in making such estimates and evaluations. If impairment is deemed to exist, the carrying amount of the asset is adjusted based on its fair value. Recoverability of assets “held for use” is determined by comparing the forecasted undiscounted cash flows of the operations to which the assets relate to their carrying amount. When the carrying value of an asset group exceeds its fair value and is therefore nonrecoverable, those assets are written down to fair value. Fair value is determined based on market prices, when available, or a discounted cash flow analysis performed using management estimates. See Note 2 - Restructuring Actions for detail on our 2011 and 2010 asset impairments.

Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Goodwill, Policy [Policy Text Block]

GOODWILL We record goodwill when the purchase price of acquired businesses exceeds the value of their identifiable net tangible and intangible assets acquired. We periodically evaluate goodwill for impairment in accordance with the accounting guidance for goodwill and other indefinite-lived intangibles. We completed impairment tests in 2011 and 2010 and concluded that there was no impairment of our goodwill. The following table provides a reconciliation of changes in goodwill:



	December 31,
	2011		2010
	(in millions)
Beginning balance	$	155.8	$	147.8
Formation of e-AAM joint venture	—		8.0
Foreign currency translation and other	0.1		—
Ending balance	$	155.9	$	155.8

Goodwill and Intangible Assets, Intangible Assets, Policy [Policy Text Block]

INTANGIBLE ASSETS As part of our joint venture with Saab Automobile AB (Saab), we recorded intangible assets of $8.7 million in 2010, which represented the fair value of a GM license agreement for technology developed by Saab when it was a subsidiary of GM, in-process research and development technology and a long-term supply agreement with Saab acquired as part of the joint venture formation in 2010. In the third quarter of 2011, Saab, our partner in the e-AAM joint venture, entered a voluntary reorganization process. As a result, in the third quarter of 2011, we recorded a $1.6 million impairment charge to selling, general and administrative expenses to write off the intangible asset associated with the long-term supply agreement with Saab. These intangible assets are classified as other assets and deferred charges on our Consolidated Balance Sheet and we expect to begin amortizing the assets on a straight-line basis over their estimated useful lives once development of the related technology is complete and we begin utilizing these assets.

We recorded an intangible asset of $9.6 million as of December 31, 2008 which represents the fair value of the customer relationships acquired as part of an asset purchase agreement with FormTech Industries LLC. We recorded $1.9 million of expense for the amortization of this intangible asset in both 2011 and 2010 and the balance is $3.9 million as of December 31, 2011. This intangible asset is classified as other assets and deferred charges on our Consolidated Balance Sheet and is being amortized on a straight-line basis over its estimated useful life of five years.

Debt, Policy [Policy Text Block]

DEBT ISSUANCE COSTS The costs related to the issuance or modification of long-term debt are deferred and amortized into interest expense over the life of each debt issue. As of December 31, 2011 and December 31, 2010, our unamortized debt issuance costs were $31.5 million. Deferred amounts associated with the extinguishment of debt are expensed and classified as debt refinancing and redemption costs on our Consolidated Statement of Operations.

Derivatives, Policy [Policy Text Block]

DERIVATIVES We recognize all derivatives on the balance sheet at fair value. If a derivative qualifies under the accounting guidance as a hedge, depending on the nature of the hedge, changes in the fair value of the derivative are either offset against the change in fair value of the hedged assets, liabilities or firm commitments through earnings or recognized in other comprehensive income until the hedged item is recognized in earnings. The ineffective portion of a derivative's change in fair value, and changes in the fair value of derivatives that do not qualify as hedges, are immediately recognized in earnings. See Note 4 - Derivatives and Risk Management, for more detail on our derivatives.

Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations Policy [Policy Text Block]

CURRENCY TRANSLATION We translate the assets and liabilities of our foreign subsidiaries to U.S. dollars at end-of-period exchange rates. We translate the income statement elements of our foreign subsidiaries to U.S. dollars at average-period exchange rates. We report the effect of translation for our foreign subsidiaries that use the local currency as their functional currency as a separate component of stockholders' deficit. Gains and losses resulting from the remeasurement of assets and liabilities in a currency other than the functional currency of a subsidiary are reported in current period income. We also report any gains and losses arising from transactions denominated in a currency other than the functional currency of a subsidiary in current period income.

Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]

USE OF ESTIMATES In order to prepare consolidated financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (GAAP), we are required to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts and disclosures in our consolidated financial statements. Actual results could differ from those estimates.