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Divestitures | 9 Months Ended
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Sep. 30, 2014
Business Combination Disclosure [Abstract] |
Divestitures | 2. Divestitures On June 30, 2014, the Company completed a transaction to establish a non-consolidated joint venture, GBT JV, comprising the former Global Business Travel (GBT) operations of the Company, historical ly reported within the Global Co mmercial Services (GCS) segment, and an external cash investment. The Company has retained a 50 percent ownership interest in the GBT JV with an estimated fair value of that interest of approximately $900 million, which is account ed for as an equity method investment effective June 30, 2014, and reported in O ther assets within the Consolidated Balance Sheets. In exchange for the cash con tribution of $900 million paid into the GBT JV, a n unrelated investor group holds the remaining 50 percent ownership interest. The investor group’s cash contribution provides the primary basis for the Company’s determination of the estimated fair value of its 50 percent ownership interest. As a result of the tra nsaction, the Company deconsolidated the GBT net assets and recognized a net gain of $626 million ($409 million after tax), which was reported as a reduction to o ther expense for t he quarter ended June 30, 2014. Prior to the deconsolidation, the carrying amount of GBT’s assets and liabilities were not material to the Company’s financial position. The GBT JV operate s under the “American Expres s Global Business Travel” brand, pursuant to a trademark license agree ment provided by the Company. The Company has also entered into a transition services agreement and certain other operating agreements with the GBT JV, pursuan t to which the Company and the GBT JV provide one another with certain services and that result i n related-party receivables and payables. There was no material impact to the Company during the current quarter related to the GBT JV’s results of operations or the related agreements.

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- Definition The entire disclosure for a business combination (or series of individually immaterial business combinations) completed during the period, including background, timing, and recognized assets and liabilities. The disclosure may include leverage buyout transactions (as applicable). + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25497992&loc=d3e1383-128463 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7488404&loc=d3e6996-128479 Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6910749&loc=d3e4922-128472 Reference 4: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6910749&loc=d3e4934-128472 Reference 5: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6910749&loc=d3e4926-128472 Reference 6: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7488404&loc=d3e7000-128479 Reference 7: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 2 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25497992&loc=d3e1392-128463 Reference 8: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 3 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25497992&loc=d3e1486-128463 Reference 9: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7488404&loc=d3e6927-128479 Reference 10: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 5 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25497992&loc=d3e1497-128463 Reference 11: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25497992&loc=d3e1490-128463 Reference 12: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 30 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=7488404&loc=d3e7008-128479 Reference 13: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6910749&loc=d3e4845-128472 Reference 14: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 6 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25497992&loc=d3e1500-128463 Reference 15: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 805 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 7 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=25497992&loc=d3e1524-128463 + Details
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