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Segment and Related Information
 3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting [Abstract]  
Segment and Related Information
8. Segment and Related Information

We evaluate, oversee and manage the financial performance of our Solid Waste subsidiaries through our 17 Areas. The 17 Areas constitute our operating segments and none of the Areas individually meet the quantitative criteria to be a separate reportable segment. We have evaluated the aggregation criteria and concluded that, based on the similarities between our Areas, including the fact that our Solid Waste business is homogenous across geography with the same services offered across the Areas, aggregation of our Areas is appropriate for purposes of presenting our reportable segments. Accordingly, we have aggregated our 17 Areas into three tiers that we believe have similar economic characteristics and future prospects based in large part on a review of the Areas’ income from operations margins. The economic variations experienced by our Areas are attributable to a variety of factors, including regulatory environment of the Area; economic environment of the Area, including level of commercial and industrial activity; population density; service offering mix and disposal logistics, with no one factor being singularly determinative of an Area’s current or future economic performance.

Annually, we analyze the Areas’ income from operations margin for purposes of segment reporting and in the fourth quarter of 2015, we realigned our Solid Waste tiers to reflect changes in their relative economic characteristics and prospects. These changes are the results of various factors including acquisitions, divestments, business mix and the economic climate of various geographies. Reclassifications have been made to our prior period consolidated financial information in order to conform to the current year presentation.

Tier 1 is now comprised of our operations across the Southern United States, with the exception of Southern California and the Florida peninsula and also includes the New England states, the tri-state area of Michigan, Indiana and Ohio and Western Canada. Tier 2 includes Southern California, Eastern Canada, Wisconsin, Minnesota and a portion of the lower Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Tier 3 encompasses all the remaining operations including the Pacific Northwest and Northern California, the majority of the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, the Florida peninsula, Illinois and Missouri.

The operating segments not evaluated and overseen through the 17 Areas are presented herein as “Other” as these operating segments do not meet the criteria to be aggregated with other operating segments and do not meet the quantitative criteria to be separately reported.

 

Summarized financial information concerning our reportable segments is shown in the following table (in millions):

 

     Gross
Operating
Revenues		      Intercompany
Operating
Revenues		      Net
Operating
Revenues		      Income
from
Operations		  

Three Months Ended:

            

March 31, 2016

            

Solid Waste:

            

Tier 1

    $ 1,241       $ (212 )     $ 1,029       $ 334   

Tier 2

      781         (142 )       639         145   

Tier 3

      1,260         (212 )       1,048         208   
  

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

  

Solid Waste

      3,282         (566 )       2,716         687   

Other

      500         (40 )       460         (36 ) 
  

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

  
     3,782         (606 )       3,176         651   

Corporate and Other

      —         —         —         (143 ) 
  

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

  

Total

    $ 3,782       $ (606 )     $ 3,176       $ 508   
  

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

  

March 31, 2015

            

Solid Waste:

            

Tier 1

    $ 1,195       $ (190 )     $ 1,005       $ 296   

Tier 2

      780         (143 )       637         139   

Tier 3

      1,122         (180 )       942         178   
  

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

  

Solid Waste

      3,097         (513 )       2,584         613   

Wheelabrator

      —         —         —         (7 ) 

Other

      478         (22 )       456         (23 ) 
  

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

  
     3,575         (535 )       3,040         583   

Corporate and Other

      —         —         —         (143 ) 
  

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

  

Total

    $ 3,575       $ (535 )     $ 3,040       $ 440   
  

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

     

 

 

  

Fluctuations in our operating results may be caused by many factors, including period-to-period changes in the relative contribution of revenue by each line of business, changes in commodity prices and by general economic conditions. In addition, our revenues and income from operations typically reflect seasonal patterns. Our operating revenues tend to be somewhat higher in summer months, primarily due to the higher volume of construction and demolition waste. The volumes of industrial and residential waste in certain regions where we operate also tend to increase during the summer months. Our second and third quarter revenues and results of operations typically reflect these seasonal trends.

Service disruptions caused by severe storms, extended periods of inclement weather or climate extremes can significantly affect the operating results of the affected Areas. On the other hand, certain destructive weather conditions that tend to occur during the second half of the year, such as the hurricanes that most often impact our operations in the Southern and Eastern U.S., can actually increase our revenues in the areas affected. While weather-related and other “one-time” occurrences can boost revenues through additional work for a limited time, as a result of significant start-up costs and other factors, such revenue can generate earnings at comparatively lower margins.