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Contingencies and Commitments | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2018
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract] |
Contingencies and Commitments | Contingencies and Commitments Contingencies Environmental Matters. Arconic participates in environmental assessments and cleanups at more than 100 locations. These include owned or operating facilities and adjoining properties, previously owned or operating facilities and adjoining properties, and waste sites, including Superfund (Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA)) sites. A liability is recorded for environmental remediation when a cleanup program becomes probable and the costs can be reasonably estimated. As assessments and cleanups proceed, the liability is adjusted based on progress made in determining the extent of remedial actions and related costs. The liability can change substantially due to factors such as the nature and extent of contamination, changes in remedial requirements, and technological changes, among others. Arconic’s remediation reserve balance was $266 at December 31, 2018 and $294 at December 31, 2017 (of which $81 and $41, respectively, was classified as a current liability), and reflects the most probable costs to remediate identified environmental conditions for which costs can be reasonably estimated. In 2018, the Company has seen higher expenditures with the start of construction related to the Grasse River project. Arconic expects that trend to continue for 2019 as reflected by the increase in the portion of the reserve that is considered a current liability. Payments related to remediation expenses applied against the reserve were $32 in 2018 and $26 in 2017 and includes expenditures currently mandated, as well as those not required by any regulatory authority or third party. Included in annual operating expenses are the recurring costs of managing hazardous substances and environmental programs. These costs are estimated to be approximately 1% or less of cost of goods sold. The following discussion provides details regarding the current status of the most significant remediation reserves related to a current Arconic site. Massena West, NY—Arconic has an ongoing remediation project related to the Grasse River, which is adjacent to Arconic’s Massena plant site. Many years ago, it was determined that sediments and fish in the river contain varying levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The project, which was selected by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in a Record of Decision issued in April 2013, is aimed at capping PCB contaminated sediments with concentration in excess of one part per million in the main channel of the river and dredging PCB contaminated sediments in the near-shore areas where total PCBs exceed one part per million. At December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, the reserve balance associated with this matter was $198 and $215, respectively. Arconic is in the planning and design phase of the project, which is expected to be completed early in 2019. Following EPA’s approval of the final design, the actual remediation fieldwork is expected to commence and take approximately four years. The majority of the expenditures related to the project are expected to be incurred between 2019 and 2022. Tax. Pursuant to the Tax Matters Agreement entered into between Arconic and Alcoa Corporation in connection with the separation transaction with Alcoa Corporation, Arconic shares responsibility with Alcoa Corporation, and Alcoa Corporation has agreed to partially indemnify Arconic for 49% of the ultimate liability, with respect to the following matter. As previously reported, in July 2013, following a Spanish corporate income tax audit covering the 2006 through 2009 tax years, an assessment was received mainly disallowing certain interest deductions claimed by a Spanish consolidated tax group owned by the Company. In August 2013, the Company filed an appeal of this assessment in Spain’s Central Tax Administrative Court, which was denied in January 2015. Arconic filed another appeal in Spain’s National Court in March 2015 which was denied in July 2018. The National Court’s decision requires the assessment for the 2006 through 2009 tax years to be reissued to take into account the outcome of the 2003 to 2005 audit which was closed in 2017. The Company estimates the revised assessment to be $174 (€152), including interest. The Company has petitioned to the Supreme Court of Spain to review the National Court’s decision. If the petition is accepted, the Supreme Court will review the assessment on its merits and render a final decision. In the event the Company is unsuccessful in appealing the assessment to the Supreme Court of Spain, a portion of the assessment may be offset with existing net operating losses and tax credits available to the Spanish consolidated tax group, which would be shared between the Company and Alcoa Corporation as provided for in the Tax Matters Agreement. As a result of the National Court decision, an income tax reserve, including interest, of $60 (€52) was established in 2018. Concurrent with the establishment of the reserve, an indemnification receivable of $29 (€25), representing Alcoa Corporation’s 49% share of the liability, was also recorded in 2018. Additionally, while the tax years 2010 through 2013 are closed to audit, it is possible that the Company may receive assessments for tax years subsequent to 2013. Any potential assessment for an individual tax year is not expected to be material to the Company’s consolidated operations. Reynobond PE. As previously reported, on June 13, 2017, the Grenfell Tower in London, UK caught fire resulting in fatalities, injuries and damage. A French subsidiary of Arconic, Arconic Architectural Products SAS (AAP SAS), supplied a product, Reynobond PE, to its customer, a cladding system fabricator, which used the product as one component of the overall cladding system on Grenfell Tower. The fabricator supplied its portion of the cladding system to the façade installer, who then completed and installed the system under the direction of the general contractor. Neither Arconic nor AAP SAS was involved in the design or installation of the system used at the Grenfell Tower, nor did it have a role in any other aspect of the building’s refurbishment or original design. Regulatory investigations into the overall Grenfell Tower matter are being conducted, including a criminal investigation by the London Metro Police, a Public Inquiry by the British government and a consumer protection inquiry by a French public authority. AAP SAS has sought and received core participant status in the Public Inquiry. The Company will no longer sell the PE product for architectural use on buildings. Howard v. Arconic Inc. et al. As previously reported, a purported class action complaint related to the Grenfell Tower fire was filed on August 11, 2017 in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania against Arconic Inc. and Klaus Kleinfeld. A related purported class action complaint was filed in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania on August 25, 2017, under the caption Sullivan v. Arconic Inc. et al., against Arconic Inc., two former Arconic executives, several current and former Arconic directors, and banks that acted as underwriters for Arconic’s September 18, 2014 preferred stock offering (the “Preferred Offering”). The plaintiff in Sullivan had previously filed a purported class action against the same defendants on July 18, 2017 in the Southern District of New York and, on August 25, 2017, voluntarily dismissed that action without prejudice. On February 7, 2018, on motion from certain putative class members, the court consolidated Howard and Sullivan, closed Sullivan, and appointed lead plaintiffs in the consolidated case. On April 9, 2018, the lead plaintiffs in the consolidated purported class action filed a consolidated amended complaint. The consolidated amended complaint alleges that the registration statement for the Preferred Offering contained false and misleading statements and omitted to state material information, including by allegedly failing to disclose material uncertainties and trends resulting from sales of Reynobond PE for unsafe uses and by allegedly expressing a belief that appropriate risk management and compliance programs had been adopted while concealing the risks posed by Reynobond PE sales. The consolidated amended complaint also alleges that between November 4, 2013 and June 23, 2017 Arconic and Kleinfeld made false and misleading statements and failed to disclose material information about the Company’s commitment to safety, business and financial prospects, and the risks of the Reynobond PE product, including in Arconic’s Form 10-Ks for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, its Form 10-Qs and quarterly financial press releases from the fourth quarter of 2013 through the first quarter of 2017, its 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016 Annual Reports, and its 2016 Annual Highlights Report. The consolidated amended complaint seeks, among other things, unspecified compensatory damages and an award of attorney and expert fees and expenses. On June 8, 2018, all defendants moved to dismiss the consolidated amended complaint for failure to state a claim. Briefing on that motion is now closed and the parties await a ruling. Raul v. Albaugh, et al. As previously reported, on June 22, 2018, a derivative complaint was filed nominally on behalf of Arconic by a purported Arconic shareholder against all current members of Arconic’s Board of Directors, Klaus Kleinfeld and Ken Giacobbe, naming Arconic as a nominal defendant, in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. The complaint raises similar allegations as the consolidated amended complaint in Howard, as well as allegations that the defendants improperly authorized the sale of Reynobond PE for unsafe uses, and asserts claims under Section 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Delaware state law. On July 13, 2018, the parties filed a stipulation agreeing to stay this case until the final resolution of the Howard case, the Grenfell Tower public inquiry in London, and the investigation by the London Metropolitan Police Service and on June 23, 2018, the Court approved the stay. While the Company believes that these cases are without merit and intends to challenge them vigorously, there can be no assurances regarding the ultimate resolution of these matters. Given the preliminary nature of these matters and the uncertainty of litigation, the Company cannot reasonably estimate at this time the likelihood of an unfavorable outcome or the possible loss or range of losses in the event of an unfavorable outcome. The Board of Directors has also received letters, purportedly sent on behalf of shareholders, reciting allegations similar to those made in the federal court lawsuits and demanding that the Board authorize the Company to initiate litigation against members of management, the Board and others. The Board of Directors has appointed a Special Litigation Committee of the Board to review and make recommendations to the Board regarding the appropriate course of action with respect to these shareholder demand letters. The Special Litigation Committee and the Board are continuing to consider the appropriate responses to the shareholder demand letters in view of developments in proceedings concerning the Grenfell Tower fire. Other. In addition to the matters discussed above, various other lawsuits, claims, and proceedings have been or may be instituted or asserted against Arconic, including those pertaining to environmental, product liability, safety and health, employment, tax and antitrust matters. While the amounts claimed in these other matters may be substantial, the ultimate liability cannot currently be determined because of the considerable uncertainties that exist. Therefore, it is possible that the Company’s liquidity or results of operations in a period could be materially affected by one or more of these other matters. However, based on facts currently available, management believes that the disposition of these other matters that are pending or asserted will not have a material adverse effect, individually or in the aggregate, on the results of operations, financial position or cash flows of the Company. Commitments Purchase Obligations. Arconic has entered into purchase commitments for raw materials, energy and other goods and services, which total $770 in 2019, $169 in 2020, $27 in 2021, $24 in 2022, $8 in 2023, and $5 thereafter. Operating Leases. Certain land and buildings, plant equipment, vehicles, and computer equipment are under operating lease agreements. Total expense for all leases was $144 in 2018, $113 in 2017, and $110 in 2016. Under long-term operating leases, minimum annual rentals are $94 in 2019, $74 in 2020, $54 in 2021, $40 in 2022, $30 in 2023, and $87 thereafter. Guarantees. At December 31, 2018, Arconic had outstanding bank guarantees related to tax matters, outstanding debt, workers’ compensation, environmental obligations, energy contracts, and customs duties, among others. The total amount committed under these guarantees, which expire at various dates between 2019 and 2026 was $37 at December 31, 2018. Pursuant to the Separation and Distribution Agreement between Arconic and Alcoa Corporation, Arconic was required to provide certain guarantees for Alcoa Corporation, which had a combined fair value of $6 and $8 at December 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively, and were included in Other noncurrent liabilities and deferred credits on the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet. Arconic was required to provide payment guarantees for Alcoa Corporation issued on behalf of a third party related to project financing for Alcoa Corporation’s aluminum complex in Saudi Arabia. During the third quarter of 2018, Arconic was released from this guarantee. Furthermore, Arconic was required to provide guarantees related to two long-term supply agreements for energy for Alcoa Corporation facilities in the event of an Alcoa Corporation payment default. In October 2017, Alcoa Corporation announced that it had terminated one of the two agreements, the electricity contract with Luminant Generation Company LLC that was tied to its Rockdale Operations, effective as of October 1, 2017. As a result of the termination of the Rockdale electricity contract, Arconic recorded income of $25 in the fourth quarter of 2017 associated with reversing the fair value of the electricity contract guarantee. For the remaining long-term supply agreement, Arconic is required to provide a guarantee up to an estimated present value amount of approximately $1,087 and $1,297 at December 31, 2018 and December 31, 2017, respectively, in the event of an Alcoa Corporation payment default. This guarantee expires in 2047. For this guarantee, subject to its provisions, Arconic is secondarily liable in the event of a payment default by Alcoa Corporation. Arconic currently views the risk of an Alcoa Corporation payment default on its obligations under the contract to be remote. In December 2016, Arconic entered into a one-year claims purchase agreement with a bank covering claims up to $245 related to the Saudi Arabian joint venture and two long-term energy supply agreements. The majority of the premium was paid by Alcoa Corporation. The agreement matured in December 2017 and was not renewed in 2018 due to the decline in exposure to guarantee claims including a substantial reduction in the guarantees related to the Saudi Arabian joint venture and also the elimination of the guarantee related to the Rockdale energy contract. In December 2018, Arconic entered into a one-year insurance policy with a limit of $80 relating to the remaining long-term energy supply agreement. The premium is expected to be paid by Alcoa Corporation. The decision to enter into a claims purchase agreement or insurance policy will be made on an annual basis going forward. Letters of Credit. Arconic has outstanding letters of credit, primarily related to workers’ compensation, environmental obligations and leasing obligations. The total amount committed under these letters of credit, which automatically renew or expire at various dates, mostly in 2019, was $136 at December 31, 2018. Pursuant to the Separation and Distribution Agreement, Arconic was required to retain letters of credit of $54 that had previously been provided related to both Arconic and Alcoa Corporation workers’ compensation claims which occurred prior to November 1, 2016. Alcoa Corporation workers’ compensation claims and letter of credit fees paid by Arconic are being proportionally billed to and are being fully reimbursed by Alcoa Corporation. Surety Bonds. Arconic has outstanding surety bonds primarily related to tax matters, contract performance, workers’ compensation, environmental-related matters, and customs duties. The total amount committed under these surety bonds, which expire at various dates, primarily in 2019, was $50 at December 31, 2018. Pursuant to the Separation and Distribution Agreement, Arconic was required to provide surety bonds related to Alcoa Corporation workers’ compensation claims which occurred prior to November 1, 2016 and, as a result, Arconic has $25 in outstanding surety bonds relating to these liabilities. Alcoa Corporation workers’ compensation claims and surety bond fees paid by Arconic are being proportionately billed to and are being fully reimbursed by Alcoa Corporation.

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