XML 24 R10.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.8.0.1

Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2017
Accounting Policies [Abstract] |
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies | Summary of Significant Accounting Policies Principles of Consolidation The consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Allegheny Technologies Incorporated and its subsidiaries. The financial results of majority-owned joint ventures are consolidated into the Company’s operating results and financial position, with the minority ownership interest recognized in the consolidated statement of operations as net income attributable to noncontrolling interests, and as equity attributable to the noncontrolling interests within total stockholders’ equity. Investments in which the Company exercises significant influence, but which it does not control (generally a 20% to 50% ownership interest) are accounted for under the equity method of accounting, whereby ATI’s carrying value of the equity method investment on the statement of financial position is the capital investment and any undistributed profit or loss, and is classified in Other (noncurrent) assets. The profit or loss attributable to ATI from an equity method investment is included in the results of operations. See Note 5 for further explanation of the Company’s joint ventures. Significant intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated. Unless the context requires otherwise, “Allegheny Technologies,” “ATI” and the “Company” refer to Allegheny Technologies Incorporated and its subsidiaries. Risks and Uncertainties and Use of Estimates The preparation of consolidated financial statements in conformity with United States generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect reported amounts of assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements, as well as the reported amounts of income and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Management believes that the estimates are reasonable. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified in order to conform with the 2017 presentation. The Company markets its products to a diverse customer base, principally throughout the United States. No single customer accounted for more than 10% of sales for any year presented. The principal end markets for the ATI’s products are customers in the aerospace & defense, oil & gas, electrical energy, automotive, construction and mining, food equipment and appliances, and medical markets. At December 31, 2017, ATI has approximately 8,600 full-time employees, of which approximately 15% are located outside the United States. Approximately 40% of ATI’s workforce is covered by various collective bargaining agreements (CBAs), predominantly with the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied & Industrial Service Workers International Union, AFL-CIO, CLC (USW). CBAs with the USW that cover approximately 600 employees expired in 2017, and operations continue at these facilities while negotiations with the USW are ongoing. In addition, the Company has CBAs with approximately 300 full-time employees that expire in 2018. Cash Equivalents and Investments Cash equivalents are highly liquid investments valued at cost, which approximates fair value, acquired with an original maturity of three months or less. Accounts Receivable Accounts receivable are presented net of a reserve for doubtful accounts of $5.9 million and $7.3 million at December 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively. Trade credit is extended based upon evaluations of each customer’s ability to perform its obligations, which are updated periodically. Accounts receivable reserves are determined based upon an aging of accounts and a review for collectability of specific accounts. Amounts are written-off against the reserve in the period it is determined that the receivable is uncollectible. Inventories Inventories are stated at the lower of cost (last-in, first-out (LIFO), first-in, first-out (FIFO), and average cost methods) or market, less progress payments. Costs include direct material, direct labor and applicable manufacturing and engineering overhead, and other direct costs. Most of the Company’s inventory is valued utilizing the LIFO costing methodology. Inventory of the Company’s non-U.S. operations is valued using average cost or FIFO methods. The Company evaluates product lines on a quarterly basis to identify inventory carrying values that exceed estimated net realizable value. In applying the lower of cost or market principle, market means current replacement cost, subject to a ceiling (market value shall not exceed net realizable value) and a floor (market shall not be less than net realizable value reduced by an allowance for a normal profit margin). The calculation of a resulting reserve, if any, is recognized as an expense in the period that the need for the reserve is identified. However, in cases where inventory at FIFO cost is lower than the LIFO carrying value, a write-down of the inventory to market may be required, subject to the ceiling and floor. It is the Company’s general policy to write-down to scrap value any inventory that is identified as slow-moving or aged more than twelve months, subject to sales, backlog and anticipated orders considerations. In some instances this aging criterion is up to twenty-four months. Long-Lived Assets Property, plant and equipment are recorded at cost, including capitalized interest, and include long-lived assets acquired under capital leases. Depreciation is primarily recorded using the straight-line method. Property, plant and equipment associated with the Company’s Rowley titanium sponge production facility in the High Performance Materials & Components segment (prior to its indefinite idling in August 2016 - see Note 16 for further explanation), and the Hot-Rolling and Processing Facility (HRPF) in the Flat Rolled Products segment, are being depreciated utilizing the units of production method of depreciation, which the Company believes provides a better matching of costs and revenues. The Company periodically reviews estimates of useful life and production capacity assigned to new and in service assets. Significant enhancements, including major maintenance activities that extend the lives of property and equipment, are capitalized. Costs related to repairs and maintenance are charged to expense in the period incurred. The cost and related accumulated depreciation of property and equipment retired or disposed of are removed from the accounts and any related gains or losses are included in income. The Company monitors the recoverability of the carrying value of its long-lived assets. An impairment charge is recognized when an indicator of impairment occurs and the expected net undiscounted future cash flows from an asset’s use (including any proceeds from disposition) are less than the asset’s carrying value and the asset’s carrying value exceeds its fair value. Assets to be disposed of by sale are stated at the lower of their fair values or carrying amounts and depreciation is no longer recognized. Goodwill Goodwill is reviewed annually for impairment, or more frequently if impairment indicators arise. The review for goodwill impairment requires a comparison of the fair value of each reporting unit that has goodwill associated with its operations with its carrying amount, including goodwill. If this comparison reflects impairment, then the loss would be measured as the excess of the carrying value over the calculated fair value as required by the new accounting guidance early adopted by the Company in 2017. See New Accounting Pronouncements Adopted section below for further explanation of this new accounting guidance. Generally accepted accounting standards provide the option to qualitatively assess goodwill for impairment before completing a quantitative assessment. Under the qualitative approach, if, after assessing the totality of events or circumstances, including both macroeconomic, industry and market factors, and entity-specific factors, the Company determines it is likely (more likely than not) that the fair value of a reporting unit is greater than its carrying amount, then the quantitative impairment analysis is not required. The quantitative assessment may be performed each year for a reporting unit at the Company’s option without first performing a qualitative assessment. The Company’s quantitative assessment of goodwill for possible impairment includes estimating the fair market value of a reporting unit which has goodwill associated with its operations using discounted cash flow and multiples of cash earnings valuation techniques, plus valuation comparisons to recent public sale transactions of similar businesses, if any. These impairment assessments and valuation methods require the Company to make estimates and assumptions regarding future operating results, cash flows, changes in working capital and capital expenditures, selling prices, profitability, and the cost of capital. Many of these assumptions are determined by reference to market participants identified by the Company. Although management believes that the estimates and assumptions used were reasonable, actual results could differ from those estimates and assumptions. Other events and changes in circumstances may also require goodwill to be tested for impairment between annual measurement dates. While a decline in stock price and market capitalization is not specifically cited as a goodwill impairment indicator, a company’s stock price and market capitalization should be considered in determining whether it is more likely than not that the fair value of a reporting unit is less that its carrying value. Additionally, a significant decline in a company’s stock price may suggest that an adverse change in the business climate may have caused the fair value of one or more reporting units to fall below carrying value. A sustained decline in market capitalization below book value may be determined to require an interim goodwill impairment review. Environmental Costs that mitigate or prevent future environmental contamination or extend the life, increase the capacity or improve the safety or efficiency of property utilized in current operations are capitalized. Other costs that relate to current operations or an existing condition caused by past operations are expensed. Environmental liabilities are recorded when the Company’s liability is probable and the costs are reasonably estimable, but generally not later than the completion of the feasibility study or the Company’s recommendation of a remedy or commitment to an appropriate plan of action. The accruals are reviewed periodically and, as investigations and remediations proceed, adjustments of the accruals are made to reflect new information as appropriate. Accruals for losses from environmental remediation obligations do not take into account the effects of inflation, and anticipated expenditures are not discounted to their present value. The accruals are not reduced by possible recoveries from insurance carriers or other third parties, but do reflect allocations among potentially responsible parties (PRPs) at Federal Superfund sites or similar state-managed sites after an assessment is made of the likelihood that such parties will fulfill their obligations at such sites and after appropriate cost-sharing or other agreements are entered. The measurement of environmental liabilities by the Company is based on currently available facts, present laws and regulations, and current technology. Such estimates take into consideration the Company’s prior experience in site investigation and remediation, the data concerning cleanup costs available from other companies and regulatory authorities, and the professional judgment of the Company’s environmental experts in consultation with outside environmental specialists, when necessary. Foreign Currency Translation Assets and liabilities of international operations are translated into U.S. dollars using year-end exchange rates, while revenues and expenses are translated at average exchange rates during the period. The resulting net translation adjustments are recorded as a component of accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) in stockholders’ equity. Sales Recognition Sales are recognized when title passes or as services are rendered. Research and Development Company funded research and development costs were $13.3 million in 2017, $14.7 million in 2016, and $14.2 million in 2015 and were expensed as incurred. Customer funded research and development costs were $1.4 million in 2017, $2.2 million in 2016, and $1.5 million in 2015. Stock-based Compensation The Company accounts for stock-based compensation transactions, such as nonvested stock and performance equity awards, using fair value. Compensation expense for an award is estimated at the date of grant and is recognized over the requisite service period. Compensation expense is adjusted for equity awards that do not vest because service or performance conditions are not satisfied. However, compensation expense already recognized is not adjusted if market conditions are not met, such as the Company’s total shareholder return performance relative to a peer group under certain of the Company’s performance equity awards. Compensation expense is adjusted for estimated forfeitures over the award measurement period. Income Taxes The provision for, or benefit from, income taxes includes deferred taxes resulting from temporary differences in income for financial and tax purposes using the liability method. Such temporary differences result primarily from differences in the carrying value of assets and liabilities. Future realization of deferred income tax assets requires sufficient taxable income within the carryback and/or carryforward period available under tax law. The Company evaluates on a quarterly basis whether, based on all available evidence, it is probable that the deferred income tax assets are realizable. Valuation allowances are established when it is estimated that it is more likely than not that the tax benefit of the deferred tax asset will not be realized. The evaluation includes the consideration of all available evidence, both positive and negative, regarding historical operating results including recent years with reported losses, the estimated timing of future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, estimated future taxable income exclusive of reversing temporary differences and carryforwards, and potential tax planning strategies which may be employed to prevent an operating loss or tax credit carryforward from expiring unused. It is the Company’s policy to classify interest and penalties recognized on underpayment of income taxes as income tax expense. Net Income Per Common Share Basic and diluted net income per share are calculated by dividing the net income available to common stockholders by the weighted average number of common shares outstanding during the year. Diluted amounts assume the issuance of common stock for all potentially dilutive share equivalents outstanding. The calculations of all diluted income/loss per share figures for a period exclude the potentially dilutive effect of dilutive share equivalents if there is a net loss since the inclusion in the calculation of additional shares in the net loss per share would result in a lower per share loss and therefore be anti-dilutive. New Accounting Pronouncements Adopted In January 2017, the Company early adopted changes issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) to simplify how an entity is required to test goodwill for impairment by eliminating Step 2 from the goodwill impairment test. Step 2 measures a goodwill impairment loss by comparing the implied fair value of a reporting unit’s goodwill with the carrying amount of that goodwill, which is currently required if a reporting unit with goodwill fails a Step 1 test comparing the fair value of the reporting unit to its carrying value including goodwill. Under this new guidance, an entity should perform its annual, or interim, goodwill impairment test using just the Step 1 test of comparing the fair value of a reporting unit with its carrying amount. Any goodwill impairment, representing the amount by which the carrying amount exceeds the reporting unit’s fair value, is determined using this Step 1 test. Any goodwill impairment loss recognized would not exceed the total carrying amount of goodwill allocated to that reporting unit. In January 2017, the Company adopted changes issued by the FASB to simplify employee share-based payment accounting. The areas for simplification in this guidance involve several aspects of the accounting for share-based payment transactions, including the income tax consequences, classification of awards as either equity or liabilities, and classification on the statement of cash flows, which will be prospectively adopted. The adoption of these changes did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements. In January 2017, the Company adopted changes issued by the FASB to simplify the measurement of inventory valuation at the lower of cost or net realizable value. Net realizable value is the estimated selling price in the ordinary course of business, less reasonably predictable costs of completion, disposal and transportation. The new inventory measurement requirements replace the current inventory valuation guidance that requires the use of a lower of cost or market framework. This change in the measurement of inventory does not apply to inventory valued on a last-in, first-out (LIFO) basis, which is the accounting basis used for most of the Company’s inventory. The adoption of these changes did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements. In the fourth quarter 2017, the Company early adopted changes issued by the FASB on classification of cash receipts and cash payments on the statement of cash flows. The adoption of these changes did not have a material impact on the Company’s financial statements other than requiring the classification of the cash portion of the Company’s debt extinguishment charge in 2017 as a financing activity in the 2017 consolidated statement of cash flows. See Note 8 for further discussion of this debt extinguishment charge. Pending Accounting Pronouncements In February 2018, the FASB issued limited changes to accounting standards to address the income tax accounting for certain provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Tax Act”). Accounting standards require the effect of a change in tax laws or rates on deferred tax assets and liabilities to be included in income from continuing operations in the reporting period that the change was enacted, including tax effects that were initially recognized directly in other comprehensive income at the previous rate. This results in stranded amounts in accumulated other comprehensive income (AOCI) related to the income tax rate differential, as the net-of-tax AOCI balance is not adjusted for the tax rate change. This new accounting guidance provides the option to make a one-time reclassification from AOCI to retained earnings for stranded tax effects resulting from the newly enacted U.S. federal tax rate under the Tax Act, calculated on the basis of the difference between the historical and newly enacted U.S. federal tax rate on deferred tax assets and liabilities related to items within AOCI. Adoption of the new accounting guidance is not required, and the Company has elected not to adopt this new guidance. In August 2017, the FASB issued changes to its accounting guidance for derivatives and hedging, which changes both the designation and measurement guidance for qualifying hedging relationships and the presentation of hedge results. Some changes resulting from this new guidance include the elimination of the concept of recognizing periodic hedge ineffectiveness for cash flow hedges, changes to the recognition and presentation of changes in the fair value of the hedging instrument, enhancement of the ability to use the critical-terms-match method for the cash flow hedge of groups of forecasted transactions when the timing of the hedged transactions does not perfectly match the hedging instrument’s maturity date, and the addition of new disclosure requirements and amendments to existing ones. This new guidance is effective for the Company’s 2019 fiscal year, with early adoption permitted and all transition requirements and elections being applied to hedging relationships existing on the date of adoption. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on its consolidated financial statements. In March 2017, the FASB issued changes to the accounting for defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit expenses. This new guidance requires the disaggregation of the service cost component from the other components of net benefit cost. The service cost component of net benefit cost is to be reported in the same line item on the consolidated statement of operations as other compensation costs arising from services rendered by the pertinent employees, while the other components of net benefit cost are to be presented in the consolidated statement of operations separately, outside a subtotal of operating income. The amendments also provide explicit guidance to allow only the service cost component of net benefit cost to be eligible for capitalization. This new guidance is effective for the Company’s 2018 fiscal year, with the adoption of the change in presentation of net benefit cost in the consolidated statement of operations to be applied retrospectively, and the change in capitalization for only service cost applied prospectively. The guidance allows a practical expedient that permits the use of the amounts disclosed in the retirement benefits footnote for the prior comparative periods as the estimation basis for applying the retrospective presentation requirements. The Company will adopt this new guidance in the first quarter of fiscal year 2018 using this practical expedient. The Company expects such adoption to have a material impact to reported operating income in the consolidated statement of operations due to the change in presentation of non-service cost expense components. For example, applying the practical expedient to fiscal year 2017 results, operating income for 2017 would be $54.3 million higher, with the reclassification of this amount representing the other components of net benefit cost to a newly-created non-operating retirement benefit expense category, with no net impact to the reported 2017 loss before income taxes. This statement of operations change in presentation of net benefit cost will not affect ATI’s measure of segment operating profit; all defined benefit pension and other postretirement benefit expense attributable to business segment operations remains a component of business segment financial performance. The Company expects to have a one-time, unfavorable impact of approximately $6 million to pre-tax reported results in the first quarter of 2018 upon adoption primarily affecting the Flat Rolled Products business segment, due to the change limiting only the service cost component of net benefit cost to be capitalizable into inventory. In February 2016, the FASB issued new guidance on the accounting for leases. This new guidance will require that a lessee recognize assets and liabilities on the balance sheet for all leases with a lease term of more than twelve months, with the result being the recognition of a right of use asset and a lease liability. The new lease accounting requirements are effective for the Company’s 2019 fiscal year with a modified retrospective transition approach required, with early adoption permitted. The Company is currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance on its consolidated financial statements. In May 2014, the FASB issued changes to revenue recognition with customers, which is required to be adopted by the Company in fiscal year 2018. This update provides a five-step analysis of transactions to determine when and how revenue is recognized, along with expanded disclosure requirements. An entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in exchange for those goods or services. The Company will adopt this accounting standard update using the modified retrospective method, with the cumulative effect of initially applying this update recognized in the first reporting period of 2018. The Company has evaluated the impact of this standard on individual customer contracts and based on this evaluation determined that there are several customer agreements involving production of parts and components in the High Performance Materials and Components segment that require revenue to be recognized over time due to there being no alternative use for the product without significant economic loss and an enforceable right to payment including a normal profit margin from the customer in the event of contract termination. Over-time recognition is a change from current accounting, which is at a point-in-time for these products. As a result, the Company will recognize a $15.5 million increase to retained earnings at the beginning of the 2018 fiscal year for the cumulative effect of applying the over-time revenue recognition to prior periods, representing the favorable impact to prior results had the over-time revenue recognition method been applied. Due to certain customer agreements with limited duration, 2018 gross profit is now expected to be lower by approximately $5 million as a result of the cumulative effect adjustment for over-time recognition. There is no other significant impact to the Company upon adoption, with the exception of reclassifications to contract assets and liabilities on the consolidated balances sheet. As of January 1, 2018, total assets and total liabilities both increased by approximately $33 million, representing the reclassification of amounts recorded previously in accounts receivable and inventory to contract liabilities on the consolidated balance sheet. The Company also expects an increase to financial statement footnote disclosures in 2018 regarding revenues, contract assets and contract liabilities as a result of this accounting standard update.

X
- References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_AccountingPoliciesAbstract
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The entire disclosure for all significant accounting policies of the reporting entity. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 235 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/topic&trid=2122369 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_SignificantAccountingPoliciesTextBlock
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | nonnum:textBlockItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration