Organization and Basis of Presentation	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2019
Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Organization and Basis of Presentation	1. Organization and Basis of Presentation Nature of Operations NOW Inc. (“NOW” or the “Company”) is a holding company headquartered in Houston, Texas that was incorporated in Delaware on November 22, 2013. NOW operates primarily under the DistributionNOW and DNOW brands. NOW is a global distributor of energy products as well as products for industrial applications through its locations in the U.S., Canada and internationally which are geographically positioned to serve the energy and industrial markets in approximately 80 countries. NOW’s energy product offerings are used in the oil and gas industry including upstream drilling and completion, exploration and production, midstream infrastructure development and downstream petroleum refining – as well as in other industries, such as chemical processing, power generation and industrial manufacturing operations. The industrial distribution portion of NOW’s business targets a diverse range of manufacturing and facilities across numerous industries and end markets. NOW also provides supply chain management to drilling contractors, E&P operators, midstream operators, downstream energy and industrial manufacturing companies. NOW’s supplier network consists of thousands of vendors in approximately 40 countries. Basis of Presentation The accompanying consolidated financial information include the accounts of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated. Reclassification Certain amounts in the prior periods presented have been reclassified to conform to the current period financial statement presentation. These reclassifications have no effect on previously reported results of operations. Recently Issued Accounting Standards In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (Topic 326), which replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology in current GAAP with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to determine credit loss estimates. ASU 2016-13 requires entities to measure all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Entities will now use forward-looking information to better form their credit loss estimates. The Company will adopt ASC Topic 326 on January 1, 2020. The predominant account subject to the scope of this standard is trade receivables, which are recorded and carried at the original invoice amount less an allowance for doubtful accounts (“AFDA”). Upon adoption, the Company will begin recognizing AFDA based on the estimated lifetime expected credit loss related to trade receivables; based on its current assessment, which is subject to change, the Company estimates an increase of less than $10 million to its AFDA and the opening accumulated deficit in the consolidated balance sheets. The Company does not expect the adoption of this standard to have material impact in its consolidated statement of operations and cash flows. In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820), which modified the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements. ASU 2018-13 is effective for annual and interim periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted for removed or modified disclosures. The Company is currently assessing the impact of ASU 2018-13 in its consolidated financial statements. Recently Adopted Accounting Standards In February 2016, FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which requires lessees to recognize a lease liability and a right-of-use (“ROU”) asset for all leases, including operating leases, with a term greater than twelve months in its balance sheets. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, Targeted Improvements, which provided entities with an additional (and optional) transition method, allowing an entity to apply the new lease standard at the adoption date and to recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASC 842 using the modified retrospective method allowed under ASU 2018-11. The Company has utilized the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within ASC 842 which, among other things, allows an entity to carry forward its historical lease classifications. The adoption of ASC 842 resulted in the recognition of $66 million of ROU assets, net of $1 million deferred rent, and $67 million of lease liabilities related to leases that were previously not required to be presented in the consolidated balance sheets. See Note 11 “Leases” for additional information.

Organization and Basis of Presentation

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2019

Organization Consolidation And Presentation Of Financial Statements [Abstract]

1. Organization and Basis of Presentation

Nature of Operations

NOW Inc. (“NOW” or the “Company”) is a holding company headquartered in Houston, Texas that was incorporated in Delaware on November 22, 2013. NOW operates primarily under the DistributionNOW and DNOW brands. NOW is a global distributor of energy products as well as products for industrial applications through its locations in the U.S., Canada and internationally which are geographically positioned to serve the energy and industrial markets in approximately 80 countries. NOW’s energy product offerings are used in the oil and gas industry including upstream drilling and completion, exploration and production, midstream infrastructure development and downstream petroleum refining – as well as in other industries, such as chemical processing, power generation and industrial manufacturing operations. The industrial distribution portion of NOW’s business targets a diverse range of manufacturing and facilities across numerous industries and end markets. NOW also provides supply chain management to drilling contractors, E&P operators, midstream operators, downstream energy and industrial manufacturing companies. NOW’s supplier network consists of thousands of vendors in approximately 40 countries.

Basis of Presentation

The accompanying consolidated financial information include the accounts of the Company and its consolidated subsidiaries. All significant intercompany transactions and accounts have been eliminated.

Reclassification

Certain amounts in the prior periods presented have been reclassified to conform to the current period financial statement presentation. These reclassifications have no effect on previously reported results of operations.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In June 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016-13, Measurement of Credit Losses on Financial Instruments (Topic 326), which replaces the incurred loss impairment methodology in current GAAP with a methodology that reflects expected credit losses and requires consideration of a broader range of reasonable and supportable information to determine credit loss estimates. ASU 2016-13 requires entities to measure all expected credit losses for financial assets held at the reporting date based on historical experience, current conditions, and reasonable and supportable forecasts. Entities will now use forward-looking information to better form their credit loss estimates. The Company will adopt ASC Topic 326 on January 1, 2020. The predominant account subject to the scope of this standard is trade receivables, which are recorded and carried at the original invoice amount less an allowance for doubtful accounts (“AFDA”). Upon adoption, the Company will begin recognizing AFDA based on the estimated lifetime expected credit loss related to trade receivables; based on its current assessment, which is subject to change, the Company estimates an increase of less than $10 million to its AFDA and the opening accumulated deficit in the consolidated balance sheets. The Company does not expect the adoption of this standard to have material impact in its consolidated statement of operations and cash flows.

In August 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-13, Disclosure Framework-Changes to the Disclosure Requirements for Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820), which modified the disclosure requirements on fair value measurements. ASU 2018-13 is effective for annual and interim periods in fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted for removed or modified disclosures. The Company is currently assessing the impact of ASU 2018-13 in its consolidated financial statements.

Recently Adopted Accounting Standards

In February 2016, FASB issued ASU 2016-02, Leases (Topic 842), which requires lessees to recognize a lease liability and a right-of-use (“ROU”) asset for all leases, including operating leases, with a term greater than twelve months in its balance sheets. In July 2018, the FASB issued ASU 2018-11, Targeted Improvements, which provided entities with an additional (and optional) transition method, allowing an entity to apply the new lease standard at the adoption date and to recognize a cumulative-effect adjustment to the opening balance of retained earnings in the period of adoption. On January 1, 2019, the Company adopted ASC 842 using the modified retrospective method allowed under ASU 2018-11. The Company has utilized the package of practical expedients permitted under the transition guidance within ASC 842 which, among other things, allows an entity to carry forward its historical lease classifications. The adoption of ASC 842 resulted in the recognition of $66 million of ROU assets, net of $1 million deferred rent, and $67 million of lease liabilities related to leases that were previously not required to be presented in the consolidated balance sheets. See Note 11 “Leases” for additional information.