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Financial Instruments and Risk Management - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, unless otherwise specified
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Securities
Customer
Dec. 31, 2013
Securities
Customer
Dec. 31, 2012
Customer
Dec. 31, 2009
Derivative [Line Items]        
Maximum percentage for Research and Development and Corporate costs of the total forecasted transactions 80.00%stm_MaximumPercentageForResearchAndDevelopmentAndCorporateCostsOfForecastedTransactions      
Maximum percentage for manufacturing costs of forecasted transactions 70.00%stm_MaximumPercentageForManufacturingCostsOfForecastedTransactions      
Maximum percentage for designated hedged item of forecasted transactions 100.00%stm_MaximumPercentageForDesignatedHedgedItemOfForecastedTransactions      
Hedge exposure to the variability of cash flows for forecasted transactions 24 months      
Realized gain (loss) on reduction in cost of sales $ (4,906)us-gaap_CostOfGoodsAndServicesSold $ (5,468)us-gaap_CostOfGoodsAndServicesSold $ (5,710)us-gaap_CostOfGoodsAndServicesSold  
Realized gain (loss) on reduction in operating expenses (1)stm_RealizedGainLossOnReductionInOperatingExpenses 17stm_RealizedGainLossOnReductionInOperatingExpenses (32)stm_RealizedGainLossOnReductionInOperatingExpenses  
Ineffective portion of hedge was recorded on Other income and expenses, net 0us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossRecognizedInIncomeIneffectivePortionAndAmountExcludedFromEffectivenessTestingNet 0us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossRecognizedInIncomeIneffectivePortionAndAmountExcludedFromEffectivenessTestingNet 0us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentsGainLossRecognizedInIncomeIneffectivePortionAndAmountExcludedFromEffectivenessTestingNet  
Deferred losses on derivative instrument, net of tax 76us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyCashFlowHedgeGainLossToBeReclassifiedDuringNext12Months      
Period of Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) 12 months      
Amount reclassified as Other Income and Expenses, net 0us-gaap_OtherCostAndExpenseOperating      
Fair value of liabilities 73us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeLiability 4us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeLiability    
Fair value of assets 1us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeAsset 43us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeAsset    
Maximum outstanding amount per instrument with each Bank , as percentage of total       20.00%stm_MaximumPercentageOfOutstandingAmountPerInstrumentWithBank
Maximum outstanding percentage of counterparty risk       15.00%stm_ReducedMaximumOutstandingAmountPerInstrumentWithBank
Number of customer represented more than 10% of trade accounts receivable   0stm_NumberOfCustomerAccountedMoreThanTenPercentAccountsReceivable 0stm_NumberOfCustomerAccountedMoreThanTenPercentAccountsReceivable  
Impairment loss of intangible assets 24us-gaap_ImpairmentOfIntangibleAssetsExcludingGoodwill      
Aggregate carrying amount of cost-method investments 3us-gaap_CostMethodInvestmentsOriginalCost      
Cost-method investments, Other-than-temporary impairment charge 3us-gaap_CostmethodInvestmentsOtherThanTemporaryImpairment      
Securities in unrealized loss position 0stm_NumberOfSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPosition 0stm_NumberOfSecuritiesInUnrealizedLossPosition    
Zero Coupon due 2019 (Tranche A) [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Debt discount rate 2.40%us-gaap_FairValueInputsDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= stm_ZeroCouponDueTwoThousandNineteenTrancheAMember
     
Interest rate 1.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= stm_ZeroCouponDueTwoThousandNineteenTrancheAMember
     
Expected life of the instrument 5 years      
1.0% due 2021 (Tranche B) [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Debt discount rate 3.22%us-gaap_FairValueInputsDiscountRate
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= stm_OnePointZeroPercentageDueTwoThousandTwentyOneTrancheBMember
     
Interest rate 1.00%us-gaap_DebtInstrumentInterestRateStatedPercentage
/ us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis
= stm_OnePointZeroPercentageDueTwoThousandTwentyOneTrancheBMember
     
Expected life of the instrument 7 years      
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Fair value of liability component 878us-gaap_LongTermDebtFairValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
     
Minimum [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Major customer percentage of trade accounts receivable   10.00%stm_MajorCustomerPercentageOfTradeAccountsReceivables
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
10.00%stm_MajorCustomerPercentageOfTradeAccountsReceivables
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
 
Foreign Exchange Contract [Member] | Accumulated Net Gain (Loss) from Designated or Qualifying Cash Flow Hedges [Member] | Reclassification Out of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Realized gain (loss) on reduction in cost of sales (1)us-gaap_CostOfGoodsAndServicesSold
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
/ us-gaap_ReclassificationOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeAxis
= us-gaap_ReclassificationOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedNetGainLossFromDesignatedOrQualifyingCashFlowHedgesMember
16us-gaap_CostOfGoodsAndServicesSold
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
/ us-gaap_ReclassificationOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeAxis
= us-gaap_ReclassificationOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedNetGainLossFromDesignatedOrQualifyingCashFlowHedgesMember
(39)us-gaap_CostOfGoodsAndServicesSold
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForeignExchangeContractMember
/ us-gaap_ReclassificationOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeAxis
= us-gaap_ReclassificationOutOfAccumulatedOtherComprehensiveIncomeMember
/ us-gaap_StatementEquityComponentsAxis
= us-gaap_AccumulatedNetGainLossFromDesignatedOrQualifyingCashFlowHedgesMember
 
Collars [Member] | Option One [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Fair value of net assets (liabilities) (28)us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeNet
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= stm_CurrencyCollarsMember
/ us-gaap_EligibleItemOrGroupForFairValueOptionAxis
= stm_OptionOneMember
     
Fair value of liabilities 28us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeLiability
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= stm_CurrencyCollarsMember
/ us-gaap_EligibleItemOrGroupForFairValueOptionAxis
= stm_OptionOneMember
     
Forward Contracts [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Fair value of liabilities 45us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeLiability
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
     
Fair value of assets 1us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeAsset
/ us-gaap_DerivativeInstrumentRiskAxis
= us-gaap_ForwardContractsMember
     
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Notional amount of Derivative Instruments 286invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
319invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
817invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
 
Foreign currency forward contracts maturity term 37 days      
Fair value of liabilities 2us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeLiability
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
1us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeLiability
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
   
Fair value of assets 1us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeAsset
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
2us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeAsset
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_NondesignatedMember
   
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Minimum [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Foreign currency forward contracts remaining terms 2 days      
Not Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Maximum [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Foreign currency forward contracts remaining terms 11 months      
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Notional amount of Derivative Instruments 1,386invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
1,702invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
1,552invest_DerivativeNotionalAmount
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
 
Foreign currency forward contracts maturity term 115 days      
Fair value of liabilities 71us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeLiability
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
3us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeLiability
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
   
Fair value of assets   $ 41us-gaap_DerivativeFairValueOfDerivativeAsset
/ us-gaap_HedgingDesignationAxis
= us-gaap_DesignatedAsHedgingInstrumentMember
   
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Minimum [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Foreign currency forward contracts remaining terms 5 days      
Designated as Hedging Instrument [Member] | Maximum [Member]        
Derivative [Line Items]        
Foreign currency forward contracts remaining terms 12 months