XML 134 R118.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.3.1.900

Income Tax - Reconciliation of Beginning and Ending Amounts of Unrecognized Tax Benefits (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Millions | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract] |  |  |
Balance at beginning of year | $ 313 | $ 255 | $ 227
Additions based on tax positions related to the current year | 38 | 51 | 52
Additions for tax positions of prior years |  | 43 | 27
Reduction for tax positions of prior years | (48) | (2) | (48)
Reduction due to ST-Ericsson deconsolidation |  |  | (8)
Settlements | (48) |  |
Prepayment | (3) | (5) | (1)
Reductions due to lapse of statute of limitations | (1) |  |
Foreign currency translation | (25) | (29) | 6
Balance at end of year | $ 226 | $ 313 | $ 255

X
- Definition Unrecognized Tax Benefits Decreases Resulting From Deconsolidation + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | stm_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromDeconsolidation
Namespace Prefix: | stm_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Unrecognized Tax Benefits Increases Decrease Resulting From Foreign currency translation. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | stm_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesDecreaseResultingFromForeignCurrencyTranslation
Namespace Prefix: | stm_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Unrecognized tax benefits prepayment. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | stm_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsPrepayment
Namespace Prefix: | stm_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

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

X
- Definition Amount of unrecognized tax benefits pertaining to uncertain tax positions taken in tax returns. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Glossary Unrecognized Tax Benefit -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6527854 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefits
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions taken in prior period tax returns. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from settlements with taxing authorities. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (a)(3) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsDecreasesResultingFromSettlementsWithTaxingAuthorities
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of increase in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions that have been or will be taken in current period tax return. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (a)(2) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromCurrentPeriodTaxPositions
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of increase in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from tax positions taken in prior period tax returns. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (a)(1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncreasesResultingFromPriorPeriodTaxPositions
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of decrease in unrecognized tax benefits resulting from lapses of applicable statutes of limitations. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 740 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 15A -Subparagraph (a)(4) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6907707&loc=SL6600010-109319 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsReductionsResultingFromLapseOfApplicableStatuteOfLimitations
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | debit
Period Type: | duration