v3.20.2
Recently Adopted and Recently Issued Accounting Guidance (Policies)
6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2020
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Recent Accounting Guidance
Adopted
On January 1, 2020, Arconic Corporation adopted changes issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB) to credit losses. This guidance added a new impairment model (known as the current expected credit loss (CECL) model), which is based on expected losses rather than incurred losses. Under this model, an entity is required to recognize an allowance equivalent to its estimate of expected credit losses. The CECL model applies to most debt instruments, trade receivables, lease receivables, financial guarantee contracts, and other loan commitments. This model does not have a minimum threshold for recognition of impairment losses and requires the measurement of expected credit losses on assets that have a low risk of loss. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements. This guidance will need to be considered in future assessments of credit losses.
Issued
In March 2020, the FASB issued amendments that provide optional guidance to ease the potential burden of reference rate reform on financial reporting. Under the amendments, expedients and exceptions are provided for applying GAAP to contracts, hedging relationships, and other transactions affected by the reform, if certain criteria are met, and apply only to those transactions which reference LIBOR or another reference rate that is expected to be discontinued. These amendments are effective immediately and may be applied prospectively to contract modifications made and hedging relationships entered into or evaluated on or before December 31, 2022. Management is currently evaluating the potential impact of these changes on the Consolidated Financial Statements.
Basis of Accounting, Policy Basis of Presentation.   The Consolidated Financial Statements of Arconic Corporation are prepared in conformity with GAAP. In accordance with GAAP, certain situations require management to make estimates based on judgments and assumptions, which may affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and the disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements. These estimates are based on historical experience and, in some cases, assumptions based on current and future market experience, including considerations related to COVID-19. Management has made its best estimates using all relevant information available at the time, but it is possible that these estimates will differ from actual results and affect the Consolidated Financial Statements in future periods and potentially require adverse adjustments to the recoverability of goodwill and long-lived assets, the realizability of deferred tax assets and other judgments and estimations and assumptions that may be impacted by COVID-19.
Consolidation, Policy
Principles of Consolidation.   The Consolidated Financial Statements of Arconic Corporation include the accounts of Arconic Corporation and companies in which Arconic Corporation has a controlling interest. Intercompany transactions have been eliminated.
Prior to the Separation Date, Arconic Corporation did not operate as a separate, standalone entity. Arconic Corporation’s operations were included in ParentCo’s financial results. Accordingly, for all periods prior to the Separation Date, the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements were prepared from ParentCo’s historical accounting records and were presented on a standalone basis as if the Arconic Corporation Businesses had been conducted independently from ParentCo. Such Consolidated Financial Statements include the historical operations that were considered to comprise the Arconic
Corporation Businesses, as well as certain assets and liabilities that were historically held at ParentCo’s corporate level but were specifically identifiable or otherwise attributable to Arconic Corporation. ParentCo’s net investment in these operations was reflected as Parent Company net investment on the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements. All significant transactions and accounts within Arconic Corporation were eliminated. All significant intercompany transactions between ParentCo and Arconic Corporation were included within Parent Company net investment on the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements.
Costs Associated with Exit or Disposal Activities or Restructurings, Policy
Cost Allocations.   The description and information on cost allocations is applicable for all periods included in the Consolidated Financial Statements prior to the Separation Date.
The Consolidated Financial Statements of Arconic Corporation include general corporate expenses of ParentCo that were not historically charged to the Arconic Corporation Businesses for certain support functions that were provided on a centralized basis, such as expenses related to finance, audit, legal, information technology, human resources, communications, compliance, facilities, employee benefits and compensation, and research and development activities. These general corporate expenses were included on the accompanying Statement of Consolidated Operations within Cost of goods sold, Selling, general administrative and other expenses, and Research and development expenses. These expenses were allocated to Arconic Corporation on the basis of direct usage when identifiable, with the remainder allocated based on the Arconic Corporation Businesses’ segment revenue as a percentage of ParentCo’s total segment revenue, as reported in the respective periods.
All external debt not directly attributable to Arconic Corporation was excluded from the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheet. Financing costs related to these debt obligations were allocated to Arconic Corporation based on the ratio of capital invested by ParentCo in the Arconic Corporation Businesses to the total capital invested by ParentCo in both the Arconic Corporation Businesses and the Howmet Aerospace Businesses, and were included on the accompanying Statement of Consolidated Operations within Interest expense.