v3.22.4
The Separation and Basis of Presentation
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2022
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]  
The Separation and Basis of Presentation Basis of Presentation
Arconic Corporation (“Arconic” or the “Company”) is a manufacturer of fabricated aluminum products, including sheet and plate, extrusions, and architectural products and systems, with a primary focus on the ground transportation, aerospace, building and construction, industrial products, and packaging end markets. The Company has 20 primary operating locations in 7 countries around the world, situated in the United States, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hungary, and the United Kingdom. Arconic’s previous operations in Russia were divested in November 2022 (see Note S).
In the 2022 fourth quarter, Arconic recorded an adjustment of $9 in Cost of goods sold to increase its environmental reserves to correct the accrual related to anticipated costs associated with the Company’s obligations to perform future operations, maintenance, and monitoring (OM&M) activities, as required by federal, state, and/or local environmental agencies, at several environmental remediation sites. The adjustment was derived from a site-by-site analysis based upon OM&M plans submitted to respective environmental regulatory agencies, and resulted in extending the time horizon for OM&M costs. Management has concluded that the impact was not material to any previously reported periods.
In the 2022 first quarter, the Company recorded a net gain of $3 in Cost of goods sold related to the unrealized impact associated with the change in the estimated fair value of natural gas supply contracts now determined to be derivatives (see Note U). This amount was comprised of an unrealized loss of $5 for the 2022 first quarter, an unrealized gain of $6 for the 2021 annual period, and an unrealized gain of $2 for the 2020 fourth quarter. The out-of-period amounts were not material to any interim or annual period.
References in these Notes to (i) “ParentCo” refer to Arconic Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its consolidated subsidiaries (through March 31, 2020, at which time it was renamed Howmet Aerospace Inc. (“Howmet”)), and (ii) “2016 Separation Transaction” refer to the November 1, 2016 separation of Alcoa Inc., a Pennsylvania corporation, into two standalone, publicly-traded companies, Arconic Inc. and Alcoa Corporation.
The Separation.  On April 1, 2020 (the “Separation Date”), ParentCo separated into two standalone, publicly-traded companies, Arconic and Howmet, effective at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (the “Separation”). The spin-off company, Arconic, comprised the rolled aluminum products, aluminum extrusions, and architectural products operations of ParentCo, as well as the Latin America extrusions operations sold in April 2018, (collectively, the “Arconic Corporation Businesses”). The existing publicly-traded company, Howmet, continued to own the engine products, engineered structures, fastening systems, and forged wheels operations (collectively, the “Howmet Aerospace Businesses”). ParentCo common stockholders of record as of the close of business on March 19, 2020 (the “Record Date”) received one share of Arconic common stock for every four shares of ParentCo common stock (the “Separation Ratio”) held as of the Record Date (ParentCo paid cash to its common stockholders in lieu of fractional shares).
To effect the Separation, ParentCo undertook a series of transactions to separate the net assets and certain legal entities of ParentCo, resulting in a cash payment of $728 to ParentCo by Arconic from a portion of the aggregate net proceeds of previously executed financing arrangements (see Note Q). In connection with the Separation, 109,021,376 shares of Arconic common stock were distributed to ParentCo stockholders. This was determined by applying the Separation Ratio to the 436,085,504 shares of ParentCo’s outstanding common stock as of the Record Date. “Regular-way” trading of Arconic’s common stock began with the opening of the New York Stock Exchange on April 1, 2020 under the ticker symbol “ARNC.” Arconic’s common stock has a par value of $0.01 per share.
In connection with the Separation, Arconic and Howmet entered into several agreements to implement the legal and structural separation between the two companies; govern the relationship between Arconic and Howmet after the completion of the Separation; and allocate between Arconic and Howmet various assets, liabilities, and obligations, including, among other things, employee benefits, environmental liabilities, intellectual property, and tax-related assets and liabilities. These agreements included a Separation and Distribution Agreement, Tax Matters Agreement, Employee Matters Agreement, and certain Patent, Know-How, Trade Secret License and Trademark License Agreements. The Separation and Distribution Agreement identified the assets to be transferred, the liabilities to be assumed, and the contracts to be transferred to each of Arconic and Howmet as part of the Separation, and provided for when and how these transfers and assumptions were to occur.
ParentCo incurred costs to evaluate, plan, and execute the Separation, and Arconic was allocated a pro rata portion of these costs based on segment revenue (see Cost Allocations below). ParentCo recognized $38 from January 1, 2020 through March 31, 2020 (the “2020 Pre-Separation Period”) for such costs, of which $18 was allocated to Arconic. The allocated amounts were included in Selling, general administrative, and other expenses on the accompanying Statement of Consolidated Operations.
Basis of Presentation.   The Consolidated Financial Statements of Arconic are prepared in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (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. They also may affect the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting periods. Actual results could differ from those estimates upon subsequent resolution of identified matters. These estimates are based on historical experience and, in some cases, assumptions based on current and future market experience. Management has made its best estimates using all relevant information available at the time.
Principles of Consolidation.   The Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company include the accounts of Arconic and companies in which Arconic has a controlling interest. Intercompany transactions have been eliminated.
Management evaluates whether an Arconic entity or interest is a variable interest entity and whether the Company is the primary beneficiary. Consolidation is required if both of these criteria are met. Arconic does not have any variable interest entities requiring consolidation.
Prior to the Separation Date, the Company did not operate as a separate, standalone entity. Arconic’s operations were included in ParentCo’s financial results. Accordingly, in 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 the Arconic Corporation Businesses. 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 the Arconic Corporation Businesses were eliminated. All significant intercompany transactions between ParentCo and the Arconic Corporation Businesses were included within Parent Company net investment on the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements.
Cost Allocations.   The description and information on cost allocations is applicable for all periods prior to the Separation Date presented in the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements.
The Consolidated Financial Statements of Arconic 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 reported 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 the Arconic Corporation Businesses 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 the Arconic Corporation Businesses was excluded from the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet. Financing costs related to these debt obligations were allocated to the Arconic Corporation Businesses 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.
The following table reflects the allocations described above:
2020
Selling, general administrative, and other expenses*
$25 
Provision for depreciation and amortization
Restructuring and other charges (E)
Interest expense (F)
28 
Other (income), net
(5)
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*In the 2020 Pre-Separation Period, amount includes an allocation of $18 for costs incurred by ParentCo associated with the Separation (see The Separation above).
Management believes the assumptions regarding the allocation of ParentCo’s general corporate expenses and financing costs were reasonable.
Nevertheless, the Company’s Consolidated Financial Statements may not include all of the actual expenses that would have been incurred and may not reflect Arconic’s consolidated results of operations, financial position, and cash flows had it been a standalone company during the periods prior to the Separation Date. Actual costs that would have been incurred if Arconic had been a standalone company would depend on multiple factors, including organizational structure, capital structure, and strategic decisions made in various areas, including information technology and infrastructure. Transactions between the Arconic Corporation Businesses and ParentCo, including sales to the Howmet Aerospace Businesses, were considered to be effectively settled for cash at the time the transaction was recorded. The total net effect of the settlement of these transactions was reported on the accompanying Statement of Consolidated Cash Flows as a financing activity and on Arconic’s Consolidated Balance Sheet as Parent Company net investment.
Cash Management.   Prior to the Separation Date, cash was managed centrally with certain net earnings reinvested locally and working capital requirements met from existing liquid funds. Accordingly, the cash and cash equivalents held by ParentCo at the corporate level were not attributed to the Arconic Corporation Businesses in any period presented in the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements that was prior to the Separation Date. Only cash amounts specifically attributable to the Arconic Corporation Businesses were reported in the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements for any period presented that was prior to the Separation Date. Transfers of cash, both to and from ParentCo’s centralized cash management system, were reported as a component of Parent Company net investment on Arconic’s Consolidated Balance Sheet and as a financing activity on the accompanying Statement of Consolidated Cash Flows.